Another fast-paced, intense entry in the Colton 911: Grand Rapids series. Pippa Colton is an attorney who was hired to prove that her friend's mother was wrongly convicted of murder. It isn't a popular position as the woman is rude, mean-spirited, and just plain nasty to those around her. Because of Pippa's work, she has been receiving death threats. One of her brothers, Griffin, asked his friend Emmanuel Iglesias to keep an eye on Pippa. That creates some tension because Emmanuel is one of the detectives whose work convicted her client.

Though Pippa and Emmanuel know of each other, they don't meet until he shows up at her home to investigate a break-in. Pippa doesn't hide her dislike of him, but Emmanuel has no intention of backing down from doing his job. He also has his promise to Griffin to keep. I enjoyed seeing the two stubborn people butt heads as Pippa tried to get him to leave, and Emmanuel insisted on staying. Neither one expected the feelings that stirred - Emmanuel feeling protective and Pippa feeling safe while he's there. There were also sparks of attraction that each tried to ignore.

Both Emmanuel and Pippa have a strong sense of justice. Even though they are on opposite sides of this case, both are determined to find the truth. I liked that they respected each other's abilities and dedication. As they are thrown together by Emmanuel's determination to keep Pippa safe, the sparks of attraction grow stronger, and the attraction quickly deepens to something more. I loved watching them get to know each other, from simple things like cooking together and watching television to understanding how the other's mind works. I loved the ending, especially Emmanuel's nervousness. Pippa's reaction was terrific.

The suspense of the story was fantastic and kept me hooked from start to finish. It opens with Pippa's difficulties being allowed to meet with her client and the revelation to the reader that someone is working against her. There is a mention of the threats she received just before discovering that her home was broken into and vandalized. Emmanuel's arrival and assistance starts the dialogue between them about the case she is working on. Though Emmanuel is confident in his investigation, the points she makes raise some questions in his mind. As he and Pippa join forces in their quest, the person behind the attacks ramps up the efforts to stop her. Though the identity is revealed to the reader early on, it takes more work by Emmanuel and Pippa to suspect the truth. The tension increases the closer they get and the more desperate the killer becomes. The final confrontation had me glued to the pages until it was all over, and Pippa was safe.

There was also some progress made in the series story arc involving a deadly drug, a pyramid scheme, and an unscrupulous loan company. More people suffer serious side effects from the drug, including a couple more deaths, amplifying the need to find those responsible. Pippa joins her siblings at Colton Investigations in setting up a sting against the loan company. There are some intense moments as the trap is sprung and later as they bargain for information. I look forward to seeing how they use what they learn in future books. ( )