Presumed Dead by Shirley Wells

First off don't let the cover and title fool you, this is not a paranormal romance. Presumed Dead is a great mystery novel. I haven't read a old fashion mystery with out romance in a long time and Presumed Dead caught my attention. It is a great cover.

Dylan Scott has problems. Dismissed in disgrace from the police force for assaulting a suspect, he has no job, his wife has thrown him out and—worse luck—his mother has moved in. So when Holly Champion begs him to investigate the disappearance of her mother thirteen years ago, he can't say no, even though it means taking up residence in the dreary Lancashire town of Dawson's Clough for the duration.
Although the local police still believe Anita Champion took off for a better life, Dylan's inquiries turn up plenty of potential suspects: the drug-dealing, muscle-bound bouncer at the club where Anita was last seen; the missing woman's four girlfriends, out for revenge; the local landowner with rumored mob connections—the list goes on. But no one is telling Dylan all they know—and he soon finds that one sleepy Northern town can keep a lot of secrets.

Dylan Scott was a great hero. He was down on his luck, after just being kicked off the police force and spending time in jail. He was in a bad mood, with his pride and self esteem taking a hit. It gets worse when his wife gets tired of his attitude and kicks him out. I felt bad for Dylan and wanted something to go right for him. I really liked him, and he came off as a good man. I loved that his investigative techniques were unusual.

Holly Champion is determined to help change things for Dylan and talks him into finding her missing mother. I hoped that Dylan could help Holly close the case of her mother's disappearance. Holly needed to know what happened to her mother, she needed closure to move on.

I found the mystery aspect of Presumed Dead to be captivating. It pulled me right into the story and had me wondering what would happen next. I enjoyed the multiple points of views in Presumed Dead.

I enjoyed Presumed Dead. Dylan made the story interesting as you followed him on his quest for the truth. I enjoyed watching Dylan as he turned his life around after taking Holly's case. He even convinced his wife to take him back. Things finally started to work out for Dylan.  Dylan was a lovable character and had you rapped up in Presumed Dead until the very end.