“Close Enough to Kill” by Beverly Barton is a fairly standard mystery/romance in the vein of Nora Roberts or Heather Graham. What Beverly Barton does to set herself apart is break away from some of the traditional dynamics.There are several unlikely couplings that will leave you smiling. There’s a lot of sex, some of it quite graphic. Unfortunately, some of it is performed by a psychopath, that ruins it as a lighthearted, steamy beach book. Because of the sex, I wouldn’t recommend this book for kids under 17.

I give Barton major kudos for tackling some complex family dynamics (divorced families, etc.) incredibly well. There are a lot of authors who shy away from such scenarios and only feature dysfunctional families as comic relief or causing severe psychological harm. Barton is willing to paint a fairly realistic picture of some of the messiness around custody and the pain of parents and children being separated.

I figured out who the killer was in the first 1/2 of the book, but there were enough details and character development to hold my interest and want to see it through. As with so many mysteries, it all ends up wrapped in a fairly neat package.

If this sounds too light for your tastes, try a Patricia Cornwell novel (one of the Kay Scarpetta series). If psychopathic killer/rapists give you the creeps, but you like a good mystery, try a Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich.

If you only like non-fiction, try reading “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin DeBecker, which offers some tips on how to protect yourself (or your family) from dangerous people.