Good addition to the series as another O'Bannon Cavanaugh bites the romantic dust. Ronan is the lead detective on a serial murder case that is going nowhere. The lack of leads has the entire team frustrated, which is when their captain adds another member to their team. Sierra is new to the homicide department and as different from Ronan as night and day. She also brings fresh eyes and a different viewpoint to the team.

I loved Ronan and Sierra, who reminded me of Kane and Kelly in How to Seduce a Cavanaugh. Both men are gruff and closed off, and both women are chatty and full of life. Ronan isn't happy about having Sierra assigned to the team, but he has no choice in the matter. Her constant talking irritates him, and he does his best to ignore it and her, but she isn't having it. Sierra grew up with three older brothers, as well as her dad, and is used to dealing with male stubbornness. I loved the way that she kept chipping away at his surliness.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Ronan and Sierra. There are sparks between them from the beginning, but both try to ignore them. Ronan is haunted by his last relationship and has no intention of putting anyone else in danger. Sierra is focused on her career and proving herself to her firefighter family. (I loved the instances of the firefighter vs. police rivalry.) But as they spend time together on the case, Sierra succeeds in breaking through Ronan's walls. I loved how protective they were of each other. Ronan reacts instinctively when Sierra is in danger, even though he knows she is capable of handling herself. I laughed a bit at the scene in Malone's bar when Sierra has to deal with a more than tipsy Ronan and loved how she couldn't leave him to fend for himself. I ached for Ronan and the reason he was drinking that day. I liked watching him loosen up around her and start to live again. The ending was terrific.

The suspense of the story was very good. I could feel the cops' frustration at their lack of progress. Sierra's arrival provided a new perspective, and it wasn't long before she proved herself to Ronan. With each new murder, the intensity increased, especially when two of the dead were policemen. I loved seeing the way Sierra's mind worked and that she didn't back down from her position. I began to suspect the motivation behind the murders early on, but I didn't figure out the twist until just before it was revealed. The final confrontation was a bit of a nail-biter, and I loved how it went down. ( )