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Double Exposure #1
The Mysterious Twin
The Mysterious Twin by Leona Karr released on Jun 22, 2001 is available now for purchase.
- GenresRomantic SuspenseRomance
248 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2001
4 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Leona Karr
53 books9 followersPseudonym is also Lee Karr
Leona Karr is a Colorado native who published her first novel in 1980. Her honors include the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer of the Year and Colorado's Romance Writer of the Year awards. She is also known as Lee Karr.
As an author for the Harlequin Intrigue imprint, Leona Karr has published 18 novels. She is the author of over 30 novels, specializing in Romantic Suspense.
Leona Karr is a Colorado native who published her first novel in 1980. Her honors include the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer of the Year and Colorado's Romance Writer of the Year awards. She is also known as Lee Karr.
As an author for the Harlequin Intrigue imprint, Leona Karr has published 18 novels. She is the author of over 30 novels, specializing in Romantic Suspense.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 2, 2014
It was a hard book to get into. When it started to get interesting, the book was only 1 to 2 chapters from the end. It needed more serious crime to be happening and give the reader a feeling like she might not get away with it. But through out the book you still had a feeling the one twin pretending to be the one they were looking for was never in any danger. It was labelled a romance novel...it used the word loosely.
April 17, 2018
The Mysterious Twin
July 22, 2001
Leona Karr returns to familiar territory in her eleventh Intrigue, "The Mysterious Twin." Ashley Camdon agrees to masquerade as her twin sister Jill when Jill becomes sick and can't take a job she desperately needs. Neither knows that there is more to the job offer than meets the eye and the rich man who hired Jill as a nanny for his grandchildren has secret motives. Kyle Stone has been assigned to watch Jill for their employer. The woman who arrives is nothing like the one who's been described to him. Kyle and Ashley are drawn to each other, but how will he react when he learns she's not who he thinks she is?
It's not a bad idea. Unfortunately, it's one Karr visited before in "Bodyguard" (Intrigue 309), where a woman agreed to take her twin sister's place to infiltrate a rich man's home, and fell in love with the bodyguard assigned to watch her. There are actually more similarities which I won't mention. The books are about even in quality. The main difference is that this one is less suspenseful and has more of a gothic feel. Those who have read Karr's recent Intrigues ("Innocent Witness," "Mystery Dad"...) know her books have become more light and pleasant than gripping and suspenseful. "The Mysterious Twin" continues this trend. It isn't a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, but though it doesn't have much action or mystery, I was surprised to find that I was never bored at all. Karr's writing is smooth and flows well, carrying the reader along nicely even without most of the usual surprising plot twists and dangerous situations. Readers who are looking for romantic suspense without too much violence will find "The Mysterious Twin" highly enjoyable. Karr uses a gothic tone and creates a nice sense of atmosphere. Her characters are likeable, and though the ending is too abrupt, the story is well plotted. Altogether, it is a pleasant read.
Unfortunately, much of the story was ruined for me by the back cover, which reveals at least one big secret that doesn't come out until very late in the book. I spent most of the book wondering if the back cover was wrong (they often are), since there was no mention of this element at all for the first two thirds. Then the "surprise" revelation came. Or it might have been a surprise if the back cover hadn't ruined it. I know exactly why the copywriter did this, and I find it unconscionable that the publisher would be willing to ruin the story just to sell more books. In the end, I was angry that the book was ruined for me by an inconsiderate copywriter. I might have enjoyed the story more if I didn't know what was coming. I'll never know.
Leona Karr has written a pleasant story in "The Mysterious Twin." It might even be better if the reader is able to read it without having it spoiled first.
July 22, 2001
Leona Karr returns to familiar territory in her eleventh Intrigue, "The Mysterious Twin." Ashley Camdon agrees to masquerade as her twin sister Jill when Jill becomes sick and can't take a job she desperately needs. Neither knows that there is more to the job offer than meets the eye and the rich man who hired Jill as a nanny for his grandchildren has secret motives. Kyle Stone has been assigned to watch Jill for their employer. The woman who arrives is nothing like the one who's been described to him. Kyle and Ashley are drawn to each other, but how will he react when he learns she's not who he thinks she is?
