A clandestine government organization called Invictus "recruits" outstanding athletes for secret projects. But their top agent Jackson Holt has special, almost preternatural, qualities not even the Organization can explain. Olivia Gant, professor of Ancient Studies at a private college in California, was once Jack's childhood sweetheart. But when he deserted her, he left her alone to combat her stepfather's drunken attentions and her mother's careless neglect. Nearly twenty years later, their paths cross in a mission to fight a bizarre religious serial killer whose methods include crucifixion and burial alive. Olivia and Jack battle for happiness against years of secrecy and distance as they use Olivia's expertise in Latin and Jack's special gifts to track a brutal killer. Can Olivia forgive Jack for his long-ago betrayal? Can Jack allow Olivia to witness the terrible Change that makes him such an effective killing machine? Short Version Jackson Holt is the top agent for a clandestine government organization called Invictus. He has special, almost preternatural, abilities not even they can explain. Olivia Gant, professor of Ancient Studies, was once Jack's childhood sweetheart, but he deserted her. Twenty years later, their paths cross as they track a bizarre religious killer whose murders include crucifixion and burial alive.

About the AuthorJo Lewis-Robertson, a former English teachers, makes her home in northern California.

"Frail Blood" is an historical romantic thriller. California, 1909. A woman straps a pistol to her ankle, walks to her lover’s home, and shoots him. Her motive? After an affair of four months, he jilted her for another woman. How would an attorney defend the woman in light of her outright confession? Would an all-male jury view her actions with repulsion or pity? The climate of California in the early twentieth century when women couldn’t vote and men held the real power, where immense wealth rested alongside poverty, held a paradox of contradictions. The bare bones of this true California court case sparked the idea for the fictional story of Alma Bentley, attorney Malachi Rivers, and Emma Knight, the woman who help him investigate the case. When jaded lawyer Malachi Rivers engages newspaper editor Emma Knight to aid him in the case of Alma Bentley, he has no idea they'll eventually unmask a vile web of family deceit, wickedness, and treachery. Constantly putting herself in harm's way, the feckless Emma uncovers dark secrets that lie behind the wealthy facade of the Joseph Machado clan. With her strong opinions, Emma tests Malachi's patience even while he's strongly attracted to her. She disagrees with every aspect of his trial strategy, but he defends his client the only way he can – insisting that a woman, a naturally frail creature, is incapable of committing such a heinous crime. Emma wants to experience true passion and detests the idea that women are inferior to men in any way. Even while she confronts Malachi at every turn, she falls ridiculously in love with him. Readers of historical fiction and mystery/suspense, as well as historical romance, will enjoy the elements at play in this slice of life, fictionalized story of California.