Anne Stuart, Joanna Wayne and Caroline Burnes - What Lies Beneath

112. What Lies Beneath by Anne Stuart, Joanna Wayne and Caroline Burnes (2002)
Harlequin Feature Anthology: September 2002 - (The Road to Hidden Harbor/Remember Me/Primal Fear)
Length: 378 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 24 November 2014
Finished: 25 November 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 22 November 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Anne Stuart, Joanna Wayne and Caroline Burnes are new authors for me.

She climbed back in her car, shoving her hair away from her face. "I'm going to find you, Michael O'Flannery," she murmured. "I'm going to find your ghost and everything I can about you. Just watch me."

Twenty years ago, an extremely talented and rising poet disappeared without a trace in the woods of Maine. Over the years rumors about his mysterious disappearance abounded, from the mundane to the fantastic; but nothing was ever proven. Now English professor Molly Ferrell has come to Hidden Harbor, Maine to write his story, and to find out what really happened to Michael O'Flannery.

She opened her eyes and stared at him. "Nathan?" His name came out in a husky whisper.
"I'm here."
She touched her hand to his. "Help me. Please help me."
"Do we know each other, Jill?"
She didn't answer, just closed her eyes and seemed to fade into a semiconscious state.

Dr. Nathan Duncan is curious about the mysterious young woman who just came into his emergency room as a patient. He's inexplicably drawn to her and is sure that he's met her somewhere before, but isn't sure where. Running from her jealous husband, Jill Jacobs is determined to hide her true identity. But can she keep the man she once loved in the dark forever? 

The woman began to run, dropping the bucket of shells she'd been collecting. As she drew closer to the body, she slowed. Her hand went to her mouth to stifle the scream as she saw the terrible damage that had been done by sharp, vicious teeth. For a long moment she stared at the body, and then she turned away and ran, retracing her steps to the beach cottage she owned on Pirate Harbor and the telephone that would bring the sheriff.

A badly mutilated body washes up on the Florida shore. Was this a victim of another shark attack...or something else entirely? Marine biologist Libby Phillips isn't quite sure. What she does know for certain is that modern-day pirate - and suspect - Chad Watson is distracting her from her work in more ways than one.

I must say that I enjoyed this book very much. In my opinion, all the stories contained in this anthology were very well-written, and as examples of the romantic suspense genre, each story was really quite good. The first story - The Road to Hidden Harbor by Anne Stuart - was the story that interested me right away, and was why I asked Mareena if I could read this book first. 

It took me one day to read the first two stories in the anthology - The Road to Hidden Harbor by Anne Stuart and Remember Me by Joanna Wayne. Both stories were great - although in my personal opinion, perhaps more focused on the romantic subplots, rather than the mysteries. Primal Fear by Caroline Burnes was also quite enjoyable. It was a quick read for me, and I appreciated that the romantic subplot was less pronounced in this final story. 

Overall, I would say that What Lies Beneath by Anne Stuart, Joanna Wayne and Caroline Burnes deserves an A! This was certainly a great anthology to showcase the work of three of the top romantic suspense authors within the genre: Anne Stuart, Joanna Wayne and Caroline Burnes.

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight