First sentence
My children think I'm mad to come up here in winter, but this is the only place I could tell this story...
Description
Once Toni Cavender was Hollywood's most popular leading actress, but being charged with murder grants her a different kind of notoriety. Even though the jury acquitted Toni of killing a producer whose movies were little more than soft pornography, there were many who believed Toni got away with murder. To escape public scrutiny, Toni retreats to her childhood home in Big Sur, where she dedicates herself to finding the runaway teenage girl who no one but her closest confidants know is her daughter. Because he proved to be quite effective in helping her elude the press after her trial, Toni hires private detective Damon Bradley to help with the search. Although Toni has cultivated a reputation as an "Ice Queen," she quickly discovers ruggedly handsome Damon is very skilled in warming her up and keeping her safe when dangerous secrets motivate a killer.