Audiobook Review: Midnight Exposure by Melinda Leigh

Midnight Exposure
Author: Melinda Leigh
Narrator: Scott Schumaker
Series: Midnight (Book 1)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (August 21, 2012)
Length: 8 hours and 57 minutes

Description: The first suspenseful thriller in the Midnight series from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh.

When two hikers disappear from their hometown in Maine, everyone blames the blinding storms. But the truth is far more sinister. Unaware of the danger, tabloid photographer Jayne Sullivan follows an anonymous tip to find the most reclusive sculptor in the art world. Instead, she finds mysterious handyman Reed Kimball - and a small town full of fatal secrets.

Five years ago, Reed buried his homicide detective career along with his wife. But when a hiker is found dead, the local police chief asks Reed for help. Why was a Celtic coin found under the body? And where is the second hiker? Desperate to avoid the media, Reed doesn’t need a murder, a missing person, or a nosey photographer. Until Jayne is attacked, and he realizes that her courage is his undoing. Reed must risk everything to protect her and find a cunning killer.

My Thoughts: MIDNIGHT EXPOSURE tells the story of a woman from Philadelphia making her way to rural Maine on the hunt for a reclusive sculptor. Her editor at the tabloid where she works wants photos. Jayne Sullivan needs the money since her regular gig of selling travel photos isn't paying enough to work down the debt her brother's treatment for PTSD has built. 

Reed Kimball has taken his son to rural Maine to get away from the notoriety he gained as a homicide cop in Atlanta accused of his wife's murder. The lack of a quick suspect caused the tabloids and newspapers to focus on him even though the cops knew he had an ironclad alibi. Now he's doing handyman work and secretly building a career as a sculptor. 

There is a big secret hidden in this small town which Jayne runs into right away when she arrives. Someone tries to kidnap her! Recently two boys had gone missing in the woods and only one of their bodies has been found. Reed thinks there is evidence of foul play, but the deputy sheriff wants to wait for confirmation from the State before he investigates. He's too busy campaigning for the sheriff's job and too busy resenting Reed's previous experience in Atlanta to do his job. 

The first kidnap attempt leads to a string of other attempts to kidnap Jayne. Reed doesn't want to get involved with a woman who is just visiting but she is able to get under his skin. His anti commitment attitude is crumbling more and more as he gets to know Jayne.

This was an engaging and action-packed romantic suspense title ably narrated by Scott Schumaker. I loved the slow building romance between Reed and Jayne. I liked the way they grew to trust each other and share their secrets despites those same secrets threatening any possible romance. 

I bought the Kindle copy and was able to add on the audiobook for $1.99. You can buy your copy here.