Combining explosive suspense with sensual passion, Nora Roberts turns up the heat in this classic tale β the sizzling story of a man and woman on the trail of a demented killer, a search that will plunge them headlong into danger.... In the lazy days of summer, a merciless heat wave is the biggest story in Washington, D.C. But the weather is knocked off the front pages when a young woman is found strangled to death. A note left behind reads Her sins are forgiven her.Two more victims soon follow, and suddenly every headline is devoted to the killer the press has dubbed βthe Priest.β When the police ask top-notch psychiatrist Dr. Tess Court to help with their investigation, she comes up with a disturbing portrait of a twisted soul.Detective Ben Paris doesnβt give a damn about the killerβs psyche. What he canβt easily dismiss is Tess. Tall, dark, and good-looking, Ben has a legendary reputation with women, but the coolly elegant Tess doesnβt react to him like other women heβs known β and he finds the challenge enticing.Now, as the two are thrown together in a perilous quest to stop a serial killer, the flame of white-hot passion flares. But someone also has his eyes on the beautiful blond doctor ... and Ben can only pray that if the madman strikes, he'll be able to stop him before itβs too late....