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Sharpe & Donovan #8
Impostor's Lure
Master of suspense and
New York Times
bestselling author Carla Neggers delivers an exhilarating page-turner where the disappearance of a federal prosecutor launches the latest high-stakes case for FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan.
Newlyweds Emma and Colin are suspicious when prosecutor Tamara McDermott is a no-show at a Boston dinner party. Matt Yankowski, head of HIT, Emma and Colin's small, elite Boston-based team, is a friend of Tamara's, and he needs them to find her.
In London, a woman who was supposed to meet Emma's art-detective grandfather to talk about forgeries is discovered near death. Her husband has vanished. The couple's connection to Tamara adds to the puzzle.
As the search intensifies, a seemingly unrelated murder leads Emma, Colin and HIT deep into a maze of misdirection created by a clever, lethal criminal.
As Emma draws on her expertise in art crimes and Colin on his experience as a deep-cover agent, the investigation takes a devastating turn that tests the strengths of their families and friendships as well as their FBI colleagues like never before.
Impostor's Lure is full of clever twists that will keep readers guessing right to the stunning conclusion!
Newlyweds Emma and Colin are suspicious when prosecutor Tamara McDermott is a no-show at a Boston dinner party. Matt Yankowski, head of HIT, Emma and Colin's small, elite Boston-based team, is a friend of Tamara's, and he needs them to find her.
In London, a woman who was supposed to meet Emma's art-detective grandfather to talk about forgeries is discovered near death. Her husband has vanished. The couple's connection to Tamara adds to the puzzle.
As the search intensifies, a seemingly unrelated murder leads Emma, Colin and HIT deep into a maze of misdirection created by a clever, lethal criminal.
As Emma draws on her expertise in art crimes and Colin on his experience as a deep-cover agent, the investigation takes a devastating turn that tests the strengths of their families and friendships as well as their FBI colleagues like never before.
Impostor's Lure is full of clever twists that will keep readers guessing right to the stunning conclusion!
377 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 21, 2018
398 people are currently reading
2276 people want to read
About the author
Carla Neggers
143 books1,608 followersCarla Neggers is the New York Times bestselling author of the Sharpe & Donovan series featuring Boston-based FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan, and the popular Swift River Valley series set in the small, fictional New England town of Knights Bridge. With many bestsellers to her credit, Carla loves to write now as much as she did when she climbed a tree at age eleven with a pad and pen and spun stories perched on her favorite branch.
A native New Englander, Carla and her husband divide their time between their hilltop home in Vermont, a sofa bed at their kids' places in Boston and various inns, hotels and hideaways on their travels, frequently to Ireland.
Find out more and sign up for Carla's newsletter at CarlaNeggers.com.
A native New Englander, Carla and her husband divide their time between their hilltop home in Vermont, a sofa bed at their kids' places in Boston and various inns, hotels and hideaways on their travels, frequently to Ireland.
Find out more and sign up for Carla's newsletter at CarlaNeggers.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
July 23, 2020
I love the settings for these books: Ireland, London, Boston, Maine. The settings can get confusing and with an immense cast of characters it can be difficult to follow the plot, especially when listening to the audio. It was hard to pin down the motive until near the end of the book, likewise, the baddie was unknown until near the end too. The book was a pleasant way to pass the time when I was doing other things.
3-Stars
3-Stars
January 14, 2019
Have you read Neggers incredible Donovan & Sharpe seriies? The series features a husband and wife team of FBI agents. In the latest installment, they must solve the high stakes case of a missing federal prosecutor. The book toggles between Boston and London and the mysterious world of art crimes. Twisting, clever, page-turning fun!
December 27, 2019
Impostor's Lure by Carla Neggers grabbed me from the first chapter and I never stopped reading. This one is set in the U. S. and involves, murder, attempted murder, art forgeries and kidnapping. All of which seem to be unrelated in the beginning but soon Emma and Colin find that the threads are all woven together.
August 18, 2018
Impostor’s Lure
Carla Neggers
Number eight in Carla Neggers spellbinding Sharpe and Donovan series, Impostor’s Lure, is another fantastic magic show featuring the author’s iconic cryptic clues, slight of hand and red herring crime solving techniques leading the unsuspecting characters (and readers) to wrong conclusions and multiple dead ends. And where the only ones who know the truth are dead or conveniently in a coma.
Colin and Emma who at series start seemed an unlikely pair has continued to wow with their case closing skills and beautifully solidified their relationship in spite of and because of their differences.
The amazing atmospheric narrative, dramatic, breathtaking seascapes and strong yet flawed characters give the read a certain modern day gothic feel and the OMG ending will render more than a few jaws to drop.
The past story character catch ups keeps fans up to date with the goings on in Maine and abroad and even though this has good stand alone components its best read in series order.
SUMMARY:
When federal prosecutor Tamara McDermott is MIA for her daughter’s 21st birthday celebration her longtime friend and newlywed FBI special agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan’s boss, Matt Yankowski (Yank) gets suspicious especially when several seemingly unrelated tragedies both in the US and across the pond in England; the murder of a Romanian linguist and overdose of a former art conservator and her missing husband have two things in common, Tamara’s daughter Adalyn and supposed art forgeries which is right up Colin and Emma’s art detective alley. When Yank asks Emma and Colin to do a little digging into Tamara’s whereabouts they find themselves constantly running into road-blocks and dead ends and left wondering if maybe Tamara simply left for her well deserved vacation early or if there is something fishy going on.
Carla Neggers
Number eight in Carla Neggers spellbinding Sharpe and Donovan series, Impostor’s Lure, is another fantastic magic show featuring the author’s iconic cryptic clues, slight of hand and red herring crime solving techniques leading the unsuspecting characters (and readers) to wrong conclusions and multiple dead ends. And where the only ones who know the truth are dead or conveniently in a coma.
Colin and Emma who at series start seemed an unlikely pair has continued to wow with their case closing skills and beautifully solidified their relationship in spite of and because of their differences.