It's not a bad idea. Unfortunately, it's one Karr visited before in "Bodyguard" (Intrigue 309), where a woman agreed to take her twin sister's place to infiltrate a rich man's home, and fell in love with the bodyguard assigned to watch her. There are actually more similarities which I won't mention. The books are about even in quality. The main difference is that this one is less suspenseful and has more of a gothic feel. Those who have read Karr's recent Intrigues ("Innocent Witness," "Mystery Dad"...) know her books have become more light and pleasant than gripping and suspenseful. "The Mysterious Twin" continues this trend. It isn't a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, but though it doesn't have much action or mystery, I was surprised to find that I was never bored at all. Karr's writing is smooth and flows well, carrying the reader along nicely even without most of the usual surprising plot twists and dangerous situations. Readers who are looking for romantic suspense without too much violence will find "The Mysterious Twin" highly enjoyable. Karr uses a gothic tone and creates a nice sense of atmosphere. Her characters are likeable, and though the ending is too abrupt, the story is well plotted. Altogether, it is a pleasant read.
Unfortunately, much of the story was ruined for me by the back cover, which reveals at least one big secret that doesn't come out until very late in the book. I spent most of the book wondering if the back cover was wrong (they often are), since there was no mention of this element at all for the first two thirds. Then the "surprise" revelation came. Or it might have been a surprise if the back cover hadn't ruined it. I know exactly why the copywriter did this, and I find it unconscionable that the publisher would be willing to ruin the story just to sell more books. In the end, I was angry that the book was ruined for me by an inconsiderate copywriter. I might have enjoyed the story more if I didn't know what was coming. I'll never know.
Leona Karr has written a pleasant story in "The Mysterious Twin." It might even be better if the reader is able to read it without having it spoiled first.
June 30, 2017
Actual Rating: 2.5 Stars
The Mysterious Twin is, honestly, one of those books that you read, laugh at all the clichés, mutter about the frustratingly dated romance, and roll your eyes about the standard, stereotype, carbon-copy characters. It's a book you read that DOES get interesting with progression, but remains a bit on the 'meh' side of actual enjoyment.
It's forgettable.
I suppose I'm also kind of surprised by how quickly I finished reading this book; although, the truth is, it was pretty bite-sized. In a way, I think I kept reading because I just wanted to know how the book wrapped itself up with the twin-switch deception. But then, when the resolution DID come around, it was fairly abrupt, to the point that it felt like the author realized she hit her allowed number of pages and needed to end things immediately.
There were a lot of things that I felt like the book could have addressed, like maybe the strained relationship between Ashley and Jill.
But this book is a romance, first and foremost, so we spend the most of the short book detailing how Ashley and Kyle manage to fall in love in spite of all the deception and secrets. And, honestly, the romantic development was a little weak.
I DID appreciate the rapport that Ashley develops with the children she's pretending to be nanny to. And I like lighthouses... although one was mentioned and detailed, not much happens around it, so that particular detail was moot.
Anyway, The Mysterious Twin was a nice rainy day read, that really just amounted to "something to do to pass the time."
***
Booklikes-opoly
Roll #20:
One of the characters in this book is a millionaire/billionaire.
Page Count: 256
Cash Award: +$6.00
Updated Bank Balance: $103.00
The Mysterious Twin is, honestly, one of those books that you read, laugh at all the clichés, mutter about the frustratingly dated romance, and roll your eyes about the standard, stereotype, carbon-copy characters. It's a book you read that DOES get interesting with progression, but remains a bit on the 'meh' side of actual enjoyment.
It's forgettable.
I suppose I'm also kind of surprised by how quickly I finished reading this book; although, the truth is, it was pretty bite-sized. In a way, I think I kept reading because I just wanted to know how the book wrapped itself up with the twin-switch deception. But then, when the resolution DID come around, it was fairly abrupt, to the point that it felt like the author realized she hit her allowed number of pages and needed to end things immediately.
There were a lot of things that I felt like the book could have addressed, like maybe the strained relationship between Ashley and Jill.
But this book is a romance, first and foremost, so we spend the most of the short book detailing how Ashley and Kyle manage to fall in love in spite of all the deception and secrets. And, honestly, the romantic development was a little weak.
I DID appreciate the rapport that Ashley develops with the children she's pretending to be nanny to. And I like lighthouses... although one was mentioned and detailed, not much happens around it, so that particular detail was moot.
Anyway, The Mysterious Twin was a nice rainy day read, that really just amounted to "something to do to pass the time."
***
Booklikes-opoly
Roll #20:
One of the characters in this book is a millionaire/billionaire.
Page Count: 256
Cash Award: +$6.00
Updated Bank Balance: $103.00
July 14, 2024
The ending was great, however the whole book moved slowly. Could've been a great suspense, but it just didn't quite get there.
September 30, 2014
Didn't want to put the book down....:)
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews