Hidden Agemda

Kate Diamond Adventure #1

by Leighann Dobbs

The Millenia Ruby is stolen from the Ritzholdt Museum and insurance investigator Kate Diamond will stop at nothing to retrieve it ... even if it means getting shot at, impersonating an FBI agent and tangling with a live volcano. Enlisting the aid of her retired jewel thief parents and their band of thieves, safecrackers and con men from the Golden Capers retirement village, Kate arms herself with a variety of gadgets and disguises to follow a trail of clues from icy Antarctica to a desolate tropical island. But she soon finds that what started off as an easy job may end with a deadly twist. Why is someone going to so much trouble to keep possession of the ruby? And what, exactly, does Kate’s ex-partner, FBI agent Ace Mason, have up his sleeve? Is he really trying to keep her safe as he suggests, or is he simply trying to find the ruby first and take all the credit? By the time Kate realizes things are not as they seem, she may be in too deep. Will she discover the real hidden agenda behind the theft of the gem before it’s too late?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Amazon, Ebooks, Adventure

204 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 5, 2013

About the author

USA Today bestselling author, Leighann Dobbs, discovered her passion for writing after a twenty year career as a software engineer. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband Bruce, their trusty Chihuahua mix Mojo and beautiful rescue cat, Kitty.

Her book "Dead Wrong" won the "Best Mystery Romance" award at the 2014 Indie Romance Convention.

Her book "Ghostly Paws" was the 2015 Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem First Place category winner in the Animal Mystery category.

Reviews

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A so-so caper with a former FBI agent turned insurance investigator who uses her former jewel thief parents and their "retired" friends to help retrieve a ruby stolen from a museum. Very lightweight, with more humor than plot.

[Justme · Rating 2 out of 5]

Voice was very immature; think Nancy Drew. Far too young & shallow to be a fired FBI agent.
I love gemstones...though not so much diamonds & rubies...I like stones that are more interesting. But even rubies can be interesting, as the red form of corundum...plenty of tidbits that could have been added to the story...and weren't. Overall, I found it vaguely uninteresting.
They mystery wasn't very mysterious. The events were unrealistic...unbelievable...again, very Nancy Drew with a dash of fantasy heroism.
I won't be reading book #2.

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Must admit, I didn't like Kate Diamond as much as some of Leighann Dobbs' other main characters. Not entirely sure why. Although the supporting characters - the retired con artists and thieves - were pretty fun.

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited, Leighann Dobbs writes under Leighann Dobbs, Annie Dobbs and (soon) L.A. Dobbs but her real name {not sure if she writes under that one} is Lee Dobbins, Hazel Martin Mysteries only one I found for this type with her, she has not made sure that terms used match the British terms as well as in other areas for that period of architecture and assorted styles.

The Notch Cozy Mystery Series {5 out as of this writing} and the Blackbore Sisters Cozy Mysteries are not on Kindle Unlimited which as said before about 1 & 7 {the only ones given free, sure would not have bought them} and ditto for Ghostly Paws which is 1 of 5 at this time but did get others free over time.

While some of her other books are Kindle Unlimited none of the Blackmoore Sisters Cozy Mysteries are which doesn't matter to me as read #1 and #7 and was way underwhelmed. Leighann Dobbs writes under Leighann Dobbs, Annie Dobbs and (soon) L.A. Dobbs but her real name {not sure if she writes under that one} is Lee Dobbins, Hazel Martin Mysteries only one I found for this type with her, she has not made sure that terms used match the British terms as well as in other areas for that period of architecture and assorted styles. By the way, bakeries and other food service places don't run like that. Badly needs to proof things, it's messing up the flow of the book, which my computer reads to me, so that's bad. As for these, it's not that the situations couldn't happen, it's in the telling of the story, with unlikable unbelievable characters and situations, again.

Yet another goodreads won't hide it don't want to see the badly proofed badly plotted poor excuse for bad soft core porn crap. The 'historical' ones are like that and so are the some of the non cozy mysteries and some of the sorta but not really mysteries because can't write, etc ad nauseum. The most any of them got was 2 changed to 1 for crap cozy, some get a 1 which means basically crappy soft porn 'romance' etc.

3 in Silver Hollow Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series so far which are on kindle unlimited, 3 in the Moosamuck Island Mysteries , 5 in the Mystic Notch Cozy Mysteries so far {not ku}, Blackmore Sisters has 7 {not ku}, Hazel Martin Mysteries only has 1 so far, Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery series 12 so far is on ku. Others.including Scandals and Spies Book series so far 4 which are basically romance soft core porn dreck but hey you can get them on ku. Witches of Hawthorne Grove 1 so far,Cevonne Bride of Oklahoma, Unexpected Series 4 so far ku.

The Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series By the way, bakeries and other food service places don't run like that. Badly needs to proof things, it's messing up the flow of the book, which my computer reads to me, so that's bad. As for these, it's not that the situations couldn't happen, it's in the telling of the story, with unlikable unbelievable characters and situations, again.

Copy/paste fill in the blank seems to be pretty much what she is doing in her books, which wouldn't be half as bad if the plots and ploys and actions were believable at all.Just change the name for a book and maybe change the series list under, and you are right back to copy paste same old same old.

NOTE: I specifically mentioned certain of the 'books'/series were achieving soft core crap status, and specifically said which ones those were, reference AGAIN the above quoted review, and did not specifically mention the blackmore ones as that, BUT and had not mentioned that had went back and rated all no talent no plot cardboard charactered 'stories' listed above as 1 as well. I will change the original review to reflect that, but it is still a 1, and MY review of the crap stands.

[OMalleycat · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a ridiculous book, one that makes me glad I got it at a bargain price. It would have helped to have a construction crane to take some of the load of massive suspension of disbelief necessary to buy into many of the elements of the story. Main character Kate Diamond is an insurance investigator for a museum (don't such investigators usually work for insurance providers?) who tracks down a jewel heist with the help of both the FBI and her retired criminal parents and their cronies. Think of Kate as a distaff James Bond. She has a Q-like back-up providing her with ingenious gadgets to get out of impossible situations. She has a crazy all-powerful adversary. Kate is a mistress of disguise who continent hops with ease. I particularly hated the Antarctica section in which author Leighann Dobbs has forgotten that cycles of day and night in Antarctica don't work as they do in the U.S. and that taking a trip there isn't as easy as taking a flight or pulling a boat up to the shore, even if you do have a magic bullet deflecting all-purpose snowmobile, complete with driver, on hand. I liked the cat. I give it two stars because of the cat and because I did read it to the end. It was finishable, that's the main point in Hidden Agemda's favor.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ex FBI agent Kate Diamond now works as an insurance investigator and is assigned to retrieve the world's largest ruby. It is hard to believe that this character ever worked for the FBI since she seems to be unable to do anything on her own. She now relies on Gideon, in the lab (insurance companies have labs?)who manages to provide her with amazing gadgets that even 007 would be envious of. (Example: a TicTac container that not only dispenses TicTacs but is also a camera, a prosthetic thumb that is basically a Swiss Army knife, etc.) She also calls on her parents and their friends, all of which are rich, highly skilled, yet retired, thieves and con-men. Throw in a good guy named Ace and a bad guy named Damien Darkstone and you have the makings of a low budget show for children. It reminded me of a cross between the old Batman TV show and the Johnny Quest cartoon. Minions that include trained crows, a bad guy with a maniacal laugh, being chained up inside a volcano that is about to erupt...
If you enjoy that kind of juvenile writing, this book is for you, but it was just too silly for my tastes. I didn't even find it funny, just silly.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

HIDDEN AGEMDA by Leighann Dobbs. Book 1 in "Kate Diamond Adventure"
Kate scanning the ballroom looking for Julian Crowder, he had a fancy for shiny gems. Spotting Ace Mason FBI what's he doing here, she had a mission to do. Accomplished, she wanted to share with the CEO, maybe get a word of praise, but, he was always elusive. Her project, getting data, on the largest Ruby crystal, while loving her job at the art museum. Next step with the project, Anarticia, an Ice Hotel, and with the help of her parents.
That's where she got her talent from, and they stayed mostly within the law.
Everything was running smoothly, or was it really, seems like trouble didn't need an invitation for her. This was a great plot, and the start of a new series for Leighann. The characters were good, the adventure with a little humor, was well done. Enjoyable for all ages, to read, looking forward to the next book in this series

[Gab · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a caper style book that reminds me how hard it is to write real humour. It was an easy read with a bit of a silly plot line that didn't take itself very seriously. Kate Diamond is a former FBI agent turned investigator for a museum. A huge ruby has gone missing from the museum and Kate is charged with recovering it. She works with three men: Gideon - the scientist who makes cool gadgets for her, Max - her enigmatic boss that she is half in love with despite never seeing him, and Ace - the FBI Agent she used to work with. Her parents are ex-cons and live in a retirement community with other ex-cons. The ruby is being auctioned in Antarctica so the first part of the caper takes place there with very unbelievable action. Once Kate gets it back to Boston they discover it's a fake so they have to find more clues. Overall it was a light book, with some funny elements.

[Colin Rochford · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hidden Agemda by Leighann Hobbs
Did not like this book at all. From the ridiculously twee play on words title to the final denouement if you can really call it that.

It was quite poorly written. Not very interesting story at least in the beginning although it did get better, and it was full of weird things such as:
"... the trousers which were covered with some thing kind of black stuff that made them almost invisible.".  Or whatever.
I mean if you don't know what you're talking about don't do it or research it. Or make it seem like it's the character who doesn't know what it's all about.
There was way too much telling in this attempt and not enough showing.

Google it, if you don't know what I mean.
Very disappointing in my opinion.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

E-Reader. Thriller / Mystery

Kate Diamond former FBI agent, is investigating how to recover the stolen Millenia Ruby. Stolen from Ritzholdt Museum. That's her current assignment.
Her parents are former thieves now retired. Living at the Golden Capers Beach & Yacht Club. There are condos all owned by retired cons who used e involved in the capers.
Her former FBI partner Ace Mason is involved too.
There are so many twists & turns you'll be surprised in many ways. And some very dangerous things happen.
If you like a book like this read it. It will have you sitting n the edge of your seat at times!

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this mystery. It wasn't what I expected from this author. This is the first book by Leighann Dobbs that I have read; however, I have other books written by her on my list and they look very different from this one. So I was surprised by this story because it just wasn't what I expected. Kate works for a museum and is like James Bond. Gideon is her "M". She has neat gear and the best back-up team ever--her parents and their retired criminal friends. There is even a nemesis, her old FBI partner. The characters are fun and at times just made me laugh. They mystery was engaging and action all along the way. I will definitely read the next book in this series.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate works for a museum, to of stolen items, etc. She's a former FBI agent, who was fired due to a jerk of a partner, and is the Daughter of former criminals. In fact, she grew up with jewel thieves, safe crackers, cat burglars, etc, and has a vast repertoire of skills. She is after a thief who stole a huge, raw ruby. Unfortunately, the FBI, and especially her former partner, whom she loves & hates. This was a good mystery, fun read with all kinds of fun, and not so fun, things going on. It's also a clean read...no filth. I'm really liking Leighann Dobbs' books.

[Bob Brennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a good read, fairly well-developed characters and a solid plot, if a bit confusing one or twice, then the crows came and messed it all up. The finale was good in outline but terrible in execution. The main character is rescued by a Deus Ex Machina secret tech device and the villain, who only actually appeared at the very end, appears to have become some sort of super villain with power over birds and granting them superpowers too. Kinda sad the ending was so weak, had enjoyed it up to that point. Got it a 3 instead of a 4 from me.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for a hardcore twisting plot mystery this book might not be for you. However, if you want characters that are quirky, inventions that rival McGuyver, and laugh out loud moments then this is the perfect book for you.

Kate Diamond, former FBI agent, now works to recover stolen items. Her quest to retrieve the stolen ruby takes her to Antartica and an ice hotel. Then to a more balmy island excursion. Her parents and their retired friends assist along the way.

Leighann Dobbs is quickly becoming a favorite writer.

[Jill DeBellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby ice!

Kate Diamond and the case of missing Ruby. Kate is ex FBI and she now works for a gentleman named Max. Her job is to find stolen items and she wants to prove to her boss and the FBI that she can do the job.

Her job is to recover a priceless Ruby and return it to a museum. The job takes her to Antarctica. Things get complicated when all is not what it seems.

Is a must read.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in the series. The main character is Kate who works undercover to take back stolen works of art and gems. She is after a large ruby and it takes her all over the world. From a frozen man-made ice hotel to a volcanic island . She has one heck of a time trying to stay ahead of the FBI and since she once worked for them, this was important. I enjoyed this story and look forward to more.

[Beth Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertainng book, but what a way far out scenario, but that is so unlikely. A museum insurance investigator is going to go to Antarctica to a showing of gems being sold on the black market to nefarious collectors. She's going to grab the gem under all of their noses. Interesting and entertaining, but so far-fatched. The writer has skill, hopefully she can put to use on a more likely heroine.

[Jody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is a generally accepted axiom but maybe there should be a corollary that says “Don’t judge a book by its reviews”. Hidden Agenda reads like a Young Adult novel - which is quite acceptable if the reader is 13 years old. Rarely have I been misled by reviews or a plot synopsis, but this time my habit of finishing every book I start was a chore rather than a pleasure.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is what I like to describe as a cozy adventure. Insurance investigator Kate, a former FBI agent, is assigned to recover a special ruby stolen from a museum. The cast includes a band of family friends who all live together in a unique retirement community, an FBI agent keeping an eye on Kate,, a spy gadget inventor, and the mysterious and elusive man named Max for whom they are working at the museum.

[Alice Alvarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ruby

It took a while to get into this story. Kate Diamond could have been a stronger character. The people she worked with, such as Mercedes, Gideon and her parents made the story interesting. The story itself was not believable.
Who gets handcuffed and left in a volcano.

If you have no other book to read, you might enjoy this story.

[Donna Engler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twists and turns galore

Our heroine jumps from crisis to crisis in this non-stop adventure. It's very exciting and full of rich characters. There are good guys and bad guys and sometimes the bad boys seem to be in command. A stolen ruby begins all the action. Have fun reading all about it.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for an easy beach read this book fits the bill. Not overly involved in plot or characters but enjoyable if you don't want to think too hard and just sit back and escape for a little bit. There was no sex or swearing so if you're like a clean read this is a good one for you. Definitely lives up to the "cozy" mystery title.

[Sharon M. Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Leighann Dobbs triumph.

Anything this author writes is really worth reading. This one is a combination of James Bond and Mickey Spillane. Kate Diamond is a bright gutsy detective with a great crew to back her up. The case is a fist size uncut ruby that's been stolen and Kate's job is to steal it back and has to go to the ends of the earth to do it.

[Krystyna · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the heroine is too blind to see what is in front of her

Okay not the best start but hopefully this will be remedied in the next book. I liked the heroine but she did seem not to catch onto the clues without help. The actual plot itself was a good one but just needed a bit more work. Compared to the rest of this author's work it was disappointing.

[Sandy Betley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great plot twists! A very fun read.

The characters are very likeable and the mysterious Max puts me in mind of Charlie from Charlie's Angels. Some family and friends with interesting skills help outwit the nemesis but you won't see what is coming next! I'll be happy to get better acquainted with Kate and friends in other books in the series!!

[Marcia-Lee Finocchio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Diamond... a new James Bond type!

Loved this book💕, if you like James Bond then you are going to enjoy this story.. Her job, to get back a ruby that was stolen from a museum... a lot of twists and turns, special gadgets and of course Kate! An awesome book 📚 .

[Mairi Krausse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting mystery

Great mystery story, with an ex-FBI agent looking for a jewel thief. She gets herself into, and with the help of her family, out of, all kinds of predicaments. Interesting story.

[Jazzmyn Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plesantly surprised that i really enjoyed this book. This is a new author for me and cozy mysteries is a newer genre but im already on to my next book of hers. It was fast paced not slow parts at all. Felt like i was watching a action movie!

[Sandra Casile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read.

I Loved all the quirks in this story. It is funny, mysterious and a whole lot of different characters in the whole storyline. Still can't believe she has not found out who her boss is.

[Annemarie DeClark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fun, fast-paced read. There are lots of twists and turns, making it an exciting story. Kate Diamond, Gideon, Ace Mason, and the Golden Capers are all enjoyable characters. I am looking forward to reading more in the series.