mindless, silly, sophomoric. Filled a rainy day...
Never would think to use "delicious" to describe a book. This one is. Wealthy retired jewel thief has to protect her reputation from an imposter. She knows & enjoys jewels, wine, art. She cooks, has beautiful clothes... all the things I don't really care about... except in this book. Fun plot that includes a Count, a fake Count, villas, yachts, food, expensive cars, beautiful European villages, New Scotland Yard, burglary... including a "Good Samaritan" burglar. The likeable sleuth had a rough beginning and then a fabulous life. It's a burglary mystery, not a murder mystery. (Remember the F word: it's Fiction.)
This appears to be 2nd in this series. Just ordered the others. Read one title in a different series by this author and didn't care for it. Will read all of these.
I thought this was a great follow-up to the first book. Kellogg stays true to her characters, and I love her descriptions of everything. The idea of Kick being a jewel thief and her reasons for stealing are intriguing. I didn't think I would like a character like her, but she is sassy and fun to read about.
What a fun romp this was! Kick Keswick is a rettired jewel thief, The Shamrock Burglar. She's recently married and settling in to a comfortable life on a farm in Provence, France. Imagine her surprise and dismay when she wakes up one day to find her husband gone - back to his job as a detective at Scotland Yard - and a headline in the news that The Shamrock Burglar has struck again. In an effort to clear her good ... bad? ... name, Kick heads off to Paris, the scene of this recent crime. She's determined to discover who is behind this, and put an end to their impersonation. What follows is a delightful tale in the Italian Riviera, with swanky galas and balls, Counts and Princesses. Kick is my favorite type of character - a charming thief with a heart of gold. Her skills as a burglar are beyond reproach, and she is strong, independent, and smart. If you're tired of cozies wth bakers and booksellers, but aren't into blood-and-guts thrillers, this is a happy medium. It's the second book in the series, but doesn't suffer from not having read the first, Brilliant, which was also a good read, as I recall. Off to order book three ....
I really love Marne Davis Kellogg's heroine/female sleuth. Her story is set in such an elite and different world that it's worth reading every time.
Good, fun, summer read. Reading her book Brilliant first may help understanding this one.
