Double or Nothing

by Nancy Baker Jacobs

As she arranges her first house exchange vacation, Minnesota nurse Ellen Merchant thinks she's snared the free holiday of a lifetime- she manages to trade her modest home for a mansion overlooking San Francisco Bay.

Art dealer Art Carmody, whose wealthy wife Jane owns this Bayside residence, has both serious gambling debts and a troubled marriage. He figures murdering Jane while giving himself an unshakable alibi wll solve both problems.

Con artist Sid Balzarian thinks he's discovered the perfect get-rich-quick scheme- kidnapping Jane Carmody for ransom. As these three stories converge, a dream vacation quickly becomes a breathtaking nightmare.

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 5, 2011

About the author

Nancy Baker Jacobs is the award-winning author of 13 crime novels, including the Devon MacDonald private eye series; FLASH POINT (featuring arson investigator Susan Delancey) and STAR STRUCK (introducing "Hollywood Star" reporter Quinn Collins); and seven suspense novels. Her latest suspense offering, RICOCHET, was chosen by the Mystery Writers of America as a finalist for its Mary Higgins Clark Award.

As Nancy C. Baker, she's also written six nonfiction books on subjects ranging from black market adoption to breast cancer.

Nancy Baker Jacobs has worked as a private detective, a university professor and administrator, and a journalist. She lives on California's Monterey Peninsula.