A Dark Lure

Written by Loreth Anne White

Narrated by Emily Sutton-Smith

Twelve years ago, Sarah Baker was abducted by the Watt Lake Killer and sexually assaulted for months before managing to escape. The killer was caught, but Sarah lost everything: her marriage, her child, and the life she loved.

Struggling with PTSD, Sarah changes her name to Olivia West and finds sanctuary working on Broken Bar Ranch. But as her scars finally begin to heal, a cop involved with her horrific case remains convinced the Watt Lake Killer is still out there. He sets a lure for the murderer, and a fresh body is discovered. Now Olivia must face the impossible—could the butcher be back, this time to finish the job?

As a frigid winter isolates the ranch, only one person can help Olivia: Cole McDonough, a writer, adventurer, and ranch heir who stirs long-dormant feelings in her. But this time, Olivia’s determination to shut out her past may destroy more than her chance at love. It could cost her her life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Nov 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781511324243

Loreth Anne White

Loreth Anne White is a double RITA nominee, an RT Reviewers' Choice award winner for romantic suspense, and a double Daphne Du Maurier finalist. She hails from southern Africa, but now lives in a ski resort in the moody Coast Mountain range. When she's not writing you will find her skiing, biking or hiking with her Black Dog, and generally trying to avoid the bears. 

[celia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is another exciting story by this author. Lots of interesting people and unimaginable lives.Good read

[Cathy Davey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely the best. I love e this author, her stories are so well done in every way

[Joyce Harout · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

OMG. One of her best books. Wow. Loved it. It was a tiny bit predictable, but I didn't mind it at all.

[Cheryl Stritzinger · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really like this author. I become very engrossed in the book.

[Liisa Liisa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked it but the grotesque things done to women don’t need to be spelled out in such detail. It makes me ill. No need to hang them on meat hooks and put notes in their eye sockets.

[Donna Benoit · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like this author. I think maids diary was better but I enjoy the continuation of some characters.

[joyce provard · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars. I have read many of her books and this one is one of my favorites. Couldn’t stop listening

[Lorri Hager · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The way the author brought people together and loss isn’t always the end. Great book

[Brenda Throckmorton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow…found this book scrolling for a new read..Never read anything by this author,but ..wow ..it will not be the last..What a fantastic book!!

[Marlene Uys · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant written book, interesting, luring and a twist at the end as the puzzle pieces fit together. The narrator read beautifully and made the audiobook so worth the listen. Thx to both author and narrator.

[Cristina · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book, unpredictable story line. Had me in tears.

[angela3michel-812944 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Highly recommend, this is my first ride with Loreth, but it certainly won't be my last!

[Nneamaka M. Payne · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a well-written psychological, suspense thriller set on a ranch in the mountains of British Columbia. All of the characters have had some kind of tragedy in their past that has damaged them and yet somehow, when they were all thrown together, they ended up helping each other. It was a bit predictable but very suspenseful at the same time because of all the little side stories that strayed from the main plot. The ending was exciting and it brought current events, and past events full circle. A good mystery/thriller with just the right amount of emotion.

Twelve years ago, the Watt Lake Killer kidnapped Sarah Baker, locked her up for months while he terrorized and raped her, then turned her loose to hunt her like an animal. Somehow Sarah managed to escape. The culprit was caught and sent to prison where he eventually died. Suffering from PSTD, Sarah lost her husband, her child, and her family over the incident.

Changing her name to Olivia West, she starts her life over as a fishing guide at the Broken Bar Ranch. Life on the ranch lets her physical and mental wounds begin to heal. But a former cop believes that the wrong man was arrested for the Watt Lake murders. He is trying to lure the killer out in the open and using Olivia as bait. Olivia once again finds her life on the line.

This is my first book by this author, but it won't be my last. It took me a little while to figure out exactly what was going on in the story. But once I got everything straight, this book was very hard to put down. The story had a good balance between the suspense portion of the story and the romantic elements. I really liked that Olivia found she could trust the owner's estranged son, Cole McDonough when he came to the ranch to visit his sick father. There were a lot of twists in the story. I figured most of them out before they were revealed, but it didn't affect my feelings for this book.

[M Jennifer Ledesma · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A simple pleasure. A good listen while keep my hands busy crocheting.

[tedski_tx · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

There is a good reason you don't see "Romance" listed among my "Favorite Books," in my profile, and this one is exhibit A as for why not. It had the most ridiculously implausible "romance," and the underlying mystery/suspense story was poorly executed, with obvious red herrings and silly plot contrivances, including (gasp!) a heretofore unknown twin of the killer, who was wrongly convicted of the previous crimes.

I did rather enjoy the writing in the fly-fishing scenes, and, for the most part, the quality of the prose was very good throughout the story, especially in establishing setting. However, it was all wrapped around a lot of hackneyed characterization and weak plotting.

[tiffanyak_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dang. How'd I sleep on this one for so long? Well, I know that answer - my eyes have been acting up again - but, thank goodness for accompanying audio. I NEED to read more books by this author ASAP. The tension is perfect, the story engaging, and it's the kind of book where you kinda-sorta-but not really have got it all figured out before finishing because you're thinking so hard about it as you read, only to still have things take you by surprise by the end.

[rachdani · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

[edit]
I read this book in one sitting...I just couldn't stop. This is the second book I've read by White, and I know that I'm going to have to find all her books.

I fell in love with Olivia from the beginning. Her strength, determination...she's a wonderful character. The book is about the survivor of a serial killer, the life she is fighting to build, and the connections she doesn't realize she has. The book has a very fast pace, one that keeps you moving from one chapter to the next. There are some slow parts, but they are spaced out enough, that it doesn't take away from the story.
As a warning, there are graphic, disturbing scenes, mostly as flash backs. It is about a serial killer after all, and White has a way with words that makes you feel like you are hearing the accounts first hand.
If you are in to crime novels and don't mind a little horror, this book is definitely for you!

[chandra9of9red · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

**WARNING: A plot surrounding a serial killer but worth every bit the read**

SENSUALITY RATING: YES Profanity; YES violent sexual encounter

GENRE: Fiction; Contemporary; Thriller

SETTING: Canada; Broken Bar Ranch

CENTRAL FEMALE CHARACTER: OLIVIA – a survivor; a manager; attractive.

CENTRAL MALE CHARACTER: COLE – getting off the bottle; needs to be forgiven

SYNOPSIS: Olivia was the only one that survived being captured by the serial killer. She has settled into a new life UNTIL symbols of her first capture start to appear in various places around the ranch that she manages. Gage, a retired Mountie, knows that they never got the real killer. He and his daughter Tori had lost wife/mother 6 months ago. Tori blames herself. Cole returns home to see his dying father. He has carried the burden of what happened to his mother and brother ever since the accident.

WHAT I LIKED: The plot was totally realistic. Realistic events and setting.

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE: Kept me on the edge of my seat. What is there “not” to like?

OVERALL RATING: (5) stars because very realistic. Always keep your doors locked.

[nubian_princesa · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

***Review Copy***

This book could have been better if the romance aspect had been left out. Otherwise it was a fairly good thriller with flawed characters which you can empathize with.

[darcia_10 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an intense, emotional read. The author tugs at our heartstrings, fills us with despair, and teases us with hope and possibilities.

The setting is masterfully handled. I could feel the cold, see the ranch and the surrounding wilderness, and hear the wind whistling through the branches.

The characters are well developed with lots of depth. I had a good sense of who they were and what motivated their behavior. Their relationships felt real, the dialogue natural. The killer felt a little too flat and stereotypical, but not so much that I was overly bothered, perhaps because his part is quite small overall.

The plot, however, was predictable for me. I knew almost from the start how the story would play out. The twists weren't the least surprising. Still, while I knew where it all was leading, I enjoyed getting there. I did have some problems with certain aspects of the plot, most having to do with the cop's involvement. I didn't totally buy into the reasoning for his poor choices. This sullied the story a bit for me.

More than suspense, I think this story centers on relationships, recovery, love, loss, and healing. There is some graphic violence, though these scenes are short, with the intent to show us the character's emotional strength and fight for survival. The focus is also largely on the budding romance, with Sarah's inner struggle as she fights the love she feels.

There is no doubt that White is a talented writer. She drew me right into her world and held my interest throughout. At times, though, the writing has almost a forced literary feel. Comparisons between the building storm and characters' emotions were overdone. Leaves and reeds were constantly 'whispering'. This became distracting by the midway point.

Finally, I have to mention the books within the book aspect. We have two characters who are writers, and segments of their books are shared within the narrative. The problem for me is the voices are all exactly the same. The passages from both author-characters read like the narrative voice of the actual author, complete with the literary style and word choices. I needed some stylistic changes to offset the characters' writing styles as different from the author's. Also, when other characters compliment the beauty of the author-character's prose, because the styles are exactly alike, it feels too much like the author is complimenting herself.

Despite my grumblings, this is a compelling story that is sure to capture the romantics out there