Catch a Shadow

by Patricia Potter

Carrying out a hit-and-run victim’s deathbed wish, a young woman turns to a former Special Forces commando for help when she becomes the target of a twisted killer When she arrived at the scene of a hit-and-run, Atlanta reporter-turned-paramedic Kirke Palmer didn’t expect to end up carrying out a deathbed wish. But now, bound by her promise to a man she couldn’t save, Kirke tries to track down someone named Mitch Edwards. She’s soon blindsided by a stranger who claims to be the victim’s brother . . . a rugged, guarded man who radiates danger and arouses irresistible desire.   Jake Kelly just spent seven years in a high-security prison for a crime he didn’t commit. The former Special Forces commando came to Atlanta to meet the CIA operative who supposedly died in a South American sting gone awry. Except now Del Cox is really dead, and Jake has only two leads. One is the paramedic he witnessed taking an envelope from Cox before he died.   With Kirke under attack and the ghosts from his military past back on the radar, Jake races to find out who betrayed him on that fateful final mission. And time is running out.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Mystery

337 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2008

Reviews

[ElaineY · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't think this book belonged to the romantic suspense genre as the protagonists hardly got to say much more than a sentence or two to each other for a third of the book. Everything moved slowly despite the promise of danger and suspense. And I mean EVERYTHING. There was hardly any attention given to the romance so that if the back blurb didn't tell me they were characters in a romance, I never would have guessed.

Nothing really happens on the suspense level except for the usual attempts on the heroine and her friend's life. All the while, Jake is monitoring the situation, there is NO intimacy between him and Kirke, no hint of a romance either. The only way the reader knows they will end up in bed with each other is because the author has the heroine doing her internal monologue about her reaction to Jake. Jake, on the other hand, finally makes a move at page 199 of page 300 and kisses Kirke. Mind you, before this, there is absolutely no flirting, no witty come ons to give anyone the idea these two will fall in love. When there's only one third of the book more to go and there's been NO romance, I can't see how the author is going to rush the until-now platonic interaction into an intimate one. If Ms Potter had spent a little time building up a sexual attraction between Jake and Kirke then set it aside to move on to the suspense before returning to work on the lovey-dovey stuff, that would have been fine. Probably even great. But no, their relationship is lacking in sexual attraction, chemistry, romance etc. but through no fault of their own - they just weren't given the opportunity to develop these. Poor things.

So To Catch A Shadow is an odd book as far as Romantic Suspense goes. The book insists on revolving around the non-existent romance between Jake and Kirke so I'm stumped as to what the author is trying to do.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two CIA officers and a Special Ops team try to exchange cash and uncut diamonds for some of Uncle Sam's sophisticated weapons in South America. Unfortunately, the purchase goes terribly wrong and most of the operatives are killed or missing.

Since most of the money and all of the diamonds disappeared in South America, the US government, in general, and the US Army, in particular, prosecuted the only person who survived the attack: Jake Kelly.

After 7 long years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Jake wants to clear his name. Not long after his release, he receives a strange phone call, urging him to come to Atlanta (even though that violates his parole).

As he is entering the bar where he is to meet the contact, suddenly a man is intentionally struck and gravely injured. Jake realizes that he is one of the 2 men who were missing after the botched weapons-for-money-and-diamonds exchange.

Now starts a cat-and-mouse game - Jake is trying to prove his innocence while US Marshalls are looking to take him back to prison. The story is interesting and a quick read!

[Darla Stokes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy the mystery/adventure part of this book: our hero, Jake, trying to piece together what happened to him years ago, with our heroine, Kirke, caught in a deadly situation she doesn't understand. I didn't, however, buy the romance angle. I think my problem was mostly with Kirke, since it's really Jake's story, although we meet Kirke first. It's really hard to see why she decides to trust Jake, much less fall in love with him, and while if I buy that, I can understand why she disregards the danger to herself, but she seems oddly unconcerned about putting her friends and co-workers in danger.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catch A Shadow (Patricia Potter)
Romantic suspense. Kirke Palmer is a paramedic, she has a simple life. The one day her dying (hit and run) patient hands her an envelope and asks her to deliver it, but do not tell the police. She has mixed feeling on what to do. She finds herself the target of a killer, and that letter seems to be the reason for her trouble.

Jake Kelly, a man with a big secret. Just released from prison for a crime he did not commit, was witness to this accident, and he seems to somehow be involved in this. The question arises (in Kirke's mind) , can she trust Jake with her life? People are not who they seem to be, and the one person Kirke may have to trust , is the mas she should trust the least.

A bit slow in the beginning, but picks up mid way. Has likable characters, and ends the way I expected.

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a romantic suspense. Kirke Palmer is a paramedic, she lives a simple life. Than one day a dying person hands her an enevelope an asks her to deliver it but to tell no one especially the police. She has mixed feelings about this. Suddenly she,s the target of a killer, and that letter seems to be the reason., Jake Kelly just released from prison for a crime he did not commit. He was a witness to the accident and he seems to some how be involved in this. The question is can she trust Jake with her life! People are not who they seem to be. It starts out slow but picks up midway through the book

[Pamela · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so far-fetched it was beyond ridiculous. All of it was so unbelievable. The characters, although likeable, had no depth. Even the bad guy was a joke. Some villain. As for the romantic portion of the book, it was barely there. There was so little written about it you had to wonder how two people could end up together. It felt forced and there certainly was no heat or chemistry between the two. It was though the author thought let's throw in a little sex into the mix. Sorry but this was a horrible book.

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirke Palmer is a paramedic and was given an envelope and a request to deliver it by a dying man. Jake Kelly is a man just released from prison for a crime he didn't do. More suspense than romance but still a good and gripping story.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable romantic suspense. No mystery. Likable characters and interesting plot, but not an amazing read.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book from start to finish. It was awesome, and I give it 5 stars. After I finished it, I passed it on to friends who also read it and agreed it was a well written book.

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid book. Not a great one but a solid, fun good read. I enjoyed it and would read others from this author.