Kiss and Tell

Sisterhood #23

by Fern Michaels

Putting justice in the bank…

Life comes in stages. Even the Sisterhood has been content to let their gold shields gather a little dust while they enjoy their friends and family. But when a string of anonymous emails arrives at Pinewood, suggesting shady dealings at a local assisted-living facility, Myra Rutledge and her best friend, Annie de Silva, are more than ready to out-hustle a master con-artist at his own game. They’ll need to enlist some new and untested allies in order to pull off their brilliant plan, all while Myra faces a personal challenge that will rock the Sisterhood to the core…

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Romance, Suspense, Chick Lit, Thriller, Ebooks

276 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Fern Michaels isn’t a person. I’m not sure she’s an entity either since an entity is something with separate existence. Fern Michaels® is what I DO. Me, Mary Ruth Kuczkir. Growing up in Hastings, Pennsylvania, I was called Ruth. I became Mary when I entered the business world where first names were the order of the day. To this day, family and friends call me Dink, a name my father gave me when I was born because according to him I was ‘a dinky little thing’ weighing in at four and a half pounds. However, I answer to Fern since people are more comfortable with a name they can pronounce.

As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.

Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.

Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.

READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/

Reviews

[Joann Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sisterhood series always leaves you anxious for the next one.

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fern Michaels' vigilante series is a collection of different scenarios that occur in everyday life but here in her books, repercussions are given to the culprit (s) in the worse possible way. These stories carry humor, seriousness and an end game. There is always a wise cracking statement or funny situations that will make you laugh. The stories have a real feel to them and can relate to others in real life. The plans put together are carried out with military precision. "

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blindsided (Sisterhood #22) was just a so-so read for me, but after having read all the previous stories in this series, I had to move forward. Very good decision--this story was a great read! Intriguing tale of a boy's humble beginnings in an orphanage to a well thought out ponzi scheme, the story keeps you guessing up until the end. And goes to show that your past can really come back to haunt you!! 8 out of 10 for me on this one.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun and enjoyable sisterhood book by Fern Michaels. It's amazing that she has written so many books in this series and I'm not tiring of them. Some are better than others and none can compete with the very first one but this latest foray was good.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy Fern Michaels "Sisterhood Series".

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Getting to be tired. Time for the sisterhood to hand in their gold shields.

[Peggy Westhoff · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stupid book

I guess I should have read the first 22 books. Didn't know the characters and thought the whole plot was contrived

[Lona Davis]

Disturbing

This is the first Sisterhood novel I have read, so I don't know if this is a recurring thing in the series or not, but this novel contains gratuitous violence .
If Manny or Ava had pulled a knife or gun on Annie or Myra, or if Manny had tried to physically overpower one of the women, I would have been OK with whatever they did in self-defense.
However, when Annie and Myra did what they did to Manny and Ava, they were restrained and of no physical danger to anyone. There was no reason to inflict physical harm except for revenge.
As vigilantes, I expected that they would use methods of investigation that authorities could not legally use, but not that they would give a violent payback.

[Bertha Ivins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to start the new year with, it was even better because the author brought back the younger characters back.

[Patricia Solla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sisterhood book and nowhere is it noted of that fact. We get the older women taking revenge on a power broker who is running a Ponzi scheme. The story begins with a small introduction to the childhood of the broker. Knowing this the story continues with the request by two childhood friends of the broker to the vigilantes to save the people affected by this man. There are so many twists and turns leaving the reader with lots of questions as to what is going on and answers are available at the end but not much satisfaction for the reader. I felt is that all there is and is there another sisterhood book in the works.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

i have read most of the Sisterhood books and they seem to me to be getting more needlessly violent and totally unbelievable. no one has as much money and resources to pull off what those girls are able to do. and their punishment on the bad guys is just plain mean and evil sometimes. the first book was the best and some others are very good but this one didn't even have a proper conclusion, it totally left me hanging. i can see how anyone reading this as their first in the series would be totally lost. i do enjoy the characters and would like to see more development on them as individuals.

[Helen]

I wish there was a minus side to this rating. I have never read a book that I disliked more than this one. Unfortunately, I think you had to be a Fern Michaels' fan to understand all the characters. Truly this was a ridiculous book.

[Diane Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great sisterhood story... I just love reading about what those "old" ladies get up to... They are really something...

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good sisterhood tale. This time the Vigilantes go against a corrupt and ruthless billionaire. Charles does not play a part in this story . A fast paced
And enjoyable read.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another of sisterhood series. A lot of twists in the story, now wondering if we are nearing the end of the sister hood series or the be beginning of a younger and fresh blood group.

[BJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series! For me, it continues to be good. I'm anxious to see if the author continues in a different way with Jack's idea for the future.

[Suzanne Smart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back to the wonderful Sisterhood Series -- the few before this were not up to her typical style, but this one is back to business!!!!

[Pam Spalding-paterakis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful Sisterhood story!!!!! Love this series soooo much!!!!!

[Tammytrue27 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good sisterhood novel. I continue to enjoy the stories.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie and Myra have been getting disturbing emails from someone. The only clue they had was from something happening on the day they attended a Service dog event at a nearby elderly community. After the meeting, they were to visit a woman who had a stroke and was recuperating in her apartment there. Maggie was meeting them there along with newsmen and photographers from the paper. Maybe someone would approach them there. Despite all of them watching, no one approached them nor was there anything suspicious. It was only when they went to see the woman with a stroke that everything became clear. The woman was using the excuse of a stroke to stay in her house with her friend. The two women had known each other since childhood when they had run away from an orphanage with their friend, Billy Bailey. They got separated and the women went straight; but Billy was out to make money and if he did it illegally, that was fine. He had changed his name and was one of the richest men who handled investments for others. He had set up a Ponze scheme which was getting ready to go under. The women wanted him stopped and prosecuted; but couldn't bring themselves to turn him in to the SEC. They wanted Annie and Myra to figure out a way to stop him and yet save the investors money, especially the poorer ones.
Immediately, Annie called her financial person and Myra's to get any of their investments out immediately. Then, they left to start working on the case.
Meanwhile, the two women packed quickly, faxed a new will leaving everything they had to the newest news reporter who was there with Annie and Myra. They had taken a liking to him and wanted to pay forward what they had had given to them many years ago. They then left to go out of town and disappear. Unfortunately, they were involved in a huge wreck while leaving town and were killed.
Would they continue the case or leave it alone?

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first "mission" that Myra & Annie had to complete without Charles working his "magic" on his computers. Charles has gone back to England, whisked away on Thanksgiving, at the request of his friend, HRH, The Queen. But is he really gone from Myra's life? The same goes for Fergus, has he really left Annie for his family back home in Scotland? I'm sure those questions are for a future storyline ... The ladies were hired by Sara Overton and Tressie, f/n/a Marie Palmer and Sally Dumont, to go after their old friend they grew up in the orphanage with, Billy Bailey, n/k/a Emanuel or Manny Macklin, for Ponzi scheme he has been pulling for years, with the aide of his son and daughter, defrauding investors of billions of dollars. They were able to locate his first wife Mary, who left him after finding out what he was doing, but never turned him in to the police or the SEC. His son, Adam, eventually had enough of the scheme, reconnected with his Mother after she had contacted him to refund monies to her neighbors when she found out their life savings were gone. Adam contacted several friends, his attorney, the FBI and the SEC, to have them go after his father, all at the same time that Myra & Annie were working on their plan. In the end, Manny & Ava got what was coming to them, and hopefully funds would be returned to the innocent people who believed in Manny and his lies.

[Stef · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun series to read as the Sisterhood helps each one of the Sisters and a few others along the way.
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**Must read the series in order.**
Love, Love this series. Highly recommend to those that enjoy: Fast reads, Some romance, crime-suspense, mystery suspense, chic lit n romance n drama, humor, action packed suspense romance, mf. Started reading Fern Michaels in 2018.
(As I write this review I'm up to book 26. March 1st 2019. & will start book 27 next week)

Must begin with book and read them in order to understand all of the people that come into the Sisterhood and when the men start coming into it. Love the changes of the Post and how everyone works together around the table. Nothing gets discussed at the dinner table but only in the war room.

Romances develop, marriages happen, punishment/revenge happens to someone who wronged someone else whether it is someone within the Sisterhood or a random person. The sisters all work together to get through the tough times and the happy times. So many twists and turns. Love, Love reading this series. I take time off after I read a couple books and read my other genres and come back to read this series.

[Teresa Guthrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say I found this book to be mediocre at best. While I applaud those who prey on the financial vulnerability of others being made to account for their crimes, I cannot condone the methods of these Vigilantes. Disfiguring people is much too medieval. And I'm sorry but a therapy dog and an attack dog cannot be one and the same. Implausible storyline and an annoying puppyboy character who everybody likes. Nope. This is the first (and last) Sisterhood book I have read so, admittably, I do not have the full background on this series, but quite frankly I do not think I have been missing anything. A so, so read that jumps around and does not go into depth on the things about which I was actually curious.

[Ruth Whyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another of the sisterhood series. Miss and Tell was about Billy an orphan who runaway with his two friend's. All his life he wanted to be rich so upon reaching New York he start robbing along with his friends. He made it big into he started a ponzy scheme where he Rob poor and rich. He move on from the friends who help him. The friends turn life around and start working in an old age home where one person died leaving them with riches. They were able to live comfortable without Billy. The vigilantes got an email from the two friend's visit them . So they took action against Billy. Unfortunately the ladies died in an accident and leave their fortune to Dennis the new reporter. Another good more Fern Michael's

[Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Kiss and Tell by Fern Micheals. Upon receiving a string of emails Myra and Annie investigate at an assisted living facilty called Pinewood, owned by a multibillionaire Emanuel MAcklin and reserved for his clients.
It turns out Emanuel Macklin is a con artist, running a Ponzi scam which is about to crumble in the faces of thousands of investors, wiping them out and netting millions. The sisterhood finds who sent the emails and takes them on as a client before they die ina car crash. They returned the money to every one and gave EManuel MAcklin and his daughter Ava their comeuppance. The son took a deal to work with the FBI. They decided to host a children's benefit for Christmas.

[Carolyn Handy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great mission for Myra and Annie. I love how the author gives backstory to the supporting characters so that I become invested in their story. The villains are so nasty that you can't help waiting for the 'punishment'. This story is about a ponzy scheme which is so relevant in today's news. The Men in the Sisterhood series is introduced in this book so I can't wait to read the first story.
Once again the narrator does a bang up job with all the different characters. How she can carry them from one book to the other is amazing. The voices sound just like you picture the character.

[Aprille · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some days you can dive off the deep end because you know you'll spike the landing? This book is not that for me. This book is sticking in your toe, finding the water too cold and rrrrunning back up the beach, just so you can wrap your beach towel, warmed by sand and sun, around you. No meat at all. May be due to my not knowing these characters enough? I do love the dog tho. I don't feel there was enough development of the main characters to care for them at all. I wish more time was taken. Ms Michaels is a great writer. This was disappointing at best. I struggled to reach Chapter 8..

[Wen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, there were parts that were hard to believe. I am not sure I like the newby, as he is very hyper. I was kind of sad that Charles didn’t come back yet. Hopefully he does with a darn good excuse.

I am ready to read #23, Eyes Only...It looks like Double Down (Men of Sisterhood) #1 should be read next instead of 23. Does anyone have a suggestion? I wanted to have those books dovetail.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this book a 3.5. I have loved this series since my mother got me started on it years ago. The two main vigilantes have not lost their touch! Don't mess with Annie and Myra because you can not win! Myra could not ignore a series of email messages that are sent to her anonymously about some shady money dealings. Myra gets some of her pals to start looking into the problem. They find that they need to out con a major con-man!

[Betty Ann Burban · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three kids escape from the orphanage and head out on their own.

Marie and Sally work as aides in a retirement home and are included in the will of a resident they befriended,the other friend Bill Bailey becomes a manipulator and hustler.The future is bright for the girls as the Salvation Army provides a surefire career. Bill Bailey becomes Maclin and a crooked stock broker. The Vigilantes bring about his undoing.