Flirting With Disaster

Reviews:Canadian theater manager Kate Carpenter is smart-mouthed, pigheaded, and fiercely independent, with an unerring nose for trouble—none of which makes her relationship with longtime boyfriend Cam any easier. Suffering the emotional fallout of her recent abortion, Kate is blinded to Cam’s pain. When he surprises her with tickets for a Caribbean cruise, Kate refuses to join him, preferring to stay behind and work the Calgary summer festival. With Cam away, Kate soon drowns her sorrows in a “harmless” flirtation with Doug, a festival security guard. But with a serial killer stalking the city, Kate can’t fully concentrate on either Doug or Cam—especially after a festival volunteer, Jeff, starts threatening her. Then a young boy disappears from the festival grounds, and a security guard is murdered. Kate is convinced Jeff is behind the crimes and vows to nail him before he kills again. Filled with nerve-tingling suspense, Nicholson’s latest offers plenty of action, memorable characters, and a cliffhanger ending that guarantees readers will be hankering for the next installment in this always-satisfying series. —Emily Melton (Booklist)Our beloved Kate and Cam are back in this next book of the Kate Carpenter Mysteries, but this one far surpasses the previous.Kate and Cam find themselves at a crossroad in their relationship; one that may well end in disaster and we see Cam leave our heroin to take a trip alone that was meant for the two of them. Kate, now confused and hurting is thrust into a relationship with another and again is plunged into a life and death situation of murder, mayhem and mystery.I feel author, Deborah Nicholson has truly outdone herself in this latest work. Her growth as a writer is extremely evident as she holds your thoughts captive in this read. She brings romance, mystery and adventure expertly into this work and intertwines characters in the storyline that are both loveable and repulsive. You never forget Cam, although he is not present through most of the read and you find yourself in the same emotional dilemma concerning heartstrings to him that Kate is feeling. This is always a mark of an excellent writer when they pull you into the mind of their character. You wonder about Kate; is her spirit truly one with Cam or will her heart belong to another? And who is after Kate and why?I have to say this is truly the best work by Deborah Nicholson yet; grabbing your attention and understanding of the story whether this is your first taste of this series or if you are reading along with each outstanding book as it is released. I honestly give this book my highest recommendation. It is one of romance, mystery, adventure and a storyline with heart. I believe we truly have another winner. Well done!Shirley Johnson, Senior Reviewer, MidWest Book Review ***“I’ve learned a lot about security guards while working here. I’ve learned that some are incredibly dedicated to their jobs; I’ve learned that some just enjoy the sense of power that comes with wearing an orange vest and walkie-talkie. And I’ve learned that some have the most incredible blue eyes, eyes that can pull you in and almost make you forget who you are for a moment. And in that moment, you can totally destroy everything you’ve built up in your life.”After a huge fight with her boyfriend and being plagued by the festival’s volunteer staff she is supervising, Kate is terrified that one of them may actually be the serial killer. A missing child, a kidnapped woman and a dead body all convince Kate that this is the most dangerous situation she has ever been involved in. Surrounded by unfamiliar people and not knowing who to trust, is Kate putting her life on the line by missing a clue that points to the most dangerous person at the Festival?