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A Murderous Game
Abby Carpenter is a woman with a few problems: a little red diary that has a way of showing up at the worst times, a creepy coworker trying to sabotage her career, and a philandering ex-husband who won't stay dead-and now, the CEO of the largest account to land on the doorstep of the marketing firm she works for, happens to be a man she made a complete fool of herself over fourteen years ago. Abby's convinced if he recognizes her, the firm could lose the account, and she could lose her job.
Gage Faraday can't shake the feeling his new account manager, Abigail Carpenter, reminds him of someone. He just can't place who. As he begins working with her to develop a marketing plan for his company's new development, he realizes they've run into a snag-he's developed a major attraction for his new business associate-but he's a man who goes after what he wants, and he wants Abby.
Just when Abby begins to think things may finally be going her way, her ex turns up dead-really dead-and she becomes the primary suspect in the murder investigation. Now she's being pursued by a relentless detective, a sleazy tabloid reporter, and a man who won't take no for an answer. Will the forces working to tear Abby and Gage apart prevail, or will destiny have its' due? Find out in this sexy, sassy romance with a touch of suspense.
Gage Faraday can't shake the feeling his new account manager, Abigail Carpenter, reminds him of someone. He just can't place who. As he begins working with her to develop a marketing plan for his company's new development, he realizes they've run into a snag-he's developed a major attraction for his new business associate-but he's a man who goes after what he wants, and he wants Abby.
Just when Abby begins to think things may finally be going her way, her ex turns up dead-really dead-and she becomes the primary suspect in the murder investigation. Now she's being pursued by a relentless detective, a sleazy tabloid reporter, and a man who won't take no for an answer. Will the forces working to tear Abby and Gage apart prevail, or will destiny have its' due? Find out in this sexy, sassy romance with a touch of suspense.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 23, 2011
11 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Paris
16 books120 followersPatricia Paris is a bestselling, multi-award winning author of sweet, sexy, contemporary romances and romantic suspense.
She lives in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland with her husband, a lazy but lovable cat named Shiloh, and James Brown (aka, JB), the baddest, but also lovable, dog in town.
A true romantic at heart, Patricia believes everyone deserves a happy ending, and she strives to deliver that to her readers every time.
She lives in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland with her husband, a lazy but lovable cat named Shiloh, and James Brown (aka, JB), the baddest, but also lovable, dog in town.
A true romantic at heart, Patricia believes everyone deserves a happy ending, and she strives to deliver that to her readers every time.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Did Not Finish
July 19, 2020Normally, I have a rule to never review DNFed books. In this case, though, (although I still won't rate it because that'd be unfair), I think it's important for me to explain why I didn't finish.
In a nutshell, my expectations for what this book would be were totally off base. I'm not a romance FAN, but I can handle a romantic subplot; even if the romance is quite pronounced, it's fine as long as it's not the main focus of the story.
Here's the first paragraph of the synopsis on Goodreads, at the time I decided to pick it up:
Abby Carpenter is a woman with a few problems: a little red diary that has a way of showing up at the worst times, a creepy coworker trying to sabotage her career, and a philandering ex-husband who won't stay dead---and now, the CEO of the largest account to land on the doorstep of the marketing firm she works for, happens to be a man she made a complete fool of herself over fourteen years ago. Abby's convinced if he recognizes her the firm could lose the account, and she could lose her job.
I was kind of expecting some romance, for sure. This "CEO from fourteen years ago" just screams at a romantic subplot. But the title, and the "philandering ex-husband who won't stay dead" are what drew me to the story first.
40% in, and nobody's dead yet, and (in my opinion) nobody has made a particularly serious attempt to sabotage Abby's career. It's just been all about Abby and Gage as they get more and more romantically entangled.
I'm disappointed, because I feel like I was misled... although having re-read the remainder of the synopsis right now, it makes more sense. But who reads the whole synopsis of a book before deciding to read it? Title, cover, quick skim of the first few sentences of the blurb... or is that just me? ;)
Anyway, I thought it was important to write this review, because I don't want people to be put off. If romance is your thing, then the story appears to be quite good, so you should definitely give it a go.
Click here to find out where you can get your hands on a copy: https://books2read.com/u/4Eop8e
* Note: That's an affiliate link, so if you click through to a store and end up buying anything, I might earn a commission from your purchase.
In a nutshell, my expectations for what this book would be were totally off base. I'm not a romance FAN, but I can handle a romantic subplot; even if the romance is quite pronounced, it's fine as long as it's not the main focus of the story.
Here's the first paragraph of the synopsis on Goodreads, at the time I decided to pick it up:
Abby Carpenter is a woman with a few problems: a little red diary that has a way of showing up at the worst times, a creepy coworker trying to sabotage her career, and a philandering ex-husband who won't stay dead---and now, the CEO of the largest account to land on the doorstep of the marketing firm she works for, happens to be a man she made a complete fool of herself over fourteen years ago. Abby's convinced if he recognizes her the firm could lose the account, and she could lose her job.
I was kind of expecting some romance, for sure. This "CEO from fourteen years ago" just screams at a romantic subplot. But the title, and the "philandering ex-husband who won't stay dead" are what drew me to the story first.
40% in, and nobody's dead yet, and (in my opinion) nobody has made a particularly serious attempt to sabotage Abby's career. It's just been all about Abby and Gage as they get more and more romantically entangled.
I'm disappointed, because I feel like I was misled... although having re-read the remainder of the synopsis right now, it makes more sense. But who reads the whole synopsis of a book before deciding to read it? Title, cover, quick skim of the first few sentences of the blurb... or is that just me? ;)
Anyway, I thought it was important to write this review, because I don't want people to be put off. If romance is your thing, then the story appears to be quite good, so you should definitely give it a go.
Click here to find out where you can get your hands on a copy: https://books2read.com/u/4Eop8e
* Note: That's an affiliate link, so if you click through to a store and end up buying anything, I might earn a commission from your purchase.
January 20, 2012
Abby Carpenter commits murder often; sometimes several days in a row. It is how she deals with the people who really annoy her. Sometimes she uses poison, other times she's more creative. But it's a sure way to relieve her stress; exorcising her demons as her lifelong friend, Rachel Gooding, puts it. Rachel insists it is actually a mentally healthy thing to do. Well, it is just a game she plays!
And lately she has murdered her soon to be ex-husband on a regular basis. His name is Dick, and he is a true "dick" in the crudest sense of the word. He has cheated on her regularly,humiliated her publicity,lied to her, demanded excessively in the divorce negotiations,and left her with a message loud and clear; she is a total failure in bed. (And he should know because he has had lots of experience.)
Abby has a vivid imagination. She thinks outside the box, and those qualities have made her outstanding in her field of Communications and Media. Four years ago when accepted the job with the Norwell Group, she'd had no misconceptions. She'd done her homework, and knew that her boss was a bastard; but he is a brilliant bastard. She plans to stick it out long enough to learn everything she can and then she will go out on her own.
One day he bellows for her to come into his office; her and her arch rival, Harold Billings, who is a pompous jerk and a long time friend of her soon-to-be-ex. There is a big new account looming on the horizon. She wants this account, no matter what it is, but she has to convince Norwell to assign her to it. She is prepared to fight for it, but she knows Billings will fight for it too; and he fights dirty.
The new account is with GFI. Norwell tells them that he is putting them both on the file for now; The CEO has agreed to meet with them on Monday of the next week and in the meantime he wants them to dig up everything they can on the company and its CEO, Gage Faraday. He wants Norwell's presentation done up right; power point presentation and all. And it had better be good, because if the Norwell Group fails to get the account heads will roll.
Abby feels like she has been sucker punched. Surely it couldn't be the same Gage Faraday; the young man she had worshiped when she was a gangly 15 year old; the guy her father had humiliated after he had read her diary and believed the explicit, passion filled imaginings she had penned in it to be true. He had publicly accused that Gage Faraday of statuary rape. She'd had to admit to the whole world that none of it was true, that it had been a figment of her imagination. A stunned Gage had listened and his friends had laughed and mocked her.
If this is the same man, she is in big trouble! The account will be lost as soon as he sees her.
She spills her fears to Rachel, who assures her that he will never recognize her. She was a late bloomer, and that gangly, infatuated teenager has changed beyond recognition. Now she is an intelligent, gorgeous woman, with outstanding poise.
Gage Faraday is no fool. When Abby gives her presentation he is impressed by her talent. He is quick to note how Harold Billings inserts himself into every aspect of it, giving the impression that he is the brains behind it, stealing a ride on her hard work. And he quickly sees that Norwell will do anything to get the account; even trample on his best assistant.
Gage Faraday contacts Abby later and tells her that the Norwell Group will get his account, but he wants to work with her. She is ecstatic! He obviously hasn't associated her with that embarrassing child that stalked him all those years ago. She will never give him any reason to connect the dots. She will do a better job than anyone else ever could. And she will never let him realize that he still makes her knees turn weak and her heart beat crazily. She never gets involved with clients and she won`t this time.
From here on, Abby and Gages world is filled with sensual tension. He is drawn to her and finds himself willing to manipulate, control and defy the law to protect her when her ex-husband is found dead and she becomes the prime suspect for his murder. There is a witness who has heard her say that she wanted to kill him! And she innocently admits that she has murdered him many times--in her imagination. But not this time, for real.
This book kept me captivated from beginning to end and I really, really enjoyed Abby and Gages story. I loved the way they way they related to each other,as they manoeuvred through the hills and valleys and curves along their journey to a happy ending. It worked for me! I`m hooked on Patricia Paris`s writing.
And lately she has murdered her soon to be ex-husband on a regular basis. His name is Dick, and he is a true "dick" in the crudest sense of the word. He has cheated on her regularly,humiliated her publicity,lied to her, demanded excessively in the divorce negotiations,and left her with a message loud and clear; she is a total failure in bed. (And he should know because he has had lots of experience.)
Abby has a vivid imagination. She thinks outside the box, and those qualities have made her outstanding in her field of Communications and Media. Four years ago when accepted the job with the Norwell Group, she'd had no misconceptions. She'd done her homework, and knew that her boss was a bastard; but he is a brilliant bastard. She plans to stick it out long enough to learn everything she can and then she will go out on her own.
One day he bellows for her to come into his office; her and her arch rival, Harold Billings, who is a pompous jerk and a long time friend of her soon-to-be-ex. There is a big new account looming on the horizon. She wants this account, no matter what it is, but she has to convince Norwell to assign her to it. She is prepared to fight for it, but she knows Billings will fight for it too; and he fights dirty.
The new account is with GFI. Norwell tells them that he is putting them both on the file for now; The CEO has agreed to meet with them on Monday of the next week and in the meantime he wants them to dig up everything they can on the company and its CEO, Gage Faraday. He wants Norwell's presentation done up right; power point presentation and all. And it had better be good, because if the Norwell Group fails to get the account heads will roll.
Abby feels like she has been sucker punched. Surely it couldn't be the same Gage Faraday; the young man she had worshiped when she was a gangly 15 year old; the guy her father had humiliated after he had read her diary and believed the explicit, passion filled imaginings she had penned in it to be true. He had publicly accused that Gage Faraday of statuary rape. She'd had to admit to the whole world that none of it was true, that it had been a figment of her imagination. A stunned Gage had listened and his friends had laughed and mocked her.
If this is the same man, she is in big trouble! The account will be lost as soon as he sees her.
She spills her fears to Rachel, who assures her that he will never recognize her. She was a late bloomer, and that gangly, infatuated teenager has changed beyond recognition. Now she is an intelligent, gorgeous woman, with outstanding poise.
Gage Faraday is no fool. When Abby gives her presentation he is impressed by her talent. He is quick to note how Harold Billings inserts himself into every aspect of it, giving the impression that he is the brains behind it, stealing a ride on her hard work. And he quickly sees that Norwell will do anything to get the account; even trample on his best assistant.
Gage Faraday contacts Abby later and tells her that the Norwell Group will get his account, but he wants to work with her. She is ecstatic! He obviously hasn't associated her with that embarrassing child that stalked him all those years ago. She will never give him any reason to connect the dots. She will do a better job than anyone else ever could. And she will never let him realize that he still makes her knees turn weak and her heart beat crazily. She never gets involved with clients and she won`t this time.
From here on, Abby and Gages world is filled with sensual tension. He is drawn to her and finds himself willing to manipulate, control and defy the law to protect her when her ex-husband is found dead and she becomes the prime suspect for his murder. There is a witness who has heard her say that she wanted to kill him! And she innocently admits that she has murdered him many times--in her imagination. But not this time, for real.
This book kept me captivated from beginning to end and I really, really enjoyed Abby and Gages story. I loved the way they way they related to each other,as they manoeuvred through the hills and valleys and curves along their journey to a happy ending. It worked for me! I`m hooked on Patricia Paris`s writing.
April 12, 2012
Abby Carpenter dreams up different methods of killing her ex-husband, so much so, that she even discusses it with friends. But nobody is more astonished than her when his dead body is discovered, thrusting her into the limelight as a murder suspect.
Through work she re-kindles an intense friendship with Gage, who turns out to be one of her late husband’s rivals, more evidence to boot. As the story progresses and she protests her innocence, more and more evidence unfolds linking her to his death. Can Detectives find the killer, before police charge her for murder? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
Paris layers her characters beautifully as she deftly inserts twists and turns into the plot to keep the reader guessing. Wonderfully woven prose, alongside positively sizzling romantic scenes will demand that you flick those pages to the last letter. A gripping read.
Through work she re-kindles an intense friendship with Gage, who turns out to be one of her late husband’s rivals, more evidence to boot. As the story progresses and she protests her innocence, more and more evidence unfolds linking her to his death. Can Detectives find the killer, before police charge her for murder? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
Paris layers her characters beautifully as she deftly inserts twists and turns into the plot to keep the reader guessing. Wonderfully woven prose, alongside positively sizzling romantic scenes will demand that you flick those pages to the last letter. A gripping read.
September 4, 2015
Ms. Paris has a gift for melding past with present, as Abby's diary causes trouble for her as a gangly teen in love with the hot college boy, and a poised marketing professional who is falling for her client, who just happens to be the same hot college kid from her youth. However, the villains are truly hate-worthy and left me wishing they got worse than they did. Gage and Abby burn up the pages in this twisting romance-suspense. Just when I thought the plot would go one way, it twisted in the opposite direction. Infused with plenty of humor, A Murderous Game kept me turning the pages, waisting a whole afternoon shirking my homemaker duties.
I can't wait to read Run, Rachael Run.
I can't wait to read Run, Rachael Run.
May 14, 2015
Romance and Mystery!
This book is romantic, mysterious and intriguing. I really enjoyed the storyline and it will keep you wanting to read. I love the way Patricia tells a story. The characters are well developed and the story flows nicely. I've read other books by her and have enjoyed them all.
This book is romantic, mysterious and intriguing. I really enjoyed the storyline and it will keep you wanting to read. I love the way Patricia tells a story. The characters are well developed and the story flows nicely. I've read other books by her and have enjoyed them all.
January 5, 2012
The main characters, Abby and Gage are delightful and well-developed. Best friend Rachael is a rising star in this much looked forward to series. The villains are wonderfully wicked. A fast-moving read, that you don't want to end! Can't wait for Run Rachael Run!
October 20, 2012
I enjoyed this book which was recommended by my wife. She was correct is saying Ms Paris is a very good writer. I concur, her story is quite good, the characters well defined and likable and the book well edited. Easy read and kept my interest to the end.
February 27, 2013
suspense & romance. this was actually pretty good :D
main character seemed a bit weak and whiny at times, but i guess if anyone had been through as much as she had, they'd be whiny, too.
quick read, enjoyable. liked the best friend :D
main character seemed a bit weak and whiny at times, but i guess if anyone had been through as much as she had, they'd be whiny, too.
quick read, enjoyable. liked the best friend :D
October 11, 2012
Free Amazon book for Kindle. Although I did figure out who the murderer was before the end, I still enjoyed the story.
June 29, 2013
Really good engaging romantic thriller, worth a go.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews