Smoke in Mirrors

by Jayne Ann Krentz

A con artist and seductress, Meredith Spooner lived fast—and died young. But her final scam—embezzling more than a million dollars from a college endowment fund—is coming back to haunt Leonora Hutton. The tainted money is stashed away in an offshore account for Leonora. And while she wants nothing to do with the cash, she discovers two other items in the safe-deposit box: a book about Mirror House—the place where Meredith engineered her final deception and a set of newspaper stories about an unsolved murder that occurred there thirty years ago.

Now Leonora has an offer for Thomas Walker, another victim of Meredith’s scams and seductions. She’ll hand over the money—if he helps her figure out what’s going on. Meredith had described Thomas as “a man you can trust.” But in a funhouse-mirror world of illusion and distortion, Leonora may be out of her league…

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

358 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

The author of over 50 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.

She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.

Reviews

[Alba Turunen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Estrellitas. 100% legible, disfrutable y entretenido. Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick, es única, junto con la querida y recientemente fallecida Julie Garwood, capaces de crear una trama que se lee sola y lo suficientemente convincente como para cumplir las expectativas de lo que pueden ofrecer.

No son muchos los libros contemporáneos que he leído de la autora, pero al igual que los históricos, tenemos una trama de suspense, donde los protagonistas se asociarán para descubrir un asesinato, y en éste caso, Jayne Ann Krentz se ha lucido.

Leonora Hutton es la bibliotecaria de una pequeña universidad de San Diego. Hace poco ha fallecido en extrañas circunstancias una querida amiga suya, Meredith Spooner, una antítesis a ella. Seductora, intrigante y tramposa, Meredith ha hecho del engaño y la estafa su vida; pero cuando muere, Meredith le deja una nota y unas instrucciones, que confíe en los hermanos Walker, y que un asesinato ocurrido hace treinta años, la llevará a su propio asesinato.

Thomas Walker, otra de las víctimas de Meredith, no cree a Leonora, piensa que es tan mentirosa como la otra. Meredith desfalcó una importante suma a la universidad para la que trabaja su hermano, y hará todo lo que esté en su mano para que ése dinero vuelva a su destino.

En seguida se hace evidente que todas las tramas están conectadas, y llevan hasta la Casa de los Espejos, una mansión perteneciente a Eubanks College, una pequeña universidad del estado de Washington. Para descubrir qué ocurrió con Meredith, y otra víctima anterior, Bethany Walker, la esposa de Deke Walker, el otro hermano, Leonora entrará a trabajar en la biblioteca de la Casa de los Espejos para catalogar la colección. Entre Leonora, Thomas y Deke surgirá una asociación para descubrir qué ocurrió con las principales víctimas, y que conectará con un asesinato ocurrido hace treinta años, el del hijo del fundador de la universidad.

Pero los detalles se complicarán junto con la investigación policial, pues esta dice que tanto Bethany como Meredith habían consumido drogas, y tanto Leonora, como Thomas y Deke, saben que esto es imposible. Mientras la trama nos está llevando hacia varias hipótesis plausibles, la autora se saca un as de la manga para sorprendernos y enseñarnos que no todo es tan fácil.

En cuanto al romance, me ha gustado bastante, Thomas es calculador y frío, pero también protector, y aunque no es dado a un compromiso, en seguida siente algo más por Leonora que le hará replantearse una nueva vida. En cuanto a Leonora, es un ratón de biblioteca, tímida y apocada y Thomas no es su tipo, un macho alfa con un perro enorme en quien jamás se habría fijado. Pero lo suyo empieza pronto y cocidito a fuego lento capítulo a capítulo.

Además, los personajes secundarios me han encantado. Deke, el hermano de Thomas, es un brillante informático sumido en una profunda depresión y obsesionado por descubrir cómo murió realmente su esposa, pero la autora sacará a un personaje capaz de entrar en ése caparazón. Y sin duda es de reseñar el papel de Gloria, la abuela de Leonora y su amigo y consejero sentimental Herb, apenas aparecen en tres capítulos, pero han sido maravillosos.

Hacia tiempo que no disfrutaba de un libro de ésta manera y es verdad que me lo he ventilado en un fin de semana, gracias al tiempo del que he dispuesto, porque a diario no me da la vida. La experiencia ha sido tan gratificante que me ha dado energías para salir de un posible bloqueo lector, pero aunque el siguiente no va a ser de Jayne Ann Krentz, no tardaré en volver a leerla.

[Bonnie Randall · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel did not pretend to be anything other than what it was: a straight-up, formulaic, romantic suspense - and you know? It's good. No insta-love or skanky insta-sex that's become the Holy Grail of 2k romances. Here there is mystery (though a titch convoluted) and a gothic-y setting; foggy woods which hold a house-turned-library, within which every wall is covered with creepy antique mirrors.

Oh, how I wish those creepy mirrors had played a bigger role (but I am a ghoul, so don't mind me).

Okay, so there are a few convenient plot-points: Leonora takes no time whatsoever to give up her (decent)job and move to Creepy Small Town. She is fiercely loyal to a half-sister who bedded her dude (and every other dude by the looks of things) and was also renowned as a thief and a liar. (So why was Leo loyal? I am still wondering). There is a (voila!) *perfect* librarian's job just a-waitin' for her in Creepy Small Town and yet I could overlook these (kinda ridiculous) conveniences because, like I said, this novel was what it was, it delivered, and, right or wrong I have sort of missed books like this.

Criticism: What was ex Kyle doing there other than taking up needless word count?

Hat-tip: The oldsters! Herb & Gloria were *great* and the last line she got to deliver: "Looks like you've finally slept your way to the top" was cute enough to make me smile real big.

And that sums it up. Cute. Smiling big at a HEA. So...if you're looking for emotional depth or substance do NOT look here. Ditto complex, layered characters. But Krentz isn't purporting to deliver any of these things with Smoke & Mirrors. Instead she's giving you a shallow little trap door to dive through while you're at the beach or in your lawn chair and what the hell? Escape for a few hours. It's all good.
3 Solid Stars.

[Izzah ꒰Duchess of Cabria ಇ ⭑✧ ᴏɴ ᴘᴀᴛʀᴇᴏɴ ✧ ⋆꒱ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great pacing

I think the story's pacing is what made this such a delightful read. It kept me interested while developing great main characters and great supporting characters.

The mystery is well tied at the end and the romance was doubly (some would say triply) satisfactory.

4 'I want my own Miss Herb to give me advice' ★
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[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The characters held a lot of potential but the bad romance and week mystery killed it. Also why do all characters end up in a relationship? I don't understand? Why does a HEA for all characters include a romantic relationship?

[Ns · Rating 3 out of 5]

Smoke in Mirrors was an interesting murder-mystery with a sizzling romance. The prologue immediately set the tone of the story, immersing the reader right into the mystery. Somewhat confusing, but quite intriguing. Like most prologues, it is only as the story progresses does the pieces start to make sense.

The murder-mystery had its finer moments and other moments that were boring. Thomas Walker and Leonora Hutton played amateur detectives more than really facing any action. The interesting moments were attributed to them uncovering more facts about the unsolved murder from thirty-years ago and connecting it to the recent suspicious deaths of their loved ones. The more they learned, the more the stakes rose, and the town shook. Where Wing Cove was a quiet, college community is now the haven of murder, drug dealings and more suspicious deaths. Thomas and Leonora suspect is has to do with the mystery they are investigating.

There is relative calm, as least for Thomas and Leonora well-being. No real heart-pounding endangerment or attacks, at least in the scheme of things. That is until the very end when the killer is identified and conquered. When all the action is bottled up into the end it doesn't give readers much to work with in between, except follow along with Thomas and Leonora. That would have worked perfectly fine if the in-between had more action regarding the mystery. More twists and excitement. Something I did not like was the end when the whole mystery became an explanation, stringing pieces together. It was likely to pull reader into the loop and clear confusion but it felt unnecessary and would have been more rewarding for readers to figure it out by themselves.

Where the mystery lacked drama and excitement there was plenty between Thomas and Leonora who were quite compatible. Both wary about commitments but also willing to give it a try. With the worry of an unknown killer and the determination to find justice and answers, Thomas and Leonora turn to each other. They each found their second chance and it turned out to be the best decision they made. The romance was quite sastifying.

[Fonch · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ladies and gentlemen Ladies and gentlemen before retiring to my chambers I wanted to write another review. Since they are piling up on me. This book for example I finished on Monday at 0:01.

"Smoke and Mirrors" (in Spain it was chosen to call it "The House of Mirrors", and each title responds to a different plot) has its good things as it reads fast, and without difficulty. The premise, and the plot are very promising, and the motivation of one of the crimes is really interesting, and it reminded me of two novels Dorothy Leigh Sayers https://www.goodreads.com/author/show.... A very interesting writer who was republished decades ago in my country by the @lumenedit publishing house and who apart from being a translator of "The Divine Comedy" https://www.goodreads.com/series/6971... (which she translated, and was then continued by her friend, and biographer Barbara Reynolds https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., also the brilliant Professor Anthony Esolen has translated "The Divine Comedy" https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...), wrote detective novels (also apologetic texts, plays, and poetry), and was the third president of the Detection Club https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... (we include a list of eminent authors who were Presidents of the Detection Club until now Presidents: G.K. Chesterton (1930–1936) https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... ,E. C. Bentley (1936–1949) https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , Dorothy L. Sayers (1949–1957) ,Agatha Christie (1957–1976) https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , Lord Gorell (1957–1963) https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... ,Julian Symons (1976–1985) https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... ,H. R. F. Keating (1985–2000) https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... ,Simon Brett (2000–2015) https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , Martin Edwards (2015–) https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... . With Martin Edwards I had the pleasure of writing here at Goodreads to talk about Japanese crime novels.) Dorothy L. Sayers as you can see was the third President of the Detection Club (the Club's rules were drafted by the ever-loved, and beloved Ronald A. Knox. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... At least for me. Apart from being a priest, convert, and writer of religious satire, he was also a writer of detective novels creating detective Miles Bredon. Although it seems that the creator of the Shadow Club was Anthony Berkeley https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... of whom I will speak at the end of this review) Dorothy L. Sayers was the creator of the detective Lord Peter Wimsey https://www.goodreads.com/series/4277... second son of the Duke of Denver to whom Philo Vance owes so much https://www.goodreads.com/series/6593... . There are two novels by Sir. Peter Wimsey that by its subplots have reminded me of this "The Secrets of Oxford / Gaudy Nights" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9... (which displeased J.R.R. Tolkien very much, but in my case it is one of my favorite novels next to Clouds of Witness is my favorite novel by Dorothy L. Sayers, which is not a detective novel either, but a retelling of "Manon Lescaut" by the Abbe Prevost https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... ).
, and the other novel that reminded me, and that was not published in Spain was "La muerte debe anunciarse/Murder Must Advertise" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... ), since it deals with two themes that appear in this novel. A critique of University Darwinism that is breathed in the Campuses that forces teachers to publish or die (even today). Scientific fraud appears, and the attempt to seize someone else's achievement. This topic was (also) dealt with by the writer Angela Vallvey in her novel "Death among poets" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6.... The other subplot is about drug trafficking.
Also the story of Meredith Spooner has reminded me of films like the seductresses with Sigourney Weaver, and the recently disappeared Jenifer Love Hewit. A scammer who seeks to make great thefts, and has no shame in using sex as a means to get it without any moral taboo. Then you will see the reasons why you do it. The beginning where the murder of the brilliant mathematician Bethany Walker is told (it almost seemed to me a fantasy novel, also with so much mirror it looked like "The Lady of Sanghai / If I Die Before I Wake " by Sherwood King https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8... ), trying to leave a sign to her husband, and her brother-in-law is magnificent. As well as the first meeting between the protagonist Leonora Hutton, and Thomas Walker. Allow me the user, or my follower on social networks (less and less in part because of the antics I do) to allow me a jocular occurrence. This novel in part due to some names, and surnames that appear in it reminded me of an action movie by Renny Harlin called Cliffhanger / Total Risk about two mountaineers one played by Sylvester Stallone who is traumatized because he could not prevent his friend's girlfriend from falling when he was mountaineering, and will redeem himself years later facing bandits led by the always magnificent, and disturbing John Ligthgow (The Churchill of The Crown, and one of the best secondaries, and villains of today's cinema see him in Ricochet). I remembered this movie because the protagonist is called Walker, and above in the novel there is a Travis (who in this novel is involved with the intern, and uses the house of mirrors as a riding arena) (he failed to say a come... Anyway, there are children who can read this review silenced me this speech of the film. Seeing how football is around here there is a phrase from the movie that rescued "the league is over..." The taco/swear word has been suppressed for charity, and respect for the audience, but such, and as football is to release it from that and my friend the youtuber @quillobarrios whose videos I recommend).

It doesn't speak much in favor of Walker that I tried to half-bribe/half-threaten the protagonist from the start. Thomas (that's the name of the male lead. He has a gift for making money, and is very skilled with tools. Instead, her brother Deke the inconsolable widower is very good with computers) thinks that Leonora was an accomplice of Meredith Spooner, but is surprised by how opposite they are. The truth is that each of them envied the other, despite being friends, and having more things in common (which I can not tell you so as not to blow up the novel). Leonora is supposed to help Thomas discover the money Meredith stole/scammed, and instead Leonora will be very interested in finding out who killed her friend. To do this, he will ask for a leave of absence, and will go to Wing Cove in Washington State to computerize/digitize the documentation of the House of Mirrors, (cataloging the books) while he finds out Who killed Meredith, and Bethany? (Thomas Walker's brother Deke's wife) It is very interesting the mode of elimination of both characters.
Among the advantages of the novel I forgot to mention Wrench a gigantic mastiff that according to Thomas is harmless, and is the reincarnation of a pink poodle (in the novel "The Curse of Chalion" by Lois McMaster Bujold https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... ask the protagonist what he liked most about the zoo, and says Umegat, who is the zookeeper. Well, here the character that I liked the most is the dog, and by far). So far the virtues that are not few, but I have thrown back the defects, which are not few. The first is that it has been a mistake to mix the detective/intrigue genre and the romantic genre because each literary genre eats the other. Not to mention that many of the secondary as the grandmother (method) of the protagonist Gloria, Cassie (the yoga teacher), and the ex-boyfriend of the protagonist are a nuisance more than anything else. Let's not talk about Grayson. I like something more the policeman Ed Stovall who is a bit like the policeman of I know what you did last summer, who does not know anything (although he will have a nice subplot with the daughter of Professor Osmond Kearn called Elissa). The romantic story was the worst with the gossip grandmother, who wants to match the granddaughter, and uses the one who writes the love column of the newspaper who is a kind of Ana Francis, and who is also a man (Herb). Sometimes while reading this novel I thought I was reading Hello, or a gossip magazine, because all day long Thomas asks Leonora if her brother sleeps with Cassie. Deke the brother asks Cassie, if her brother sleeps with Leonora. Apart from the fact that Thomas seems more interested in seducing Leonora than in solving the crimes, and mysteries that mark this novel. I also didn't like Leonora (the protagonist) very much, I think it's a kind of pedantic Lisa Simpson. The police plot, and the love plot would have worked perfectly separate, but putting them together was a mistake.
Another flaw is that there are very few suspects. It is not very difficult to find out Who is the murderer? And it doesn't hold many surprises either. In addition, the appearance of the murderer is delayed too much with unnecessary filler. The obvious suspects are con artist Alex Rhodes, the typical lascivious octopus who sleeps with anyone with the XX chromosome, and mathematician Osmond Kearn. Another mistake was the onanistic moment of coitus interruptus. Delay the first sex scene (I haven't put the warning, because there's not much sex either. This novel is more romantic than erotic), and then put it in a moment that did not matter, when the protagonist had discovered something important, and was anxious to tell Thomas Walker, and to see how the detection story continued. He mounts a pseudo-fight between the protagonists Thomas, and Leonora. With the first angry, because he thinks Leonora does not take him seriously because he slept with Meredith. The dialogue is of bream, and absurd, and ends with the long-awaited scene of marras. But after the scene of the reversal to the reader (at least in my case). They have taken away the desire for a lubricating scene, and that I do not disgust that type of scenes. The novel remains until the character of Margaret Lewis appears (the secretary of Sebastian Eubanks the mathematician who gives name to the University College, who also died murdered with what there are already three corpses, and three crimes to solve). I'm sorry, but when a novel starts to put words like fascist, sexist, or homophobic as my interest in the novel decreases, and this is what unfortunately happens, which becomes a catalog of goodness, and political correctness, and as I did not identify with the characters I lose interest in the plot. Apart from the fact that I don't like to be brainwashed while reading. It is of total political correctness especially the plot of Grayson. I also didn't like the testosteronic duel between Thomas, and Leonora's ex-boyfriend Kyle (whom Meredith also passed through the stone, and that's why they broke up, which was what Meredith wanted to prove to Leonora that Kyle was unworthy of her). Leonora then begins to rant about toxic masculinity. When it is a cold war of low intensity in which hardly a few pulls are launched, and not very hard. Each is eager to get rid of the other (it was the only minimally interesting scene, and the author does not include what could have been a dogfight). A lot of love, but always instead of betting on marriage, and fidelity seems to bet on second chances. If Thomas' marriage has failed, and Deke's was about to do it (it is very interesting to see how your life can influence if you marry a scientist or a genius, but nothing practical in life as Bethany, or Sebastian Eubanks were. Of course, this is much better in Balzac's "The Search for the Absolute" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...). It saddens me that Deke's regrets are for the cause they are, and he does just enough for his marriage (which differs from the movie when a man loves a woman with a loving Andy Garcia going out of his way for the alcoholic Meg Ryan). Little are sacrificed the Walkers and little value they give to "in health, and disease" what happens is that they let themselves be carried away by their passions, and love very little. It is true that both had a hard time because of the divorce of the parents (neither of them has children. Thomas has refused so that his children do not go through the hell that he went through.) But I say if they have failed once, why won't two fail? As Charles Ryder's father says in "Brideshead Revisited." My father, on the other hand, is more understanding, and thinks that you can fail once, but marry more than twice. Think of Robert Redford, or Paul Newman, but experience leads me to think, that if you have already dissolved your marriage vows once you will do it more times. This is one of the things I liked least about the novel, which in the end is to maintain the current order, and continue to crush families. Meredith, the product of artificial insemination, is the consequence of family breakdown, and never reconciles with the father figure. When I believe that the family is the key to civilization, and the more it is attacked, the more it is in decline (as revealed in "The Professor's Daughter" Piers Paul Read https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8.... Apart from that, the plot is too reminiscent of a soap opera, or a tabletop movie that usually emits atresmedia at noon, which are insufferable. It's all too politically correct, and predictable without major plot twists. We miss a little the bad milk of an Anthony Berkeley, who today everyone would hate him, but of the members of the Detection Club he is one of the best aged, and perhaps it is due to his political incorrectness. I would have liked something unpredictable like "The Mystery of Roger Ackroyd" by Agatha Christie https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6.... It is a pity because a plot with a lot of potential, interest, and enormous possibilities is wasted.
My grade will be (1'5/5). It has good things, but I have been very irritated by the defects of it. I admit that 1/5 is a stinging note, but 2/5 is a lot. I hope that one day half stars will @goodreads introduced. My next review is going to be very interesting, and God willing I will post it tomorrow. It's about a cult horror movie, and I say no more. I saw it on Friday, and I was very impressed. Warned are my followers, and Goodreads users.

[Nenya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh, btw, Meredith and Leonora (the h) are/were half sisters Thought I should put that on top, just to put the quotes in perspective. Oh and after all of it (the entire novel), h to Meredith (or her ghost/memory, whatever): We’re going to name our first daughter after you.

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I normally like JAK. This one, well, here's a snippet of the H's thoughts:

...he had a feeling it would have been an interesting experience (sex with the h). A lot more interesting than it had been with Meredith (h's ex-bff).

Sex had been a precision tool for Meredith. She had wielded it with professional competence. As far as he had been able to tell, she hadn’t taken any real pleasure in the work itself, though. All she had cared about was the end result which, as he had learned the hard way, had nothing to do with an orgasm. But like any good craftsman, she had taken care of her equipment and kept it clean.

That had been enough for him for a short time.


yeah, skip over to the good stuff.

****************************

ahh... resolution:

“You want me as much as I want you but you can’t handle the fact that I had a brief affair with Meredith.” ... It really pisses me off that you assume I was powerless to resist Meredith. ... I ended things with Meredith because I got bored. ... That overgrown, sexy cheerleader routine wears thin fast. At least it did with me. I knew it was time to call it off when I realized I was a whole lot more interested in finishing the tile work in the bathroom than I was in enduring another dinner with Meredith. You got any idea how hard it is to talk to a woman who is always watching you to see if you’re responding to her?”

