The Sammy/Streiker Salmagundi

Thanks to a $35-million lottery win, ex-Dallas police detective Sammy Kidman is comfortably ensconced in his own private detective agency. Sammy and his two coworkers, also ex-detectives, primarily collect past-due child support for needy families on a pro bono basis.

Despite that fact that Sammy, 36, is a faithful husband to his wife Marni, he draws a lot of female attention as a singularly handsome man. Sammy is therefore unperturbed when a beautiful dancer gives an orchid sprig to his 3-year-old son. However, Sammy doesn't know quite what to do when a similar orchid appears on his desk in his locked office. He begins researching the dancer, but the only match he can find is to a woman who has just died.

Meanwhile, one of Sammy's coworkers mistakenly collects on a large past-due account from the wrong person. The ramifications of what amounts to felony theft threaten to overwhelm the agency and destroy Sammy personally. At that point, reclusive Dallas billionaire Fletcher Streiker steps in. Previously, Sammy had never seen him or spoken to him, so why would he bother with this obscure little agency? As it turns out, his wife requested it—and she's a dancer.

If Only for This Life is a continuation of both The Sammy Series and The Streiker Saga, but listeners who never heard of either can jump right into this story. The sequel, Abby's Monsters, will also be released as an audiobook shortly.

Robin Hardy is the award-winning author of Chataine's Guardian, Streiker's Bride, and 29 other books.