Seeing Red Review

Title:  Seeing Red
Author:  Sandra Brown
Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing
Genre:  Romance/Suspense
Buy Link:  Amazon
Release Date:  August 15, 2017

My Rating:  4 Secret ♥'s

*Many thanks to the publisher, Netgally, and Sandra Brown for an arc of this book.


Synopsis:
Kerra Bailey is a television journalist on the rise, and she's hot on the trail of a story guaranteed to skyrocket her career to even greater heights: an interview with the legendary Major Trapper. Twenty-five years ago, the Major emerged a hero from the bombing of the Pegasus Hotel in downtown Dallas when he was photographed leading a handful of survivors out of the collapsing building. The iconic picture transformed him into a beloved national icon, in constant demand for speeches and interviews--until he suddenly dropped out of the public eye, shunning all members of the media. However, Kerra is willing to use any means necessary to get to the Major--even if she has to wrangle an introduction from his estranged son, former ATF agent John Trapper. 

Still seething over his break with both the ATF and his father, John Trapper wants no association with the hotel bombing or his hero father, and spurns the meddling reporters determined to drag them back into the limelight. Yet Kerra's sheer audacity and tantalizing hints that there's more to the story rouse Trapper's interest despite himself. And when her interview of a lifetime goes catastrophically awry--with unknown assailants targeting not only the Major, but also Kerra--Trapper realizes he needs her under wraps if he's going to track down the gunmen before they strike again . . . as well as discover, finally, who was responsible for the Pegasus bombing. 

Kerra is wary of a man so charming one moment and dangerous the next, and she knows Trapper is withholding evidence collected during his ATF investigation into the bombing. But having no one else to trust and enemies lurking closer than they know, Kerra and Trapper join forces and risk their very lives to expose a sinuous network of lies and conspiracy running deep through Texas--and uncover who would want a national hero dead.

Review:
Most readers have a list of "go-to" authors they can count on to delivery an amazing read every single time.  Sandra Brown places very high on my author "go-to" list.  And once again, she delivers an intriguing read in Seeing Red - complete with flawed characters, sexual tension, and a plot laden with lies, secrets, and conspiracies that kept me guessing until the end.

Kerra Baily is a smart, tenacious, by-the-book, rising television journalist on the trail of the story that will make her career.  It's the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Pegasus Hotel, and she is determined to score an interview with national hero Major Franklin Trapper.  The major became a hero 25 years ago when he emerged from a burning, bombed hotel, guiding a group of people to safety including the five-year-old girl he carried in his arms.  His fame was headline news for years afterwards as he made appearances and accepted awards, but he later dropped out of sight refusing all interviews.  His regrettable choice of fame over family cost him the loss of a relationship with his son, John.  

John Trapper is a proud, intelligent, wary, sometimes hot-headed ex-ATF agent turned private detective who can often be found at the bottom of a bottle.  He deeply resents his father's past neglect and remains convinced the truth of the bombing and aftermath has never been revealed.  Shunned by his colleagues, John continues his off-the-record investigation determined to find the real bombing mastermind and redeem himself and his derailed career.  He's sloppy drunk the day Kerra approaches him for help securing an interview with his now hermit-like dad, the Major.  He refuses her, but she leaves him with an intriguing picture and a directive to get a magnifying glass and take a closer look.  And so their journey begins.

Family dynamics, secrets, conspiracy, murder, and a taut underlying current of sexual tension drive this fast-paced story.  Readers will need to buckle up and hang on as they race through some classic Brown twists and turns to reach another satisfying conclusion served up with a cherry on top - a surprise, of course.  The detail-oriented plot line reeks of danger and sets a tone of tense anticipation with flawed characters fighting for survival (and against their undeniable attraction), making Seeing Red a hard book to put down before reaching the end. Intense Suspense + Sizzling Romance = A Page Burning Must Read!

My Rating:  4 Secret ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