เงาใจใต้ดวงตะวัน

Fortune Hunter #3

by Christina Dodd, สุดา วโนทยาโรจน์ (Translator)

เจเรไมอาห์ แมค หงุดหงิดหัวเสียที่ธนาคารพรีเมียร์เซ็นทรัลแห่งเมืองนิวส์ออร์ลีนของเขาถูกปล้นในช่วงเทศกาลมาร์ดิกราส์อยู่ได้ทุกปี โดย“กลุ่มโจรลูกปัด” ที่สวมหน้ากากและเรียกร้องเงินจำนวนน้อยนิด พร้อมกับให้คำแนะนำด้านแฟชั่นกับพนักงานธนาคาร! แถมนักสืบมืออาชีพที่เขาส่งไปหาข้อมูลก็กลับมาสำนักงานใหญ่ด้วยท่าทางเคลิ้มๆ ไม่เป็นตัวของตัวเอง เพราะเกิดไปหลงสเน่ห์ผู้หญิงคนนั้น...ไอโอเนสซา ดาห์ล...คนที่แมคคิดว่าเป็นผู้ต้องสงสัยช่วยเหลือกลุ่มโจร

แมค จึงจำเป็นต้องปลอมตัวไปเป็นผู้ตรวจสอบประกันภัยของธนาคาร และให้เธอมาเป็นผู้ช่วยเพื่อไขคดีกลุ่มโจรลูกปัดให้จงได้ โดยไม่แคร์สื่อและชาวบ้านที่ต่างชมชอบหัวใจดีงามของเธอ...ให้สมกับที่เขาเป็นวายร้ายใจโหด นายธนาคารหน้าเลือดตัวจริงเสียงจริง
กระทั่งเขาได้รู้ว่าเรื่องราวทั้งหมด ไม่ได้ง่ายดาย...และมีอันตรายกว่านั้น

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Mystery, Fiction

363 pages

First published March 4, 2008

About the author

Upcoming:
— 6/30/26 TEACH THE TORCHES TO BURN: Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #3 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

New and Now!
—MUCH ADO ABOUT MISTLETOE: Daughter of Montague Christmas novella https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— THUS WITH A KISS I DIE Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #2
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA Historical Fiction Trade Paperback Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
— WELCOME TO GOTHIC: A Gothic novella in ebook (at last!) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— WHAT DREAMS MAY COME Daughter of Montague novella 1.5 "I’m the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn’t die in the tomb…" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— GIRL ANONYMOUS “Crackling sexual chemistry and a few love scenes guaranteed to scorch readers’ fingers as they turn the pages." — ⭐️ Booklist
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Readers become writers, and Christina has always been a reader. Ultimately she discovered she liked to read romance best because the relationship between a man and a woman is always humorous. A woman wants world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants a Craftsman router, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will make his bald spot disappear.
When Christina’s first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?
Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before she was published. Now her suspense, paranormal, historical, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. Praised for her “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (Booklist), her award-winning books have landed on numerous Best of the Year lists and, much to her mother's delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where her 700 lavender plants share the yard with her husband’s various “Big Projects,” including a treehouse, zipline, and their very own Stonehenge.
Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list for humor, book news and entertainment (yes, she’s the proud author with the infamous three-armed cover) at christinadodd.com. For more information on A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA, visit daughterofmontague.com. Her legions of fans know that when they pick up a Christina Dodd book, they'll find the story, "Wildly entertaining, wickedly witty!"
Christina is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.

(Source: http://www.christinadodd.com )

Reviews

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so look forward to reading Christina. Great characters, compelling reads, and suspense well done.

[Thenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Nessa, a competent assistant bank manager who is living with her two eccentric elderly aunts, and Jeremiah, an investigator sent to the bank to uncover the identity of a duo of thieves who have been hitting banks during Mardi Gras for years.

Jeremiah is in fact the owner of the bank who is determined to catch the thieves and Nessa, who he is convinced is their accomplice, while Nessa is oblivious both of the thieves identity and of Jeremiah's, whom she has been holding a grudge against after being passed over for a promotion time and time again.

Turns out that the thieves are none other than Nessa's elderly aunts, who used their ill gotten gains to help people in need, but have now put Nessa in an impossible position that requires her to keep track of Jeremiah's investigation in an effort to keep them out of jail.

A story with its fair share of bank heists, kooky side characters and misunderstandings, that concludes in a moderately satisfying happily ever after, after Jeremiah, who had been a bit of an ass, takes a bullet protecting Nessa, who agrees to accept his offer of marriage and work through their issues together.

The book ends with a revelation about Gabriel, who is one of Jeremiah's newly discovered half brothers and the hero of the next book in the series, Danger in a Red Dress.

Previous book reviews:
✦ Tongue In Chic (Fortune Hunter, #2) ~ ★★★ (18/09/2017)
✦ Trouble in High Heels (Fortune Hunter, #1) ~ ★★★ (23/01/2013)

[Katherine 黄爱芬 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novel ini lucu lucu geblek yg mengisahkan ttg dua nenek buyut yg eksentrik yg mengasuh cucu buyut mereka, Neesa.

Masalahnya, Neesa yg bekerja di suatu bank, tetiba dirampok oleh penjahat yg menamakan Beaded Bandits. Jeremiah Mac adalah investigator yg menangani kasus ini. Dan selama menangani kasus ini Jeremiah yg mengaku sbg mantan gigolo malah kepincut dan merayu Neesa, malah sampai melamar Neesa yg juga mabok kepayang dgn si investigator seksi ini.

Seperti dihantam halilintar, saat Beaded Bandits beraksi kembali dgn menggunakan tikus² sbg pengalih perhatian, Neesa menyadari penjahat tsb adalah para bibi buyutnya. Dan tragisnya Jeremiah Mac sebenarnya adalah Mac MacNaught, pemilik misterius bank tempat Neesa bekerja. Dan ternyata ada musuh terselubung yg selama ini mengintai Jeremiah.

Walau awalnya plot berjalan lambat, mulai seru dan lucu setelah semuanya terjadi. Dua nenek² tsb super konyol dan super eksentrik kelakuan mereka. Mereka melakukan perampokan bank utk menolong tetangga mereka yg bencong utk implan payudara. Belum lagi ditambah teman² mereka yg sama² sudah tua dan sama² geblek juga. Sayangnya chemistry Neesa dan Mac jadi agak seperti kena turbulence gegara ketahuan para nenek² tsb adalah Beaded Bandits. Cuma agak bertele-tele juga penyelesaian konflik dan masalah mereka. Tapi buat hiburan, boljug nih novel.

[Julie (jjmachshev) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I buy a new book by Christina Dodd, I know it's going to be an enjoyable read. I like her historicals, and when she began contemporaries I was a little leery, but once I read one...I was hooked. Her latest "Thigh High" is an exciting blend of passionate romance, humor, and a light mystery to boot!

Nessa is a heroine to enjoy. She's always tried to do the right thing and her soft heart has really only let her down once. Since the death of her parents, she's lived with her eccentric aunts in one of New Orlean's famous Garden District houses. She struggles to help her aunts and try to keep up with the maintenance on the great house by working doggedly at a local bank for a real $itch of a boss all the employees call Stephabeast who hates Nessa.

Mac is a miserable, scarred businessman who lives for money and power. He's come to New Orleans to solve the mystery of the Beaded Bandits who rob one of his New Orleans banks for minimal amounts once a year during Mardi Gras. As far as he's concerned, it's not the amounts, it's the fact that it's stealing. No grey area here. He's also sure that Nessa MUST be involved.

Seeing these two together is like waiting and watching for the train wreck. You know it's gonna happen, it's just a matter of time. And man...is it sizzling once it does!! They're both lying to each other and each is trying to negotiate their way through a relationship.

I enjoyed Nessa and Mac. I loved the Beaded Bandits. The live-in transvestite was a hoot and I could almost feel the electricity of Mardi Gras. The ending left the probability of a follow-on book and I can hardly wait!

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+++++ stars! Absolutely a wonderful book. Set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, more romance than suspense with a horrid wicked boss that will have you heaping voodoo curses on her head.

Nessa is trying to get her two great-aunts and their elderly cook to slow down. Since Nessa went to college they have turned their Garden District historical home into a boarding house. Nessa has slaved as assistant manager at a bank for seven years since graduation in the hopes of a promotion to get the borders out of their home. For the last 4 years the Beaded Bandits have robbed a branch of Nessa's bank during Mardi Gras and the owner of the bank has decided that Nessa is involved. Mac is tried of it and is taking matters into his own hands. He shows up as insurance investigator, Jeremiah, to do his own investigation and nail Nessa for the robberies. Of course, they fall in lust and it is wonderful to read how they make their way to true love and solve the mystery of the Beaded Bandits.

[Shelita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to any stories about Mac's brothers. And as usual I never figure the mystery aspect!!!! I can't even solve a Scooby Doo mystery so it's a good thing I'm not a PI or something.

I loved Nessa's extended family and friends. I hope Georgia gets her own story too.

[Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It had some good page-turning scenes. I also liked twisting turns towards the end and how everything is solved. I get both sides and like the spunk and humor. The aunts are great too. This book had emotions, suspense, humor, twists and turns, and some great characters. I would definitely read this book again. It's staying on the shelf. Enjoy

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thigh High (Fortune Hunter, #3)
by Christina Dodd

In Philadelphia, Jeremiah "Mac" MacNaught is stunned by the behavior of his professional investigator appointed to investigate the bank robberies happening during Mardi Gras in his New Orleans bank branches by the "Beaded Bandids". The staid Reed seems totally entranced as he explains how he danced with Ionessa "Nessa" Dahl, who works at the bank and who happens to be one of the prime suspects behind these robberies. Mac decide its time to go to New Orleans himself and find out who is robbing his banks every year. Mac suspects that Nessa is behind the crimes and in order to prove his theory, he will go undercover masquerading as an insurance investigator. But he has another purpose - he's obesessed with Nessa.

Nessa Dahl works at the bank. She made one error many years ago, but she hopes that her hard work, dedication, and success will overcome that indiscretion and she will finally get a promotion she's been waiting for. She will be appointed to assist "Mac" and we get to learn more about Nessa and her two eccentric elderly aunts.

I generally liked the story and it was well written but I had some issues with the plot:
1. Turns out that the "Beaded Bandids" are two women who rob a bank, so they could help people who need money. Justifying robbing banks for good causes just does not sit well with me. It still is a crime, no matter how cute the author tried to make the robberies! Couldn't they find more better/honest way to help the people in their community?
2. The hero, Mac is the least appealing "hero" you can think of. He was cold and just plain mean. He tell lies and hides his identity most of the time. He blackmails the heroine. He treats her badly. He thought Nessa was a liar and thief but still lusting after her. I didn't buy his I-have-been-betrayed-and-can't-trust-anyone attitude. The more I had to read hero's pov, the sicker it got. He was a jerk and I was hoping Nessa would tell him where to go and not look back!

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good romance, but not 5 stars worth. Dodd is an enjoyable author and I have read many of her books. Some are better than others. In this one, Jeremiah MacNaught owns the bank that Nessa Dahl works in. There are several branches of the bank in New Orleans and many of them have been robbed - one of them, once a year during Mardi Gras. The amount of money is low, the most was around $1200. Yet, Mac is determined to find out who the "Beaded Bandits" are! He sends a private investigator to New Orleans but he comes back half in love with Nessa and sure that she is completely innocent. Mac however is sure that she's guilty (not sure why) and goes to New Orleans to investigate her himself. Mac and Nessa are instantly "aware" of each other and when the jealous bank manager locks them in the bank vault over night, all passion breaks loose (for too many pages!).

SPOILER ALERT! DON'T READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE ENDING!





Everything becomes much more difficult for Nessa when she realizes that the "Beaded Bandits" are really her great aunts. Another complication is that one of her aunts borders hates Mac and wants to kill him. All is resolved happily when Mac gets shot and he and Nessa confess their love for each other.

[Teresa Medeiros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed all of Christina Dodd's contemps but I think this is one of her best. Not only are Nessa and Mac a lot of fun but the cast of secondary characters (including the eccentric aunts and boarders--especially Pootie) are just delightful. They don't interrupt the romance or the suspense but actually enhance it. I also liked the theme of setting the book in New Orleans during the time of its rebirth because that theme echoes through the story and its characters, giving everyone the hope of a happy ending. Nessa and Mac are a very sexy duo! Nessa is essentially a decent woman you could truly relate to as a heroine and I loved Mac as the perfect "wounded billionaire" hero who needs someone to thaw his icy heart. The action scenes are also amazing and very cinematic. Overall, this is a wonderful effort and I highly recommend it!

[Surveysdonna · Rating 1 out of 5]

It started off pretty decent then went downhill fast. The characters were unlikeable and very one-dimensional. Events that should be somewhat devastating played off much too light. Getting mugged? Or locked in a bank vault? Or finding out your great-aunts are robbers? Meh, no biggie. Have a cookie! It's all good! I half-expected some of the absurd characters, Clarisa and Hestia (?) - see? I just finished reading it and I've already forgotten the names - to wink at the book, like they do in movies. That's how ridiculous this whole book was.

Oh, and Stephabeast? Really? What a clever nickname! Sigh.

[Waverly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The scrooge of this story is painted in black strokes... and the hero. That is pretty much the reason why the "happily ever after" doesn't work for me this time. I can handle a certain amount of being a jerk, out of awkwardness (see Jane Austen's Darcy) but Mac is pretty solidly a power-hungry, paranoid jerk. Oh well. The New Orleans aspect of the story was engaging, and I felt for the downtrodden heroine, as well as the indomitable great aunts who rally support from their boarders and friends. But it'd be a lot happier if Mac was kicked to the curb, and someone better earned Nessa's heart.

[Nancy Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A contemporary romance set in post-Katrina New Orleans finds a CEO/insurance investigator trying to get to the bottom of a series of Mardi Gras bank robberies. His main suspect is one of his own bank employees, a very sensual, beautiful woman he has only viewed on the video tapes of the crimes. Enter lust and love while Jeremiah and Nessa attempt to solve the "Beaded Bandits" crime spree of small bank robberies plaguing his bank. Can he find the thief? Can she learn to trust again after being lied to long ago? Will love prevail in this romantic suspense novel?

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hero is a curmudgeonly bank president. Heroine is a sweet bank exec--but not a manager--in New Orleans, where hero's banks get robbed of specific amounts every Mardi Gras by what appear to be cross-dressing robbers. He's convinced it's the heroine who is at least masterminding the robberies, and after several years of them, he comes to New Orleans to prove it. And gets swept into the heroine's circle and the Southern tradition. It's a fun read with a good mystery.

[Lea Bookjoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh a romance with the perfect ingredients : a funny and smart heroine with a crazy family, an alpha control maniac hero with some dark past, mysterious robberies and all that in New Orleans <3
I confess that I can't wait to learn more about the hot badass Gabriel, about the main plot with the mysterious disappearance of Nathan Mainly (and I would have liked to have the story of the best friend of Nessa and the sexy Cajun =))

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is FUNNY! With a cast of zany characters, the heroine is beloved in post-Katrina New Orleans, and the hero suspects she is robbing his banks. During Mardi Gras, Laissez le bon temps rouler!

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book up to a point, but man the hero was an asshole at the end of the book (not just an alpha male/jerk. I couldn't believe that Nessa forgave him.

[Valen · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first I was really enjoying it and then it just fell apart for me. There was something lacking and something wrong. I'm sorry.. It was okay though, I did enjoy some parts of it. :)

[Lina · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! I love this book and as it can be expected i wasn't dissapointed from Christina Dodd!

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nessa Dahl is a born and bred New Orleans belle with a head on her shoulders and unmet ambition. She has been an assistant bank manager for 7 years for two reasons: an early misjudgment in her career and a jealous manager who enjoys tormenting her and assuming credit for her successes.

Mac MacNaught is the CEO of Premier Central Banks (including Nessa’s.) He hates thieves and is particularly incensed by Beaded Bandits who strike each year at one of his banks during Mardi Gras. They don’t take much, but they waltz into one of his branches, bedecked in Mardi Gras finery, and dance out with impunity. Mac has his eye on Nessa as the mastermind. She knows everyone, has worked in his bank since before the first robbery, and branch manager Stephanie always manages to color Nessa with suspicion.

Mac comes to New Orleans in the role of insurance inspector and sets up in Nessa’s branch. The annual robbery occurs, but not with the results he expects. Humor, frustration, quirky characters with charm abound in this title. It is part of Dodd’s Fortune Hunter series, but none of the characters I’ve read in the series are fortune hunters. A good series with rewarding romance. Recommended.

Readalikes:
Jayne Ann Krentz’s Cutler, Sutter & Salinas series; Fern Michaels – Annie’s Rainbow; Paige Tyler – To Love a Wolf; Nora Roberts - Under Currents; Julie Garwood – Wired; Jayne Ann Krentz – Untouchable; Sandra Brown – Sting; Linda Howard – The Woman Left Behind; Heather Graham – The Summoning; Karen Robards – Shattered.

Pace: Fast
Characters: Quirky; likeable;
Story: Intricately plotted
Writing style: Engaging
Tone: Steamy; humor
Frame: Philadelphia, New Orleans; contemporary
Theme: Enemies to lovers

[Linda George · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best books that I have read lately. I even wanted to keep riding my stationary bike longer to extend my reading time. Jeremiah MacNaught comes to Mardi Gras New Orleans undercover as an investigator to solve a series of bank robberies by the infamous Beaded Bandits even though the amounts stolen were small. He suspects Ionessa Dahl of being involved in the crimes and sets up his office in the bank where she works and tags her as his liason with the police and community. The attraction is immediate and neither of them welcomes it, but they cannot resist despite his belief that she is guilty and her mistrust of anyone who works for the bank owner Mr. MacNaught. In the middle of all this are Ness's great aunts, the elderly women who raised her and who are society leaders. In order to maintain their aging mansion, they have taken in boarders. There are many plot twists and turns including Jeremiah and Nessa getting locked in the vault! I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!!

[Wayward Daughter · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not good. The writing was fine; a bit too much side character development for me. The chemistry between the two mains was so lacking it was distracting. Like, they fell in love and there was practically no build up. He was obsessed with her because…? She was beautiful? He saw her on a security video? Like why was he so bent on bedding her, it just didn’t make sense. Their relationship, if you could call it that, was so rushed and boring. I don’t know why this author was given a thumbs up as a good romance writer. I had to force myself to finish the book and I had to get stoned to do it. I actually skipped a bunch of it because I just didn’t care what happened. Also, the love scenes were so incredibly lacking and felt like nothing. That’s what this is; a nothing book that has completely turned me off of this author. Won’t read anything else by Christina Dodd.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the premise of this book. Mac is one obnoxious male; however, it becomes understandable as the story goes on why he behaves the way he does. Nessa appears to be a kind, generous woman. Yet she has trust issues that cause her to behave poorly. It was interesting to watch these two interact.

I was wondering why this was a series of four books. None of the characters or storylines have anything in common. However, they do - all of the make characters are illegitimate children of Nathan Manly. They all know their father, but they never knew about each other. Nathan and all the money from his company have completely disappeared. I hope in the next/last book we find out what happened.

[Kelly Couture · Rating 2 out of 5]

I seldom write reviews. Too lazy. But this one I had to. I love Ms Dodd’s books but when you write about a city, be sure to know the city. I’m from New Orleans and there were quite a few inaccuracies. The first black mayor was elected before Hurricane Katrina. We have street cars not cable cars. It’s little things like this that really bug me. There were others that I can’t think of off the top of my head. Also makes me wonder what inconsistencies are in her other books.

And the storyline was absolutely implausible. The FBI not caring about serial bank robbers?! Everyone in costume for weeks during Mardi Gras?

[Kanyarat Phophum · Rating 4 out of 5]

เนื้อเรื่องนี้สนุกมากๆ พระเอกมาสืบหาคนร้ายที่ปล้นธนาค���รถึงแม้จะปล้นเงินไม่มากแต่ไม่กี่พันดอลล่าแต่ปล้นทุกปี พระเอกมีปมเรื่องคนขโมยมาก่อน เพราะพ่อเขา เลยเกลียดขโมยมากๆ โดยปลอมตัวเป็นผู้ตรวจสอบและเขาสงสัยว่านางเอกเป็นคนร้าย ระหว่างสืบก็ได้รู้ว่านางเอกเป็นคนมีน้ำใจ และหลงรักนางเอก จนกระทั่งมีการปล้นธนาคารอีกครั้งและนางเอกรู้ว่าย่าของเธอ เป็นโจรเลยปกปิดให้ แต่สุดท้ายพระเอกก็รู้เลยทำให้ทั้งสองคนโกรธกัน จนมีคนร้ายสวมรอยย่านางเอกเข้าเรื่องเลยคลีคลาย มามาดีกันเพราะมีคนร้ายคนหนึ่งจับนางเอกเป็นตัวประกัน พระเอกถูกยิง สองคนเลยดีกันและหมั้นกัน

[Susan Clair Holt]

Thigh High

The Beaded Bandits rob Central Bank every year during Mardi Gras taking a small amount of money and giving fashion advice. The owner comes to New Orleans posing as an insurance investigator and his prime suspect is Nessa Dahl. She's from and old and respected family and lives with her 2 great aunts. The aunts are the Beaded Bandits but someone is copycatting them and shot up one of the banks so they are released. Mac Nessa realize when she is being held hostage that they both have issues but truly love each other.

[Robinn Yu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another guy that I think went over the line and was forgiven too quickly. This story has a woman that's too good to be true and a guy that learned to ask for forgiveness too late in my opinion.

One think about this series - I wish the brothers would interact more in these books. There's no buildup in the first three books of the relationship of the brothers, just that they find out they are related.

[Kiera Beddes]

The title and cover are terrible and have literally, nothing to do with the plot. The premise is there is a string of low-level bank robberies and the owner of the bank wants to figure it out. So he comes down to New Orleans disguised as an insurance man and works with the super attractive assistant manager to figure it out because he knows that she knows more than she lets on. I loved the NOLA flavor of the setting and it was a great little mystery.

[Wine and Late Night Mommy Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saved by the aunts

Though this book isn't one of my absolute favorites it is still a great read that is saved by two crazy old ladies. Who will have you laughing your butt off by their antics.
Happy reading 🍷🌃🙎🔰