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Ryan-Hunter #4
Cliffs of Portofino
American Criminology Professor and former FBI agent Marin Ryan is arrested for the murder of one of her graduate students in Portofino, Italy. The police investigators are convinced by the unequivocal forensic evidence (blood, fingerprints, hair, and ballistics) that she committed the crime, so the Italian prosecutor demands a speedy trial with the probable penalty of life imprisonment.
The victim’s father wants her dead and has the finances to make it happen.
Her partner, billionaire computer genius, John Hunter, wants her free and safe. At every turn, John, along with Marin’s family, are faced with crippling obstacles in their attempt to investigate and stop the progress of the Italian justice system.
She is found guilty and sentenced to life behind the heavy, iron bars of an ancient Italian prison.
John refuses to give up and through his efforts pieces together circumstantial evidence of the real murderer. Can he save her or will he die trying.
The victim’s father wants her dead and has the finances to make it happen.
Her partner, billionaire computer genius, John Hunter, wants her free and safe. At every turn, John, along with Marin’s family, are faced with crippling obstacles in their attempt to investigate and stop the progress of the Italian justice system.
She is found guilty and sentenced to life behind the heavy, iron bars of an ancient Italian prison.
John refuses to give up and through his efforts pieces together circumstantial evidence of the real murderer. Can he save her or will he die trying.
- GenresMystery
409 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2012
18 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 9, 2011
A good pacey thriller/whodunnit. Written with panache. Set in Italy, amongst jet-set rich.
The Italian Riviera forms a perfect backdrop for this pacey, absorbing, compelling detective thriller. Real time passes very fast as the climax builts. Some way before the conclusion we knew who the real killer is, if not exactly why, but that did little to spoil the final scenes.
I found the characters to be well designed, with only John Hunter’s personal connections and computer skills feeling a little stretched. In the end these minor flaws are easy to forgive. I don’t wish to spoil the boil, so enough to say, this is rich Americans trying to prove innocence from crime in the special world that is Italy. The parallels with the real case of Amanda Knox are of more than passing. Actually the real case rather mirrors certain aspects of this earlier fiction. Both women blamed, both pilloried, both innocent?
The Italian Riviera forms a perfect backdrop for this pacey, absorbing, compelling detective thriller. Real time passes very fast as the climax builts. Some way before the conclusion we knew who the real killer is, if not exactly why, but that did little to spoil the final scenes.
I found the characters to be well designed, with only John Hunter’s personal connections and computer skills feeling a little stretched. In the end these minor flaws are easy to forgive. I don’t wish to spoil the boil, so enough to say, this is rich Americans trying to prove innocence from crime in the special world that is Italy. The parallels with the real case of Amanda Knox are of more than passing. Actually the real case rather mirrors certain aspects of this earlier fiction. Both women blamed, both pilloried, both innocent?
July 1, 2011
I really enjoyed this fast paced read. I'm definitely an avid reader, but it's been a long time since I've read a mystery. This was a great one. There were several twists and turns that did throw me for a loop, but it was definitely in a good way. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series and am interested to see how the relationship between the main characters develops.
March 6, 2015
This book is the fifth in a fantastic series. Each new book gets better than the earlier ones. I couldn't put it down and read into the early hours. I wish I knew Ryan and Hunter and all their friends as they feel so real to me. I recommend this wonderful mystery book to all.
January 9, 2015
great page turner!
Very suspenseful and well written. Good character development and exciting twists from start to finish. Enjoyed the accuracy and detail concerning the various Italian sites used in the story. Fast passed, hard to put down.
Very suspenseful and well written. Good character development and exciting twists from start to finish. Enjoyed the accuracy and detail concerning the various Italian sites used in the story. Fast passed, hard to put down.
April 13, 2014
A really good story. The dialogue is just as awful as the other books...though I keep hoping it'll improve.
May 20, 2018
Just want to say. Not every woman over 60 has grey hair and is past it!
April 18, 2019
Cliffs of Portofino
Not a book I could recommend at all. A reasonable plot in theory which falls down badly in the telling.
Not a book I could recommend at all. A reasonable plot in theory which falls down badly in the telling.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews