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Genevieve Lenard #7

The Léger Connection

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Stolen art. Rogue police officers. Drones.

A video call from her dad leads top white-hat hacker Francine to four stolen masterpieces. And to a possible murder--in Brazil. Her frustration at being so far away is turned into anger when her loved ones are attacked and corrupt law enforcement officials stonewall their inquiries.

Blackmail, a kidnapping and a blatant heist in their backyard in Strasbourg reveal a plan to use unregulated drone technology in a daring escape. Francine's concern for her best friend and her parents' safety has to take a back seat to her determination to save the lives of bystanders. Together with her team, she will do anything to stop these criminals from executing their brutal plan. If she's not already too late.

318 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 25, 2015

291 people are currently reading
471 people want to read

About the author

Estelle Ryan

32 books627 followers
Estelle Ryan was born in South Africa and spent her childhood being surrounded by African beauty, nature and diversity of cultures. Her first trip to Europe at the tender age of 16 transformed her world into a much larger place, endless in its possibilities and places to explore. For most of her adulthood she’s travelled all over the world, lived on a few continents, explored numerous cultures and still is insatiable in the quest to still the hunger for more life experiences.

She’s written for numerous international magazines, was the editor of a European lifestyle magazine and has seven romance novels published under a pseudonym. With her interest in international politics, arts, crime, behavioural psychology, criminal psychology and music, she decided to combine all these elements in her writing. And so Genevieve and the team came into being.

She is an unabashed coffeeshopaholic. Good coffee, ambience and music in the perfect combination is all that is required to turn a mundane coffee shop into her 'office'. The appropriate coffee shop is chosen depending on the mood, the weather, the type and amount of work that needs to be done, and of course the craving of the day. All of her books have been written in numerous coffee shops all over the world.

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5 stars
901 (53%)
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624 (36%)
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148 (8%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
Profile Image for Liz.
2,839 reviews3,754 followers
December 7, 2017

Estelle Ryan write one of the best mystery series that involve a team. She manages to totally draw you into their dynamics and the power of their love and friendship.

This time, the story revolves around Francine, not Genevieve. And the fireworks between Francine and Manny far outweigh the actual mystery.

This book was written in 2015 but the plot involving drones seems even more appropriate in 2017. Obviously Ryan was ahead of the curve on this one.

This is a fun series, not serious, totally enjoyable.

Profile Image for Arnaud.
491 reviews6 followers
January 2, 2023
As strong as ever, with a twist

Going to be honest: this volume caught me off-guard. Since I'm reading these back to back, I could not help but be "shocked" by the change of narration in this book. We now find ourselves reading from the perspective of Francine instead of Genevieve. That was weird at first. I liked the narration from Genevieve's perspective a lot. But ultimately the pace picks up, the plot unfolds, and the team's dynamic is still there, still strong. Excellent volume in which we learn a lot more about Francine and her parents :D That was fun!
145 reviews3 followers
May 26, 2015
Another wonderful visit with Genevieve and friends

This series just gets better and better. The other books have focused on Genevieve as the main character, with the other cast of characters as sidekicks for Genevieve. In this book, Francine is the focus of the book, with the other characters, including Genevieve, as the sidekicks. It is every bit as interesting and as good as the other books. Each character is strong enough to stand on their own. That's unusual in series but it's part of what adds to the depth and the interest here. I love the way Estelle Ryan adds depth to each character's personality as the books progress.

The stories themselves never fail to keep my interest. I love the details of art history, architecture and music that are interwoven in the books. I have recommended these books to friends and family, given some as gifts and hooked a few others on the unique world of Dr. Genevieve Lenard.
Profile Image for Steve.
591 reviews24 followers
May 7, 2020
In Brazil, team member Francine's priest father is called in by the widow of a wealthy parishioner. When searching for a will as requested, his call with Francine reveals a startling view of a Leger painting in the room! Fellow team member Colin identifies it as stolen and probably real. The pursuit is on, Francine's father's curiosity brings him trouble and things get complicated as the dead man's friends are implicated and Genevieve Lenard and the rest of the team get involved.

A turn of events brings Francine's parents and the warning of a heist to Strasbourg (France), the team's home. An agent has begun to act out of character – with good reason the team must uncover. The heist is attempted, and things get hot and dangerous and difficult to unravel. The team is on it, and it gets exciting and fun!

The series is one of the most reliably entertaining ones out there. This installation's focus on Francine instead of Genevieve as usual worked just fine! Strongly made team of five members, nice pacing, good action, and truly nasty bad guys! Start with Gauguin Connection, and enjoy. I will look for #8 soon.
Profile Image for anna.
1,059 reviews11 followers
September 5, 2024
i’m treating this book as a novella as it’s written in francine’s pov. she’s a cool side character, emphasis on “side”. i’m reading this series bc i really like genevieve’s thought process as an autistic person. here we didn’t get any of it as francine is a neurotypical and has nothing special about her. i was hoping for some romance and smutty scenes between francine and manny but we got one short kiss and a mention of them spending several nights together. this book hasn’t satisfied me at all.
Profile Image for Kevin Reeder.
303 reviews1 follower
April 26, 2019
Classic Jenny and team!

Coming off their last adventure that shook the group a bit, they are still trying to restore “normalcy” for them as they jump into a new case with more family and additional friends. Amazing to read and hard to put down.
Profile Image for Pat Samuelson.
33 reviews3 followers
June 11, 2015
Another superb entry in the Genevieve Lenard Series. I have read all of the books in this series and find them all satisfying. The newest entry in the series focuses more on Francine's story. Although Genevieve, as well as most of the other regular characters, is still a prominent part of the story I enjoyed learning more about Francine, her family and a slightly different view of her personality. There are enough surprises to keep you guessing and the action keeps moving along. If you haven't read the other books in the series you may find things a bit confusing. I recommend the whole series. Really you can't go wrong here.
Profile Image for Amy.
77 reviews
May 25, 2016
At first, I really liked how Estelle Ryan changed this book's perspective to third person limited to Francine. It showed another side of Genevieve that helped me visualize and understand her character more, and it also showed more of Francine's personality. By the end of the book, I was beginning to be a little annoyed by Francine, though...she's just not my favorite character, so I was getting kind of tired of her. I also really missed Genevieve and Colin. So I am looking forward to the series getting back to Genevieve's POV.

However, I did really like the case in this book and the information presented regarding drones. I like how Ryan always weaves a current topic into the mystery.
Profile Image for Brandy .
75 reviews4 followers
June 3, 2015
I love Estelle Ryan's book series, though this one was definitely different. This one is not from Genevieve Lenard's point of view, but that of Francine. I worry that Ms. Ryan has deviated because of some notion that readers are tired of Dr. Lenard's idosyncracies. This could not be further from the truth for me. I have suggested that people read these books specifically because of who and what Dr. Lenard is. Though I did enjoy the story from Francine's POV, I hope that Ms. Ryan brings back her normal style soon.
88 reviews1 follower
January 11, 2016
Another masterful piece of work

Estelle Ryan has hooked me line and sinker. This series has everything a good mystery adventure requires. Her research is over the top.
Profile Image for Melissa Dinwiddie.
268 reviews14 followers
February 4, 2019
Francine’s Moment In the Sun Shines Bright!

When I opened this book and realized I was not going to hear Genevieve’s voice, I confess I was hugely disappointed. One of the great delights of the previous 6 books in this series is that they are written in the first-person perspective of an autistic narrator. I love getting to see the world through Genevieve’s eyes! The Léger Connection breaks this pattern—it’s written in the third person, which felt jarring and wrong. I came close to putting the book down altogether!

I’m glad I didn’t! Although the third person narration—mostly from Francine’s perspective—means we miss out on Genevieve’s point of view, it allows us into Francine’s world, which is different from Genevieve’s, of course, but turns out to be equally entertaining. This perspective shift allows for Ryan to have some fun with Francine and Manny in a way she couldn’t if what we saw were always filtered through Genevieve’s eyes, and we get to be introduced to Francine’s parents—also great fun.

Of course, as usual, all of this in the context of a tense and twisted crime to be solved, where the stakes are nothing short of people’s lives. Only with each member of the team operating at peak capacity will they manage to solve the puzzle in time.

After six books of seeing Genevieve from inside her own head, it’s fun to see her from the outside. And though I was skeptical at the outset, it was fun to see Francine have her moment in the sun in this book.

I wonder if the other characters will get a chance in the spotlight in upcoming books in this series? If so, I know I’m in good hands—Ryan is a consummate pro, just like the members of the team she writes about. I will continue to devour anything she writes, and won’t doubt again if the next book is in third person!
Profile Image for K..
2 reviews
June 11, 2017
The seventh book easily maintained what we've come to expect from Estelle Ryan's fantastic Genevieve Lenard series -- and managed to do so with a major twist by the author. While all previous books in the series are told from our main character Genevieve's point of view, this book is told from the point of view of Francine, the team's IT expert / fashionista / conspiracy theorist / world's worst cook.

This was a brave move on Ryan's part, because it could have gone very wrong. In fact, I was a little weary when I started The Legér Connection, because other reviewers expressed discontent with Francine taking over as lead of the story. However, I'm happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed Francine's POV. It gave the reader a unique opportunity to see the series's main character through the eyes of those around her. Over the course of six books we've learned how Genevieve had to adapt and learn to embrace her new relationships with the group of people she works with, but who became friends, and are now family. Now we learn how they've had to adapt and learn to embrace Genevieve and her highly functioning Autistic traits.

Those familiar with the series can expect another great mystery, with a brisk plot filled with suspense, witty dialogue, and plenty of action. I definitely recommend this book, as well as the entire series. I recommend that you begin the series from book one, in order to truly appreciate the interaction and growth of the relationships between Genevieve and her fellow crime solving cast of characters.
Profile Image for Serena.
277 reviews3 followers
May 11, 2021
Another excellent book in this series by Estelle Ryan. I love the interplay between her characters. The suspense built slowly from the beginning of this novel set in Brazil and then exploded near the end back in France. This time the mystery at the beginning wasn't the main focus of the book, but instead touched off many others. One of the best parts is that the reader may, or may not, have a new recurring villain to look forward to sparring with the team.
We finally met Francine's parents, but don't get to spend near enough time with them as the team gets involved in solving an art theft and later in quelling a prison riot. Throughout most of the book the team is working with Daniel, Pink, and the GIPN.
There are some more personal moments between Francine and Genevieve where the reader gets introduced to methods that Genevieve has learned to help her cope with the fact that her quietly sane, predictable world is a thing of the past thanks to now being part of the family that they created.
There is a lot going on in the 317 pages of this book. My only complaint is that the actual work of art that touched off everything is only really mentioned at the beginning and the ending of the book. The heist of the artworks is mostly just a device used to get the team involved in the main story. The reader is given very little knowledge about it in the book, but there is a link at the end of the book so a person can pursue the subject if they desire.
Profile Image for Linda Lassman.
744 reviews8 followers
February 14, 2023
This seventh book in the Genevieve Lenard series was significantly different from the previous books because it was told through Francine's viewpoint. It explored her past by introducing her parents as active characters in the story, as well as her relationship with Manny. It was also interesting to see the other main characters of the series--Genevieve, Colin, Vinnie, Nikki, and Phillip--seen through her eyes and perceptions. It also allowed us to see the effect of the events in the last book on Genevieve and on the way she interacted with her friends and found-family as experienced by those friends. I quite enjoyed this departure from the formula, although I did miss Genevieve's unique view of the world around her.

The mystery itself was really interesting and as complex and twisty as expected from this series. And truthfully, as much as I missed Genevieve's view, I don't think the story could have been told as well had it not been told with Francine's background and experiences informing the plot.
Profile Image for Andrea Stoeckel.
3,157 reviews132 followers
August 10, 2024
“Isn’t it amazing how a visit to a grieving widow’s cellar uncovered such a web of crime?”

Although as per Estelle Ryan's "formula" for this series of art mysteries an artist's stolen work is the introduction, this is more about family as we learn about Francine's history and see how important both family of choice and family of chance affect how you are seen in the world.

Francine's father works in a favela in Brazil and in making a condolence call finds a stash of stolen artwork in the family home.vWhen it puts her parents' lives in danger they find themselves in Strasbourg and the story deepens as the team not only is unraveling the mystery of the artwork but we see a new level of interaction within Genevieve and her group.

I love these mysteries. They are smart, witty and overall very well written. They teach the reader about many things. I highly recommend that you read the first one before jumping around the series as I have so you get the foundation of how Genevieve Lenard sees the world. It will be a piece that will help you navigate the series. Highly Recommended 5/5
Profile Image for Theresa.
1,560 reviews44 followers
July 7, 2021
I was very worried about this one because I had read it was told through Francine's eyes. I was so addicted to Genieveve and Colin that I wasn't sure I could enjoy this one.

That was until that kiss. What! I had no idea that it was even a possibility. Sometimes I think I miss out on human behavior.

I love that Francine's parents were in this one and that they behave so much like her. Also the Fifi is pretty comical. I enjoyed seeing how Francine sees Genivieve. I always knew she loved her but it just feels stronger when the story is from her perspective.

The entire climax of the story where they went to the prison had a lot of payoff. Francine with her impulsiveness and Manny with his rules. What a pair.

Where will this take the story from here on out?
Profile Image for Teresa.
2,371 reviews1 follower
May 6, 2017
I have to say that I was worried going into this book as I'd read a review that slammed the perspective this one took. As such, I put off reading it. Boy, am I sorry I listened to that review!

This is a fantastic installment of the Genevieve Lenard series! Yes, it does take a slightly different perspective, but a welcome one, at least for this reader. I learned much more about the characters, getting to see them from a different point of view, as well as enjoyed seeing how the relationships in the book continue to change as the series progresses.
Profile Image for Kennedi.
130 reviews
April 29, 2019
For some reason, I find myself addicted to these books. Yes, they can be formulaic. And yes, some of the exchanges do not sound like it comes out of a real person. But it’s exciting, well-plotted, and I’ve come to know and love all of these characters. Also this time, instead of hearing from Genevieve’s perspective, it was great to hear it from Francine’s point of view for a change. It’s exciting to pick up from where I left off, and I will continue to read all 110 of these books until the day I die.
Profile Image for Cindy.
600 reviews3 followers
June 18, 2019
Great addition to the series. What made this addition so good is that the focus was not on Dr. Genevieve Lenard or on Colin, but on Francine, the IT expert of the team. Francine's father discovers paintings that had been stolen several years earlier. There is an undercover agent, a traitor, kidnapped teenagers and much more. While the entire team is around, it was great to learn more details about another member of the team.
35 reviews
July 10, 2020
Loose ends (No spoilers)

I really enjoy this series. I’ve read them all so far and I’ve come to that place where I feel at home among friends when I read them. This one, however, felt a little different, and not because the emphasis was on a character other than Dr. Lenard. A little more violence, a little more romance, perhaps, and a couple of loose ends left untied. I hope these are not portents!
65 reviews1 follower
February 2, 2025
I enjoyed seeing the through Francine's perspective and meeting her family. This isn't one to read without having read the ones before. Following the action depends on knowing the history of the team. Leger Connection didn't have as much art history as some others which I missed. The ending especially felt like it was setting up the next book, not bad, but I'd rather have more art knowledge than mafia-like corruption and violence.
Profile Image for Lori Inouye.
624 reviews
June 26, 2017
This is my least favorite book so far. We learn a lot more about Francine but I felt the relationship with her parents was glazed over and we get a preview of her changing relationship with Manny but then the books ends. The plot was not as intense in this book. Virtually no information about the Leger painting. Hoping for a much better read in the next book.
728 reviews1 follower
May 23, 2018
A very different series.

Family, friends and loyalty are front and center in this installment of the Genevieve Lenard series. This book was told from the perspective of Francine adding a new dimension to the series.
It would be hard for this book to stand alone. A reader would need to start with the first book.
Profile Image for BRT.
1,829 reviews
September 21, 2019
Another exciting entry in the Lenard series, this one from the viewpoint of Francine, the computer expert. Having a character "outside" of Dr. Lenard's non-neurotypical viewpoint gives deeper insight to Dr. lLenard and how her team responds to her. As always, art crime, mystery, danger, and action abound.
Profile Image for Heather.
951 reviews
March 30, 2020
This is another enjoyable offering in the series. Estelle Ryan’s portrayal of Dr. Lenard and her autism is fascinating to me. Add the art component and the Mozart connection and a high tech (as not a high tech user, I can’t comment on the accuracy) suspenseful plot and you have an intriguing reading experience.
Profile Image for Susan Clair Holt.
1,364 reviews1 follower
April 5, 2020
The Leger

This book is about six friends from the slums of Brazil, 5 are wealthy businessmen and the last a cop in France. France's parents become involved in the recovery of 4 paintings from a 2010 heist and an attempted prison break of on of the five. These along with the murder of 2 of the 5 by the most ruthless. Plus Manny and Francine are now a couple.
1,040 reviews
April 26, 2020
Love the series

I have loved every one of the books featuring Genevieve Lenard and the rest of the team. This was an interesting case that they worked on with a less direct connection to art heists than their normal cases but it was still a very enjoyable read, as always, grammar and editing were superb.
549 reviews1 follower
May 7, 2021
What a great story. The Characters are amazing. I wondered what they could do next yet, still keep it interesting. Estelle Ryan is able to keep things interesting and stay true to the wonderful characters that she has created. The Genevieve Lenard series is one of my favorite series to read and reread.
40 reviews1 follower
January 5, 2024
another great mystery from Estelle!

I love all of the Genevieve Lenard books and this was no exception. She somehow deals with the mystery of how human beings connect authentically with love while at the same time uncovering insidious plans made by the bad guys. An amazing exploration of IT as well! Some long awaited surprises included. ❤️
Profile Image for Cindy.
1,063 reviews
April 25, 2024
Had not read any books in this series for awhile and when I saw this one pop-up during a general search, I remembered the fun of learning about art, art thefts, white-hat hacking. This book was a little more predictable for some of the supporting characters personal behaviors; but the twists moved it from a 3.5 to a 4. Will add one of this series in more frequently in my reading this summer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews

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