Beyond the Pale

A World of Spies Mystery #1

by Clare O'Donohue

Married college professors agree to help Interpol in Ireland, but a simple errand leads them into a deadly criminal enterprise

It's a simple, twenty-minute job. At least, that's the pitch from Interpol to married college professors Hollis and Finn Larsson. Going undercover to procure a priceless rare book manuscript means an all-expenses paid trip abroad. A little danger thrown into the mix may even spice things up.

Soon after landing in the Emerald Isle, they realize the job is anything but simple. Their contact is a no show and they're left with fifty thousand euros, some serious questions, and a possible death threat. Ducking and dodging their way across Ireland, Hollis and Finn must hunt down the priceless manuscript and a missing agent while trying to stay one step ahead of a dangerous and unknown enemy.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Ireland, Cozy Mystery, Adult, Mystery Thriller

351 pages, Paperback

Published May 8, 2018

About the author

Clare O'Donohue was born in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of four children. Her parents, John and Sabina O'Donohue, were both born in Ireland. They met in London and moved to the US and settled on Chicago's South Side where she was raised.

She always knew she wanted to be a writer and in fact wrote her first novel when she was 15. It was a mystery. After college she worked as a newspaper reporter and writing teacher before moving to LA and getting her first job in television. That was on the HGTV show, Simply Quilts. she had already been quilting for about five years, which was why the producer hired her, but she really got an education in quilting from that show.

http://clareodonohue.com/feed/

Reviews

[Marialyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hollis and Finn have entered the dull and boring stale of their marriage. They are both professors and while Hollis yearns for adventure, some spark, something energizing, her husband Finn seems to be stuck at the start. Then an old flame, David, now an erstwhile agent working for Interpol, who met Hollis while they were both training to be CIA agent, entices her to get her husband on board to accompany her to Ireland where they will get their hands on the manuscript written by an old Irish playwright, Brendan Behan.

The agent, David, proclaims that this should be a quick nothing of a job. First Hollis needs to persuade her husband to verify an old manuscript which is actually a fake. However, it contains information which if gotten into the wrong hands endangers a man's life. Hollis cons her husband into accepting this what is termed a twenty minute job and the couple head off to Ireland all expense paid of course, where an adventure they never dreamed of ensues threatening both their lives. As they race around Ireland trying to find the fake and well hidden manuscript the spies and players in this international game they are engaged in, take risks, chances, and of course threaten the lives of our new and inexperienced agents, Hollis and Finn.

This book while possessing a cute and sassy interplay between Hollis and Finn did not work as well as I wanted it to. It had all the makings of a fine book, with its atmosphere, its daring do, and likeable protagonists, but I had somewhat of a time following the interplay between the supporting characters.

Thank you to Clare O'Donohue, the Publishers, and NetGalley for allowing me a copy of this book.

You can follow me and my reviews on my newly created blog
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Publishing May 8, 2018

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I thought it would be corny and not very accurate but it was really quite entertaining. Hollis and Finn are two middle-aged professors at a Midwestern University. The glow of their relationship is running thin. When Hollis suggests a romantic vacation, Finn suggests a week-end in Chicago watching the Cubs play baseball. Sigh.

Then an old beau of Hollis' drops in. They were in the CIA Academy together and while Hollis didn't pursue that line of work., David did. He wants to use Finn's expertise in English literature to authenticate a newly discovered play by Brendan Behan. They need Hollis' help to persuade to go to Ireland, all expenses paid, and pick up the manuscript. Sounds easy and romantic, doesn't it?

They get dropped into a big mess with missing contacts, people purporting to be Interpol and CIA, and members of a terrorist gang. They are followed everywhere and threatened with death a great deal. People start dropping dead around them and their handler, David, disappears. Still the couple continue their dogged pursuit of the manuscript.

They start in Dublin and visit the Book of Kells, the Beatty Library and Trinity College with such lovely descriptions that it made me long to visit again. They travel to Galway, the Burren, Doolin and the Aran Islands all wonderfully described and made me want to book a flight. As professors they are quite literate and there's a lot of poetry quoted. My favorite was by Yeats, "Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy that sustained him through temporary periods of joy."

If you are looking for something fun and entertaining, you can not go wrong with this delightful caper. I am certainly looking forward to a second one if this is going to be a series. Thanks to Net Galley and Clare O'Donohue for a such a good time.

[Kate Baxter · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars) First in a new series by well-established cozy writer, Clare O'Donohue, this book takes the reader on a wild roller-coaster ride through the dark world of international espionage. Two married small town college professors are in a bit of rut with their marriage. Suddenly, her long-forgotten beau, from her early days training with the CIA, has approached her and her husband to handle an "easy in-easy out" covert operation in Dublin, Ireland. She's eager for the adventure, but he's not. However, he and his keen knowledge of Irish literature are the key variables needed to execute the operation. Once on the ground, they try and make contact with another key player and it just gets worse for them from there on out.

The story holds lots of red herrings, various spies, charming Irish folk and provides a vast tour across Ireland - from the bustling city of Dublin, across the Burren, through charming villages to the edge of the sea. Ms O'Donohue captures the heart of the Irish people and the landscape's beauty with her painterly writing style. The story was cozy and charming - just the way I like it!

I am grateful to author Clare O'Donohue, publisher Midnight Ink Books and Kings River Life Magazine for having provided a free copy of this book. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok and that’s really the best I can say about it. I mainly spend my time wondering why Hollis married Finn. The descriptions of Ireland are nice, the spy bit is ok, all a bit long winded and considering that this was not a very long book it felt like eternity reading it.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fell short on the suspense side, but I loved the premise and I will certainly read another if one comes out.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this first book in a new series. Finn and Hollis are a middle aged couple, married for many years, both college professors in Michigan. They still love each other but the spark is going out.

Hollis had trained to be a CIA agent but had decided the life of an agent wasn't for her. One day an old boyfriend of Hollis who is an agent pitches a small job for them. He needs their help because of Finn's area of expertise in Irish literature. They will get an all expense paid trip to Ireland, perform a small task, and come home.

But of course it doesn't work out that way. Hollis and Finn soon find themselves in danger, running from multiple people and unable to know who to trust.

But in the meantime, the spark of their love and marriage rekindles. I found Hollis and Finn and their relationship totally believable, and I loved the Irish setting. If this is the first book in the series, I will be back for number 2.

I read an advance reader copy of Beyond the Pale.

[Leith Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It started off slowly, but really picked up and got more and more interesting as the book progressed. Hollis and Finn Larsson are college professors. Hollis was once trained to be a CIA agent but changed her mind, and Finn is a well-recognized expert in rare books. A former associate of Hollis' approaches them and asks them to go to Ireland to have Finn verify a manuscript. It sounded easy, in and out and they get a trip overseas. Of course, nothing is as it appears and Hollis and Finn have quite an adventure that takes them all over the UK and has them running from gangsters and Interpol.

The plot was interesting once the book got going, and the descriptions of Ireland were delightful.

Thanks to Midnight Ink and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beyond the Pale by Clare O’Donohue is the first book in A World of Spies Mystery series. Hollis and Finn Larsson are professors at a local college who have been married for fifteen years. Hollis feels that Finn does not appreciate her and that their marriage is lacking (stale, dull, predictable). She has been trying to convince him to travel this summer without success (liven things up). Hollis is surprised when she hears from David Agnelli whom she trained at the Farm with many years ago. He needs her help in convincing Finn to do a job. They need Finn and his reputation (credentials) to obtain a rare manuscript in Ireland that could help save an agent. The job should last under twenty minutes and then they can enjoy a vacation in Ireland. The job, though, fails to go as expected. They show up at Byrnes Antiques, but their contact does not. Finn and Hollis have fifty thousand euros (courtesy of David) and a trail of mysterious people following them. They are not the only ones trying to obtain the manuscript. There are other dubious people after it, and they will do whatever it takes to get it. Hollis and Finn need to find the manuscript and the missing agent while staying ahead of their adversaries. Will they make it home alive?

