We often read in the most salacious of news pieces that the scions of the ultra-wealthy are prone to arrogance and delusions of grandeur. They act entitled, as if the laws and rules that apply to "normal" people don't apply to them. And very often they are correct. Those who fill our prisons haven’t necessarily been found guilty of criminal behavior but rather couldn't afford top-notch legal representation to defend them in court.

"The dialogue, characters and plot are engrossing, as is the peek into the mind of a truly depraved individual... OVERKILL is the epitome of a 'summer read' with its beautiful meshing of action and romance."

In OVERKILL, we see the result of being a criminal in a family so wealthy that they consider flying on their private jet the only way to travel. That criminal is Eban Clarke, the son in a filthy rich Atlanta family. Author Sandra Brown effectively contrasts him with Zach Bridger, a former pro football player who lives in a secluded home in the mountains of North Carolina, and Kate Lennon, an assistant state's attorney on a mission. Zach and Kate, for reasons that will become clear, butt heads over the fact that Eban has been released precipitously from prison. Sparks ensue.

Unbeknownst to him, Zach’s ex-wife, Rebecca Pratt --- to whom he was married for mere months but is now in a vegetative state --- has left him with her medical power of attorney. During dangerous sex games with Eban and his two best friends, Rebecca had suffered brain damage from the loss of oxygen. She was left alive but was brain dead, and Eban was ultimately sent to prison. But because of his family's enormous wealth, his influential father was able to secure him an early release.

Prison did not change Eban for the better, and he's out for revenge on those who wronged him. He also understands what Kate's mission is. If Zach were to deny his ex-wife supportive care and she were to die, Eban could be recharged, this time with murder, and suffer much more severe consequences. As much as Kate wants to make that happen, Eban is determined to prevent such an outcome, and Zach himself is in an extremely precarious and tragically awkward situation.

There is a reason why Sandra Brown is a bestselling author. Reading her books is like diving into a cool pool on a hot day --- you just want to stay there. For that reason, they are quick reads. The dialogue, characters and plot are engrossing, as is the peek into the mind of a truly depraved individual, a glimpse into how the one-percenters manipulate the system to benefit themselves and protect what is theirs, and, on the flip side, “meeting” characters who are selfless and working for the good of others. It all makes for a great escape into another world.

OVERKILL is the epitome of a “summer read” with its beautiful meshing of action and romance.