Material Witness

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* USA TODAY BESTSELLER  * "Mondello's latest, a pulse-pounding, pitch-perfect addition to the romantic-suspense genre...the real hook is the nimble tone that shifts from breezy to thrilling and back again with masterful precision. Terrific escapist entertainment, as good as anything in Janet Evanovich's oeuvre." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Named one of Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2012!Who does she trust when she's living the real life horror of one of her crime novels...Bestselling crime novelist, Cassie Alvarez, aka Cassie Lang, had murder on her mind when she walked into Rory's Bar under dressed and under cover to research her latest crime novel. Researching the cool, blue-eyed and dashingly handsome man at the end of the bar stirred her senses more than she wanted to admit. But was this man of leather armor all he appeared to be?Playing White Knight to an innocent wasn't how Detective Jake Santos planned to spend his time under cover. But there was no way "CJ" was what she claimed to be and that nagging tightness in Jake's chest told him he'd better take her home to safety and leave it at that. Then the barroom exploded with gunfire, leaving a trail of dead that includes a notorious Providence crime boss and an undercover FBI agent. When Cassie's name is leaked to the media as the only witness to the grisly murders, Cassie insists she only trusts Jake to protect her. The FBI wants their star witness happy and will do anything to make sure Cassie testifies. But it is clear to Jake that the shooter isn't the only person who wants Cassie dead. Not knowing who to trust, he vows to protect Cassie at all cost despite the fact that guarding the beautiful novelist is a serious distraction. MATERIAL WITNESS is the follow-up Romantic Suspense Novel by Lisa Mondello's Yuletide Protector and is book 1 of her new Heroes of Providence series.  More books by Lisa Mondello Contemporary Romance Novels:Her Heart for the AskingHis Heart for the TrustingThe More I SeeAll I Want for Christmas is YouThe Marriage ContractThe Knight and Maggie's BabyNothing But Trouble A Contemporary Romantic Suspense Novel: 72,000 wordsReview"Mondello's latest, a pulse-pounding, pitch-perfect addition to the romantic-suspense genre.  Cassie Alvaraz, a mystery writer in Providence, R.I., is smart, funny and attractively down to earth. She's also on deadline and in need of inspiration. In search of fresh material, Maureen, her editor, suggests that Cassie dress alluringly and hang out in an infamous underworld bar. Cassie realizes the absurdity of Maureen's idea too late, but she still feels game after spotting hunky undercover cop Jake Santos. Jake can tell right away that Cassie is no prostitute, and if she doesn't get herself out of the seedy dive where he's waiting to meet an informant, she might get hurt. Just as their flirtation threatens to get heavy, gunfire rips apart the bar. When the smoke clears, a local mobster lies in a pool of blood, and Jake realizes that Cassie is the only one who got a good look at the killer. Soon the duo is on the run with, and later without, FBI protection, and the spark they first felt at the bar slowly kindles a roaring passion. Mondello brings terrific enthusiasm to this material; Cassie, the sassy heroine, is immensely likable, Jake, the dreamboat, is also a thoughtful cop, and their passion feels genuine. Action scenes are taut, while snappy dialogue manages to be by turns tough and cute. The supporting cast provides the right number of red herrings...the real hook is the nimble tone that shifts from breezy to thrilling and back again with masterful precision. Terrific escapist entertainment, as good as anything in Janet Evanovich's oeuvre." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Named one of Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2012 - Indie CategoryFrom the AuthorDear Reader,Character inspirations come from everywhere!  When I wrote Material Witness, I loved the idea of having a latino heroine as the main character who was also a crime writer.  Cassie Alvarez, aka Cassie Lang, was a lot of fun to write because...well, writers are a different breed sometimes.  We get caught up in our stories and get attached to our characters as if they're flesh and blood.  For Cassie, the terrifying fictional world she normally creates has become her reality. When I created Jake Santos, I wanted him to be a bit damaged by the harsh reality of his world as a police officer.  But I wanted to buffer him with having a support system in his family that made him real.  While Material Witness was published in June 2012, you'll recognize Jake Santos and a secondary character in Material Witness, Kevin Gordon, from a inspirational romantic suspense I wrote for Love Inspired Suspense called Yuletide Protector.  If you want to see more of Jake Santos and Kevin Gordon in action, check out Yuletide Protector.I'm so thrilled that readers have loved MATERIAL WITNESS enough to make it my first USA TODAY BESTSELLERS LIST title.   MATERIAL WITNESS is Book 1 in my Heroes of Providence series. Look for Book 2, SAFE HAVEN, in 2013.Lisa Mondello