Nora Roberts has the ability to suck me into her stories, smack my emotions around, and then leave me at the end always wanting more. Her newest book, Shelter in Place does it all. It’s gritty, disturbing, terrifying, and yet it’s also hopeful. I read it in two days, consumed, because I had to know how it would all play out.

Shelter in Place opens in 2005, the first four chapters focused on a horrific shooting at the DownEast Mall and its immediate aftermath. Roberts digs deep and her story quickly shifts from intro into dark and violent. We’re introduced to the main players, including high school student Simone Knox—the first 911 caller during the massacre, and Reed Quartermaine—a young college kid who saves a child from the shooters. We also meet Essie, a first-responding police officer, and Simone’s friends Mi and Tish.

There’s a time jump to three years later and Roberts begins to take us on her survivors’ journeys, expertly weaving together the lives of multiple characters including the sister of one of the shooters. The story spans 14 years, and tracks the path of the psychotic serial killer, hell bent on finishing what the DownEast Mall shooters began. The killer is systematically stalking and murdering survivors. Reed, inspired by Essie to become a cop, is determined to stop the killer.

Shelter in Place held my attention at every twist, every page. I had to know what was going to happen next. I was fascinated with the design of the killer that author Roberts created. The evil was disturbing but I had to keep reading. This book is definitely more a thriller/suspense/mystery than romance, but there is a romantic thread that’s explored in the last third (or so) of the book. It ties nicely into the overall story and doesn’t slow down the action.

I loved the characters, especially Simone’s artist grandmother. My other favorite is Essie, she’s smart, strong, and her sisterly/motherly influence with Reed was believable.

Nora Roberts doesn’t shy away from writing scenes that horrify and they drip with some of humanity’s darkest evil. That said, I do recommend this book because of the characters’ journeys. I liked seeing the ups and downs, sacrifices, missteps, and triumphs. And hope.

If you’re a fan of Nora Roberts books like Angels Fall and The Collector, then Shelter in Place is for you.

“Fictional people are people too, otherwise why would we care what happens to them?”

Lila Emerson, THE COLLECTOR by Nora Roberts

The Collector by Nora Roberts released in 2014 and I finally picked up my copy — I know, I know, took me long enough, right? Not going to waste a lot of preamble. I loved it. I may have my new favorite Nora Roberts heroine in Lila Emerson. She’s quirky, self-sufficient, compassionate, and can kick some ass when needed.

The story opens with a glimpse into Lila’s slightly unconventional life. She’s a professional house-sitter and writer of young adult werewolf novels. She also loves to look through binoculars out the windows of the home where she’s sitting — sounds weird, but actually it makes a lot of sense for this character. When looking out the window one night, Lila witnesses a murder/suicide and everything changes. Upon leaving the police station after giving her statement, she meets the victim’s brother.

Ash Archer has a huge family and is used to taking care of everyone, it’s what he does. He’s also a talented artist whose half-brother was just murdered. At first he wants to talk to Lila to find out what she saw, but then he finds himself drawn to her. As an artist, he wants to paint her. As a man, he wants to explore the possibility of a relationship. However, they both find themselves in danger as they look closer into the murder of Ash’s brother. Their investigation draws them into a world of priceless Russian antiques and lands them on the hit list of a soulless assassin.

With The Collector, author Nora Roberts effortlessly weaves a tale of intrigue and romance, while peppering it with well-placed wit and intense action seasons. She escorts us through New York City and takes us all the way to Florence (by private plane, of course) and back again. We get to know and love not only Lila and Ash, but their closest friends Julie and Luke.

There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about this book and it’s one I’m certain I’ll reread it. I really, really liked Lila and a huge thank you to Nora Roberts for creating this character.

Looking for more titles by Nora Roberts? Check out her official website here.