📖 Overview
Virginia Troy and Cabot Sutter survived a cult compound fire as children. Now adults, they reconnect when Virginia, an art gallery owner, discovers signs that point to the cult leader's potential return.
Cabot works as an investigator at a firm run by Anson Salinas, who rescued them from the fire years ago. Together, Virginia and Cabot pursue leads about suspicious deaths connected to their past while navigating threats in the present.
The investigation leads them through Seattle's art scene and into dark corners of their shared history. Their search becomes a race to prevent more violence while confronting the shadows that have followed them since childhood.
The novel explores themes of trauma, survival, and the bonds formed through shared experience. It examines how past events shape identity and questions whether true closure is possible when facing childhood fears.
👀 Reviews
Readers rate Promise Not to Tell as a solid romantic suspense novel, though many note it follows Krentz's typical formula. The dual plotlines and pacing kept readers engaged.
Liked:
- Strong chemistry between main characters
- Balance of romance and mystery elements
- Seattle and Pacific Northwest setting details
- Paranormal abilities integrated naturally into story
- Quick-moving plot with surprising twists
Disliked:
- Predictable story beats for Krentz fans
- Some found the romance developed too quickly
- Secondary characters needed more development
- Plot threads left unresolved
- Repetitive descriptions of characters' abilities
Review Stats:
Goodreads: 3.9/5 (8,900+ ratings)
Amazon: 4.5/5 (870+ ratings)
Barnes & Noble: 4.4/5 (200+ ratings)
Notable Reader Comments:
"Perfect blend of romance and suspense" - Goodreads reviewer
"Too similar to her other books" - Amazon reviewer
"The paranormal elements felt forced" - Barnes & Noble reviewer
📚 Similar books
Dead by Midnight by Carolyn Hart
A bookstore owner investigates mysterious deaths in a small town while navigating threats, romance, and long-buried secrets.
Close to Home by Lisa Jackson A woman returns to her hometown to solve cold cases and confront her past while uncovering connections to present-day murders.
Sleep No More by Iris Johansen A forensic sculptor works with law enforcement to solve crimes through her ability to reconstruct faces from skeletal remains.
Cold Cold Heart by Tami Hoag A TV reporter recovers from trauma while investigating a missing persons case that connects to her own past.
The Obsession by Nora Roberts A photographer establishes a new life in a small town but must face her dark family history when a killer strikes.
Close to Home by Lisa Jackson A woman returns to her hometown to solve cold cases and confront her past while uncovering connections to present-day murders.
Sleep No More by Iris Johansen A forensic sculptor works with law enforcement to solve crimes through her ability to reconstruct faces from skeletal remains.
Cold Cold Heart by Tami Hoag A TV reporter recovers from trauma while investigating a missing persons case that connects to her own past.
The Obsession by Nora Roberts A photographer establishes a new life in a small town but must face her dark family history when a killer strikes.
🤔 Interesting facts
🌟 The story takes place on Mirror Lake, a fictional setting in the Pacific Northwest, a region where author Jayne Ann Krentz has set many of her romantic suspense novels.
💫 Jayne Ann Krentz writes under three different pen names: Jayne Ann Krentz (contemporary), Amanda Quick (historical), and Jayne Castle (futuristic) - all featuring romantic suspense elements.
🌟 The book explores themes of art forgery and gallery fraud, drawing on the author's knowledge of the Seattle art scene, where she has lived for many years.
💫 "Promise Not to Tell" is part of the Cutler, Sutter & Salinas series, which follows three men who survived a traumatic experience at a group home when they were teenagers.
🌟 The protagonist Virginia Troy's background as a former cult member reflects a recurring theme in Krentz's work of survivors overcoming past trauma to find love and justice.