Boy, does he (or JAK) have a way with words. *snorts*

Not one of my fav JAK. The mystery is good enough though Alex Rhodes is a conman (fake identity), but not the killer; though he tried to get rid of Thomas (the H) The actual killer is Roberta, who makes the drugs that Alex used to sell.
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Pretty much a 1star book as far as interpersonal relationships go. The mystery was intriguing, and the characters weren't half bad. So one more star for that. But, the ick factor never really went away for me. H sleeping with both sisters that's totally not for me!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smoke in Mirrors
4 Stars

Academic librarian Leonora Hutton reluctantly joins forces with the enigmatic Thomas Walker to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of her friend, Meredith Spooner, a con artist who scammed Thomas's brother out of millions. Was Meredith's death murder and how is it connected to other strange occurrences in and around the small town of Wing Cove?

JAK can always be counted on to provide an enjoyable story with appealing characters, a sexy romance and just the right amount of twists to make the suspense exciting.

As with many of JAK's couples, Leonora and Thomas get off on the wrong foot, but their intense attraction cannot be denied. It is fun watching them fall for each other despite their dislike and reticence.

The mystery itself is intriguing with several different elements and a good number of suspects, some more obvious than others. The eventual revelation of the killer's identity was somewhat of a surprise as I had someone else picked out (albeit with the same motive). Kudos to JAK for that final twist.

Overall, an engaging read for a dreary rainy afternoon.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. The characters are developed and likable, the plot has twists, and I did not guess who the killer was or how the ending would play out. The romance is also nicely developed as well. The prologue sucked me right in. A nice lighter mystery read.

[Faith Freewoman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I snickered, hooted and giggled all the way through while remaining involved with the mystery as well. The tool jokes and the dog were worth the price of admission.

I've read JAK in all her guises (Amanda Quick, Stephanie James, Jayne Castle, etc), and I probably have most of her books, and love them dearly.

This one marked a departure from her 190's and earlier books. The heroine is not as cutsey, the hero is more of a regular guy, less wierd (not that I don't appreciate these JAK icons...but I have *lots* of books featuring those characters).

I have to say that one of the things I most appreciate about her writing is the affectionate fun she pokes at life, society and peoples' foibles, especially romantic foibles. She's never cruel, but she can help me regain my sense of humor about things which I normally would take far too seriously. I also have noticed that she goes out of her way to bring marginalized people (elderly, gays, lesbians, psychics) into her books as strong and likeable secondary or sideline characters. Good for her!

A fun read, a not-too-challenging but fun mystery, and characters I liked a lot.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

You gotta love Jayne Ann Krentz books. In two one-line paragraphs in the first chapter, she manages to spark a whole series of images for the reader. Get this.
"Two junkyard dogs stood in the doorway of the bedroom.
One of them was human."
Incredible timing and style.
I give this book a five-star rating for the characters alone. A lot of people would see a similarity in all of Ms. Krentz's characters from book to book, but I say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". I look forward to meeting and re-meeting each and every one of them, and Leonora Hutton and Thomas Walker are no exception. I particularly like it when she puts a dog in her books, like Wrench. The plot was not a great hit with me, however, mostly due to the drugs and so many con artists, but I do like the way Ms. Krentz carries a theme through each of her most recent books. This time it was mirrors and reflections.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only listened to the audio version of this book, which I enjoy because there are two narrators, a man and a woman. The male voices and hero's perspective chapters are narrated by the man, and the female ones by the woman. The story has many of Krentz's trademark themes: a librarian heroine, a faithful pet, thick fog, a near miss on a deserted highway, and dream messages. Not to mention a murder (or more), a break-in, an annoying ex-boyfriend/fiance, and a mystery.

This book had two men who are brothers and two women as their love interests. I really liked Leonora, who is a calm person who maintains her personality and position throughout the book. She doesn't need to be liberated in any way, but does have to risk her heart. Her grandmother and grand mother's friend Herb add some great character to the story as well. Thomas and Deke are great as brothers who are devoted to each other, even though they may not always believe in each others' point of view.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't see this one coming!

[Nancy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuing my weekend of old Krentz rereads...

[Cruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
First published: 2002
Length: 321 pages
Setting: Contemporary. Smalltown.
Sex: Explicit once or twice. Closed door thereafter.
Hero: venture capitalist / investor. Independently wealthy.
Heroine: Librarian

A repeat in many ways of Krentz's Sharp Edges, but a better version of it. Subtle paranormal, good story, nice mystery, sweet romance.

Enjoyable.

Aside:
One of the complaints about 50SoG is that it portray s a version of a relationship many people don't want to see replicated in contemporary society. But it's just a story! yell the fans. It's fantasy.. Yes, it is. And in some ways that makes it okay. But it also makes it really wrong. An opportunity lost to explore the world we should have and change the message we give young women.

On the other hand, Krentz does give us a world we should aim for. One of her big things is the casual portrayal of gay characters. In Smoke in Mirrors Krentz weaves in a strong gay character in a solid monogamous long-term relationship with a healthy relationship with children. w00t!

This is what I want to see in a romance. A society I want to live in. Characters I want to believe in. A relationship I'd be happy for my daughter to be in.

3.5 stars rounded up.

References:
Author's website: http://jayneannkrentz.com/smoke-in-mi...

(ISBN 0399147926)

-CR-

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

******Possible Minor Spoilers******

The first half or so of the book was very good. The story grabbed my interest, as did the characters. The first chapter was definitely creepy, and several other times I thought I was in for one of JAK's "touch of paranormal" suspense novels. Even though the second half of the book was still good, the creepy factor dropped away and the resolution ended up being fairly typical mystery fare.

I liked the relationship growth between the main characters. I would rate the sensuality mild, although I enjoyed the romance very much. I definitely enjoyed JAK's avoidance of all the major plot devices I hate, such as "big misunderstanding" or or having either main character pull away for some off-base "noble" reason. This relationship felt more believable, with a few understandable insecurities and hesitations, but no outright stupidity.

[Marina P · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started to read it, the beginning was typical for this author. When I checked on Goodreads what series it belonged to, I found out that it was a stand-alone novel. Out of curiosity I read the reviews with the fewer stars, to find out, what other readers did not like. Usually, I understand that what others dislike does not have to be what I dislike.

But there was one thing, one of the previous readers mentioned that I absolutely refuse to read about:a hero who slept with the heroine‘s sister or best friend.

Disgusting

I think that a heroine is ok with such a situation, she ceases to be likable. In my opinion she does not have pride nor any sense of self worth. BTW I don‘t believe in love at first sight and I don‘t enjoy stories about it.

I stopped reading this book.

[Lark of The Bookwyrm's Hoard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Smoke in Mirrors. Leonora and Thomas are both interesting characters. Leonora's loyalty to Meredith's memory isn't naive or deluded; she understands clearly who and what Meredith was but will pursue answers about Meredith's death anyway. Thomas is a craftsman but also an investment whiz; his loyalty to his brother is equally strong. That similarity of character is an important part of why their relationship works. The supporting characters fit well within the story, and I enjoyed Deke and Cassie's romance. On the mystery side, this one is typical Krentz (in a good way): plenty of twists and misdirection kept me guessing right up until the end. Longer review to come.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

What does the death of a con artist in SoCal have to do with the suicide of a math genius at a ritzy conservative college? Everything, according to the math genius's brother-in-law, who recruits (with a little strongarming) the con artist's half-sister to help him discover the truth of the matter.

Typically convoluted Krentz setup, and a lot of her usual types (of course Leonora is a research librarian...). Another enjoyable but not particularly memorable read--I had to look up the characters' names to write up this little blurb.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, well, didn't everyone match up just perfectly! It was almost enough to make me gag, but Krentz pulled it off without any unfortunate reactions from my stomach. Another cute and funny romance, just what I needed to get my head out of the last book I read. And, Wrench is now quite possibly my favorite literary dog.

[Vannessa Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lenore and Thomas worked together to solve the murders of Lenore’s sister and Thomas’ sister-in-law. Their deaths were ruled as drug overdoses but neither woman used drugs. Smoke In Mirrors was a fun read and Aasne Vigesaa and James Daniels were the voices of the characters.

[Suzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had everything I want, mystery, suspense, and romance. Krentz has a flair for description that draws me in and keeps me there. Anyone who enjoys the classic romance tale will want to read this book.

[Cynthia Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I liked the characters a lot. Its good to read adult romance and not have characters constantly in angst. Mystery is good, interesting side characters and a dog. It had everything I want.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good premise and execution. Good romance, okay mystery. I have this thing about mirrors, so exploring what they might symbolize in occult terms was really interesting.

[Джорджия · Rating 2 out of 5]

Можех да мина и без този "трилър", който се оказа напълно любовна книжка, с тук - таме търсене на убиеца!!!

[Gwen (The Gwendolyn Reading Method) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love me some Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz, but this one was kinda boring. the pacing was off.

[Shirlene]

Bethany Walker was given drugs that killed her. Before she give in to the drugs she found a place to hide a book and an envelope with pictures. She knew that her husband and his brother would find them. It was rumored that she was taking drugs and she spent a lot of time at Mirror House, headquarters for the Eubanks College Alumni Association. Her death was ruled an accident as a result of a car crash.
A year later, Meredith Spooner was dead, rumored to have taken drugs. She also spent a lot of time at Mirror House. She had embezzled one-point-five million dollars from the Bethany Walker endowment fund. Meredith's death was also ruled an accident.
Deke never believed that Bethany's death was an accident. He thought that she had been murdered. He was almost over her death when Meredith was found dead. He believed the deaths were linked in some way.
Leonora Hutton come to pick up Meredith's belongings from her apartment where Thomas Walker was waiting for her. He accused Leonora of being her partner and told her that he would make sure the investigation would point to her if she didn't help him find the money. She refused and went back to her home outside of San Diego, CA where she lived close to her grandmother who had raised her. Her parents had died when she was younger.
Meredith was born to a crazy mother who used a sperm donor to conceive Meredith. After her mother died, Meredith hacked into the hospital's database and discovered who her father was. He had died a few years back. It turned out that the sperm donor was Leonora's father. They were half-sisters and complete opposites of each other. Meredith had blonde hair and used her looks to get men. She was a con artist. Leonora had dark hair and glasses, she was a librarian.
Leonora planned on having nothing to do with Thomas but she received an email from Meredith. It said that she would receive the email if something had happened to her. She would receive the account numbers for one-point-five million dollars in the mail. She received the information and called Thomas. She returned the money in exchange for help in finding out what happened to Meredith. She then returned to Wing Cove, near Puget Sound.
Thomas and Deke Walker had found the book with a picture of one of the mirrors in the House circled. They also had the envelope with articles about the death of the son of one of the college founders. Sebastian Eubanks had been murdered thirty years ago. The three of them decided they needed to find the link between the three deaths. Leonora was hired to work in the House of Mirrors and catalog all the research done on the history of mirrors that was in the house. She needed a place to stay and Thomas purchased old houses and fixed them up. He had a house that he was working on and invited Leonora to stay there. It was about 15 minutes walking distance away from Thomas' place.
Thomas went to check on Leonora the first night. He invited her to dinner and she accepted. They talked about her first day and work and about how they thought they might handle their investigation going forward. Thomas lingered because he liked Leonora. He told her that he did have a short affair with Meredith but Leonora had already figured that much out.
Thomas saw the chief of police, Ed Stovall, in town and noticed that he was watching Elissa Kern. Her father had tenure at Eubanks College because of an algorithm that he wrote that made him famous. He became an alcoholic after that. Elissa was basically taking care of him. She didn't know him as a child and after she grew up, she moved closer to him to get to know him better. She was feeling like it was a waste of time because he didn't seem interested in getting to know her, just in getting drunk.
Leonora was approached in the supermarket by Alex Rhodes. He was dressed completely in black and wore amber colored contacts. He told her that he was a stress reduction consultant and he sold a special nutritional formula to offset the metabolic affects of stress. He invited Leonora to go with him to have a cup of coffee. She accepted but opted for tea. Alex mentioned that he knew that she went to dinner with Thomas and asked about their relationship. She told him that he was her landlord. Alex claimed to have approached her because she seemed to be free of attachments and he wanted to talk to someone who wasn't the wife or girlfriend of someone in town. She didn't trust him.
Deke was taking yoga lessons, mostly because he was interested in the yoga instructor, Cassie. She came to his house to work with him because he refused to go out. It was a result of his depression over Bethany's death. He spent most of his time on the computer.
Elissa went to Alex's to see about getting some of his special nutritional formula. He tried to talk Cassie into counseling with him but she only wanted the formula. Thomas and Leonora were watching the house and saw her leave. They broke into his house when they saw him leave for a run. They found the formula and took some of it to test and see what it was. They also noticed that he had a mirror on one of the tables in his house that appeared to have been stolen from the Mirror House. They left out the back door as he was coming in the front door. They found their way to their car through the fog and went back to her place. They ate dinner and kissed. Thomas left when he realized that they couldn't do anything because they had no protection were they to have sex.
Thomas talked with Deke about Alex approaching Leonora. He showed Deke the powders that they had taken from Alex's place. Deke agreed that he needed to do more research on Rhodes.
Leonora was working and heard sounds coming from close by. She watched out her office and noticed two of the workers coming out from a passage hidden in the hallway. She followed them into the secret passageway the next day and discovered a bracelet left stuck there that was Meredith's. She went back to her office and saw Julie, the employee she followed into the passageway, leaving her office. Julie had gone through her purse but didn't notice anything having been taken. Thomas was still watching Alex's house and observed Julie going in and out.
After work, Leonora went to Thomas's and told him about the bracelet. They ended up kissing and making love that evening. Deke came by and they ate dinner and discussed the bracelet and Julie going through Leonora's office and purse and going to see Alex. Deke and Thomas drove Leonora home in her car and walked back to Thomas's place.
The next morning, Leonora was walking to Thomas's and Cassie was out jogging. She slowed down to talk to Leonora about Deke. Cassie wanted to know how to go about getting Deke's attention.
They confronted Julie about going through Leonora's purse and Julie told them that she had little money and was offered money to get the drivers license and credit card numbers for Alex. They told her that they would report her to the police if she told anyone about them questioning her. They figured that Alex was checking up on them rather than working on an identity theft problem. Julie did give them the idea of talking to the college secretary at the time about Eugene's murder. They all went to see her and found out that he had a boyfriend and they set out to find him. They figured that the college would do anything to keep the information private about his homosexuality.
Alex noticed Thomas leaving Leonora's one night and gave a guy some drugs and told him that Thomas was a monster. The drug causes hallucinations and they guy attacked Thomas. Thomas got away and beat the guy off. He called the police and went back to Leonora's place and spent the night.
They were headed home late one night and someone tried to run them off the road. It was Alex Rhodes. They went to his house to confront him once they got home and they found him shot dead. The killer was still in the house but got away. They called the police and the chief was again dead set that it was a result of a drug deal gone wrong.
They found the ex-lover of Eubanks and found out that he had been working on the algorithm that professor Kerns had used to become famous. They figured out that Kerns had argued with Eubanks about the algorithm and Kerns had shot Eubanks and stolen the algorithm to get rich and famous. They went to Kerns house and a note was found relating just that and stating that he was going to kill himself. They found his body the next day. The investigation was over so far as everyone concerned. The loose ends weren't completely tied up but everyone involved was dead now.
Leonora was having trouble sleeping and in her head she was being told that she couldn't rest yet. Thomas and Deke decided they needed to tie up those loose ends and decided to look into Kerns bank accounts to see if they could figure the entire story out and find the blackmail proof.
Leonora was at work on Monday after having had the alumni dinner party at the House of Mirrors over the weekend. Roberta who worked there was retiring and was downstairs packing up. She called upstairs and asked Leonora if she wanted to come down and have a last cup of coffee with her. They were the only two people in the building. They heard the door opening and Leonora heard Roberta talking with Julie. Leonora didn't like coffee so she dumped what she had left in her cup out and started to go back upstairs. She didn't feel well and had to fight the nausea and dizziness to get up. She tried to get upstairs to get her car keys and call Thomas. She knew she was sick and needed help. She knew then that Roberta had drugged her and heard Julie leave the building. Roberta came after her.
Roberta told her that she had first witnessed Kern killing Eubanks and told Kern that she would take care of everything and suggested that he publish the algorithm in his name. She blackmailed him for over thirty years. Her husband had invented a drug that caused hallucinations and she saw the potential for money and then killed him after getting the recipe for the drug. Bethany was studying the history of the House of Mirrors and found out about Eubanks working on the works that Kern published and started asking questions so Roberta killed her so that she wouldn't lose her income from Kern. Alex Rhodes witnessed Roberta killing Bethany. Alex found out about the drug and he and Roberta sold the drugs using people that Alex knew. Meredith came to town and found out things from sleeping with Alex and working in the House of Mirrors. They then got rid of her. Roberta was getting ready to retire and leave town. She had to get rid of Alex because he knew too much. She then also got rid of Kern. She was tying up her loose ends. Leonora was her last loose end because she felt that Leonora had to be punished for disrupting her plans and making her have clean up the loose ends and leave town when she was.
Leonora pretended to be really out of it more than she was and she broke a mirror. She refused to leave with Roberta and Roberta got impatient. Roberta grabbed Leonora and got stabbed by a piece of glass that Leonora had picked up from the mirror she broke. Leonora caused Roberta to let go of the gun she held. That was when Thomas and Deke arrived. Thomas sent his dog to guard Roberta because he looked like a wolf. Roberta was afraid to move for fear that she would be hurt worse than she was from the cut due to the mirror glass.
All of this was relayed to Ed, the chief of police. Ed told Thomas that he wanted to move into the house that Leonora was living in as soon as he was ready to sell it. He was marrying Kerns daughter. Thomas asked Leonora to marry him and Deke was dating Cassie.
Smoke and Mirrors was the name that Alex gave to the drug that Roberta's husband had created.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one started out a little boring for me, and I was convinced that it was going to be some kind of paranormal mystery, which I wasn’t really looking forward to, so I’m glad it didn’t go that route. I don’t always enjoy mysteries, but Leonora, Thomas, and Wrench were such likable characters that I ended up enjoying it. When the mystery part came to an end with a few chapters left, I wasn’t sure if the mystery wasn’t really over, or if the last chapters were just reserved for the romance. **SPOILER** I kind of enjoyed the additional plot with the mystery. I kept trying to figure out who else could have been involved and creating my own ideas, but I didn’t figure it out until just before it happened. I was also quite pleased with how the romance ended. I loved Thomas and Leonora together and Wrench the dog was a lovable character that made me smile more than once. A good dog always makes a story better.

I was a little confused about Deke and Cassie. If he really had fallen for her when he said he did, he would have tried a little harder with his appearance and wouldn’t have been quite so drab. It was cute that they got together, but the circumstances didn’t quite add up for me.

I loved Leonora’s grandmother and Herb. That made for a funny little subplot to the story. It added some lightness and laughter and sweetness. Just thinking of an elderly man in a retirement community being the author of the Ask Henrietta advice column and helping the girls with their lasagna, apple pie, and little black dress suggestions to help land their men was hilarious. I loved that addition to the book.

While it started out slow, made me worry about it being paranormal with all the creepy mirrors, I was happy it ended up being a hallucinogenic drug and murder scenario. The romance and the extra cute characters made it more normal and likable. All in all, it was a nice story, and I enjoyed the author’s writing style. This was my first book that she had written. I’ll probably try another one at some point.

[D'ale lui Damian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casa oglinzilor-Jayne Ann Krentz

✍️Nici cea mai bună unealtă din lume nu ajută dacă cel ce o foloseşte habar nu are ce face.

Sunt mai bine de 10 ani de când am descoperit-o pe Jayne Ann Krentz, alias Amanda Quick, Jayne Castle.A publicat sub mai multe pseudonime, fiecare nume indicând tipul de carte: istorical romance (A.Q) aventură, etc.

Mi-a plăcut să (re)citesc "Casa Oglinzilor" cu toate că nu mi-am mai amintit absolut nimic despre acest volum . (🙈) Zic recitesc, pt ca bănuiesc că nu am scapat vreo carte scrisă de această autoare la acea vreme.

Casa Oglinzilor reprezintă o casă cu trei nivele, având o arhitectonică combinată între stilul victorian și gotic, ce reprezintă sediul central al Asociaţiei Colegiului Eubanks. Exact ca si numele acesteia, este o casă plina cu oglinzi, din diverse secole, dar si cu o vastă bibliotecă având aceeasi tematică : studiul oglinzilor.Aceasta casă a aparținut lui Sebastian Eubanks, un matematician în onoarea căruia a fost înființat un fond, fond ce are legătură cu cartea.

Meredith fusese o escroacă, o mincinoasă de profesie şi o hoaţă, astfel reusind sa delapideze 1,5 milioane de dolari din fondul de acordare a burselor, vorbesc la timpul trecut deoarece a decedat.

Leonora, sora vitregă a acesteia, o bibliotecară, vrea sa afle exact ce s-a întâmplat, deoarece refuză să creadă că s-a drogat și se aliază exact cu cel care o bănuise initial de complicitate la furt.
Astfel: Thomas, Deke, Cassie si Leonora ajung să investigheze legatura dintre o crima de acum 30 de ani, sinuciderea lui Meredith, precum si accidentul fostei soții a lui Deke.

Mi-a plăcut de bunica Gloria, iar Herb/Henrietta cu rubrica lui de recomandari este divin... oare cand o să-i apara adevarata identitate, o sa mai aibă același succes?