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Blue smoke and murder
First published 2008 · 549 pages
A rugged, high-stakes blend of wilderness survival and cutthroat art-world intrigue wrapped in a tense romance.
What it feels like
This romantic suspense novel delivers a satisfyingly brisk and atmospheric ride, contrasting the rugged, sun-baked reality of river guiding with the cold, cutthroat elegance of the high-end art world. The mood is tense and urgent, grounded by a pragmatic heroine who finds herself out of her depth and a reluctant, highly capable protector. As the danger escalates, the emotional core of the story shifts from isolated vulnerability to a slow-burn, hard-won trust that blossoms into passionate partnership. The prose is efficient yet descriptive, lingering on the beauty of Western landscapes and the sinister underbelly of wealth. It is a perfect escape for readers who crave classic romantic suspense where capable characters must outsmart ruthless enemies while falling in love.
- Mood
- tense
- rugged
- atmospheric
- high-stakes
- Tone
- suspenseful
- pragmatic
- romantic
- urgent
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- hidden legacies · trusting a protector · corrupting power of wealth · survival and resilience · reluctant partnership
- The writing
- Efficient and atmospheric, blending sharp action sequences with sensual, descriptive details of the Western landscape and art world.
- The arc
- Moves from sudden, isolating danger to the slow build of hard-won trust and passionate partnership.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love classic romantic suspense featuring capable, outdoorsy heroines, protective heroes, and a deep dive into a niche, cutthroat industry.
Content notes
- murder
- arson
- gun violence
- threat to life
About the book
Jill Breck was just doing her job as a river guide when she saved the life of Lane Faroe, son of two of St. Kilda Consulting's premier operators. But when a string of ominous events—including a mysterious fire that kills her great-aunt and a furor in the Western art world raised by a dozen Breck family paintings—culminates in a threat to her life, Jill reluctantly calls in a favor.Zach Balfour works part-time as a consultant for St. Kilda. His expertise is gathering and analyzing information from unlikely and often dangerous sources. Though he's got the skills to be a highly effective bodyguard, being a bullet catcher isn't his preferred way to spend time.Protecting Jill will take him into familiar territory—among a strange, savagely competitive bunch of collectors who'll do anything to stay at the top. But Jill is in deeper waters than she's ever known; as she soon discovers, the perils of running wild rivers are tame compared with the hidden dangers in the high-stakes game of art collecting.From the cozy rooms of the Breck homestead cabin to the cold multimillion-dollar galleries of the Western art circuit, Zach and Jill must race against time to unmask a ruthless killer hidden in a blue smoke of money, threats, lies, and death...
Description from Open Library.
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