Seventeen years ago, Ainsley Tidwell’s young life was shattered upon her discovery of the body of her murdered cousin, Carly. Now Carly’s sister Sabrina is missing, and Ainsley returns to Dahlonega, Georgia for the first time since the homicide that tore her family apart. Ainsley must face the ghosts of her past as she tries to repair her present relationship with her remaining family, including Ben Paulson, the county sheriff – who isn’t too keen on having his criminal defense attorney cousin nosing around his investigation. Especially not when Ainsley inadvertently hooks up with Callum Elias, Ben’s high school nemesis and a man with a questionable past. With Cal’s help, Ainsley begins to piece together the connection between Carly’s murder and Sabrina’s disappearance – a connection that grows stronger as a chain of violent events suggests that someone in Dahlonega is getting very nervous. As Cal and Ainsley’s relationship heats up, the cold case which has haunted her family for so long shows distinct signs of thawing. But can they solve the mystery – and find Sabrina – before the killer claims another victim?
One fine day in the not-too-distant past, Lisa Clark O’Neill left Wittenberg University with a BA in English, which she promptly neglected. After working as an interior designer, decorative artist, and Montessori art teacher (there may have been a BA in art as well,) she finally settled into the role of mother to two very fine children. However, two years of doing the stay-at-home-mom brain cell melt drove her to pull out a pen and one of her old college notebooks. That turned into six manuscripts. Lisa spent subsequent years avoiding housework by burying her nose in just about every romance novel she could get her hands on, after completely falling in love with the genre. Her own work falls into the romantic suspense sub-genre, with strong comedic undertones. Two of Lisa's recent novels, Circumstantial Evidence and Malice, were chosen as Best Reads of 2015.
Defense attorney Ainsley Tidwell wraps up her latest case only to learn that her beloved cousin, Sabrina Paulson, is missing from her hometown of Dahlonega, Georgia. When Ainsley makes her way home, her detour to the site of Sabrina's older sister, Carly's unsolved murder has her confront the prickly new owner of her Grandmother's house, Callum (Cal) Elias.
For reference, Ainsley works for Jack Wellington in Savannah. She was the one that discovered her cousin Carly's body when she was 12-years old. Despite that trauma, Ainsley's a smart, self confident woman completely up for the snappy repartee with Cal. Speaking of that, the witty and funny dialogue is the author's signature and was in fine form in this story.
The mystery and intrigue surrounding Sabrina's disappearance was pretty interesting. It's not a nail-biter throughout but there are some very tense moments near the end. Whether the murder and disappearance of Ainsley's cousins are connected is another element adding to the mystery. Ainsley and Cal's relationship was well developed, even though happening quickly. I enjoyed the story and looking forward to the final prequel, Jack's story.
DNF! H was f*ck buddies with h’s cousin in high school!! Nasty and too much info about it! Also this is a cousin the h felt inferior to in regards to physical appearance
What more can you ask for from a book than a meaty mystery, a plucky, take-no-guff heroine, a cute dog, and of course a smoldering, smart-ass hero? Once again Lisa Clark O'Neill's story telling sucked me in and ruined 2 nights of sleep with a suspenseful yet sometimes funny plot. I was glad to get Ainsley's story after being introduced to her in Malice and I was not disappointed. Maybe we'll get Ben's story next? Hint hint hint! Please keep the stories coming, you'll always have this reader's enthusiasm.
Read this in the trilogy and really enjoyed it. I feel like the romance and suspense was pretty balanced in this one and I loved Cal. He was the right mix of alpha and gentleman.
It's summer vacation and the start of the annual reunion at Grandma's house. Ainsley Tidwell is awakened by her cousin Sabrina for an early morning tubing trip down the local creek. Everything is going wonderfully until they discover the body of Sabrina’s older sister, Carly. Ainsley's subsequent testimony, which rules out the prime suspect, puts the family at odds with each other for years. Now when they are adults, only her cousin Sabrina speaks to her.
Then Ainsley receives a phone call from her cousin, Ben Paulson, the county sheriff of the small town where Grandma once lived and her cousin had been murdered. Sabrina is missing, and he wonders when Ainsley last heard from her. As a criminal defense attorney Ainsley knows that her cousin is rapidly running out of time for a good ending. She takes off work and heads to a place she hasn't been in nearly two decades in order to help the hunt for Sabrina. Along the way she'll sprain her ankle and garner the attention of local hottie Callum Elias. But it's not only Callum who is interested in her and the other guy's interest is far from friendly, more like homicidal.
As always, Ms. O'Neill delivers a fascinating mystery, steamy romance, and delightful, intelligent, strong characters. My only quibble with the book was that the plot surrounding the cousin's disappearance was fairly unbelievable. Other than that, a total win.
