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The Amy Lane Mysteries #3
Captcha Thief
Book 3 in The Amy Lane Mysteries.
Agoraphobic hacker Amy Lane and her sidekick ex-con Jason Carr are caught in a tortuous and increasingly dangerous adventure as Amy seeks to help track an art thief and Jason seeks to impress the National Crime Agency investigator Frieda Haas sent to recover the missing painting – and its abductor.
As the evidence leads Amy and the police in circles, Jason finds himself taking more and more risks in his hunt for the thief. Nothing is as it seems. Are Amy and Jason merely playthings for a vicious murderer? Can they survive the game?
Agoraphobic hacker Amy Lane and her sidekick ex-con Jason Carr are caught in a tortuous and increasingly dangerous adventure as Amy seeks to help track an art thief and Jason seeks to impress the National Crime Agency investigator Frieda Haas sent to recover the missing painting – and its abductor.
As the evidence leads Amy and the police in circles, Jason finds himself taking more and more risks in his hunt for the thief. Nothing is as it seems. Are Amy and Jason merely playthings for a vicious murderer? Can they survive the game?
328 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2016
About the author
Rosie Claverton
10 books50 followersRosie Claverton grew up in Devon, daughter to a Sri Lankan father and a Norfolk mother, surrounded by folk mythology and surly sheep. She moved to Cardiff to study Medicine and adopted Wales as her home.
Her crime series The Amy Lane Mysteries debuted in 2014, about an agoraphobic hacker and streetwise ex-con who fight crime in Cardiff.
Between writing and medicine, she advocates for accurate and sensitive portrayals of people with mental health problems in fiction. She is a co-founder of the Welsh crime writing collective Crime Cymru.
Rosie lives with her journalist husband and her young daughters
Her crime series The Amy Lane Mysteries debuted in 2014, about an agoraphobic hacker and streetwise ex-con who fight crime in Cardiff.
Between writing and medicine, she advocates for accurate and sensitive portrayals of people with mental health problems in fiction. She is a co-founder of the Welsh crime writing collective Crime Cymru.
Rosie lives with her journalist husband and her young daughters
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 10, 2016
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
"... this time, it wasn't the dead man's face that haunted her, but the delicate features of a woman who'd died a century earlier."
Captcha Thief by Rosie Claverton is a brilliantly thought-out and a cleverly written book.
It has a great pace which edges towards fast, yet at the same time being subtle. I felt compelled to read this book in one sitting, but in spite of being terribly busy, I managed to read it in three.
The suspense and story build-up is truly magical and I was left longing for more when it came to the backgrounds of the lead characters.
The characterization is truly stunning. I felt a really strong connection with Amy in spite of her being too socially awkward for my taste. There were moments when I felt emotions well up inside of me so strong that I literally had to stop myself from screaming at the book.
On the other hand, the character of Jason is so darn unique and good that I developed an instant liking for him. He's this strong yet sensitive guy who's always misunderstood in spite of being a really kind person.
At some places, the main plot gets a little overshadowed by the sub-plots, but the author's clever writing and pacing manage to make the reader feel the urge to know more about the sub-plotline in order to see what's happening in the character's lives.
"The second time was easier, killing someone."
The random sprinkling of chapters of the murderer throughout the book took the story to a whole new level. Also, the use of new hacking techniques made it a really interesting book for me.
The beginning was really good because the murder pulled me into the story right from the first page. It took me only a few chapters to get the flow of the various POVs and after that, the story kept on getting better and better.
The ending is great. It's not the typical mystery sort of ending where the killer is revealed and such, but it ends taking the main character's story into focus. I am eagerly waiting for the next part in this series, and meanwhile, I'm considering buying the first two parts just to get to know Any and Jason better.
I loved this book and I cannot recommend it enough to everyone who loves mystery.
You can also read this review at The Reading Bud.
"... this time, it wasn't the dead man's face that haunted her, but the delicate features of a woman who'd died a century earlier."
Captcha Thief by Rosie Claverton is a brilliantly thought-out and a cleverly written book.
It has a great pace which edges towards fast, yet at the same time being subtle. I felt compelled to read this book in one sitting, but in spite of being terribly busy, I managed to read it in three.
The suspense and story build-up is truly magical and I was left longing for more when it came to the backgrounds of the lead characters.
The characterization is truly stunning. I felt a really strong connection with Amy in spite of her being too socially awkward for my taste. There were moments when I felt emotions well up inside of me so strong that I literally had to stop myself from screaming at the book.
On the other hand, the character of Jason is so darn unique and good that I developed an instant liking for him. He's this strong yet sensitive guy who's always misunderstood in spite of being a really kind person.
At some places, the main plot gets a little overshadowed by the sub-plots, but the author's clever writing and pacing manage to make the reader feel the urge to know more about the sub-plotline in order to see what's happening in the character's lives.
"The second time was easier, killing someone."
The random sprinkling of chapters of the murderer throughout the book took the story to a whole new level. Also, the use of new hacking techniques made it a really interesting book for me.
The beginning was really good because the murder pulled me into the story right from the first page. It took me only a few chapters to get the flow of the various POVs and after that, the story kept on getting better and better.
The ending is great. It's not the typical mystery sort of ending where the killer is revealed and such, but it ends taking the main character's story into focus. I am eagerly waiting for the next part in this series, and meanwhile, I'm considering buying the first two parts just to get to know Any and Jason better.
I loved this book and I cannot recommend it enough to everyone who loves mystery.
You can also read this review at The Reading Bud.
October 17, 2019
Of the three Amy Lane mysteries I've read, this is my least favorite. But let me be clear, it is not a bad book. There is a cliffhanger type ending, so be warned.
The development of the relationship between Amy and Jason felt very organic, its just that the development and purpose of one character don't quite work for me.
But still will be reading the others in the series. Amy is awesome!
The development of the relationship between Amy and Jason felt very organic, its just that the development and purpose of one character don't quite work for me.
But still will be reading the others in the series. Amy is awesome!
April 17, 2015
As with the previous books in the Amy Lane series, this is a thriller with flashes of dark humour and a refreshingly original plot.
"Agoraphobic hacker Amy Lane is recovering from her last case when her ex-con assistant Jason Carr finds a new crime to solve...Nothing in this case is what it seems and Amy's investigation takes her and Jason down a dangerous path - playing games with a murderer."
First thing first: could this be read as a standalone? Personally I think you'd be missing out big time if you hadn't followed Amy and Jason's stories from the start with Binary Witness and Code Runner. But yes, this book's plot is strong enough to stand on its own.
Amy and Jason form one of my favourite fictional crime fighting partnerships. At first glance they seem totally mismatched but their relationship, with its will they / won't they aspect, has kept me hooked from the first time I "met" them.
What I noticed when reading Captcha Thief was that the supporting characters have been developed more than in the previous books. This provides a satisfying read for fans of crime series who look forward to following all the characters' stories, not just the main characters or even the plot.
The crime that's central to this book is intriguing and the clever plotting had me tying myself in knots trying to figure out what was going on.
Highly recommended for crime thriller fans who enjoy trying to solve puzzles along with the crime fighters.
Thank you to the author for the advance copy e-book to review.
"Agoraphobic hacker Amy Lane is recovering from her last case when her ex-con assistant Jason Carr finds a new crime to solve...Nothing in this case is what it seems and Amy's investigation takes her and Jason down a dangerous path - playing games with a murderer."
First thing first: could this be read as a standalone? Personally I think you'd be missing out big time if you hadn't followed Amy and Jason's stories from the start with Binary Witness and Code Runner. But yes, this book's plot is strong enough to stand on its own.
Amy and Jason form one of my favourite fictional crime fighting partnerships. At first glance they seem totally mismatched but their relationship, with its will they / won't they aspect, has kept me hooked from the first time I "met" them.
What I noticed when reading Captcha Thief was that the supporting characters have been developed more than in the previous books. This provides a satisfying read for fans of crime series who look forward to following all the characters' stories, not just the main characters or even the plot.
The crime that's central to this book is intriguing and the clever plotting had me tying myself in knots trying to figure out what was going on.
Highly recommended for crime thriller fans who enjoy trying to solve puzzles along with the crime fighters.
Thank you to the author for the advance copy e-book to review.
September 3, 2022
I really enjoyed this. I liked the mystery, and I just really love spending time with Amy and Jason. I like how their relationship is developing and look forward to the next book.
November 25, 2018
Amy and Jason are playing a cat and mouse game with the murderer.The art painting of The Blue Lady is slashed, a young guard is killed, is he still in the gallery. This had a number of twists and plots, with a Motorcycle crash, and human trafficking. It is fast action to the end, and another story in this series worth reading.
March 20, 2017
Oh, that ending!!
March 19, 2019
I love this series set in Cardiff. Well-drawn characters that i am getting to know and actually care what happens to them. I would heartily recommend!
December 11, 2024
I stopped reading this in the middle several years ago. Probably because I didn't like the separation of Jason and Amy. I'm glad that I picked it back up, since I'm in a procedural phase.
April 1, 2016
In Captcha Thief Rosie Claverton offers up a multi-layered tale mixing together quite a brew that includes a theft of a renowned painting, a murdered victim with an intriguing personal life, blackmail, organ and human trafficking, an independent police consultant with super computer hacker skills suffering from agoraphobia and who has stolen millions of pounds from her parents and geocaching. In between there are a couple of close calls including a harrowing motorcycle crash, a high stake competition, and risky involvements with some shady characters.
And if you are wondering what is geocaching, as I was, Wikipedia describes it as “an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches,” anywhere in the world.”
The story unfolds in the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff where a famous painting, The Blue Lady is stolen and a security guard murdered. Apparently, there was no break-in as the robber/killer used one of the staff's swipe cards that had been stolen from her car. To help solve the crime, police consultant Amy Lane and her loyal assistant friend Jason Carr, who is a former gang runner with prior convictions of assault and theft are called in to help Detective Inspector Bryn Hesketh and Detective Sergeant Owain Jenkins.
It should be pointed out that initially the detectives were not too keen on hiring Amy as a consultant and they only wanted to engage Jason who might help them with some of his old street contacts who would be interested in stolen art, however, Jason assures them that he was never involved in that kind of a gang and insisted that Amy be part of the investigation. The detectives acquiesce to Jason's request limiting, however, Amy's role to looking over the museum's closed-circuit television (CCTV) security monitoring system.
Upon examining the CCTV Amy discovers someone believed to be a man in a balaclava with a hammer knocking the security guard over the head and then removing the famous painting from its frame. Amy believes that they have an unshakable witness to this murder and yet they have no idea who did it. Moreover, they have the weapon, the motive and the opportunity to steal a painting worth at least forty million pounds and hundreds of collectors willing to pay at least that to possess her.
To most readers all of this seems quite obvious or is it really as clear cut as it seems? Soon we too are searching for answers as we come along for the ride to piece together the jigsaw puzzle. And to make the investigation even more complex, Frieda Haas of the National Crime Agency shows up and informs detectives Hesketh and Jenkins that she will be taking over the investigation due to the diplomatic significance of the painting, which doesn't go down too well with the detectives. As we are to discover, Haas lied when she said that she was assigned to the case. In addition she had been at the scene of the crime before it was even committed. What was she doing there and is she in any way connected to an investigation concerning Amy's theft of her parents money?
I have to applaud Claverton for her resourcefulness to deftly handle labyrinthine plot twists as it moves in four different directions involving conflicts between Jason and Amy, Jason and Frieda, Amy alone and the crime's perpetrator, as well as her innovative manner in weaving geocaching into the plot that threw me for quite a loop. In addition, Claverton understands that mystery stories should not be simple or clean as we don't want to read stories that are easily resolved. Consequently, to engage our desperate need to know, she has crafted a story that evolves, evades and leaves pieces out with unanswered questions, riddles and confusion trapping us in the moment and compelling us to read on by its incompleteness. I have to admit that when reading any mystery or for that matter any novel, I enjoy working and bringing part of myself to the table in filling in the blanks which is exactly what Claverton has accomplished with Captcha Thief.
Follow Here http://goo.gl/XwzBjv To Read Norm's Interview With Rosie Claverton
And if you are wondering what is geocaching, as I was, Wikipedia describes it as “an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches,” anywhere in the world.”
The story unfolds in the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff where a famous painting, The Blue Lady is stolen and a security guard murdered. Apparently, there was no break-in as the robber/killer used one of the staff's swipe cards that had been stolen from her car. To help solve the crime, police consultant Amy Lane and her loyal assistant friend Jason Carr, who is a former gang runner with prior convictions of assault and theft are called in to help Detective Inspector Bryn Hesketh and Detective Sergeant Owain Jenkins.
It should be pointed out that initially the detectives were not too keen on hiring Amy as a consultant and they only wanted to engage Jason who might help them with some of his old street contacts who would be interested in stolen art, however, Jason assures them that he was never involved in that kind of a gang and insisted that Amy be part of the investigation. The detectives acquiesce to Jason's request limiting, however, Amy's role to looking over the museum's closed-circuit television (CCTV) security monitoring system.
Upon examining the CCTV Amy discovers someone believed to be a man in a balaclava with a hammer knocking the security guard over the head and then removing the famous painting from its frame. Amy believes that they have an unshakable witness to this murder and yet they have no idea who did it. Moreover, they have the weapon, the motive and the opportunity to steal a painting worth at least forty million pounds and hundreds of collectors willing to pay at least that to possess her.
To most readers all of this seems quite obvious or is it really as clear cut as it seems? Soon we too are searching for answers as we come along for the ride to piece together the jigsaw puzzle. And to make the investigation even more complex, Frieda Haas of the National Crime Agency shows up and informs detectives Hesketh and Jenkins that she will be taking over the investigation due to the diplomatic significance of the painting, which doesn't go down too well with the detectives. As we are to discover, Haas lied when she said that she was assigned to the case. In addition she had been at the scene of the crime before it was even committed. What was she doing there and is she in any way connected to an investigation concerning Amy's theft of her parents money?
I have to applaud Claverton for her resourcefulness to deftly handle labyrinthine plot twists as it moves in four different directions involving conflicts between Jason and Amy, Jason and Frieda, Amy alone and the crime's perpetrator, as well as her innovative manner in weaving geocaching into the plot that threw me for quite a loop. In addition, Claverton understands that mystery stories should not be simple or clean as we don't want to read stories that are easily resolved. Consequently, to engage our desperate need to know, she has crafted a story that evolves, evades and leaves pieces out with unanswered questions, riddles and confusion trapping us in the moment and compelling us to read on by its incompleteness. I have to admit that when reading any mystery or for that matter any novel, I enjoy working and bringing part of myself to the table in filling in the blanks which is exactly what Claverton has accomplished with Captcha Thief.
Follow Here http://goo.gl/XwzBjv To Read Norm's Interview With Rosie Claverton
September 24, 2016
When “The Blue Lady” was brutally sliced from her frame in the National Museum of Wales, Paul, the night museum guard, is distraught. Who would do such a thing to the painting he and countless others adore? But he doesn’t have much time to think about this abomination because the thief or thieves are still in the gallery and make sure that Paul doesn’t live to tell anyone what he knows.
The local police are on the case. But so is the National Crime Agency. They both secure the museum and begin looking for the art thieves turned murderers that have stolen the painting that is worth millions and snuffed out the life of the young guard.
The Agency sends agent Frieda Haas to deal with the crimes and the local police. The locals have a consultant in their pocket that could have the skills they need to crack the case, but she has problems of her own. Amy Lane can find anything on the internet. She is the best hacker around and has consulted for the police before. The only hiccup in the plan is she is agoraphobic and has too much anxiety to leave her apartment. The pull between the departments as they jockey for pole position is about to get ugly.
Normally, she functions pretty well, using her side kick Jason Carr as her eyes and ears in the outside world. She is attracted to him, and doesn’t mind that he is an ex-con. He brings stability to her world and sometimes she feels close to normal when he is with her.
As the case progresses, the animosity between the two police agencies and Amy’s consulting comes to a boiling point. Are all of them looking in the wrong direction? Have they been trying to sabotage each other to the detriment of the case? No one is happy and the criminals are still on the loose. The good guys are going to have to stop fighting and look outside of the box to catch the thieves.
This YA novel is interesting and action packed. The twists and turns keep the reader guessing. There is a bit of romance going on between Amy and Jason but I’m not sure where that is going. Enter Frieda who is making moves like she would enjoy spending more time with Jason – outside of work.
I like the characters. I could feel Amy’s anxiety and picture Jason’s sexiness. There were interesting interactions of the main players, giving the readers a glimpse inside their heads.
This is the third book in the Amy Lane Mystery Series. It worked ok for a stand-alone novel. I was not necessarily confused, but felt there was background that I didn’t know about that would have made things clearer sooner. But don’t take that as a negative point, it is like meeting someone in high school instead of grade school. You learn their history in bits and pieces and that is ok.
Captcha Thief is a satisfying read for YA and adult readers. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great whodunit with cyber twist.
Copyright © 2016 Laura Hartman
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was not expected to return this item after my review.
The local police are on the case. But so is the National Crime Agency. They both secure the museum and begin looking for the art thieves turned murderers that have stolen the painting that is worth millions and snuffed out the life of the young guard.
The Agency sends agent Frieda Haas to deal with the crimes and the local police. The locals have a consultant in their pocket that could have the skills they need to crack the case, but she has problems of her own. Amy Lane can find anything on the internet. She is the best hacker around and has consulted for the police before. The only hiccup in the plan is she is agoraphobic and has too much anxiety to leave her apartment. The pull between the departments as they jockey for pole position is about to get ugly.
Normally, she functions pretty well, using her side kick Jason Carr as her eyes and ears in the outside world. She is attracted to him, and doesn’t mind that he is an ex-con. He brings stability to her world and sometimes she feels close to normal when he is with her.
As the case progresses, the animosity between the two police agencies and Amy’s consulting comes to a boiling point. Are all of them looking in the wrong direction? Have they been trying to sabotage each other to the detriment of the case? No one is happy and the criminals are still on the loose. The good guys are going to have to stop fighting and look outside of the box to catch the thieves.
This YA novel is interesting and action packed. The twists and turns keep the reader guessing. There is a bit of romance going on between Amy and Jason but I’m not sure where that is going. Enter Frieda who is making moves like she would enjoy spending more time with Jason – outside of work.
I like the characters. I could feel Amy’s anxiety and picture Jason’s sexiness. There were interesting interactions of the main players, giving the readers a glimpse inside their heads.
This is the third book in the Amy Lane Mystery Series. It worked ok for a stand-alone novel. I was not necessarily confused, but felt there was background that I didn’t know about that would have made things clearer sooner. But don’t take that as a negative point, it is like meeting someone in high school instead of grade school. You learn their history in bits and pieces and that is ok.
Captcha Thief is a satisfying read for YA and adult readers. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great whodunit with cyber twist.
Copyright © 2016 Laura Hartman
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was not expected to return this item after my review.
April 28, 2016
This was the first of this series I've read (the others are only on e-readers, which I don't own), but it didn't matter - you understand Amy & Jason and their relationship straight away, and it's a fun and fast-paced thriller.
April 24, 2016
Overly complex without significant payoff at the end.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews