Search - Beguiled

First of all, you need to know that this is not your typical Deeanne Gist novel. It's not Historical; it does not have her trademark "edgy" romance vibe; nor is it really a Romance. I would have to classify it as Mystery/Suspense with a light romantic vein. To me, it felt like this story showed more of J. Mark Bertrand's writing style, since he "comes from a hard-boiled crime thriller background" (as stated on the back cover), than Deeanne's. I kept waiting for her "edgy" romance to shine through, but was really disappointed. A few romantic parts I thought had the potential to turn "edgy", but they stayed low-key. Taking all of this into consideration, it was a pretty good read...if you enjoy a good mystery, which I do on occasion. You will most likely be on the edge of your seat trying to figure out who the bad guy(s) is/are. I stuck with my gut feeling, and turned out to be partially right! I guess that was thanks to my fascination with Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys when I was growing up, before I became enamored with romance novels. :)

Since the excerpt from the back cover pretty much covers the gist of the story, there's not much more I can add, without giving away any vital parts. Although I do want to mention that I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of Rylee's "clients"...they were a great addition to the story. Romeo and Toro were my favorites.

Excellent collaborative novel! The other reviewers are right when they say this is not Deeanne Gist's typical writing style, however, her wonderful abilities to craft a realistic romantic story and to make you feel like you are standing there seeing what the characters are seeing coming shining through. If this is any indication of J Bertrand's work, he has a talent for crafting a well-thought out mystery with plenty of intrigue, twist and suspense.

Together, they did a great job on Beguiled. I have read some collaborative projects where you could tell who wrote which parts, but this book was seamless in its flow. A great read!

Set in the city of Charleston, this mystery keeps you guessing. Rylee, an orphaned dog walker, is the sole caretaker of her grandmother in a nursing home. She feels deserted by her fanter who left when she was young and her mother was found dead 2 days later from a sleeping pill overdose. Due to her insecurities, she has never become involved with any one even though she was a very attractive young woman. When the homes of her wealthy clients started to be broken into, Rylee becomes a chief suspect. The characters are well developed and the book is a page turner.