The amazing atmospheric narrative, dramatic, breathtaking seascapes and strong yet flawed characters give the read a certain modern day gothic feel and the OMG ending will render more than a few jaws to drop.
The past story character catch ups keeps fans up to date with the goings on in Maine and abroad and even though this has good stand alone components its best read in series order.
SUMMARY:
When federal prosecutor Tamara McDermott is MIA for her daughter’s 21st birthday celebration her longtime friend and newlywed FBI special agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan’s boss, Matt Yankowski (Yank) gets suspicious especially when several seemingly unrelated tragedies both in the US and across the pond in England; the murder of a Romanian linguist and overdose of a former art conservator and her missing husband have two things in common, Tamara’s daughter Adalyn and supposed art forgeries which is right up Colin and Emma’s art detective alley. When Yank asks Emma and Colin to do a little digging into Tamara’s whereabouts they find themselves constantly running into road-blocks and dead ends and left wondering if maybe Tamara simply left for her well deserved vacation early or if there is something fishy going on.
May 6, 2021
Impostor's Lure was another fantastic addition to the Sharpe & Donovan series.
Newlyweds Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan can think of a lot of things they'd rather do than attend a Boston dinner party. After federal prosecutor Tamara McDermott is a no-show to that same dinner, their boss tasks them with looking into the woman's disappearance. At the same time, Emma’s art-detective grandfather is scheduled to meet with a woman to discuss forgeries only to find her near death and her husband missing. When Emma and Colin discover a connection between the couple and Tamara, it only adds to the confusion of their case. On the trail of a clever criminal, Emma and Colin will have their work cut out for them if they hope to find Tamara before it's too late.
Tamara's disappearance was an intriguing mystery for our characters to solve. With evidence she may have left of her own free will, Emma and Colin aren't even sure they're looking for someone who is missing. As the book goes on, we see there's more to Tamara's whereabouts than expected. The connection to the couple Emma's grandfather was meeting was interesting and not what I expected. Oliver and Henrietta end up involved in the case in London due to proximity and it was nice to see them work with Emma and Colin in some capacity again. The resolution to Tamara's disappearance as well as the fate of the couple was quite interesting. The ending was suspenseful with just the right amount of action and a few surprises.
Emma and Colin's relationship is wonderful and I love how far these two have come from their first meeting, something Emma reminisces about in this book. I was surprised to be reminded that it has only been a year since the event's of the first book, it seems like much longer. Emma and Colin have grown a lot as a couple over the last eight books. They're much more trusting and willing to open up than they were in Saint's Gate. Their differing styles when it comes to work complement each other well and I like how those differences enable them to work well together. It's nice to see them come at a case from different angles which helps them solve it.
Overall Impostor's Lure was a very enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Rival's Break, soon. I highly recommend this series if you're looking for some great romantic suspense.
Newlyweds Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan can think of a lot of things they'd rather do than attend a Boston dinner party. After federal prosecutor Tamara McDermott is a no-show to that same dinner, their boss tasks them with looking into the woman's disappearance. At the same time, Emma’s art-detective grandfather is scheduled to meet with a woman to discuss forgeries only to find her near death and her husband missing. When Emma and Colin discover a connection between the couple and Tamara, it only adds to the confusion of their case. On the trail of a clever criminal, Emma and Colin will have their work cut out for them if they hope to find Tamara before it's too late.
Tamara's disappearance was an intriguing mystery for our characters to solve. With evidence she may have left of her own free will, Emma and Colin aren't even sure they're looking for someone who is missing. As the book goes on, we see there's more to Tamara's whereabouts than expected. The connection to the couple Emma's grandfather was meeting was interesting and not what I expected. Oliver and Henrietta end up involved in the case in London due to proximity and it was nice to see them work with Emma and Colin in some capacity again. The resolution to Tamara's disappearance as well as the fate of the couple was quite interesting. The ending was suspenseful with just the right amount of action and a few surprises.
Emma and Colin's relationship is wonderful and I love how far these two have come from their first meeting, something Emma reminisces about in this book. I was surprised to be reminded that it has only been a year since the event's of the first book, it seems like much longer. Emma and Colin have grown a lot as a couple over the last eight books. They're much more trusting and willing to open up than they were in Saint's Gate. Their differing styles when it comes to work complement each other well and I like how those differences enable them to work well together. It's nice to see them come at a case from different angles which helps them solve it.
Overall Impostor's Lure was a very enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Rival's Break, soon. I highly recommend this series if you're looking for some great romantic suspense.
September 18, 2018
A federal prosecutor drops by Emma Sharpe/Colin Donovan’s apartment in Boston and invites them to a 21st birthday dinner for her daughter Adalyn that evening. They are not friends, but their FBI boss is also coming, so Emma agrees. Tamara is a no show for her daughter’s dinner.
The same day, Emma’s grandfather and art investigator Wendell Sharpe is supposed to meet a friend of Adalyn’s in London with questions about art forgery. She is also a no show until Sharpe and two acquaintances (one MI5, the other a reformed art thief) find her OD’d in her room at Claridges. Her husband is found dead a couple of days later in Maine.
There are a lot of questions about art forgery in the U.S. and England. Adalyn is connected by her friendship, begun during an internship in England, with the Blackwoods. Emma and her family have geographic ties to a lot of the trans-Atlantic art questions. The FBI agents want to find their missing prosecutor and friend.
The plot has lots of twists and turns, suspense about who might be murdered next, will Tamara be found on vacation or abducted? This is book 8 in the series. All the characters have interesting qualities and backstories. Impostor’s Lure has enough twists and turns to keep readers intrigued. Recommended.
Readalikes:
Kendra Elliot – Vanished; Julie Ann Walker’s Black Knights series; Barbara Shapiro – The Art Forger; Julie Garwood’s Buchanan novels and Sweet Talk; Danielle Steel - Betrayal; Karen Robards – Pursuit; Linda Howard – Death Angel; Elizabeth Lowell – The Color of Death and series Rarities Unlimited and St. Kilda Consulting.
Pace: Fast
Characters: Well-developed; strong women
Story: Intricately-plotted
Writing style: Engaging/compelling
Tone: Suspenseful
Frame: Contemporary; Boston, Heron’s Cove, Ireland, London, Maine
The same day, Emma’s grandfather and art investigator Wendell Sharpe is supposed to meet a friend of Adalyn’s in London with questions about art forgery. She is also a no show until Sharpe and two acquaintances (one MI5, the other a reformed art thief) find her OD’d in her room at Claridges. Her husband is found dead a couple of days later in Maine.
There are a lot of questions about art forgery in the U.S. and England. Adalyn is connected by her friendship, begun during an internship in England, with the Blackwoods. Emma and her family have geographic ties to a lot of the trans-Atlantic art questions. The FBI agents want to find their missing prosecutor and friend.
The plot has lots of twists and turns, suspense about who might be murdered next, will Tamara be found on vacation or abducted? This is book 8 in the series. All the characters have interesting qualities and backstories. Impostor’s Lure has enough twists and turns to keep readers intrigued. Recommended.
Readalikes:
Kendra Elliot – Vanished; Julie Ann Walker’s Black Knights series; Barbara Shapiro – The Art Forger; Julie Garwood’s Buchanan novels and Sweet Talk; Danielle Steel - Betrayal; Karen Robards – Pursuit; Linda Howard – Death Angel; Elizabeth Lowell – The Color of Death and series Rarities Unlimited and St. Kilda Consulting.
Pace: Fast
Characters: Well-developed; strong women
Story: Intricately-plotted
Writing style: Engaging/compelling
Tone: Suspenseful
Frame: Contemporary; Boston, Heron’s Cove, Ireland, London, Maine
September 11, 2018
This series is one of my favorite series. This book is the ninth one and I never get tired of Emma and Colin. I liked that they are together for most of the story. The characters make this series good. The mysteries are sometimes confusing. Not this one. The villain is not really a surprise. I like that we learn more background on a few recurring characters. All things considered, Impostor's Lure is one of my favorites in the series. Highly recommended. Also I strongly suggest reading the books in order. You really want to see Emma and Colin's relationship evolve and follow the other characters from the beginning.
January 20, 2022
I love Carla Naggers’ books, but this was not her best. The story was very disjointed and hard to follow. Keeping up with characters and the story was too much work. I was very disappointed with this book. I almost quit reading it at one point but try not to give up. Not the best.
August 12, 2018
When I read the first Emma and Colin book, I thought that it was going to be a pretty good series. With each book, I realize that this is more than a good series. I have fallen in love with Emma, Colin and the rest of the crew. The newlyweds stumble upon another mystery and several lives are in danger. Emma is invited to a birthday party that ended in the search for a Federal prosecutor and maybe involves art forgery. Loved it.
September 3, 2018
DNF @ 60ish%
I’ve heard of Carla Neggers but I don’t recall every having read any of her books which is why I took the opportunity to review this title. Regrettably, this book is not for me.
Touted as a standalone, I can accept the book does tick this box, however it does so by referencing so many – too many - previous characters and their backstories that I found it overwhelming. In fact, I started reading this book several times before pushing beyond the 5% mark because of the tidal wave of characters and locations we are subjected to.
The pacing of the book is quite slow, and while this does not bother me, it is an issue when you reach near the 60% mark and precious little has happened. Where is the action? Where is the mystery? Why are these supposedly experienced law enforcement officers focusing on the mundane and seemingly irrelevant? And it’s at around this point in the book that I gave up. Reading it felt like a chore to even reach this point and whatever desire I had to finish the book for the sake of it petered out completely.
About the only think that held my interest was the author’s ability to provide us with interesting descriptions of locales through the eyes of the characters.
I’ve heard of Carla Neggers but I don’t recall every having read any of her books which is why I took the opportunity to review this title. Regrettably, this book is not for me.
Touted as a standalone, I can accept the book does tick this box, however it does so by referencing so many – too many - previous characters and their backstories that I found it overwhelming. In fact, I started reading this book several times before pushing beyond the 5% mark because of the tidal wave of characters and locations we are subjected to.
The pacing of the book is quite slow, and while this does not bother me, it is an issue when you reach near the 60% mark and precious little has happened. Where is the action? Where is the mystery? Why are these supposedly experienced law enforcement officers focusing on the mundane and seemingly irrelevant? And it’s at around this point in the book that I gave up. Reading it felt like a chore to even reach this point and whatever desire I had to finish the book for the sake of it petered out completely.
About the only think that held my interest was the author’s ability to provide us with interesting descriptions of locales through the eyes of the characters.
December 19, 2018
Boring...
The following statements are directed not only to this author, but most:
1 - I HATE coffee... The only thing I hate worse than drinking coffee is reading about drinking coffee and all the inane rituals it entails.
2 - I HATE reading about what characters are wearing, specifically when it has no bearing on the story.
3 - I HATE when items in the current news cycle are used to make social / political points... Specific example in this book is the opioid crisis. Yes, it is real. But, like all the "do-gooders" attempting to reform the system, those in legitimate need are being punished in a major way; some resulting in resorting to illegal substances for legitimate pain relief, more solve their problem by suicide. There's got to be balance. I saw none here...
I understand that in order to get specific word counts, "coffee" and "clothes"(and other subjects(smoking) are used. I rather read a shorter book, honestly!!!
The following statements are directed not only to this author, but most:
1 - I HATE coffee... The only thing I hate worse than drinking coffee is reading about drinking coffee and all the inane rituals it entails.
2 - I HATE reading about what characters are wearing, specifically when it has no bearing on the story.
