Deveraux adds to series with ‘Scarlet Nights’

Sara Shaw faces obstacles from every direction as she prepares to wed Greg Anders. It seems everyone in town, including members of her own family, can’t stand her fiance, which makes the prospect of being happily married dubious when you are related to nearly everyone in town.

And when a stranger — handsome and mysterious detective Mike Newland — pops up from underneath her bedroom floor, claiming to be the brother of her best friend Tish, Sara can’t help but think he has been sent by her friends and family to distract her from Greg. What’s worse, it’s working, and Sara finds herself being drawn to the smart, kind man with all the secrets.

“Scarlet Nights,” the third installment in Jude Deveraux’s popular series centering around the small town of Edilean, Va., finds mayhem and mystery afoot as Sara’s big day approaches. Deveraux once again brings back the beloved characters from her previous two novels, “Lavender Morning” and “Days of Gold,” as she continues the captivating stories of the folks who populate this little town.
 
Mike Newland actually has been assigned to protect Sara from Greg, who, as it turns out, is not Greg Anders at all, but a mobster’s son named Stefan Vandlo, a conniving, dangerous man who has a habit of getting close to women, taking what he wants from them, and then making them disappear. In addition to Stefan, Mike also is on the lookout for his mother, Mitzi Vandlo, a master of disguise who is the brains in this family of criminals.

But try as he might, Mike cannot convince Sara that someone is out to get her. What he thought would be an easy, quick job has become a little more difficult, especially when he finds himself falling for the beautiful woman he is supposed to be protecting.

Determined to prove Mike wrong, Sara agrees to help him search for Mitzi, but as the two dig deeper into the investigation, mysterious developments in both of their families bring them closer. As their feelings grow for each other, Mike and Sara find that maybe fate has drawn them together just in the nick of time.

Deveraux is a wonderful storyteller, and her books shimmer with excitement and adventure, making her one of the most popular women’s fiction writers today. “Scarlet Nights” is no exception. With strong characters, down-home charm and an intriguing story, fans will enjoy catching up with the folks from Edilean once again, as well as looking forward to the next installment.