Up Close And Personal by Carla Cassidy. Story Location: Kansas City, Missouri. Publisher: Signet Eclipse (Penguin), October 2009
Passion and murder have never been so intimately acquainted.
With an ex-husband trying her last nerve and a daughter growing increasingly estranged, homicide detective Jordan Sampson needs a break. She hopes attending her fifteen-year high school reunion will provide this respite. A night of old acquaintances, good music, bittersweet memories, and, in Clint Cooper, an old flame reignited. But among these once-familiar faces, something else has been incited: a deadly need for revenge.
One by one, the former cheerleaders from Jordan’s old squad are being murdered, each victim a tantalizing clue to a killer closing in on the ultimate prey. But who is it from her past who wants Jordan dead? And why? Now, as secrets echo in the dark halls of the school, so too does a whisper of fear is hitting terrifyingly close to home.
What a ride! After Jordan attends her high school reunion, someone is killing members of her old cheerleading squad and Jordan is the final target. Dealing with her divorce, her daughter living with her ex and becoming reacquainted with an old boyfriend, Jordan has a lot on her mind while working this case. Everyone is suspect but the serial killer will strike closer than Jordan imagines. This was a thrilling ride that I didn’t want to end. My rating: 4 stars