Detective Sean Gaudette wasn't just your average cop. He was the best there was, and he always trusted his instincts. So when he arrived at his partner Ken's house, he knew without a doubt that something was wrong. Finding Ken in what was an apparent suicide, surrounded by evidence that would declare him a serial killer, just didn't "feel" right to Sean. He was convinced something was wrong when his supervisor wouldn't let him anywhere near the case. And then along came Ken's ex-fiancee, FBI Special Agent Jennifer O'Grady. What was wrong with this woman? She didn't seem to feel anything at all about Ken's death. But Sean couldn't get her out of his mind, and he couldn't make himself stay away from her.

Jen was more than just an agent or a cop. She was the daughter of a cop. She had been engaged to a cop. So Jen knew the breed well-macho, cocky, and in Sean's case, devastatingly gorgeous and determined. If she wasn't careful, he'd discover the truth behind her trip to New Jersey. But working as a profiler for the FBI gave her the perfect reason to keep herself around him without his getting suspicious. Jen was going to help him catch the serial killer called The Redhead Killer. But the more time she spent with Sean, the more attracted to him Jen found herself.

Jen was convinced that the killer she had tracked in Washington was the same man they were looking for in Jersey. And it was beginning to look like it was someone that she knew. When the killer turned his sights on Jen, and she needed Sean's help to stay alive, she realized just how much she loved him. And just how much Sean loved her.

Wow! THE DRINKING GAME is the most completely engrossing novel I've read in ages! Ms. Redding has a magical gift-she makes her characters so real they live in your mind long after you finish reading. And she makes them believable as well. I've rarely read a novel where the "hero" is shown with such an underlying vulnerability. I found myself being charmed and falling in love along with Jen and Sean.

THE DRINKING GAME is a "must-read" for anyone who is searching for the perfect combination of suspense, sexual energy, and yes-romance. I can't wait to read more from Chris Redding!

Reviewed by Tracy Atencio

© July 2004