CROSS HER HEART is veteran author Melinda Leigh’s first book in her new series featuring Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert.

Bree left the town of Grey's Hollow after the murder-suicide of her parents. Her childhood was filled with abuse and fear. As the oldest sibling to Erin and Adam, she tried to protect them from the worst of the violence. She grew up never wanting to return there, and hoped to be a police officer so she could protect others.

"From the first page in this gripping mystery, we are hooked.... The characters are well drawn... Start with CROSS HER HEART, and keep reading as Leigh produces more installments of her series. You won't regret it."

But when she misses a call from her sister, who sounds like she's in trouble, returns the call and doesn't hear back, Bree decides to drive to Grey's Hollow and see what’s wrong. She finds out that Erin was brutally killed, and the suspect is her husband, Justin, who has vanished. They had been separated because of his inability to stay off prescription drugs, although they still cared about each other.

Bree sees Justin's best friend, Matt Flynn, at the police station. They remember each other from Justin and Erin's wedding, and decide to work together to solve the crime. It has to be off the books, though, because Bree isn't in her jurisdiction and Matt is a former deputy. He doesn't believe that Justin is responsible and is worried for his safety. As the story progresses, there are more viable suspects, any of whom might have had the motivation and ability to commit the murder.

From the first page in this gripping mystery, we are hooked. The chemistry between Bree and Matt isn't well-developed yet, but this is just the first book, and there will be plenty of time for their relationship to flourish. The characters are well drawn, including Erin's children, Kayla and Luke; her slimy ex-boyfriend, Craig Vance; Todd, the acting sheriff who may or may not be a good guy; and Bree's partner, Dana, who has just retired and moves to Grey's Hollow to help with the investigation and the kids.

Start with CROSS HER HEART, and keep reading as Leigh produces more installments of her series. You won't regret it. Cheesy alert: Cross my heart.