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Just who is the real EVIL GENIUS?
I just posted this over at Goodreads.com. You can read the first two chapters over at Book View Cafe. I hid it behind the spoilers mark at Goodreads, but there really isn't anything mentioned that you can't find in the first two chapters or advertising copy. This was a great deal of fun -- recommended!
Evil Genius by Patricia Rice
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Anastasia Devlin is a virtual assistant, an invisible researcher and finder-of-all-things known to her clients as a handle and a PO Box. She’s also the daughter of a gorgeous, dysfunctional woman of many marriages and affairs. Her mother provided her with numerous half-siblings (all the children of powerful and/or wealthy men) and a checkered past of living in palaces and mud huts around the world.
At twenty-six Ana bolted, and has been hidden from her family for four years. She’s not a hermit, but she’s an introvert who scorns her mother’s way of dealing with the world, much less men. Right now, living in a basement flat in Atlanta, GA and building a career and a bank account through her laptop works just fine for her.
Then one morning she opens her door to find her nine year old sister Elizabeth Georgiana, I.E. EG for Evil Genius (EG earned her name at five years while unmasking an addicted gambler – her mother’s current boyfriend – just before he made off with the money from Mom’s last divorce settlement.) “I brought my own bed,” EG announces as she drags in a suitcase as big as she is. “Nick will be here shortly.” That’s eldest younger brother, side scion of an English lord, a talented gambler who is depressed and has his own reasons for seeking Ana out.
Who died? How did she get on a plane? And why did she track down the only family member who can be relied on in a crisis? Turns out EG’s worshiped but never seen VIP father has been accused of murder, and EG thinks Ana can prove it’s not true.
And we’re off to the races! This novel is listed as a mystery, but Patricia Rice clearly has read her share of Jennifer Crusie and Janet Evanovich, because this is in many ways a caper novel. With a family like Ana’s, there are more adventures to be told. In a fit of wishing for family and a home, Ana had just located where their grandfather lives – Washington DC. So it’s time to visit grandfather.
But grandfather died, the lawyer for his estate has disappeared, and the new owner of mansion and butler is a disembodied voice living in the attic who has surveillance cameras set up everywhere – and the plot just gets more tangled and crazy. There’s gentle humor, real threats, a few good-looking men, a possible “spook” living on the top floor – no, that’s all you get. Trust me, this is just the beginning, I haven’t spoiled a thing, and it all works.
Multiple mysteries are presented, and Ana the chameleon has to solve all of them before someone "offs" those annoying details – Ana and her siblings. Ana will be forced to “bloom” as she channels her inner woman, anger issues and all, into building a safe base for her family. Several romantic possibilities show up, but are not realized in this fast-moving book. There is one kiss that in context will prove quite satisfying to the patient reader! Rice never drops a ball. I tripped once or twice, and caught a couple of typos, but the racing plot never slowed down.
At the end, you’ll find yourself wondering who exactly is the real evil genius? And you’ll be glad you checked out this fun e-book.
View all my reviews
Evil Genius by Patricia RiceMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Anastasia Devlin is a virtual assistant, an invisible researcher and finder-of-all-things known to her clients as a handle and a PO Box. She’s also the daughter of a gorgeous, dysfunctional woman of many marriages and affairs. Her mother provided her with numerous half-siblings (all the children of powerful and/or wealthy men) and a checkered past of living in palaces and mud huts around the world.
At twenty-six Ana bolted, and has been hidden from her family for four years. She’s not a hermit, but she’s an introvert who scorns her mother’s way of dealing with the world, much less men. Right now, living in a basement flat in Atlanta, GA and building a career and a bank account through her laptop works just fine for her.
Then one morning she opens her door to find her nine year old sister Elizabeth Georgiana, I.E. EG for Evil Genius (EG earned her name at five years while unmasking an addicted gambler – her mother’s current boyfriend – just before he made off with the money from Mom’s last divorce settlement.) “I brought my own bed,” EG announces as she drags in a suitcase as big as she is. “Nick will be here shortly.” That’s eldest younger brother, side scion of an English lord, a talented gambler who is depressed and has his own reasons for seeking Ana out.
Who died? How did she get on a plane? And why did she track down the only family member who can be relied on in a crisis? Turns out EG’s worshiped but never seen VIP father has been accused of murder, and EG thinks Ana can prove it’s not true.
And we’re off to the races! This novel is listed as a mystery, but Patricia Rice clearly has read her share of Jennifer Crusie and Janet Evanovich, because this is in many ways a caper novel. With a family like Ana’s, there are more adventures to be told. In a fit of wishing for family and a home, Ana had just located where their grandfather lives – Washington DC. So it’s time to visit grandfather.
But grandfather died, the lawyer for his estate has disappeared, and the new owner of mansion and butler is a disembodied voice living in the attic who has surveillance cameras set up everywhere – and the plot just gets more tangled and crazy. There’s gentle humor, real threats, a few good-looking men, a possible “spook” living on the top floor – no, that’s all you get. Trust me, this is just the beginning, I haven’t spoiled a thing, and it all works.
Multiple mysteries are presented, and Ana the chameleon has to solve all of them before someone "offs" those annoying details – Ana and her siblings. Ana will be forced to “bloom” as she channels her inner woman, anger issues and all, into building a safe base for her family. Several romantic possibilities show up, but are not realized in this fast-moving book. There is one kiss that in context will prove quite satisfying to the patient reader! Rice never drops a ball. I tripped once or twice, and caught a couple of typos, but the racing plot never slowed down.
At the end, you’ll find yourself wondering who exactly is the real evil genius? And you’ll be glad you checked out this fun e-book.
View all my reviews