Veena’s review of Declans Cross (Sharpe & Donovan, Book 3) by Carla Neggers
Romantic Suspense published by Harlequin Mira 27 Aug 13
This book picks up in the middle of what appears to be an ongoing story with Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan. They are in Ireland for a bit of R&R when a diversion to Declan’s Cross puts them smack dab in a murder that might be linked to a ten-year-old unsolved mystery. There’s a lot of action and deliberation with the usual methodical working the case that happens in any murder mystery. The suspense is excellent. I definitely did not suspect the villain of the piece. There is a lot going on in the story, and I was thoroughly captivated by the attention to detail on the locale. I am definitely moving Ireland up in my list of places to visit.
Julianne Maroney is eager to get away from her small hometown in Maine and anybody associated with her ex-boyfriend Andy Donovan. When an opportunity to visit Ireland and indulge in her love of diving comes her way, she grasps it with both hands and sets off with her grandmother’s purple suitcase.
She is hardly pleased, however, when she arrives at the airport in Shannon to find that she’s been stood up and her ride is MIA. Not to be deterred, she rents a car and sets off for her destination, only to be greeted by Colin Donovan. What’s a poor girl gotta do to get away from a Donovan?
But things hardly improve for Julianne. She has bad dreams, alone in the cottage that she’s rented, and is woken up by what sounds like a banshee. Determined to put her game face on and shake off the cobwebs, she goes for a walk, only to stumble upon a dead body. Well, now she knows why she was stood up at the airport, but it certainly appears that something sinister is going on in the small town of Declan’s Cross.
As the story progresses it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys. There are a lot of hidden secrets in this little town, as well as a lot of connections. Along with the local Garda, Colin and Emma are also on the job in hunting down clues, talking to people and trying to solve the mystery, especially since Emma and the Sharpe family have once before worked an unsolved mystery in Declan’s Cross that they’ve never been able to close.
A lot of the threads seem to come together during the story, but the decades-old mystery still remains unsolved. All in all, I enjoyed the book. It is a well-written mystery, even if there are some side streets with the secondary characters that probably contribute to the overall series but did not necessarily contribute to this specific mystery. While I am missing some details and references from earlier books, overall I did not find this a problem.
Grade:B
Summary:
An escape to an idyllic Irish seaside village is about to turn deadly in this riveting new novel by master of romantic suspense Carla Neggers.
For marine biologist Julianne Maroney, two weeks in tiny Declan’s Cross on the south Irish coast is a chance to heal her broken heart. She doesn’t expect to attract the attention of FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan-especially since a Donovan is the reason for her broken heart.
Emma and Colin are in Ireland for their own personal retreat. Colin knows he’s a reminder of everything Julianne wants to escape, but something about her trip raises his suspicion. Emma, an art crimes expert, is also on edge. Of all the Irish villages Julianne could choose…why Declan’s Cross?
Ten years ago, a thief slipped into a mansion in Declan’s Cross. Emma’s grandfather, a renowned art detective, investigated, but the art stolen that night has never been recovered and the elusive thief never caught.
From the moment Julianne sets foot on Irish soil, everything goes wrong. The well-connected American diver who invited her to Ireland has disappeared. And now Emma and Colin are in Declan’s Cross asking questions.
As a dark conspiracy unfolds amid the breathtaking scenery of Declan’s Cross, the race is on to stop a ruthless killer…and the stakes have never been more personal for Emma and Colin.
Other books in this series:
