Killer Summer by Ridley Pearson (Review #2)

Reviewed by Julie Moderson

Pearson is an author that makes you want to stay up all night even when you have to work early the next morning. You never will want to put this book down so make sure to start on a weekend.

Walt Fleming is a sheriff in a small town of Sun Valley, Idaho a playground of wealthy and politically connected and home to an annual wine auction. This year the wine that everyone is interested in is three bottles of wine. The wine was a gift to John Adams from Thomas Jefferson upon Adam’s return from Holland where he secured the financing necessary to save the republic. The wine is from before the United States existed and is valued at a million dollars.

Walt is a wonderful uncle and substitute father to his nephew Kevin who has lost his father. The two are fishing when Walt sees something that makes his radar go up and he finds a man dead in a car that was being towed and the tow truck driver takes off. Kevin passes out from something toxic and he sees the dead man’s briefcase is handcuffed to the car. The wine is in the briefcase and Walt Fleming suspects that someone is going to try to steal the wine again.

Kevin works at the hotel where all the rich folks are staying and meets Summer Sumner, daughter to a movie producer. Summer’s mom has passed away and her dad is trying to raise her. She is a very rebellious teen. Summer throws herself at Kevin and he falls for her and is talked into going onto her father’s jet to have fun before she runs away. While the they are on the jet three people come on the plane and steal it with the teens on board. The teens are hiding in the storage closet when they hear the door open. The jet hits a flock of birds and crashes. The teens escape, Summer is captured and Kevin is locked up with a cowboy. After escaping, Kevin and the cowboy try to rescue Summer.

The story has you cheering for the kids to survive and being appalled at the stupidity of Summer’s dad. Walt is a man who is going through his wife leaving him for one of his own officers. The story is so interesting that you never see the ending. Wow what a great read!!!!