If you enjoy reading both mysteries and romance, then this book award is for you. The DaphneDu Maurier Awards are for the best combination of the mystery and romance genres. The Kiss of Death Chapter of the Romance Writers of America have announced the 2012 short lists for the published division. The winners will be announced in July, at the Kiss of Death’s annual Death by Chocolate Party in Anaheim.There are six seperate categories of awards. I have chosen to highlight the Single Title Romantic Mystery/Suspense category. This category features titles which have romance as the main plot, contain elements of mystery/suspense and are standalone books.
by Allison Brennan
“Lucy Kincaid has firsthand experience dealing with deadly criminal predators, and she’s fully prepared to share her many talents with the FBI. But when her career plans are derailed, her boyfriend, security expert Sean Rogan, asks for help on his latest private investigation. Using her well-honed cyber-hunting skills, Lucy is soon on the trail of a missing teenage girl with a penchant for disappearing—and a shocking secret life.” – publisherby Cindy Gerard
“Black Ops, Inc. operative Luke – Doc Holliday – Colter is taking some much needed down-time, making his way across the Peruvian Andes via rail, when banditos attack the moving train in the midnight hours. It soon becomes apparent that robbery is not their intent but the abduction of super model Valentina, who is traveling incognito while recovering from a public scandal involving her ex-husband, high profile US Senator, Marcus Chamberlin. Luke whisks Valentina off the train in a daring escape but the two of them become the targets of a relentless manhunt. Enlisting the aid of Luke’s BOI teammates, they soon discover that Val’s intended abduction is linked to a plot put in play by an international gun smuggling alliance. The BOI team led by Luke, with Val along as a necessary pawn, must race halfway around the world to thwart a ruthless attack that would not only result in a devastating loss of life but destroy a tenuous peace the US and her allies have established in a vastly unstable part of the world.“ – publisherby Christy Reece
“Bestseller Reece (Second Chance) kicks off a romantic suspense trilogy with this gripping read featuring members of the Last Chance Rescue organization. Former FBI agent Honor Stone was devastated when her lover, Seth Cavanaugh, dumped her after he was accused of murder. What Honor didn’t know was that Seth was working undercover to bring down a drug lord. Years later Honor is working as an operative for Last Chance Rescue when Seth requests their help with locating his missing niece. As Honor and Seth work together, their attraction burns as hot as ever. Reece nicely balances steamy encounters with the slow unraveling of clues that lead to a chilling pattern of missing girls. A truly frightening, twisted villain and an action-packed finale make this one a page-turner” – Publisher’s Weekly
by Roxanne St. Claire
“Ambitious, risk-taking Viviana Angelino is determined to make her family’s fledgling private security company successful, so she takes on a top-secret job-posing as the body double for movie star Cara Ferrari in order to smoke out a killer who’s been targeting Academy Award winners. But the game plan changes when Vivi is attacked and the thug-who’s not the Red Carpet Killer but is wanted by the FBI for links to human trafficking-ends up dead. Now Vivi and sexy, rule-bound FBI agent Colt Lang find themselves working against time to solve the mystery, come to terms with their highly charged relationship, and simply stay alive. VERDICT Funny, sassy, and hot, this nonstop adventure captures readers from the start and keeps them breathless until the final wicked twist as the “Guardian Angelinos” series continues. St. Claire lives in Florida.” – Library Journalby Donnell Ann Bell
“Fifteen years ago a young Colorado Springs police officer arrested a teen runaway accused of aiding a convenience store robbery and attempted murder. She was innocent, but still served prison time briefly. Her testimony sent the real thief to jail for much longer. Now she’s a young widow raising a son, and the man she put in prison is free and seeking revenge. She moves to a home in a new neighborhood—then learns that her next-door neighbor is the by-the-book officer who arrested her. Now he’s a Colorado Springs P.D. Lieutenant. Like it or not, he may be the only one who can protect her and her son from the past he helped create.” publisher
Source: http://www.thereader.ca/2012/07/the-daphne-du-maurier-awards-for.html
