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Evidence #7
Poison Evidence
It was supposed to be paradise….
Ivy MacLeod has the perfect opportunity to test her advanced remote sensing technology: mapping a World War II battle site in the islands of Palau. The project is more than an all-expenses-paid trip to paradise. It’s also an opportunity to distance her reputation from her traitorous ex-husband.
But foreign intelligence agencies will kill to possess her invention, and paradise turns deadly when her ex-husband’s vicious allies attack. In desperation, she turns to Air Force pilot Jack Keaton. But is he the bigger threat? Jack might be protecting her as he claims...or he could be a foreign agent. Her compass is skewed by his magnetic pull and further thrown off when she learns her own government has betrayed her.
Stranded on a tropical island with a man whose motives remain a mystery, Ivy must decide who is the spy, who is the protector, and who is the ultimate villain. She longs to trust the man who rescued her, but she’s risking more than her heart. Choose right, and she saves her country’s secrets—and her life. Choose wrong—and she risks nothing short of all-out war.
Ivy MacLeod has the perfect opportunity to test her advanced remote sensing technology: mapping a World War II battle site in the islands of Palau. The project is more than an all-expenses-paid trip to paradise. It’s also an opportunity to distance her reputation from her traitorous ex-husband.
But foreign intelligence agencies will kill to possess her invention, and paradise turns deadly when her ex-husband’s vicious allies attack. In desperation, she turns to Air Force pilot Jack Keaton. But is he the bigger threat? Jack might be protecting her as he claims...or he could be a foreign agent. Her compass is skewed by his magnetic pull and further thrown off when she learns her own government has betrayed her.
Stranded on a tropical island with a man whose motives remain a mystery, Ivy must decide who is the spy, who is the protector, and who is the ultimate villain. She longs to trust the man who rescued her, but she’s risking more than her heart. Choose right, and she saves her country’s secrets—and her life. Choose wrong—and she risks nothing short of all-out war.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2016
300 people are currently reading
703 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Grant
49 books1,630 followersCOMING SOON
AVAILABLE NOW:
USA Today bestselling author Rachel Grant also writes thrillers as R.S. Grant. She worked for over a decade as a professional archaeologist and mines her experiences for storylines and settings, which are as diverse as excavating a cemetery underneath an historic art museum in San Francisco, survey and excavation of many prehistoric Native American sites in the Pacific Northwest, researching an historic concrete house in Virginia (inspiration for her debut novel, CONCRETE EVIDENCE), and mapping a seventeenth century Spanish and Dutch fort on the island of Sint Maarten in the Caribbean (which provided inspiration for the island and fort described in CRASH SITE).
She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her archaeologist husband and demanding cat.
AVAILABLE NOW:
USA Today bestselling author Rachel Grant also writes thrillers as R.S. Grant. She worked for over a decade as a professional archaeologist and mines her experiences for storylines and settings, which are as diverse as excavating a cemetery underneath an historic art museum in San Francisco, survey and excavation of many prehistoric Native American sites in the Pacific Northwest, researching an historic concrete house in Virginia (inspiration for her debut novel, CONCRETE EVIDENCE), and mapping a seventeenth century Spanish and Dutch fort on the island of Sint Maarten in the Caribbean (which provided inspiration for the island and fort described in CRASH SITE).
She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her archaeologist husband and demanding cat.
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July 9, 2023
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
POISON EVIDENCE (Evidence Book #7 on Goodreads, Book #8 on Amazon) by Rachel Grant is another thrilling installment in the Evidence series featuring another brilliant member of the Naval History and Heritage Command team. This book is easily read as a standalone, but there is carryover of characters from previous books in this series. Any history from previous stories between characters is explained without going into detail and seamlessly keeps the current story flowing.
Ivy MacLeod is sent to the islands of Palau with her new advanced remote sensing technology known as CAM to map a WWII battle site. Ivy is happy to leave the states and distance herself from her ex-husband’s trial for treason. When she is attacked at a party for dignitaries on the island, she escapes with the help of Jack Keaton, an American on vacation in Palau.
Jack Keaton is not who he seems, but he has saved Ivy’s life. When Ivy learns the U.S. government has betrayed her, she must make up her own mind who is the spy, who is the protector and who is the villain.
I love this series! The heroines are accomplished, intelligent women with intriguing jobs whose personal lives become very complicated with heroes that are alpha males and over-achievers in their own right. Ivy has always been socially awkward due to her intelligence and then she suffered the ultimate betrayal from a husband she loved. Her invention is her life until she meets Jack, but he has many identities and Ivy has to trust him with her life even as he could be as bad as her ex. Jack’s backstory and the reasons for the way he lives his life make him a sympathetic character and the author does a great job of keeping him on that fine line between hero or villain. The plot is an intricate, edge-of-your-seat, fast paced spy thriller that leaves the reader questioning the motives of most of the characters right up to the climax. The sex scenes in this book are all smokin’ hot and explicit, but never gratuitous.
I highly recommend this romantic suspense/spy thriller, as well as every other book in this series!
POISON EVIDENCE (Evidence Book #7 on Goodreads, Book #8 on Amazon) by Rachel Grant is another thrilling installment in the Evidence series featuring another brilliant member of the Naval History and Heritage Command team. This book is easily read as a standalone, but there is carryover of characters from previous books in this series. Any history from previous stories between characters is explained without going into detail and seamlessly keeps the current story flowing.
Ivy MacLeod is sent to the islands of Palau with her new advanced remote sensing technology known as CAM to map a WWII battle site. Ivy is happy to leave the states and distance herself from her ex-husband’s trial for treason. When she is attacked at a party for dignitaries on the island, she escapes with the help of Jack Keaton, an American on vacation in Palau.
Jack Keaton is not who he seems, but he has saved Ivy’s life. When Ivy learns the U.S. government has betrayed her, she must make up her own mind who is the spy, who is the protector and who is the villain.
I love this series! The heroines are accomplished, intelligent women with intriguing jobs whose personal lives become very complicated with heroes that are alpha males and over-achievers in their own right. Ivy has always been socially awkward due to her intelligence and then she suffered the ultimate betrayal from a husband she loved. Her invention is her life until she meets Jack, but he has many identities and Ivy has to trust him with her life even as he could be as bad as her ex. Jack’s backstory and the reasons for the way he lives his life make him a sympathetic character and the author does a great job of keeping him on that fine line between hero or villain. The plot is an intricate, edge-of-your-seat, fast paced spy thriller that leaves the reader questioning the motives of most of the characters right up to the climax. The sex scenes in this book are all smokin’ hot and explicit, but never gratuitous.
I highly recommend this romantic suspense/spy thriller, as well as every other book in this series!
May 26, 2024
Review from 2017
I've given this a B+ for narration and an A- for content at AudioGals, so that's 4.5 stars.
Note: In my review of Cold Evidence, I mentioned that there was a teeny bit of a cliffhanger at the end, which would play out in the next book. Because the two stories are linked by this plot point and a few recurring characters, there will be some small spoilers for Cold Evidence in this review.
Rachel Grant is – in case it’s not obvious by now – my go-to author for romantic suspense. She’s got the knack of getting the balance between romance and plot just right; the pacing in her books is spot on, just the right mix of fast-paced action and calmer periods of reflection or love scenes, and her characters are strong, likeable and easy to root for. In this series, she’s drawn strongly on her background as an historian and archaeologist, and many of her characters work in those professions, as marine archaeologists, military historians and the like, all of which I find fascinating. In Poison Evidence, the seventh book in the Evidence series, we meet Ivy MacLeod, a highly intelligent, self-confessed tech-geek with a passion for geological and geographical archaeology, who works for NHHC (Naval History and Heritage Command) and whose latest invention – a complex computerised mapping system using infrared and Lidar she nicknames CAM – is about to undergo its first field test in the small Pacific island nation of Palau.
Ivy has had a rough time of it over the last couple of years. Her ex-husband, whom she had loved, was exposed as a traitor to the US and arrested for arms trafficking, and dragged Ivy’s name through the mud with him, even though they were divorced by that time. With the trial looming, Ivy is trying to rebuild her life, and has buried herself in her work at NHHC. Having fought to obtain the necessary funding for CAM’s field-testing, she has finally been given the go ahead and has travelled to Palau in order to map the terrain and wreckage of an old, WW2 battle site at Peleliu.
The night before she is due to begin, she attends a reception for local bigwigs, and is pleased to see that Jack Keaton is also in attendance. It’s been two years since she’s thought about sex or found a man attractive, but the sight of Jack stripped to the waist, all toned muscle and smooth, tanned skin as he’d worked aboard the decks of his charter yacht, seems to have kick-started the libido she thought had died along with her marriage. He’s as hot in formal wear as he is in nothing but cut-off shorts (although frankly, Ivy prefers the shorts), so she’s delighted when he rescues her from a boring official who seems to want to grill her about her ex-husband’s activities.
