The Hot Zone by Jayne Castle

This is a MUST READ!

synopsis via Goodreads:

The world of Harmony has its wonders, one of them being Rainshadow Island. Just beneath its surface, a maze of catacombs hides a dangerous secret...…

Halloween—with its tricks and treats—is a dust bunny’s dream come true. Just ask Lyle, Sedona Snow’s faithful sidekick. But for Sedona, it’s a nightmare. Though her new job managing a small hotel and tavern on Rainshadow is helping her move on from her tragic past, a bizarre disaster down in the catacombs has brought a pack of rowdy ghost hunters to her inn.

And now, Sedona’s ex has arrived on the island, claiming he wants to get back together, just as a newcomer appears to have a strong interest in her. Cyrus Jones is the new Guild boss in town. He has his own agenda when it comes to Sedona, but even the best-laid plans are no match for the passion that springs up on Rainshadow….

This is the 11th time Miss Castle (Krentz) has graciously allowed us to venture back to Harmony and the 3rd time she has taken us to the mysterious island of Rainshadow. She introduces us to new friends and renews old acquaintances along this adventure. We are introduced to Cyrus and Sedona. Cyrus, the new Guild boss on Rainshadow Island and Sedona, a young lady who was shunned by her parents' wealthy families as soon as she turned 18 because her parents had her outside of marriage.

Both Cyrus and Sedona have very strong para-psych talents. Cyrus has always had his talent, but Sedona's talent has recently been altered and enhanced thanks to a crazy scientist who kidnapped her, tortured her, and gave her a drug he had engineered to alter a person's psychic talent. And there is Lyle, Sedona's faithful sidekick. Lyle is a dust bunny. 

Then we have a few old friends that are still around to help out. Cameos by Rachel and Harry, Charlotte and Slade, and of course the adorable dust bunnies Darwina and Rex. 

In this Rainshadow story, there is more than one mystery going on at a time. Cyrus is sent to deal with the mysterious beasts coming out of The Preserve, but gets a little sidetracked with Sedona when she is almost kidnapped and her past comes back to haunt her, almost literally.

As always Miss Castle does an awesome job of spinning the suspense and weaving in Sedona's past with her present.

The Harmony World and Rainshadow Island stories are stories that I will always buy. Miss Castle has created a world that I love to run away to and visit. I will always find suspense, action, heat, and main characters full of intelligence and ethics. 

While this is the 3rd Rainshadow Island book and the 11th Harmony World book, it can be read as a stand alone story, Miss Castle does an excellent job of describing the back story along the way.

I loved this book and I know you will too!