What do you think?
Rate this book
A Perfect Double: A Breken Annersen Mystery
""One of those rare novels that both thrill and provoke strong emotions from both heart and mind. A magnificent adventure I did not want to end" Rick F. founder J. Mason Mystery Group, Goodreads'
Although tall, thin, blond and gorgeous, Breken Annersen suffers from body dysmorphic disorder. She's got a 'glamour job' at an international gossip magazine, but dreams of a Pulitzer. All Brek WANTS on her Paris assignment is some dirt on a few starlets when she attends a chic film soiree with a handsome, irreverent freelancer, Hutch Branigan. But when a terrorist BOMB RIPS the star-studded event apart, chasing terrorists becomes part of her job description. This tossed-together pair witnesses the murder of a starlet who'd been at the Paris bombing, and hours later see the U. S. ambassador's daughter immolated on a dark fortress wall at the Cannes Film Festival. And now, there's a hit man on their trail. The 'glamour job' turns into a whodunit for Brek and Hutch. Their hunt leads them through a maze of diplomats, suave singers, movie stars and prostitutes - and the FBI and the Mafia. From the French Rivera to the Swiss mountains they find MURDER, CORRUPTION and espionage born in Kabul, that spreads across Europe and the U.S. And amid the peril and violence Brek and Hutch find a smoldering ATTRACTION for each other. Which could lead to romance, or heartbreak, or worse.
Although tall, thin, blond and gorgeous, Breken Annersen suffers from body dysmorphic disorder. She's got a 'glamour job' at an international gossip magazine, but dreams of a Pulitzer. All Brek WANTS on her Paris assignment is some dirt on a few starlets when she attends a chic film soiree with a handsome, irreverent freelancer, Hutch Branigan. But when a terrorist BOMB RIPS the star-studded event apart, chasing terrorists becomes part of her job description. This tossed-together pair witnesses the murder of a starlet who'd been at the Paris bombing, and hours later see the U. S. ambassador's daughter immolated on a dark fortress wall at the Cannes Film Festival. And now, there's a hit man on their trail. The 'glamour job' turns into a whodunit for Brek and Hutch. Their hunt leads them through a maze of diplomats, suave singers, movie stars and prostitutes - and the FBI and the Mafia. From the French Rivera to the Swiss mountains they find MURDER, CORRUPTION and espionage born in Kabul, that spreads across Europe and the U.S. And amid the peril and violence Brek and Hutch find a smoldering ATTRACTION for each other. Which could lead to romance, or heartbreak, or worse.
298 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2013
About the author
Sean Cronin
3 books12 followershttp://www.amazon.com/Sean-Cronin/e/B...
Sean Cronin is a 5-star Amazon author, a Goodreads "Five out of Five Stars” novelist and winner of three EFFIE awards. He is the author of the critically acclaimed noir novel, Sharp 9th, a Skinner Malloy Mystery. Cronin, is a former Fortune 500 executive and holds an M.S. from the University of Chicago.
Sean has two books in publication:
Sharp 9th
A Perfect Double
"Sharp 9th" is a mystery, dark, NYC: murder, corruption, conspiracy and maybe a love story.
Skinner Malloy is a rock musician, composer and former combat Marine. He trashed the men who attacked his band mate, young ad exec Gillian Carroll and now he's on parole - no gigs. Gillian's fired from her job by Consolidate Insurance, a client, for bogus reasons and someone's still spreading lies. As they search for the real reasons Gilli was fired, they find that people associated with Consolidated are dieing in freak accidents that are anything buy. They find a young girl dieing in a hospital, refused treatment by Consolidate.
And haltingly, the find feelings for each other. Feeling he though were destroyed by
war and she though were lost in the attack.
A Perfect double is an international mystery/thriller; fast paced, it's beautiful and flawed heroine, gossip reporter Breken Annersen, moves the glamorous world of film and music, festivals in Paris, the Riviera and Montreux to uncover the murderers behind an apparent terrorist bombing and murders.
Although tall, thin, blond and gorgeous, Breken Annersen suffers from body dysmorphic disorder. She’s got a ‘glamor job’ at an international gossip magazine, but dreams of a Pulitzer.
All Brek WANTS on her Paris assignment is some dirt on a few starlets at a chic film soiree with handsome, irreverent freelancer, Hutch Branigan. But when a terrorist bomb rips the star-studded event apart, she GETS a new job description, chasing terrorists. Brek and Hutch, this tossed-together pair, witnesses the murder of a starlet who'd been at the Paris bombing, and hours later see the U.S. ambassador's daughter immolated on a dark fortress wall at the Cannes Film Festival. And now, there’s a hit man on their trail.
The 'glamor job' turns into a whodunit for Brek and Hutch. Their hunt leads them through a maze of diplomats, suave singers, movie stars and prostitutes, the FBI and the Mafia. From the French Rivera to the Swiss mountains they find MURDER, CORRUPTION and espionage born in Kabul, that spreads across Europe and the U.S. And amid the peril and violence, Brek and Hutch find a smoldering ATTRACTION for each other. Which could lead to romance, or heartbreak, or worse.
About me? Motorcycles, scuba, rock band, and many many years a a Fortune 500 executive. And I'm kinda fun, so drop me a note. Sean
Sean Cronin is a 5-star Amazon author, a Goodreads "Five out of Five Stars” novelist and winner of three EFFIE awards. He is the author of the critically acclaimed noir novel, Sharp 9th, a Skinner Malloy Mystery. Cronin, is a former Fortune 500 executive and holds an M.S. from the University of Chicago.
Sean has two books in publication:
Sharp 9th
A Perfect Double
"Sharp 9th" is a mystery, dark, NYC: murder, corruption, conspiracy and maybe a love story.
Skinner Malloy is a rock musician, composer and former combat Marine. He trashed the men who attacked his band mate, young ad exec Gillian Carroll and now he's on parole - no gigs. Gillian's fired from her job by Consolidate Insurance, a client, for bogus reasons and someone's still spreading lies. As they search for the real reasons Gilli was fired, they find that people associated with Consolidated are dieing in freak accidents that are anything buy. They find a young girl dieing in a hospital, refused treatment by Consolidate.
And haltingly, the find feelings for each other. Feeling he though were destroyed by
war and she though were lost in the attack.
A Perfect double is an international mystery/thriller; fast paced, it's beautiful and flawed heroine, gossip reporter Breken Annersen, moves the glamorous world of film and music, festivals in Paris, the Riviera and Montreux to uncover the murderers behind an apparent terrorist bombing and murders.
Although tall, thin, blond and gorgeous, Breken Annersen suffers from body dysmorphic disorder. She’s got a ‘glamor job’ at an international gossip magazine, but dreams of a Pulitzer.
All Brek WANTS on her Paris assignment is some dirt on a few starlets at a chic film soiree with handsome, irreverent freelancer, Hutch Branigan. But when a terrorist bomb rips the star-studded event apart, she GETS a new job description, chasing terrorists. Brek and Hutch, this tossed-together pair, witnesses the murder of a starlet who'd been at the Paris bombing, and hours later see the U.S. ambassador's daughter immolated on a dark fortress wall at the Cannes Film Festival. And now, there’s a hit man on their trail.
The 'glamor job' turns into a whodunit for Brek and Hutch. Their hunt leads them through a maze of diplomats, suave singers, movie stars and prostitutes, the FBI and the Mafia. From the French Rivera to the Swiss mountains they find MURDER, CORRUPTION and espionage born in Kabul, that spreads across Europe and the U.S. And amid the peril and violence, Brek and Hutch find a smoldering ATTRACTION for each other. Which could lead to romance, or heartbreak, or worse.
About me? Motorcycles, scuba, rock band, and many many years a a Fortune 500 executive. And I'm kinda fun, so drop me a note. Sean
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 22, 2015
Now this is what they call a page-turner! Since receiving a free copy in a giveaway, Sean Cronin's debut and the first novel in a planned Breken Annersen Mystery series (although this book also fits clearly within the thriller, action/adventure, suspense & even romantic suspense genres)has been near the top of my to-read list. If I knew I would move through the greater part of the book, hungrily consuming the action-packed story, over the course of a single afternoon I would have bumped it to the top of my list!
This isn't literary fiction -- this is nothing more and nothing less than good fun. In addition to some spellbinding storytelling, Cronin offers the reader an unusual -- and I think quite charming -- protagonist in the character of Brekken. It's refreshing whenever one finds men writing strong female characters as protagonists in their fiction. If the description of this plot appeals to you, the reading experience will not disappoint. I highly recommend A Perfect Double to fellow readers.
This isn't literary fiction -- this is nothing more and nothing less than good fun. In addition to some spellbinding storytelling, Cronin offers the reader an unusual -- and I think quite charming -- protagonist in the character of Brekken. It's refreshing whenever one finds men writing strong female characters as protagonists in their fiction. If the description of this plot appeals to you, the reading experience will not disappoint. I highly recommend A Perfect Double to fellow readers.
January 22, 2014
This was a wonderful book. Full of twists and turns, glamor, travel, espionage , you name it.
A real page turner, keeps you guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading more books by Sean Cronin
A real page turner, keeps you guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading more books by Sean Cronin
July 26, 2016
If you're into complex mysteries that come together as perfect pieces of a surprising puzzle, this novel is what you're looking for.
May 16, 2014
With plenty of on-line acclaim for author Sean Cronin --- particularly for his previous novel, SHARP 9TH, I was excited to dive right into his latest thriller set in the world of international gossip --- A PERFECT DOUBLE.
For me, this was a far from perfect read. To set up the action, the self-described blonde, tall, thin and gorgeous Breken 'Brek' Annersen has a glamour job as reporter for an international gossip magazine. While Brek dreams of a Pulitzer she fights a daily battle with a unique body dysmorphic disorder. This disorder --- which is a fancy sort of anorexia --- finds Brek thinking she is bony, flat-chested and generally disfigured in some way.
Brek is teamed up with a freelancer named Hutch Branigan. Like Brek, Hutch has an interesting name that makes me feel a letter or two are missing from it. The wise-cracking Hutch is the polar opposite of Brek. He is sarcastic, smarmy and self-described as 'handsome'.
The story opens with the two of them battling to save the life of an Ambassador who has been seriously injured in a bombing attack. The Ambassador dies and Brek and Hutch are now prepared for questioning by the local police. The action is set in Paris and other parts of France, yet the investigators who interview Brek and Hutch are American.
When another bomb goes off, during Brek's interview about the first bombing, everyone involved realizes there is an issue. More importantly, there is a madman or group of madmen seeking to make a statement and do not care who gets hurt in the process.
Defying logic, the two gossip journalists now become terrorist fighters. Their mission takes them to the Cannes Film Festival where more nefarious deeds are being planned. Along the way they are surrounded by stars, starlets, models, rap stars and politicians.
A PERFECT DOUBLE has good intentions and the story is unique. However, the writing is not strong and a copy editor is sorely missing here. The majority of the characters are mere caricature stick figures that, had they been better fleshed out, could have made this unbelievable story work better.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Rebecca Reads
For me, this was a far from perfect read. To set up the action, the self-described blonde, tall, thin and gorgeous Breken 'Brek' Annersen has a glamour job as reporter for an international gossip magazine. While Brek dreams of a Pulitzer she fights a daily battle with a unique body dysmorphic disorder. This disorder --- which is a fancy sort of anorexia --- finds Brek thinking she is bony, flat-chested and generally disfigured in some way.
Brek is teamed up with a freelancer named Hutch Branigan. Like Brek, Hutch has an interesting name that makes me feel a letter or two are missing from it. The wise-cracking Hutch is the polar opposite of Brek. He is sarcastic, smarmy and self-described as 'handsome'.
The story opens with the two of them battling to save the life of an Ambassador who has been seriously injured in a bombing attack. The Ambassador dies and Brek and Hutch are now prepared for questioning by the local police. The action is set in Paris and other parts of France, yet the investigators who interview Brek and Hutch are American.
When another bomb goes off, during Brek's interview about the first bombing, everyone involved realizes there is an issue. More importantly, there is a madman or group of madmen seeking to make a statement and do not care who gets hurt in the process.
Defying logic, the two gossip journalists now become terrorist fighters. Their mission takes them to the Cannes Film Festival where more nefarious deeds are being planned. Along the way they are surrounded by stars, starlets, models, rap stars and politicians.
A PERFECT DOUBLE has good intentions and the story is unique. However, the writing is not strong and a copy editor is sorely missing here. The majority of the characters are mere caricature stick figures that, had they been better fleshed out, could have made this unbelievable story work better.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Rebecca Reads
December 6, 2013
“A Perfect Double” - Although tall, thin, blond and gorgeous, Breken Annersen suffers from body dysmorphic disorder. She’s got a ‘glamor job’ at an international gossip magazine, but dreams of a Pulitzer.
All Brek WANTS on her Paris assignment is some dirt on a few starlets at a chic film soiree with handsome, irreverent freelancer, Hutch Branigan. But when a terrorist bomb rips the star-studded event apart, she GETS a new job description, chasing terrorists. Brek and Hutch, this tossed-together pair, witnesses the murder of a starlet who'd been at the Paris bombing, and hours later see the U.S. ambassador's daughter immolated on a dark fortress wall at the Cannes Film Festival. And now, there’s a hit man on their trail.
The 'glamor job' turns into a whodunit for Brek and Hutch. Their hunt leads them through a maze of diplomats, suave singers, movie stars and prostitutes, the FBI and the Mafia. From the French Rivera to the Swiss mountains they find MURDER, CORRUPTION and espionage born in Kabul, that spreads across Europe and the U.S. And amid the peril and violence, Brek and Hutch find a smoldering ATTRACTION for each other. Which could lead to romance, or heartbreak, or worse.
Sean Cronin is a 5-star Amazon author, a Goodreads "Five out of Five Stars” novelist and winner of three EFFIE awards. He is the author of the critically acclaimed noir novel, Sharp 9th, a Skinner Malloy Mystery. Cronin, is a former Fortune 500 executive and holds an M.S. from the University of Chicago.
All Brek WANTS on her Paris assignment is some dirt on a few starlets at a chic film soiree with handsome, irreverent freelancer, Hutch Branigan. But when a terrorist bomb rips the star-studded event apart, she GETS a new job description, chasing terrorists. Brek and Hutch, this tossed-together pair, witnesses the murder of a starlet who'd been at the Paris bombing, and hours later see the U.S. ambassador's daughter immolated on a dark fortress wall at the Cannes Film Festival. And now, there’s a hit man on their trail.
The 'glamor job' turns into a whodunit for Brek and Hutch. Their hunt leads them through a maze of diplomats, suave singers, movie stars and prostitutes, the FBI and the Mafia. From the French Rivera to the Swiss mountains they find MURDER, CORRUPTION and espionage born in Kabul, that spreads across Europe and the U.S. And amid the peril and violence, Brek and Hutch find a smoldering ATTRACTION for each other. Which could lead to romance, or heartbreak, or worse.
Sean Cronin is a 5-star Amazon author, a Goodreads "Five out of Five Stars” novelist and winner of three EFFIE awards. He is the author of the critically acclaimed noir novel, Sharp 9th, a Skinner Malloy Mystery. Cronin, is a former Fortune 500 executive and holds an M.S. from the University of Chicago.
April 30, 2014
Nice thriller that moves right along, with some twists and turns. Protagonist is interesting with a twist--she worries about being too skinny and flat-chested. Reporter for a gossip mag, she moves among the rich and famous. Sidekick photographer is interesting as well, and romance raises its head. Her mother's annoyingly funny/awful (via phone). Mystery's compelling. The writing's not bad, but could definitely use a good copy editor. Couple of continuity problems, but not enough to spoil the tale. Mystery/thriller fans will definitely enjoy.
I received the book for free through Goodreads.
I received the book for free through Goodreads.
June 17, 2014
I enjoyed this book and while it didn't grab me to the point that I couldn't put it down;it had enough intrigue and twists to keep my interest.
It was an easy read and I found myself speculating as to what was about to happen from the author's choice of words, thoughts and comments. Sometimes I nailed it and others missed it totally.
Again, a good book and definitely an author that I will look for in
future readings.
It was an easy read and I found myself speculating as to what was about to happen from the author's choice of words, thoughts and comments. Sometimes I nailed it and others missed it totally.
Again, a good book and definitely an author that I will look for in
future readings.
June 25, 2014
I was a lucky winner of this book here on Goodreads!! I found the writing to be very good & Cronin threw in quite a few curves in the plot to keep things very interesting. I love a book with a great twist to it. Had a hard time putting this one down.
Looking forward to reading Sean Cronin's book "Sharp 9th" sometime in the near future along with any other books he puts out.
Looking forward to reading Sean Cronin's book "Sharp 9th" sometime in the near future along with any other books he puts out.
June 26, 2014
Although the story was decent, the errors in this book outweighed that. I feel I am being generous with 3 stars. It was basically an error on every page and if you hate grammar mistakes and spelling mistakes as much as I do, I think you will have a hard time getting through it. If the mistakes are corrected then the book would be a fantastic read. Thanks for the giveaway!
September 25, 2014
i must say, that if you start reading this book, and think, as i did, that it isn't grabbing you, keep with it. i alwaus finish a book i start, no matter what, but i am rally glad i did in this case. it turns out to be a really twisty thriller, with an unexpected ending. super. i won this book here on goodreads, and i am glad i did.
February 10, 2016
I did not win this book on Goodreads, but an author on Goodreads sent me this book. At first, i thought that this book was a little too graphic for me, but once I got into it, I thought it was a GREAT book. I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was a really good mystery and the twist at the end, well, I guess, you'll have to read the book. ;o)
July 7, 2014
A really great book. A Goodreads treasure. Characters were great. There was so much going on, you just had to keep turning the page. I would recommend A Perfect Double to all mystery lovers.
January 19, 2015
Wow, lots of action. a light touch of romance, and enough twists to keep you guessing! Fun read! I want Marco to be my best friend!
November 11, 2016
I'm glad I won this book from Goodreads.com. It was an interesting, quick pace book full of dangerous settings. I had not read the other books in the series. The author even autographed my copy!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews