Romantic Suspense published by Grand Central Publishing 09 Sep 22
Ms. Johansen takes us back to Scotland for this next thriller in the Eve Duncan series, this time featuring Jane MacGuire and Seth Caleb. What a wild ride this book turns out to be with the usual mayhem of a pissed-off criminal overlord, an intriguing mystery that is slowly revealed to Jane, and the evolution of the relationship between Seth and Jane. Be prepared to have time on your hands, because, if you’re like me, once you turn page 1, you won’t surface until it’s the end. It was with reluctance I put the book down and turned off the light.
Seth from time to time uses his skills to do jobs for MI6. This time he stashes Jane in Scotland under the guardianship of the laird of MacDuff, who claims Jane as one of his clan. Things do not go smoothly on Seth’s mission, and he has one very angry criminal mastermind determined to get rid of Seth and all he holds dear. Despite Seth’s best attempts to lead the chase anywhere but to Scotland, the criminals focus on that country because of Seth’s relationship with MacDuff.
Jane, meanwhile, is dreaming and painting, which triggers Jane to believe the treasure she helped find earlier was only one stash of several. As she researches into the MacDuff family line and finds a branch that relocated to the US, she begins to follow a trail that sparks excitement. Perhaps she has been resisting MacDuff too hard and she might actually find possibilities of a connection to the clan, amongst other things.
Seth, of course, arrives in Scotland, both because he can’t stay away from Jane but also because that’s where the action is. He and Jane make a pact to face their enemy together to extract revenge. Of course, the best-laid plans don’t always work out the way they should, but the twists and turns will keep you feverishly turning pages and the end is all that it should be.
Like many fans out there I thought I would grow tired of Eve Duncan, but the stories continue to evolve, especially these stories involving members of Eve’s extended family and can be read as standalones.
Grade: A+
Summary:
Jane MacGuire is enjoying a period of domestic bliss as she focuses on her art and her partner Seth Caleb uses his unique abilities as an agent for the MI6 intelligence service. But when Seth crosses crime lord Hugh Bohdan, he incurs the wrath of one of the world’s most powerful criminal empires…one whose tentacles reach across the globe and even to the idyllic Scottish retreat where Jane is working.
Soon Jane is on the run, struggling to stay one step ahead of Bohdan’s army and his devastating high-tech weaponry. Even with the assistance of Earl John MacDuff, she finds danger at every turn. But with that peril comes an astonishing discovery: a 200-year-old secret on the brink of becoming lost to history.
Jane and Seth must join forces to unlock the fascinating puzzle, even as they hurtle toward a lethal final confrontation in the Highlands. But before their adventure is over, Jane and Seth will encounter their biggest shock of all…and realize nothing can be the same for them ever again.
Read an excerpt.
