"HOT PURSUIT," by Susan Dayley, Walnut Springs Press, $17.99, 282 pages (f)
In "Hot Pursuit," Utah author Susan Dayley heats up the intrigue and the romantic interest, while again capitalizing on the interactive aspect introduced in the prequel, "Cold Pursuit," released last year.
Both books allow for reader interaction. They decide for themselves which of two storylines, and then which of two endings to each storyline, they wish to follow. Also, at various places throughout the book, the author adds to the excitement by sharing links to images, videos, additional information about the settings and other details.
"Hot Pursuit" again follows Kennady Chandler, who leaves Idaho for a summer getaway in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. There she not only encounters Atticus Keane — the boy she still has feelings for — but she also finds herself enmeshed in an international threat again. This time it is over the introduction of the hot card that would ultimately allow for control of the world’s finances.
As Kennady and Atticus attempt to work out their differences, Kennady’s friend, Chelo, tries to determine whether a man she meets is truly a friend or a dangerous foe. As the story unfolds, the friends find themselves face to face with eco-terrorists, conspirators and a Mexican cartel and having to deal with multiple issues, including spy tactics, kidnapping, bomb threats and explosives.
"Hot Pursuit" is well done as a sequel because it builds on the relationships and further develops the characters introduced in "Cold Pursuit." This second in the series could also be enjoyed as a standalone novel because it contains enough well-crafted backstory to fill in the details and an expertly written mystery all of its own.
Dayley, of Spanish Fork, Utah, is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The book mentions attending church, but no particular religion is specified. The language and references to romance are clean and inoffensive. The interactive style of "Hot Pursuit" will appeal particularly to this segment of readers as well.
Cecily Markland is a freelance writer, book editor, publicist and author of "Hope: One Mile Ahead" and the children’s book "If I Made a Bug." She owns Inglestone Publishing and produces cecilymarkland.com, a calendar of LDS events in Arizona.