I read every genre. I started romantic suspense after reading Lisa Clark O'Neill's first book and then tearing through all the rest. Then I waited impatiently for the next release. What I love most is that the romance is there but it doesn't overwhelm the story. There is a mystery and a strong plot even without the romance and the characters are believable. They have flaws and are nuanced instead of what we see most often in the genre, damsels in distress and alpha male perfection. Honestly I hate the stereotypes.
Cal was funny and damaged but the damage doesn't overpower his personality. It was just a component of it. Ainsley has her own issues but she is no wilting violet. She is smart, opinionated and capable if clumsy. I even loved the hostility between Cal and Ben. Kept things even more tense.
The dialogue is wonderful and the witty banter was spot on. The pace was fast without being rushed. I was on the edge of my seat until the very end. Overall an exceptional read. 5 stars!
4.75 Stars...Loved Ainsley and Cal...also a great side character in Ainsley's cousin, Ben. Well, what will I do now? This is my last Lisa Clark O'Neill book...I've blown through all of her others. Hope a new one comes out soon! Things I like about her books(both series): Well written, good flow, lots of snark:), characters you can feel, good investigative procedure and suspense, plenty of well done romance to keep it interesting, characters don't spend too much time in their heads, non redundancy. Things I don't like: nothing. It's a bit unusual for me to not get bored with an author's works over time....unless they are rock stars like Nora/Robb, Singh, Chloe Neill, etc...Anyway, kudos, and please write quickly!!!
Suspense. Mystery. Romance. Lisa Clark O'Neill's Avarice has it all, and then some. It's a fast-paced story with a kick-ass heroine and a rugged hero (not to mention a cute puppy) that will keep you guessing until the very end. In between, O'Neill treats the reader to scenes where you are either laughing out loud or fanning yourself. Regardless, it's all good. Every last drop.
The simple definition of avarice is a strong desire to have or get money. After reading Avarice and reviewing the details pertaining to the main storyline multiple times, I just don’t see how the title goes with the book. Since it’s a romantic suspense, you will have to read for yourself in order to truly understand my issue with the title. I have read several books by Lisa Clark O’Neill and I have yet to be disappointed. Avarice is the second book in The Southern Comfort Prequel Trilogy series. It can be read as a standalone. Eighteen years ago, Ainsley Tidwell found her older cousin’s dead body floating in a river near their grandmother’s home. The cousin, Carly had been raped and Ainsley’s step-brother had been accused of killing her although there was no proof and he was never arrested or convicted because Ainsley assured authorities that she had gotten a glimpse of the killer and it was not her step-brother. The sibling bond between Ainsley’s dad and Carly’s mom was forever broken because Carly’s mom felt that Ainsley was choosing to protect her step-brother over getting justice for her blood cousin.
Present day, Sabrina who is Carly’s younger sister has gone missing. Ainsley is an up and coming criminal defense attorney who drops everything to join the search for her cousin Sabrina. Ainsley’s assistance is not immediately welcomed by Sabrina’s brother Grant who is the town sheriff. There are still a lot of open wounds. Let alone the fact that it’s a small town in Georgia where everyone knows your business. Ainsley has been away for a long time living in the bigger city and seems like an outsider. To make things more interesting, she runs into an attractive stranger who has purchased her grandmother’s old farmhouse. His name is Callum Elias and he has a somewhat volatile history with Grant that goes back to high school. Callum has also spent time as a medic in the military so he has his own demons to slay. However, he carries himself with such arrogance that you can’t help but like him although he tends to rub everyone else the wrong way.
Lisa Clark O’Neill has written a very intimate and emotional book that truly gets you invested in all of the main characters. The past and the present collide and I had no idea what would be revealed when the dust settled. I was impressed by how easily I was deceived and couldn’t wait to get to the end. Although the main mystery gets resolved, I felt like there was still something missing. I had more questions than answers but maybe that was intentional.
**Received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**
Classified this as "okay-ish". I feel the author has produced better works than this one. The first half of the book is fairly slow paced (almost gave up on it several times). The second half picked up quite fast and kind of made up for the slow start, hence the 3 star rating. If you are 1st time reader of this author, I suggest you start with her other more exciting novels.
This was my favorite book, so far, from Lisa Clark O'Neill. Her ability to mix mystery, romance, suspense, and laughter into a single story is second to none. This was definitely a page turner and I found myself questioning every single character as a possible suspect throughout the entire story. It was hard to put down and I found myself pulled back to my Kindle much more often than normal. Well worth the read!
“That was possibly the lamest, most unromantic...”
Defense lawyer Ainsley comes home to help find her missing cousin and falls into more than she bargained for, literally. When Cal finds Ainsley trespassing it’s starts them both on a road neither one is prepared for. The suspense and drama and romance in this series is well written. The characters are rich and real. Super read! Enjoy!!!
