Publisher's Synopsis
This is the second book in a series of "unmissable" books. In the first book, the main protagonists (Sean Green, Jessica Silva, Mark and Bonnie Stevens, and Wendy Stevens) were introduced and Mark was assassinated, followed by Wendy using botulism to kill Ricardo, a man with a very dark history.
In this second book, Jerry Summers takes us deeper into the budding romance of Sean (a "spin doctor" with his own very successful marketing firm). He lives and works in San Francisco and is wealthy and in his mid to late 40s. He is infatuated with Jessica (a small but also successful apparel designer). Jessica owns Beauty Boutique Clothing, is in her early to mid 40s, and also lives and works in SF. Sean became infatuated with Jessica in the first book, when they first met and did some word sparring. Jessica sent him a "thank you" gift (yes, rather sarcastic) for his time, and the romance grew. In this book, Sean helps Jessica take her apparel designs international by opening a production plant in Brazil and getting her product into more stores worldwide. The opening in Brazil is tainted by the botulism death of the cousin of Hector, one of the big wigs in Brazil, who is helping Sean and Jessica get known there.
Bonnie struggles with life without Mark, after his murder by sniper at Sean's vacation home, and stays in touch with the FBI to find his killer. The responsible party turns out to be the guy Wendy murdered with botulism (Ricardo-Hector's cousin), who was also going to have his big wig cousin killed, but died too soon to do that. Ricardo was supportive of an environmentally and overzealous nonprofit, Mother Earth Cooperative (MEC), and so Bonnie puts effort into destroying them by creating her own highly funded nonprofit Stevens' Environmental Restoration Fund (SERF) and hiring Ricardo's cousin to be the figure head. With the help of Sean, they come up with a strategy to reduce MEC's funding. During this prime example of marketing spin, Charlotte (the new CEO of Global Metal Refining, Bonnie's dead husband's company), is forced to support Sean and Bonnie (who, along with Wendy, have voting control over the company's Board of Directors) - even though Charlotte's boyfriend is on the Board of MEC. Again, Bonnie & Mark come up with 'spin' to assist Charlotte and her boyfriend, Hector, during their plan to cut MEC off at the knees.
Wendy, who is dead Mark's sister, was raped by an employee of Mark's when she was young. Mark was behind the rape. Wendy lets Sean in on the secret that Mark was not the man they all thought he was. The rape caused Wendy to pursue a career counseling people suffering emotional/physical abuse and sexual assault. Wendy inherited a LOT of money when Mark died, and is now able to do pretty much anything she wants. She weaves in and out of the pages of this book, being supportive and giving counsel to friends and clients, all the while murdering abusers in very creative ways that appear to be accidents or suicides. Wendy comes to enjoy the excitement of the hunt coupled with the intense euphoric rush of killing. A client calls her an Angel of Mercy when she helps her. Wendy decides that is a more appropriate title than the client will ever know because, after all, the definition of mercy is "Unmerited Favor."
This book is full of humorous bantering and twisted murders. It crosses genres and is very 'readable.' There are two more books to come, with Wendy growing ever more creative in her Angel of Mercy role, as she murders abusers without her clients knowing she is behind their new freedom.
