Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Declan’s Cross by Carla Neggers!
Book links:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads
Synopsis:
An escape to an idyllic Irish seaside village is about to turn deadly in this riveting new novel by master of romantic suspense Carla Neggers.
For marine biologist Julianne Maroney, two weeks in tiny Declan’s Cross on the south Irish coast is a chance to heal her broken heart. She doesn’t expect to attract the attention of FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan—especially since a Donovan is the reason for her broken heart.
Emma and Colin are in Ireland for their own personal retreat. Colin knows he’s a reminder of everything Julianne wants to escape, but something about her trip raises his suspicion. Emma, an art crimes expert, is also on edge. Of all the Irish villages Julianne could choose…why Declan’s Cross?
Ten years ago, a thief slipped into a mansion in Declan’s Cross. Emma’s grandfather, a renowned art detective, investigated, but the art stolen that night has never been recovered and the elusive thief never caught.
From the moment Julianne sets foot on Irish soil, everything goes wrong. The well-connected American diver who invited her to Ireland has disappeared. And now Emma and Colin are in Declan’s Cross asking questions.
As a dark conspiracy unfolds amid the breathtaking scenery of Declan’s Cross, the race is on to stop a ruthless killer…and the stakes have never been more personal for Emma and Colin.
My review:
Declan’s Cross is the third book in the Sharpe & Donovon Series by author Carla Neggers and admittedly, the first book of Carla’s that I have read. After reading this third installment, I am happy to say that I will be putting the others in the series on my to-read list.
This is unlike the stories that I am used to reading lately in that the focus wasn’t on only one couple. There were a few couples as well as other single characters and they all played equally important roles in the whole picture.
Julianne Maroney is a waitress who leaves her hometown in Maine to escape a broken heart as well as begin the fulfillment of her oceanographer dreams. She is supposed to be meeting up with a woman named Lindsay Hargraves. The two gals recently met when Lindsey was visiting her father in the same hometown as Julianne. Their quick and easy friendship was only strengthened when they learn of their mutual love of the ocean, sea life and diving. Ireland awaits the two young women….
Special Agents Colin Donovon and Emma Sharpe were already in Ireland when Colin receives a call from his younger brother, Andy, informing him that his ex-girlfriend, Julianne, will be headed their way. Not really seeing the relevance of Andy’s phone call, they were just about to dismiss the coincidence of travel destination until Andy mentions Julianne will be staying in Declan’s Cross. Emma’s interest is suddenly piqued. That town was the setting of a famous art theft ten years earlier, and a case her grandfather had been working on for years. Maybe Colin and Emma should make their way to Julianne and welcome her…..
When Julianne arrives in Ireland, things don’t go exactly as planned. She can’t get in touch with Lindsay and after finding her way to Declan’s Cross, she runs into Emma and Colin. What were the odds? She meets a few local characters along the way and soon realizes there is way more action going on in this sleepy Irish town than she could ever have dreamed. Lindsay is missing and is possibly tied to the art theft. Suddenly Julianne’s broken heart and feelings for Andy seem like a lifetime ago. It sure doesn’t feel like it was just a week ago.
Together, each in the cast of characters all play a role in attempting to solve a decade old Irish mystery. Pretty exciting for a town filled with more sheep than people.
This really was a who-done-it from the very first chapter. I enjoyed trying to put the pieces together while I was reading and enjoyed that the story focused on numerous characters, rather than one main couple or family. Again, I hadn’t read the first two books in the series and felt that maybe if I had, I would have more of a relationship with the characters. I enjoyed the banter between the Donovon brothers and loved how Carla wrapped things up, for the most part, in the last few chapters. We are still left with a bit of a mystery and it definitely has me curious to see what will happen next in the series. I say that’s Mission Accomplished when it comes to keeping readers invested in a series!
Thank you, Ms. Neggers, for a mysterious read with amazing description of the Irish countryside and of the colorful characters! Count me in for the future adventures of Donovon & Sharpe!
Three-and-a-Half Loves
About the author:
Carla Neggers is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 60 novels, with translations in 24 languages. Born and raised on the western edge of the beautiful Quabbin Reservoir in rural Massachusetts, Carla grew up with tales of her father’s life as a Dutch sailor and her mother’s childhood in northwest Florida.
At a young age, Carla began penning her own stories on a branch high up in her favorite sugar maple. Now she enjoys spending time at the family homestead (now a tree farm) with her six brothers and sisters and their families. When she’s not writing, Carla loves to travel, hike, kayak, garden, and, of course, dive into a good book. She lives with her family in Vermont, near Quechee Gorge.
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