Tightrope

April 1, 2019
After surviving a murderous attack and starting a new life as an innkeeper, a former trapeze artist is drawn to the enigmatic man investigating the bizarre murder of her first-ever guest. Amalie Vaughn is putting the past behind her, especially the recent attack from the Death Catcher, a serial killer who targeted trapeze artists. Using every dime of a family inheritance, she's bought a villa in Burning Cove, a fashionable California resort town, determined to make it a premier inn. Unfortunately, the mansion has had a bad reputation since a Hollywood psychic jumped off its roof. Then her first guest, an inventor, is murdered at the hands of his robot during an exhibition. Amalie is worried that the event will further risk her chances of success, and when Matthias Jones, a rumored gangster, shows up to investigate the crime, she feels tarred by his interest--in her and in the possessions the inventor left behind. Matthias is sexy and intriguing, and his intuitive talent--an ability to tell when people are lying--is disconcerting, but after Amalie's circus life and near-death experience, she figures it's a manageable challenge. Matthias isn't exactly a gangster, though, and when the investigation uncovers a cryptic machine that would threaten national security if it landed in the wrong hands, Matthias moves into Amalie's inn since she's become a target. As suspects pile up and the danger gets closer, so do Amalie and Matthias. The romance is sexy, and it's entertaining to watch Amalie save her livelihood through the power of publicity with help from an aging movie star and a celebrity gossip columnist. Quick (aka Jayne Ann Krentz) delivers another Hollywood golden age romantic suspense that's a little over-the-top, but in a clever, fun way.

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April 8, 2019
Quick’s third thriller set in Hollywood’s Golden Age is a dense work of romantic suspense. Burning Cove, Calif., a playground for Hollywood stars and wannabes, also attracts plenty of eccentrics, including former trapeze artist Amalie Vaughn. She used every last dime to open a B and B in the same mansion once owned by psychic Madam Zolanda, who mysteriously jumped from its roof (in The Other Lady Vanishes). Amalie is one of hundreds in the audience for a demonstration of a butler robot, and is horrified when the machine murders his own creator, Dr. Pickwell—who happens to be her first paying guest. However, Matthias Jones, who has arcane abilities and works for suspected mob boss Luther Pell, doesn’t for a second believe that a poorly wired robot could shoot to kill. He knows Luther lured Pickwell to town to arrange the illegal sale of a highly valued ciphering machine that the U.S. government wants back, and thinks the murder is related. Quick excels at developing complex plots that keep the reader guessing, all while building chemistry between Amalie and Mattias as they work together to catch a criminal who may also be linked to Amalie’s past. This tangled novel will satisfy series fans and others looking for a bit of a challenge.

Starred review from April 15, 2019
As an aerialist used to working without a net, Amalie Vaughn is an expert at calculating risk. But when she invests every last nickel she has into turning a supposedly cursed mansion in Burning Cove, California, into the Hidden Beach Inn, she may have made the biggest gamble of her life. The murder of her first paying guest, Dr. Norman Pickwell, is certainly providing plenty of fodder for the rumor mill, and as if that isn't enough, Amalie must now contend with the persistent questions of private investigator (and rumored mob confederate) Matthias Jones, who is looking into Pickwell's demise. Partnering with Matthias to clear things up is a risky proposition to say the least, but fortunately for Amalie, another important skill she mastered while working on the trapeze is the ability to always land on her feet. No other writer walks the line between stylish suspense and sexy romance with as much flair and finesse as best-selling Quick (The Other Lady Vanishes, 2018). Tightrope, the latest brilliantly imaginative, sleekly plotted, and wit-infused addition to Quick's 1930s-set Burning Cove, California series, will have romance readers and mystery fans alike applauding with delight.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

Starred review from April 1, 2019

After surviving a bizarre murder attempt--and sending the villain to his death in the process--trapeze artist Amalie Vaughn is carving out a new life as a hotel owner in Burning Cove on the California coast. When her first guest is murdered on stage by his own robot, the old stories of a psychic who jumped off the hotel's roof to her death resurface and then the rumors start. The tale of a curse may be false, but the dangers soon prove too real, and a late-night intruder results in the enigmatic Matthias Jones moving in to keep Amalie safe. Now the stage is set for danger of a whole different sort. A priceless cipher machine, dastardly villains, and an unexpected romance add surprises of their own. VERDICT With a multithreaded plot, quick-witted banter, and offbeat characters with a theatrical flair, Quick's work returns to Burning Cove and another trip to the edgy, elegant Thirties. This twisted tale of murder and revenge ties up loose ends while it hints at more to come. Quick (The Other Lady Vanishes) also writes as Jayne Ann Krentz and Jayne Castle; she lives in Seattle. [See Prepub Alert, 11/26/18.]

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2019

As we learned in series starter The Girl Who Knew Too Much, strange things happen in 1930s Burning Cove, CA, where people go to rest up or start over. Here, a former trapeze artist is caught up in the onstage death of an inventor whose latest clever creation has gone missing.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.