ON THIN ICE by Cherry Adair, Wright #5, T-FLAC #4, Ballantine Books, Rating: A

We get to meet more yummy Wright's in ON THIN ICE and get the feel in living color of the Iditarod race across Alaska as our hero and heroine compete in the race only to find they're called to do more important things. Like save the world from a dirty bomb.

Lily Munroe is a widow of six months. Her late husband was basically a scumbag - liar, cheater, swindler, you name it he did it if it was the easy way to make a buck. He and Lily hadn't made love since their honeymoon three years ago. He took up his cheating ways on that same honeymoon. When they came home and she was going to file for a divorce Sean revealed to her that he had terminal cancer and was given six months to live. Being the kind hearted, caring person she was (and a doctor working in the veternarian field) she could not leave him. She was not banking on six months turning into three years, but she stayed. Unwilling to get sucked into the deception that was a relationship again, Lily is content to live her life having a few friends and surrounded by the animals she cares for on the Flying F ranch she owns with her late husband's partner, Derek Wright. The two had gone on a couple of dates before she ended up with Sean, but Lily found him too intense - and believed he wasn't the settling down type. She ended up with Sean. She has to work to sort out the truth and the lies about Derek and work with him while participating in the Iditarod race. Soon, though, the competition turns deadly as she finds someone taking pot shots at her. Derek is certain it's him their after given his T-FLAC work not realizing that Lily stumbled across some information she shouldn't have about an illegal activity her husband was involved with.

Derek Wright loves Lily Munroe and has waited six months after Sean's death to begin to pursue her. He believes that's all the longer mourning period the man two-timing snake deserves. The womanizing she believes he engages in is part of his cover, explanation for his disappearing without notice due to his T-FLAC work. It takes Derek a while to realize that the assassin following them on the Iditarod may actually be after Lily. After a battle with the assassin he returns to Lily only to get clobbered by her with the butt of her rifle, leaving him with only one functional eye. This leads to him needing her assistance as his T-FLAC superiors assign him to break away from the Iditarod and head to Nome to try and come between a dirty bomb and the world. Bad weather coming in means it's him or nobody to stop this from happening.

Lily grows a lot in ON THIN ICE, overcomes her fears (some more tangible than others) and learns that sometimes it's worth the risk if you find something good and right. It was good seeing all of the Wright's we've met before now at their Dad's wedding. I rate this one an A.

©Susan Falk and phantomroses.com