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Janet Maple #2

Catching the Bad Guy

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Janet Maple and Dennis Walker make a good team: she is a top-notch white collar crime investigator, and so is he. Both Janet and Dennis are thrown in for a loop when Janet’s treacherous snake of an ex-boyfriend, Alex Kingsley, is appointed as their new boss, and the case that was supposed to be the highlight of their careers is dismissed for lack of evidence.

To make matters worse, Alex is asking Janet to get back together, and the one man she wishes would ask her out sees her as nothing more than a coworker. Janet’s love life soon becomes the least of her worries, as she begins to suspect that Alex’s rekindled interest in her is driven by ulterior motives. She is determined to get to the bottom of things, but she can't do it alone.

Together, Janet and Dennis team up to solve a tangled white collar crime web that leads to powerful politicians and corporate executives. Armed with their keen instincts and skills, Janet and Dennis are bound to succeed. There is just one glitch: both are attracted to each other, and both refuse to admit it. Will Janet and Dennis solve the biggest case of their careers or will their attraction to each other get in the way?

Catching the Bad Guy is book two of the Janet Maple Series, but it can easily be read on its own.

230 pages, ebook

First published May 14, 2013

269 people are currently reading
531 people want to read

About the author

Marie Astor

17 books240 followers
Marie Astor is New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author. Marie is a die-hard romantic, which is why she loves writing romantic suspense and contemporary romance. In her spare time, Marie enjoys being adventurous out-of-doors. She often gets new story ideas while she is hiking up a mountain or trying to avoid bumping into a tree while skiing.

Marie loves hearing from readers and always answers all of her emails personally. Visit Marie at www.marieastor.com to learn more about Marie’s new book releases and events.


Marie Astor

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5 stars
427 (35%)
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439 (36%)
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269 (22%)
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70 (5%)
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13 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
Profile Image for Mary Mooney.
2,535 reviews59 followers
May 17, 2013
I had the honor of reading this one before it became available. The story picks up where the first book ends and never skips a beat. It is a great romance with a twist or a mystery with romance. I love how Dennis kept dancing around his feelings and Janet kept trying to fight hers because she knew he would never end up with her. Marie Astor is the best at contemporary romance stories. This series is great. If you read To Catch a Bad Guy and loved it then you will love this one too. Marie also has other great stories to enjoy. If you haven't read the Janet Maple Series, then I say grab a cup of your favorite drink, get in a cozy corner and throw a blanket over your legs and enjoy yourself and get lost in this great series. It will be a series I will read again and again! Thanks Marie!
Profile Image for Donna Porter.
1,034 reviews9 followers
May 20, 2013
I enjoyed the continuing story of Dennis and Janet as they finally got together and took down the bad guys. Again my only complaint was I lost interest on some of the background info that I got in book 1
Profile Image for All Romance.
420 reviews95 followers
July 30, 2013
I love mystery's. I just love trying to figure out who the bad guy really is. Add in some hot guys and I'm all good.

So I gotta say one thing I loved about this one is that all the bad guys get what's coming to them and I loved that. I know it's not realistic but I hate it when the bad guys get off without much of any punishment. So yay! Take that bad guys!


Anyways, Janet and Dennis have had the hots for each other but Janet assumed she wasn't his type and Dennis just doesn't think he's good enough for her. Of course that all changes and when it does, it's hot. I will say that as much as I loved what happens between them, I almost felt like it moved really fast. Like they went from 0 to 60 in about a nanosecond. But I can forgive that since I wanted them together! And them being together was hot. So it's all good.

Basically, there are a whole bunch of corrupt people in this book, including Janet's ex- Alex the douchnozzle. God this guys is a prime douche. Just awful. And thank GOD Janet is a strong woman and doesn't fall for it. In fact, she helps to play him for a fool which I loved!! Janet and Dennis find themselves protecting their jobs and each other in a search for the truth. It's an interesting and exciting ride to find out who all is involved and how deep it all goes.

This is part 2 in a series but I read it as a stand alone and it totally worked.

If you like a good mystery with some romance thrown in and just a perfect amount of sexy- this book is for you!
295 reviews4 followers
May 19, 2013
I've been patiently waiting for this book and it was so worth it. The chemistry between Janet and Dennis is beyond nuts and their continual struggle against it makes this book so great. I really enjoyed the suspense, the charm, and the romance. A great read!
Profile Image for Sharon.
176 reviews
August 17, 2013
Catching the Bad Guy is the Second Book in Marie Astor's Janet Maples Series. I have to say with the way book one ended I couldn't wait to see what was in store next for Janet Maple and Dennis Walker. This book didn't disappoint.

Janet new job working with Dennis is about to a get a little more interesting as her former boss/boyfriend Alex is back and looking to be back in Janet's life. Since Janet has learn something from her past with Alex she know there is more than meets the eye. Janet also knows she going to need help to figure out what Alex truly is doing.

I love the way Marie Astor's writes her stories. She keep the storyline moving. The character all have their part they play in the story of both suspense and romance of the book. I was not familiar with all the financial aspect of the story however in the over scheme of things that didn't really effect the story being told.

My favorite part of the story was watching Janet and Dennis together and watching how they respond to each other. The way Maria Astor's write Janet and Dennis characters there is no denying the their attraction.

Janet is a great character. I adore the way Marie Astor's write Janet. Janet has many parts to her based on the experiences she has been through

Marie Astor wrote another great book! I love the book for beginning to the end! . I am so excited that there will be a third book in Janet Maple Series.
Profile Image for Ginny  Gallagher.
277 reviews86 followers
July 21, 2013
Original review posted on GinsBookNotes .com

I enjoyed getting to revisit Janet Maple and Dennis Walker. To be honest I enjoyed this book even more than Book 1. I don’t know if it’s because I’m familiar with the characters and they feel as if they are old friends or if it’s the story line. Either way, I liked it!

Marie has a way of making the bad guys, like Alex, somehow redeemable towards the end. They are still people you can’t stand but by the end there is a little spark of hope that maybe, just maybe, they might turn into a decent person at some point in the future.

The personalities of Marie’s characters are well developed and as you get to know their history you begin to understand why they act and react the way they do. I also like that they are growing and changing. The Main characters, Janet and Dennis, are engaging and relatable. I think Janet is becoming more confident and Dennis is losing a little of his ego as the series goes on.

In book 2 I learned more about the world of white collar crime and what it takes to catch and put away the bad guys. I also enjoyed getting to experience great characters develop into even greater characters. At the end I felt a sense of satisfaction because the mystery was solved and anticipation because I know that there are more bad guys, romance, and fun in Janet and Dennis’s future. I can’t wait to see which bad guy they take on next!
Profile Image for Tina.
28 reviews4 followers
July 25, 2016
***THIS BOOK WAS GIVEN TO ME IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW***

***Tina, #NerdGirlMama’s Review***

Catching the Bad Guy, book 2 in The Janet Maple Series, we are reacquainted with Janet Maple and Dennis Walker who are start-crossed lovers, which are white-collar crime investigators. In this book I found that I could relate to the main character Janet, where I could not in book 1 and it made for a better read. The white-collar crimes of insider trading and the political corruption are well written and the Author has done her home work and that makes for a believable story. I did find that the characters in this book are more likeable than in the first and there was no superficial females as there was in book 1. The story did pick up where book 1 left off, and the romance between Janet and Dennis does come into play in book 2.

The Author wanted this to also read as a standalone book, so there are flashbacks that are there for the readers who did not read book1. But for me there was still too many flashbacks in this book also, and for me it slowed the story down a bit. I rate this as a 3.5 out of 5 stars, so I round up in that case and give it a 4. All in all this is a good light read and I did enjoy this one better that the first and would say if you enjoy a little crime and romance than pick this one up and try it.

***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. ***

Profile Image for Melissa.
101 reviews
June 24, 2013
I really enjoyed reading "Catching the Bad Guy" by Marie Astor. This is the first book I have read by this author. The story is about Janet Maple and Dennis Walker who are both top-notch white collar crime investigators. When Ham is let go and is replaced by Alex Kingsley, Janet's treacherous snake of an ex-boyfriend, who is involved with his secretary Georgiana. David Muller, Cornelius Finnegan, and Kevan Magee where involved in insider trading that was worth a lot of money. David Muller was dating Aileen Finnegan, who was Cornelius's daughter. He was also dating Mila Brabec a immigrant from Prague, who he intended to marry. Janet and Dennis both like each other but neither one has admitted it until later in the book. After Mila learns of David's arrest she opened the safe and took everything out. Will David, Cornelius, and Kevan go to jail? Will Alex be arrested for his part of the spying? Will they find out that Mila and Anton Kovar took the money?

I look forward to reading more books written by Marie Astor. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Valerie.
437 reviews21 followers
July 2, 2013
Another fun little book by Marie Astor. I enjoyed being able to read on more about Dennis and Janet. I am glad the way things worked out in the book. I did feel though towards the middle the book was being rushed, but it was still good. Only other thing that bothered me a little was the amount of POV's in the book, it got to be long and drawn out when reading it and I skimmed some of the repeats from the first book. Overall though, it was a fun read and I really enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Jackie.
3,944 reviews128 followers
January 23, 2016
Book Info

Kindle Edition, 230 pages
Published May 14th 2013
ASIN B00CSCEHWA
edition language English
series Janet Maple #2
Source:Kindle copy from author in exchange for honest review

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BOOK SYNOPSIS


Janet Maple and Dennis Walker make a good team: she is a top-notch white collar crime investigator, and so is he. Both Janet and Dennis are thrown in for a loop when Janet’s treacherous snake of an ex-boyfriend, Alex Kingsley, is appointed as their new boss, and the case that was supposed to be the highlight of their careers is dismissed for lack of evidence.

To make matters worse, Alex is asking Janet to get back together, and the one man she wishes would ask her out sees her as nothing more than a coworker. Janet’s love life soon becomes the least of her worries, as she begins to suspect that Alex’s rekindled interest in her is driven by ulterior motives. She is determined to get to the bottom of things, but she can't do it alone.

Together, Janet and Dennis team up to solve a tangled white collar crime web that leads to powerful politicians and corporate executives. Armed with their keen instincts and skills, Janet and Dennis are bound to succeed. There is just one glitch: both are attracted to each other, and both refuse to admit it. Will Janet and Dennis solve the biggest case of their careers or will their attraction to each other get in the way?

Catching the Bad Guy is book two of the Janet Maple Series, but it can easily be read on its own.



My Thoughts


In the first book Janet Maple started out working in the DA's office in it's investigative department after graduating from Columbia Law, after long grueling hours for years Janet was rewarded by being "downsized" or fired if one does not wish to be politically correct. Her ex boyfriend ALex Kingsley was the one who booted Janet. She then found herself working for Bostoff Securities thanks to longtime childhood friend Lisa and fiancé of Paul Bostoff. Now a year or so later Janet is working for the Treasury Department in their white collar crime Investigation division after having helped find evidence that Bostoff Securities was violating the laws of trading in collusion with various Hedge Fund managers and one in particular David Muller.

We find Janet and Dennis working together and still no closer to resolving their mutual attraction to one another, soon after the story begins they are called into their bosses office to learn that he has been retired and their new boss is going to be none other than Alex Kingsley. From then on things become very interesting as we follow along with the pair as their searching for answers leads them to find a criminal conspiracy that makes the last case they investigated pale in comparison.

In the course of their new investigation Dennis, Janet and their coworker Peter Laskin work hard to put together enough evidence to prove once and for all that David Muller is a criminal. The dynamic team also unearth the identity of the corrupt politician who was orchestrating things behind the scenes as well as his partner whose insider information was well on it's way to making the three men wealthy beyond their wildest dreams.

This time there is no doubt in my mind that Dennis and Janet are perfect partners for each other, their working relationship as well as their personal one is taken to the next level and things heat up for the pair on both fronts.

I was thrilled at how this second book played out, laughed out loud with glee as each and every one of the "bad guys" were served the justice they so rightfully deserved but especially in David Muller's case as in n a bold and stunning twist of fate justice was served to this "bad guy", he never saw it coming but oh you will crow when you read how it came about and whose hands drove the "final nail in his coffin".

Once again as in book 1 Janet's Jack Russell Terrier Baxter won my heart, he is such a nice ice breaker when tense moments get a bit too much.

The Author has book three releasing later in September and when she sends me my review copy of "Bad Guys Get Caught" will happily share my thoughts on it on December 19th when finally get a chance to read it as well.

In the mean time though hope you check out the series, you might just enjoy it as much as I did!


[Kindle copy from author in exchange for honest review]
Profile Image for Alice.
473 reviews2 followers
March 25, 2018
I enjoyed this book, enough to add the next book, in the series, to my enormous stash of reading material.

However, the cringe worthy intimacy between the main characters lost this book a star. I can only be extremely grateful that it was just a small part of an otherwise good story.
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,431 reviews35 followers
August 12, 2013
In Catching the Bad Guy, the second book in The Janet Maple Series, the readers are reacquainted with white-collar crime investigators and star-crossed lovers Janet Maple and Dennis Walker.

