Meet The Author -- She's a Good One -- Kat Martin

Currently living in Missoula, Montana, Kat is the highly acclaimed, best-selling New York Times author of over fifty (50) historical and contemporary romance suspense novels. Before she started writing in 1985, she was a real estate broker. It was suring this time that she met her husband, Larry Jay Martin, author of more than twenty books, both Westerns and mysteries. She is a graduate of Univ. of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in anthropology as well as studying history. "I've always loved books. I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head. Writing them down seemedlogical ."

"I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel especially to places where my stories are set. My husband and I often stay at out-of-the-way inns and houses built in the past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."

Kat began with historical novels and is currently writing romantic suspense. She is published in twenty foreign countries.


This is the first in a trilogy involving three brothers who were raised in poverty in Wind Canyon, Wyoming. They were known at the "no account Raines boys" but they've grown in to successful, honorable men and everything they have they've fought for tooth and nail. Now each of the three brothers has one last obstacle to overcome to claim what's eluding them: love.

The oldest of the brothers has now returned to Wind Canyon and has used wealth he has gained through oil investments to purchase a beautiful ranch. He loves ranching. Along comes Sarah, a girl he knew in high school and one who ridiculed and humiliated him repeatedly. Now she is a widow who is running away from friends of her dead husband, a man who lived on the wrong side of the law unbeknownst to her. She has unknowingly rented a cottage that just happens to be on Jackson's ranch and wants to live quietly with her daughter in order to begin a new life. Needless to say, the sparks fly--the old wounds are still just as painful--and the appearance of those "friends" who believe she has something from her dead husband, something these "friends" are willing to kill for. They do indeed end up taking something very precious to her: her daughter, and it would appear that Jackson is just about the only one with the moxie and resources to get Holly back.

This novel was released by Mira Books in January, 2011, and it is a delightful and suspense-filled novel. The characters are colorful and unique, the descriptions of the Wyoming territory are wonderful word pictures, and the love story between Sarah and Jackson is not without its down times. Both of them have loads of old baggage they have to lay aside but we all know that is never easy. Yet Jackson is an honorable man, a man who is stubborn but still can be reached by the delight of a child and the love of a good woman. This is a very readable novel and Ms Martin has such a compelling writing style. I read this book in one sitting and was sorry when it ended. I was really delighted to know there were two additional books coming along behind it. I give this novel a rating of 4.25 out of 5.

Released in February, 2011, this second novel in the series featured Gabriel Raines, a successful builder/developer. He can't be sure whose setting the fires in his new real estate development. When two fires hit back-to-back, he knows it's personal, but any number of competitors or ex-employees could be the culprit. A local teen is suspected but Mattie Baker, a worker at the local Family Abuse Center does not believe that this youngster with whom she has been working is at fault. She also works very hard to get close to Gabriel in order to convince him that someone else is responsible. Their close association begins to turn into a fiery attraction. Solving the mystery of the arson is one thing; finding out where this attraction will lead is entirely another matter.

This is a riveting novel--the continuing string of fires, all aimed at damaging Gabriel and his business, cause the tension in the book to increase throughout. It is a wonderful romance with some very hot loving and some scary, suspense-filled moments. I was really delighted with the book. I give it a 4.25 out of 5.

The third novel in this trilogy is due to be released in March 2011 and features the third of the Raines brothers. At age 32, Dev Raines is "mostly retired" from Raines Investigations, content to run operations from his sprawling Arizona home. But Dev has never been able to say "no" to a beautiful woman, and when Lark Delaney comes to him for help, the former U. S. Army Ranger from Wind Canyon gets back in the game. Finding a missing child, especially her sister's child, is not easy, and as they uncover fact after fact, Dev and Lark uncover a shady adoption ring and find her niece's adoptive parents murdered. The more dangerous things become the more Lark needs Dev, but he can't ignore his growing attraction for her. He's been hurt in the past so doesn't trust his judgment where women are concerned. Lark also threatens to uncover emotions that Dev has worked long and hard to keep buried. But there's a chance, if Dev gets all this right, that he'll not only save Lark's niece but he might just end up saving himself as well.

This third novel seemed to be even more action and tension filled than the first two. Certainly there were some pretty shady characters, some who were willing to even kill a child to save themselves and protect their greed business. Dev, of all the brothers, seemed the most fragile. His past included hurts that he can't even talk about and so he keeps them buried along with the feelings that go with them. He's really wanting Lark, but at the same time he's unhappy that she keeps getting under the shields he has always been good at keeping between himself and the women in his life.

This is a very readable and compelling story, one that I just couldn't put down. I think this is a really wonderful book and felt that it capped off the trilogy so well. Dev was one of those guys that really knows how to treat a woman but he makes sure that none of his female companions get close to him--well in bed, yes, but close to his heart, no way! I think romantic suspense fans will like these three novels. I am so glad I had a chance to read them. This third book is also published by Mira Books. I give this novel a rating of 4.25 out of 5.