3 - I HATE when items in the current news cycle are used to make social / political points... Specific example in this book is the opioid crisis. Yes, it is real. But, like all the "do-gooders" attempting to reform the system, those in legitimate need are being punished in a major way; some resulting in resorting to illegal substances for legitimate pain relief, more solve their problem by suicide. There's got to be balance. I saw none here...
I understand that in order to get specific word counts, "coffee" and "clothes"(and other subjects(smoking) are used. I rather read a shorter book, honestly!!!
September 12, 2018
Hard to keep track of characters and plot.
August 22, 2018
8th book in the series, and it should come with note to read previous books first.
The story itself was standalone, yet the characters in it (and they are A LOT!) had interconnection and relationships that span for books. Yes, we’re told who they were and what the relationships were, but still, it was just a bit overwhelming. I’ve read the first 2 books in the series before, but I did find myself a bit confuse with these band of characters.
Aside from that, the story was great and extremely intriguing. It’s not often that I read about art theft or everything related to art theft, so it was quite a new experience for me and very exciting. The story told seamlessly, made me forget hours had passed ;)
I believe I’ll read this book once again in the future as I plan to read the series in its order.
I was provided a complementary copy by the author / publisher through NetGalley, but this in no way influenced my thoughts or opinions.
The story itself was standalone, yet the characters in it (and they are A LOT!) had interconnection and relationships that span for books. Yes, we’re told who they were and what the relationships were, but still, it was just a bit overwhelming. I’ve read the first 2 books in the series before, but I did find myself a bit confuse with these band of characters.
Aside from that, the story was great and extremely intriguing. It’s not often that I read about art theft or everything related to art theft, so it was quite a new experience for me and very exciting. The story told seamlessly, made me forget hours had passed ;)
I believe I’ll read this book once again in the future as I plan to read the series in its order.
I was provided a complementary copy by the author / publisher through NetGalley, but this in no way influenced my thoughts or opinions.
August 26, 2018
Reviewed on behalf of http://bookaddict.live,
This was my first foray into a Carla Neggers murder mystery. I so glad I did , I also love a complex plot which takes the readers on the journey from Boston, London, Ireland Dublin, and back to states with the investigators putting together all the parts of the puzzle.
This was also very character driven, bringing to life all the driven groups leaving me as a fly on the wall. I was absorbed right to the end. Just for the record I did not guess who the murderer was.
I really enjoyed this book, obviously the characters all have history and reading the books in order would give more background on some of the characters. I read this on its own, and the story to do with the crimes completely standalone, and I enjoyed this mystery very much, it’s always great to discover a new author .
This was my first foray into a Carla Neggers murder mystery. I so glad I did , I also love a complex plot which takes the readers on the journey from Boston, London, Ireland Dublin, and back to states with the investigators putting together all the parts of the puzzle.
This was also very character driven, bringing to life all the driven groups leaving me as a fly on the wall. I was absorbed right to the end. Just for the record I did not guess who the murderer was.
I really enjoyed this book, obviously the characters all have history and reading the books in order would give more background on some of the characters. I read this on its own, and the story to do with the crimes completely standalone, and I enjoyed this mystery very much, it’s always great to discover a new author .
July 17, 2018
This book is part of the Sharpe and Donovan series. The author explains the back story and relationships between characters in the book but I still had a hard time keeping them straight. It might be because I haven’t read all the previous books in the series. Readers who have kept up with the series will probably enjoy this book. There was a good plot about art fraud. There is suspense, murder and plenty of twists and turns in the book. My reason for the 3* rating is because I had trouble keeping the characters straight. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.
October 4, 2018
A page turner because the story is difficult to bring together all the pieces. Parts of the story are in the US and parts are in Europe. The main characters Emma and Colin are in the US but Emma's grandfather is in Europe and gets involved with part of the case when a woman who called him is found near death. Emma and Colin get involved when the woman who invited them to a party for daughter doesn't show at the party. There are multiple deaths and lots of lies. The book was a quick easy read but very hard to describe.
September 25, 2018
3.7 I cannot believe this is my first [Author: Carla Neggers] novel. I do like Emma Sharpe & Colin Donovan and will read another. Although this is my first read in this series, it does have recurring characters, but not confusing and actually makes me want to go back and read some of the earlier novels in this series. Story is intriguing.... zipping through Maine as well as Ireland!
September 9, 2018
I really appreciated this series installment. Rather than introducing new characters she flushed out some existing characters.
September 3, 2018
Another installment in the Sharpe/Donovan series, set between coastal Maine and Ireland. A quick, fun mystery.
September 19, 2018
Really enjoyed this latest Sharp and Donovan story. I've been Carla Neggers for years (and this series). I read that this could be a stand=alone, but I don't see it. There is a lot of backstory and characters involved and if you didn't know any of the history, it would be difficult to follow along. With the said, I recommend that you read this series from the beginning! This a well-written series with characters you root for and want to succeed.
Thank you #netgalley and #harlequinmira for the eARC.
Thank you #netgalley and #harlequinmira for the eARC.
September 9, 2018
I've adored FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan since I began this series. Later I came to appreciate the whole Sharpe clan with their art expertise, and all of those Donovan brothers showing up at just the right time. And while Oliver York was thought to be a criminal art thief for several books, he's now helping the Sharpes and lovely Henrietta solve crimes.
That's the backstory of Neggers' well-developed characters and the intricate relationships among them.
Enter Imposter's Lure. Same characters - plus some - but a bunch of contrived details that seemed like they were backfilled into a pre-written ending. This book needs paring down and re-writing just so I can understand all the complexities. After whittling away some of the convoluted family and friend relationships that don't move the plot forward, then maybe I could enjoy the New England chahhhm, the English countryside, and the Irish lowlands as a backdrop to a sinister plot to make money off of art forgeries ... and destroy the evidence.
https://randombookmuses.com/2018/09/0...
That's the backstory of Neggers' well-developed characters and the intricate relationships among them.