Janet and Dennis have been partners in the Department of Treasury's white-collar crime investigation and enforcement division for the past year. An important case that they have been working on is suddenly dismissed for lack of evidence by the department's powerful and influential higher ups. And if that isn't enough, they are thrown for a loop when their boss is forced into an early retirement and replaced by Janet's ex-boyfriend, Alex Kingsley, former Manhattan Assistant DA, who is brought in to clean house of rogue investigators in the department. Alex is a suave and ambitious man who is determined to climb the ladder of success at any cost. Alex's promotion puts Janet and Dennis' careers in jeopardy, and as they work together to save their jobs, they discover a tangled web of deceit and corruption between financial corporate executives and influential and powerful politicians. Can Janet and Dennis save their jobs, bring the white-collar criminals to justice, and find love in each other's arms?

Author Marie Astor once again easily peaks the interest of the readers in the second installment of The Janet Maple Series. Catching the Bad Guy picks up where To Catch a Bad Guy left off, making it easy for the reader to reacquaint themselves with Janet and Dennis' adventures in solving white-collar crime. Written in the third person narrative and set in New York, the crime stopping duo takes the reader on another intriguing adventure as their investigation leads them into a tangled web of insider trading and political corruption. And if that isn't enough, Janet's ex-boyfriend and new boss Alex Kingsley wants to rekindle their relationship, but Janet is attracted to the womanizing flirt Dennis.

This fast-paced storyline is full of intrigue, suspense and romance. I really enjoyed how the author has developed the characters of Janet and Dennis. It was fun to see them continue to work together on white-collar crime investigations, but it was even more enjoyable to watch as the chemistry between these two star-crossed lovers heated up. There is a nice balance between the mixture of suspense and romance throughout the story, it kept me interested in following Janet and Dennis' latest adventure.

With an engaging cast of characters (old and new); sassy dialogue and interactions; a richly detailed description of the white-collar financial corporate world and law enforcement field; and enough romance to spice things up; Catching the Bad Guy is an entertaining romantic suspense story that will keep the reader turning the pages!

While Catching the Bad Guy can be a stand alone read, as the author does provide the reader with flashback recollections of the characters and prior investigations from the first installment of the series, I would recommend that the reader reads the books in sequential order so that they can fully appreciate the continuation of the series as it flows from one book into the next. The third installment in the series is expected to be released in late Fall 2013.


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
344 reviews10 followers
did-not-finish
November 19, 2013
I got this book as part of the "Dangerous Attractions" 10 book boxed set. This is book 2 in the Janet Maple series.

I want to start by saying that I have not read the first book in this series. I don't know whether it's really necessary to read the first book or not, but it might help...

I'm not giving this book a star rating because I didn't really give it much of a chance before I gave up on it. I gave up simply because it was boring me to tears and after reading the synopsis, I decided it didn't sound all that interesting.

In the little bit I did read, the lack of contractions in dialogue irritated me. If you've read my reviews before, you know this is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. In daily conversation with your friends or coworkers, you DO NOT say, "Hello, Dennis. How are you doing?" People don't talk like that to their peers. Yeah, you might say that to your boss, your professor, or a politician that you meet but you aren't going to talk to your friends like that. If one of my friends talked to me like that, I'd smack em and tell em to knock it off! It's pretentious and annoying as fuck!

Anyway, someone else might find the story interesting. Since I didn't read very much, I don't think it would be fair to give it a star rating.
Profile Image for R.P. Rochford.
Author 2 books29 followers
October 6, 2013
I loved this book! I enjoyed the first one in the series, but I found this one even better, more mature work from the author. I think Marie Astor managed to increase the tension very effectively by having Janet's ex-boyfriend as their boss who was watching over them suspiciously and kept an eye on both Janet and Dennis very closely. They really had to be careful with their actions.

I think the background information was necessary for readers who weren't familiar with the first book, and I liked the side characters too. I think the characters of Laskin, Aileen, Ham were great too, you couldn't help empathising with them.

I'm looking forward to starting the 3rd book in the series.
Profile Image for Nikki.
115 reviews23 followers
September 22, 2014
I found that a lot of the timelines in this book didn't make that much sense when you thought about them. The continuing story of Dennis and Janet didn't make that much sense either...all that dancing around seemed odd after the way the first book ended. There was a lot of weird wording as well.

Oh, and this book made me feel really bad about my appearance as a less than ideal looking person. One of the reasons I liked the first book was because there was a small bit about liking your body and not needing to be rail thin. The second book stomps all over that.

Overall, I'd call this book unsatisfying.
Profile Image for Shauna Stewart Hougham.
61 reviews1 follower
November 17, 2013
Am so loving the Janet Maple series, and looking forward to future books. Dennis and Janet make a great team bringing down the bad guys. Cant wait to see this expand in their new line of work and romance as well. Also, looking forward to catching up on Peter and Aileen,and the others we met in book one and followed through book two!! It was refreshing and found myself reading day and night to finish the book.. Was not disappointed at all. Thanks to Author Marie Astor for snagging a reader and keeping our interest throughout the book!! Bravo!..
Profile Image for Susan.
1,155 reviews44 followers
November 27, 2014
I was lucky enough to win this book. And I was lucky, it was great! I had read the first Janet Maples book a while ago, but it didn't take long to get caught up in it again. Janet & Dennis working together to get the bad guys that got away the first time. There is great chemistry that both of them are afraid to act upon. They get the job done and find some happiness along the way. I'm off to go start #3!
22 reviews
June 3, 2014
This book picks up seamlessly from Vol. 1. I liked the developments of the characters, both the good and the bad. The expanded elements of the character Laskin was a surprising twist. While parts were predictable the were enough New twists to keep me interested. I am anxious to read Vol. 3 to see what happens next especially to find out what happens to Laskin.
Profile Image for Aaron Dubin.
74 reviews1 follower
March 15, 2014
It's really a 3.5 star review. I was pleasantly surprised by Book 1 in this series, and book two was not disappointing at all. As far as complex stories lines and plot twists, this series isn't about those. Just a good down to earth story with good characters. A fun read.
Profile Image for Dee.
2,637 reviews19 followers
April 10, 2014
From "Dangerous Attraction Romantic Suspense" boxed set
(No longer available from Amazon)

Two-haiku review:

She investigates
Her old boyfriend becomes boss
Is he criminal?

Financial antics
And illegal evidence
Not my kind of book
46 reviews
May 2, 2014
Better than the first

I really liked this book. Can't wait to read the next in the series. it's an easy fast read. The characters are well defined, and I feel a vested interest in them.
Profile Image for Karen Sweiger-Veil.
35 reviews
June 17, 2014
Cute extension of the first novel

Finishes where book one left off, and sets the stage for the third book in the series. A little slower than the first book, but still enjoyable. The characters are evolving to provide more romance despite being unsure of each other's intentions.
Profile Image for Debbie.
67 reviews1 follower
July 26, 2014
This is the second book I read from this author, and once again I enjoyed each chapter a great deal. I like how she expanded on the characters and brought in others from the fist book. Great summer read, and I am definitely moving on to the next book in her series.
Profile Image for Fiorela.
769 reviews20 followers
August 26, 2014
Super fun, much more fast than the first book.
Profile Image for Pamela.
746 reviews
October 26, 2014
Wonderful

This book is even better than the first. Full of mystery, suspense, humor and romance. So well written you will not want to put it down once you have started it.
Profile Image for Sarita Moldovan.
9 reviews
February 18, 2015
I read this book in one day! I just couldn't put it down. Excellent! I love Marie Astor's story telling.
Profile Image for Patti Fischetti.
125 reviews1 follower
June 22, 2017
Romance has blossomed for Janet & Dennis

As with the first book I stayed up late and got up early so I could find out if they catch the bad guy. During the course of their investigation they finally realize that they love each other which adds spice to their lives. A must read. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Dawn Myers.
1,292 reviews2 followers
August 1, 2019
I enjoyed this book more than the first one To Catch a Bad Guy. I found myself on the edge of my seat, I could not put it down. Dennis and Janet did get on my nerves with their insecurities and some of that became very repetitive, I was able to look past that. I enjoyed that Janet was smart enough not to give in to the ex, she saw right though him. I loved the ending of the book, there was even a little twist at the end. I read this on Kindle Unlimited.
42 reviews
May 21, 2022
Great book!

Great book I enjoy the is authors books. Can't wait to start the next book in the series. Always enjoy a book that makes you smile and makes you wonder what is coming next.
16 reviews1 follower
July 10, 2017
Started good. Author wraps up the intrigue way too fast. It's like she was reaching her word limit and had to stop.
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