Book Review: Whispers: 2003 edition

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Whispers: 2003 edition     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Lisa Jackson
Class/Genre:   Romance   Mystery   Romantic Suspense
Zebra, Sep 2003, $6.99, 432 pp.

In Oregon, sixteen years ago someone killed Harley Taggert. Influential business mogul Dutch Holland bribed law enforcement officials to close the case because he feared one of his three daughters is the murderer event though he no idea which one committed the act.

Dutch plans to run for governor and wants all family secrets out in the open. He calls his three adult children to his home and asks who killed Harley. DA lawyer Miranda denies any involvement. Mother of two children Claire, recovering from a divorce from a pervert-rapist spouse, also says she had nothing to do with the homicide. The youngest Tessa the rebel tells her dad to stick it. Expecting no more, Dutch hires private detective Frank Petrillo to investigate at the same time that local bad boy turned international journalist Kane Moran has come home to write a book about the murder.

This is an improved rewrite of a solid romantic suspense tale released in the nineties that shows sometimes if it isn’t broke, it still may be worth bettering it. Lisa Jackson shows how confident and clever she has become as an author as motives are stronger and easier to understand leading to a more powerful and deeper cast as well as a different climax. Fans of the author and those who enjoy a taut romantic suspense thriller will shout aloud how good this one is, but as a bonus get a copy of the very well written mid 1990s version (don’t say a word about storage) to see the maturity of a rising star.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner