A devoted husband with precious twin boys who fill her every waking hour with purpose and contentment, Cate Nightingale lives a perfect life. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, all is lost. Her husband tragically dies and Cate is now left to pick up the pieces of a fairy tale life that will never have a happy ending. Struggling to make ends meet, Cate buys a Bed & Breakfast in Trail Stop, Idaho, a place that evokes memories of a life she shared with her loving husband before he was taken away forever.

Hiding from a secret past, Calvin Harris searches out an old friend in Trail Stop and stumbles upon a mysterious woman who quickly steals his heart. Unfortunately for him, she is preoccupied with her own set of circumstances and is completely unaware of the passion he feels for her. Despite his resistance, the town folk cleverly devise plausible schemes to throw these two forlorn souls together in hopes of mending their hurting souls. Calvin will do anything to keep Cate afloat as he watches her navigate into uncertain waters and mends her wounded spirit.

When a B&B guest quietly vanishes into the night, Cate lands smack in the middle of a war zone complete with highly sophisticated weaponry and skilled riflemen who are willing to fight to the end. Scrambling to survive, the residents of this sleepy little town must unite so they can plan their escape and reach safety. Together, Calvin and Cate must uncover the mastermind behind this evil diabolical plot before the town is annihilated and the inhabitants all find themselves leaving in matching body bags.

New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard has what it takes to grab hold of the reader and never let go. From steamy passionate love scenes to an intricate storyline complete with good and evil, Howard bowls a strike as she expertly sets the pins for a superb summer read. Action, drama and suspense! COVER OF NIGHT scores a ten!

Book Summary

In a tiny Idaho community, widowed mother Cate Nightingale owns and operates a struggling bed-and-breakfast; occasionally she enlists the aid of Calvin Harris, the shy, enigmatic local handyman.

To Cate's shock, Calvin proves much bolder than expected when a trio of thugs invades her inn, demanding the possessions of a guest who vanished some days before. Though Calvin manages to disperse the intruders, the men soon regroup and shut down phone access in the village, holding its citizens hostage.

In a desperate bid for survival, Cate and Cal strike out on their own, determined to solicit help from a neighboring town. As their heart-stopping journey unfolds, Cate witnesses Cal's astonishing evolution from reticent carpenter to fearless protector.