Drawn to psychology after witnessing her father's gruesome
murder, Dr. Jordan Sloan runs her own counseling practice in New
York City. There she lives with her daughter, Lilly, and her
husband, who has moved to an upstairs studio after the couple's
separation.Early in the story, Jordan learns that her father's murderer,
Dan Mallory, has been paroled. Jordan already is plagued by images
of her father's gruesome death in his own jewelry store, so after a
series of strange calls and hang-ups and the appearance of a
stranger outside her home, she begins to worry that Mallory is
after her. But, Jordan's friends and family are convinced she's
overreacting, especially her teenage daughter, who has become
obsessed with Zen Buddhism and first love. So begins, M. J. Rose's
newest erotic thriller, IN FIDELITY.A
Rose mystery has signature markings. Readers encounter
psychological suspense, adventure, and erotica all woven together,
giving readers a story with many different chords. The characters
tend to suffer conflict between their rationale and instincts and
their passions. In the end, they learn how to take ownership of
their desires. The mystery often is the journey on how they get
there.In
IN FIDELITY, Jordan's reawakening takes place through a series of
symbolic encounters. Her transformation initially begins with one
of her patients, Adrienne Blessing, who brings to her therapist
sensuous gifts and shares stories of her outrageous peccadilloes.
Jordan finds herself aroused by Blessing's stories and offerings of
chocolates and figs; she begins to feel sexy and alive again. At
this point, Jordan rekindles romance with her estranged husband ---
much to her surprise, as she had been prepared finally to end the
marriage.Jewels and precious stones are strong images in the book;
Jordan stays locked in her sad past by hanging onto the jewelry her
father created and some precious stones. There are signs of hope
when she designs a bracelet for her daughter, relinquishing some of
the most precious of the stones. It's not until the story's end, in
a deadly confrontation, that we see Jordan fully let go of her
guilt and pain over her father's murder. It is then that she is
struck with her own prescription for happiness.

What
I most enjoy about M. J. Rose's mysteries are her smart and
struggling characters, who, when infused with Rose's flair for
erotica, stimulate the reader's brain and gonads! With a book like
IN FIDELITY, ""curling up in bed with a good mystery"" carries a
whole new innuendo.