Enter Imposter's Lure. Same characters - plus some - but a bunch of contrived details that seemed like they were backfilled into a pre-written ending. This book needs paring down and re-writing just so I can understand all the complexities. After whittling away some of the convoluted family and friend relationships that don't move the plot forward, then maybe I could enjoy the New England chahhhm, the English countryside, and the Irish lowlands as a backdrop to a sinister plot to make money off of art forgeries ... and destroy the evidence.
https://randombookmuses.com/2018/09/0...
October 6, 2019
I’ve liked this series and I continue to like the characters. But this installment had too many unnecessary words and not enough necessary plot.
August 31, 2018
Originally published at Reading Reality
The Sharpe & Donovan series is somewhere in that borderland between romantic suspense and mystery. Sorta/kinda like a contemporary version of In Death, but in a different place on the romantic suspense/mystery divide than the futuristic series.
At the beginning, Sharpe & Donovan hewed a bit closer to romantic suspense side, as FBI Agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan meet in the middle of an investigation near their hometowns on the coast of Maine. Colin is undercover, and Emma is in the middle of a case that is already much too personal.
Impostor’s Lure takes place a year (and 7 books) after that first meeting in Saint’s Gate. Emma and Colin are now married, and wondering just how long they will be able to continue working art crimes together before Colin gets tasked with yet another long-term undercover mission – his dangerous specialty. And now that their romance has reached its HEA, the story is more about the mystery and less about the romance. However, like many long-running mystery series, there is a “gang” of friends and family that surrounds Emma and Colin – and they have a big part to play in this particular story.
While they are worried about that medium-term problem, something happens much closer to home that puts them in the thick of a case that touches all of their friends and family both in Maine and Ireland.
On the other side of the pond, Emma’s grandfather Wendell, founder of the family art detective firm, discovers the comatose body of a woman who wanted to consult him about forgeries. The case looks like a drug overdose, but Wendell is shaken enough to worry both friends and family.
Over here, Emma and Colin as well as their boss Matt find themselves both shaken and alarmed when a friend who is also a federal prosecutor stands them up for dinner. While the woman could just have decided to start her long-overdue vacation a bit early, she’s also standing up her daughter on the young woman’s one-and-only 21st birthday.
This doesn’t seem right to anyone involved, especially once it turns out that Tamara might have been looking into some very alarming things that her daughter told her about her recent trip to Ireland – a trip that included both a murder and a developing friendship with the woman that Wendell found comatose.
Something is definitely not right. Actually lots of things aren’t right – on both sides of the Atlantic. As the bodies start piling up – and occasionally spilling over – it’s up to Emma and Colin to unravel the mystery and light the darkness at its center before it is too late.
Or at least before it’s more “too late” than it already is.
Escape Rating B: I finished this in one sitting. This is literally true as I was on a flight from California to Atlanta while I read it! This was a good, absorbing mystery to while away about half the flight.
This is definitely not the place to start this series. While, as with all the books in the series, the mystery is solved within this volume, an awful lot of the background revolves around the circle of friends and family that Emma and Colin are very much in the middle of. By the time this story ends, pretty much every one of their friends and most of their family have at least had a walk on part in the solution – and there’s a piece of that solution that only has resonance if you’ve at least read some of the previous books. I don’t think you need to have read them all to enjoy Impostor’s Lure, but at least the first one and one from the middle. Harbor Island and Liar’s Key are a couple of my favorites from the midpoint in the series.
The mystery in Impostor’s Lure is definitely a convoluted one. The perpetrator is certainly a sociopath, which makes that person both very organized and totally without scruples or conscience. They’ve been pulling off a lot of stuff for a very long time, and really only get caught because events have caught up with them and they are forced to act without their usual level of planning.
As a reader, I did not guess the perpetrator until very near the end – and then only because there were too many characters who simply could not be “it” because of their close relationship to Emma and/or Colin.
That being said, I really like the circle of friends and family that Emma and Colin have gathered around them/been gathered into. The group of is very interesting mix of family-of-birth and family-of-choice on both sides of the Atlantic and in both of their hearts. And just like any family, it has a few black sheep, and some members that one of them likes or tolerates more than the other. It’s also a hoot that one member of their family is a former art thief.
It’s always good to visit with this gang, even when some of the visit is bittersweet, as it is in Impostor’s Lure. I’ll be back.
The Sharpe & Donovan series is somewhere in that borderland between romantic suspense and mystery. Sorta/kinda like a contemporary version of In Death, but in a different place on the romantic suspense/mystery divide than the futuristic series.
At the beginning, Sharpe & Donovan hewed a bit closer to romantic suspense side, as FBI Agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan meet in the middle of an investigation near their hometowns on the coast of Maine. Colin is undercover, and Emma is in the middle of a case that is already much too personal.
Impostor’s Lure takes place a year (and 7 books) after that first meeting in Saint’s Gate. Emma and Colin are now married, and wondering just how long they will be able to continue working art crimes together before Colin gets tasked with yet another long-term undercover mission – his dangerous specialty. And now that their romance has reached its HEA, the story is more about the mystery and less about the romance. However, like many long-running mystery series, there is a “gang” of friends and family that surrounds Emma and Colin – and they have a big part to play in this particular story.
While they are worried about that medium-term problem, something happens much closer to home that puts them in the thick of a case that touches all of their friends and family both in Maine and Ireland.
On the other side of the pond, Emma’s grandfather Wendell, founder of the family art detective firm, discovers the comatose body of a woman who wanted to consult him about forgeries. The case looks like a drug overdose, but Wendell is shaken enough to worry both friends and family.
Over here, Emma and Colin as well as their boss Matt find themselves both shaken and alarmed when a friend who is also a federal prosecutor stands them up for dinner. While the woman could just have decided to start her long-overdue vacation a bit early, she’s also standing up her daughter on the young woman’s one-and-only 21st birthday.
This doesn’t seem right to anyone involved, especially once it turns out that Tamara might have been looking into some very alarming things that her daughter told her about her recent trip to Ireland – a trip that included both a murder and a developing friendship with the woman that Wendell found comatose.
Something is definitely not right. Actually lots of things aren’t right – on both sides of the Atlantic. As the bodies start piling up – and occasionally spilling over – it’s up to Emma and Colin to unravel the mystery and light the darkness at its center before it is too late.
Or at least before it’s more “too late” than it already is.
Escape Rating B: I finished this in one sitting. This is literally true as I was on a flight from California to Atlanta while I read it! This was a good, absorbing mystery to while away about half the flight.
This is definitely not the place to start this series. While, as with all the books in the series, the mystery is solved within this volume, an awful lot of the background revolves around the circle of friends and family that Emma and Colin are very much in the middle of. By the time this story ends, pretty much every one of their friends and most of their family have at least had a walk on part in the solution – and there’s a piece of that solution that only has resonance if you’ve at least read some of the previous books. I don’t think you need to have read them all to enjoy Impostor’s Lure, but at least the first one and one from the middle. Harbor Island and Liar’s Key are a couple of my favorites from the midpoint in the series.
The mystery in Impostor’s Lure is definitely a convoluted one. The perpetrator is certainly a sociopath, which makes that person both very organized and totally without scruples or conscience. They’ve been pulling off a lot of stuff for a very long time, and really only get caught because events have caught up with them and they are forced to act without their usual level of planning.
As a reader, I did not guess the perpetrator until very near the end – and then only because there were too many characters who simply could not be “it” because of their close relationship to Emma and/or Colin.
That being said, I really like the circle of friends and family that Emma and Colin have gathered around them/been gathered into. The group of is very interesting mix of family-of-birth and family-of-choice on both sides of the Atlantic and in both of their hearts. And just like any family, it has a few black sheep, and some members that one of them likes or tolerates more than the other. It’s also a hoot that one member of their family is a former art thief.
It’s always good to visit with this gang, even when some of the visit is bittersweet, as it is in Impostor’s Lure. I’ll be back.
August 27, 2018
Review originally posted at A Lovely Book Affair.
Received an advanced copy from NetGalley/InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review.
*Actual rating: 4.5 stars
This is one of the rare times I’ve decided to read a mystery/suspense novel, and I have to admit I’m impressed. I enjoyed Impostor’s Lure immensely.
I really liked Emma and Colin. Their love for each other was the cutest thing and I want to read the earlier books to know how they got together. Their ability to put their jobs first and understand how important each job is to one another was one of my favourite dynamics about their relationship. They are professional above all else and it made me respect them so much more considering the seriousness of their work.
I must admit Oliver was probably my favourite. He had such a tragic and complicated past and it was interesting to read about him, especially his relationship dynamic with Henrietta. Finian was fun to read about too. I hope there’s much more of them in past and future books.
Carla Neggers knows how to write a good book. Impostor’s Lure was full of mystery and suspense. And my goodness, does she ever know how to write a great conclusion. Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say this: you will be on the edge of your seat.
The plot was good. The way everything connects together so fluidly made it easier to follow despite the fact that I started at the 8th book in the series. At first it was a little hard to know who was who, but because each book is technically a standalone it doesn’t get too confusing. No matter where you start in the series, you’re able to focus on the story of the current book without getting lost in past happenings.
My favourite thing about the plot was that it wasn’t too obvious. You could kind of figrure out what was going to happen, but some things still came as a surprise to me at the end. It definitely had a positive impact on my overall enjoyment of the novel.
My one smallest complaint would be the pacing towards the middle. It felt a little bit slow compared to the rest of the novel. Besides that, it was great. So many things happened at the beginning of the novel to get it started, and the last little bit was jam packed with action. I loved how things were pretty chill and all of a sudden everything is happening and I couldn’t read fast enough to get to the conclusion of who did what.
Impostor’s Lure was a great mystery novel bursting with action. I enjoyed Carla Neggers’ writing so much that I want to read the first 7 books of the Sharpe & Donovan series. While I can’t speak for the other novels, I would highly suggest reading this one. It was an incredible read.
Received an advanced copy from NetGalley/InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review.
*Actual rating: 4.5 stars
This is one of the rare times I’ve decided to read a mystery/suspense novel, and I have to admit I’m impressed. I enjoyed Impostor’s Lure immensely.
I really liked Emma and Colin. Their love for each other was the cutest thing and I want to read the earlier books to know how they got together. Their ability to put their jobs first and understand how important each job is to one another was one of my favourite dynamics about their relationship. They are professional above all else and it made me respect them so much more considering the seriousness of their work.
I must admit Oliver was probably my favourite. He had such a tragic and complicated past and it was interesting to read about him, especially his relationship dynamic with Henrietta. Finian was fun to read about too. I hope there’s much more of them in past and future books.
Carla Neggers knows how to write a good book. Impostor’s Lure was full of mystery and suspense. And my goodness, does she ever know how to write a great conclusion. Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say this: you will be on the edge of your seat.
The plot was good. The way everything connects together so fluidly made it easier to follow despite the fact that I started at the 8th book in the series. At first it was a little hard to know who was who, but because each book is technically a standalone it doesn’t get too confusing. No matter where you start in the series, you’re able to focus on the story of the current book without getting lost in past happenings.
My favourite thing about the plot was that it wasn’t too obvious. You could kind of figrure out what was going to happen, but some things still came as a surprise to me at the end. It definitely had a positive impact on my overall enjoyment of the novel.
My one smallest complaint would be the pacing towards the middle. It felt a little bit slow compared to the rest of the novel. Besides that, it was great. So many things happened at the beginning of the novel to get it started, and the last little bit was jam packed with action. I loved how things were pretty chill and all of a sudden everything is happening and I couldn’t read fast enough to get to the conclusion of who did what.
Impostor’s Lure was a great mystery novel bursting with action. I enjoyed Carla Neggers’ writing so much that I want to read the first 7 books of the Sharpe & Donovan series. While I can’t speak for the other novels, I would highly suggest reading this one. It was an incredible read.
September 4, 2018
I definitely need to go back and read more in this series and continue reading this series when another comes out.
This was a wonderfully written book. I couldn’t put it down for I had to know who was killing and kidnapping and why. The book had subplots at the same time that were intriguing as well. We have the mystery of the overdose of Verity, killing of Graham and Graham’s friend, kidnapping of Tamara, the reason Verity was going to Emma’s grandfather, Emma’s dad, Emma’s grandfather, Emma and Colin’s relationship and their involvement in the killings and kidnappings, and the dynamics between Tamara and her daughter. What’s impressive is that they all tie together and Negger’s does this in a seamless fashion where suddenly it clicks and you are like why didn’t I see this before.
The story lures you in from the beginning and you can’t escape. You get deeper and deeper into the story and just don’t want to get away for fear of missing something. Emma and Colin are great together and complement one another. Especially when it comes to the knowing one another and their strengths. While figuring out what is going on when they are pulled into this mystery by accident, we see them work together and yet separate at times to piece together information and what is going on. We have some intrigue with the art aspect and the convent. We get so many twists and turns it’s hard to decide who is behind it all. YOu get an inkling but it has you wondering if you are right or not and drives you batty so you have to know. I didn’t get Tamara’s daughter at times for she was really on a journey that kept her figuring out herself. She would be angry at her mom but worried. So glad she and her mom ended on a note of beginning to understand each other and a starting of a good relationship of sorts. Finian and Colin you see are at a crossroads especially Colin and it will be interesting to see where he goes from here after all that happened.
The characters are strong and likable especially Colin and Emma’s families. Oliver and Henrietta in London were a odd combo but it worked. They were ying to the yang and really helped when it came to finding information from Verity. The story took place in multiple places and the way it came together was brilliant. You really are drawn in and couldn’t let go.
This was a wonderfully written book. I couldn’t put it down for I had to know who was killing and kidnapping and why. The book had subplots at the same time that were intriguing as well. We have the mystery of the overdose of Verity, killing of Graham and Graham’s friend, kidnapping of Tamara, the reason Verity was going to Emma’s grandfather, Emma’s dad, Emma’s grandfather, Emma and Colin’s relationship and their involvement in the killings and kidnappings, and the dynamics between Tamara and her daughter. What’s impressive is that they all tie together and Negger’s does this in a seamless fashion where suddenly it clicks and you are like why didn’t I see this before.
The story lures you in from the beginning and you can’t escape. You get deeper and deeper into the story and just don’t want to get away for fear of missing something. Emma and Colin are great together and complement one another. Especially when it comes to the knowing one another and their strengths. While figuring out what is going on when they are pulled into this mystery by accident, we see them work together and yet separate at times to piece together information and what is going on. We have some intrigue with the art aspect and the convent. We get so many twists and turns it’s hard to decide who is behind it all. YOu get an inkling but it has you wondering if you are right or not and drives you batty so you have to know. I didn’t get Tamara’s daughter at times for she was really on a journey that kept her figuring out herself. She would be angry at her mom but worried. So glad she and her mom ended on a note of beginning to understand each other and a starting of a good relationship of sorts. Finian and Colin you see are at a crossroads especially Colin and it will be interesting to see where he goes from here after all that happened.
The characters are strong and likable especially Colin and Emma’s families. Oliver and Henrietta in London were a odd combo but it worked. They were ying to the yang and really helped when it came to finding information from Verity. The story took place in multiple places and the way it came together was brilliant. You really are drawn in and couldn’t let go.
August 18, 2018
This is the eighth book in a series with these same characters, and as such, it was a little difficult for me to keep the characters and their relationships straight because it was the first one that I had read. Having said that, the author does explain each relationship, but there are tons of characters. The plot is centered around art fraud, murder and a missing federal prosecutor. There is plenty of action and lots of twists, but the tension escalates slowly. There are a lot of false clues to keep the mystery buffs guessing all the way to the satisfying conclusion. Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan are members of an elite investigation squad and are the central characters. I enjoyed getting to meet this two highly intelligent newlyweds. By the time the mystery is solved, the FBI is involved as well as MI5, adding to the interest of the readers who like British mysteries. Part of the setting is in the U.S. and the other part is in Europe, both London and Ireland. My favorite character was Emma’s grandfather who is an octogenarian and an art detective. He was quirky and so intuitive that it was absorbing to read how his mind was working. Fans of mysteries will enjoy this latest book by Carla Neggers. And new fans like me will look forward to going back and reading the other seven books in the series so that I know more about the characters and will enjoy her next book. This book is a very well-written mystery, with lots of intrigue and twists, so readers will not be disappointed.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions that I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions that I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
September 14, 2021
This eighth Sharpe & Donovan mystery was filled with interesting characters and plot twists. It starts when a federal prosecutor invites them to her daughter Adalyn's 21st birthday celebration and then doesn't show up herself. While Adalyn is angry, she isn't really surprised. She knows her mother has been stressed and was on her way to an off-the-grid vacation. But Emma and Colin and especially their boss Yank, who is the prosecutor's friend, are more concerned.
Meanwhile in London, Wendell Sharpe has been invited to meet a woman named Verity Blackwood to answer her questions about art forgery. Verity is a friend of Adalyn's. When she doesn't show up at the meeting, Wendell along with with Henrietta and Oliver check her whereabouts and discover her in her hotel room near death from an opioid overdose.
Checking further they discover that her husband didn't fly home from Maine with her and set Emma and Colin on the case of discovering where he is.
This mystery is centered around Adalyn - her mother, her friends, her new boss. Adalyn is a college student studying archival restoration and preservation and she's got a new job with an art restorer whose current job has to do with restoring art by Fletcher Campbell who is suffering from Alzheimer's and who had a recent fire at his studio in Maine.
I enjoyed this story. I like that the characters from earlier stories are continuing to grow and expand their characters. There is a large cast and the story is told from multiple viewpoints.
