Book Review: Like a Knife

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Like a Knife     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Annie Solomon
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Romance
Warner, Mar 2003, $5.99, 384 pp.

As a child Rachel Goodman lost both of her parents with the strokes of a knife. She watched the vicious murder of her mother and the "disappearance" of her father into his publicly acclaimed "Safer America" movement. As an adult, Rachel manages St. Anthony preschool for children whom witnessed violence in Astoria, Queens.

Six months ago, Rachel hires reticent handyman Nick Raine to make repairs at St. Anthony. Unbeknownst to Rachel is that Nick is a former gunrunner who quit the profession six years ago. Now Nick’s former boss and mentor Spier demands he locate a six year old son he did not know he sired as his recently murdered wife hid him with her aunt from him. If Nick fails to do Spier’s bidding or fails at his task, Rachel will suffer the wrath.

LIKE A KNIFE is an exciting romantic suspense that spotlights how love can provide the opportunity for redeeming for the darkest of souls. The story line is fast-paced though how Spier’s wife could hide the child from him so easily and why Spier wanted the kid is never quite clear. Still the audience will relish the activities of the lead couple, Rachel with her almost obsessive need to help those youngsters following the ugly path of her youth and Nick needing a soul cleaning after years of selling weapons to murderers and terrorists.

Harriet Klausner

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