In Avarice, O'Neill takes us away from Savannah and up to the small mountain town which will eventually become the setting to a future trilogy. Tough as nails Ainsley isn't leaving town without answers about her missing cousin, and if she's not careful, she may lose her heart along the way. Five stars for likeable characters, an interesting setting, and a mystery that kept this reader guessing until the end.
Really like the books by Lisa Clark O'Neill. This is a good suspense, romantic book. The romance doesn't over shadow the good suspense of the book. It's a balanced story. Cal and Ainsley are a good couple. I liked his sense of humor and hers, along with the snark.
Another engrossing read! I’ve noticed a pattern in some of this authors books...she skips over the “rescue” scene of whomever is in trouble. And then there’s no epilogue either. So the books are so well written, thought out, executed, but then the end comes fast and rather incomplete. I still give it 4 stars because up to that point, it’s on point.
I totally agree with another reader. This author rocks. Love her books . Another hard to put down for the night. Not much housework gets done when I pick one of her novels
“Evocative.” That word does not only describe the cover of the latest book by Lisa Clark O’Neill, but what lies within the pages as well. Avarice is the second of her “Southern Comfort” prequels, and it is a book of strong images and memories…
Ainsley Tidwell (introduced in “Malice”) has to go back home to Dahlonega, Georgia, a place that holds more bad memories than good. As a young pre-teen, Ainsley found her murdered cousin Carly’s body in the creek, and now Carly’s sister, her cousin Sabrina, is missing. This tragedy of long ago fractured the Paulson/Tidwell families. A visit to her grandmother’s old homestead there brings Ainsley face to face with Callum Elias, the mystery man who brought her grandmother’s place, a meeting that rattles Ainsley’s calm and cool demeanor. Ainsley also has to face her estranged Paulson relatives that still live in Dahlonega. For although Ainsley’s family left Dahlonega after the murder and never looked back, the Paulsons remained, their sorrow, bitterness and anger draped all over them like spanish moss on a pin oak. And they clearly hold a grudge against Ainsley….
This is romantic suspense at its finest! The writing is first rate (as always in a Lisa Clark O’Neill book) and the characters well-developed. And the suspense? Ainsley is on edge being back home and her cousin missing. Callum Elias seems on edge. Sheriff Ben Paulson, Sabrina’s brother, seems on edge. Everyone is on edge as violent incidents begin to take place, escalating as Ainsley keeps searching for answers as to her cousin’s whereabouts. To say the plot is engrossing is an understatement!
“Avarice” is an excellent, “evocative” read from the first page to the last. Although part of a series, it can be read as a “stand alone.” I highly recommend not only this book, but any of Lisa Clark O’Neill’s novels. You will not be disappointed!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Book synopsis: Seventeen years ago, Ainsley Tidwell’s young life was shattered upon her discovery of the body of her murdered cousin, Carly. Now Carly’s sister Sabrina is missing, and Ainsley returns to Dahlonega, Georgia for the first time since the homicide that tore her family apart. Ainsley must face the ghosts of her past as she tries to repair her present relationship with her remaining family, including Ben Paulson, the county sheriff – who isn’t too keen on having his criminal defense attorney cousin nosing around his investigation. Especially not when Ainsley inadvertently hooks up with Callum Elias, Ben’s high school nemesis and a man with a questionable past. With Cal’s help, Ainsley begins to piece together the connection between Carly’s murder and Sabrina’s disappearance – a connection that grows stronger as a chain of violent events suggests that someone in Dahlonega is getting very nervous. As Cal and Ainsley’s relationship heats up, the cold case which has haunted her family for so long shows distinct signs of thawing. But can they solve the mystery – and find Sabrina – before the killer claims another victim?
ANOTHER great book by this author who seems to just keep getting better. Avarice reminds me of a "who-done-it" type of book like the books by Agatha Christie that I've always enjoyed reading (While trying to figure out who the culprit was.), only with more of a present day atmosphere. The characters are so easy to like, with "real" stories in their backgrounds, making them more "real" to the reader. The small town mountain setting is absolutely charming, the suspense superb. Not to mention a new romance budding, even in the midst of some very dire circumstances involving family members both past and present. The book touches on things that should concern many individuals in today's world. I love the humor this author always includes, along with all the not-so-nice stuff, to keep the read balanced and leaving you with the feeling that you're glad you read it. Read it. "You'll" be glad you did.
I choose this book for a reading challenge and I'm very glad I did. Strong female character, a page turning plot, sexy situations made it a delight to read. Ever time I thought I knew who the villain was it turned out wrong. Until finally you realize just who it has to be right before it's reveled. Masterfully done!
I have to admit that the length of this book through me off at first,but this book is very well written and quite the page turner.It was a very well written mystery book and all.
As always, Lisa Clark O'Neill brings the fun and mystery. I loved this book. The characters are well written and once again I fall in love with another man.