Buy links
Amazon / Extasy Books / Goodreads
Synopsis
What does a former spy have to do to
get some peace and quiet in his personal corner of paradise? In the laidback
ease of the Florida Keys, Nick Seven has carved out a life far removed from the
intrigue that once defined his life in the CIA. He runs his trendy club on the
Gulf, keeps a low profile, and enjoys the tropical setting with Felicia, his
Barbadian lover and former co-worker. After he sees a woman being killed at a
resort, Nick finds himself thrust into an investigation where there is no
corpse and no evidence of a crime. The police are busy with a string of
high-profile home burglaries and don’t have time to look for his imaginary
victim, so it’s up to Nick to investigate. Then French con artist Marco St.
Julian unexpectedly surfaces from Nick’s past. Are the incidents related? And
what part does the wealthy young trophy wife of a convicted financial scammer
play in all of this? Throw in a career-hungry FBI agent, a mysterious Cuban
crook and an ex-patriate Irish gunrunner, and it’s more than just another day
at the beach.
About
the Author
Tim
Smith is an award-winning, bestselling author of romantic mystery/thrillers and
contemporary erotic romance. His novels featuring former CIA agent Nick Seven
have garnered several awards and international critical praise. He is also a
freelance writer, blogger, editor and photographer. When he isn’t pursuing
those interests, he can be found in the Florida Keys, doing research in between
parasailing and seeking out the perfect Mojito.
Review
Nick Seven
and Felicia’s story becomes interesting with each new book in the series, Nick
Seven. When I first met Nick Seven, he was an FBI agent. He and Felicia have met
during one case years before, and the attraction was palpable. After a few years, the two were
reunited, and love surfaced. Both had called it quits and were looking
for a more relaxed time on the Florida Keys.
With each
new book, we learn that it was not that easy to do. Especially when you have a keen
eye and great observation skills.
In this
book, Nick and Felicia were out for the day, enjoying the sun and each other, when
he saw a woman getting murdered in a hotel suite. At first, he thought life was
playing tricks on him, but soon a few other clues surfaced that something was
happening in this quiet town.
When
her body was later found, they learned she was connected to other crimes within
the area. Homes were invaded, and the loot stashed. Which brings us to our next
person of interest. A sleazy international crook who just showed up
while all of this was going on.
“Hon, I think you have no way of knowin’ if the two are related. Maybe it was a mugging gone bad, or someone Jack pissed off. Let the cops do their job and investigate, then you can beat yourself up.” He glanced over at her. “That’s pretty deep. You know, when you want to be, you’re very profound.”
“I’m not just another pretty face.”
Other supportive characters were introduced as the story developed. Each with their own unique quirks, personalities and having a big part to play in the ongoing plotline. How was it all connected, and could Nick, Felicia, and the Sherriff of this perfect destination find the real crook in time?
A fast-paced
story from the get-go, with some romantic moments between Nick and Felicia, to
relieve the suspense. Plus, a few interesting twists to keep you guessing till
the end.
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Sunrise
over the Keys usually came in one of two flavors—a gradual filtering in of
natural light through clouds forecasting potential rain, or a full-on bright
assault to the eyes and senses. Today was the latter, which brought the promise
of higher than usual heat with a healthy dose of humidity on the side. Nick
tore his gaze from the bright sunrise and turned to the dull glow of his
computer. After a quick scan of the headlines, giving him enough bad news from
overnight, he began his real purpose for getting out of bed so early. His mind
had been actively deciphering what he had learned the previous couple of days,
and had now boiled it down to a few basic questions. One went to the top of the
list—why did Marco St. Julian target Lauren Scott when there are so many other
potential high-net-worth pigeons in southern Florida? He typed in a search for
the newspapers in Saratoga Springs, New York. Lauren said she’s active in the
social circles up there, and it’s her permanent home. Let’s see how she spends
her ex-husband’s money. Numerous entries popped up, including several connected
to the horse racing circuit. Nick looked at photo spreads of Lauren Scott
posing with jockeys in the winner’s circle, and standing alongside well-heeled
arts patrons. One of her charitable causes appeared to be underprivileged
children, and she also found time to serve on the board for the local ASPCA
chapter. No wonder she comes to Florida several months a year. It’s probably
the only time people leave her and her trust fund alone. He was about to
execute another search when something in one of the photos caught his eye. It
was a group shot, taken at what the caption said was opening night at the
Saratoga Springs National Museum of Dance six months earlier. Lauren stood with
their newest prodigy, a young Serbian woman being sponsored by the Museum,
surrounded by the Artistic Director and several board members. Nick clicked on
the photo and zoomed in on the rubbernecking crowd in the background, all vying
to be seen with the right people. He sat back and stared at what he’d found.
Marco St. Julian stood among the onlookers, dressed in a stylish black tuxedo,
a smile adorning his tanned face, and a glass of champagne in his hand. The son
of a bitch knew her from before. Why am I just now finding out about this?
Felicia
padded into the room, wearing an unbuttoned box-cut shirt and nothing else. She
leaned against the doorsill with her hand resting on her hip and her leg cocked
in front of her, the knee slightly bent in a provocative pose. “What’re you
doin’ up so early?” she asked. “After yesterday, you shoulda slept ‘til noon.”
Nick rocked back in his chair, giving her an appreciative, lusty look. “Too
much on my mind. Why are you up?” “Same reason.” She dropped into an easy
chair. “You think Lauren was tellin’ the truth last night?” Nick took a few
moments before answering. He had been asking himself the same question since
getting up, but hadn’t come up with a good response yet. He wasn’t necessarily
looking for a great answer and would gladly settle for one that was just good
enough for now. “Some parts of it, yes. Other parts, I’m not so sure.” “Which other
parts?” He crossed his legs at the ankles. “The way she told the story, she
agreed to take them to Cuba awfully fast.” “We weren’t there so we don’t know
how much pressure Marco and that other guy put on her to cooperate.”
