When all the girls have gone

Review by Booklist Review

*Starred Review* Private investigator Max Cutler doesn't believe in coincidences. Daniel Flint has hired Max to investigate the suspicious death of his cousin, Louise. Max is just beginning to go through Louise's apartment when Charlotte Sawyer calls to see if she might drop by. Before she died, Louise mailed a package to Jocelyn Pruitt, Charlotte's stepsister. Since Jocelyn is away on a retreat, Charlotte has been taking care of her apartment, and when she finds the package, Charlotte wonders if it might shed some light on Louise's death. What Max and Charlotte discover after opening the package about Louise's death makes them fear that Charlotte's stepsister, Jocelyn, may be in grave danger. With its fast-paced plot spiked with unexpected twists and plenty of danger, snappy writing infused with tart wit, and a captivating pair of protagonists who could give Bogart and Bacall a run for their money when it comes to creating sexual sparks, Krentz's latest superbly written tale ticks off every box on a romantic-suspense fan's wish list.--Charles, John Copyright 2016 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

With this slow-paced book, Krentz (Secret Sisters) launches a romantic suspense series set in Seattle, where Max Cutler, a former profiler turned PI, moved to start his life over after burning out on the job. While investigating the mysterious death of Louise Flint, who belonged to a women's investment club, he encounters Charlotte Sawyer, whose stepsister, Jocelyn, another investor, also disappeared. Working together, they hope to both find Jocelyn and identify the culprit behind a decade-long rape and killing spree that started with a violent assault on Jocelyn while she was in college. The suspense story suffers from Krentz spending too much text introducing investment-club members in lieu of building ties between Charlotte and Max. It's also a setup for future books featuring Max's foster brothers, all of whom have a collective score to settle. Fortunately, the suspense picks up when Max and Charlotte realize they need to trust each other and work in close proximity to bring down the privileged villain. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Review by Library Journal Review

Fearing the worst when her stepsister's best friend is found dead and her stepsister, Jocelyn, can't be found, Charlotte Sawyer joins forces with FBI profiler-turned-PI Max Cutler. Max is investigating the crime for the dead woman's cousin, while Charlotte tries to make sense of a mystery that gets more complicated with every step. They are certain it was murder, no matter what the police think, and as the clues begin to mount, a pattern emerges that goes back years and is more deadly and convoluted than they'd thought. A cryptic message, an investment club with a secret agenda, a decades-old abuse scandal, and some seriously shady characters ramp up a fast-paced story with more than enough villainy to go around. VERDICT With her classic flair and skill, Krentz has crafted another intriguing, complex, humor-laced romance that will lure new readers and captivate her fans. Krentz (-Secret Sisters) lives in Seattle. © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

When her stepsister disappears, Charlotte teams up with a private investigator to find her only to discover years worth of deception and secrets.Charlotte Sawyer is pretty boring, so much so that her fiance left her days before their wedding. Focusing on her job as activities director at an active-retirement community and her strong relationshipsespecially with her stepsister, Jocelynhas helped get over the betrayal, but she still feels inadequate as a woman. Everything changes, however, when Jocelyns friend Louise turns up dead and Jocelyn disappears. Charlotte is taking care of her stepsisters mail and plants while shes ostensibly away on a retreat, so when a mysterious package comes from Louise and Charlotte follows up, she meets Max Cutler, a former FBI profiler who is starting his own private investigation business and has been hired to look into Louises death, which the police have ruled a drug overdose. Louises cousin thinks it might be murder, and Max is inclined to agree, especially when Charlotte shows up and they realize the retreat was a cover for Jocelyn to go off-grid. As they begin to dig into Jocelyns past, they find a file that indicates Jocelyn and Louise had been trying to track down a possible rapist and serial killer. Complicating matters, the two friends were part of a womens investment club which may be on the cusp of a big payout, and at least one member may be capable of committing murder in order to increase her own financial gains. Life is anything but boring with Max around, and his attraction to Charlotte soothes her feelings of inadequacy, but as they drill down on clues and danger rises at every turn, its not only Jocelyn they have to save. Krentz returns with an intricately plotted romantic suspense novel that satisfies on every level, includes some clever twists with the senior community, and may open the door for a sequel. A terrific read by a stellar author. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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***This excerpt is from an advance uncorrected copy proof*** Copyright © 2016 Jayne Ann Krentz Chapter One The killer waited patiently for the target to emerge from the cabin. There was no great rush, after all. The waiting allowed time to savor the prospect of revenge. It was rather pleasant sitting there, propped against a mossy tree, rifle at the ready. High summer in the Cascades was a very enjoyable time of year. True, the tourists clogged the narrow mountain roads and insisted on stopping at every lookout point to take photographs. They left their trash behind at the numerous picnic sites. But come fall they would be driven away by the heavy rains and high winds of the early storms. In winter snow would make the roads treacherous. In the meantime the warm, gentle breeze stirring the branches carried the scents of the trees and the vegetation that thrived in the short growing season. Now there was time to contemplate the past and all the injustices that could be laid at the feet of the man inside the cabin. While making preparations the killer had worried that when the moment finally arrived, there would be at least a few qualms. Instead there was only a great sense of certainty. The door of the cabin opened. Gordon Greenslade came out onto the porch. He had always been a good-looking man and he was aging well. His hair had turned an attractive silver-white, not dull gray. He was still lean and fit and his aquiline features had softened only a little. He had a mug of coffee in his hand. The killer recognized the mug. It was several years old, handmade and hand-painted. Like everything else in the rustic interior of the cabin, it was worn and faded. These days Greenslade used the cabin primarily for hunting and fishing and when he just wanted to get away from the pressures that came with being the town's leading citizen. He owned the company that was the second-largest employer in town--the college had taken first place in recent years. But more to the point, he owned the local politicians, the authorities of Loring College and a couple of state representatives. If the rumors were true, he also had at least one U.S. senator in his pocket. Everybody in Loring respected Gordon Greenslade and a lot of people owed him in one way or another. He was a rigid, self-righteous pillar of the community. But no one really liked him. It would be entertaining to see how much effort the police put into investigating his death. The killer rose and picked up the rifle. There was a clear line of sight. It would be easy to take the kill shot without being seen. But that would defeat the purpose. When you set out to walk the path of revenge you wanted your target to know who was pulling the trigger. The killer moved out into the clearing in front of the cabin. It took Gordon a moment to notice that he had company. When he did, he was startled, but only briefly. Irritation soon replaced the surprise. "What are you doing here?" he asked. The killer did not bother to respond. It was, after all, pretty damn obvious what was about to go down. Belatedly Greenslade realized the rifle was aimed at him. Rage and panic flashed across his face. He tried to retreat back into the cabin where he no doubt had a gun. But he didn't move fast enough. The bullet took him in the chest. A head shot would have been too easy because death would have been instantaneous. This way there would be time for the killer to watch the target bleed out; time for Greenslade to comprehend that this was all about revenge. The death of Gordon Greenslade was front-page news in the Loring Herald. There was genuine shock--Greenslade had, after all, been the biggest mover and shaker in town--but not a lot of genuine mourning. Still, everyone made a point of displaying the appropriate degree of respect for the deceased, because Gordon Greenslade's death had not changed the economic and political reality. The Greenslade family still controlled the second-largest employer in Loring and, indirectly, Loring's largest employer, the college. It existed solely because of the Greenslade endowment. The police did their job and conducted an investigation. But in the end they came to the conclusion that the killer had anticipated: Gordon Greenslade had been killed in an accident. The shooter had been hunting out of season and probably hadn't even been aware that his wild shot had killed a man. In any event, it was unlikely that the person who had pulled the trigger would ever be found. Everyone who lived in the area knew that the mountains were inherently dangerous. In the fall, heavy rains flooded the rivers to dangerous levels, sweeping away those who were unlucky enough to get caught in the rushing waters. Landslides blocked roads. Strong winds felled trees that could crush vehicles. In the winter, backcountry avalanches invariably took the lives of a few skiers and snowboarders every year. In the summer, it was inevitable that a hiker or two or three would fall into a crevasse or simply go missing forever. And hunting accidents happened all the time in the mountains. Excerpted from When All the Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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