Redheaded Reviews: Close Up by Amanda Quick

Let me just say that this book, written under Jayne Ann Krentz's nom de plum is a great deal better than The Vanishing written by Krentz months ago that I reviewed very negatively here on this site. Maybe it helped her to be writing under another name. I don't know. This book is sorta one of her Burning Cove books only most of it takes place in Adeline Beach where Vivene Brazier works as a photojournalist by night but doesn\t tale the credit for her pictures because sh's trying to make it into the art world and the art galleries won't accept you if they know you've been doing photojournalism.

One of her murder scenes is the Dagger Killer. She must have caught his eye at a crime scene because he followed her home and tried to kill her there, but she fought him off and injured him and the police caught him and put him in the hospital to heal. He escaped the hospital and was run over by a car and died.

Nick Sundridge is a PI who just finished working on a case where this guy would marry a woman then take a life insurance policy out on her and then take her out on a cruise and then an"accident" would occur and she'd die leaving him rich. But this particular young bride's aunt was suspicious and wanted him looked into. Now the guy may be going to jail.

Nick and his partner Rex, his trained dog, are off on their next case: Viviene Brazier. Luther Pell of Burning Cove who has mobster connections has come across a book of poems that is actually a record of a hit list and Viviene's name is on it, though her entry is incomplete. He has no idea who wants her dead and while they're working on deciphering the poems they have no idea who the hitman is.

Vivienne's sister Lyra is getting married to Harrison, the very man that Viviene was going to marry but broke it off with. Is Harrison seeking the extra money from the inheritance? Also, Viviene dated an artist who stole her idea. Viviene could expose him; There are others out there who stand to profit from Viviene's death.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters of Nick and Viviene and Rex were utterly delightful. Viviene is going against her rich parents and being cut off financially in order to follow her dreams. Nick worries about his gift and whether he can ever be with a woman without scaring her away. Rex is the best dog anyone can hope to have. Lyra, the sister is a hoot. And of course, we have the usual cast of characters from Burning Cove that show up later in the book; I give this book a solid five stars out of five.

Quotes

People say passion is a reckless, potetionally destructive force, and I’m sure that is frequently the case. But I think love is infinitely more dangerous. Passion blazes hot and fierce and then it burns out. You’ll ger scorched but you’ll prpbably survive. Love is more complicate. More mysterious.

-Amanda Quick (Close Up, 169)

Okay, that sounded like progress, he decided. He tried to think positive. There were no innocent third parties involved here, just a hired killer and the client who paid him to murder Vivian. No relationship was perfect.

-Amanda Quick (Close Up. 170)

He spoke her name as if it held a kind of magic; a name to conjure with in the darkness of night. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her Through the scented garden to the front door door of the villa.

-Amanda Quick (Close Up. 203)

The desire for revenge is an acid that destroys everything it touches.

=Amanda Quick (Close Up. 212)

People rarely use a lot of logic or common sense when they indulge in an affair.

-Amanda Quick (Close Up 214)