Her one friend seems to be Mark Delaney, the middle brother in the family. But Mark gorgeous and sweet though he may be, appears to have suffered brain damage that is said to have occurred at the same time the previous social director was murdered.. April can’t help liking Mark and is a little embarrassed to realize she is physically attracted to him.

Man on a Mission doesn’t start with April’s point of view. It starts with Mark. The previous social director warned Mark (right before he was hit on the head) that something is going on, and that he should not trust anyone. When he comes to after having been knocked out, he hears a doctor say something about possible brain damage and decides to fake it.

Readers know from the beginning there is no problem with Mark’s brain. With his ability to trust people, maybe, but not his brain. The mystery he sets out to solve isn’t nearly as interesting as the one April needs to unravel.

There are some potential landmines in the story that are not adequately addressed. For example, April isn’t sure why she likes Mark so much at first and then hints it’s because she figures she can trust him. She feels betrayed when she learns the truth, but her feelings of betrayal are glossed over. Mark’s feelings aren’t explored too well, either. He comes from a family that doesn’t trust one another. He’s been told not to trust anyone. Then he goes ahead and blurts out the truth to April. Why? True, she wasn’t there when the whole mess started. Even so, why should he assume that he can trust her when he can’t even trust people he’s known all his life? And why would he want to drag her into this?

Then there is the problem with a normal heroine liking a hero who supposedly is not normal. Yes, he’s gorgeous, but she wouldn’t dream of sleeping with him. Yes, she thinks he’s uncomplicated and safe and that doesn’t really attract her - but she’s interested when he shows flashes of being more than he seems. Shouldn’t she far more embarrassed and uncomfortable about being attracted to a guy who apparently has about the intellectual and emotional maturity of her young son?

Man on a Mission has a story that had a lot potential. Unfortunately, much of that potential went untapped.

--Irene Williams