Reality Television Meets Romance

Reality shows are all the rage -- just about every network has its own version of a match-making show, a makeover show, and now even wife swapping shows. What if a network took the reality craze and applied it to the ultimate reality -- death?
That’s the premise of “Killing Time in a Small Town,” a new book from Harlequin. Author Leslie Kelly takes reality television to the extreme as she writes about a murder mystery reality show -- and the dead body that turns up on the set.

The producer of this macabre reality show is Caroline Lamb, who is desperate to make her new show a hit. When a real corpse turns up on the set, her network bosses are ecstatic, looking for a huge boost in ratings with the latest development. But it’s a little too real for Caroline. She turns to Mick Winchester, her old college boyfriend, for comfort. He’s been marking time in the small town where the show is being filmed.

Kelly is one of Harlequin’s most popular writers. A stay-at-home mother of three, the first book she ever wrote, “Night Whispers,” about a sexy radio disc jockey, was purchased off the slush pile of unsolicited manuscripts at Harlequin. The book won many awards, including the 1999 NONA Award (Notable New Author), several Reviewer’s Choice Awards, the award for Best Romantic Suspense of 1999 and the National Reader’s Choice Award for Best Short Contemporary Romance of 1999. Her second book, “Suite Seduction,” was named a finalist in the Colorado RWA’s Award of Excellence competition.

“Killing Time in a Small Town” has some fun with the reality television genre, while providing readers with a rollicking good time. Look for it in bookstores, or order online at www.eharlequin.com.