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Sharp Edges
Eugenia Swift is a young woman of singular sensibilities, and a connoisseur of beauty. As the director of the Leafbrook Glass Museum, she's been asked to travel to Frog Cove Island -- an artistic haven near Seattle -- to catalog an important collection of art glass. But thanks to unsavory rumors surrounding the collector's death, the museum insists that Eugenia take along Cyrus Chandler Colfax -- a rough-hewn private investigator whose taste in glass runs to ice-cold bottles filled with beers.
When Colfax declares they must pose as a couple, Eugenia protests in a manner as loud as his Hawaiian shirts. She fears that her secret mission will be discovered...while he hopes that she will be a mask for his own hidden agenda. But soon their very lives depend on making an utterely convincing couple. Because among the chic galleries of Frog Cove Island lurks a killer, and their only chance for survival is the boldest, most artful collaboration they can dare to imagine.
When Colfax declares they must pose as a couple, Eugenia protests in a manner as loud as his Hawaiian shirts. She fears that her secret mission will be discovered...while he hopes that she will be a mask for his own hidden agenda. But soon their very lives depend on making an utterely convincing couple. Because among the chic galleries of Frog Cove Island lurks a killer, and their only chance for survival is the boldest, most artful collaboration they can dare to imagine.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 1998
646 people are currently reading
1159 people want to read
About the author
Jayne Ann Krentz
401 books7,141 followersThe author of over 50 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
July 16, 2013
I can see that I'm destined to become a fan of Jayne Ann Krentz. This book isn't my favorite of hers, but it was still a fun read and an engaging story. The main characters in this one were a bit too, I dunno, quirky, I suppose, for my taste. Eugenia was a touch too sure of herself, even when so far outside her regular competence. Cole was a touch too certain of himself absent verifiable data. Still, it was a fun mystery and the characters worked well enough for me to lose myself in their story.
A note about Steamy: I'm beginning to recognize the default Jayne Ann Krentz standard on the steam scale. Most of her books have a couple of explicit scenes of only a page or two with maybe a few follow-up mentions that fade to black before much more than a paragraph. I rather like that and this book is in that range.
A note about Steamy: I'm beginning to recognize the default Jayne Ann Krentz standard on the steam scale. Most of her books have a couple of explicit scenes of only a page or two with maybe a few follow-up mentions that fade to black before much more than a paragraph. I rather like that and this book is in that range.
November 22, 2015
Eugenia is a director of a top-notch glass museum. Cyrus is a PI with a deep dark secret. She wants to find out what happened to her late friend. She doesn’t believe the police report of a boating accident. He wants to find a man who betrayed him three years ago and killed his wife. They meet in the middle, and love happens the way it always does – unexpectedly and gloriously, despite their mutual initial distrust – amid the confusion, the mysterious murderer running loose, and a mass of unanswered questions. Finding the answers brings them closer together, as it always happens in this author’s novels.
The writing is simple and professional, the plot engrossing and fast-paced, and the characters are a stuff of dreams, the best a fiction writer could come up with. Realistic? No. But it was pleasurable to read about them.
The only aspect of this book I didn’t like was that Krentz’s villains talk too much, explaining all their nefarious deeds during the final confrontation, before they even think about pulling the trigger. Many mystery writers suffer from this malady, so it’s a small flaw in an otherwise extremely readable romantic thriller. The best name for this book is ‘brain candy’, or maybe a brain cake, and I’ve always been partial to sweet treats.
Delicious.
The writing is simple and professional, the plot engrossing and fast-paced, and the characters are a stuff of dreams, the best a fiction writer could come up with. Realistic? No. But it was pleasurable to read about them.
The only aspect of this book I didn’t like was that Krentz’s villains talk too much, explaining all their nefarious deeds during the final confrontation, before they even think about pulling the trigger. Many mystery writers suffer from this malady, so it’s a small flaw in an otherwise extremely readable romantic thriller. The best name for this book is ‘brain candy’, or maybe a brain cake, and I’ve always been partial to sweet treats.
Delicious.
November 19, 2011
There are really only two characters in the book - a private investigator and an art museum director. I could not quite relate to them. I did not think that the book had much suspense either (maybe only in the last few pages). Many things in the plot could have been more subtle to make the reading a bit more challenging. The thoughts and feelings of the characters are explained over and over again and clarified yet again through the dialogue. I found the dialogue boring. I did not appreciate the details of the "romantic" scenes. I wonder if the publisher made the author put those in. I wish the author spent more time creating the atmosphere, a lyrical aspect, some underlying emotion (say in the best traditions of Wilkie Collins or Dostoevsky. I would have appreciated more description of the area, the buildings, and fewer descritions of the aloha shirts. Surprise us, say, put the main male character into a suit, or a tux, or whatever else... just to show how events might have affected him. The character of Damien March could have been so much more interesting, but he comes off more like a comics character.
On the positive side, I liked everything related to the description of the art work - that was fascinating. Also, there is a certain sweeteness to the characters and I like that in general in any book.
On the positive side, I liked everything related to the description of the art work - that was fascinating. Also, there is a certain sweeteness to the characters and I like that in general in any book.
June 4, 2012
Sharp Edges is a pretty standard JAK suspense novel. I've met these characters before in her other novels, and I've seen her use these plot developments before, too. It wasn't bad, but there were no surprises. The plot was predictable, the romance was predictable, and every one of Eugenia's inane utterances was predictable. I had to laugh when, halfway through the book:
That's pretty much when what I had been thinking, too. And Cyrus was only marginally more interesting.
I'm giving this book 3 stars because I did find it moderately enjoyable. However, I don't plan to read any more of Krentz's contemporary suspense novels. They are all too much alike.
Eugenia decided it would be best if she kept her mouth shut for a while. Nothing intelligent was coming out of it, anyway.
That's pretty much when what I had been thinking, too. And Cyrus was only marginally more interesting.
I'm giving this book 3 stars because I did find it moderately enjoyable. However, I don't plan to read any more of Krentz's contemporary suspense novels. They are all too much alike.
May 26, 2017
Sharp Edges took me by surprise with the plot because I am not a person who likes adult romances but unexpected I like it maybe because has also mystery and I love a book with mystery and suspense in it.
But what was surprising is that I loved the main two characters and also their relationship. Even if it had some hot scenes, Amanda Quick did not exaggerated like Sarah J. Maas did in A Court of Mist and Fury!!!!
The story follows Cyrus Chandler Colfax, a private detective trying to find a very old piece made from glass named Hades so that he can find the murderer of his wife.
Eugenia Swift is a director on an art museum that has to make the inventory to a very rich man that died and left all of the art pieces to Eugenia's museum. When the sophisticated Eugenia crosses paths with distant and very in control Cyrus they dislike each other on first sight.
Forced to cooperate and live together in the Glass House they start seeing more to the other then the first impressions but in the same time they will discover many secrets that they will shock them.
But what was surprising is that I loved the main two characters and also their relationship. Even if it had some hot scenes, Amanda Quick did not exaggerated like Sarah J. Maas did in A Court of Mist and Fury!!!!
The story follows Cyrus Chandler Colfax, a private detective trying to find a very old piece made from glass named Hades so that he can find the murderer of his wife.
Eugenia Swift is a director on an art museum that has to make the inventory to a very rich man that died and left all of the art pieces to Eugenia's museum. When the sophisticated Eugenia crosses paths with distant and very in control Cyrus they dislike each other on first sight.
Forced to cooperate and live together in the Glass House they start seeing more to the other then the first impressions but in the same time they will discover many secrets that they will shock them.
November 23, 2022
This classic Jayne Ann Krentz title is filled with her snappy dialog and intriguing characters.
Eugenia Swift is the director of the Leabrook Glass Museum in Seattle. She's smart, she's arty, and she has an amazing intuition about art and artists. Cyrus Chandler Colfax is a former cop turned private investigator.
When art collector Adam Daventry dies and leaves his collection to the Leabrook, Eugenia feels compelled to catalog the collection herself. She regrets introducing her friend Nellie to the collector who collected artists as lovers as well as their art. Eugenia as always thought of Daventry as a vampire who sucked all the good out of people. And when Nellie disappears in an apparent boating accident the day after Daventry is found dead at the bottom on a staircase in his Mansion on Frog Cove, Eugenia feels she needs to investigate.
Cyrus Chandler Colfax is hired to go along with her to protect her. He also has his own agenda, three years earlier, Cyrus's partner Damian Marsh tried to kill him, did kill his wife Katy, and absconded with a unique, ancient, and very precious glass cup known as the Hades Cup. Cyrus has been determined to track down Marsh and get justice for the death of his wife. He's heard that Daventry is currently in possession of the Hades Cup.
It was wonderful watching this couple discover that despite Cyrus's penchant for wearing very loud Hawaiian shirts and Eugenia dressing like a lady catburglar the two have more in common than they would have expected. They share core values and attitudes and are perfect for each other. Of course, the fact that both of them are stubborn and used to leading and wary of falling in love doesn't make the journey an easy one.
I liked the setting and all the information about glass. I liked both Eugenia and Cyrus very much and was pulling for them all the way.
Eugenia Swift is the director of the Leabrook Glass Museum in Seattle. She's smart, she's arty, and she has an amazing intuition about art and artists. Cyrus Chandler Colfax is a former cop turned private investigator.
When art collector Adam Daventry dies and leaves his collection to the Leabrook, Eugenia feels compelled to catalog the collection herself. She regrets introducing her friend Nellie to the collector who collected artists as lovers as well as their art. Eugenia as always thought of Daventry as a vampire who sucked all the good out of people. And when Nellie disappears in an apparent boating accident the day after Daventry is found dead at the bottom on a staircase in his Mansion on Frog Cove, Eugenia feels she needs to investigate.
Cyrus Chandler Colfax is hired to go along with her to protect her. He also has his own agenda, three years earlier, Cyrus's partner Damian Marsh tried to kill him, did kill his wife Katy, and absconded with a unique, ancient, and very precious glass cup known as the Hades Cup. Cyrus has been determined to track down Marsh and get justice for the death of his wife. He's heard that Daventry is currently in possession of the Hades Cup.
It was wonderful watching this couple discover that despite Cyrus's penchant for wearing very loud Hawaiian shirts and Eugenia dressing like a lady catburglar the two have more in common than they would have expected. They share core values and attitudes and are perfect for each other. Of course, the fact that both of them are stubborn and used to leading and wary of falling in love doesn't make the journey an easy one.
I liked the setting and all the information about glass. I liked both Eugenia and Cyrus very much and was pulling for them all the way.
May 27, 2013
A very typical JAK contemporary romantic suspense. And that's not a bad thing. While she can write amazing books (Sweet Starfire), she generally writes entertaining-yet-forgetable books. I often go to JAK (or another of her pen names) when I just don't know what to read next.
Sharp Edge was entertaining as hoped, but didn't wow me and probably won't last long in my memory. The two central characters were fine, but they didn't generate a lot of chemistry. The plot was decent and the secondary characters were well-done.
Recommended if you like JAK, can get it cheap or free, and need a nice generic beach read.
Sharp Edge was entertaining as hoped, but didn't wow me and probably won't last long in my memory. The two central characters were fine, but they didn't generate a lot of chemistry. The plot was decent and the secondary characters were well-done.
Recommended if you like JAK, can get it cheap or free, and need a nice generic beach read.
February 1, 2021
Eugenia works for an art museum, and travels to a nearby island to evaluate the items of a recently deceased collector. There is also a private detective there looking into a missing object. They find love together in this abridged romantic suspense novel about the art world.
October 3, 2024
Serviceable, contemporary, romantic suspense from 1998
Eugenia Swift is the 30-year-old, never-married, happily single director of the Leafbrook Glass Museum in Seattle. She is not only a renowned expert on glass art in her professional life, in her personal life she is a connoisseur and collector of that art form. In the process, she has converted her upscale condo into her own private museum, in which she displays her glass art on spotlighted pedestals. When an extremely wealthy, eccentric collector of rare glass art named Adam Daventry dies from an accidental fall, and his entire collection of glass art is willed to the Leabrook Glass Museum, Eugenia receives the career-advancing, and personally pleasing, assignment of traveling to Frog Cove Island, an artists' haven near Seattle, to catalog his art collection.
Unfortunately, this is not a 100% positive opportunity for Eugenia for two reasons. First, a brilliant, 20-something artist named Nelly Grant, who was a coworker and close friend of Eugenia, and who had briefly been Daventry's lover and art protégée, is presumed dead from a boating accident, though no body has been found. Eugenia is determined to find out what actually happened to Nellie, but she doesn't want anyone else to know about her quest, because they might get in her way. Second, due to the fact that Daventry may have, in fact, been murdered, rather than suffering from an accidental fall down the stairs in his mansion while intoxicated, her boss, the chief administrator of the Leabrook Foundation, insists that Eugenia take along a bodyguard in the form of 35-year-old Cyrus Chandler Colfax, a rough-hewn private investigator, whose constant attire is garish Hawaiian shirts, and whose idea of appealing art is a pedestrian seascape that matches the color of his couch.
Eugenia and her boss are unaware that Cyrus has his own hidden agenda. Three years ago, while transporting a 2,000-year-old piece of glass sculpture called the Hades cup to its new owner after a secret auction, his business partner, Damien March, shot Cyrus, murdered his wife, who had been having an affair with Damien, and stole the Hades cup. Cyrus has been keeping feelers out for the Hades cup ever since and is convinced that it was stolen from March sometime in the past year and ended up in the hands of Daventry. Cyrus believes that Daventry stashed it somewhere in his mansion, and being there as a bodyguard will give him a chance to search for it. In service of that goal, Cyrus is in complete agreement with Eugenia and her boss that the two of them should keep a low profile. In order to achieve that purpose, there are only two choices: that he play what Cyrus considers a completely improbable role of Eugenia's assistant, or that he play what Eugenia considers an utterly improbable role as her lover.
This contemporary, romantic-suspense novel contains the following popular romance tropes:
Fake dating
Forced proximity
Opposites attract
Slow burn
Enemies to lovers
This story is told in a conventional manner for mainstream romance with the the point of view of both the MMC and the FMC. But because it is romantic suspense, periodically the POV of the Big Bad is included as well.
From the start of the story and throughout the entire middle of it, it was off-putting to me that the manner in which the "enemies to lovers" trope is created is, for me personally, the worst possible way: Eugenia is constantly, rudely abrasive to Cyrus, who never has a harsh word to say to her in return. It's not that he's a doormat, it's just that he lets her meanness roll off his back even, sometimes, finding it more amusing than offensive. Regardless of his, not just tolerance, but outright acceptance of her personality, to the point of liking her as well as lusting after her, I had a hard time accepting that his falling for her is a psychologically healthy choice.
It was also difficult for me to imagine what these two could ever have in common, since they are opposites in every possible way. In order for the "opposites attract" trope to truly succeed, by the end of the novel, the reader should be thoroughly convinced that, underneath all the conflict-producing issues of these two polarized personalities, that their values and life goals are well aligned. Sadly, very few romance novels utilizing this trope successfully manage this important feat, and this novel is one of the ones that didn't quite convince me that these two people are soulmates.
What saved the novel for me is Cyrus. He has admirable personal ethics that include: honesty, loyalty, self-discipline, and perseverance. He is fully capable of making important relationship commitments and keeping them. Because Cyrus is one of the very few MMCs that JAK has ever created who is younger than 39, this possibly explains why he does not have a harsh, cynical outlook on life. He is strong on the outside but a total Cinnamon Roll on the inside. One of the things that makes Cyrus particularly appealing in this story is his relationship with his 18-year-old nephew by marriage, Rick. For the past 5 years, after Rick's parents divorced, and his bio-dad abandoned him, Cyrus has acted as a father figure to Rick. We get to know Rick quite well, because he becomes an important subcharacter in this novel when he opts to join Cyrus on Frog Cove Island for the summer. His relationship with Cyrus is an onstage demonstration of what a thoroughly decent human being Cyrus is.
As for Eugenia, other than her friendship with her missing, and presumed dead, friend, which is used as motivation for her to become an amateur sleuth, there is not even a cute rescue terrier (a common feature of many of the novels by JAK) to soften her abrasiveness and render her more appealing.
Regarding the suspense portion of this novel, there is one major villain and several intermediary villains. They do not take up a huge amount of page space. Having a mild level of risk is not necessarily a turnoff for me personally. I mostly read JAK novels for the romance. So I am not grading the novel down for that aspect.
Finally, though this novel at the present time, in 2024, is 26 years old, the only thing that dates it at all is the lack of the internet and ubiquitous cell phones. But situations in which their lack would be extremely noticeable did not come up very often in this story.
When I previously read this novel, I gave it 4 stars. This time around, for the above reasons, it was a 3-star experience for me.
Eugenia Swift is the 30-year-old, never-married, happily single director of the Leafbrook Glass Museum in Seattle. She is not only a renowned expert on glass art in her professional life, in her personal life she is a connoisseur and collector of that art form. In the process, she has converted her upscale condo into her own private museum, in which she displays her glass art on spotlighted pedestals. When an extremely wealthy, eccentric collector of rare glass art named Adam Daventry dies from an accidental fall, and his entire collection of glass art is willed to the Leabrook Glass Museum, Eugenia receives the career-advancing, and personally pleasing, assignment of traveling to Frog Cove Island, an artists' haven near Seattle, to catalog his art collection.
Unfortunately, this is not a 100% positive opportunity for Eugenia for two reasons. First, a brilliant, 20-something artist named Nelly Grant, who was a coworker and close friend of Eugenia, and who had briefly been Daventry's lover and art protégée, is presumed dead from a boating accident, though no body has been found. Eugenia is determined to find out what actually happened to Nellie, but she doesn't want anyone else to know about her quest, because they might get in her way. Second, due to the fact that Daventry may have, in fact, been murdered, rather than suffering from an accidental fall down the stairs in his mansion while intoxicated, her boss, the chief administrator of the Leabrook Foundation, insists that Eugenia take along a bodyguard in the form of 35-year-old Cyrus Chandler Colfax, a rough-hewn private investigator, whose constant attire is garish Hawaiian shirts, and whose idea of appealing art is a pedestrian seascape that matches the color of his couch.
Eugenia and her boss are unaware that Cyrus has his own hidden agenda. Three years ago, while transporting a 2,000-year-old piece of glass sculpture called the Hades cup to its new owner after a secret auction, his business partner, Damien March, shot Cyrus, murdered his wife, who had been having an affair with Damien, and stole the Hades cup. Cyrus has been keeping feelers out for the Hades cup ever since and is convinced that it was stolen from March sometime in the past year and ended up in the hands of Daventry. Cyrus believes that Daventry stashed it somewhere in his mansion, and being there as a bodyguard will give him a chance to search for it. In service of that goal, Cyrus is in complete agreement with Eugenia and her boss that the two of them should keep a low profile. In order to achieve that purpose, there are only two choices: that he play what Cyrus considers a completely improbable role of Eugenia's assistant, or that he play what Eugenia considers an utterly improbable role as her lover.
This contemporary, romantic-suspense novel contains the following popular romance tropes:
Fake dating
Forced proximity
Opposites attract
Slow burn
Enemies to lovers
This story is told in a conventional manner for mainstream romance with the the point of view of both the MMC and the FMC. But because it is romantic suspense, periodically the POV of the Big Bad is included as well.
From the start of the story and throughout the entire middle of it, it was off-putting to me that the manner in which the "enemies to lovers" trope is created is, for me personally, the worst possible way: Eugenia is constantly, rudely abrasive to Cyrus, who never has a harsh word to say to her in return. It's not that he's a doormat, it's just that he lets her meanness roll off his back even, sometimes, finding it more amusing than offensive. Regardless of his, not just tolerance, but outright acceptance of her personality, to the point of liking her as well as lusting after her, I had a hard time accepting that his falling for her is a psychologically healthy choice.
It was also difficult for me to imagine what these two could ever have in common, since they are opposites in every possible way. In order for the "opposites attract" trope to truly succeed, by the end of the novel, the reader should be thoroughly convinced that, underneath all the conflict-producing issues of these two polarized personalities, that their values and life goals are well aligned. Sadly, very few romance novels utilizing this trope successfully manage this important feat, and this novel is one of the ones that didn't quite convince me that these two people are soulmates.
What saved the novel for me is Cyrus. He has admirable personal ethics that include: honesty, loyalty, self-discipline, and perseverance. He is fully capable of making important relationship commitments and keeping them. Because Cyrus is one of the very few MMCs that JAK has ever created who is younger than 39, this possibly explains why he does not have a harsh, cynical outlook on life. He is strong on the outside but a total Cinnamon Roll on the inside. One of the things that makes Cyrus particularly appealing in this story is his relationship with his 18-year-old nephew by marriage, Rick. For the past 5 years, after Rick's parents divorced, and his bio-dad abandoned him, Cyrus has acted as a father figure to Rick. We get to know Rick quite well, because he becomes an important subcharacter in this novel when he opts to join Cyrus on Frog Cove Island for the summer. His relationship with Cyrus is an onstage demonstration of what a thoroughly decent human being Cyrus is.
As for Eugenia, other than her friendship with her missing, and presumed dead, friend, which is used as motivation for her to become an amateur sleuth, there is not even a cute rescue terrier (a common feature of many of the novels by JAK) to soften her abrasiveness and render her more appealing.
Regarding the suspense portion of this novel, there is one major villain and several intermediary villains. They do not take up a huge amount of page space. Having a mild level of risk is not necessarily a turnoff for me personally. I mostly read JAK novels for the romance. So I am not grading the novel down for that aspect.
Finally, though this novel at the present time, in 2024, is 26 years old, the only thing that dates it at all is the lack of the internet and ubiquitous cell phones. But situations in which their lack would be extremely noticeable did not come up very often in this story.
When I previously read this novel, I gave it 4 stars. This time around, for the above reasons, it was a 3-star experience for me.
October 3, 2024
Serviceable, contemporary, romantic suspense from 1998
Eugenia Swift is the 30-year-old, never-married, happily single director of the Leafbrook Glass Museum in Seattle. She is not only a renowned expert on glass art in her professional life, in her personal life she is a connoisseur and collector of that art form. In the process, she has converted her upscale condo into her own private museum, in which she displays her glass art on spotlighted pedestals. When an extremely wealthy, eccentric collector of rare glass art named Adam Daventry dies from an accidental fall, and his entire collection of glass art is willed to the Leabrook Glass Museum, Eugenia receives the career-advancing, and personally pleasing, assignment of traveling to Frog Cove Island, an artists' haven near Seattle, to catalog his art collection.
Unfortunately, this is not a 100% positive opportunity for Eugenia for two reasons. First, a brilliant, 20-something artist named Nelly Grant, who was a coworker and close friend of Eugenia, and who had briefly been Daventry's lover and art protege, is presumed dead from a boating accident, though no body has been found. Eugenia is determined to find out what actually happened to Nellie, but she doesn't want anyone else to know about her quest, because they might get in her way. Second, due to the fact that Daventry may have, in fact, been murdered, rather than suffering from an accidental fall down the stairs in his mansion while intoxicated, her boss, the chief administrator of the Leabrook Foundation, insists that Eugenia take along a bodyguard in the form of 35-year-old Cyrus Chandler Colfax, a rough-hewn private investigator, whose constant attire is garish Hawaiian shirts, and whose idea of appealing art is a pedestrian seascape that matches the color of his couch.
Eugenia and her boss are unaware that Cyrus has his own hidden agenda. Three years ago, while transporting a 2,000-year-old piece of glass sculpture called the Hades cup to its new owner after a secret auction, his business partner, Damien March, shot Cyrus, murdered his wife, who had been having an affair with Damien, and stole the Hades cup. Cyrus has been keeping feelers out for the Hades cup ever since and is convinced that it was stolen from March sometime in the past year and ended up in the hands of Daventry. Cyrus believes that Daventry stashed it somewhere in his mansion, and being there as a bodyguard will give him a chance to search for it. In service of that goal, Cyrus is in complete agreement with Eugenia and her boss that the two of them should keep a low profile. In order to achieve that purpose, there are only two choices: that he play what Cyrus considers a completely improbable role of Eugenia's assistant, or that he play what Eugenia considers and utterly improbable role as her lover.
This contemporary, romantic-suspense novel contains the following popular romance tropes:
Fake dating
Forced proximity
Opposites attract
Slow burn
Enemies to lovers
This story is told in a conventional manner for mainstream romance with the the point of view of both the MMC and the FMC. But because it is romantic suspense, periodically the POV of the Big Bad is included as well.
From the start of the story and throughout the entire middle of it, it was off-putting to me that the manner in which the "enemies to lover" trope is created is, for me personally, the worst possible way: Eugenia is constantly, rudely abrasive to Cyrus, who never has a harsh word to say to her in return. It's not that he's a doormat, it's just that he lets her meanness roll off his back. Regardless of his not just tolerance, but acceptance of her personality to the point of liking her as well as lusting after her, I had a hard time accepting that is falling for her is is a psychologically healthy choice. It was also difficult for me to imagine what these two could ever have in common, since they are opposites in every possible way. In order for this secondary popular trope to work, by the end of the novel, the reader should be thoroughly convinced we are supposed that, underneath all the surface issues of these two polarized personalities, that their values and life goals are very similar. It is definitely true that very few romance novels utilizing this trope successfully manage this important feat, and this novel is one of the ones that didn't quite convince me that these two people are soulmates.
What saved the novel for me is Cyrus. He has admirable personal ethics that include: honesty, loyalty, self-discipline, and perseverance. He is fully capable of making important relationship commitments and keeping them. Because Cyrus is one of the very few MMCs that JAK has ever created who is younger than 39, this possibly explains why he does not have a harsh, cynical outlook on life. He is strong on the outside but a total Cinnamon Roll on the inside. One of the things that makes Cyrus particularly appealing in this story is his relationship with his 18-year-old nephew by marriage, Rick. For the past 5 years, after Rick's parents divorced, and his bio-dad abandoned him, Cyrus has acted as a father figure to Rick. We get to know Rick quite well, because he becomes an important subcharacter in this novel when he opts to join Cyrus on Frog Cove Island for the summer. His relationship with Cyrus is an onstage demonstration of what a thoroughly decent human being Cyrus is.
As for Eugenia, other than her friendship with her missing, and presumed dead, friend, which is used as motivation for her to become an amateur sleuth, there is not even a cute rescue terrier (a common feature of many of the novels by JAK) to soften her abrasiveness and render her more appealing.
Regarding the suspense portion of this novel, there is one major villain and several intermediary villains. They do not take up a huge amount of page space. Having a mild level of risk is not necessarily a turnoff for me personally. I mostly read JAK novels for the romance. So I am not grading the novel down for that aspect.
Finally, though this novel at the present time, in 2024, is 26 years old, the only thing that dates it at all is the lack of the internet and ubiquitous cell phones. But situations in which their lack would be extremely noticeable did not come up very often in this story.
When I previously read this novel, I gave it 4 stars. This time around, for the above reasons, it was a 3-star experience for me.
Eugenia Swift is the 30-year-old, never-married, happily single director of the Leafbrook Glass Museum in Seattle. She is not only a renowned expert on glass art in her professional life, in her personal life she is a connoisseur and collector of that art form. In the process, she has converted her upscale condo into her own private museum, in which she displays her glass art on spotlighted pedestals. When an extremely wealthy, eccentric collector of rare glass art named Adam Daventry dies from an accidental fall, and his entire collection of glass art is willed to the Leabrook Glass Museum, Eugenia receives the career-advancing, and personally pleasing, assignment of traveling to Frog Cove Island, an artists' haven near Seattle, to catalog his art collection.
Unfortunately, this is not a 100% positive opportunity for Eugenia for two reasons. First, a brilliant, 20-something artist named Nelly Grant, who was a coworker and close friend of Eugenia, and who had briefly been Daventry's lover and art protege, is presumed dead from a boating accident, though no body has been found. Eugenia is determined to find out what actually happened to Nellie, but she doesn't want anyone else to know about her quest, because they might get in her way. Second, due to the fact that Daventry may have, in fact, been murdered, rather than suffering from an accidental fall down the stairs in his mansion while intoxicated, her boss, the chief administrator of the Leabrook Foundation, insists that Eugenia take along a bodyguard in the form of 35-year-old Cyrus Chandler Colfax, a rough-hewn private investigator, whose constant attire is garish Hawaiian shirts, and whose idea of appealing art is a pedestrian seascape that matches the color of his couch.
Eugenia and her boss are unaware that Cyrus has his own hidden agenda. Three years ago, while transporting a 2,000-year-old piece of glass sculpture called the Hades cup to its new owner after a secret auction, his business partner, Damien March, shot Cyrus, murdered his wife, who had been having an affair with Damien, and stole the Hades cup. Cyrus has been keeping feelers out for the Hades cup ever since and is convinced that it was stolen from March sometime in the past year and ended up in the hands of Daventry. Cyrus believes that Daventry stashed it somewhere in his mansion, and being there as a bodyguard will give him a chance to search for it. In service of that goal, Cyrus is in complete agreement with Eugenia and her boss that the two of them should keep a low profile. In order to achieve that purpose, there are only two choices: that he play what Cyrus considers a completely improbable role of Eugenia's assistant, or that he play what Eugenia considers and utterly improbable role as her lover.
This contemporary, romantic-suspense novel contains the following popular romance tropes:
Fake dating
Forced proximity
Opposites attract
Slow burn
Enemies to lovers
This story is told in a conventional manner for mainstream romance with the the point of view of both the MMC and the FMC. But because it is romantic suspense, periodically the POV of the Big Bad is included as well.
From the start of the story and throughout the entire middle of it, it was off-putting to me that the manner in which the "enemies to lover" trope is created is, for me personally, the worst possible way: Eugenia is constantly, rudely abrasive to Cyrus, who never has a harsh word to say to her in return. It's not that he's a doormat, it's just that he lets her meanness roll off his back. Regardless of his not just tolerance, but acceptance of her personality to the point of liking her as well as lusting after her, I had a hard time accepting that is falling for her is is a psychologically healthy choice. It was also difficult for me to imagine what these two could ever have in common, since they are opposites in every possible way. In order for this secondary popular trope to work, by the end of the novel, the reader should be thoroughly convinced we are supposed that, underneath all the surface issues of these two polarized personalities, that their values and life goals are very similar. It is definitely true that very few romance novels utilizing this trope successfully manage this important feat, and this novel is one of the ones that didn't quite convince me that these two people are soulmates.
What saved the novel for me is Cyrus. He has admirable personal ethics that include: honesty, loyalty, self-discipline, and perseverance. He is fully capable of making important relationship commitments and keeping them. Because Cyrus is one of the very few MMCs that JAK has ever created who is younger than 39, this possibly explains why he does not have a harsh, cynical outlook on life. He is strong on the outside but a total Cinnamon Roll on the inside. One of the things that makes Cyrus particularly appealing in this story is his relationship with his 18-year-old nephew by marriage, Rick. For the past 5 years, after Rick's parents divorced, and his bio-dad abandoned him, Cyrus has acted as a father figure to Rick. We get to know Rick quite well, because he becomes an important subcharacter in this novel when he opts to join Cyrus on Frog Cove Island for the summer. His relationship with Cyrus is an onstage demonstration of what a thoroughly decent human being Cyrus is.
As for Eugenia, other than her friendship with her missing, and presumed dead, friend, which is used as motivation for her to become an amateur sleuth, there is not even a cute rescue terrier (a common feature of many of the novels by JAK) to soften her abrasiveness and render her more appealing.
Regarding the suspense portion of this novel, there is one major villain and several intermediary villains. They do not take up a huge amount of page space. Having a mild level of risk is not necessarily a turnoff for me personally. I mostly read JAK novels for the romance. So I am not grading the novel down for that aspect.
Finally, though this novel at the present time, in 2024, is 26 years old, the only thing that dates it at all is the lack of the internet and ubiquitous cell phones. But situations in which their lack would be extremely noticeable did not come up very often in this story.
When I previously read this novel, I gave it 4 stars. This time around, for the above reasons, it was a 3-star experience for me.
February 21, 2022
☆4.2
ミステリーがメインだけど後半は特に物語に引き込まれた。
複数の出来事や人間関係が上手く絡み合ってハッピーエンドに収まる所がとてもお上手で読後感がとても良かったし、ヒーローの精神年齢が高い所が素敵で甥とのやり取りは尊敬してしまった。
やっぱりクレンツ先生の昔の作品は私好みだなぁ。
その中ではベストではないかもですが、とても良い出来の一つだと思った。
Myベストは「優しい週末Absolutely positively」で「愛と運命にさまよいFamily man」や「Grand passion愛の遺産」も楽しかった記憶あり。
他にこの時代のクレンツ先生作品で読んでない名作はないか探してみる予定。
ミステリーがメインだけど後半は特に物語に引き込まれた。
複数の出来事や人間関係が上手く絡み合ってハッピーエンドに収まる所がとてもお上手で読後感がとても良かったし、ヒーローの精神年齢が高い所が素敵で甥とのやり取りは尊敬してしまった。
やっぱりクレンツ先生の昔の作品は私好みだなぁ。
その中ではベストではないかもですが、とても良い出来の一つだと思った。
Myベストは「優しい週末Absolutely positively」で「愛と運命にさまよいFamily man」や「Grand passion愛の遺産」も楽しかった記憶あり。
他にこの時代のクレンツ先生作品で読んでない名作はないか探してみる予定。
June 8, 2025
Enjoyable read. She was a bit rash in her decision-making (however true to what she was saying, she was indeed able to save herself when needed) and he was a bit, well uncommunicative (when it comes to being open about his feelings) and overall not brilliant and reassuring her, but they made it work so yay and it truly was a fun dynamic to read with their sarcastic banter and all.
July 8, 2018
Re-read this for the fourth time in july, 2018. Still a great story.
July 21, 2019
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
August 25, 2019
Krentz shows a deep appreciation of glass art.
September 22, 2021
Good characters but a little bit convoluted. Descriptions of the art were wonderful but hearing how intuitive Eugenia was and all of grand pappy Beau's sayings got a little old after a while.
May 10, 2024
Enjoyed the story
Pretty good book. I really liked the characters.Ms Krentz always has just enough humor in her books to lighten up the storyline.
Pretty good book. I really liked the characters.Ms Krentz always has just enough humor in her books to lighten up the storyline.
September 1, 2025
Suspense, taut plotting, and the fascinating world of art glass combine with an unlikely hero-heroine pairing in Sharp Edges. On the surface, Eugenia and Cyrus are nothing alike: she’s a sophisticated museum director with a passion for art glass, while he’s a a private detective who dresses in loud Hawaiian shirts. She’s impatient and headstrong; he’s self-controlled and doggedly patient, a self-described “tortoise” rather than a “hare.” I was skeptical of their attraction to each other at first, but as I got to know each one better, I realized along with them that they share some fundamental traits: loyalty, a sense of responsibility and of justice, determination, commitment, honor, and strength of character. Those shared characteristics make the pairing work despite their surface differences– and their initially conflicting agendas.
While the focus is strongly on Eugenia and Cyrus and the dual mysteries they are trying to solve, the secondary characters are well-drawn and, in the case of Cyrus’s nephew Rick, engaging as well. Cyrus’s relationship with Rick does a lot to establish and deepen his character, but despite the fact that he doesn’t get a lot of page time, I liked young Rick as well. He’s a kid on the cusp of manhood, trying to find his feet. I’d love to know what he did with his life (hint to Ms. Krentz: he’d be about 36 now, just the right age to be the hero in his own book!)
The plot twists and turns in true JAK style, and overall, it’s well-constructed. I did feel there was a weakness in one character’s actions and her explanation of them, and the villain’s methods aren’t clearly laid out, but those are minor quibbles that didn’t keep me from enjoying the story. And the book holds up quite well despite its age (it was published in 1998.) Sharp Edges is a solid entry in the Krentz canon.
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
While the focus is strongly on Eugenia and Cyrus and the dual mysteries they are trying to solve, the secondary characters are well-drawn and, in the case of Cyrus’s nephew Rick, engaging as well. Cyrus’s relationship with Rick does a lot to establish and deepen his character, but despite the fact that he doesn’t get a lot of page time, I liked young Rick as well. He’s a kid on the cusp of manhood, trying to find his feet. I’d love to know what he did with his life (hint to Ms. Krentz: he’d be about 36 now, just the right age to be the hero in his own book!)
The plot twists and turns in true JAK style, and overall, it’s well-constructed. I did feel there was a weakness in one character’s actions and her explanation of them, and the villain’s methods aren’t clearly laid out, but those are minor quibbles that didn’t keep me from enjoying the story. And the book holds up quite well despite its age (it was published in 1998.) Sharp Edges is a solid entry in the Krentz canon.
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
October 6, 2022
MY RATING GUIDE: 4 Stars.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
SHARP EDGES is a light, quick, easy to read Opposites Attract standalone Contemporary Suspense novel by one of my favorite authors Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle/Amanda Quick. This is an “Oldie” but I enjoy it for its simplicity (in our dark & confused world, I find myself preferring lighter reads).
SHARP EDGES is perfect as an “escape” or Summer read- nothing complicated or too complex. Rather, it’s a Proximity/Danger setting (one of my favorite tropes) with an alpha, protective MMC, an intelligent and spirited FMC, a mystery ending with HEA. I enjoy the snappy dialogue Krentz includes in her novels and I often find myself finishing with a smile. This was a reread for me and I am sure it won’t be my last time.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
SHARP EDGES is a light, quick, easy to read Opposites Attract standalone Contemporary Suspense novel by one of my favorite authors Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle/Amanda Quick. This is an “Oldie” but I enjoy it for its simplicity (in our dark & confused world, I find myself preferring lighter reads).
SHARP EDGES is perfect as an “escape” or Summer read- nothing complicated or too complex. Rather, it’s a Proximity/Danger setting (one of my favorite tropes) with an alpha, protective MMC, an intelligent and spirited FMC, a mystery ending with HEA. I enjoy the snappy dialogue Krentz includes in her novels and I often find myself finishing with a smile. This was a reread for me and I am sure it won’t be my last time.
July 16, 2018
Am I the only one who thinks it's strange that Jayne Ann Krentz continually does this thing where she has the villain show up at the end of the book and go on a 10-page extravaganza of exposition about his big plan for villainy while he holds a gun on the hero and heroine? I'm sorry, but if two people stood in the way of something I wanted and I had a gun, why wouldn't I just shoot them if that's what I intended all along? Why would I need to talk them to death when I have a gun? It's just utterly ridiculous. This trend in her writing really spoils an otherwise good book.
July 23, 2014
My great-grandmother gave my mom this book back in 1997, and I picked it up and happened to see a tidbit in the middle. :) This was the first romance novel I ever read. I read it at least once a year since, The differences and electric sexual friction between Eugenia and Cyrus are amazing to read about. After 17 years, you'd think I'd be tired of reading this book, but I kid you not, once a year I pick it up and remember the time when I was 10 and fell in love with reading romance novels.
May 11, 2016
From the first moment I really loved Eugenia . A strong , resourceful, so wonderfully snobby . I also would have loved Cyrus but his blindness to his ex-wife was so annoying. Of course, then his eyes opened ... but up to that point was sensation ( murder , theft ) , romance ( they so much to each other did not fit) , but with each side fascination from the side of Cyrus and prejudice from the side of Eugenia changed for a feeling, trust, understanding .
August 3, 2021
Faced with tasks I hate - cleaning the kitchen especially things like the refrigerator and freezer say - I typically get an audio book to make the task a bit easier to get excited about. Sharp Edges answered the call. Think Perry Mason with a bit of romance. Not a book I’ll remember years, months, or even a few weeks from now. But boy does my kitchen sparkle.
March 2, 2016
Excellent couldn't put it down.
Read
July 20, 20163 years previous-Cyrus Chandler Colfax was in business with Damien March and married to Katy. Damien had the connections to make March & Colfax Security profitable but Colfax didn't trust March and had decided after 6 months that this was his last job with March. They were to deliver a glass bowl depicting Hades and Persephone to a customer when Colfax was shot in the shoulder. March disappeared with the bowl. He cleaned out the company bank account and Katy was murdered.
Cyrus had taken it upon himself to be almost like a father to his late wife's nephew, Rick. He threatened the boy's dad, Jake Tasker, to show up at his high school graduation with thanks from his late wife's sister, Meredith.
Colfax was still in business, now alone, and worked private, high paying security details. He was also almost obsessed with finding out what happened to the bowl. He was hired by Tabitha Leabrook who's foundation endowed a museum run by Eugenia Swift. The museum was known for it's glass collection. Colfax had been hired to investigate the death of a contributor to the museum, Adam Coventry. Eugenia was to go to his house and log in his glass collection and Colfax was to go with her to keep an eye on her and investigate his death. The executors of his estate wanted to be sure his death was an accident. Adam had died and his wife, Nellie Grant, was missing and assumed drowned although her body had never been found. Nellie was a friend of Eugenia's and Eugenia wanted some answers concerning her death. Eugenia was not going just to look into the glass collection. Tabitha was her boss so she had to do as she was told and take Colfax with her to Frog Cove Island. Eugenia was attracted to Cyrus and didn't like that either.
