FINAL DECISION: Enjoyable conclusion to the Fogg Lake trilogy. There is plenty of romance and light suspense in this one. Olivia and Harlan had some nice chemistry and made good partners in this one. As a longtime Krentz reader, I’m glad to see the return of connections to the Arcane Society.

THE STORY: Olivia LeClair’s experience with speed dating hasn’t gone well. First, a serial killer attempted to make her his latest victim. Then, her icebreaker question is not exactly attracting good attention from her “dates” until a mysterious man sits down at her table. Harlan Rancourt has an extremely strong psychic talent and despite questions about his true motives, he insists that Olivia help him as they search for secrets about a lost lab that may hold the answers to questions about who has been committing murders in town.

OPINION: One thing I really like about Krentz’s romantic suspense books is that they are not too dark. Instead, the book is light and infused with humor. That makes it a fun read (but not comedy or slapstick). I liked the characters, especially Harlan, who is a classic Krentz hero.

There is plenty of action and Krentz has been best in recent years by using her psychic storylines which she clearly has had an affinity for through the years. The stories have a more compelling suspense element and it appears to me that Krentz really likes these “enhanced” characters better.

This book nicely wraps up the trilogy and answers the questions that have lingered through the two prior books. I enjoyed seeing the characters meet up in the end for a satisfying ending to the series.

But my favorite part of these books is always the romance and here the romance works (although I wish there was more about the relationship than there is). There is little internal romance. Instead, Olivia and Harlan seemed matched from the start and only need to deal with the external issues for them to have a happily ever after. However, I’ve come to expect this in Krentz’s more recent stories and this one is good although at times I still yearn for her more emotional and character-centered books from earlier in her career.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book also has allusions to the Arcane books which are not necessary to enjoy this book but are recognizable for fans of that series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: LIGHTNING IN A MIRROR is the third book, and the conclusion, of the Fogg Lake trilogy. While the romance here is self-contained, this book ends the overarching storyline of the series and thus is better read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

FINAL DECISION: Enjoyable contemporary suspense with a lot of paranormal talent dropped in. Krentz is always at her best when she incorporates paranormal into her works. I’m glad she is back to this mode.

THE STORY: Sierra Raines, an antique expert, has had some employment problems after a false accusation. She uses her psychic talent in her professional and has taken on being a go-between in the dealing of paranormal objects. North Chastain is referred to Sierra as he needs help to track down an object to help save his father. North works for the secretive Foundation, using his psychic abilities. The two end up in Fogg Lake as the area is connected with the Chastain family’s past.

OPINION: My favorite part of this book was the paranormal mystery. I liked the characters, but the focus of the story is clearly on the “suspense” aspect. I wanted more time and concentration on the characters, but it is clear that Krentz has decided to move away from her earlier “romance” focused books. That is a shame because those books are amazing both as romance and as suspense. In this book, the characters always seem shallower and as a result, I’m less interested in their story. Their love seems based primarily on being involved in this case.

Now that I’ve gotten that complaint, I did enjoy this book quite a bit. Krentz always has a good combination of suspense and humor. The story remains quickly moving and on the lighter side of suspense books. I really liked that Krentz has brought her paranormal storylines back into her contemporaries.

So while I liked this book, it lacks the depth and memorable characters that I loved in Krentz’s book from the 1990s and early 2000s.

WORTH MENTIONING: The end of this book sets up the next book in the series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ALL THE COLORS ON NIGHT is the second book in the Fogg Lake series. While the romance here is self-contained, there are characters and a mystery that continues from the first book, so it is better to read that one first. The book also has references to Krentz’s Arcane series. It is not necessary to read those book, but plenty of Easter Eggs for fans.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.