Say You're Sorry by Melinda Leigh

After the devastating loss of her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane returns to Scarlet Falls, seeking the comfort of her hometown. Now, surrounded by family, she's finally found peace and a promising career opportunity—until her babysitter is killed and her neighbor asks her to defend his son, Nick, who stands accused of the murder. Tessa was the ultimate girl next door, and the community is outraged by her death. But Morgan has known Nick for years and can't believe he's guilty, despite the damning evidence stacked against him. She asks her friend Lance Kruger, an ex-cop turned private eye, for help. Taking on the town, the police, and a zealous DA, Morgan and Lance plunge into the investigation, determined to find the real killer. But as they uncover secrets that rock the community, they become targets for the madman hiding in plain sight.                                                           from Amazon

 이전에 읽었던 'Scarlet Falls' 시리즈의 연장선처럼 보이지만 사건이 일어나는 장소나 이전 시리즈에 등장하는 인물들이 부분적으로 등장한다는 거 뻬고는  Morgan Dane라는 여성을 중심으로 하는 새로운 시리즈의 작품이다. 로맨스 미스터리 또는 법정장르라고 말할 수 있는 작품이다. 가족에 대한 작가의 의도가 잘 드러난다는 점은 이전 시리즈하고 비슷하다. runaway, depression, snuggled, molestation, abuse, at one's beck and call, innocent until proven guilty, knives, delusion, affidavit, railroaded, dredging up, witness, disappearance, jail, fallout, DNA, like father like son, reap what you sow, reelection, stabbed, accidentally shoot, bipolar, poleaxed, sexual offender, identity theft, who knew what would happen tomorrow?, pregnant, incite, shooting, self-defence, mental disorder, new start, cold case 등이 중요한 표현들인 거 같다. 진도가 잘 나가는 작품이다. 재밌게 읽었다.