The latest thriller from "masterful storyteller" (USA Today) Sandra Brown THE PRINCIPALS: Paul Wheeler: CEO of the Wheeler Enterprises empire, is shot dead during an armed robbery. Julie Rutledge: A savvy, cultured, and attractive Southern woman, was hand-inhand with Paul Wheeler at the time of his death. Derek Mitchell: A defense lawyer of renown, he goes to the mat to make a case for every client -- and headlines for himself. Creighton Wheeler: The prodigal nephew of Paul and a playboy with a passion for movies. Even those closest to Creighton can't be sure when he exits reality and enters the fantasy world of films. STORYBOARD: The murder of Paul Wheeler has all the elements of a blockbuster: family rivalries, incalculable wealth, and a prominent man dying in the arms of his beautiful mistress. It's a case that could earn Derek Mitchell even greater star power. When the Wheeler family approaches him about defending Creighton for his uncle's murder -- even before he's charged -- he jumps at the chance. Although Creighton has a rock-solid alibi, Julie is convinced that he is responsible for Paul's murder. Caught in several lies, and keeping secrets from Derek and the police, Julie is suspected of casting blame on Creighton to cover her own crime. Meanwhile, Derek fears he's being duped...yet he burns with jealousy when he thinks of Julie with her late lover. But the more Derek learns about Creighton, the more he doubts the young man's innocence. And hiding in a squalid motel under an assumed name is the one man, a career criminal, a killer, who knows the truth. The clock ticks down toward a shocking ending that can't be known until the final SMASH CUT. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

This superlative romantic thriller from bestseller Brown (Smoke Screen) features a particularly memorable villain, sociopath Creighton Wheeler, who's obsessed with re-enacting scenes from films like Strangers on a Train and Frenzy. When Creighton's wealthy uncle, Paul Wheeler, is shot dead in an apparent robbery at an Atlanta hotel, Paul's close friend, gallery owner Julie Rutledge, attempts to persuade the police that Creighton ordered the hit. Creighton's father asks Derek Mitchell, a criminal lawyer, to represent the accused Creighton, but Derek declines because he had a plane tryst en route to Paris with Julie after Paul's murder. Angered by Derek's refusal, Creighton stalks Julie; targets Derek's dog, Maggie; and plots to kill the ex-girlfriend of his henchman, Billy Duke, after Billy has second thoughts about helping Creighton. Brown skillfully charts Julie and Derek's quest to catch the slippery fiend. Multiple smash cuts (abrupt scene shifts) lead to a wonderfully frenzied finish. (Aug.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Sandra Brown began her writing career in 1980. After selling her first book, she wrote a succession of romance novels under several pseudonyms, most of which remain in print. She has become one of the country's most popular novelists, earning the notice of Hollywood and of the critics. Forty of her books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. There are fifty million copies of her books in print, and her work has been translated into twenty-nine languages. Prior to writing, she worked in commercial television as an on-air personality for PM Magazine and local news in Dallas. The parents of two, she and her husband now divide their time between homes in Texas and South Carolina.

(Publisher Provided) Sandra Brown was born in Waco, Texas and studied English at Texas Christian University. After leaving college, she worked in many different fields including performing in live theatre, managing a cosmetics store and modeling at the Dallas Apparel Mart. She also appeared in television commercials, which led to jobs in weather forecasting and feature reporting on PM Magazine. After being let go from a part-time job, she attended a writers' conference at the University of Houston and decided to become a full time fiction writer.

Her first two books Love's Encore and Love Beyond Reason were published in 1981. She has written over 70 books including Mirror Image; French Silk; The Switch; The Crush; Hello, Darkness; Chill Factor; Play Dirty; Smoke Screen; and Smash Cut. She has also written under the names of Laura Jordan, Rachel Ryan, and Erin St. Claire. She has received numerous awards including the Distinguished Circle of Success from the American Business Women's Association in 1992, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the romance Writers of America in 1998, and the Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature in 2007.

(Bowker Author Biography) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.