Lori Lake's novels "Gun Shy" and "Under the Gun" are part mystery, part romance, and totally captivating.

Set in St. Paul, Minnesota, the first novel, "Gun Shy," introduces us to veteran police officer Desiree and rookie Jaylynn, who first meet when Dez heroically stops an attempted rape at the home of twentysomething roommates Sara and Jaylynn. Inspired by Dez's rescue, Jaylynn decides to become a police officer herself, and enters the academy; after graduating, she is paired with Dez during her probationary period.

Dez and Jay hit it off right away, better than either had expected, and eventually their relationship becomes more than professional, but not without encountering a number of challenges along the way - including Dez' reluctance to let anyone in after the death of her partner only a short time ago, and Jay's shocked reaction to her first shooting death.

The sequel, "Under the Gun," picks up where the first novel left off as the couple is unexpectedly outed within the department forced to deal with the consequences. In addition, Jaylynn is sidelined with injuries and takes on her first murder investigation, while Dez is finally forced to confront her former partner's death.

Jaylynn and Dez are both sympathetic, complex, and dynamic characters that are realistically flawed at the same time; consequently, they capture your interest quickly and maintain it throughout the story. The evolving relationship between the two cops and the challenges they face both separately and as a couple come across uncontrived and convincing.

We are also introduced to an quirky cast of supporting characters--from Dez' landlady and surrogate mom Luella to fellow closeted lesbian cop Crystal Lopez to Jay's roommates Sara and Tim--who are integrated casually and realistically into the story. While "Gun Shy" and "Under the Gun" tackle some controversial topics, like the role of therapy in police officers' lives and the difficulties faced by minorities in the police force, they do it with little preaching.

The biggest challenge these novels are likely to face is criticism that the detailed descriptions of the characters' quotidian activities--like dressing or working out--will be distracting to some readers, and can make the novels seem a little plodding. But other readers will find this to be the novels' greatest strength, and a nice change of pace from the tendency of some many mystery novels to overemphasize the action at the expense of character development.

I find the "Gun Shy" novels' languid pace and rich detail to be leisurely, rather than slow, and a fun, absorbing read overall. For those who enjoy police or mystery novels, this series is definitely one to add to the collection.

Amazon.com: Gun Shy and Under the Gun / LoriLLake.com (official site)