Beyond the Pale sounded like a great fast-paced mystery/suspense novel, and I enjoyed Claire O’Donohue’s A Someday Quilts Mystery series. After I finished Beyond the Pale, I wondered if it was the same author. The best part of the book is the beautiful descriptions of Ireland (the scenery, Trinity College, Book of Kells) and the Irish history. The one thing I kept wondering throughout the whole book was why had Hollis married Finn and why did she stay married to him. Finn is more interested in baseball and his adoring fans than Hollis. The pair seem to have nothing in common. I never felt any passion or emotion between them. I never got into Beyond the Pale. The book starts off with Hollis whining about her marriage (not a good start). She wanted them to travel during the summer and he had already agreed to teach. I thought Hollis should plan her trip and go. I have a feeling Finn would never have noticed she left. Hollis’ backstory seemed slightly farfetched (unbelievable). She finished college and trains for the CIA. She is top of her class, but she gives it up for the love of her life (is anyone buying this) and teaches at a small-town college. I can understand Finn being at a small-town college. It makes him a big fish in a small pond (he likes attention, accolades, and admirers). You knew the mission to Ireland would go sideways, but there seemed to be a bad guy everywhere they turned (who knew them, their names and what they were after). I found the pacing in Beyond the Pale to be slow which made the book seem so very long (360 pages). There were some good elements in the story, but it failed to come together. Identifying the bad guy was child’s play. I kept thinking the author would throw a twist in at the end because the solution could not be that simple. Unfortunately, there was not surprise ending. I am giving Beyond the Pale 2 out of 5 stars. While Beyond the Pale was not for me, I suggest obtaining a sample to see if the story appeals to you.

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hollis Larson, college professor has come to the conclusion that she married a stick in the mud. Her husband Finn, also a college professor, is still cute, smart and charismatic, but those gifts are almost wasted on him. He is attached to the routine of his career and watching sports. He's a good guy, but it's a quiet downer for Hollis. O'Donohue does such a good job of capturing this kind o resignation in married life that this could have veered in the direction of literary fiction. Beyond the Pale, however is a very fun, very funny, very hopeful spy novel. I loved it.
When Hollis gets the chance to use some CIA training from her past, she drags Finn with her to Ireland. They end of way over their heads- nothing in the plan goes the way it was proposed to them. Colorfully suspicious people pop up every where they go, some threatening them, some ending up murdered. This has the humor and tension of a Hitchcock film with more depth to the story line.
The cover is bland and the reviews I've seen from readers seem tepid. I hope this gets the readership it deserves. I think the development of a fully fleshed spy novel over a robust romantic comedy is a difficult feat to achieve.

[Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

The introduction of a new husband and wife sleuthing team brought memories of the adventures of Nick & Nora Charles or Mr. & Mrs. North to mind.

While the debut of Clare O’Donohue’s first adventure in her World of Spies Mystery series is a mixed bag, the good does dominate. Unfortunately, the adventure starts off slow and the interaction between Finn and Hollis Larsen reads like two people getting ready to separate. Hollis, who went through CIA training, left to marry Finn and became a professor. Finn, also a professor, is an international expert in European Literature and is approached by David, a former CIA colleague of Hollis, to help retrieve a manuscript, allegedly of great value, in Ireland. The manuscript contains a coded message from an undercover agent that is critical to saving the life of another agent.

Despite their arguing the Larsens agree to travel to Ireland and pick up the manuscript. The discussion between Hollis and Finn as they decide to make the trip marks a turning point in the story. The couple seem to be in a different place and the interplay between the two is more appropriate for a couple’s introduction to the world of spies. Naturally complications arise as they discover several people are also after the manuscript – and a couple of them are very determined and ruthless.

The story is interesting, the premise appealing but the twists and red herrings tend to be more confusing than diverting. Ms. O’Donohue is a talented writer. Hollis and Finn Larsen are well developed and believable characters that will prove fun to follow.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Clare O'Donahue's Beyond the Pale, the first installment in the World of Spies mystery series, this tale would leave you at the edge of your seat, clueless, and maybe a bit bewildered. For married couple and college professors, Finn and Hollis Larsson, they lead a very sedentary and normal life. But Hollis wants to travel for their vacation, while Finn prefers to watch baseball. When Hollis's former flame, David Agnelli, who knew her background from Quantico, sent her an email out of the blue, asking to meet him in person, she became curious and brought Finn with her. Later, they found out he wants them to go to Ireland to look for a missing agent and to locate a rare book manuscript. Curious and intrigued, they agreed to go to Ireland and look for clues there. They also ran into some other people who wish to look for the same manuscript, including Interpol, the CIA, MI-6, and a notorious crime organization. Every where they look, they didn't know who to turn or to trust, when they hit some obstacles and death threats along the way. Until they discovered where it was, an unlikely enemy who wishes not to be found out and who would do anything to stop them, it put Finn and Hollis in a precarious situation to set things right and settle the score.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hollis and Finn Larsson have a good life as college professors at a small Midwestern college. But Hollis is feeling a little disappointed that her life isn't more exciting. Before she married Finn, she was trained at the Farm to become a CIA agent but decided a life with Finn was what she really wanted.

Fifteen years later, a fellow student David Agnelli comes to recruit them to do a simple errand for him. Well, mostly he needs Finn's skills at authenticating works of literature but Finn has already turned him down. Now he plays on his old relationship with Hollis to convince Finn.

The errand should be simple: fly to Ireland, pick up an unknown play by Brendan Behan at an antique dealer, and hand it off to a contact of David's. But things don't work out nearly that easily. The antique dealer is missing as is the manuscript and Finn and Hollis are being followed by three different parties all of whom want the manuscript. They have no one to trust but each other as they race to find the manuscript first.

I loved the scenic tour of Ireland and the warmth and friendliness of the Irish people. I loved the dynamics of Finn and Hollis's marriage. I thought the mystery was nicely twisty. The action was fast-paced. I recommend this mystery for those who ever wished they had become a spy.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I didn't like this book as much as I expected to, I'm willing to take a look at the next book in the series when it comes out. The basic premise -- "ordinary" people caught up in espionage -- has been a favorite of mine since I read Helen MacInnes back in the 60s. There is one difference in Beyond the Pale -- one of the protagonist couple is a woman who actually trained for the CIA and then decided not to join. Instead, she returned to marry an academic and became one herself. Their marriage has become a little stale when a former classmate at "CIA Academy" shows up with a proposition involving a trip to Ireland. Since the husband is an expert in Irish literature, he agrees to take the trip. What at first seems like a simple bit of handing over a lost manuscript, leads to the pair witnessing murders, being kidnapped, and having a very difficult time figuring out who is on what side of a complicated plot. I felt the beginning was rather slow and put the book aside for quite a while, but the last half was sufficiently entertaining to keep me at it until I finished. Your results may differ.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Not a fan of spy stories because I find them confusing, and this book was no exception.
But it had a bit of humor, and brought back memories of our Ireland trip as just about everywhere they went, we had been, and it was all beautifully described.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

GNab This mystery novel set in Ireland was totally engrossing - The characters and the unique mystery made for a book I could not put down. Modern technology played a prominent place in the story despite the fact that much of the time internet and occasionally even cell phones were useless, and it was entertaining to learn how the adage 'beyond the pale', which I have heard all my 70 years and even used occasionally, came about.

The mystery took us across Ireland from Dublin to the Islands of Aran and the descriptions were spectacular. I enjoyed professors Hollis and Finn and their shortcut wordless conversations after many years of marriage. I also very much recognized their way of passing the decision back and forth so no one had to be held responsible if the project fell apart before completion. I was very much surprised at the final resolution. This was an excellent who-done-it that I can happily recommend to friends and family.

I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Clare O'Donohue, and Midnight Ink Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

pub date May 8, 2018
Midnight Ink Publisher

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m very much on the fence with this book. I didn’t dislike it but I wasn’t mad about it either. It took me ages to read it so for me, it wasn’t a real page-turner. I don’t want to say it wasn’t good. Books are emotive, different people like different things so I’d be more inclined to say it wasn’t entirely my cup of tea. Now, there were many aspects I did like. The relationship between the two main characters, Finn and Hollis was very well portrayed. They complimented each other and I found their relationship very realistic, it was easy to see why they worked well not only as husband and wife but also on this journey they were undertaking.
Approached by an acquaintance in Interpol, college professors, Finn and Hollis Larsson agree to fly to Ireland, procure a rare priceless manuscript and have the rest of the weekend to explore the Emerald Isle. They aren’t long on Irish soil however when they realise this trip is not the simple transaction they had expected. They soon realise they are being followed and their lives are in serious danger.
There are some lovely descriptions of Ireland, references to Irish history and even some Irish language amidst the pages of ‘Beyond the Pale’. There are also shady characters, murder and bullets to be dodged!

[Stefanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is exceptionally hard to review because while I eventually chose not to finish it, I can appreciate its broad appeal to fans of cozy mysteries. The novel has all of the elements of books I ordinarily devour, but I honestly could not buy Hollis' backstory. I don't want to spoiler it for others, but I had a very hard time suspending belief regarding her governmental training. (I'll leave it at that.) Eventually that inability to buy into Hollis' story lead me to give up on the book.

