Behind the Mask

The Associates #4

by Carolyn Crane, Annika Martin

A steamy, stand-alone suspense from the award-winning series!

TO SAVE HER TWIN SISTER SHE MUST SWITCH PLACES WITH HER...

When her long lost sister - a prostitute - is won in a card game by a brutal drug cartel, Zelda knows what she has to take her place. Save her. Focus on infiltrating the shadowy group on behalf of the Associates, and try not to think about why she left the spying game years ago. She’s slept with dangerous criminals before; she can do it again.

Hugo Martinez is one of South America’s most lethal and wanted men, a legendary mercenary living on a windswept mountain. Even at the height of the war he wasn’t in the habit of taking women captive, but the American whore has seen his face. And he and the orphan boy need a cook. He shouldn’t want this woman, but there’s something so unusual about her…

Little by little, Zelda finds herself falling for her captor…but is he the killer she’s been hunting all these years?

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Suspense, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Dark Romance

331 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 18, 2015

About the author

After spending her youth thoroughly obsessed with Nancy Drew and Harriet the Spy and convinced that her suburban neighborhood was awash in dangerous secrets, Carolyn Crane grew up to become a RITA-nominated author of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and other tales of adventure and love; she also writes erotic romance about bank robbers as Annika Martin.

Her books have been published by Random House and Samhain; these days, this perfectionistic control-freak of an author likes to indie publish. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two cats and works a straight job as a freelance marketing writer. During rare moments when she’s not at her computer, she can be found reading in bed, running, or helping animals.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 'Say more' stars

This is my 7th Carolyn Crane books. I can hardly believe myself, after all these years I'm still stalking her release like a crazy fan. As for Behind the Mask, the #4 of The Associates series, this book can work as a standalone. I read #1 and #2 and miss out #3. It had been so long and I hardly remember much of what went down. But once I started on this, I'm totally immersed into Zelda and Hugo's story.

Zelda, 38, an experienced field agent, ex-CIA and co-leader of the Associates. During her recent mission, her plan went awry and she ended up in the middle of a shoot out and being captured by the elusive, lethal and legendary mercenary Kabakas.

Hugo is the infamous Kabakas that many thought was dead in a fire. Now he's leading a quiet life with Paolo, the boy he found and tending to his savinca verde bush. He never thought he will don his mask again after all this time, but when El Gorrion decided to attack his town in order to pressure the farmer to give up their land, Hugo decided to instill justice and seek revenge.

Assuming that Zelda is just a dime a dozen American whore, Hugo decided she will be their cook and Paolo's tutor. Zelda was all out of sort, suspecting Hugo might or might not be Kabakas, the man she was fascinated with and wanted to hunt down all these years. I've got to say Zelda's admiration and fascination with Kabakas ran deep and make her questioned her judgement. Once she confirmed his identity, will she give him up to the Associates?

Zelda was self declared master at coldfucking. What a term, definitely a first for me. Too bad we didn't get to see her coldfucking in action because went she fuck Hugo, it was undeniably super hot! Zelda was living with a ton of guilt and shame for years when she gave up crucial information after being tortured. Though I did find her repeated inner self chastising monologue a tad too much.

Hugo is one stoic and brooding hero. I'm such a sucker for these lethal ass kicker who really know how to brood impressively. Hugo used to be larger than life and feared by everyone, but after a tragedy that strike him, he left all behind and decided to live out the rest of his life in peace. He is a man afraid to hope or love. The way he was reluctant to call Paolo by his name even though we knew how much he love the boy make me want to cry out for him. This man who lived such a hard life deserved to have happiness too.

The presence of Zelda spark something Hugo and we can see how these supposed enemy had so much common right down to their guilt and their scars both physically and emotionally.

"It's worse, isn't it? It's not what is done to you, but what you do to others that can hurt the most."
"Guilt makes you small."

There are so much sexual tension and wariness between these two individual who trust no one. Their motto is leave no prisoner. I spent the entire read worrying something bad is going to happen and someone is going to get hurt because I knew these highly trained people always tend to make the logical choice, but not what I think the right choice.

"I know your heart. You may be something of an enemy, but I do know your heart."

Behind the Mask had all the ingredients for a perfect romantic suspense. The romantic element and the suspense was balance perfectly. I am very invested in the budding love and also the thing that went on with the the crops, El Gorrion and the Associates. I devoured every single page effortlessly and there isn't a lull moment at all.

Though Carolyn Crane did mentioned that the technologies and facts that were mentioned in her books are mostly made up, it felt very convincing to me. At least until I decided to google it. Hugo loves his savinca plant, so I went to google the shit out of savinca verde, only to find out that Carolyn Crane make up that name. Oh well.

The reason that I didn't give a full 5 stars was because Zelda did something, which I find out of character for an experience field agent. It didn't affect my overall love for the book, but since her action was the catalyst for the climatic ending, I felt like it should have been pointed out. Carolyn should have think of a better way to make it work without using that unbelievable ploy. No field agent will decide to make a pit stop for her favorite snack and dilly dally there after she just left a enemy camp.

Recommended for those who enjoy romantic suspense with stoic lethal hero and kickass heroine. It can work as a standalone, reading the previous books is not require to get yourself immerse into the story.

She pressed her forehead to his chest, felt the strong, steady heartbeat of this killer who trusted her heart. Hugo, the killer who liked to carry her, trying so valiantly to help contain her darkness.

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

Pack your bags because you're about to kiss Kansas goodbye…..

If you have been following along with this series you know all about Zelda and Dax (this particular book would actually work as a standalone if you started here, you just wouldn't start off with a strong foundation for how Zelda and Dax run the show). They are the leaders of the shady covert good guys (can get a bit subjective at times) group called The Associates. Zelda is more of a silent leader but also the heart as she advises Dax when Associates need a break or who would work best with whom. Dax is the Machiavellian leader who sees twenty steps ahead of anyone else and will sacrifice anyone, ANYONE for what he considers the greater good. However, when Zelda's twin sister Liza finds herself traded in a card game to a South American drug lord and Zelda states she is going to go in Liza's place, Dax has a moment of weakness and doesn’t want to let her go. Zelda reminds him that her background as a former forensic botanist for the CIA who was placed in the field several times, makes her qualified to complete the dual mission of saving her sister and retrieving some files from the drug lord and also reminding him their motto is for the greater good. Dax relents but can't help wondering if Zelda has some kind of death wish because of the incident that caused her to retire from the CIA. Oh yeah, did I mention that Zelda was captured and tortured until she gave up the name of an undercover agent who was then killed? Thus, we have our strongly vulnerable damaged heroine.

Now, the part of the story where Zelda's mission was to retrieve files from the drug lord so The Associates could trade information to put to end a standoff on an oil tanker was the weakest part of the story. It was vague and never really flushed out and with everything else going on it felt like a very forced reason to get Zelda with that drug lord. Especially, when Zelda arrives at said drug lord's place and is packed off to be given to another drug lord. This time she is to be given to El Gorrion, who is the worst of the worst but she is also about to meet up with our hero.

Hugo grew up traveling the world but in the unglamorous situation of being not his mother's husband's child but the child of her employer. With everyone being aware of this he took mental and physical mistreatment from his "father", ignored by his father, and watched his mother fight more and more with her husband while being powerless to refuse her boss. When he was in his teens he decided to take off on his own and began a life of training with highly skilled elite fighting groups and tribes around the world. He became a mercenary for wars around the world and the legend of Kabakas was born. Kabakas ultimately found himself on the side of right doing unseemly things, his trademark kill of a dagger through the right eye, chopping up the last victim as they were still alive, and leaving only one survivor to tell the tale. Villages under his protection were left alone but after a berserker killing incident where women and children were killed, his name became tarnished and he was later reported to have died in a fire. So when a man living with his son in Buena Vista, a village attacked by El Gorrion, claims the drug lord won't be back after rumors start that Kabakas who died twelve years ago killed a bunch of El Gorrion's men, no one pays him much attention. Thus, we have our strongly vulnerable damaged hero.

You might be asking, why did you tell me to pack my bags? This all sounds like romantic suspense, highly detailed suspense but romantic none the less. Zelda and Hugo's relationship is what makes this book so much more and more in a way that won't always make you feel comfortable. Their meet cute involves Zelda in skimpy lingerie tied to a jeep while Hugo slaughters a battlefield of men, their first sexual encounter features opium, and the term hate sex has never been truer (or hotter). Hugo thinks Zelda is truly Liza, a former druggie and current high priced prostitute. Zelda spent a lot of her time hunting Kabakas while in the CIA and has to find out if Hugo is an imposter or the real deal. Their relationship is incredibly raw in action and emotion; this is not for the faint of heart. Zelda is tough, competent, and hurting, Hugo is very emotionally damaged from his childhood, a warrior, and has a heart just waiting to be freed from its encasement; this is Anne Stuart for the 21st century. Their journey from mistrust, wariness, shyly reaching out, connection, back to mistrust, to full blazing loving will reach out and grab you by the throat.

I honestly couldn't tell you if this is romantic suspense or suspense with romance, sometimes the other dominates and I could see fans of either genre liking this. The beginning is more suspense as Zelda's travels lead her to Hugo and we have the plot points of Hugo kidnapping Zelda to be a pseudo governess to the boy he adopted, El Gorrion poisoning the flower crops Hugo's town survives off, and Dax and the Associates developing their own agenda regarding Kabakas. Sometimes all the puzzle pieces don't quite jive or seem stretched out but I think the emotional aspects carried them through. The middle and right before the end where everyone meets up, has all these suspense plots swirling but the core of the story becomes Hugo and Zelda. Their rawness that I mentioned is so powerful and definitely what you are going to remember and take away from this.

If you're still with me after this long review, I just want to say, you don't read this to be comforted, entertained, or to escape reality. Behind the Mask will do all that for you but you're going to read this because you want more. More in a pearl clutching ragged emotional way. There is so much to this story that I didn't even touch on everything; there's moves and countermoves, betrayal, action, suspense, emotional upheaval, growth, hurting, healing, and hard loving. With plenty of Associates who look to be in the wings, if you're willing to jump into the deep end of the pool read this book and get involved with this series.

[sraxe · Rating 2 out of 5]

My rating on this book is more a reflection of the series than just the book. I probably would've enjoyed them all more, including this, if I'd read them with months in between, but I didn't. I hate the sexist double standards, which became more and more apparent as I read, and that's too bad because I really rather like Carolyn Crane's writing. That's the reason I was able to continue with the series as I did, despite the sexism I saw throughout the series. I also rather liked Hugo and thought he was pretty bad ass. And that sucks because Zelda and the Associates were such a mess of double standards (which the author excuses by saying Zelda is "out of practice").

In the first book, I made a lot of excuses for why things were the way they'd been -- from the icky situation surrounding their more intimate scenes, to the betrayal Angel felt at Cole's hands. Angel was celibate while Cole wasn't. Okay. Part of the job and I found how the author had set it up to be believable. Damsel in distress situations. Okay, fine. I can believe why Angel had gotten herself into the situation and why Cole had had to come save her. However, once I got further into the series, it became obvious that it was less situational and more sexism and double standards. Once in an anomaly; twice...hmm, not so much a coincidence, but I'll run with it. But then three times? Four? With the sexism and double standards doubling and tripling, it became obvious that there was a problem.

I wanted to enjoy the book for what it was, but I couldn't. I kept getting caught up in all the previous double standards in the series. I thought that now, because the Associate is a woman, things would be flipped. But nope. It was just more of the same. This review is more of a study and contrast of the entire series rather than just of this single book.

First of all, I want to talk about how the sexual aspects of the characters are dealt with. Several years ago, Zelda was undercover with another agent (I believe it was a cult they were investigating?). She got caught and was then tortured for hours before finally giving up the name of said agent, which then got him killed. If Zelda had been a guy, she'd have been fucking everything that moves as a result. Instead, she's remained celibate for the last six years. It's not that I want her to go around having indiscriminate sex, it's just that the double standard pisses me off.

And it is a double standard when contrasted with Dax, her fellow co-head at the Associates organization. In the beginning of the book, when she's headed to the airport and leaves Dax behind, she has a passing thought that Dax would now "head back into that hotel and find a stranger to fuck within ten minutes." She elaborates on this later on, noting that Dax has a "sex addiction" because of his inner demons.

Near the end of the book, when Dax makes the decision to betray Zelda for the greater good, Zelda mockingly asks him "How many people did you have to fuck to blot this one out," to which he promptly responds with "Three so far." He sleeps around to blot out his tough decisions and inner demons. Yet, at this point, this decision of his hasn't gotten anyone killed. Zelda, on the other hand, is still haunted through nightmares and stray thoughts of her hours of torture and Agent Randall's death. Yet she hasn't tried to fuck it all away.

The author is perpetuating double standards because you can contrast Zelda's celibacy to Dax's sex addiction due to their similar situations. They're both co-heads of The Associates. They both have demons that haunt them. And yet he's the big manwhore, while she's celibate.

Zelda's celibacy aside, it should also be noted that she didn't have an enjoyable sex life even before that. She says that "all her life she's fucked men without emotion." She's "coldfucked" for the sake of the job, sleeping with targets and other men while on the job in order to get information.

Hugo, on the other hand, doesn't have a sex life that's lacking.

Some of the eligible women had tried for him when he’d first taken over the crumbling mountaintop villa, but he’d made it clear he was not interested. When he wanted to enjoy a woman, he went into the city and enjoyed one. He liked women, but only in small doses.

He mentions more than once that he goes into the city when he wants to "enjoy a woman." Contrast that to Zelda, who has "fucked men without emotion," and is now six years celibate. Zelda's situation is a mix of both Angel and Laney, with Angel's long-term celibacy and Laney's lack of pleasure with a sexual partner until Macmillan.

Next are the damsel in distress situations. I was curious about whether Zelda would be put into situations in which she needed saving because not only is she an ex-CIA field agent, but she's also co-leader of The Associates, the organization that this entire series is about. And yet, the author still managed to have her need rescuing at the hands of Hugo.

In the beginning, she takes Liza's place in order to infiltrate Brujos's cartel. Things go wrong right from the beginning because, within hours, she's traded to a different group, which is El Gorrion's gang. At first when she's sold, she considers running into the forest to escape them, she even considers taking the leader captive and escaping, but she hesitates and is then restrained. The author throwing it in there that she can defend herself doesn't change things in my eyes. It's like when someone does something horrible, yet has moments of self-acknowledgement. The thoughts of it don't change the action (or inaction, in this case).

When she's loaded into the plane, she does manage to take control and hold all the men hostage for hours...only to lose it just before they land. I was so disappointed because I thought that finally we'd get a woman saving herself! When they finally make their landing, she's tied up against a car. During this time, Hugo comes to the rescue. Yes, of course...because the secret agent spy and the co-head of the fucking Associates organization needs to be thrown into a damsel in distress situation, too, huh? She couldn't even manage to free herself from being tied up against the car while Hugo is killing all of El Gorrion's men, having to finally be freed by Hugo!

Even at the end of the book, when Dax betrays Zelda, Hugo is taken captive by the Associates. Zelda notes that she'll need to save him herself because it'll be near impossible for him to break out of where they're going to be holding him. And what happens? Zelda is immediately taken captive by El Gorrion, Hugo manages to save himself, and then he's got to come and rescue Zelda a second time. She's the co-head of The Associates and an ex-CIA agent, for God's sake. Unfuckingbelievable.

And then it comes to the Associates straddling the line of good and bad, and having to do what's best for the greater good. In the first book, I was willing to forgive Cole for struggling with his decision of handing Angel over. I understood that, if it came down to it, a bunch of kids being exploited and suffering horrible deaths, along with putting a stop to Borgola's entire operation, takes precedence over the life of a single person he believed to be a selfish career criminal.

In this book, there's a clear distinction to the thinking earlier in the series. Even before she knows Hugo, she hesitates in handing him over as Kabakas to Dax. She stalls, tells half-truths, begs for more days; she even outright lies to Dax at one point. While Cole dealt with indecision over Angel, a mere jewel thief, Zelda's dealing with a mass murderer, and possibly killer of innocent women and children. She hesitates. Cole is a lowly agent working in the Associates organization, while Zelda, is head of said organization. What's with this double standard in dealings and decisions?

If Zelda had been a man dealing with a female mass murderer, she probably wouldn't have hesitated like the author makes the female character do when dealing with a man she's attracted to and doesn't even know (and this is before she knows that it was an imposter who killed innocent women and children, not the real Kabakas, aka Hugo). It feeds into the sexist notion that women are rash in their decisions, allows emotions to cloud them, while men are more level-headed and don't get emotional, which is contrasted with how different Cole dealt with Angel, a mere jewel thief, and the way Zelda deals with Hugo, a mass murderer.

Next, we have Macmillan. In his book, he need info from Laney and he callously slept her with that end goal in mind. He even knew it was her birthday, but that didn't stop him from going through with it and sleeping with her anyway. He didn't sit around for days, humming and hawing on if he will or won't; five minutes, and he was decided. Zelda, on the other hand, figures she can open a locked cabinet in Hugo's house to find out if he really is Kabakas. She doesn't though, despite having ample time and opportunity to do so. She hesitates for five days before he's the one who finally shows her what's inside! Again, just like Cole, Macmillan is simply working for the agency that she co-heads.

And then we get to their "secret" status as Associates. The men in the previous books didn't mention who they worked for until very, very late into the book (like, eleventh-hour late). Zelda, on the other hand, spills her guts about the Association to Hugo at before the two-thirds mark. She tells Hugo everything, even information about Dax! And she's the CO-HEAD of this secret organization! If Zelda had been a man, she'd have done the same as Cole, Macmillan and Thorne.

Another difference is how betrayal is dealt with. In Cole and Macmillan's books, they use and betray their female love interests, but are forgiven soon after. In this, when Kabakas finds out that Zelda betrayed him, he holds it against her for ages (relative to the number of days the book takes place in). Afterwards, he makes little barbs about it all the time, with Zelda constantly replying that he can trust her. Even Zelda feels guilty about it, feeling that she destroyed his trust. When the men in the previous books betrayed their leads, they didn't suffer as much as Zelda does in this book...and she hadn't even been actively traitorous like Cole and Macmillan had been.

So why didn't Cole and Macmillan have to suffer like Zelda did in the face of betrayal? The women in their books didn't hold grudges (at least not for long). They were so quick to forgive and forget in their books. I wonder why that is...oh, wait. I remember. That brings me back to damsel in distress situations.

In the first book, Cole comes to the rescue of Angel, which leads to her forgiving him. In the second book, Macmillan has to rescue her more than once. In Macmillan's case, while it can be argued that Laney rescues him when he's a prisoner, I don't really believe that's the case. If you really think about it, Macmillan was never really a prisoner. He could've escaped if he wanted to. And even if he couldn't, Rio, other Associates, and Macmillan's mission leader all know where he is. They all knew exactly where Macmillan was if they need to move in and extract him.

Now, in Zelda's book, she was sent from one cartel to another and wasn't able to inform Dax of the move. No one in the Association knew where she was. She could've died if it weren't for Kabakas, who saved her, there's no doubt there. There was no rescue or extraction in the wings, or even a body recovery, if it came to that, if it weren't for Kabakas having shown up and saving her when he did.

Now, because it's Hugo doing the rescuing and not Zelda, that's where the difference in the forgiveness comes in. Cole and Macmillan did the women wrong...but were forgiven because of the damsel situations. Zelda, on the other hand, is the one who betrayed and is also the one in the damsel situations, which is why she suffers the consequences of her betrayal while the men in the earlier books didn't.

Anyway. Another difference is past emotional trauma. When telling her story to Hugo, she breaks down and starts crying. She talks about her torture and how she had Agent Randall killed because of her inability to last through the torture. When Macmillan and Thorne tell their stories, they don't break down and start sobbing. Why this difference? They both work for the Association like Zelda, and Zelda even caused the death of someone she knew. Thorne had caused his sister's death, and even had to watch as she was murdered in front of him. Again, it feeds into the sexist notion that men are less emotional than women.

And while I'm on the topic of their pasts, I want to mention that Macmillan and Zelda both suffer from survivor's guilt, but their arcs run differently when it comes to sex. Mac, although he fucked for the job, he never calls it "coldfucking." Zelda calls it that, noting that she coldfucks for the job. When Macmillan slept with Laney for the job, the scene was anything but "coldfucking." So that means that he slept with every other woman he did for the job like he did with Laney. Why the difference in how Zelda slept with men for the job and how Macmillan did with women? They both slept around for the job, yet their techniques are clearly noted to be different. Macmillan decides immediately to sleep with Laney for the job, while Zelda hesitates when it comes to Hugo. I felt this difference was because Macmillan's a man and Zelda's a woman, which only feeds further into sexist notions and double standards.

For anyone familiar with the series, it may be curious as to why I left out Thorne in some of the above. In comparison to the other books, Thorne's book is an outlier in many aspects. Unlike books one, two, and four, the couple in three aren't strangers and it's a second chance romance (so that's why I didn't mention his celibacy or that either of their sexual pasts aren't mentioned other than when it concerns the both of them, as well as betrayal). That's a completely different dynamic compared to two strangers. And two, Thorne isn't a real associate. He's undercover, but he's not really an Associate, not like Cole or Macmillan or any of the other Associates mentioned in the series. That makes the handling of the situations and the involvement of the Associates much different. And last, Thorne's story was more about him reuniting with Nadia and Nadia's co-op pirate business, not Associate business, as is that case with the other three books.

That's all I can think of for the moment. There are probably other things I missed, but I don't even know if I should add more to it. The evidence of the double standard is clearly there, so it's not like I'm making it up or seeing it in merely a situation or two. But why this disparity in how the Associate men go about their business and how the lone Associate woman does? This sexist double standard is bullshit.

Another part of the book I didn't like was the usage of Spanish. I had the same issue with Laura Florand's The Chocolate Thief and the usage of French. I found the usage of it annoying, particularly when a translation didn't follow afterwards. I like knowing what I'm reading, so it gets a little annoying have to halt reading in order to Google translate words mid-scene, sometimes more than once. After a while, I did get irritated and just started skipping over them, not even bothering to try and understand.

Another thing that bothered me is that I felt the sexual parts of the book had very violet undertones, which I'm not a fan of. There's a scene after Hugo finds out that she's Zelda, ex-CIA agent. He comes back to the house with the plan to kill her, even disarming her and then holding a knife to her throat. He asks her to choose her death of choice: knife or gun. She chooses barehanded, wanting for him to choke her, which then leads to a scene of erotic asphyxiation because they've started to have sex. He stops short of killing her and then proceeds to tie her up and hold her against her will. A whole day passes and they eventually come up with a plan and decide to go after El Gorrion. Stuff happens, blah blah blah, and they're eventually on a bus. Near the end of the book, Hugo recalls that it was during the bus ride that he'd decided not to kill her. That means that the entire time he was choking her, he had actually planned on killing her. And that means that, had she chosen a knife or gun, she'd already be dead. I wasn't fond of that revelation.

This is a contrast to Cole. Cole said that, although he kept telling himself he'd hand her over, he knew all along that he never would've. Hugo, on the other hand, had planned to kill her for at least an entire day before deciding against it. He also likes to grab her hair and manipulate her head while doing so. I fucking hated that. She even tells him at one point to let go, which he does immediately and apologizes...only to do so against soon after. Fucking hands off, man.

Another thing that bothered me about the betrayal was that he doesn't even have a doubt that she might not be lying and Ruiz is. As soon as Ruiz tells him that she's someone else, he immediately feels betrayed and goes to try and kill her. He never hesitates or wonders. This is another difference in the men and women. While Zelda spent a majority of the book hesitating with Hugo, Hugo immediately goes in for the kill (literally). I found the love aspect hard to believe for this reason.

The book also repeats elements of instalust (sexual happenings with a day between them) and instalove (within a week), and other things.

Lastly, while I'm glad that the two leads and POC, I feel the author could've gone a step further with Zelda and Liza. With Hugo, it's obvious from his name that he's Latino. With Zelda and Liza, other than a small throwaway line about their Japanese mother and a mention of Okinawa in the epilogue, it's not obvious that they're anything but white. In fact, after the line in the beginning about their mother, I completely forgot that she was even half-Japanese until the end. Zelda spends most of the book with dyed blonde hair and green contacts. Even when she's not in her Liza disguise, she has brown hair and blue eyes. Yes, there are white-passing POC, and Liza and Zelda are half-white, but I feel the author should've committed more strongly to her characters being Japanese. I feel the author could've gone a step further with making their Japanese heritage obvious by at least giving them Japanese names.

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love, love, love this action-packed romantic suspense series. This one is a little darker and I liked it a lot.

Zelda is a former CIA agent who now helps run The Associates, another secret organization who takes down bad guys. When she learns her identical twin sister (who is involved in drugs and prostitution) is going to be loaned to a cartel group, Zelda decides it’s time to re-enter the field as an agent and pose as her sister. Six years ago, she was captured and tortured and broke – giving up a name of her colleague who was then killed. Zelda has carried this guilt with her and can’t let it go. She now prefers working behind a desk, but she will do anything to keep her sister safe. But once Zelda gets to the bad guy’s house, she is traded to a different bad guy (omg so many bad guys!) and things go south very quickly.

But don’t fear Zelda! Besides being a super bad ass yourself, help is on the way. Sorta kinda. Hugo lives on the top of a remote mountain overlooking fields of the precious Savinca crop. The farmers in his town grow this rare crop, but the cartel wants their fields to grow drugs. (ugh! say no to drugs!) Hugo live like a recluse now along with a twelve year old boy who he rescued after being orphaned in a horrible drug war, but Hugo is not who he seems to be. He is a legend known as Kabakas. A man who wears a mask and is feared by many.

Kabakas was a near-mythical assassin who’d burst out of nowhere at the height of the Valencian Civil War, though assassin was barely even accurate; Kabakas had been more like a super-mercenary, capable of taking on armies singlehandedly. He’d become famous across Valencia in a matter of months, the subject of tales large and tall.

And Kabakas is mighty pissed the drug cartel is threatening his town and his people.

Because this was his goddamn village. Nobody fucked with his village.

You tell ‘em Hugo.

So Hugo goes out and slaughters the bad guys holding Zelda (it’s an awesome scene),and then he decides to be a bit cave-man and keep Zelda as his employee to cook, clean and tutor the boy. Zelda THINKS Hugo is Kabakas, as she has hunted him and investigated him for years – but she also is pretty sure he died some time ago so she isn’t sure if he is the real Kabakas. A dark and deep romance develops between these two as they figure out if they can trust the other and if they are on the same side of the fight.

While it may seem on the surface that Hugo and Zelda are very different people, deep down they have a lot of similarities. They are both very loyal, stubborn people. Zelda is loyal to the Associates and was loyal to her CIA team. So loyal, she can barely survive with the guilt of giving up the name of her fellow agent. Hugo is loyal to the people in his town and keeping the innocent safe. He kills – he kills a lot – but Carolyn Crane can write a killer-hero and make him work. She doesn’t sugar coat his actions. She doesn’t try to redeem him or make him someone he isn’t. He kills, and Zelda falls in love with him. I love that she doesn’t shy away from his true nature. I like how the author compares the instincts of a killer with those of a lover too:

Sometimes his instincts as a killer doubled as instincts as a lover, like the instinct to chase down pretty when it darted away. He did that now. He went after her. They’d connected for a moment, and he couldn’t stand to lose that. He could not let her go.

Besides the running from bad guys, and not trusting each other and the really hot sex (verra dirty/intense sex) Zelda teaches Hugo how to be a better caregiver to the boy he has taken in. She teaches him how to be a little more gentle, and kind. Hugo is so set on not making the boy a cold-blooded killer like himself, that he forgets he is just a boy. This storyline is a big one, but doesn’t overpower the action and romance.

We also get some small glimpses into Dax, the founder of the Associates and a man who intrigues me more every time I read one of these books.

This series is so much fun. Each one so far has been different but consistent with great action and dirty sex. Highly recommend this series.

Rating: B+

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review.
This review originally posted at Love Affair with an E-Reader

Behind the Mask is a rich, complicated story with Carolyn Crane’s most memorable characters yet. Mind you, this is the author who brought us a heroine whose strength is based on her hypochondria (Justine Jones, Mind Games) and a man whose super power is linguistics (Peter Macmillan, Off the Edge).

This story is a study in contrasts. It is earthy and fanciful, primal and elegant, and raw and sophisticated.

Earthy – Savinca flowers are featured. They flourish in this particular place, a special piece of earth. They become almost a physical part of the village and our characters.

Fanciful - Yet, these flowers are fanciful. They come from Carolyn Crane’s imagination. They are unusual. They have to be harvested and treated just so, otherwise, the crop is useless.

Primal – the author says that Hugo may be the most “caveman” of all her characters. I couldn’t agree more. Hugo is a caveman, but not kind that grunts and drags his knuckles. This caveman distills everything down to the essentials where emotions are on the top, right on the surface, primal.

Elegant – Hugo has an elegant way of fighting. He doesn’t use a mundane, blunt instrument such as a gun, but prefers blades and swords.

Raw – Zelda is raw. She is a passionate woman. She loved being a CIA operative until a tragedy took her out of the field. She is mired in the guilt and it impacts almost every area of her life; it drives her. The wounds are still raw. She has lost her joie de vive.

Sophisticated – Zelda studies botany, a sophisticated natural science. It’s taught her to seek balance. Plants thrive through the balance of elements.

In this complex tapestry is a story of two lost souls finding each other. Hugo is a retired and renown mercenary known as Kabakas, a near-mythical assassin, and the object of Zelda’s obsession when she was in the CIA. After years of terrorizing the enemy and being wrongly accused of a terrible massacre, Hugo retires with his adopted son to the mountain top house in his deceased mother’s village.

Zelda is one of the founders of The Associates. She left the CIA after being tortured and forced to make a horrific decision. She has to live with the guilt and consequences ever since. She closes herself off so tightly that she is almost a machine. When Hugo and Zelda finally find one another, their coupling is essential. It is as if they need each other to breathe. They learn to open up and feel again. After being wound so tight throughout the book, even I felt their relief coming off the pages.

I must admit that I am a little unsettled by the Epilogue. I want my HEA, and things between Hugo and Zelda were not completely resolved. Is Zelda going to go back to The Associates? If so, in what capacity? Will Hugo be fully satisfied being a savinca farmer? Is Kabakas really laid to rest? Then I decided that this ambiguity was a good thing because it leaves the door open for Zelda and Hugo to come back in another book, right?

IN A NUTSHELL:
If you are looking for a straightforward romantic suspense, this may not be the book for you. If you are searching for something twisty and curvy, something truly unique and interesting, you are going to want to get this book pronto.

[Jae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't love this as much as the other 3 books.

I loved the first 40% of the story where Zelda was made as tool to get cartel's secret informations. She was later on traded to another bad guys. It was intense and brilliant. I was ecstatic.

But it went flat after that. Things just ran too easy and smoothly. I expected more twist of sorts in the whole entanglement with the coca lord.

My world wasn't rocked much, so 4STARs only. And Thorne (of book #3) is still my mostest favorite Associate.

[Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a former CIA agent and co-founder of The Associates, Zelda knows she has no choice but to step in on behalf of her twin sister Liza, who is going to be “loaned to” a Mexican drug cartel for the weekend. Although she hasn’t been undercover in six years, since the mission that broke her, she understands that getting into Brujos' territory would save countless lives. However, when things go horribly wrong and Zelda is further traded to the dangerous El Gorrion cartel, she realizes that she may have to break cover and escape.

Hugo is a loaner, but enjoys his isolated life outside of Buena Vista, Valencia. However, when El Gorrion’s men threaten the town and its rare savincas crop, Hugo knows he must resurrect a dangerous ghost from his past. When he finds an American prostitute among the men he goes after, he decides to take her captive to help him around the house, seeing something more in her eyes that the woman she claims to be.

I absolutely love The Associates series, and think Behind the Mask may be my favorite title of the series. I love how the author parcels out clues and information, while the reader waits to see how it will all play out. The suspenseful storyline is intelligent and exciting. And Ms. Crane’s story makes me feel. There were parts when I was afraid to read the book because I knew it would have to get bad before it got good. Bringing me into the world and keeping me so emotionally and mentally engaged made for a very rewarding read. Additionally, there are some intense scenes between Zelda and her co-founder, Dax, that are all the more powerful for those who’ve read the series from the beginning.

I completely adored both main characters. Even though she’s one of the Associates’ founders, we’ve never really known anything about Zelda, so she felt like a fresh, new character to me. She is haunted, and this journey is very cathartic. Since part of the story is shared from her POV, the reader is privy to the wide array of emotions and steps she must go through to begin to heal. Her passion and inner-fire were a complete joy to read.

Likewise, Hugo had his own path of self-discovery, realizing that the ghosts he’d laid to rest are still under the surface. His attraction to Zelda is so strong when he knows her as Liza, that both Zelda and this reader realize that when he finds out her secrets, things will get ugly. And they do. But the key to what makes Behind the Mask such a successful story and romance is that the author doesn’t cheapen the emotional reactions, rather she allows the characters to work through the rough patches and get to the other side. And together - WOW!!! This pair is so full of explosive chemistry, it made the proverbial pages catch fire. And although this could have been written as a huge case of Stockholm syndrome, Ms. Crane builds the romance around an equality; one that is a bit unconventional, but both characters are on equal standing.

Overall, I really enjoyed Behind the Mask, and it is one of my favorite books of 2015. Ms. Crane pens a darkly twisted, yet heartbreakingly beautiful romance. The intensity between Zelda and Hugo is off the charts because they are two people with everything to lose and willing to give up their lives to protect it. The suspenseful story is riveting and well-played, with an ideal balance between action, torture, mind games, and love. I strongly encourage you to pick up The Associates series!

My Rating: A+, Loved It - Personal Favorite
Review copy provided by author
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About

[Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zelda hasn’t been an active agent for years – ever since she broke under torture, resulting in the agent she was working with being killed. But, with her twin sister in danger Zelda once again enters the field, posing as her twin to fool a drug lord. But the destruction of a small village and the re-emergence of a legendary mercenary, Kabakas, Zelda’s mission takes a turn…especially when she starts to fall for the savage and beautiful man behind the legend.

I always look forward to a Carolyn Crane book! I know I am bound to get something packed with unusual and fascinating characters and a romance that will keep me hooked to my kindle. I wasn’t disappointed, Behind the Mask was fantastic full of dark twists and turns, action and a smoking hot romance that will get you squirming in your seat.

Zelda is one of the leaders of the Associates and a shadowy presence in the previous books and I loved seeing her come to life in Behind the Mask. Crane has delivered us an interesting heroine; strong but a little bit broken and I enjoyed seeing the book from her POV. It gave you insight into not only her mind, but the mysterious and ruthless leader of the Associates, Dax. Kabakas aka Hugo; remote, dark, mysterious, rough and damaged; so basically catnip to anyone of the female persuasion, we can’t help but fall in love with him. But, rather than being your typical cookie cutter ‘broody damaged daddy-didn’t-love-me hero’ type, Hugo really came alive on the page his intensity and personality shining through.

The story mainly focuses on Zelda and Hugo, but there is enough action and excitement to keep Behind the Mask going at a fast pace and keep the pages turning. I am really enjoying this series, it’s got action, romance and that little something dark, twisted and original that Carolyn Crane adds to her books making them memorable. I can’t wait to read what she brings out next!

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of this book is awful. I was soooo close to chucking it in the DNF file, but for some reason, I stayed with it. I'm stubborn like that sometimes. The second half really, really picked up the tempo and ended up being a really good, edge of your seat ending.

Zelda and Dax are the brains behind The Associates. She left the CIA after a horrible experience that resulted in the death of an agent, something that still haunts her. Her twin sister's life has been checkered, to say the least. She is in a bind and Zelda can use her problem to help resolve an international standoff. All she has to do is play the part of her party girl sister.

Nothing goes as planned and Zelda ends up with Hugo Martinez, high on his mountaintop estate in the middle of a drug war. Everyone in Hugo's small village thinks he is a rich American, dappling in the exotic flower this South American village is famous for. They have no idea he is an infamous, lethal wanted man, but Zelda isn't fooled. Even as she is irresistibly drawn to the mysterious Hugo and the orphaned boy he cares for, she must decide if this man is capable of the atrocities attributed to him or if he has been set up.

[Maria Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This suspenseful, nail biting, romantic thriller is the story of Zelda and Hugo. Zelda is a partner in the shadowy Association group that deals behind the scenes in places even the CIA won't go. When she goes undercover to help her prostitute twin sister Liza, she's both excited and terrified to be back in the field again. But it seems pretty cut and dried - replace her sister in the trade her drug dealing boyfriend made when he lost her in a bet to a Mexican drug lord, get some inside secrets of his realm, and get out. Only she doesn't expect that she's going to be traded down to another drug lord, El Gorrion, in South America, this one meaner, tougher and undoubtedly lethal for her. When she arrives at her destination, her situation is compounded by Hugo, a man who has come for vengeance against El Gorrion for attacking his mountainside village and gets it, including her - a man who resembles a nearly mythical assassin thought dead for the last 9 years. Though captive and captor, they recognize in each other kindred spirits and even while Zelda is making plans for her escape, she can't fight her increasing attraction to him. But if Zelda has secrets, so does Hugo and as those come barreling to the surface, choices must soon be made, choices that will either end in them becoming true partners, or betrayal and death.

When I'm not reading romances, I have a real thing for espionage type thrillers. Tom Clancy (The Hunt for Red October), Robert Ludlum (The Bourne Identity), Daniel Silva (The Kill Artist) - these are some of my go-to authors when I want a total escape to a world of spies and tension and edge of your seat thrills. So when I started this story, I knew it was in the romantic suspense genre which I enjoy but I'd never read Carolyn Crane before so I didn't know what to expect. Wow. Seriously, wow. From the very first page this story was a nail biter, twisting and turning, going one place then careening off to the next, completely absorbing such that I couldn't put it down until I got to the very last page. So absorbing in fact that I totally forgot to highlight any quotes while I was reading and had to go back to pick some for this review. In my opinion, this story ranks easily alongside classic thriller authors with its intensity, story depth and edge of your seat action.

The setting of the story was quite interesting, taking place for the most part in a fictional mountainous remote area of South America. (At least, according to Wikipedia it's fictional as I tried to research it and found it didn't exist). You get a very real sense of the harsh mountain isolation, the local villagers who tend to their fragiles savinca verde crops and the life of a subsistence farmer. The plant in question is also fictional but was written about skillfully enough as to be totally believable.

'The mountaintop was the first real home Hugo ever had, and the isolation of it suited him right down to the steel blades he still kept in his boots. The harshness suited him. The windswept barrenness suited him. Even the savinca crop that grew in gnarled rows upon the terraced mountainside suited him. The plant calmed his mind, dulled his pain.
The savinca farmers down in the village never allowed the crop to flower; the savinca verde was only valuable to the wholesale florists when the flowers were in bud form. In fact, a tract of open flowers always meant tragedy - no farmer would let the precious flower open unless he was injured or dead. You never wanted to see the bloodred heart of the savinca.
In this way, it was the perfect metaphor for him.'

The story is told from Hugo and Zelda's points of view (with the occasional chapter by a secondary character). Zelda is a conflicted woman. Since a disastrous previous field experience that resulted in the death of her partner, she has experienced shame, guilt, and self-loathing such that she stayed out of the field for a long time, only coming back now to rescue her sister. But we see in her something different than how she sees herself - a strong, competent woman who can make quick decisions, who does what is necessary to survive, using her body and her mind to her advantage. Her attraction to Hugo is visceral, on a gut deep level, scary yet impossible to ignore. Hugo's POV was fascinating, totally believable as a hard ruthless man, haunted by his past but not regretful of it. He too does what is necessary to survive, willing to go to any lengths to for those he has placed under his protection. He has the care and keeping of a young boy whom he rescued from a killing field, a boy he is determined to give a chance at a life with meaning. Though he comes across as cold and indifferent, it is indeed a mask that keeps his true emotions from coming to the surface, emotions that Zelda can see glittering in his eyes. When the two of them are together, the heat between them sizzles and though Hugo could do anything he wants with Zelda who is his captive, he sees the truth of the matter - that the harder he is the more closed off she is as she puts on her own mask , steeling herself for her body to be used, as it has in the past. But when he is gentle with her, she breaks.

She pushed her hips against his and his breath hitched. God, yes, he wanted her.
"Please," she said. He believed her now. "Do it, baby" had been a lie, but this please was not.
He slid up her skirt again, but differently this time. Slowly, making it about her. His hands slid along the warm, smooth flesh of her thighs. He let her feel his desire for her, let her hear the beautiful slide of her skin, down and up, down and up. The sound filled the space around them. Just the sound and the feel of her skin under his skin was more erotic than anything he'd ever done with all the women he's ever fucked.
And then, slowly, he slid one hand around her hips and gripped her buttock under the panties. Her breath sped. The other hand he slid between her legs, touching her over her panties, almost chastely.
She gasped.
He took the gasp in a kiss. She was his again.'

Their love scenes are steamy and emotionally intense as words they cannot say are given truth in their actions, weaving an invisible tie around them that only tightens as outside forces work to pull them apart. As their passion heats up, so too does the action around them and just when you think you know where the story is going it takes an unexpected turn as Zelda and Hugo fight with all they have to maintain their fragile trust.

This story is gritty and harsh, a romance where love is an emotion that can bring you power or destroy you. Don't expect to be able to put the book down by the time you get to the second half - you'll be fully invested in this unconventional couple as they fight to have a future together. 5 riveting stars.

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.

Note 2: This review also appears as a blog post at Straight Shootin' Book Reviews: http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...

[Elisabeth Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Behind the Mask is an exceptionally powerful book. Both the adventure and the romance were believable and the hero and heroine, Hugo and Zelda, were both just as damaged as I like my characters. But it's also an exceedingly dark book, and in the end, just too dark for me.

And darkness is unquestionably the intent. I don't want to make it sound like this book was in any way unsuccessful--I've given it five stars because it deserves it. The quality is absolutely not an issue. Crane is a master and she's done here exactly what she set out to do--to push the envelope just a little bit more than in previous books. My impression that they have been getting darker as the series goes on and the hints that have been dropped about two other eventual heroes is that they're going to get darker still.

But here's what I liked. I especially appreciate Crane's handling of Zelda, who is a professional spy and a force in a way that most heroines are definitely not allowed to be. Zelda can and does take everything. It's the main thing I've loved about these books: the heroines aren't coddled. They're all effective at what they're trained to do and not exploited for the shock effect of violence against women. They just have dangerous jobs and/or important goals that put them in harm's way. When they're hurt or tortured, it seems like part of the job rather than women in refrigerators.

And the heroines are so powerful that they're all paired with men who are not just strong, they're legendary--feared by everyone. This is epic level stuff. I didn't think Hugo was quite as vividly drawn as Thorne in the previous Associates book, but that's a quibble. We still understand exactly where his strengths and vulnerabilities lie and why. He's forceful and protective, not just of Zelda, but of anything he claims as his. Any lover of alpha heroes will adore him, but his profound vulnerability and eventual tenderness kept him from feeling like a caricature to me, as a lot of RS heroes seem to.

My specific problem with this book was that there were two scenes that contained a level of violence, both physical and emotional, that were exceedingly disturbing. While I accept the scenes' roles in the story--they weren't gratuitous--it was simply too much for me. Even the entirely convincing happy ending was insufficiently cleansing. I left this one feeling soiled rather than uplifted. And that's not what I'm personally looking for from my romance reading. And that's okay. There's lots of books and lots of readers out there. But I think without specific assurances from other reviewers I trust once future books have been released, I'll be parting ways with Dax and Company here.

I'm sad because the writing is terrific. Unfortunately, it's a bit like the TV show Hannibal was: terrifying, amazing, excellent, but in the end, just too much for me.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Behind the Mask by Carolyn Crane is a 2015 publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I confess this is my first book by this author... but it will certainly not be my last!

This dark, and I do mean dark, romantic suspense novel centers around, Zelda, a woman once involved in the spy game with the CIA but is now a member of a smaller, more focused group - “The Associates”, but is botanist at heart. She is haunted by horrible mistake she made once that is slowly eating away at her soul.

When her twin sister, a prostitute, finds herself in a bind, Zelda uses her skills to take her sister's place and infiltrate a dangerous group of criminals.... but, she never thought she would find herself rescued and more or less held hostage by the shadowy Kabakas- someone she thought was dead.

Hugo is a lethal mercenary, but has rescued a young boy, and his now trying to do the right thing by him. Zelda comes along at just the right time, since a string of housekeepers and governesses have quit on him. Zelda/Liza can cook and teach the boy lessons, and he will let her live since she has seen his face now.

What neither of them are prepared for is the bond they forge with one another. Can these two hardened and ruthless souls actually be falling in love?

This is a very tense story, character driven, dark and brooding, action packed and filled with all manner of dangerous people and dangerous feelings. Trust issues, regrets, scars, duty, all weigh heavily on the main characters, but love slowly chisels away at the armor Zelda and Hugo have built around themselves. If you like deeply flawed characters or an unconventional love story, you will really like this one. I was riveted from start to finish and this one of the most interesting romantic suspense stories I have read in awhile. Very imaginative, descriptive, with well drawn characters worked together to creat an atmospheric tension that is simply captivating.

I'm on board for the next book and in the meantime I hope to locate the first three books in the series and get up to speed. However, it should be noted, this book can be read as a stand alone. I highly recommend this one!

[RachelW (BamaGal) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story, good RS. This particular story reminded me of Anne Stuart and her gamma bad boys. Nice to see calm, collected, 'Big Boss' Zelda back in the field. With this series, Crane pulls no punches about the kinds of things an undercover operative (Associate) really has to do to get the job done.

This is not the book/series for those who like fluffy, romance-heavy RS; or for those who just don't 'get' Carolyn Crane. Lots of action here, and a little on the darker, edgier side.

Behind the Mask can actually be read standalone to get a taste of the series. Now I'm ready for the other 'Big Boss' Dax to get his story. As shown here, he is more intriguing than ever, and has a dark side the reader hasn't seen yet.

[Saly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars
If I had to ever categorize this series, I would call it edgy and different. These books are raw, the romance too is not all roses and lilies but for some reason they work for me. The hero in this one is quite atypical, he's crass, rude, violent but also has a soft heart and the the heroine too is no shrinking violet. She was a field operative with the CIA and has done and seen things. You know, her books have some shades of Anne Stuart (I couldn't get into her Ice books) but tamer. All in all not my favorite of the series but I enjoyed it.

[Cristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some good reviews for this book and I respect these but I just don't find it memorable. I'll give it 2 stars because at least I finished it, (more than I can say for some books) which is about the best I can say about this.
The story I found stupid and poorly developed. Sorry just not for me.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good compared to both other RS books I read and her own books of this series. I can't say I overwhelmed tough. Nor that I'm interested in any other story, particularly Dax.
I felt the resolution was weak. Plus, I stopped reading for a couple of days, and realised I wasn't that interested in picking it up again.

[Molly O'Keefe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carolyn Crane has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Gritty and quirky. Impeccable research totally flawed and compelling characters. I will read anything she writes...

[Danielle Gypsy Soul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Associates isn't a series you read to be entertained or to escape reality and it isn't a comfortable read either. It's dark and gritty and there are a lot of dimensions of gray in the characters and their actions. It's also really well written (Although I wasn't that fond of book 3). The characters are well developed and extremely complex.

This book centers around Hugo a retired and infamous assassin/mercenary knows as Kabakas and Zelda one of the co-founders of The Associates. Although it could be read as a stand alone I recommend starting with book 1. Zelda isn't a field agent anymore and hasn't been since she was tortured and the result was the death of another CIA agent. She hasn't gotten over the guilt of that and is no longer confident in her skills in the field. However, when her twin sister winds up in a situation with a drug cartel, Zelda takes her place to help her sister and to get information the Association needs. Unfortunately, things go wrong immediately and Zelda ends up being rescued by Hugo who believes she is an American prostitute. Zelda was part of a team that was hunting Kabakas and she has been obsessed with him from the beginning so when she is rescued by someone clearly acting as Kabakas she decides she has to find out if Hugo is in reality the mythical assassin.

This book is full of action, betrayal, suspense, emotional growth, hot sex, healing and much more. It's an intense book that I had a hard time putting down. Although I did feel it ended with a HFN and left a few open questions about Zelda's continuing roll in The Associates.

[Ela (Mouse333) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked Hugo and Zelda, but the book doesn’t really show what their lives will look like.

The plot was interesting, but when it mentioned that Zelda used to be an agent and Hugo used to be an assassin, I thought that there would be more fight scenes. There was a lot of talk about how Hugo was legendary when he was still an assassin, but it wasn’t really shown. I wanted to see more scenes that showed how experienced Hugo was, and more scenes where Zelda actually does something as most of the time she made plans or talked about how she was going to get out of a situation, but something would happen where she wouldn’t have to do anything anyway. The only scene where she shows some skill was on the plane and I liked it, but it ended very quickly.

I liked Hugo and Zelda as characters, but I wanted to see more scenes where they spent time together and got to know each other. Also, there could have been more scenes with Paolo.

I liked this book, but I wanted more scenes with the characters.

[Carrie (Rotten Banana) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First reviewed at Red Hot Books http://redhotbooks.com/2015/06/review...

Have I mentioned that I love this romantic suspense series? Carolyn Crane writes quirky and intelligent characters that I just find fascinating. The last book in the series, Into the Shadows, was on my 2014 favorites list so, of course, I was all grabby hands when the advance copy for this book landed in my inbox. It’s dark, moody and filled with tension and I was immediately pulled in. This can be read as a standalone but the reader will find greater understanding by reading previous books.

Zelda was one of the CIA’s best field operatives until a mission gone wrong broke her physically and mentally. Since then, she has been the shadow partner to Dax in managing The Associates, a smaller and more focused spy group. When she finds out her twin sister was traded to a nefarious drug kingpin, Zelda decides to go undercover once again. Unfortunately for Zelda, this mission goes awry, as she finds herself in the middle of a shootout and at the mercy of a man she believes might be the assassin she used to hunt.

Hugo has long since retired his near-mythical persona of the assassin, Kabakas. He keeps to himself on his mountain retreat with Paolo, a young boy he rescued from his last battle. They live a simple life of farming a unique plant. The solitude is broken when El Gorrion began to violently target their town to coerce the farmers into growing his drugs. Reluctantly, Hugo, once again, dons the mask of Kabakas to let El Gorrion know who he’s up against. At the end of the firefight, Hugo is left with El Gorrion’s cast off whore. He decides to use her as his cook and a tutor for Paolo.

The firefight was the first instance where Zelda got the inkling that Hugo might be Kabakas. Then, when she became a part of their household, little things started adding up. Zelda had been obsessed with finding Kabakas as an agent, wanting him punished for the slaughter of an entire town. However, as she gets to know Hugo, she can’t believe that he could really be the same person. Then, if she does confirm they are the same, can she turn him over?

Hugo and Zelda are both people battling dark demons. Zelda can’t let go of the guilt and shame she felt over breaking under torture that resulted in another agent’s death. She writhes in self-loathing to the point of exhaustion. Hugo suffers from the guilt of his mother’s death and has shut himself off from the world. The once legendary fighter lived a terrible life full of hate and violence that even though he saved this little boy, he didn’t know how to show him any affection.

Hugo and Zelda pace around each other like stalking cats that constantly are sizing up their opponent. The sexual tension is so palpable and when they finally get around to the dirty stuff, it is explosive. What was even better was the struggle of these two to discover that they are worthy of love despite their pasts and their respective journeys to forgiveness. In many ways, it’s a bit of a somber and reflective book.

Yet, in no way did those quiet moments take away from the action of the book. Hugo and Zelda work as partners to bring down El Gorrion while working to save the town’s unique crop (Savinca Verde – which I found was fictional). Action moved along at a clip and brought in some new Associates. There also was a good deal of time spent with Dax , I’m assuming because the next book has to be his (that man has some demons).

I highly recommend this book (and the entire series) for those who want an intense page turning romantic suspense with a whip smart ex-agent who falls for the quiet brooding former assassin she once hunted.

Rating: B+

*ARC provided by author

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

These series is so good! Hugo and Zelda were so special separately and together, even more so.

I need more books on the rest of the Associates - Rio and Dax at least!

Full review:

This is the fourth book in the Associate series of romantic suspense stories and I have read and enjoyed all of them though I haven't reviewed them on the blog. Most of the things that I can say about this latest installment holds true for the previous books as well.

This book, like the rest in the series, can be read as a standalone, but I think they are all worthy of your time and if you like well plotted and character driven romantic suspense, you should definitely give this series a try.

Behind the Mask is really dark at times as both the hero and heroine have been through a lot and struggle with the daemons of their pasts. It's their shared darkness in way, coupled with their caring nature that brings them together.

The story is told from dual POV and the insight into the minds both of Zelda and Hugo worked really well for drawing me into the story. I loved seeing so much of their thought processes and the day they changed through the story.

Zelda is an amazing heroine. She is one of the Associates, strong, independent, but hurt and carrying guilt and scars that can never be healed or forgotten. There is determination and violence about her that are to not common for romantic heroines. Yet she was not cold or heartless, an Ice Queen of sorts, but rather a very vibrant woman full of feels some of which she tried to deny and hide.

Hugo is even darker than her, assassin, merciless on his enemies, lost in his own world of pain and regret and guilt. Yet, like Zelda, this is mostly on the surface, very deep down he is selfless, ready to sacrifice himself for the people he loved.

Their romance and connection was violent and rough and the few tender moments they shared stood out even more. The author pushed my boundaries in many ways - the graphic violence and torture were hard to read, the issue of redemption and second chance stood out prominently and left me thinking about it long after I finished the book

The whole botanical/farming aspect of the story was more than mere curious addition to the plot. It gave the whole story a much needed lightness, a sense of re-birth and hope for the future,

The suspense element was really strong and I found it quite intriguing. It was full plot twists and did keep me on the edge most of the time while reading. The Associates are rather an unpredictable bunch when it comes to following orders.

We see more of Dax (the head of the Associates) in this book than in the previous ones and I find myself impatient to read his story. By the looks of it, it will be even darker and more violent than Zelda's which is equally scary and exciting.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a problem with Carolyn Crane's books. I try to read them slow, to savor and enjoy them. I try so hard because when I've finished I'm sad because it's over and I'll have to wait for a new one! I gave it a good shot this time, but . . . well . . . I guess I'll try again with her next book.

Anyway, I won't do a rehash of the synopsis, you can find that yourself. I will tell you why you need to read this book. The plot is enthralling, intense and very fast-paced. It is a bit dark (although after reading a few reviews before starting it I guess I was expecting darker) but the characters have such depth that you can see the lightness in them as well. I have no idea how Ms. Crane can continually creates these intensely, severely flawed and DAMAGED characters that you love and root for and want to find peace. Perhaps it is because she not only shows us their darkness, but the terrible pain behind it. I dare you to read this and not root for Zelda and Hugo. These main characters are well matched in inner-strength and in pain. She is beyond brilliant and insightful, and he is fierce in battle and in the few relationships he allows himself to have.

"Say more," you say Hugo? Very well then I will. I do not generally go for the full on caveman types. Yes, I like a strong alpha (who doesn't really) but the domineering, grunting type? No. Well, I suppose I can't say that any longer because I just adored Hugo in all his Neanderthal glory.

So, read this book. Try and savor it. If not . . . well, there's always next time.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart

 
Right away, I thought Zelda, you have lost your mind.  She has been out of agent work for 6 years and she jumps into a nasty situation? She reacts well to the problems but unfortunately, she isn't an agent on alert, looking ahead for problems. And big problems find her and Hugo.  For being smart, Dax is so stupid. Behind the Mask is an emotional journey for Zelda and Hugo to let them trust and live.
 

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the best thing about this one was watching Hugo and Zelda re-evaluating their lives. You could tell that both wanted something more, but were too scared to hope for more, but when it was in reach they yearned for it. Both had to confront bad things that happened in the past in their minds, then take a leap of faith and trust the other. The ending made me smile, happy that Hugo and Zelda have what they so wanted.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zelda and Hugo

This was Zelda's story. She is the co-ruler, per se, of The Associates. While her part in the suspense was good, I felt she was overshadowed by Dax and Hugo. They were two completely alpha, screwed up men. I loved them. CC can sure write intense and sexy.

[ReneeW · Rating 4 out of 5]

B+/4.5 stars

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at The Book Nympho


       

Carolyn Crane keeps toping each book with the next! I have a new favorite in the Associates series and it's Behind the Mask.

One thing I really love about this series is that each book could be read as a stand alone. There's not an over all building plot to the series and each book as a different couple. So far there's not be any cameos from pervious couples but there are some the single Associate men can be found in all the books.

Why is Behind the Mask my new favorite?

Zelda and Hugo

What I loved

I really loved that Ms. Crane gave us a great balance between the action and romance this time around. I felt like Behind the Mask was a perfect example of what romantic suspense should be. Neither the romance or the suspense over powered the other element.

The back story that Zelda, Hugo and even Paolo had been just heartbreaking. They all have had a hard life and they came through it stronger and warriors. All three needed help learning what love and family is. They all helped each other find what they were missing and really became a family.

The Heat

Zelda and Hugo's attraction was muy caliente. They were drawn to each other at the beginning by the attraction but as they spent time together it grew into something much more than just action fueled lust. This is going to be corny but they really saw into each other's souls and I felt it all as I was reading.

The Action

The fight scenes made my emotions running on high alert. I felt like I was "watching" an action movie.

WOW seeing Kabakas aka Hugo in action with his blades. Bad. Ass. Think Zorro but hotter and deadlier. But Hugo doesn't have all the action fun. Zelda might be a retired field agent but she has some moves of her own.

More please!

I've burned through Carolyn Crane's Associates series and now I'm sad that I have to wait for the next one. I hoping for Rio or Dax to be the lead in the next book.
 

 

 

[Heather Stanton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I anticipated the newest release in Carolyn Crane's The Associates series with both trepidation and glee. How could the new book possibly live up to the previous three books? I'm pleased to say it does and then some.
We've been introduced to heroine Zelda, one of the mysterious leaders of the Associates, a shadowy private organization which operates much like the CIA, in the prior books. Little has been revealed about her up to this point in the series. Behind the Mask opens with Zelda preparing to assume her sister Liza's identity on a dangerous mission. Liza has battled addiction for years and fallen in with a bad set. Liza's boyfriend/dealer has lost her in a card game, and she must now spend a week in Mexico with some truly disreputable people. Zelda seizes on the chance to take Liza's place so that she may gather intel on Brujos, the leader of a drug cartel. There is serious trouble brewing in the form of pirates who are holding an oil tanker off the coast of South America, and the Associates desperately need this intel as a bargaining chip in their effort to prevent a large scale disaster.

All does not go as expected, however, once Zelda reaches Brujo's compound. She is quickly abducted and traded to El Gorrion, an even bigger and more violent narcotic kingpin. After a harrowing plane ride, she's forced into a vehicle. But before the group now taking her can leave the makeshift airfield, a masked man emerges from the jungle and commences an all-out massacre. With nearly everyone around her dead, Zelda realizes she is possibly looking at Kabakas, a violent guerrilla she hunted for years when she was a field operative for the CIA. At this point, she has no choice but to trust him.

Moving at a breakneck pace,< b>Behind the Mask is packed with intense action and truly creepy bad guys. I vacillated between needing to find out what happened next and needing to look at pictures of fuzzy kittens to lower my blood pressure. By the time the ending came I was exhausted and emotionally wrung out, in the best possible way.

Zelda is a great, multi-faceted heroine. Underneath her exterior armor, she carries a heavy burden of shame, guilt, and grief for a previous mission gone bad. Her recollections during her time in South America reveal the depth of her psychological wounds as well as the reasons for her self-doubt. I appreciated her emotional detachment. She has a temper and self-doubts, however she keeps them in check, determined to carry out her mission coolly and efficiently. She reminded me at times of Madame Lambert from Ice Storm by Anne Stuart, velvet wrapped around steel.

The rest of this review may be found at:

http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/boo...

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 I have mixed feelings about this one. Our hero, Hugo, is an ex-killer-for-hire, the bastard son of a wealthy Bolivian and his (married) maid. He'd developed a cult following for his larger-than-life super-mercenary killing by knife during the civil war in the make-believe country of Valencia, but retired after someone conducted a massacre of innocent women and children under his name. But when a local drug kingpin tries to take over the village where he's made his home in order to grow coca plants, "Kabakas" decides to temporarily return to life, sending a message to the kingpin by taking out his latest shipment and sending only one of his minions back alive.

Our heroine is the co-director of the secret ops group The Associates, 38-year-old Zelda, a former CIA agent who stepped back from active duty after giving up the name of a co-worker while under torture, a revelation that led to the co-worker's death. But she's forced back into the field when her twin sister gets involved in a card game gone bad between rival drug lords. Through a series of misadventures, Zelda ends up on the airplane that Hugo/Kabakas is intent on decimating.

The taciturn Hugo is so impressed by Zelda's spirit, her refusal to back down even in the face of his killing knives, that he decides to take her with him. See, he's adopted a boy, and the boy needs a tutor. And they also need a cook, now that the local village eatery has been burned down by the aforementioned drug lord.

Lots of action and tension here, due to our two characters not knowing whose on who's side, and questions about Zelda's own loyalties to the Associates once she becomes involved with Hugo. Did get a bit tired of Zelda recalling over and over the name of the man who tortured her; I get that she's haunted by the episode, but I thought that Crane could have varied the words with which Zelda remembers, to avoid reader brain-numbing due to repetition. And I wasn't so comfortable about rooting for a killer who killed primarily for mercenary reasons, even if he's not really doing it any more.

But it's hard to put down a Crane story, she writes with such power, and Associates #4 is no exception. Besides, a book where not only our hero, but also our heroine, are both equally cold, equally tortured by their pasts, is pretty compelling.

"It's worse, isn't it?" he said. "It's not what is done to you, but what you do to others that can hurt the most." (Loc 2491)

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

ORIGINAL POST AT: http:http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspo...
When I saw all the fantastic reviews for “Behind the Mask” by Carolyn Crane I could not get my hands on it fast enough. I was so excited about this story. I loved the diversity of the characters and the suspense plot. Although I read a lot of romance I usually don’t read a lot of suspense because I find that usually either the suspense falls short or the romance does. That is my humble opinion. Regardless I was eager to read Carolyn Crane because her books have such great reviews.

When I started “Behind the Mask” the fourth in the series, I was a little disappointed. The heroine, Zelda, is disguising herself as her twin sister in order to bring down a famous drug cartel. Zelda and her sister are not close but she is stepping in to help.

Ok, a couple of issues I had with the story. In my current reading slump, I put this story down a couple of times and came back to it. One, it started overly dramatic. The story begins and Zelda is taking tips from her drug- addicted sister so she can pass herself off as a whore. Two, the hero and the heroine meet about 20 % into the book. Three when they do meet they had zero chemistry. The buildup was good but their exchanges were so flat that I had to force myself to keep reading. Hugo Martinez is a tough guy. He knows the dangerous situation they are in and finds it in his heart to help out Zelda even though he thinks she is just a prostitute.

Although the plot seemed interesting I found Hugo and Zelda to fall flat. Their first sexual experience together was so hard to wrap my mind around that I thought it ruined the upcoming moments for them. I’m sure that fans of Crane will love this book, for me, it fell below my expectations.