The Very Best of Romantic Suspense: The Witness by Nora Roberts

Author: Nora Roberts

Series: Standalone

Released: May 22nd 2012

Publisher: Piatkus

Length: 488 pages

Source: Bought

Buy: The Book Depository

Daughter of a controlling mother, Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking at a nightclub and allowing a strange man's seductive Russian accent lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever. 

Twelve years later, the woman known as Abigail Lowery lives on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she designs sophisticated security systems--and supplements her own security with a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. But Abigail's reserve only intrigues police chief Brooks Gleason. Her logical mind, her secretive nature, and her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something--and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed. 

With a quirky, unforgettable heroine and a pulse-pounding plotline, Nora Roberts presents a riveting new read that cements her place as today's most reliably entertaining thriller

author--and will leave people hungering for more.

The Witness is perhaps Nora Roberts’ best and most successful romantic suspense novel, which is saying something considering the dozens we have to choose from. It’s a long novel, as her romances usually are, but every word is thought-through and every sentence exactly in its place. Nora has a steady, experienced hand fully capable of leading us through decades of backstories and keeping us fully engaged the whole time.

This story starts with an overprotected teen during her first and only rebellion. Elizabeth has one of the highest IQs ever recorded and her neurosurgeon mother has been shaping her since she was born. She was never allowed to chose her own interests, clothes or even food. So when she rebels, she does so with teen hormones and unparalleled intelligence. Needless to say, the results are disastrous.

Elizabeth takes us through her most traumatic experience, the witness protection that follows and the hard truths of life. We meet her again years later and see her transformed into a competent, paranoid and solitary woman. As Abigail Lowery, she trusts no one but her dog and her social skills are virtually non-existent. When police chief Brooks Gleason shows up, Abigail’s response is to arm herself with guns and knowledge and turn him away as quickly as he can. But Brooks is easygoing and incredibly stubborn, determined to learn the paranoid lady’s secrets.

Abigail/Elizabeth is by far the most intriguing of Nora’s characters (not counting Eve Dallas and Roarke, of course). Her intelligence is reflected both in the things she does and how she interacts with others. She says the strangest things, which is sometimes annoying and sometimes endearing, but the humor that can be found in her awkwardness and all the dialogues is undoubtedly this book’s strongest point.

This is a book I could reread once a month and never get tired of it. Nora Roberts’ unparalleled storytelling and unforgettable characters would make an addict out of any reader, which is precisely what she’s been doing for over 35 years. For those of you who are new to her writing, The Witness might just be the best place to start. Be warned, however, that Nora’s fans are for life.