Wendy B. (gelfling) reviewed on 2/8/2014 + 15 more book reviews

Mermaids and serial killers! What more could you ask for? I was fascinated from the beginning. Shelley, half human and half mermaid, is spotted by a madman as hes disposing of his latest kill. Unfortunately, shes not quite human when he does. Now the race is on to see who can put the other away first. Shelly wants him locked up. He wants her six feet under. And just to complicate things, the local sheriff is no fool. Too bad Shelley cant get him out of her thoughts. And what thoughts they are.

Sirens Secret is so much more than a romantic tale, or tail for that matter. The mermaid world is just starting to be fleshed out in this first mermaid story from Debbie Herbert. Shelley has two mermaid cousins, and the three couldnt be more different. Their own stories will be something to look out for. But its not just the mermaid world we discover. Herbert has wrapped us up in the town and the people who live there. You get a real sense of the characters daily lives and what drives them. Herberts writing takes the reader there, all five senses bringing the details to life.

And the suspense! This is a romance, but the villain in this story almost stole the show. Im often tempted to skim over the bad guys point of view, but not here. The details and darkness Herbert paints him with is chilling, right down to his insect collection. Hes the horrifying accident you cant look away from. The attention to detail is why we fear for Shelley. Not just fiction-fear but something that churns in your gut. You, the reader, fear him.

Tillman is our lead man, the local Sheriff. If you find yourself used to the usual fictional heroyou know the one; hes kind, alpha, obsessed with the girl, and oh so well, fictionalthen this is a breath of fresh air. Tillman doesnt lack for these things, but he is real. This is how you know most people, real people, would be. Hes a cop first, a protector of the people first. Its the brain up top that drives him, always. The rest must follow what is the right thing to do. Hes true to himself, and you respect him for it. Our couple doesnt change for each other. They learn to love what they are. Even if what they are is impossible to believe.

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