By S.F. Baumgartner
Genre: Fiction: Thriller/Suspense
Via: Kindle
Pages: 345 (Kindle)
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Buckle up and hold on tight for a white-knuckled ride through murder, mystery, money-laundering, and mayhem with S.F. Baumgartner’s latest suspense thriller, Tangled Secrets.
Is a strange car following school teacher Grace Benson home from work? Why? Sheila Mitchell is middle-aged wedding planner. Her ex-husband is FBI agent Ron Peters. Their son Kyle is also an FBI agent. Sheila enlists their help when she suspects her current hubby, Doug, of espionage. Is Doug living a double life? Why?
Reprising their roles in prior books, ex-Senator Simon Roth and his fiancé, Olivia Tso, are also in the mix. Olivia is an ex-spy, code name “Phoenix.” Their daughter, Lily Roth, arrives from Hong Kong and starts work as a management trainee with M& M Enterprises. Lily is in charge of Private Select Accounts, a VIP service catering to M&Ms “most affluent and frequently returning guests.” She finds two LLCs that seem… questionable.
Uh-Oh
Digging into these businesses, it seems Lily has rattled someone’s cage. Who? Why? Meanwhile, Dylan Roche, heir of M&M Enterprises, re-enters the picture. His aunt is the notorious criminal mastermind Marge Beaumont, aka: “the Ghost.” She’s in jail but remains a major threat.
A dangerous game of cat-and-mouse is about to get even more dangerous when the DEA task force headed by Ron is itching to nail one Hector Martinez. A notorious drug trafficker, Martinez is also kingpin of a vicious drug cartel. But when Doug is killed, Sheila becomes the prime suspect in his murder. What was Doug up to, and how can Sheila prove her innocence?
Shelob?
Tension tightens and danger deepens as the feds try to sort out a tangled web of secrets that makes Shelob’s lair look like a cake walk.
???
Meanwhile, questions linger. Like, who is Toby Filmore? What about “fake” agent Adam O’Shea? Is he an FBI imposter or a fake “Company man”? Is there a mole in the Agency? Why is there a “kill order” out on Kyle and Grace? Who wants them dead? Why is someone trying to kill Lily? And who is the shadowy “William Hunt”? Does he have any ties to the Ghost?
Olivia goes “rogue” to get some answers.
There’s also lots of cloak and dagger. Tradecraft. Treachery and betrayal. Double crosses. Grisham-esque lawyerly maneuvering. Guessing games. Faith. Family. And high-octane action.
Prodigious
Weighing in at over 330 pages (Kindle version), this is a prodigious read. Clever, quick, and crisp, the writing is stiletto-sharp and crackerjack crunchy. It snaps. Crackles. And pops. The plot is briskly paced and is an eclectic blend of action and intrigue that’s gently faith-flavored. It’s as structurally sound as the Rock of Gibraltar, with a distinct beginning, middle, and ending.
Tangled Secrets is Book 3 in the Mirror Estate series. A recap of the prequel, Buried Secrets, and Book 1 and 2, Living Secrets and Forgotten Secrets, is included. Ditto a “Relationship Chart” so you can keep track of everyone. That comes in handy. Because keeping track of multiple POVs, scenes, settings, and a voluminous cast of characters isn’t for the faint of heart. So you may want to eat your Wheaties before diving in. You may also want to bring some industrial-strength floaties. Cuz the door is left open for a sequel.
Bon Voyage!
Pages & Paws 