Carnal Innocence by Nora Roberts

Synopsis
Roberts ( Genuine Lies ) plunks a pair of likable lovers into an equally likable rural Southern community; she then keeps the story from turning sweeter than blackstrap molasses by setting loose a serial killer. World-class violinist Caroline Waverly, recovering from a breakdown and an affair gone bad, arrives at her grandparents' house in Innocence, Miss., looking for peace and quiet; what she discovers is the naked, mutilated corpse of Edda Lou Hatinger. Only days earlier, Edda Lou had thrilled local gossips by publicly blowing up at Tucker Longstreet: he wanted out of their affair; she wanted marriage.

Edda Lou is the third woman stabbed to death recently, so local police call in Matthew Burns, a federal investigator who specializes in tracking serial killers. In the meantime, Tucker decides to be right neighborly to Caroline, and after her initial resistance crumbles, she responds to his Southern charm. Tucker is on Matthew's list of suspects, and soon a fourth dead woman is found on the Longstreet family property. Caroline, too, faces the knife as she is drawn into a confrontation in which she learns who is behind the deaths.

My view
Wow, wow! This book was brilliant a brilliant whodunnit with some romance to boot! I have to say the cover is not so exciting but, don't let that put you off (I have a fascination with covers!).

The female lead character is interesting whilst not weak I didn't find her particuarly strong, Caroline is a famous violinist and has come to Innocence to stay at her Grandmothers house to take a break from her hectic life and upon arriving she first comes across Tucker Longstreet.

The main plot of course is the murders and Tucker Longstreet becomes a suspect once you get to the end it is a huge surprise who the murderer is, I thought I guessed but, was so wrong!

Another excellent novel from Nora and I see this is shortlisted to be made into a TV movie next year, hope this one makes it as I would love to see how it is portrayed on screen.