Friday, April 21, 2017

All That Glitters

Lately my reading has drifted toward jewel thefts and art authentication. Not sure what that means, but I'm enjoying the adventure. Nancy Cole Silverman's Without a Doubt is feeding that obsession.

Carol Child's is a reporter for a local radio station. She and her friend Sheri have just completed a location segment at a Beverly HIlls chocolatier, when Carol notices her boyfriend Eric coming out of Henery Westin's, one of Beverly Hills' most exclusive jewelry stores with a sultry woman famous for being famous.

A few minutes later a thunderous blast shakes the street. Alarms start blaring and people are scattered everywhere. The bomb blast came from inside the jewelry store and a robbery has taken place. Ever the reporter, Carol tries to get the details. After interviewing the store manager and the detective on hand and going on air with a live remote, she heads for her car.

As she reaches the lot, she notices an elderly woman struggling with shopping bags. The woman gives Carol a pin with a Phoenix rising from fire, surrounded with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Surely it is a knock off, not the real thing. Unknowingly it turns out she has assisted the thief with her bags right after a brazen theft at a famous jewelry store. The theft leads her into the lifestyles of the rich and famous and she tries work out the details. One minor distraction is the jewelry theft ringleader - he has taken a shine to her and keeps calling her with little clues.

This complicates her relationship with Eric, who is an FBI agent, and her activities at her radio station. When people begin to die, Carol digs deeper into the story and discovers the connection between this robbery and a series of robberies in Europe.

The complicated plot leads deeper into the lifestyles of rich polo players, actresses and people vying for fame. An enjoyable read.

For other books by Nancy Cole Silverman, click here.

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