I really feel like this was more of an issue of my own than the author's, and would encourage cozy mystery fans to give this a shot via a Kindle sample. The only reason I am choosing to leave a review is because I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know how sometimes a book just comes across your radar randomly and you have to read it right then? Well, oh my gosh, I'm so glad I stumbled upon this one! This is a brand-new mystery from an unfamiliar author to me, although she does have a couple different series out. This is the start of a new series called "World of Spies." Married American college professors Hollis and Finn Larsson get a strange request from Hollis' former classmate (and boyfriend) to check out a possible forged manuscript that has turned up in Ireland. They go, one more reluctantly than the other, and danger quickly follows.
I adored Hollis and Finn and their very real relationship. They love each other, but feel stuck in ruts. This trip brings them back to what attracted them to each other in the first place, but also what a solid foundation they have together after so many years of marriage. I felt like I was back in Dublin with O'Donohue's descriptions and also enjoyed reliving the thrill of travel through this couple's adventures together. Although they encounter more danger than the average holiday-maker, the Larssons perfectly capture what it feels like to be out of place and on your own - the excitement, the fear, the thrill.

Favorite quotes: "It wasn't that she minded getting older, she just couldn't get over how fast it was all going."

"I feel like I'm keeping myself ready, mentally and physically ready, for an adventure I never have. It's not that I want to give up what we have, the security we've built; it's that I also want something dangerous and exciting." - Hollis
"In life you make choices. And 'all of the above' isn't one of them." - Finn

"Ireland, she'd been learning, held onto its identity with the fierceness of a mother protecting her child. Even as it embraced all the realities of conventional modern life, it found a way to be separate, to be eccentric, wild, and free. There was a lesson in there, she decided, on how she would live from here forward."

[Marjorie French · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this great book! Started it yesterday, finished it today. Hard to put down. Two staid American professors, husband and wife, one of whom actually trained with the CIA and chose the road less traveled, so to speak. Hollis wants a vacation and Finn just wants to watch baseball. David, an old CIA boyfriend of Hollis' shows up and has a proposition for them, "an easy twenty minute job" he tells them and they get an all-expenses paid trip to Ireland. Go undercover and procure a priceless, rare manuscript, and save a life. Thus ensues a wild ride across Ireland, trying to figure out who are the bad guys or gals, the good guys or gals, who is CIA, Interpol, MI5, or the thieves? Who is going to come after them with a gun next? Who is really the enemy? Who can they trust? Hollis and Finn decide that the ones they can really trust are each other. (If your marriage has become too predictable, go undercover!! It will surely spice it up!!) Their contact is a no-show, they lose belongings along the way, but end up with fifty thousand euros. The descriptions of the scenery, the buildings, the customs of Ireland are really brought into focus. They are so vivid you can see the cliffs in your minds eye. I could picture the white house with the thatched roof, the red door, and roses on the path. The action keeps you on the edge of your seat!! It's a nail-biter!!

[Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.1 stars. I like Clare O'Donohue's darker mysteries and miss her Kate series, but the launch of World of Spies fills the void. An enjoyable read set in Ireland, the protagonists being a long-married couple whose bickering is an amusing characteristic (most often times). An interesting plot, the husband protagonist -- an expert on literature -- being asked to pose as an authenticator of a newly found ancient text. Oh course, the wife wants to tag along, if not just to have a tour of Ireland. Not too many characters through the early part of the novel, but the cast of antagonists does swell later on, which creates complexity (maybe a tad too much, as none of the antagonists are forthcoming, even though it seems they shouldn't always be some oblique). My book club has slated this for monthly discussion for later this year. As I said, a relatively average and an enjoyable read, but I couldn't put it down!!!

[Mary Beth Hustoles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hollis and Finn Larson are small town professors from western Michigan, living the comfortable, but boring, life of their dreams. Once upon a time Hollis had been trained as a CIA agent, top of her class, until her life took a different turn. Her training comes back to her, however, when an old CIA boyfriend, David, contacts her. He hopes to convince her husband, an Irish literature expert, to travel to Ireland to retrieve a manuscript, an unknown play supposedly by Brendan Behan, which is actually a code book that could save the life of a missing agent. Hollis is eager, Finn reluctant, and soon they are in situations where they have no idea who to trust, what part they are really playing in this small drama, or whether they will survive their trip to this land of history and violence. An enjoyable twist on a typical spy novel.

[Mystica · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story alternates between Hollis and Finn who have now reached an impasse in their relationship at home. Professors and both highly involved in their careers, their marriage is in the doldrums. An opportunity to find a rare manuscript sees them haring off to Ireland.



This is where the story gets both interesting and a bit long winded. Trying to get the manuscript is several bad guys and gals and these two innocents are like lambs to the slaughter. They know it is not as simple as it sounds - a twenty minute operation is the description originally but escaping the not so good guys at every turn makes one skeptical.



Descriptions of Ireland was one of the highlights of this story on another note!



Good story, but it seemed to get side tracked on the way.

[Jamele (BookswithJams) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a great, twisty, fast paced thriller. I read this in mostly one sitting, it really kept me going and I could not figure out who was responsible and behind these shenanigans. I loved the character and relationship development between Hollis and Finn, it was great to watch them each come into their own and solve this crime. What I did not particularly like was the book got a little too twisty and was hard to follow a bit. It became hard for me to keep everyone straight at times and keep up with who was on what side, which took away from the story, in my opinion. Other than that it was a great story and resolved itself well. I really enjoyed it and gave it 3.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this book.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the beginning I was not sure what to expect from the book. It seemed like a writer wannabe crime author, but as the story progressed I was drawn more and more into the story. I love books that draw me in like this, but it takes the reader 40-50 pages to stick with the story -- It is definitely worth it for this book.

Both the main characters progress and grow as the story goes. They progress on their own and as a couple, and they are a very nice couple to rout for. As for the rest of the characters, none of them feel absolute. They are all in the story for a reason, and you are just as confused as the couple of who is the nice guys.

*Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

[ME · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little read. It's not a masterpiece, but it does exactly what you expect it to do. Characters are interesting (if frustrating at times), plot is adequately twisty without being overly convoluted, conclusion is somewhat predictable but satisfying... overall a good book that makes me want to see what else O'Donohue has done. One major complaint in the suspension-of-belief category comes when a major character is found shot in the back of the head... and they don't know immediately how he died, then they spend a LOT of time in that room. I'm thinking that's the kind of death that would be self-explanatory, in a very graphic way. A bit of a miss there.

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to really love this book, as I loved my trip to Ireland and looked forward to reading a thrilling story within that setting. The story was interesting but not in a crazy page turner way.

As the story goes on, more characters make their way into the story, and I can't keep it straight. Books like this one make me feel stupid in that the whole time, the more we "learn" about what's going on, the more I think "... huh? Who? Why? I don't follow." I was glad to see another reviewer felt the same and I feel less stupid.

Some of the descriptions of their travel experience and the innocent people they meet along the way were the most enjoyable parts of the book.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun husband and wife cozy! Two academic spouses get ensnared by an ex of the female spouse into a bout of espionage, art forgery, traveling around Ireland and meeting up against the various bad guys. It was interesting to learn more about Ireland and watching these extremely well flushed out characters learn whom to trust or not trust. I couldn't seem to put the book down and can't wait for the next one to come out.

** I'd like to thank the author/publisher/netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a straightforward and honest opinion**

[Kim Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced, unfinished copy, so obviously there were a few minor editing errors, however I'm basing this review on the assumption that these will be changed. Overall, I found this to be a fairly intriguing read and was engaged from start to finish. It wasn't quite as gruesome as I had hoped, yet this book still had a creepy feel to it, which I enjoyed. The characters were quite interesting as well, and kept me wanting to read more. I don't want to spoil anything, but this is a good rainy day recommendation for any mystery lover!

[Gabi Eagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great first story in a new spy series I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading. It did start out slow but picked up once they hit Ireland. Hollis and Finn are professors at a Michigan university but their life is boring at home. Hollis was trained as a CIA operative and gave it up to marry Finn. A former operative from the training shows up and convinced them their expertise is needed to save a life. The job was supposed to be easy but it turned scary as they crossed the Irish countryside to save their own life.

[Bobbie N · Rating 2 out of 5]

Southwest Michigan college professors Hollis and Finn Larsson have long ago settled into their predictable, somewhat boring, lives when they are contacted by an old flame of Hollis who now works for Interpol, asking them to take an all-expenses-paid trip to Ireland and, while there, pick up a priceless rare book manuscript (one of Finn's specialties) and pass it along to a contact. Seems easy enough, and Hollis has been itching for a trip abroad. But their contact is a no-show, and they're being followed, and have no way of knowing who they can trust.

Good descriptions of Ireland throughout.