Promise Not To Tell

by Jayne Ann Krentz

'Another complex, compelling romantic suspense novel from a queen of the genre' Kirkus Reviews

A broken promise reveals a terrifying legacy in this electrifying novel from the New York Times bestselling author of When All the Girls Have Gone.

A painter of fiery, nightmarish visions throws herself into the sea - but she leaves her secrets behind . . .

Seattle gallery owner Virginia Troy has spent years battling the demons that stem from her childhood time in a cult and the night a fire burned through the compound, killing her mother. And now one of her artists has taken her own life, but not before sending Virginia a last picture: a painting that makes Virginia doubt everything about the so-called suicide - and her own past.

Like Virginia, private investigator Cabot Sutter was one of the children in the cult who survived that fire... and only he can help her now. As they struggle to unravel the clues in the painting, it becomes clear that someone thinks Virginia knows more than she does and that she must be stopped. Thrown into an inferno of desire and deception, Virginia and Cabot draw ever closer to the mystery of their shared memories - and the shocking fate of the one man who still wields the power to destroy everything they hold dear.

A suspenseful read full of twists and with the darkest of secrets at its heart, this is perfect for fans of Nora Roberts or Sandra Brown

'The master of romantic suspense . . . Krentz dives into sociopathic psychology and complex characterization to great effect in this twisty story, whose plot clips along at a terrific pace' BookPage

• ISBN10: 0349415919
• ISBN13: 9780349415918
• Publish Date: 2 January 2018
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 5 March 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
• Imprint: Piatkus Books
• Format: Paperback (UK Trade)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

From the onset, I liked the chemistry and back and forth banter between Virginia and Cabot Sutter. They share a connection and played to each other's strengths.

Virginia has reached out to the firm because Hannah Brewster's recent death was ruled a suicide. As the reader, we are made privy to what occurred on the night of Hannah's death. I was immediately pulled into the investigations and loved the plot Krentz developed from the paintings to the hidden key. Twists and unexpected connections made for an entertaining and suspenseful mystery. While Krentz tends to write in a formulaic pattern, I had fun guessing her intent as I read.

Both Virginia and Cabot are strong characters left with scars from their time in the cult. Both lost their parents, Cabot was adopted, but Virginia was taken in by her grandmother a woman who refused to discuss what happened. You might have to suspend belief a little as to some of their shared dysfunctions, but I thought Virginia's intimacy and anxiety disorder to be genuine.  The two worked well together, and their shared connection created a bond. I loved the story concerning Cabot's family, Virginia's gallery and details about Cutler, Sutter & Salinas.

Promise Not to Tell was a page-turner and for me, a stronger book than the first in this series. Fans of well balance romantic suspense, quests and cults will find the story contained within entertaining. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer