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Emmeline Kirby/Gregory Longdon Mysteries #1
Lead Me Into Danger
A journalist, a jewel thief, and a Russian spy…when their paths cross, it’s murder.
Journalist Emmeline Kirby hasn’t laid eyes on her former lover Gregory Longdon, a jewel thief, in two years. But she literally tumbles into his arms, after she witnesses two men attempt to murder her friend and fellow journalist, Charles Latimer, in Venice.
When Charles is ultimately killed, Emmeline is determined to bring his murderer to justice. But as she and Gregory delve deeper, they become ensnared in a hunt for a Russian spy in the British Foreign Office, who has his sights set on keeping his identity a secret at all costs—as Charles found out too late.
Journalist Emmeline Kirby hasn’t laid eyes on her former lover Gregory Longdon, a jewel thief, in two years. But she literally tumbles into his arms, after she witnesses two men attempt to murder her friend and fellow journalist, Charles Latimer, in Venice.
When Charles is ultimately killed, Emmeline is determined to bring his murderer to justice. But as she and Gregory delve deeper, they become ensnared in a hunt for a Russian spy in the British Foreign Office, who has his sights set on keeping his identity a secret at all costs—as Charles found out too late.
- GenresMystery
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2015
4 people are currently reading
419 people want to read
About the author
Daniella Bernett
16 books135 followersDaniella Bernett is a member of the International Thriller Writers and the Mystery Writers of America, where she is a board member of the New York Chapter. She also is a member of the Crime Writers Association. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Journalism from St. John’s University. She is the author of the Emmeline Kirby-Gregory Longdon mystery series. LEAD ME INTO DANGER, DEADLY LEGACY, FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE, A CHECKERED PAST, WHEN BLOOD RUNS COLD, OLD SINS NEVER DIE, VIPER'S NEST OF LIES, A MIND TO MURDER and BETRAYED BY THE TRUTH are the books in the series. SECRETS LIE IN WAIT will be released December 6, 2025. Additionally, she is the author of two poetry collections, TIMELESS ALLURE and SILKEN REFLECTIONS. Daniella is currently working on Emmeline and Gregory’s next adventure. Visit http://www.daniellabernett.com/ or follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... or on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4....
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 14, 2016
Lead Me Into Danger, a debut novel by Daniella Bernett had me hooked from the very beginning. Moving between London and Venice the book is full of twists and turns and had me guessing throughout. This is a fast-paced, gripping thriller, which comes highly recommended. Without giving too many spoilers away, Emmeline Kirby is determination to bring the killer to justice, when fellow journalist, Charles Latimer is murdered.
What makes this book for me, are the believable characters. Each comes with life’s troubles and baggage. The plot keeps you guessing and just when you think you have it all worked out, something else turns up!!!
I look forward to reading further work by this very talented author.
What makes this book for me, are the believable characters. Each comes with life’s troubles and baggage. The plot keeps you guessing and just when you think you have it all worked out, something else turns up!!!
I look forward to reading further work by this very talented author.
August 8, 2017
Lead Me Into Danger is a well-constructed murder mystery set in Venice and London.
Both cities are beautifully described in a way that made me feel as if I was walking alongside the characters.
Emmeline Kirby is a headstrong journalist who puts her own life at risk to uncover the truth about a fellow journalist's death. During her investigation, she is shadowed by her former lover Gregory Longdon. Their romantic interplay reminded me of gentle Cary Grant style films, though the story is set in the present.
I enjoyed the story and characters. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Both cities are beautifully described in a way that made me feel as if I was walking alongside the characters.
Emmeline Kirby is a headstrong journalist who puts her own life at risk to uncover the truth about a fellow journalist's death. During her investigation, she is shadowed by her former lover Gregory Longdon. Their romantic interplay reminded me of gentle Cary Grant style films, though the story is set in the present.
I enjoyed the story and characters. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
4.5 out of 5 stars
April 6, 2017
What a wonderful page turning mystery! Great characters struggle with emotions of love vs morality. Dangerous liaisons send Kirby, an intelligent journalist, on a hunt to uncover a spy/killer who murders another journalist and dear Friend. Longdon, an ex-lover from her past, that left her with a broken heart and qualms about his lifestyle, rekindles their relationship when he saves her life. Not able to shake his new found attentions and needing his help to not wind up with a DOA tag around her own toe, Kirby admits she needs help and allows Longdon back into her very private world... but just until she finds and exposes the spy who is a danger to her life and country. Don't miss this mystery-adventure with a fast beat that will tug at your heart.
February 25, 2017
I think this was an incredibly well written mystery, with a complex plot. So many layers to keep the reader guessing. It is fast paced, well described and I personally like the tension between Longdon and Kirby. They are multi-faceted characters that make you want to keep reading even after the book is done. Hemingway meets Dan Brown that takes a spin around the ball room floor with Audrey Hepburn (Roman Holiday Style). If you like intrigue with intelligent style, Daniella Bernett checks all the boxes with Lead Me into Danger.
February 6, 2020
A good murder mystery keeps you guessing until the end. I often predict the outcome but this one was so cleverly scripted that I missed entirely. Add in the delight of revisiting Venice as part of the journey and I was set. There is a bonus, I now have a new protagonist in my life, journalist Emmeline Kirby. I also have her intriguing ex, Gregory Longdon, to think about - nefarious but loyal and rather good looking. But wait there's more... I need to investigate the rest of this series.
December 15, 2017
This is a well-written and easy-to-read mystery. The protagonists, Emmeline Kirby and Gregory Longdon, are a journalist and a jewel thief, both of whom possess integrity, compassion, and wit, and are equally easy to like and root for. (Yes, there is such a thing as a compassionate jewel thief.) I enjoyed the read, and I look forward to the sequel.
August 30, 2021
Read my review on NovelsAlive.com by clicking on the link below. It's also posted in full.
https://novelsalive.com/2021/08/26/4-...
Lead Me Into Danger is the first book in the Emmeline Kirby & Gregory Longdon Mysteries series and author Daniella Bernett’s debut novel.
There was so much intrigue along with murders, spies, and other unsavory characters and a Russian connection. It was sometimes hard to tell who were the bad guys and who were reputable.
Emmaline, a journalist who doesn’t let things go and follows all leads no matter the danger it brings her to (thus the title), is front and center, along with her ex-fiancé, Gregory, a reported jewel thief (which has never been proven). They comprise the main characters. However, some government workers and folks from Scotland Yard also join the MCs to round out the cast.
We get to know many of the characters, and so many have depth to them. We learn about them and their histories and backstories a little at a time. There are many twists and turns in the telling of the tale and multiple layers to the story as we go from Venice to London and back again.
There are clues to the murders throughout, along with a mole in the British government who must be unmasked. Ms. Bernett writes vivid and detailed descriptions of the locations, the disruptions, and the crimes committed or being committed. At every turn, Emmeline and/or Gregory seem to be in the midst of everything, much to the chagrin of others.
The story held my interest from the first page to the last as I tried to solve whodunnit, piece together who the mole is, plus figure out how the various characters are connected. There were personal and business connections to sift through as well.
My heart raced, and I could feel the tension as it built, rising to the reveal. There was a lot of attention to detail in the author’s writing, and every word was essential. The specter of anti-Semitism was heartrending and couldn’t be overlooked.
There was an underlying love story along with the intrigue, although Emmeline didn’t see herself and Gregory getting back together. But Emmeline could always count on Gregory to keep her out of danger or get her out of a precarious situation.
I liked the addition of Emmeline’s grandmother to the story, Emmeline’s memories of growing up, and her reminiscing of her parents, who were also journalists and died when she was young. But I do think there is more story to tell concerning her parents’ deaths.
There was nice closure, but I am looking forward to seeing what Emmeline and Gregory are up to next. The cover is very representative of the story, but I was surprised to see the Russian flag along with the British flag, not the Italian flag depicted since Venice along with London were highlighted in the story and also pictorially on the cover.
I had previously read Old Sins Never Die, the sixth book in the Emmeline Kirby & Gregory Longdon Mysteries series, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Since I was scheduled to read the next book in the series, Viper’s Nest of Lies, which will release next month. The author offered to send the other books in the series, and I jumped at it. I’m so glad I did. If you like books filled with espionage and mysteries with some romance thrown in, you should give Ms. Bernett’s books a try.
I rated the book 4.5 stars but rounded to 5 stars here and on other sites.
https://novelsalive.com/2021/08/26/4-...
Lead Me Into Danger is the first book in the Emmeline Kirby & Gregory Longdon Mysteries series and author Daniella Bernett’s debut novel.
There was so much intrigue along with murders, spies, and other unsavory characters and a Russian connection. It was sometimes hard to tell who were the bad guys and who were reputable.
Emmaline, a journalist who doesn’t let things go and follows all leads no matter the danger it brings her to (thus the title), is front and center, along with her ex-fiancé, Gregory, a reported jewel thief (which has never been proven). They comprise the main characters. However, some government workers and folks from Scotland Yard also join the MCs to round out the cast.
We get to know many of the characters, and so many have depth to them. We learn about them and their histories and backstories a little at a time. There are many twists and turns in the telling of the tale and multiple layers to the story as we go from Venice to London and back again.
There are clues to the murders throughout, along with a mole in the British government who must be unmasked. Ms. Bernett writes vivid and detailed descriptions of the locations, the disruptions, and the crimes committed or being committed. At every turn, Emmeline and/or Gregory seem to be in the midst of everything, much to the chagrin of others.
The story held my interest from the first page to the last as I tried to solve whodunnit, piece together who the mole is, plus figure out how the various characters are connected. There were personal and business connections to sift through as well.
My heart raced, and I could feel the tension as it built, rising to the reveal. There was a lot of attention to detail in the author’s writing, and every word was essential. The specter of anti-Semitism was heartrending and couldn’t be overlooked.
There was an underlying love story along with the intrigue, although Emmeline didn’t see herself and Gregory getting back together. But Emmeline could always count on Gregory to keep her out of danger or get her out of a precarious situation.
I liked the addition of Emmeline’s grandmother to the story, Emmeline’s memories of growing up, and her reminiscing of her parents, who were also journalists and died when she was young. But I do think there is more story to tell concerning her parents’ deaths.
There was nice closure, but I am looking forward to seeing what Emmeline and Gregory are up to next. The cover is very representative of the story, but I was surprised to see the Russian flag along with the British flag, not the Italian flag depicted since Venice along with London were highlighted in the story and also pictorially on the cover.
I had previously read Old Sins Never Die, the sixth book in the Emmeline Kirby & Gregory Longdon Mysteries series, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Since I was scheduled to read the next book in the series, Viper’s Nest of Lies, which will release next month. The author offered to send the other books in the series, and I jumped at it. I’m so glad I did. If you like books filled with espionage and mysteries with some romance thrown in, you should give Ms. Bernett’s books a try.
I rated the book 4.5 stars but rounded to 5 stars here and on other sites.
August 10, 2017
I was hooked from the first page in this intriguing mystery from the new author Daniella Bernett. A journalist and jewel thief are not your typical sleuths but Emmeline and Gregory made a smart and sophisticated team. I thoroughly enjoyed the fast paced action and got lost in the beautiful settings and fascinating characters. It kept me guessing till the end. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves mysteries. I can’t wait for the next book.
July 3, 2022
This gem has been on my shelf since we visited New York's Mysterious Bookshop for Ms. Bernett's signing of her second mystery about a year after this was published. We bought both and they have snuggled on our shelves since. Until this weekend.
My first impression was, "How am I going to make it through this?" The first paragraph should not have ever made it into print. Eight sentences, five beginning with "He"; a sixth began with 'Him". No,no,no,no. But things became better. True, there were times I cried out for want of an editor, or perhaps a rewrite after a three-month refractory period, but, not to be, of course. Mistakes such as a scene beginning on a bridge, then refuge being taken in a nearby building then ending back on the bridge. Magic.
In the end a slew of twists and turns, all followed easily enough, but well done. A debut author is a bit overmatched by a 60-year veteran of mystery. And this was largely a mystery, almost a cozy. Well done, and happily so for the author, publisher and reader.
Recommended.
My first impression was, "How am I going to make it through this?" The first paragraph should not have ever made it into print. Eight sentences, five beginning with "He"; a sixth began with 'Him". No,no,no,no. But things became better. True, there were times I cried out for want of an editor, or perhaps a rewrite after a three-month refractory period, but, not to be, of course. Mistakes such as a scene beginning on a bridge, then refuge being taken in a nearby building then ending back on the bridge. Magic.
In the end a slew of twists and turns, all followed easily enough, but well done. A debut author is a bit overmatched by a 60-year veteran of mystery. And this was largely a mystery, almost a cozy. Well done, and happily so for the author, publisher and reader.
Recommended.
August 14, 2025
Gregory Langdon is the handsome jewel thief who stole journalist Emmeline Kirby’s heart and crushed it by disappearing just before their wedding. Two years later, he shows up in Venice just after she witnesses the attempted murder of a friend. The second attempt succeeds, and the two of them get caught up in a hunt for the murderer, possibly a Russian spy in the British Foreign Office. Lead Me into Danger is a riveting mystery that kept me guessing until the last second.
September 20, 2022
3.5 stars. Interesting spy story with well drawn characters. Interested in seeing what happens next with the characters.
October 11, 2016
Let me state that this book has an excellent plot, despite some cliches and unbelievable scenarios.
I was unable to let loose and enjoy the process of reading it however. I am unsure whether this is because it has a strong focus on romance, which I prefer to not read, or if the author was trying too hard with her flowery descriptions, which kept knocking me out of the story. I also had some problems with the dialog at times, and the protagonist was just a bit too immature. In short, it seems the author was just trying too hard and falling short.
I received a free copy of this book from the Omni Mystery News Giveaway.
I was unable to let loose and enjoy the process of reading it however. I am unsure whether this is because it has a strong focus on romance, which I prefer to not read, or if the author was trying too hard with her flowery descriptions, which kept knocking me out of the story. I also had some problems with the dialog at times, and the protagonist was just a bit too immature. In short, it seems the author was just trying too hard and falling short.
I received a free copy of this book from the Omni Mystery News Giveaway.
January 9, 2016
Received free from the Goodreads program
A rip roaring mystery adventure set in western Europe. With murder, Russian spies and the British Secret Service all mixed into the plot, it is a page turner.
Our protaganist are all fully developed by the author and you can relate to them all as they play their role in the story arc.
Recommended good read (pun intended)
A rip roaring mystery adventure set in western Europe. With murder, Russian spies and the British Secret Service all mixed into the plot, it is a page turner.
Our protaganist are all fully developed by the author and you can relate to them all as they play their role in the story arc.
Recommended good read (pun intended)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews