When Jack Trumps Ace

by Debbie De Louise

Jackie Riordan's in trouble . . . When her jewel-thief father is caught in the middle of a heist, Jackie makes her getaway to his ex-jail pal’s apartment. a man called Ace, who lives in an upscale neighborhood of Chicago. What she doesn't count on is falling in love with him and becoming his partner in crime. She also doesn't expect to compete with Ace’s old flame or deal with his cat Roxie who causes her allergy attacks. All bets are off . . . After Jackie discovers clues left by her father which lead her to a treasure that Ace may have stolen, she contemplates her next move. Should she trust Ace and believe her father gave him the money, or head home to her mother, a religious hypocrite who would have no qualms about ratting out her own daughter to the cops? Things that sparkle aren't always Diamonds . . . Before Jackie can decide who the good guys really are, she finds herself atop the Willis Tower carrying her father's ashes in her pocket and aiding Ace in the largest jewelry heist of his life. Things go terribly wrong, and Jackie's only choice seems to be to walk away from Ace or face imprisonment.

139 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 12, 2017

About the author

Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a reference librarian at a public library on Long Island. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters-in-Crime, and the Cat Writer’s Association. She has a BA in English and an MLS in Library Science from Long Island University. Her published novels include the 6 books of her Cobble Cove cozy mystery series: A Stone's Throw, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Written in Stone, Love on the Rocks, No Gravestone Unturned, and Sneaky's Supernatural Mystery and Other Cobble Cove Stories, her paranormal romance, Cloudy Rainbow, her mystery thriller Reason to Die, her psychological mystery, Sea Scope, and her time-travel novel, Time's Relative. She also published a romantic comedy novella featuring a jewel heist caper, When Jack Trumps Ace and a cat poetry book, Meows and Purrs. Debbie also has a new series, the Buttercup Bend Mysteries, the first one of which is The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady. Debbie has also written articles and short stories for several anthologies of various genres. She lives on Long Island with her husband, daughter, and two cats.

Reviews

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different - about a young woman who aids and abets her father's thieving and when he gets killed, proceeds to get in the way of an associate of his, also a jewel thief. I say get in the way because she's actually rubbish at thieving. Also observation, concealment, disguise.... not much use at all in fact. And knowing that a detective is giving her a lift in her car, she even gives the criminal's home address.

This is nicely enough written but I found it impossible to empathise with our anti-heroine, except when she treats a cat well. And the outcome wasn't explained. Perhaps the author is just enjoying imagining a double life for herself. One with manipulative, controlling relationships and unprotected sex. I'm sure some readers will enjoy the novella more than I did. Treat it as fantasy.

I was sent an e-ARC. This is an unbiased review.

[Lisa Diaz Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, adorable, good old-fashioned romance.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short book with lots of twists and turns!

Jackie decides to live with her Dad after her parents divorce. You won't blame her once you read what her Mom is like. However, her Dad is a jewel thief and teaches Jackie the ropes. He only lets her be the look out. Then comes the day when her Dad is shot by the police and Jackie has to get away and fast. She goes to the apartment of her Dad's friend. Ace and her Dad were prison mates. Ace takes her in immediately with no qualms whatsoever!

He convinces her to go on a heist with him. But before that is her Dad's funeral. Then there is Ace's ex girlfriend. Jackie is allergic to cats but learns to love Ace's Siamese as long as he doesn't sleep with her. This is one smart cat as you will read!

Do Jackie and Ace continue a life of crime or do they sail happily into the sunset? Read this book to find out. Don't worry about the cat---he goes where they go!!