Not long after this, all hell breaks loose when the party is crashed by a group of terrorists – almost certainly her ex’s allies, out to get hold of CAM. Jack acts quickly, disposes of as many of them as he can and then whisks Ivy – and CAM – to safety aboard his yacht. There, the attraction that has been sparking between them all evening is intensified by the adrenaline rush following the attack and escape. Jack is the first man Ivy has been attracted to in two years, he’s just saved her life, he’s seriously hot and they’re both consenting adults who need to blow off some steam. The sex is intense and satisfying for them both… although Jack knows that Ivy will hate him in the morning, and for something far more serious than an ill-advised one night stand.
Now to that cliffhanger I mentioned. Remember Parker Reeves from Cold Evidence , the Coastguard who was friends with Luke Sevick, helped him save thousands of lives and then was revealed to be a Russian spy? Yep. He’s not Parker Reeves – or Jack Keaton for that matter – he’s Dmitri Veselov, born to a Russian father and American mother in Berlin and, after they were killed in an accident when he was fourteen, recruited by the GRU (the Russian CIA), trained by them and then embedded as a spy in the US, where he has spent most of his life. After the incident aboard the Osprey, Dmitri disappeared and hoped he’d be presumed dead, but his Russian masters have somehow learned he’s alive and are pulling the strings once again. His younger sister and her son are being held hostage, and if Dmitri is ever to see them alive again, he must retrieve a prototype Russian surveillance drone that disappeared somewhere near Palau. To do that, he needs CAM, and to make use of CAM, he needs Ivy, because the equipment is biometrically coded to her and she is the only person who knows how to operate it.
Naturally, Ivy is furious when she discovers that Jack/Dmitri isn’t who she’d believed him to be, and berates herself for yet again falling for a manipulative bastard. By this time, Dmitri has taken them out into the middle of the ocean, so there’s nowhere for Ivy to run; and even though he knows he deserves her mistrust, he insists that his actions in taking them away from land are keeping her and CAM safe and that he has no intentions of harming her. It’s not too much of a spoiler to say that Ivy does eventually come to believe that Dmitri really is one of the good guys, and she agrees to help him as far as she is able. But of course, things are never that simple…
Poison Evidence is quite possibly my favourite book of the series, mostly because I fell pretty hard for Dmitri, who is a guy caught between a rock and a hard place if ever there was one. He’s almost a tragic hero; he has learned to expect little from life and is resigned to his fate – until Ivy, with her brilliant brain, her warmth, humour and hot-geekiness comes along and gives him something to live for.
I’ve enjoyed listening to Nicol Zanzarella in other books in the series, and she delivers another enjoyable and accomplished performance here. She’s a terrific vocal actress, well able to convey the heightened emotions experienced by the characters and to propel the narrative with conviction and urgency when required. The female characters – Ivy, Mara and Undine – are all clearly distinguishable from one another, and as I’ve noted before, her mezzo-range, slightly husky voice works really well for portraying the men. She differentiates well between all the characters in general, although I will admit to there being a few times when I needed to listen for dialogue tags, mainly if Ian (from Covert Evidence) or Luke were speaking in a scene featuring a number of male characters. The bad-guys are easily recognisable, but perhaps because Luke and Ian are former heroes of their own books and need to sound suitably hero-like, it’s not quite as easy to find different ways to portray them. That’s just my own speculation, and ultimately, it wasn’t a big problem and didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the listen in any way.
While several characters from previous books make appearances here, Poison Evidence works well as a standalone as Ms. Grant includes enough information about everyone for the listener to be able to easily work out how they all stand in relation to each other. The plot is – as always – extremely well researched and put-together, and the chemistry between the two leads is electric; the sex scenes are steamy but the author never loses sight of the emotional connection she is building between them, too.
At present, this is the last book in the series, although the author has said that she plans to return to it after she’s completed her current Flashpoint trilogy. I for one am very glad of that, as it’s clear that there are still stories to be told in this universe. Poison Evidence is suspenseful, romantic and hugely entertaining; it earns a very strong recommendation.
I've given this a B+ for narration and an A- for content at AudioGals, so that's 4.5 stars.
Note: In my review of Cold Evidence, I mentioned that there was a teeny bit of a cliffhanger at the end, which would play out in the next book. Because the two stories are linked by this plot point and a few recurring characters, there will be some small spoilers for Cold Evidence in this review.
Rachel Grant is – in case it’s not obvious by now – my go-to author for romantic suspense. She’s got the knack of getting the balance between romance and plot just right; the pacing in her books is spot on, just the right mix of fast-paced action and calmer periods of reflection or love scenes, and her characters are strong, likeable and easy to root for. In this series, she’s drawn strongly on her background as an historian and archaeologist, and many of her characters work in those professions, as marine archaeologists, military historians and the like, all of which I find fascinating. In Poison Evidence, the seventh book in the Evidence series, we meet Ivy MacLeod, a highly intelligent, self-confessed tech-geek with a passion for geological and geographical archaeology, who works for NHHC (Naval History and Heritage Command) and whose latest invention – a complex computerised mapping system using infrared and Lidar she nicknames CAM – is about to undergo its first field test in the small Pacific island nation of Palau.
Ivy has had a rough time of it over the last couple of years. Her ex-husband, whom she had loved, was exposed as a traitor to the US and arrested for arms trafficking, and dragged Ivy’s name through the mud with him, even though they were divorced by that time. With the trial looming, Ivy is trying to rebuild her life, and has buried herself in her work at NHHC. Having fought to obtain the necessary funding for CAM’s field-testing, she has finally been given the go ahead and has travelled to Palau in order to map the terrain and wreckage of an old, WW2 battle site at Peleliu.
The night before she is due to begin, she attends a reception for local bigwigs, and is pleased to see that Jack Keaton is also in attendance. It’s been two years since she’s thought about sex or found a man attractive, but the sight of Jack stripped to the waist, all toned muscle and smooth, tanned skin as he’d worked aboard the decks of his charter yacht, seems to have kick-started the libido she thought had died along with her marriage. He’s as hot in formal wear as he is in nothing but cut-off shorts (although frankly, Ivy prefers the shorts), so she’s delighted when he rescues her from a boring official who seems to want to grill her about her ex-husband’s activities.
Not long after this, all hell breaks loose when the party is crashed by a group of terrorists – almost certainly her ex’s allies, out to get hold of CAM. Jack acts quickly, disposes of as many of them as he can and then whisks Ivy – and CAM – to safety aboard his yacht. There, the attraction that has been sparking between them all evening is intensified by the adrenaline rush following the attack and escape. Jack is the first man Ivy has been attracted to in two years, he’s just saved her life, he’s seriously hot and they’re both consenting adults who need to blow off some steam. The sex is intense and satisfying for them both… although Jack knows that Ivy will hate him in the morning, and for something far more serious than an ill-advised one night stand.
Now to that cliffhanger I mentioned. Remember Parker Reeves from Cold Evidence , the Coastguard who was friends with Luke Sevick, helped him save thousands of lives and then was revealed to be a Russian spy? Yep. He’s not Parker Reeves – or Jack Keaton for that matter – he’s Dmitri Veselov, born to a Russian father and American mother in Berlin and, after they were killed in an accident when he was fourteen, recruited by the GRU (the Russian CIA), trained by them and then embedded as a spy in the US, where he has spent most of his life. After the incident aboard the Osprey, Dmitri disappeared and hoped he’d be presumed dead, but his Russian masters have somehow learned he’s alive and are pulling the strings once again. His younger sister and her son are being held hostage, and if Dmitri is ever to see them alive again, he must retrieve a prototype Russian surveillance drone that disappeared somewhere near Palau. To do that, he needs CAM, and to make use of CAM, he needs Ivy, because the equipment is biometrically coded to her and she is the only person who knows how to operate it.
Naturally, Ivy is furious when she discovers that Jack/Dmitri isn’t who she’d believed him to be, and berates herself for yet again falling for a manipulative bastard. By this time, Dmitri has taken them out into the middle of the ocean, so there’s nowhere for Ivy to run; and even though he knows he deserves her mistrust, he insists that his actions in taking them away from land are keeping her and CAM safe and that he has no intentions of harming her. It’s not too much of a spoiler to say that Ivy does eventually come to believe that Dmitri really is one of the good guys, and she agrees to help him as far as she is able. But of course, things are never that simple…
Poison Evidence is quite possibly my favourite book of the series, mostly because I fell pretty hard for Dmitri, who is a guy caught between a rock and a hard place if ever there was one. He’s almost a tragic hero; he has learned to expect little from life and is resigned to his fate – until Ivy, with her brilliant brain, her warmth, humour and hot-geekiness comes along and gives him something to live for.
I’ve enjoyed listening to Nicol Zanzarella in other books in the series, and she delivers another enjoyable and accomplished performance here. She’s a terrific vocal actress, well able to convey the heightened emotions experienced by the characters and to propel the narrative with conviction and urgency when required. The female characters – Ivy, Mara and Undine – are all clearly distinguishable from one another, and as I’ve noted before, her mezzo-range, slightly husky voice works really well for portraying the men. She differentiates well between all the characters in general, although I will admit to there being a few times when I needed to listen for dialogue tags, mainly if Ian (from Covert Evidence) or Luke were speaking in a scene featuring a number of male characters. The bad-guys are easily recognisable, but perhaps because Luke and Ian are former heroes of their own books and need to sound suitably hero-like, it’s not quite as easy to find different ways to portray them. That’s just my own speculation, and ultimately, it wasn’t a big problem and didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the listen in any way.
While several characters from previous books make appearances here, Poison Evidence works well as a standalone as Ms. Grant includes enough information about everyone for the listener to be able to easily work out how they all stand in relation to each other. The plot is – as always – extremely well researched and put-together, and the chemistry between the two leads is electric; the sex scenes are steamy but the author never loses sight of the emotional connection she is building between them, too.
At present, this is the last book in the series, although the author has said that she plans to return to it after she’s completed her current Flashpoint trilogy. I for one am very glad of that, as it’s clear that there are still stories to be told in this universe. Poison Evidence is suspenseful, romantic and hugely entertaining; it earns a very strong recommendation.
December 18, 2016
4.5 stars rounded up.
Poison Evidence is the latest (seventh) book in Rachel Grant’s Evidence series of Romantic Suspense novels, and in it, she looks at the fascinating world of the technology of intelligence gathering and surveillance and how it can be used and adapted by academics seeking to study and enlighten as well as by those using it for far murkier purposes.
I have only read a couple of the books in the series so far, and one of the things I’ve really enjoyed is how the author has incorporated her own background and love of history and archaeology into the stories by having her heroines work in those particular fields, albeit in very diverse ways. I recently read book four, Incriminating Evidence, in which the heroine is an archaeologist who does all her own leg-work in her search for evidence of ancient settlements; here, Ivy MacLeod is a self-confessed tech-geek whose expertise is in geological archaeology and whose recent project of creating CAM – a complex computerised mapping system using infrared and Lidar (a detection system similar to Radar, but which uses lasers) is about to undergo its first field-test.
As this is number seven in a long-running series, this review may contain spoilers for the earlier books.
The past two years have been a really tough time for Ivy. A couple of years back, her husband, Patrick Hill, was exposed as a traitor and arms trafficker who sold weapons to Russian Mafiosa and Islamic terrorist groups; and his arrest and their divorce dragged Ivy’s name through the mud, too. Ivy was not involved with Hill’s treachery, but with the trial about to start, media attention has begun to swing towards her again, even though she is currently half a world away from the US, about to begin mapping a World War II battle site off the coast of a small island in Micronesia.
At a government reception on Palau, Ivy is pleased to see that Jack Keaton – whom she’s nicknamed “Death Valley”, because he’s just that hot! – is also in attendance. In the two years since her life blew up in her face, she hasn’t been interested in men or sex, but over the last few days, the sight of a shirtless Jack, all toned muscle and sleek, smooth skin as he worked on deck of his charter yacht, seems to have re-ignited her libido, so she’s more than happy when he rescues her from the arsehole official who insists on making snide remarks about her ex and speculating on her level of involvement with his illegal activities.
It’s not long after Ivy and Jack have made their way into the garden when all hell breaks loose and the party is crashed by a group of terrorists – her ex-husband’s allies who are out to get their hands on CAM. Jack acts quickly, disposing of as many of the men as he can and then getting Ivy to safety aboard his yacht. Once they’re safe, the adrenaline rush only serves to intensify the attraction that has already been pulsing between them; Ivy hasn’t been with a man since her divorce and Jack is the only one she has wanted in all that time. The sex is hot, frantic and intensely satisfying – even as Jack knows that in the morning, he’s going to have to do something completely despicable.
Because Jack isn’t Jack at all. He’s Dimitri Veselov, a Russian spy embedded and brought up in the US since his early teens. He appeared in the previous book in the series, Cold Evidence, where he helped Luke Sevick (the hero of that book) to prevent a disaster that could have killed millions and wiped out a large part of the Pacific Northwest. Jack/Dimitri disappeared after that, hoping against hope that he would be presumed dead, but that proved not to be the case, and his Russian puppet-masters are once again pulling the strings. If he is ever to secure the release of the two people most dear to him in the world – his younger sister and her son – he must retrieve a prototype Russian surveillance drone that disappeared somewhere near Palau.
Access to CAM is vital if Dimitri is to carry out his mission, but he has to have Ivy’s help as well, as CAM is biometrically coded to her and she is the only person who knows how to operate it. When she finds out that Jack isn’t who she’d believed him to be she is horrified to discover that she’s fallen victim to yet another deceitful bastard. But Dimitri insists that his actions in getting her away have protected both her and the technology, and that he has no intention of harming her. He can’t risk telling her exactly what is at stake for him, but he tries to show her by his words and deeds that he really is doing as he says and trying to keep her safe.
Without giving too much away, Ivy does come to see that Dimitri isn’t one of the bad guys and agrees to help him. Along the way, here’s plenty of action, tech-geekery, steamy sex scenes and a final twist I absolutely didn’t see coming that had my heart breaking for Dimitri as he discovers the depths of the deception that has been practiced upon him for almost his entire life.
There’s a lot going on in this story and quite a few characters from other novels in the series make cameo appearances, most notably Luke Sevick, Ian Boyd (Covert Evidence) and Curt and Mara Dominick (Body of Evidence). But the author has included enough information about these people and how they all relate to each other for this book to work perfectly well as a standalone. In fact, she’s done her job so well that I’m now planning to read them all so I can experience all those stories for myself. The plot is extremely well-constructed and Ms. Grant’s knowledge of and love of her subject shines through as does the fact that her research into the sorts of technology featured in the story (which is mostly fictional – at the moment!) has been meticulous. The characterisation of the two leads is excellent and the chemistry between them is smoking hot, from that first, fiery hook-up through the cat-and-mouse games they play as they metaphorically circle each other and try to work out exactly how far they can trust each other – if at all – to the deepening of the emotional bond that has been there almost from the start. As Rike pointed out in her review of Cold Evidence, Ms. Grant can write a sex scene that scorches the pages but can also write one that shows a growing connection between the lovers that is truly romantic.
The novel’s pacing and the balance between thriller and romance is just about perfect. At no point did I ever feel as though one element was overshadowing the other, and I also enjoyed the archaeological and historical parts of the story. Poison Evidence was pretty impossible to put down, which is exactly what one wants in a romantic thriller, and I have no hesitation in recommending it highly.
Poison Evidence is the latest (seventh) book in Rachel Grant’s Evidence series of Romantic Suspense novels, and in it, she looks at the fascinating world of the technology of intelligence gathering and surveillance and how it can be used and adapted by academics seeking to study and enlighten as well as by those using it for far murkier purposes.
I have only read a couple of the books in the series so far, and one of the things I’ve really enjoyed is how the author has incorporated her own background and love of history and archaeology into the stories by having her heroines work in those particular fields, albeit in very diverse ways. I recently read book four, Incriminating Evidence, in which the heroine is an archaeologist who does all her own leg-work in her search for evidence of ancient settlements; here, Ivy MacLeod is a self-confessed tech-geek whose expertise is in geological archaeology and whose recent project of creating CAM – a complex computerised mapping system using infrared and Lidar (a detection system similar to Radar, but which uses lasers) is about to undergo its first field-test.
As this is number seven in a long-running series, this review may contain spoilers for the earlier books.
The past two years have been a really tough time for Ivy. A couple of years back, her husband, Patrick Hill, was exposed as a traitor and arms trafficker who sold weapons to Russian Mafiosa and Islamic terrorist groups; and his arrest and their divorce dragged Ivy’s name through the mud, too. Ivy was not involved with Hill’s treachery, but with the trial about to start, media attention has begun to swing towards her again, even though she is currently half a world away from the US, about to begin mapping a World War II battle site off the coast of a small island in Micronesia.
At a government reception on Palau, Ivy is pleased to see that Jack Keaton – whom she’s nicknamed “Death Valley”, because he’s just that hot! – is also in attendance. In the two years since her life blew up in her face, she hasn’t been interested in men or sex, but over the last few days, the sight of a shirtless Jack, all toned muscle and sleek, smooth skin as he worked on deck of his charter yacht, seems to have re-ignited her libido, so she’s more than happy when he rescues her from the arsehole official who insists on making snide remarks about her ex and speculating on her level of involvement with his illegal activities.
It’s not long after Ivy and Jack have made their way into the garden when all hell breaks loose and the party is crashed by a group of terrorists – her ex-husband’s allies who are out to get their hands on CAM. Jack acts quickly, disposing of as many of the men as he can and then getting Ivy to safety aboard his yacht. Once they’re safe, the adrenaline rush only serves to intensify the attraction that has already been pulsing between them; Ivy hasn’t been with a man since her divorce and Jack is the only one she has wanted in all that time. The sex is hot, frantic and intensely satisfying – even as Jack knows that in the morning, he’s going to have to do something completely despicable.
Because Jack isn’t Jack at all. He’s Dimitri Veselov, a Russian spy embedded and brought up in the US since his early teens. He appeared in the previous book in the series, Cold Evidence, where he helped Luke Sevick (the hero of that book) to prevent a disaster that could have killed millions and wiped out a large part of the Pacific Northwest. Jack/Dimitri disappeared after that, hoping against hope that he would be presumed dead, but that proved not to be the case, and his Russian puppet-masters are once again pulling the strings. If he is ever to secure the release of the two people most dear to him in the world – his younger sister and her son – he must retrieve a prototype Russian surveillance drone that disappeared somewhere near Palau.
Access to CAM is vital if Dimitri is to carry out his mission, but he has to have Ivy’s help as well, as CAM is biometrically coded to her and she is the only person who knows how to operate it. When she finds out that Jack isn’t who she’d believed him to be she is horrified to discover that she’s fallen victim to yet another deceitful bastard. But Dimitri insists that his actions in getting her away have protected both her and the technology, and that he has no intention of harming her. He can’t risk telling her exactly what is at stake for him, but he tries to show her by his words and deeds that he really is doing as he says and trying to keep her safe.
Without giving too much away, Ivy does come to see that Dimitri isn’t one of the bad guys and agrees to help him. Along the way, here’s plenty of action, tech-geekery, steamy sex scenes and a final twist I absolutely didn’t see coming that had my heart breaking for Dimitri as he discovers the depths of the deception that has been practiced upon him for almost his entire life.
There’s a lot going on in this story and quite a few characters from other novels in the series make cameo appearances, most notably Luke Sevick, Ian Boyd (Covert Evidence) and Curt and Mara Dominick (Body of Evidence). But the author has included enough information about these people and how they all relate to each other for this book to work perfectly well as a standalone. In fact, she’s done her job so well that I’m now planning to read them all so I can experience all those stories for myself. The plot is extremely well-constructed and Ms. Grant’s knowledge of and love of her subject shines through as does the fact that her research into the sorts of technology featured in the story (which is mostly fictional – at the moment!) has been meticulous. The characterisation of the two leads is excellent and the chemistry between them is smoking hot, from that first, fiery hook-up through the cat-and-mouse games they play as they metaphorically circle each other and try to work out exactly how far they can trust each other – if at all – to the deepening of the emotional bond that has been there almost from the start. As Rike pointed out in her review of Cold Evidence, Ms. Grant can write a sex scene that scorches the pages but can also write one that shows a growing connection between the lovers that is truly romantic.
The novel’s pacing and the balance between thriller and romance is just about perfect. At no point did I ever feel as though one element was overshadowing the other, and I also enjoyed the archaeological and historical parts of the story. Poison Evidence was pretty impossible to put down, which is exactly what one wants in a romantic thriller, and I have no hesitation in recommending it highly.
November 6, 2019
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
I so love me an intelligent heroine and this whole series has had wonderful, smart, sexy women as the heroines. I'm so sad this is the last book in the series as I love the way this group of characters have interwoven and interacted throughout the series. Another thing I just love is that I learned so much about the governments efforts to preserve archeological sites.
Ivy MacLeod has created a new technology to map archeology sites, both on land and in the ocean. CAM (Computer Aided Mapping) has applications that also make it of interest to the intelligence community. That is not an application Ivy wants to pursue. She is just getting to know what CAM and RON (the drone) can to and is so excited to be able to beta test them mapping a vast World War II battle site in the islands of Palau. She is also looking forward to being out of the states and, hopefully, the bad press of her husband being a spy will die down, if not go away.
Ivy's life has been on hold for two years and when she meets a hot, blue-eyed, blond, hunk at a formal party in Palau, her girl part sit up and take notice. Jack Keaton is a charter ship owner and hotter than Death Valley. When the party is attacked, Jack is right there to save Ivy.
Jack Keaton is definitely not what he appears to be and when Ivy throws all caution to the wind and runs off with him, well, what's a guy on a mission to do but go with the flow? He has promised to protect her, but is there any way he can protect his heart. When Ivy discovers that "Jack" is not what he appears to be, her primary concern is to protect her equipment and then she realizes that her mapping project is really a government cover for another mission altogether.
In order to complete his mission, Jack has to use Ivy and her state of the art equipment. Ivy is unlike any woman Jack has ever known and she soon is twisting him up in ways he never expected. For Ivy, the pull of Jack could very well mean she will be committing treason.
I so love me an intelligent heroine and this whole series has had wonderful, smart, sexy women as the heroines. I'm so sad this is the last book in the series as I love the way this group of characters have interwoven and interacted throughout the series. Another thing I just love is that I learned so much about the governments efforts to preserve archeological sites.
Ivy MacLeod has created a new technology to map archeology sites, both on land and in the ocean. CAM (Computer Aided Mapping) has applications that also make it of interest to the intelligence community. That is not an application Ivy wants to pursue. She is just getting to know what CAM and RON (the drone) can to and is so excited to be able to beta test them mapping a vast World War II battle site in the islands of Palau. She is also looking forward to being out of the states and, hopefully, the bad press of her husband being a spy will die down, if not go away.
Ivy's life has been on hold for two years and when she meets a hot, blue-eyed, blond, hunk at a formal party in Palau, her girl part sit up and take notice. Jack Keaton is a charter ship owner and hotter than Death Valley. When the party is attacked, Jack is right there to save Ivy.
Jack Keaton is definitely not what he appears to be and when Ivy throws all caution to the wind and runs off with him, well, what's a guy on a mission to do but go with the flow? He has promised to protect her, but is there any way he can protect his heart. When Ivy discovers that "Jack" is not what he appears to be, her primary concern is to protect her equipment and then she realizes that her mapping project is really a government cover for another mission altogether.
In order to complete his mission, Jack has to use Ivy and her state of the art equipment. Ivy is unlike any woman Jack has ever known and she soon is twisting him up in ways he never expected. For Ivy, the pull of Jack could very well mean she will be committing treason.
November 8, 2016
A wonderful addition to a wonderful series!
I love the realism of these books! How every action the MCs make is true and feels real, even if the situations are over the top, but that's fiction, no? ;)
I loved both (poor) sexy Dimitri and geeky Ivy! And i loved the story that strated like a Stockholm syndrom and ended a beautiful love story! But that's all Ms. Grant great work!
The excellent blend of sexyness, action and complicated relationships is where Ms. Grant excells! And here she delivers, oh, how she delivers!
This is a must read for all RS fans!
I love the realism of these books! How every action the MCs make is true and feels real, even if the situations are over the top, but that's fiction, no? ;)
I loved both (poor) sexy Dimitri and geeky Ivy! And i loved the story that strated like a Stockholm syndrom and ended a beautiful love story! But that's all Ms. Grant great work!
The excellent blend of sexyness, action and complicated relationships is where Ms. Grant excells! And here she delivers, oh, how she delivers!
This is a must read for all RS fans!
October 28, 2019
Kindly received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I'm a sucker for books with a good strong female heroine and this was no exception. Considering I haven't read any of the previous books I did not know the backstories of most of the characters but it didn't hinder me from enjoying the book. Just like Tinderbox (one of Ms Grant's other books) this one also heavily leaned on the military factors. The plot was easy moving with many POVs inter-spaced but as I mentioned before it was enjoyable.
I'm a sucker for books with a good strong female heroine and this was no exception. Considering I haven't read any of the previous books I did not know the backstories of most of the characters but it didn't hinder me from enjoying the book. Just like Tinderbox (one of Ms Grant's other books) this one also heavily leaned on the military factors. The plot was easy moving with many POVs inter-spaced but as I mentioned before it was enjoyable.
November 10, 2016
ARC Review Originally posted at Scandalicious Book Reviews
Poison Evidence makes me happy to be a romantic suspense reader. It is just so good. It has 1. Heart-racing adventure 2. Complex intrigue that keeps you on your toes 3. Scorching hot romance 4. Completely likeable characters with interesting inner conflicts and 5. perfectly balance of all those elements. As a bonus, in this book, Rachel Grant rewards long time fans. This book IS a standalone, but you will be even more gratified if you have been following the series.
One of the first words that came to mind after reading this book is "meticulous". It takes meticulous attention to detail to bring together all the parts and pieces of this story and Rachel Grant does it flawlessly. Ivy MacLeod develops a piece of mapping technology for use in her archeological work, but it is also highly desired by governments for use in intelligence gathering and espionage. She is in the Palau Islands testing her new equipment mapping the area around a WWII battle when a group of terrorists tries to kidnap her and steal the machine. Conveniently, a knight in shining armor shows up and rescues her. Of course, this captain is not what he pretends to be. The discovery of this character’s identity and the consequent fall-out is one of the most compelling part of this book. Not quite the good guy and not all bad, there is an internal struggle that make him heroic. Excellent character development highlights this book.
Rachel Grant has an affinity for writing heroines that are slightly off the beaten path. They usually stand out for their intelligence. This time around the author gives us an actual genius. She is a little awkward, boldly sexual, good with the one liners, and has loads of chutzpah. She manages to get away from an attempted assault and kidnapping with a stiletto. Yep, my kind of girl.
I've often criticize romance stories for insta-love, and yes, things move at the speed of light here, but admittedly this is insta-lust that leads to deeper affections amidst a high-stress, emotionally charged adventure. After all, Ivy is dealing with an ex-husband who is being convicted for treason for selling arms to terrorist, is chased by the her ex-husband’s former customers, and being used for information and her skills by someone very close to her. You can say it's been a bad week, and if we include her rocky marriage, a bad year. I can give her a break for wanting a little hubba hubba in her life.
With a complex plot, flirty banter, and sexiest scenes to date, Rachel Grant gives us another winner in her Evidence series. I’m going to go back and read this one again.
Poison Evidence makes me happy to be a romantic suspense reader. It is just so good. It has 1. Heart-racing adventure 2. Complex intrigue that keeps you on your toes 3. Scorching hot romance 4. Completely likeable characters with interesting inner conflicts and 5. perfectly balance of all those elements. As a bonus, in this book, Rachel Grant rewards long time fans. This book IS a standalone, but you will be even more gratified if you have been following the series.
One of the first words that came to mind after reading this book is "meticulous". It takes meticulous attention to detail to bring together all the parts and pieces of this story and Rachel Grant does it flawlessly. Ivy MacLeod develops a piece of mapping technology for use in her archeological work, but it is also highly desired by governments for use in intelligence gathering and espionage. She is in the Palau Islands testing her new equipment mapping the area around a WWII battle when a group of terrorists tries to kidnap her and steal the machine. Conveniently, a knight in shining armor shows up and rescues her. Of course, this captain is not what he pretends to be. The discovery of this character’s identity and the consequent fall-out is one of the most compelling part of this book. Not quite the good guy and not all bad, there is an internal struggle that make him heroic. Excellent character development highlights this book.
Rachel Grant has an affinity for writing heroines that are slightly off the beaten path. They usually stand out for their intelligence. This time around the author gives us an actual genius. She is a little awkward, boldly sexual, good with the one liners, and has loads of chutzpah. She manages to get away from an attempted assault and kidnapping with a stiletto. Yep, my kind of girl.
I've often criticize romance stories for insta-love, and yes, things move at the speed of light here, but admittedly this is insta-lust that leads to deeper affections amidst a high-stress, emotionally charged adventure. After all, Ivy is dealing with an ex-husband who is being convicted for treason for selling arms to terrorist, is chased by the her ex-husband’s former customers, and being used for information and her skills by someone very close to her. You can say it's been a bad week, and if we include her rocky marriage, a bad year. I can give her a break for wanting a little hubba hubba in her life.
With a complex plot, flirty banter, and sexiest scenes to date, Rachel Grant gives us another winner in her Evidence series. I’m going to go back and read this one again.
December 3, 2021
La cartógrafa Ivy ha diseñado un ingenio que desean unas cuantas agencias de inteligencia y algunos malotes. De momento, ella anda probándolo con el campo de batalla de Peleliu. Un ataque inesperado la llevará a buscar refugio en los bien musculados brazos de Jack. Este tipo tiene un yate para turistas y le dice que ha estado en el ejército. Desde luego, luchar sabe y podrá protegerlos, a ella y a su cachivache. Además, ha conseguido despertar la libido de Ivy, en horas bajas por un matrimonio desgraciado. Solo que las cosas no son lo que parecen. En el misterioso Jack encontraremos a un personaje letal y fatalista... esto no puede acabar bien para él. Enamorarse de Ivy, a estas alturas, no tiene sentido. Se me ha quedado grabado en el magín este tipo. Mejor no destripar nada, descúbrelo tú. Un thriller de espionaje con mucho misterio, giros, y rematado por una sorpresa que no vi venir. Me tuvo leyendo hasta las tantas.
Crítica amplia, en mi blog.
Crítica amplia, en mi blog.
November 21, 2019
Of all the romance sub-genres, military/suspense is my favorite. But it’s also the one that’s hardest to please me with because I want equal parts of romance and suspense. Much to my pleasure, Poison Evidence satisfied me with both!
Ivy McLeod is in the last phase of development for a new laser mapping device, which takes her to an island in the Philippine Sea for testing. When an attempt is made to steal the device and Ivy’s life is threatened, she’s saved by a man who may or may not be there to help her.
I’m being intentionally vague here because I don’t want to give anything away. But this really was the best kind of romantic suspense story. With an ex-husband who is about to be on trial for treason, a cousin with his own black ops security company, and double crossers by the handful, there was a lot going on. The plot moved at a breathtaking pace, and there were twists and turns I didn’t see coming - which is unusual for me.
I also really liked the romantic storyline as well. Again, I’m not going to go into much. But I will say this...I LOVED the ending. When all of the bad guys had been conquered and Ivy was safe, things were still complicated between Ivy and her hero. I loved how the author was able to keep things realistic (well, as realistic as can be when talking about spies and bombs and abductions and all those good things!), and not go the simple, easy route to happily ever after. I love characters who are mature, and patient, and can play the long game. This hero and heroine exemplified what I like best, and I really enjoyed their story.
This may be the shortest, most vague review I’ve ever written. All I can say is that the suspense and action part of this book was top notch, I loved the romance part, and I’ll be adding Rachel Grant to my list of romantic suspense authors to read.
I do want to mention that apparently this “ARC” is for a book that is three years old. Apparently I need to pay better attention to publication dates when requesting books from NetGalley! However, if I had noticed this book was originally published back in 2016 I would have been skeptical/suspicious about why it was available and most likely would not have requested it. I’m so glad I did! I also had no idea when I requested Poison Evidence that it was book seven - of eight - in the Evidence series. But the mark of a good author is that you can pick up any book in the series (unless it’s supposed to be read sequentially, of course) and not be lost or confused about what happened in previous books. You get enough of the side characters’ backstories so you understand who they are (and maybe even get your interest piqued), but the author doesn’t spend so much time over-explaining things that those who aren’t new might get bored. It’s a tough balancing act, but Ms. Grant managed it perfectly. And yes, I’m totally interested in the rest of this series now!
* thank you to NetGalley and Janus Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Ivy McLeod is in the last phase of development for a new laser mapping device, which takes her to an island in the Philippine Sea for testing. When an attempt is made to steal the device and Ivy’s life is threatened, she’s saved by a man who may or may not be there to help her.
I’m being intentionally vague here because I don’t want to give anything away. But this really was the best kind of romantic suspense story. With an ex-husband who is about to be on trial for treason, a cousin with his own black ops security company, and double crossers by the handful, there was a lot going on. The plot moved at a breathtaking pace, and there were twists and turns I didn’t see coming - which is unusual for me.
I also really liked the romantic storyline as well. Again, I’m not going to go into much. But I will say this...I LOVED the ending. When all of the bad guys had been conquered and Ivy was safe, things were still complicated between Ivy and her hero. I loved how the author was able to keep things realistic (well, as realistic as can be when talking about spies and bombs and abductions and all those good things!), and not go the simple, easy route to happily ever after. I love characters who are mature, and patient, and can play the long game. This hero and heroine exemplified what I like best, and I really enjoyed their story.
This may be the shortest, most vague review I’ve ever written. All I can say is that the suspense and action part of this book was top notch, I loved the romance part, and I’ll be adding Rachel Grant to my list of romantic suspense authors to read.
I do want to mention that apparently this “ARC” is for a book that is three years old. Apparently I need to pay better attention to publication dates when requesting books from NetGalley! However, if I had noticed this book was originally published back in 2016 I would have been skeptical/suspicious about why it was available and most likely would not have requested it. I’m so glad I did! I also had no idea when I requested Poison Evidence that it was book seven - of eight - in the Evidence series. But the mark of a good author is that you can pick up any book in the series (unless it’s supposed to be read sequentially, of course) and not be lost or confused about what happened in previous books. You get enough of the side characters’ backstories so you understand who they are (and maybe even get your interest piqued), but the author doesn’t spend so much time over-explaining things that those who aren’t new might get bored. It’s a tough balancing act, but Ms. Grant managed it perfectly. And yes, I’m totally interested in the rest of this series now!
* thank you to NetGalley and Janus Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
October 30, 2016
A postcard from Palau arrives at Luke Sevick’s home - a plea for help. But the man who has sent it has his own identity buried so deep that we don’t know who he is until partway through the book, when he finally reveals it to Ivy Macleod, the woman whose equipment and help he needs to finish his endgame.
Of all of Rachel Grant’s leading men, I think none have captured my imagination as much as Parker Reeves/Jack Keaton/Dimitri Veselov, the man with many faces, identities and a past that has been a noose around his neck. Played by everyone, betrayed by those he loved, I fell hook, line and sinker for his story the moment he appeared in ‘Cold Evidence’ and devoured every breathless moment as Ivy threw his well-laid plans into disarray and him into a tailspin as they both gave each other as good as they got.
Grant doesn’t disappoint with a complex web of intrigue, shadow ops and a huge dose of romance that in no way compromises the breakneck pace of the suspense and the tightly-woven plot that twists and turns—and keeps ahead of the reader always. Brilliantly written and so intricately done, ‘Poison Evidence’ is such a stellar example of the genre that few books live up to.
Of all of Rachel Grant’s leading men, I think none have captured my imagination as much as Parker Reeves/Jack Keaton/Dimitri Veselov, the man with many faces, identities and a past that has been a noose around his neck. Played by everyone, betrayed by those he loved, I fell hook, line and sinker for his story the moment he appeared in ‘Cold Evidence’ and devoured every breathless moment as Ivy threw his well-laid plans into disarray and him into a tailspin as they both gave each other as good as they got.
Grant doesn’t disappoint with a complex web of intrigue, shadow ops and a huge dose of romance that in no way compromises the breakneck pace of the suspense and the tightly-woven plot that twists and turns—and keeps ahead of the reader always. Brilliantly written and so intricately done, ‘Poison Evidence’ is such a stellar example of the genre that few books live up to.
November 17, 2019
OK, this is hands down my favourite book in the Evidence Universe so far.
Partly that's because I'm a complete sucker for the 'ubercompetent good guy who's being forced to do bad things' trope, and partly it's because ever since I first met Dmitri in Catalyst, I've been hoping - but not expecting - that he'd get his own book.
So as soon as his identity was revealed, I literally squeed out loud.
Also, I loved Ivy as a female lead. Like almost all of Ms Grant's heroines (yeah, I'm still a tad ambivalent about Cressida two books on), she's smart, sensible, competent and good at what she does without coming off as a Mary Sue. She also knows the limits of her expertise though, which is something I'll always respect in a character.
And I find it interesting that despite Dmitri doing a lot of the same things Ian did in Book 5 in terms of automatically noting details that could later be psychologically used against someone, it didn't rub me the wrong way the way it did with Ian. Maybe because Dmitri noticed them, but never actively used them to manipulate Ivy, where Ian just charged in there and messed with Cressida's mind because it was the easiest way to get what he wanted (the which, apparently, I still haven't forgiven him for)
Plus, I'm giving the book bonus points for a/ skillfully handled 'morally grey' scenes, and b/ some of the best dirty talk I've encountered in the series so far.
Another thing I've been enjoying as Evidence the series has progressed is how characters - and the ever-growing *team* - from previous books keep showing up in them. I've discovered that the trope of 'lone hero/ine' just doesn't do it for me. I like seeing how the main characters interact with their friends/colleagues/teammates. I like watching the main characters supporting and being supported by B characters - especially if they're B characters I already know. I like getting to watch a team in action, with each person's individual talents contributing to a 'greater than the sum of the parts' vibe
Really, my only criticism of the book is that I'm not sure how I feel about the big reveal of who's been pulling Dmitri's strings the whole way along. I won't say I was expecting it, but it didn't feel particularly shocking or surprising either.
Also, as I mentioned at the ~63% mark - if I could have one Xmas present, it would be seeing Toni Anderson's Alex Parker and Dmitri sitting down to a bonding conversation over their shared assassin pasts, and the inevitable psych issues that they both HAVE to be dealing with as a result.
(And I'm kind of hesitant to start on Book 8 now, because I know it's the last one in the series - at least so far - which means THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO READ AFTER IT. If I don't start it, then there's still something to look forward to. And yes, I get exactly the same way about watching the final season finale in any TV series I really love too.)
Partly that's because I'm a complete sucker for the 'ubercompetent good guy who's being forced to do bad things' trope, and partly it's because ever since I first met Dmitri in Catalyst, I've been hoping - but not expecting - that he'd get his own book.
So as soon as his identity was revealed, I literally squeed out loud.
Also, I loved Ivy as a female lead. Like almost all of Ms Grant's heroines (yeah, I'm still a tad ambivalent about Cressida two books on), she's smart, sensible, competent and good at what she does without coming off as a Mary Sue. She also knows the limits of her expertise though, which is something I'll always respect in a character.
And I find it interesting that despite Dmitri doing a lot of the same things Ian did in Book 5 in terms of automatically noting details that could later be psychologically used against someone, it didn't rub me the wrong way the way it did with Ian. Maybe because Dmitri noticed them, but never actively used them to manipulate Ivy, where Ian just charged in there and messed with Cressida's mind because it was the easiest way to get what he wanted (the which, apparently, I still haven't forgiven him for)
Plus, I'm giving the book bonus points for a/ skillfully handled 'morally grey' scenes, and b/ some of the best dirty talk I've encountered in the series so far.
Another thing I've been enjoying as Evidence the series has progressed is how characters - and the ever-growing *team* - from previous books keep showing up in them. I've discovered that the trope of 'lone hero/ine' just doesn't do it for me. I like seeing how the main characters interact with their friends/colleagues/teammates. I like watching the main characters supporting and being supported by B characters - especially if they're B characters I already know. I like getting to watch a team in action, with each person's individual talents contributing to a 'greater than the sum of the parts' vibe
Really, my only criticism of the book is that I'm not sure how I feel about the big reveal of who's been pulling Dmitri's strings the whole way along. I won't say I was expecting it, but it didn't feel particularly shocking or surprising either.
Also, as I mentioned at the ~63% mark - if I could have one Xmas present, it would be seeing Toni Anderson's Alex Parker and Dmitri sitting down to a bonding conversation over their shared assassin pasts, and the inevitable psych issues that they both HAVE to be dealing with as a result.
(And I'm kind of hesitant to start on Book 8 now, because I know it's the last one in the series - at least so far - which means THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO READ AFTER IT. If I don't start it, then there's still something to look forward to. And yes, I get exactly the same way about watching the final season finale in any TV series I really love too.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2019
Book 7 of the series and another great story. Grant's stories get more intricate each time and the technology interwoven with the suspense and the exotic locales was great. Grant's heroines are always strong, intelligent women which always welcome. I wondered how she was going to redeem the hero from the spy/assassin to the good guy. All the characters in this series are interwoven and it's nice to see them again and check in with them.
in-collection-boxset
August 1, 202107/31/21 currently free in Dangerous as Sin: Ten Addictive Romantic Thrillers & Mysteries
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BCDRFCB/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BCDRFCB/
November 24, 2016
Hands down, my favourite in the series. Holy cow that was awesome. And angsty. And heartbreaking. And I want moooooar. Ugh. Loved every word.
March 15, 2018
What I like about Grant’s books are her strong female leads, her research, sexy romance, interesting subject matter, and great suspense. Poison Evidence had all the above in spades! Intense from start to finish, Poison Evidence had an intricate plot, action, suspense, wonderful supporting cast, and one very sizzling romance. Think highly charged and lots of adrenaline, a perfect combo for the romantic suspense reader!
Want to read
July 31, 2021🎁 Part of Dangerous as Sin box set by Toni Anderson and other authors which is FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (7/31/2021)!🎁
May 17, 2022
After her arms trafficker ex-husband is arrested and her family’s Exploration Institute is dismantled by the government, Ivy MacLeod managed to keep control of her personal inventions: CAM, a state-of-the-art computer mapping program and RON, a data collecting drone. Now while in Palau field testing CAM, Ivy is rescued from a mercenary attack by Jack Keaton a charter captain who hides her and CAM on his high-tech boat. But Jack is really a reluctant Russian agent named Dimitri Veselov and used to be Parker Reeves. Now he needs her help to find something with CAM that could save all their lives.
Wow, I didn’t see that ending coming.
Footnote: 1) I’m with Ivy about tunnels and caves without windows. Used to not be a problem but I’ve have gotten very claustrophobic as I got older.
Fave scenes: Ivy confronting the Japanese representative, Ivy sneaking the photo, the 3-part code and Dimitri’s pillow visit.
Wow, I didn’t see that ending coming.
Footnote: 1) I’m with Ivy about tunnels and caves without windows. Used to not be a problem but I’ve have gotten very claustrophobic as I got older.
Fave scenes: Ivy confronting the Japanese representative, Ivy sneaking the photo, the 3-part code and Dimitri’s pillow visit.
November 16, 2016
This was an exciting thrilling read that bring two people together with one thinking she is using her baby CAM to mapping the area with a complex computerized mapping system similar to Radar, but uses lasers. The other is trying to save his sister and her son. Jack does everything he can to make sure he and Ivy get together. He plans to use her new system to find what the Russian lost in return freeing his family. Ivy not having a clue that her government set her up to use her machine without telling her what she was really doing is left with few people to trust. Will she decide to go with the enemy or stay true to her country?
It doesn’t take Ivy long before she is pulled in to Jack web getting down right and personal. What will she due when she finds out who and what he really is? It doesn’t take long before things get very complicate in more ways than one. The triangle gets even more complicated when others step in to take over trying to get their hands on Ivy and CAM leaving her with only one person she can trust or can she?
Ivy was a great character a little too naïve she did handle all that came her way the best she could. I most likely would have done the same in her shoes. I really liked how she took the bull by the horn doing what she felt was best. She has no reason to trust either side each wants something from her but not willing to give much away. I really liked Jack after he got her out to sea coming clean and letting the chips fall where they way I had to really respect him and his reasoning. He is strong, caring and will do anything for his family.
The author is holding her cards close not giving out many clues to the outcome and gives you some major twists along the way. The ending will totally blow you way I never saw that coming. I really liked the characters and how this played out giving a very entertaining read. I thought this was well written with lots of passion, chemistry, honor, pain, action and following your heart even when you might think that is wrong. The author gives you a hot read with action as the bad guy are added to the game of hide and seek along with thrills that will get your heart beating fast. I did enjoy this read but not as much as I have others of this authors. Is it worth your time OH YES it is. The ending just blows me out of the water leaving me with my mouth open. I hope you will pick this up and give it a read.
It doesn’t take Ivy long before she is pulled in to Jack web getting down right and personal. What will she due when she finds out who and what he really is? It doesn’t take long before things get very complicate in more ways than one. The triangle gets even more complicated when others step in to take over trying to get their hands on Ivy and CAM leaving her with only one person she can trust or can she?
Ivy was a great character a little too naïve she did handle all that came her way the best she could. I most likely would have done the same in her shoes. I really liked how she took the bull by the horn doing what she felt was best. She has no reason to trust either side each wants something from her but not willing to give much away. I really liked Jack after he got her out to sea coming clean and letting the chips fall where they way I had to really respect him and his reasoning. He is strong, caring and will do anything for his family.
The author is holding her cards close not giving out many clues to the outcome and gives you some major twists along the way. The ending will totally blow you way I never saw that coming. I really liked the characters and how this played out giving a very entertaining read. I thought this was well written with lots of passion, chemistry, honor, pain, action and following your heart even when you might think that is wrong. The author gives you a hot read with action as the bad guy are added to the game of hide and seek along with thrills that will get your heart beating fast. I did enjoy this read but not as much as I have others of this authors. Is it worth your time OH YES it is. The ending just blows me out of the water leaving me with my mouth open. I hope you will pick this up and give it a read.
May 15, 2022
A hit
I'm so glad I found this author. Love these books, each one in this series is gripping and keeps you guessing, this one had wonderful twist near the end. At the end of each book I think it is best until I read the next book.
These would make great movies.
I'm so glad I found this author. Love these books, each one in this series is gripping and keeps you guessing, this one had wonderful twist near the end. At the end of each book I think it is best until I read the next book.
These would make great movies.
December 1, 2016
POISON EVIDENCE is a story of deception, suspense, espionage, and trust. Rachel Grant’s protagonist Ivy MacLeod is the designer of a state-of-the-art underwater mapping technology for use in her archaeological work. Ivy’s new device creates a map of what is on the surface of the ocean floor. Grant gives her readers details of Ivy’s background covering both personal and professional efforts to maintain her independence. The author also explains why academics embrace the new device as well as intelligence gathering agencies around the world seek to control Ivy’s technology. Ivy accepts the invitation of U.S Government to travel to Micronesia country of Palau to complete her testing of the device.
The author gives her readers details of those who are after Ivy’s technology explaining their willingness to go to any length to gain control of Ivy’s CAM technology. Grant introduces Jack Keaton and his reasons for traveling to Palau to meet Ivy. Jack’s intentions were to dazzle her with his charm and attention to gain use of her technology for his personal agenda. Readers learn Ivy is beautiful, smart and has hidden strengths. Support characters, both good and evil, enter the storyline as needed. Grant involves her readers in POISON EVIDENCE from the beginning as Ivy’s fast moving adventure unfolds. She creates an interest in Ivy’s actions building tension, intrigue, and on again off again romantic interest in Jack as the story’s momentum increases.
Grant’s storyline changes directions as she introduces several subplots. The author places her readers next to Ivy as she comes to terms with whom she can trust. She finds those she thought she could trust, including her government and her ex-husband, were not looking out for her interests and were trying to take advantage of her. Suspense and intrigue keep readers turning the page as they seek to stay on top of what is going to happen next. POISON EVIDENCE delivers complex storyline with believable characters and a breathtaking ending.
The author gives her readers details of those who are after Ivy’s technology explaining their willingness to go to any length to gain control of Ivy’s CAM technology. Grant introduces Jack Keaton and his reasons for traveling to Palau to meet Ivy. Jack’s intentions were to dazzle her with his charm and attention to gain use of her technology for his personal agenda. Readers learn Ivy is beautiful, smart and has hidden strengths. Support characters, both good and evil, enter the storyline as needed. Grant involves her readers in POISON EVIDENCE from the beginning as Ivy’s fast moving adventure unfolds. She creates an interest in Ivy’s actions building tension, intrigue, and on again off again romantic interest in Jack as the story’s momentum increases.
Grant’s storyline changes directions as she introduces several subplots. The author places her readers next to Ivy as she comes to terms with whom she can trust. She finds those she thought she could trust, including her government and her ex-husband, were not looking out for her interests and were trying to take advantage of her. Suspense and intrigue keep readers turning the page as they seek to stay on top of what is going to happen next. POISON EVIDENCE delivers complex storyline with believable characters and a breathtaking ending.
December 11, 2020
The fun continues with this 7th installment of the Evidence Series (I’m obsessed!). While any book in this series can be read as a standalone, this one has major spoilers for Covert Evidence and Cold Evidence. Also, why would you want to read them out of order? Ian and Luke feature heavily in this book as side characters and there are a few Curt cameos, my favorite hero of this series. And while the story will make perfect sense to anyone who doesn't know these characters, it's always a treat to catch up with old characters.
In Poison Evidence, we meet Ivy Macleod, a cartographer at Naval History and Heritage Command, who’s in Palau to map a WW2 battlefield site using a high-tech computer-aided mapping device she developed and named CAM. A few days into her trip, terrorists who want to use her and CAM attack her, but of course, she’s saved by Jack Keaton, who offers her his help and protection. Alas, this stranger – who Ivy refers to as Death-Valley-in-July hot – has a hidden agenda and wants to use CAM for his own ends. Ivy is still dealing with the aftermath of her divorce and ex-husband’s betrayal. Then she discovers that Jack Keaton isn’t really who he claims to be AND that the DIA sent her to Palau as an unwitting spy. So… who will she trust?
I loved the tropical setting in this one. Think sexy times in boats, beaches, and caves in deserted islands. I loved how unapologetically bold Ivy was. And as always, the pacing is spot on! I continue to be amazed by how these meticulously-researched action-laden plots move along fast while leaving plenty of room for romance and tons of steam.
4.5 stars rounded up because I simply adore this series.
December 1, 2016
Trust is a precious commodity in any relationship. In most circumstances, it’s easily achieved. But when a brilliant US scientist whose husband was a traitor is asked to put her trust in a Russian spy who steals her away in the night to help find a missing sub in Palau’s Rock Islands, there’s not much hope in trust developing. And for the seventh installment of Rachel Grant’s Evidence series, Poison Evidence is a prophetic title … the very thing that could save the day also has the potential to destroy the people involved.
Poison Evidence revisits all of the characters from the Evidence series. I’m normally not a fan of long-running series, particularly when the same pair of heroes swoop in and save the day. But in this case: genius scientist + Russian spy = need for help. Ivy calls in chips from her cousin, Senator Alec Ravissant, and her colleague/friend’s husband US Attorney Curt Dominick; and Jack calls in a chip from Navy SEAL Luke Sevick, who he was friends with when he was known as Lieutenant Parker Reeves in the Coast Guard. Like Mel Brooks once said, “it’s good to be the king.” I mean, who has access to the A-Team like this?
Grant is an expert at building the suspenseful tension at the same rate as she builds the romance. That knife’s edge of anxiety makes you turn the pages … every time. As is her pattern, Grant writes equitable characters in strength and poise. I like that Ivy isn’t a shy, bookish lab rat, nervous around men and that Jack isn’t a swaggering gigolo. They have a very visceral, physiological reaction and go with the flow. The attraction keeps the tension and anxiety strung tightly, because psychologically both fight it hard.
*This post was originally published at Heroes & Heartbreakers. Read the whole thing here: http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com...
Poison Evidence revisits all of the characters from the Evidence series. I’m normally not a fan of long-running series, particularly when the same pair of heroes swoop in and save the day. But in this case: genius scientist + Russian spy = need for help. Ivy calls in chips from her cousin, Senator Alec Ravissant, and her colleague/friend’s husband US Attorney Curt Dominick; and Jack calls in a chip from Navy SEAL Luke Sevick, who he was friends with when he was known as Lieutenant Parker Reeves in the Coast Guard. Like Mel Brooks once said, “it’s good to be the king.” I mean, who has access to the A-Team like this?
Grant is an expert at building the suspenseful tension at the same rate as she builds the romance. That knife’s edge of anxiety makes you turn the pages … every time. As is her pattern, Grant writes equitable characters in strength and poise. I like that Ivy isn’t a shy, bookish lab rat, nervous around men and that Jack isn’t a swaggering gigolo. They have a very visceral, physiological reaction and go with the flow. The attraction keeps the tension and anxiety strung tightly, because psychologically both fight it hard.
*This post was originally published at Heroes & Heartbreakers. Read the whole thing here: http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com...
January 15, 2017
Wow! This series just keeps getting better and better. I had let it go for awhile after reading Cold Evidence, book six in the Evidence series. I’m really glad I decided to grab book seven and dig in. Each book in this series is, at the same time, intense and entertaining. The entire series has strong female characters who are in some part of an archaeological/historical based career that is tied to military intelligence. Each book is also rooted in facts and actual current or historical details, which always makes for a better read.
In Poison Evidence Ivy MacLeod is piloting her invention to track a fragile battle site from WWII. She’s waited a long time to get funding and approval from DIA for the project. She considered herself lucky when everything came through even if it did put her in a crunch and she didn’t really have the time she needed to completely test everything. She figured this would have to be her field testing and she’d just have to make adjustments on the fly while collecting the data NHHC and DIA needed.
Jack Keaton is the owner/operator of Liberty, the luxury cruiser for rent to individuals with money who want adventure. Ivy had considered hiring Jack and Liberty for her research but his price was out of her league. That doesn’t stop her from admiring him, from a distance, from the sea pilot’s slip she actually did hire. She always thought it would remain “admiring from afar” until she happened to run into him at a party. The night he actually became both her rescuer and her captor.
There are so many twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat in this one. Those twists and turns run from the first page to the last. If you haven’t looked into this series I suggest you remedy that. It’s a great series and while each of the books are stand alone they fit seamlessly together. I hope there are more to come!
In Poison Evidence Ivy MacLeod is piloting her invention to track a fragile battle site from WWII. She’s waited a long time to get funding and approval from DIA for the project. She considered herself lucky when everything came through even if it did put her in a crunch and she didn’t really have the time she needed to completely test everything. She figured this would have to be her field testing and she’d just have to make adjustments on the fly while collecting the data NHHC and DIA needed.
Jack Keaton is the owner/operator of Liberty, the luxury cruiser for rent to individuals with money who want adventure. Ivy had considered hiring Jack and Liberty for her research but his price was out of her league. That doesn’t stop her from admiring him, from a distance, from the sea pilot’s slip she actually did hire. She always thought it would remain “admiring from afar” until she happened to run into him at a party. The night he actually became both her rescuer and her captor.
There are so many twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat in this one. Those twists and turns run from the first page to the last. If you haven’t looked into this series I suggest you remedy that. It’s a great series and while each of the books are stand alone they fit seamlessly together. I hope there are more to come!
May 6, 2022
Read as part of the “dangerous as sin” bundle, this is the first one in that 10 book collection.
It definitely feels like part of a series but works as a standalone introduction to the story. Really enjoyed the banter and sweetness to go with the danger and drama. Will definitely be looking to read more from this author and series!
It definitely feels like part of a series but works as a standalone introduction to the story. Really enjoyed the banter and sweetness to go with the danger and drama. Will definitely be looking to read more from this author and series!
June 25, 2021
Ivy MacLeod travels to Palau in order to test her new mapping technology in the area around the island where a battle took place during World War II. Now that her husband has been captured and is being tried as a traitor, Ivy feels she must do all she can to prove that she wasn't involved in her husband's deceit. However, her new mapping technology is wanted as a way to gain intelligence for our own as well as rival governments, causing Ivy to be at risk when some of her ex-husband's men try to steal her equipment. Lucky for Ivy, Jack Keaton, the man she had been admiring on the boat docked next to hers, comes to her rescue. What she doesn't know is that Jack is really a Russian agent, and he is about to kidnap her in order to use her technology to find something of value that he needs.
Poison Evidence has lots of political intrigue, constantly challenging the reader to distinguish the good guys from the bad. Nothing is black and white in this story, so we go on the journey with Ivy to find out if, Jack, the man she is falling in love with, should be considered a traitor or a hero. Characters from previous Evidence Series books make appearances as minor supporting characters. Overall, this is another good entry in the Evidence Series.
Poison Evidence has lots of political intrigue, constantly challenging the reader to distinguish the good guys from the bad. Nothing is black and white in this story, so we go on the journey with Ivy to find out if, Jack, the man she is falling in love with, should be considered a traitor or a hero. Characters from previous Evidence Series books make appearances as minor supporting characters. Overall, this is another good entry in the Evidence Series.
September 2, 2021
I loved this edge of your seat romantic suspense. Especially the multiple POV which were really necessary to fully understand the history behind, and during, the story. Rachel Grant is extremely skilled at weaving a twisted, in depth, story that will keep you guessing right to the last page. The surprises just keep coming!
Extremely intelligent Ivy MacLeod is barely dealing with her ex-husbands arrest for treason and espionage, leaving her to deal with reporters claiming she is a traitor by association. Having just finished 'CAM', a Computer-Aided Mapping device that she was developing, she is sent to test it by mapping a World War II battle site in the paradise islands of Palau. But once she arrives it quickly becomes clear there are nefarious plots at hand to steal her device and Ivy is left to figure out who to trust with both the device and her very life as well.
When Air Force pilot Jack Keaton comes to her rescue Ivy is quickly enamored, but soon learns nothing is as it seems, no one is who they say they are, and she has no idea who to trust. If she chooses right she saves her countries secrets. Choosing wrong, she risks all out war.
Extremely intelligent Ivy MacLeod is barely dealing with her ex-husbands arrest for treason and espionage, leaving her to deal with reporters claiming she is a traitor by association. Having just finished 'CAM', a Computer-Aided Mapping device that she was developing, she is sent to test it by mapping a World War II battle site in the paradise islands of Palau. But once she arrives it quickly becomes clear there are nefarious plots at hand to steal her device and Ivy is left to figure out who to trust with both the device and her very life as well.
When Air Force pilot Jack Keaton comes to her rescue Ivy is quickly enamored, but soon learns nothing is as it seems, no one is who they say they are, and she has no idea who to trust. If she chooses right she saves her countries secrets. Choosing wrong, she risks all out war.
July 23, 2020
From evidence series I read, this one is the most favorable for me. I like how it is balanced between the suspense and romance inside. I think ivy and Dimitry relationship is believable, compare to another book in evidence series. They are from enemies first (even though they attracted to each other) and slowly trust each other and finally, become a lover. And the way author explaining about anthropology’s thing is really good. I actually learn something from this book.
I can’t lie also; I am infatuated by Dimitri character. He is the kind of person who willing to do something for either his family or his lover. But I also kind of disappointed by the twist in the end that actually his family is the one who is evil. I got it actually, it is the behind theme by the author for this ‘poison’ book. That we can be got deceived by people we love and we need to accept it. But, still… I expect a better twist. Anyway, I also read the 8th book of evidence, and I couldn’t lie but I only read it because Dimitri also includes in the story.
I can’t lie also; I am infatuated by Dimitri character. He is the kind of person who willing to do something for either his family or his lover. But I also kind of disappointed by the twist in the end that actually his family is the one who is evil. I got it actually, it is the behind theme by the author for this ‘poison’ book. That we can be got deceived by people we love and we need to accept it. But, still… I expect a better twist. Anyway, I also read the 8th book of evidence, and I couldn’t lie but I only read it because Dimitri also includes in the story.
October 25, 2016
Get ready to get swept away to the islands of Palau where danger lurks and past and present collide. Where an unsuspecting heroine get herself embroiled in the hunt for something that could reignite the cold war. Even the man who says he is there to protect her, who warms her cold heart, hides complex secrets and a past that is as deadly as the manchineel tree which will leave a person suffering from severe burns, a fate her heart may also suffer.
You never have to wait in a Rachel Grant book for the action and suspense to start. From the first page your thrown into a crazy ride full of twist and turns and wonder what the next chapter is going to reveal.
I always look forward to a Rachel Grant book for scenic descriptions, interesting plot and smoking hot romance and I've not been disappointed yet.
You never have to wait in a Rachel Grant book for the action and suspense to start. From the first page your thrown into a crazy ride full of twist and turns and wonder what the next chapter is going to reveal.
I always look forward to a Rachel Grant book for scenic descriptions, interesting plot and smoking hot romance and I've not been disappointed yet.
July 6, 2021
POISON EVIDENCE ......by Rachel Grant
Ivy is testing her sensing technology device on the battle area Peleliu,with its terrain full of historic wreckage. Five years of work went into thus device, and now testing it, in this paradise island. Thanks to the internet, the trial of her ex husband is over shadowing it. As well as terrorists, who will stop at nothing to get it. She is attracted and yet uneasy about her feelings for Air Force pilot
Jack Keaton, who is he really. On his chartered yacht , protecting her as he
says or something else. Then to find the government was not honest with her. and using the device for spying.
This has information of what she was mapping, the action was fast paced. It
keep you wondering who was honest, or were they all using her.
Ivy is testing her sensing technology device on the battle area Peleliu,with its terrain full of historic wreckage. Five years of work went into thus device, and now testing it, in this paradise island. Thanks to the internet, the trial of her ex husband is over shadowing it. As well as terrorists, who will stop at nothing to get it. She is attracted and yet uneasy about her feelings for Air Force pilot
Jack Keaton, who is he really. On his chartered yacht , protecting her as he
says or something else. Then to find the government was not honest with her. and using the device for spying.
This has information of what she was mapping, the action was fast paced. It
keep you wondering who was honest, or were they all using her.
August 14, 2021
POISON EVIDENCE is an intensely compelling story. It’s filled with complex personalities, intriguing drama, powerful suspense, and steamy passion. Jack’s multiple facets may have you questioning who he really is, but there’s more surprises in store as to the identity of some of the key players. It’s the twists and turns as you peel back the layers to this story, that will keep you riveted to each page. The intensity builds slowly until you find yourself hanging on every word and reluctant to stop reading. Jack’s and Ivy’s characters are extremely well drawn, and the storyline is well developed. Integrating characters from previous books in the series adds to the overall enjoyment of this tale, but it stands alone in its depth and breadth of entertainment.
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