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Lexi Carmichael Mystery #1
No One Lives Twice
I'm Lexi Carmichael, geek extraordinaire. I spend my days stopping computer hackers at the National Security Agency. My nights? Those I spend avoiding my mother and eating cereal for dinner. Even though I work for a top-secret agency, I've never been in an exciting car chase, sipped a stirred (not shaken) martini, or shot a poison dart from an umbrella.
Until today, that is, when two gun-toting thugs popped up in my life and my best friend disappeared. So, I've enlisted the help of the Zimmerman twins—the reclusive architects of America's most sensitive electronic networks—to help me navigate a bewildering maze of leads to find her.
Along the way, my path collides with a sexy government agent and a rich, handsome lawyer, both of whom seem to have the hots for me. Hacking, espionage, sexy spy-men—it's a geek girl's dream come true. If it weren't for those gun-toting thugs...
Previously published.
314 pages, ebook
First published August 1, 2010
493 people are currently reading
2928 people want to read
About the author
Julie Moffett
49 books682 followersJulie Moffett is the bestselling author of the long-running, geeky Lexi Carmichael Mystery Series that USA Today says: “…runs a riveting gamut from hilarious to deadly, and the perfectly paced action in between will have you hanging on to Lexi’s every word and breathless for her next geeked-out adventure.” Julie also writes the young adult White Knights spin-off series featuring a cool, teenage hacker girl. Julie's been publishing books for 25 years, but writing for a lot longer. She writes in the genres of mystery, young adult, historical romance and paranormal romance.
Julie has won numerous awards, including the Mystery & Mayhem Award for Best YA/New Adult Mystery, the HOLT Award for Best Novel with Romantic Elements, a HOLT Merit Award for Best Novel by a Virginia Author (twice!), the Award of Excellence, a PRISM Award for Best Romantic Time-Travel AND Best of the Best Paranormal Books, and an EPIC Award for Best Action/Adventure Novel. She has also garnered additional nominations for the Booksellers' Best Award, Daphne du Maurier Award, the Dante Rossetti Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.
Julie is a military brat (Air Force) and has traveled extensively. Her more exciting exploits include attending high school in Okinawa, Japan; backpacking around Europe and Scandinavia for several months; a year-long college graduate study in Warsaw, Poland; and a wonderful trip to Scotland and Ireland where she fell in love with castles, kilts and brogues.
Julie has a B.A. in Political Science and Russian Language from Colorado College, a M.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and an M.Ed from Liberty University. She has worked as a proposal writer, journalist, teacher, librarian and researcher. Julie speaks Russian and Polish and has two awesome sons.
Visit Julie's website at: https://www.juliemoffett.com/
Follow Julie on Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JulieMoffett...
X: @JMoffettAuthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/julie_moffett/
Julie has won numerous awards, including the Mystery & Mayhem Award for Best YA/New Adult Mystery, the HOLT Award for Best Novel with Romantic Elements, a HOLT Merit Award for Best Novel by a Virginia Author (twice!), the Award of Excellence, a PRISM Award for Best Romantic Time-Travel AND Best of the Best Paranormal Books, and an EPIC Award for Best Action/Adventure Novel. She has also garnered additional nominations for the Booksellers' Best Award, Daphne du Maurier Award, the Dante Rossetti Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.
Julie is a military brat (Air Force) and has traveled extensively. Her more exciting exploits include attending high school in Okinawa, Japan; backpacking around Europe and Scandinavia for several months; a year-long college graduate study in Warsaw, Poland; and a wonderful trip to Scotland and Ireland where she fell in love with castles, kilts and brogues.
Julie has a B.A. in Political Science and Russian Language from Colorado College, a M.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and an M.Ed from Liberty University. She has worked as a proposal writer, journalist, teacher, librarian and researcher. Julie speaks Russian and Polish and has two awesome sons.
Visit Julie's website at: https://www.juliemoffett.com/
Follow Julie on Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JulieMoffett...
X: @JMoffettAuthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/julie_moffett/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
August 22, 2022
No One Lives Twice by Julie Moffet
Lexi Carmichael series #1. Contemporary (2010) mystery suspense series.
Lexi is a self proclaimed geek. She works for the National Security Agency as a computer hacker. Her life is predictable going to the office every day until a friend disappears and Lexi finds herself in an active investigation. Lexi gets help from friends that speak the language of computer networks and finds herself confronted by gun carrying dangerous thugs. Will her training be enough for her to survive, let alone find her friend?
An entertaining mystery and suspense where Lexi finds herself working with two different handsome men to find her friend. But are they both on the same side or are they just using her to find Basia?
I loved Lexi’s non-stop attitude and her dedication to her friend. The book was a little longer than I’m used to at 489 pages in the paperback copy. That’s probably why I waited so long to finally read it. I’m glad I did and I’m looking forward to reading more adventures and if there will be romance or not and what kind of trouble she stirs up.
Lexi Carmichael series #1. Contemporary (2010) mystery suspense series.
Lexi is a self proclaimed geek. She works for the National Security Agency as a computer hacker. Her life is predictable going to the office every day until a friend disappears and Lexi finds herself in an active investigation. Lexi gets help from friends that speak the language of computer networks and finds herself confronted by gun carrying dangerous thugs. Will her training be enough for her to survive, let alone find her friend?
An entertaining mystery and suspense where Lexi finds herself working with two different handsome men to find her friend. But are they both on the same side or are they just using her to find Basia?
I loved Lexi’s non-stop attitude and her dedication to her friend. The book was a little longer than I’m used to at 489 pages in the paperback copy. That’s probably why I waited so long to finally read it. I’m glad I did and I’m looking forward to reading more adventures and if there will be romance or not and what kind of trouble she stirs up.
August 10, 2020
An accidental spy...
Doing a wee bit of Audible Escape surfing, looking for something new and exciting led me to No One Lives Twice. The cover caught my eye, the storyline was interesting, and the reviews were mixed to a degree that didn't completely deter me. The narrator didn't get glowing reviews, but from my own experience, I know that it can sometimes be judged by the ear of the listener. So, I gave it a go.
I liked it!
While I did like it, I agree with some reviewers that it was weird that a techie didn't have a mobile phone or be 'up' with all the new-fandangled computer stuff. Lexi is just that little TOO nerdy girl quirky sometimes and she seemed to find herself in danger constantly. Again, I can't help thinking that if I found myself in the same kinds of situations, there is NO WAY I would jump in further. I'd be singing to the cops and hoping like hell they'd save the day.
I'm going to admit something here... I don't care one way or the other if there are intimate scenes in my audiobooks. I think the narrator is vital to whether I enjoy or cringe while listening to a sex scene. There is NOTHING worse than a narrator putting too much acting into the scene with moaning and groaning or sound effects that could turn your stomach. Also, if I'm out walking and listening, I find it a wee bit weird experiencing a bedroom scene out in the wild. No One Lives Twice is CLEAN, and it didn't make or break the story.
I think the reason why it didn't matter that there weren't sexy times in this story is that Lexi had a few love interests in this one and even by the end, there was a clear winner for the 'HERO' role. Sure, there were a few potential suitors, but none of them really ticked all my boxes. I guess I will have to go on in the series to see if any more boxes can be ticked by a few of the gentlemen I 'met'.
I struggled a little with the narrator's foreign accents. I swear her Italian accent sounded Indian and the rest all sounded Middle-Eastern. She did portray Lexi well, though, so I can't complain too much.
For anyone who has read or listened to Camilla Monk's, Spotless series, I did find a few similarities that made No One Lives Twice a win for me. I'm a sucker for extremely intelligent heroines who struggle a wee bit with social niceties. Clothes and makeup might not be their fortè but give them a cryptic message to decipher, and these heroines are definitely the one to go to. Their inexperience with the opposite sex gets these ladies into a whole lot of trouble and leaves them a wee bit red-faced. Also, there's a wee bit of bumbling their way through disasters that definitely leaves me smiling.
While not a 5 star read/listen, I was mostly satisfied with my introduction to Julie Moffett's, Lexi Carmichael Mystery series. I will definitely be going on with to No One to Trust, which is also available in the Audible Escape package.
Doing a wee bit of Audible Escape surfing, looking for something new and exciting led me to No One Lives Twice. The cover caught my eye, the storyline was interesting, and the reviews were mixed to a degree that didn't completely deter me. The narrator didn't get glowing reviews, but from my own experience, I know that it can sometimes be judged by the ear of the listener. So, I gave it a go.
I liked it!
While I did like it, I agree with some reviewers that it was weird that a techie didn't have a mobile phone or be 'up' with all the new-fandangled computer stuff. Lexi is just that little TOO nerdy girl quirky sometimes and she seemed to find herself in danger constantly. Again, I can't help thinking that if I found myself in the same kinds of situations, there is NO WAY I would jump in further. I'd be singing to the cops and hoping like hell they'd save the day.
I'm going to admit something here... I don't care one way or the other if there are intimate scenes in my audiobooks. I think the narrator is vital to whether I enjoy or cringe while listening to a sex scene. There is NOTHING worse than a narrator putting too much acting into the scene with moaning and groaning or sound effects that could turn your stomach. Also, if I'm out walking and listening, I find it a wee bit weird experiencing a bedroom scene out in the wild. No One Lives Twice is CLEAN, and it didn't make or break the story.
I think the reason why it didn't matter that there weren't sexy times in this story is that Lexi had a few love interests in this one and even by the end, there was a clear winner for the 'HERO' role. Sure, there were a few potential suitors, but none of them really ticked all my boxes. I guess I will have to go on in the series to see if any more boxes can be ticked by a few of the gentlemen I 'met'.
I struggled a little with the narrator's foreign accents. I swear her Italian accent sounded Indian and the rest all sounded Middle-Eastern. She did portray Lexi well, though, so I can't complain too much.
For anyone who has read or listened to Camilla Monk's, Spotless series, I did find a few similarities that made No One Lives Twice a win for me. I'm a sucker for extremely intelligent heroines who struggle a wee bit with social niceties. Clothes and makeup might not be their fortè but give them a cryptic message to decipher, and these heroines are definitely the one to go to. Their inexperience with the opposite sex gets these ladies into a whole lot of trouble and leaves them a wee bit red-faced. Also, there's a wee bit of bumbling their way through disasters that definitely leaves me smiling.
While not a 5 star read/listen, I was mostly satisfied with my introduction to Julie Moffett's, Lexi Carmichael Mystery series. I will definitely be going on with to No One to Trust, which is also available in the Audible Escape package.
January 14, 2016
I was fortunate to win a copy of NO ONE LIVES TWICE, a Lexi Carmichael Mystery, by Julie Moffat, through the Goodreads Giveaway Contest.
This is a light mystery series, and the first book in the Lexi Carmichael Mysteries.
Lexi Charmichael 24 years old is a computer geek working, always drawn to numbers, computers and code. Brown-haired, flat-chested, and no care about the latest fashion. She is her own person. Today she works as an information security technologist or NSA, surfing the web, looking for criminals and preventing hackers from getting into the system.
On her way to her parent’s house in Georgetown, Washington, for a surprise birthday party, she is threatened at gunpoint, by a “psychotic mania”, demanding some documents that had been sent from her roommate, Basia Kowalski, from Georgetown University, to her for save-keeping. But Lexi didn’t receive any documents…and now Basia is missing.
“This had been one hell of a day. I’d been set up on a date with a politician in the making, accosted twice by men bearing guns, and my apartment had been trashed.”
Now the story takes off riddled with espionage, and danger…a spy novel laced with a good dose of humor. I enjoyed following Lexi on this journey, and look forward to following the series.
This is a light mystery series, and the first book in the Lexi Carmichael Mysteries.
Lexi Charmichael 24 years old is a computer geek working, always drawn to numbers, computers and code. Brown-haired, flat-chested, and no care about the latest fashion. She is her own person. Today she works as an information security technologist or NSA, surfing the web, looking for criminals and preventing hackers from getting into the system.
On her way to her parent’s house in Georgetown, Washington, for a surprise birthday party, she is threatened at gunpoint, by a “psychotic mania”, demanding some documents that had been sent from her roommate, Basia Kowalski, from Georgetown University, to her for save-keeping. But Lexi didn’t receive any documents…and now Basia is missing.
“This had been one hell of a day. I’d been set up on a date with a politician in the making, accosted twice by men bearing guns, and my apartment had been trashed.”
Now the story takes off riddled with espionage, and danger…a spy novel laced with a good dose of humor. I enjoyed following Lexi on this journey, and look forward to following the series.
Read
January 2, 2018Guilty pleasure, comedic, fast-paced adult-but-feels-like-YA mystery at its funnest (is that even a word?). Perfect beach read. I can't believe I'd never heard of this author, her style reminds me strongly of Meg Cabot in her adult series, especially the Heather Wells one.
Side note, Slash better be end game. Team #EnriqueIglesias all the way hahaha.
Side note, Slash better be end game. Team #EnriqueIglesias all the way hahaha.
November 20, 2021
The first-person narrator Lexi Carmichael identifies herself to us as "an information security technologist" at the National Security Agency (NSA) headquarters between Baltimore and Washington. Immersed in math since childhood, she uses her skills as a junior member of a team assigned to "stop hackers from compromising America's national security." She has an apartment in nearby Jessup, Maryland and describes herself as five-eleven (that's 1.80 m), skinny, and flat-chested.
All this comes in the first three pages of a 400 page novel in which nearly all of the plot lies beyond page 50, which I take arbitrarily to be the beginning of spoiler territory. How much do we know by that point?
One evening, parking her car a couple blocks from her parents' house in Georgetown, she's accosted at gunpoint and told to surrender papers her best friend Basia Kowalski mailed to her, or else. She convinces her thug-like assailant, whom she calls "Beefy" from then on, that she hasn't gotten any papers from Basia yet, and he lets her go when she promises to call him as soon as she gets them.
When she gets back home to Jessup, her apartment's trashed and an intruder with a gun runs through the exact same routine with her. He also quizzes her about Beefy to find out who else wants the papers. He makes worse threats than Beefy did before he leaves, saying she has to call him, not that first guy, as soon as she gets the papers. She calls him "Mr. Middle Eastern Guy" as the story proceeds.
Then her neighbor brings over a FedEx mailer she signed for in Lexi's absence, and sure enough, it's from Basia. It's a long document in Polish, and Basia, who's a free-lance translator, adds a note to Lexi:
The blurb further reveals that Basia vanishes and Lexi
Fortunately, the writing is straightforward and clear, so I was able to keep track of each branch of the mystery (or mysteries) as the story went along. Revelations large and small keep coming all the way. But the computer tech part of it is pretty much limited to how easy or hard a task is, how long it takes, and what the result is.
The personalities of six characters are very well developed; they're all young and male and interested to different degrees in Lexi, who wisely balances her level of attraction with her concern over trust. Sexy times? Just a few intense kisses at dramatic moments.
This was a fairly quick read despite the complex plot, and I certainly enjoyed it.
All this comes in the first three pages of a 400 page novel in which nearly all of the plot lies beyond page 50, which I take arbitrarily to be the beginning of spoiler territory. How much do we know by that point?
One evening, parking her car a couple blocks from her parents' house in Georgetown, she's accosted at gunpoint and told to surrender papers her best friend Basia Kowalski mailed to her, or else. She convinces her thug-like assailant, whom she calls "Beefy" from then on, that she hasn't gotten any papers from Basia yet, and he lets her go when she promises to call him as soon as she gets them.
When she gets back home to Jessup, her apartment's trashed and an intruder with a gun runs through the exact same routine with her. He also quizzes her about Beefy to find out who else wants the papers. He makes worse threats than Beefy did before he leaves, saying she has to call him, not that first guy, as soon as she gets the papers. She calls him "Mr. Middle Eastern Guy" as the story proceeds.
Then her neighbor brings over a FedEx mailer she signed for in Lexi's absence, and sure enough, it's from Basia. It's a long document in Polish, and Basia, who's a free-lance translator, adds a note to Lexi:
Dear LexiKnowing the bad guys are probably watching, Lexi doesn't dare call the police. Instead she calls Paul, an NSA linguist who's interested in her (not mutual), sneaks over to his place, and gets him to translate. It's a contract for living arrangements with a generous stipend, and it's only unusual in extremely detailed rules for the recipient, who must not leave Poland during the year.
Keep these papers safe for me. Hide them somewhere no one will think to look. I've got to go away for a few days to help a friend. I'll be in touch soon and explain everything. Be careful and look closely.
The blurb further reveals that Basia vanishes and Lexi
enlists the help of the Zimmerman twins--reclusive architects of America's most sensitive electronic networks--to help her navigate a bewildering maze of leads.Yes, this is a very complicated mystery thriller for which we're limited to Lexi's point of view, so there are surprises at every turn. Several different outfits (you know, CIA, MI-6, Vatican security, whoever Beefy and Mr. Middle Eastern Guy are working for, etc.) are at multiple cross purposes with two distinct threats to international security, and Lexi and Basia are in the middle of it, literally so toward the end.
Fortunately, the writing is straightforward and clear, so I was able to keep track of each branch of the mystery (or mysteries) as the story went along. Revelations large and small keep coming all the way. But the computer tech part of it is pretty much limited to how easy or hard a task is, how long it takes, and what the result is.
The personalities of six characters are very well developed; they're all young and male and interested to different degrees in Lexi, who wisely balances her level of attraction with her concern over trust. Sexy times? Just a few intense kisses at dramatic moments.
This was a fairly quick read despite the complex plot, and I certainly enjoyed it.
March 5, 2015
The first half of this book was just a terrible jumble of hackneyed cliches. The protagonist is a 20 something year old "techie" who works for the NSA - except she exhibits no particular aptitude for anything technical and spends most of her time admiring the sexy men who actually do the dirty work for her. She doesn't own a cell phone, because she doesn't want her overbearing mother to be able to reach her. This book was written in 2010... no 25 year old in 2010 doesn't have a cell phone for that reason, let alone a brilliant nerd who works for the NSA. I got the distinct impression that the author was a grandmotherly type with a tenuous grasp on modern technology trying to create an adorkable modern young heroine, and missing the boat by a mile.
I was sort of hate-reading it after the first 20 pages - but I grudgingly admit that it did pick up a bit during the second half. It never got plausible or believable for me, but the plot did get a little more interesting and the action did pick up a bit.
Still, overall, a small step up from a Harlequin Romance.
I was sort of hate-reading it after the first 20 pages - but I grudgingly admit that it did pick up a bit during the second half. It never got plausible or believable for me, but the plot did get a little more interesting and the action did pick up a bit.
Still, overall, a small step up from a Harlequin Romance.
September 10, 2019
Short and sweet: I actually really was enjoying the mystery of the story, but Lexi was just a cardboard cutout. The usual ingenue who has no idea she's beautiful even though every man she runs across wants to get in her pants. I had to stop when she slams a car door on a man's fingers in a clumsy attempt at flirtation (because she's clumsy! Get it? No girl in a romance novel is ever clumsy!) and he still kisses her. What? No. Have you ever had your hand smashed in a door? It's been a while, but as a I recall, you do not feel like kissing the person responsible afterward.
I was tempted to keep going just to know what happens with the mystery, but honestly, when there is nothing to stand out about the main character, it just loses me.
I was tempted to keep going just to know what happens with the mystery, but honestly, when there is nothing to stand out about the main character, it just loses me.
January 5, 2017
I’ve read several thrillers and romances set in the highest-ranking circles of government in Washington DC. However, many people seem to forget that there is a vast bureaucracy that keeps that government going. This is the world that Julie Moffett visits in No One Lives Twice and, while her mystery has more of a chick lit twist, I found myself recognizing her characters’ world. Her smart yet goofy characters and easy style kept me turning pages and, while it’s not a perfect book, this caper is a very fun read.
Lexi Carmichael is the stereotypical computer geek and social misfit. However, beneath the fashion disasters and social missteps lies an entertaining narrator. In addition to being highly skilled, she views the world in a way that will make readers enjoy being inside her head. Not surprisingly, her take on life has more than a bit of snarkiness to it, but she’s also a logical thinker and a little more self aware than many similar characters I have read. At the beginning of the book, we learn that Lexi has always loved math, that she is immersed in her job at the National Security Agency, and, while she has a few friends, her social life is fairly nonexistent. Her mother, the ex-beauty queen wife of a Georgetown lawyer, would like to change this, and we get to see one cute if cliched scene in which Lexi manages to escape from a set-up with a very preppy aspiring politician.
Lexi’s life takes a sudden turn when she gets accosted not once, but twice, by armed gunmen. Each man seems convinced that Lexi has received some sensitive papers from a close friend of hers. Lexi has no idea what papers the men have in mind, and when she tries to track down her friend Basia, she cannot reach her. The rest of the story is quite a complicated caper, as Lexi later finds herself in possession of papers that seem to contain a coded message. With the help of her computer genius friends, a gorgeous Irish attorney with a connection to Basia’s papers, and the extremely secretive legendary (at least among computer folks) government agent Slash, Lexi tries to figure out what Basia’s message means so that she can get her home safely.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://allaboutromance.com/book-revie...
Lexi Carmichael is the stereotypical computer geek and social misfit. However, beneath the fashion disasters and social missteps lies an entertaining narrator. In addition to being highly skilled, she views the world in a way that will make readers enjoy being inside her head. Not surprisingly, her take on life has more than a bit of snarkiness to it, but she’s also a logical thinker and a little more self aware than many similar characters I have read. At the beginning of the book, we learn that Lexi has always loved math, that she is immersed in her job at the National Security Agency, and, while she has a few friends, her social life is fairly nonexistent. Her mother, the ex-beauty queen wife of a Georgetown lawyer, would like to change this, and we get to see one cute if cliched scene in which Lexi manages to escape from a set-up with a very preppy aspiring politician.
Lexi’s life takes a sudden turn when she gets accosted not once, but twice, by armed gunmen. Each man seems convinced that Lexi has received some sensitive papers from a close friend of hers. Lexi has no idea what papers the men have in mind, and when she tries to track down her friend Basia, she cannot reach her. The rest of the story is quite a complicated caper, as Lexi later finds herself in possession of papers that seem to contain a coded message. With the help of her computer genius friends, a gorgeous Irish attorney with a connection to Basia’s papers, and the extremely secretive legendary (at least among computer folks) government agent Slash, Lexi tries to figure out what Basia’s message means so that she can get her home safely.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://allaboutromance.com/book-revie...
October 2, 2020
Not a good book. It's a shame, the mystery part was interesting. Unfortunately the book was filled with a bunch of sexist garbage, with various other types of garbage thrown in for fun. Examples include:
The times that "females" and "men" are used in the same sentence. Either use "women" and "men", or use "males" and "females", be consistent.
Lexi's obnoxious parents feature way to prominently at the start of the book. It's weird that her mother's absolute lack of respect for her (not respecting her job, not respecting who she will and won't date, not respecting where she lives, not respecting any of her life goals) is framed as some harmless quirk, rather than as a major red flag.
Paul is a major creep. A major creep who doesn't take no for an answer, and thus commits sexual harassment and assault.
I'm not a Polish contract expert, but I'm fairly certain the terms of that contract were not only irregular but illegal, or at least not the sort of terms that hold up in court. No judge is going to look at a pregnant woman and say "yep, you're required to live at that apartment for a year, you're not allowed to leave the country, and you're required to visit a bogus clinic". Poland may have some back-asswards laws around reproductive rights, but they're not this particular sort of crazy.
The protagonist was an idiot and a pushover. Why wouldn't you have a cell phone in 2010 if you worked at the NSA? She could have had a cell and just not told her mom about it, so that's no excuse. Why would you hide important documents under your pillow? Why would you have the alarm system installed while the intruder was standing in your apartment? Why not just tell the alarm guy to come back later? Why would you fall for some walking embodiment of internalized misogyny upselling uncomfortable and overpriced underwear? Why would someone who works at the NSA be shocked by privacy violations? How did someone this bad with money, this prone to splurge on unnecessary things while broke manage to survive this long? How would a NSA hacker have such a shitty spam filter that it let through spam so blatant as the kind advertising penis enhancement?
Everyone was obsessed with the protagonist's private life, in a weird, awkward and unrealistic, sitcom-ish way.
This should go without saying, but don't touch a woman you just met in the lower back. Just don't do it. That's way too close to the ass, it's like touching someone's upper thigh. Not a cool move on Finn's part. Also the man is a lawyer that helped protect a company for being held responsible for it's actions up until finding out about the cloning thing, which is not the job an entirely morally solid person does.
Something else that should go without saying is that there are better ways to approach a woman than by invading her bedroom in the middle of the night. Not a cool move on Slash's part. (yeah, pretty much every man in this book is a creep). Not helping is the fact that he works for the Catholic Church's secret heretic suppression organization. Which is weirdly glossed over.
It's one thing for a protagonist to be insecure, it's another thing to be this obsessively insecure and oblivious, constantly reiterating how ashamed she is of her bra size, etc... all the while every man in a 5 mile radius throws himself at her. Then there's the whole embarrassed by her previous weight thing, when she was at the lower end of normal weight for her height.
There's no way a hacker would want an ultra-thin laptop. That thing would probably self-destruct if you tried to do anything complicated.
You don't want a bunch of nulliparous 19-24 year olds for surrogates. You want someone who's given birth successfully before so that you're sure they can do it.
Cloning a human man is basically impossible. Not something that would bother me in a book that was properly sci-fi, but this isn't supposed to be, and I got the impression the author didn't realize that cloning a male animal is way harder than cloning a female one. A male mouse was cloned successfully, but only 3/274 embryos survived, and only one survived to adulthood. To expect that even 1/7 male human clones would survive is absolutely bonkers.
Lexi's computer skills never enter the picture, none of her skills have any influence on the plot at all. She's simply a go-between for her friend Basia (and Judyta) and a bunch of men with various skills. Including 3 men more skilled at hacking than she is.
Who the fuck gives an attempted murderer mouth to mouth? On what planet does not reviving someone who just tried to kill you make you just as bad as them?
We already know that twins (natural clones) aren't the same person, so why would the US government not realize that clones aren't the same person either? Especially since this clone would be growing up as part of an entirely different generation.
The times that "females" and "men" are used in the same sentence. Either use "women" and "men", or use "males" and "females", be consistent.
Lexi's obnoxious parents feature way to prominently at the start of the book. It's weird that her mother's absolute lack of respect for her (not respecting her job, not respecting who she will and won't date, not respecting where she lives, not respecting any of her life goals) is framed as some harmless quirk, rather than as a major red flag.
Paul is a major creep. A major creep who doesn't take no for an answer, and thus commits sexual harassment and assault.
I'm not a Polish contract expert, but I'm fairly certain the terms of that contract were not only irregular but illegal, or at least not the sort of terms that hold up in court. No judge is going to look at a pregnant woman and say "yep, you're required to live at that apartment for a year, you're not allowed to leave the country, and you're required to visit a bogus clinic". Poland may have some back-asswards laws around reproductive rights, but they're not this particular sort of crazy.
The protagonist was an idiot and a pushover. Why wouldn't you have a cell phone in 2010 if you worked at the NSA? She could have had a cell and just not told her mom about it, so that's no excuse. Why would you hide important documents under your pillow? Why would you have the alarm system installed while the intruder was standing in your apartment? Why not just tell the alarm guy to come back later? Why would you fall for some walking embodiment of internalized misogyny upselling uncomfortable and overpriced underwear? Why would someone who works at the NSA be shocked by privacy violations? How did someone this bad with money, this prone to splurge on unnecessary things while broke manage to survive this long? How would a NSA hacker have such a shitty spam filter that it let through spam so blatant as the kind advertising penis enhancement?
Everyone was obsessed with the protagonist's private life, in a weird, awkward and unrealistic, sitcom-ish way.
This should go without saying, but don't touch a woman you just met in the lower back. Just don't do it. That's way too close to the ass, it's like touching someone's upper thigh. Not a cool move on Finn's part. Also the man is a lawyer that helped protect a company for being held responsible for it's actions up until finding out about the cloning thing, which is not the job an entirely morally solid person does.
Something else that should go without saying is that there are better ways to approach a woman than by invading her bedroom in the middle of the night. Not a cool move on Slash's part. (yeah, pretty much every man in this book is a creep). Not helping is the fact that he works for the Catholic Church's secret heretic suppression organization. Which is weirdly glossed over.
It's one thing for a protagonist to be insecure, it's another thing to be this obsessively insecure and oblivious, constantly reiterating how ashamed she is of her bra size, etc... all the while every man in a 5 mile radius throws himself at her. Then there's the whole embarrassed by her previous weight thing, when she was at the lower end of normal weight for her height.
There's no way a hacker would want an ultra-thin laptop. That thing would probably self-destruct if you tried to do anything complicated.
You don't want a bunch of nulliparous 19-24 year olds for surrogates. You want someone who's given birth successfully before so that you're sure they can do it.
Cloning a human man is basically impossible. Not something that would bother me in a book that was properly sci-fi, but this isn't supposed to be, and I got the impression the author didn't realize that cloning a male animal is way harder than cloning a female one. A male mouse was cloned successfully, but only 3/274 embryos survived, and only one survived to adulthood. To expect that even 1/7 male human clones would survive is absolutely bonkers.
Lexi's computer skills never enter the picture, none of her skills have any influence on the plot at all. She's simply a go-between for her friend Basia (and Judyta) and a bunch of men with various skills. Including 3 men more skilled at hacking than she is.
Who the fuck gives an attempted murderer mouth to mouth? On what planet does not reviving someone who just tried to kill you make you just as bad as them?
We already know that twins (natural clones) aren't the same person, so why would the US government not realize that clones aren't the same person either? Especially since this clone would be growing up as part of an entirely different generation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2020
3 Stars
*A corny yet entertaining Chicklit spy story*
The story stars Lexi Carmichael, a computer analyst for the NSA, whose biggest problem is avoiding blind dates set up by her mother. That is until Lexi tries to help out a friend and ends up in the middle of some international intrigue.
The story isn’t anything groundbreaking. It was entertaining, but simple. It did start to drag towards the end. There was a plethora of hot, mysterious guys which is nice on the one hand, for aesthetic reasons. But on the other, it lacked focus because none of them had much character development (mostly due to trying to keep them mysterious), and I had no idea whether I was supposed to root for any of them to develop a relationship with the main character. Maybe that is something that is developed more in the rest of the series.
One of my dislikes about this book is due to a personal pet peeve: the author’s use of punctuation. She never uses the Oxford comma! That drives me nuts! And it was so noticeable, because she frequently included lists. Moffett also often left out the commas on compound sentences as well. Yes, yes, I am that person who can be a total grammar snob. I don’t care what the Twitter-deadened masses want; use correct punctuation, you heavens!
Another issue I had with No One Lives Twice was that Lexi is an extremely insecure heroine who nonetheless is swarmed by hot guys. I get that Lexi lacks confidence, but her self-image is pretty toxic. She constantly compares herself to her former-beauty queen mother. And despite being 5’11” and only 134 pounds (definitely underweight!), she is always dieting, worrying about her weight, and chastising herself for every food indulgence. And it isn’t like the author was making any points about self-acceptance. Her character’s insecurities are reinforced. I’m tired of the same old toxic tropes – particularly when it comes to gorgeous women who don’t know they are gorgeous, and refuse to accept it, and need men to constantly reassure them. Yuck.
Other small grievances include her claim that less than 5% of Americans even know the NSA exists and factual errors about martial arts. There were some other things along those lines, but those were the two that stuck out the most. I have my doubts about all of the computer and hacking info too.
The story was entertaining enough, but so rough around the edges. I haven’t decided whether or not I’ll check out the sequel. These are probably fine if you want the coziest possible spy story, but they do lack realism and depth.
Oh, it’s published by Harlequin… that explains a lot.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 3 Stars
RECOMMENDATIONS:
If you like this, try Spotless
*A corny yet entertaining Chicklit spy story*
The story stars Lexi Carmichael, a computer analyst for the NSA, whose biggest problem is avoiding blind dates set up by her mother. That is until Lexi tries to help out a friend and ends up in the middle of some international intrigue.
The story isn’t anything groundbreaking. It was entertaining, but simple. It did start to drag towards the end. There was a plethora of hot, mysterious guys which is nice on the one hand, for aesthetic reasons. But on the other, it lacked focus because none of them had much character development (mostly due to trying to keep them mysterious), and I had no idea whether I was supposed to root for any of them to develop a relationship with the main character. Maybe that is something that is developed more in the rest of the series.
One of my dislikes about this book is due to a personal pet peeve: the author’s use of punctuation. She never uses the Oxford comma! That drives me nuts! And it was so noticeable, because she frequently included lists. Moffett also often left out the commas on compound sentences as well. Yes, yes, I am that person who can be a total grammar snob. I don’t care what the Twitter-deadened masses want; use correct punctuation, you heavens!
Another issue I had with No One Lives Twice was that Lexi is an extremely insecure heroine who nonetheless is swarmed by hot guys. I get that Lexi lacks confidence, but her self-image is pretty toxic. She constantly compares herself to her former-beauty queen mother. And despite being 5’11” and only 134 pounds (definitely underweight!), she is always dieting, worrying about her weight, and chastising herself for every food indulgence. And it isn’t like the author was making any points about self-acceptance. Her character’s insecurities are reinforced. I’m tired of the same old toxic tropes – particularly when it comes to gorgeous women who don’t know they are gorgeous, and refuse to accept it, and need men to constantly reassure them. Yuck.
Other small grievances include her claim that less than 5% of Americans even know the NSA exists and factual errors about martial arts. There were some other things along those lines, but those were the two that stuck out the most. I have my doubts about all of the computer and hacking info too.
The story was entertaining enough, but so rough around the edges. I haven’t decided whether or not I’ll check out the sequel. These are probably fine if you want the coziest possible spy story, but they do lack realism and depth.
Oh, it’s published by Harlequin… that explains a lot.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 3 Stars
RECOMMENDATIONS:
If you like this, try Spotless
September 3, 2010
*Reviewed for NetGalley*
At 25, Lexi Carmichael leads a quiet life. She uses her prodigious computer skills to virtually chase and trap hackers for the NSA then goes home to enjoy her only vices, Dunkin Donuts and Diet Coke.
The sudden appearance of threatening armed thugs, a mysterious document, and a missing best friend plunges Lexi into a vortex of secrets and lies forcing her to step into the real world.
No One Lives Twice is a light mystery whose strength lies with an original plot that provides plenty of suprises. There is an intriguing mix of corporate greed and bioethics complicated by terrorism and international espionage, not exactly subjects you would expect to find in this genre. All of this seriousness though is tempered by a sense of humor and romantic entanglement. The book is tightly plotted and as such the story flows well. No One Lives Twice is also well paced, sustaining the mystery and tension to the conclusion. There is also a
There were some flaws in characterisation that niggled though. I can buy that Lexi wanted to protect her best friend and so was relunctant to get officials involved, turning her back on the NSA. What I have more trouble with is that she makes almost no use of her own skills. Any decent geek would have booted up their laptop and run online searches for the missing Bastia or at least run some basic background checks on what she does find out. She also has brothers who are a police detective and journalist respectively but doesn't reach out to them even after being nearly abducted. I think it's unlikely that a techno-geek would be without a mobile phone just to avoid their mother and I don't think much of her anti hacker skills if she can't at least follow the basics of what the Zimmerman twins and Slash are doing. Despite all those inconsistencies, Lexi is likeable, resourceful and entertaining.
Lexi is not sure who to trust among the supporting characters. The Zimmerman Twins, who love a challenge, are friends, but Slash, a legendary hacker, has secrets of his own. Finn got Bastia involved in the mess to start with and Lars isn't telling her everything he knows. Lexi's sudden status as a stud magnet is a bit inexplicable but it is part of the fun. There is certainly lots of potential amongst the characters for building a series.
No One Lives Twice is an entertaining read, carried by a clever plot and could be a fun new series addition to the light mystery genre.
http://bookdout.wordpress.com/2010/09...
At 25, Lexi Carmichael leads a quiet life. She uses her prodigious computer skills to virtually chase and trap hackers for the NSA then goes home to enjoy her only vices, Dunkin Donuts and Diet Coke.
The sudden appearance of threatening armed thugs, a mysterious document, and a missing best friend plunges Lexi into a vortex of secrets and lies forcing her to step into the real world.
No One Lives Twice is a light mystery whose strength lies with an original plot that provides plenty of suprises. There is an intriguing mix of corporate greed and bioethics complicated by terrorism and international espionage, not exactly subjects you would expect to find in this genre. All of this seriousness though is tempered by a sense of humor and romantic entanglement. The book is tightly plotted and as such the story flows well. No One Lives Twice is also well paced, sustaining the mystery and tension to the conclusion. There is also a
There were some flaws in characterisation that niggled though. I can buy that Lexi wanted to protect her best friend and so was relunctant to get officials involved, turning her back on the NSA. What I have more trouble with is that she makes almost no use of her own skills. Any decent geek would have booted up their laptop and run online searches for the missing Bastia or at least run some basic background checks on what she does find out. She also has brothers who are a police detective and journalist respectively but doesn't reach out to them even after being nearly abducted. I think it's unlikely that a techno-geek would be without a mobile phone just to avoid their mother and I don't think much of her anti hacker skills if she can't at least follow the basics of what the Zimmerman twins and Slash are doing. Despite all those inconsistencies, Lexi is likeable, resourceful and entertaining.
Lexi is not sure who to trust among the supporting characters. The Zimmerman Twins, who love a challenge, are friends, but Slash, a legendary hacker, has secrets of his own. Finn got Bastia involved in the mess to start with and Lars isn't telling her everything he knows. Lexi's sudden status as a stud magnet is a bit inexplicable but it is part of the fun. There is certainly lots of potential amongst the characters for building a series.
No One Lives Twice is an entertaining read, carried by a clever plot and could be a fun new series addition to the light mystery genre.
http://bookdout.wordpress.com/2010/09...
July 24, 2025
Funny, clever, engaging, and sassy. Totally enjoyable.
June 6, 2017
Read books 1 and 2, won't read more.
This series was kind of fun and easy to read, but also disappointing. Probably because of the description and my own expectations.
The description made me think it was a serious smart girl hacker kicking ass.
The actual reality is a chick lit kind of book where the heroine bumbles around and has excruciatingly embarrassing mishaps around the hero/es. Think Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series.
I lost patience with that type of clownish heroine long ago.
She also is purportedly good at her job, based on the other characters' reactions to her, but there isn't much sign of it. She can't seem to accomplish much on her own, constantly needs manly help (even in her tech domain), and seems to just stumble onto whatever she accomplishes by sheer dumb luck.
For actually satisfying books about smart weird geek girls who are awesome at what they do, check out Nora Roberts' The Witness (one of my all-time favorites) and Penny Reid's Neanderthal Seeks Human. Reading this series definitely created the urge for me to go reread those because they did it right.
P. S. Also, how I dislike love triangles.
This series was kind of fun and easy to read, but also disappointing. Probably because of the description and my own expectations.
The description made me think it was a serious smart girl hacker kicking ass.
The actual reality is a chick lit kind of book where the heroine bumbles around and has excruciatingly embarrassing mishaps around the hero/es. Think Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series.
I lost patience with that type of clownish heroine long ago.
She also is purportedly good at her job, based on the other characters' reactions to her, but there isn't much sign of it. She can't seem to accomplish much on her own, constantly needs manly help (even in her tech domain), and seems to just stumble onto whatever she accomplishes by sheer dumb luck.
For actually satisfying books about smart weird geek girls who are awesome at what they do, check out Nora Roberts' The Witness (one of my all-time favorites) and Penny Reid's Neanderthal Seeks Human. Reading this series definitely created the urge for me to go reread those because they did it right.
P. S. Also, how I dislike love triangles.
January 30, 2022
I liked it.
I won’t deny I rolled my eyes several times as it was a bit cheesy in bit.
Oh woe as me, I’m just a geek girl and no body likes me, except the hot Italian NSA agent, or the billionaire Irishman who was working for MI6 or the super geeky and just like me computer nerd. (Not to mention the other NSA agent drooling over me that I barely put up with). Whatever shall I do?
I’ll be honest I vote for the billionaire Irish man but that’s just me.
I prefer books with one man guy have two even three is a bit much.
Lexi is an interesting main character and I w really liked her thinking for the first part of the book and then she went rogue … not really in line with her character and not trusting people even after they proved who they were … eh.
I’m curious where it goes.
I won’t deny I rolled my eyes several times as it was a bit cheesy in bit.
Oh woe as me, I’m just a geek girl and no body likes me, except the hot Italian NSA agent, or the billionaire Irishman who was working for MI6 or the super geeky and just like me computer nerd. (Not to mention the other NSA agent drooling over me that I barely put up with). Whatever shall I do?
I’ll be honest I vote for the billionaire Irish man but that’s just me.
I prefer books with one man guy have two even three is a bit much.
Lexi is an interesting main character and I w really liked her thinking for the first part of the book and then she went rogue … not really in line with her character and not trusting people even after they proved who they were … eh.
I’m curious where it goes.
September 23, 2015
I loved this book!!
Why is Julie Moffett not famous?
I have enjoyed Janet Evanovich's number series, but No One Lives Twice was more satisfying to me because it has a more organized plot and more intelligent characters. Main character Lexie is a tech person for a government agency, who goes from a ho-hum life to landing in the middle of an international crime. Sexy men with cool personalities need to work with her and seem to fall a little bit in love.
If you want humor, adventure, sparkly new unfulfilled romantic feelings and likable company, you won't go wrong here.
I am going to have to pace myself with this series.
Why is Julie Moffett not famous?
I have enjoyed Janet Evanovich's number series, but No One Lives Twice was more satisfying to me because it has a more organized plot and more intelligent characters. Main character Lexie is a tech person for a government agency, who goes from a ho-hum life to landing in the middle of an international crime. Sexy men with cool personalities need to work with her and seem to fall a little bit in love.
If you want humor, adventure, sparkly new unfulfilled romantic feelings and likable company, you won't go wrong here.
I am going to have to pace myself with this series.
December 19, 2022
This book will keep you guessing.
Math nerd Lexi Carmichael used to live a quiet, boring life. But, then her best friend disappears and Lexi will stop at nothing to find her and make sure she is safe. So, goodbye to boring but safe life.
Now, Lexi has all sorts of men forcing their way into her life. Some pull guns on her, others try and wine and dine her. While others rescue her. Or try too. Lexi's life is no longer boring.
I enjoyed this book even though it was slow going, to begin with. Luckily, it speeds up for an intense, exciting ending.
Math nerd Lexi Carmichael used to live a quiet, boring life. But, then her best friend disappears and Lexi will stop at nothing to find her and make sure she is safe. So, goodbye to boring but safe life.
Now, Lexi has all sorts of men forcing their way into her life. Some pull guns on her, others try and wine and dine her. While others rescue her. Or try too. Lexi's life is no longer boring.
I enjoyed this book even though it was slow going, to begin with. Luckily, it speeds up for an intense, exciting ending.
July 14, 2016
geeky woman takes on the CIA, FBI, MI6, terrorists to save her best friend. highly unlikely but amusing thriller.
February 12, 2025
What a fun, intense and entertaining book. Meet our heroine 25-year-old Lexi Carmichael - a self-proclaimed Geek (former hacker, now working at the NSA), funny, clever and pretty (just not in her eyes). On her way to her parents' house for another disastrous blind date, she is accosted and man-handled by a man demanding her to give him the papers that her best friend Basia sent her. As she fears for her life, she'd gladly give him what he wants, except she doesn't have a clue as to what that is!! And thus, she is drawn into a complicated series of international investigation and intrigue! As she traverses the pitfalls of staying out of danger and flying bullets ... she meets several interesting people - but who's side are they on? And can she trust herself not to fall for their quick lines and false praises? This was a good spy story without quite the intensity of Cotton Malone or Mitch Rapp, but equally complicated, and inviting!
September 1, 2023
J’ai choisi un peu au hasard ce tome, et j’ai vraiment été ravie de plonger dans ce cosy mystery très sympathique. Le seul point qui m’a un peu perdue au départ, ce sont tous les termes informatique, il faut dire que c’est ma bête noire. Pourtant, une fois que Lexi se lance sur les traces de son amie Basia, j’ai fait abstraction et j’ai plongé avec un réal plaisir.
Lexi notre heroine ou plutôt une anti héroïne, car elle n’a rien d’extraordinaire. Un physique passe-partout qui la désespere, une véritable geek passionnée par les mathématiques et qui essaye d’éviter les pièges de sa mère pour la caser. Mais, elle a une qualité : celle de ne jamais abandonner ceux qu’elle aime et lorsque sa meilleure amie l’appelle au secours, elle ne va pas hésiter une seule seconde.
D’une petite vie banale, elle va se retrouver au milieu d’un complot où elle va se retrouver avec un terroristes aux trousses ainsi que de nombreuses agences gouvernementales. C’est enlevé, très rythmé et non dépourvu d’humour grâce à Lexi et sa franchise.
Lexi notre heroine ou plutôt une anti héroïne, car elle n’a rien d’extraordinaire. Un physique passe-partout qui la désespere, une véritable geek passionnée par les mathématiques et qui essaye d’éviter les pièges de sa mère pour la caser. Mais, elle a une qualité : celle de ne jamais abandonner ceux qu’elle aime et lorsque sa meilleure amie l’appelle au secours, elle ne va pas hésiter une seule seconde.
D’une petite vie banale, elle va se retrouver au milieu d’un complot où elle va se retrouver avec un terroristes aux trousses ainsi que de nombreuses agences gouvernementales. C’est enlevé, très rythmé et non dépourvu d’humour grâce à Lexi et sa franchise.
October 3, 2023
Another damsel in distress series, super geeky female protagonist finds herself in situations needing to save someone or something and ends up getting saved herself by hottest guys just waiting for her all this while.. typical things female authors write about for mystery fiction.. over the top handsome guys, best in their line of work, cute female protagonist who’s had a bad dating life and can eat donuts all the time yet remain fit without working out and suddenly seemed to be chased by those hot guys in such series.
Better than the Stephanie plum series, I’ll give this series a read as and when I feel like I’ve to come up from a rut and need just nonsense to clean my brain over some other cringy romance novel.
Better than the Stephanie plum series, I’ll give this series a read as and when I feel like I’ve to come up from a rut and need just nonsense to clean my brain over some other cringy romance novel.
February 9, 2018
This was a great book. I loved the character of Lexi Carmichael. A spunky geek chic who unknowingly gets involved in a high stakes situation when her best friend disappears. Throw in a couple of hot guys that seem to want to protect her and you've got a great story. Lexi, an NSA agent, working at a desk job considers her life very boring until she hears a message from her best friend and receives a package in the mail. Then everything starts happening at once. People breaking into her apartment, people trying to kill her, who knew life could be so scary and exhilarating at the same time.
May 25, 2018
This book was AWESOME!!!! I found it extremely hard to put down, and I excited to get started on the next book in this series......
Lexi Carmichael, what can I say?? This girl has guts. Out to help her friend that has gone into hiding, she runs into all kinds of trouble, some good some not so good. She has trouble trying to figure out who she can trust.
All the characters are so well written and so much fun.....
Lexi Carmichael, what can I say?? This girl has guts. Out to help her friend that has gone into hiding, she runs into all kinds of trouble, some good some not so good. She has trouble trying to figure out who she can trust.
All the characters are so well written and so much fun.....
January 20, 2018
Perfection.
January 6, 2019
This was a very light, funny, action-packed ride with a little bit of romance.
This is a nice beach read flavor.
Great reading for some surprise me time.
This is a nice beach read flavor.
Great reading for some surprise me time.
April 24, 2019
My first book by this author. Very much a Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum vibe. Not my favorite style of writing, but I stuck with it. A bit wordy at times but a good read nonetheless. I’ll probably seek out the second in the series.
February 24, 2020
I tried and couldn't finish it. The main character is your cliche beautiful girl but has no idea and can't figure out why guys keep wanting her, she's sooo clumsy (authors, quit doing this!), is a computer hacker for the NSA but doesn't own a cell phone, and acts too chummy with the bad guys threatening to kill her.
December 18, 2022
Lexi Carmichael is a computer geek working for NSA. She has a few really good friends and likes her life the way it is (except when her mom is trying to fix her up). Unfortunately, her world gets shaken up when her best friend Basia sends her some papers that several low life thugs are very interested in. When she is unable to get in touch with Basia, Lexi turns to her master hacker friends, Elvis and Xavier Zimmerman to help her figure out what to do. Soon Lexi's boring life is filled with excitement, danger and handsome men. This book is all about the mystery/suspense but there are several possible love interests for Lexi. I recommend this book and look forward to seeing what comes next.
Read
December 23, 2022you really need to take into accound when this was written. Lexi's attitude (and thus the author's) towards being a "geek girl" was really annoying, until i found out it was written in 1995 and not published until 2010. that being said... even before, i was in love with this book! the international intregue, the brilliant (and sexy) cast of characters, it was everything i was hoping for. this is definitley the heroine we need.
April 22, 2015
The Lexi Carmichael mystery series is my favourite book series. It has action, it has humour. Lexi is a strong woman who gets herself in over her head and has to muddle her way out again. She doesn't have the skills of a secret agent, but she makes up for it with her determination. Especially when it comes to saving her best friend from danger.
Lexi is funny, Lexi is smart, Lexi is not so comfortable in social situations. I suppose I identify with her so strongly because she is a lot like me. I identify with the logical way she tries to analyze life...and with the way her logic falls short when applied to people.
The supporting characters in this book are fantastic. You have Basia, Lexi's polar opposite and miraculously, her best friend, loyal to a fault.
Then there are the Zimmerman twins, Xavier (who is in love with Basia) and Elvis who has a thing for the clueless Lexi and is too shy to confess his feelings. The twins have a special place in my heart because they are oddball geniuses. They make no excuses for their eccentricities or compromises. Not to mention they're brilliant, and Elvis in particular is willing to do anything for Lexi, there when she needs him.
Sexy Irish lawyer, Finn, is a dynamic character whose personality and involvement gets revealed a bit at a time as the book unfolds. I loved every new facet, and the manner of delivery kept me on my toes. I did not see the twist coming near the end.
My favourite romantic interest is sexy, dangerous Italian-American uberhacker Slash. He is mysterious, he is capable, and yet he can't manage to stay on top of Lexi. I love that she keeps him on his toes, baffles him in the same way he does her. He is another multi-layered character who can't be figured out in one go.
Even the lesser characters held me in thrall. Lexi's bubbly, matchmaking mother, her parents' ex-physicist cook, Lexi's next door neighbour Jan and her autistic son Jamie. Julie Moffett does a fantastic job of weaving details and fully fleshed peripheral characters into the story.
And that story, it is action packed. Lexi is kept running as she mystery a little bit at a time, leading to a final showdown. And throughout this action, it is all sprinkled with copious amounts of humour and Lexi's riveting voice.
If you're a stickler for passive voice, you'll find it takes a little while to get into the rhythm of the story. But once you're invested, you won't notice as much and forgive those little slights.
If I had a physical copy of this book, it would be dog-eared on every page, I have read through it so many times. Whenever I look for a "happy" read that will keep me smiling and buoy my spirits, I turn to this book (and its sequels!). Julie Moffett has turned me into a fan for life.
Lexi is funny, Lexi is smart, Lexi is not so comfortable in social situations. I suppose I identify with her so strongly because she is a lot like me. I identify with the logical way she tries to analyze life...and with the way her logic falls short when applied to people.
The supporting characters in this book are fantastic. You have Basia, Lexi's polar opposite and miraculously, her best friend, loyal to a fault.
Then there are the Zimmerman twins, Xavier (who is in love with Basia) and Elvis who has a thing for the clueless Lexi and is too shy to confess his feelings. The twins have a special place in my heart because they are oddball geniuses. They make no excuses for their eccentricities or compromises. Not to mention they're brilliant, and Elvis in particular is willing to do anything for Lexi, there when she needs him.
Sexy Irish lawyer, Finn, is a dynamic character whose personality and involvement gets revealed a bit at a time as the book unfolds. I loved every new facet, and the manner of delivery kept me on my toes. I did not see the twist coming near the end.
My favourite romantic interest is sexy, dangerous Italian-American uberhacker Slash. He is mysterious, he is capable, and yet he can't manage to stay on top of Lexi. I love that she keeps him on his toes, baffles him in the same way he does her. He is another multi-layered character who can't be figured out in one go.
Even the lesser characters held me in thrall. Lexi's bubbly, matchmaking mother, her parents' ex-physicist cook, Lexi's next door neighbour Jan and her autistic son Jamie. Julie Moffett does a fantastic job of weaving details and fully fleshed peripheral characters into the story.
And that story, it is action packed. Lexi is kept running as she mystery a little bit at a time, leading to a final showdown. And throughout this action, it is all sprinkled with copious amounts of humour and Lexi's riveting voice.
If you're a stickler for passive voice, you'll find it takes a little while to get into the rhythm of the story. But once you're invested, you won't notice as much and forgive those little slights.
If I had a physical copy of this book, it would be dog-eared on every page, I have read through it so many times. Whenever I look for a "happy" read that will keep me smiling and buoy my spirits, I turn to this book (and its sequels!). Julie Moffett has turned me into a fan for life.
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