“Secrets and lies. Danger that will never go away. Join three beloved masters of Romantic Suspense for novellas where the past will not stay buried.” With a tagline like this, fans of Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey, and/or Lynette Eason won’t be able to resist a new three-novella collection published by Bethany House and entitled “Sins of the Past”. Each novella is a standalone, and they are not related to each other in any way. Because of this unique feature, I will briefly share my thoughts about each one individually:

“Missing” by Dee Henderson – Although this story had potential, the climax and following revelation of the entire suspense plot felt extremely anticlimactic. It fell short, big time. In addition, the characters did not sparkle or pique my interest. Unfortunately, in this case Ms. Henderson did not live up to expectations.

“Shadowed” by Dani Pettrey – Wow, this was a story I won’t soon forget! With a writing style that brings the characters and setting to life, Ms. Pettrey crafted a plot that will definitely not be a disappointment to readers. In fact, it may get their hearts pounding more than a little! Definitely my favorite of the three, “Shadowed” is a not to be missed novella.

“Blackout” by Lynette Eason – This story is the stuff of nightmares. Creepy, realistic, and fast-paced, this story is by far the scariest one in the collection. Ms. Eason brings to life a haunting saga of a past that won’t stay hidden. A past that destroys everyone connected to the true events of one tragic night. Definitely a well done story, it should still come with a warning… Read it if you dare!

Overall, I was impressed with two of the three novellas in this collection. If you enjoy Romantic Suspense and don’t mind the shorter stories found in novella collections, “Sins of the Past” is definitely well-worth your time. My recommendation, though, is not to read it late at night, just before (trying) to go to sleep, or when you are home all alone. So, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”