Almost killed by a bomb that destroyed his home, Boston detective Cyrus "Scoop" Wisdom is on the hunt for the culprit. While recuperating from his injuries in Ireland, he meets archaeologist Sophie Malone, and the whole case takes on a new twist. Who is this woman who seems to know so much about the strange happenings that surround a mystery involving Celtic artifacts, and why do her travels seem to mimic Scoop's so closely? Why is she so secretive, and what is she hiding? Immediately suspicious, as well as intrigued, Scoop wants to find out everything there is to know about Sophie Malone.

Sophie is determined to keep her private life private, but that becomes harder and harder to do the more she comes to know the sexy detective who makes her heart pound and makes her feel as if he can see straight through her. While she is in Ireland trying to make sense of a mysterious adventure she had a year ago on a small uninhabited island, she suddenly falls under suspicion with regard to a crime much larger in nature than what she experienced.

When Sophie and Scoop find themselves on the same flight returning to Boston, Scoop becomes even more suspicious of this beautiful woman who divulges nothing. While he'd like to get to know her better, the case he's on must come first. When it comes to a threat on his life, Scoop is all business; beautiful or not, if Sophie is involved, she's going to pay.

In Boston, Sophie and Scoop barely have time to get settled when retired police officer Cliff Raverty, who now works as a security guard for the wealthy, art-loving Carlisle family, winds up dead. It looks like a suicide, a ritual sacrifice, but is it what it appears to be in this world of illusions? Nothing is as it seems, and everyone has a lot to lose.

In spite of their distrust of each other, Sophie and Scoop find themselves increasingly thrown together as more information comes to light regarding their deadly situation. It's hard to keep their minds on business, but the stakes are too high for them to be anything less than focused. Can they ever get to the bottom of these strange goings-on and finally get to turn their attention to one another?

Sophie is a character who is easy to identify with. She's a determined woman with strong family ties who works hard to establish herself in the field of archaeology. Scoop is equally successful in his career and just as determined as Sophie. When these two forces collide, it's a true meeting of the minds and an attraction of the souls and bodies. The supporting cast of characters add a lot to the story as well, and readers feel as if they are really part of a community rather than an outside party reading a story.

THE WHISPER is the fourth installment in Carla Neggers’s series that began with THE WIDOW, THE ANGEL and THE MIST. While it isn't necessary to read the first three books in order to enjoy the latest, I'd highly recommend it. The characters each have their own wonderful tales to tell, all leading up to the action in THE WHISPER. You really won't want to miss a minute of what happens to these folks you'll come to know and love.