Meanwhile in London, Wendell Sharpe has been invited to meet a woman named Verity Blackwood to answer her questions about art forgery. Verity is a friend of Adalyn's. When she doesn't show up at the meeting, Wendell along with with Henrietta and Oliver check her whereabouts and discover her in her hotel room near death from an opioid overdose.
Checking further they discover that her husband didn't fly home from Maine with her and set Emma and Colin on the case of discovering where he is.
This mystery is centered around Adalyn - her mother, her friends, her new boss. Adalyn is a college student studying archival restoration and preservation and she's got a new job with an art restorer whose current job has to do with restoring art by Fletcher Campbell who is suffering from Alzheimer's and who had a recent fire at his studio in Maine.
I enjoyed this story. I like that the characters from earlier stories are continuing to grow and expand their characters. There is a large cast and the story is told from multiple viewpoints.
August 23, 2018
3.75 stars
That intro made the story intriguing and made me curious. Honestly I wasn't sure what was going on in the start, there were many things shown bits and pieces of the mystery adding up. In a way I like that makes you think and guess what's going on. The intercontinental setting made it interesting enough, lot of details to hard to keep track. On the other hand so many names and history that's connected that can be hard to keep track of. Not unusual for suspense kind of stories but I'd rather have the important names highlighted. At the half way point I still don't know exactly what's happening but I have a vague idea.
The writing kept me going I want to know what's going to happen to these characters we see throughout. I kind of want a semblance of why things are happening at this point nearly 3/4's way in all speculation. I get the main characters are the FBI couple and we have an idea of the backstories behind the other people in their lives. I guess since this is my first by the author and this series better to catch up with the other books to follow along but this is entirely new mystery.
When it's all tied in together it makes sense.
In the end I sorted of wanted more umph after all that. But it tied stuff up nicely and well explained, the whole idea behind it the couple solving things and detectives work for me. I would read the next book in the series.
*** ARC provided for an honest review ***
That intro made the story intriguing and made me curious. Honestly I wasn't sure what was going on in the start, there were many things shown bits and pieces of the mystery adding up. In a way I like that makes you think and guess what's going on. The intercontinental setting made it interesting enough, lot of details to hard to keep track. On the other hand so many names and history that's connected that can be hard to keep track of. Not unusual for suspense kind of stories but I'd rather have the important names highlighted. At the half way point I still don't know exactly what's happening but I have a vague idea.
The writing kept me going I want to know what's going to happen to these characters we see throughout. I kind of want a semblance of why things are happening at this point nearly 3/4's way in all speculation. I get the main characters are the FBI couple and we have an idea of the backstories behind the other people in their lives. I guess since this is my first by the author and this series better to catch up with the other books to follow along but this is entirely new mystery.
When it's all tied in together it makes sense.
In the end I sorted of wanted more umph after all that. But it tied stuff up nicely and well explained, the whole idea behind it the couple solving things and detectives work for me. I would read the next book in the series.
*** ARC provided for an honest review ***
January 2, 2020
I went to the emergency room and they said they were going to admit me for a few days. So I had my sister grab a book for me at Walmart, 'something pulpy to pass time' I requested. She selected this book for me.
I was about a 1/3 of the way through it before I noticed the words " A Sharpe and Donovan Novel" in small letters on the front of the book and I just learned it is the 8th such novel. I am awarding this book at least a star and a half because I think it would probably be a pretty good entry for a book series.
My disadvantage was that had I read any of the previous books I probably could have eliminated six or seven suspects earlier (particularly Sharpe and Donovan.)
I would say the author does a good job of introducing every character afresh. that might be tiring for people who have known them over 7 books. For better or worse I couldn't really tell the series characters from the ones just for this story. It does get a bit internally redundant in its descriptions. She references once characters childhood tragedy 3 times in 8 pages.
I am not sure I want to go back and read any of the early books in the series as I think I know too much about what the characters have become now. But, I don't think I would mind reading the 9th book in the series if I was riding on a train or something.
I was about a 1/3 of the way through it before I noticed the words " A Sharpe and Donovan Novel" in small letters on the front of the book and I just learned it is the 8th such novel. I am awarding this book at least a star and a half because I think it would probably be a pretty good entry for a book series.
My disadvantage was that had I read any of the previous books I probably could have eliminated six or seven suspects earlier (particularly Sharpe and Donovan.)
I would say the author does a good job of introducing every character afresh. that might be tiring for people who have known them over 7 books. For better or worse I couldn't really tell the series characters from the ones just for this story. It does get a bit internally redundant in its descriptions. She references once characters childhood tragedy 3 times in 8 pages.
I am not sure I want to go back and read any of the early books in the series as I think I know too much about what the characters have become now. But, I don't think I would mind reading the 9th book in the series if I was riding on a train or something.
September 1, 2018
Impostor's Lure is the 8th book in Carla Neggers' Sharpe and Donovan series. I really enjoy a good "whodunit" with a side of romance and had high hopes for Impostor's Lure. It had all of the elements I look for in a book of this type; a missing person, international intrigue, a little bit of action and some romance thrown in. Impostor's Lure had all of those and yet, it fell short for me. The writing itself was good, but the number of characters to keep up with was too much for me. It's understandable that a series with 8 installments would have a lot of characters, but this book is billed as a standalone. I didn't necessarily need to know the backstory of the cross-over characters to follow the story. My hangup was trying to keep track of who said/did what, where they were and how they all connected throughout the story.
I did enjoy the book. Impostor's Lure checked off my "Whodunit" boxes, and it kept me engaged so much that I read the book in a day. If you are looking for a quick read with a little action, a side of romance and some international intrigue, Impostor's Lure is a good choice.
I did enjoy the book. Impostor's Lure checked off my "Whodunit" boxes, and it kept me engaged so much that I read the book in a day. If you are looking for a quick read with a little action, a side of romance and some international intrigue, Impostor's Lure is a good choice.
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