Review: Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz

Promise Not to Tell (Culter, Sutter & Salinas #2) 
by Jayne Ann Krentz
Publication date: January 2nd 2018
Publisher: Berkley Books
My rating: 4.5 Stars
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A painter of fiery, nightmarish visions throws herself into the sea—but she leaves her secrets behind . . .

Seattle gallery owner Virginia Troy has spent years battling the demons that stem from her childhood time in a cult and the night a fire burned through the compound, killing her mother. And now one of her artists has taken her own life, but not before sending Virginia a last picture: a painting that makes Virginia doubt everything about the so-called suicide—and her own past.

Like Virginia, private investigator Cabot Sutter was one of the children in the cult who survived that fire... and only he can help her now. As they struggle to unravel the clues in the painting, it becomes clear that someone thinks Virginia knows more than she does and that she must be stopped. Thrown into an inferno of desire and deception, Virginia and Cabot draw ever closer to the mystery of their shared memories—and the shocking fate of the one man who still wields the power to destroy everything they hold dear. 

My Thoughts:

Virginia and Cabot survived the machinations of twisted cult leader as kids, when he tried to kill them all in a fire, but their mothers weren’t so fortunate. They’re reunited when Virginia hires Cabot’s detective firm to investigate the suspicious death of one of the survivors.  The police think it’s a suicide, but Virginia is convinced there’s more to her death when she receives a message in the form of a cryptic painting depicting the supposedly dead cult leader in a horror scene that looks like it was set in the present. It soon becomes apparent that Virginia is in grave danger.

Both Virginia and Cabot are haunted by the past.  It’s made any romantic relationship difficult at best, so I was happy there was an immediate attraction between them, because they just got each other’s hang-ups resulting from the inevitable PTSD they experienced.  I loved Cabot and Virginia working together, piecing together the clues and handling each new threat shot their way; and believe me there were plenty!  It seemed there was danger at every turn! Just when they’d escape one threat another would slam them! I liked that they thought things through in the face of chaos, and handled whatever crazy thing came their way.  Cabot and Virginia really made an excellent team!

I also liked the little side story of Cabot’s family and inheritance.  Xavier, Cabot’s teenage cousin, was a delight and I hope we get to see him in future books. 

Promise Not to Tell was page-turner! An exciting ride! Everything I love about romantic suspense: surprising twists, danger, action, and a romance you can root for! 

 

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