Damien Marsh now lived on a Caribbean Island and was keeping an eye on Colfax. He was under the impression that Adam had the Hades bowl and Colfax would find it. After Marsh retrieved the bowl, Cyrus would die this time. Damien had also decided to use some information he had on Colfax to try and blackmail Zachary Elland Chandler II who was running for the Senate. Someone knew that Zachary had a son who had been the result of an affair he had when he was younger. He didn't want that information to leak before the election and he didn't know how his family would take the fact that he had another son that he had never acknowledged. Zachary began to do some research on his end to find out if the blackmailer was that son. Damien didn't ask for money. He informed Zachary that he wanted someone in power to do him favors when asked.
They arrived at Adam's house and were surprised that the caretaker wasn't there to meet them. Eugenia had a hard time sleeping that night and got up to notice that someone was in the house. She thought it might be Cyrus and yelled. This woke up Cyrus and scared off the intruder. They did some further inspecting of the house and found the caretaker dead in the wine cellar. They called the police and while they were waiting, they talked. Cyrus told Eugenia he was there to find the Hades cup and she told him she was there to investigate the death of her former employee and friend, Nellie. Nellie had complained of Adam's behavior and drug usage.
They went into town the next day and their cover for being there was supposed to be with Cyrus as Eugenia's assistant but that didn't seem to be working to Cyrus pretended that he was there as Eugenia's lover. Eugenia was angry and first but Cyrus was more angry and his decisions being questioned. He kissed Eugenia in anger and she responded by returning the kiss to the surprise of them both. They were in their car and were being watched by the locals.
When the kiss was over, Eugenia spotted a painting of Nellie's in a local shop. They went into the gallery and ended up purchasing the painting from the owner, Fenella Weeks, and asking about the artist. They got home and tried to contact her. They went out to dinner a few days later and the artist came in and confronted Eugenia in the restroom. She told Eugenia to stay away from her. Eugenia followed her out of the restaurant and found that she had fallen into the icy water off the Puget Sound and was unconscious. Eugenia tried to get to her with a life preserver and ended up falling in herself. They were both rescued and Rhonda Price was taken to a hospital on the mainland. Eugenia had saved her life. Cyrus took Eugenia home and they made love that night.
Cyrus and Eugenia had talked at dinner and Eugenia told Cyrus about her parents divorce. Her father had cheated on her mother with one of his grad students. He was a professor of sociology at a small college. Eugenia found out that Cyrus wife had cheated on him with Damien Marsh before Damien had killed her. Damien had been raised by his grandparents after his mother, Jessica, their only child had died.
Eugenia was in town a few days later and purchased a piece of glass created by a local artist, Jacob Houston. She purchased a piece of his glass at the art gallery where she purchased the picture that Rhonda had placed there. She saw Rhonda get off the ferry and followed her home.
Rhonda had returned to the island to pack up her things and leave. She confronted Rhonda about the picture and Rhonda told Eugenia that she had taken two portraits from Glass House and it was she who broke in the first night they arrived to look for the additional portraits. She knew there were four and she only had two. She wanted them for the money they would bring her. She told Eugenia that she was leaving because someone was trying to kill her and she had been knocked into the bay. She was at the house the night that Adam was killed but she didn't know what she saw that would have led someone to believe she was a threat. Eugenia let her leave and gave her Cyrus' business card if she found out she needed help.
Eugenia was getting into her car when she noticed that the bag containing the glass piece had been smashed and a note was left telling her to leave Rhonda alone. Cyrus had come looking for Eugenia and found her at Rhonda's. They deduced that whoever had smashed the glass piece didn't know what was in the bag. It was clear that Rhonda had someone watching over her and Cyrus went to the local coffee shop for gossip in order to find out who that was. He quickly found out that it was the local artist who created the glass piece and he went home to tell Eugenia.
Rick, his nephew had come to see Cyrus and he was helping go through the files in Adam's house. He found blueprints of the house and he and Cyrus started measuring the rooms in the house so see where they were off so they could find a hidden safe.
Later, Cyrus went to see Jacob and found out that he was watching Rhonda. He was in love with her but Rhonda treated him as a friend. He didn't know that he had destroyed one of his glass pieces and was upset about that. Cyrus talked with him a while and convinced him that he was ready to help Rhonda if she needed it. Jacob eventually believed him and they parted as friends rather than enemies.
The next evening, he received a call from Jacob that Rhonda's place had been trashed. Cyrus went to pick up Jacob at his house and found two people trying to set his workshop on fire and Jacob knocked out inside. He chased off the two guys and took Jacob home for the night. The next day, he called one of his employee's and had Rick go back to Seattle with him. The guy that worked with Cyrus took over watching Eugenia went to the festival to talk to some of the artists. She noticed a portrait that she liked in the gallery and went to check it out. She didn't see Fenella so she looked in the back room. She didn't see Fenella but she noticed a work of art that disturbed her. She had seen a similar work in the Glass House where there was a piece of artwork from each of Adam Daventry's past mistresses. She left the back room but had cut herself. Fenella came in and Eugenia exited the gallery as soon as she could. She went home to see if the work was really the same as the one in the Glass House. Fenella had followed her and came into the room with a gun. She took a shot at Eugenia and missed. Eugenia hid around the pedestals until the opportunity came to jump her in the dark. Eugenia knocked her out after she admitted to pushing Adam down the stairs and killing the caretaker because he saw the push. Eugenia was blackmailing Adam because she knew he had the Hades cup. She had also just gotten angry and Rhonda and had hit her and knocked her into the bay. Fenella was semiconscious when the sheriff arrived and was mumbling stuff but no one took her seriously and no one was listening to her. It appeared that she had lost it after being knocked out. She was on her way to a sanitarium.
Cyrus returned home with Rick and Rick told Cyrus that he wanted to go into the security business with him. Cyrus was proud but told him that they would talk about it again after he completed a year of college. He would let Rick work for him the following summer and see how it went.
They went ahead and finished measuring the basement section of the house and found the safe hidden in the wine cellar portion. Someone else had opened the safe. They found the fourth picture of Nellie's set of four. It was a painting of the Hades cup rather than the cup itself.
Eugenia looked closely at the painting the next morning. She realized that the background was that of her own fireplace. She had wondered why Nellie had come to visit her for such a short time after Adam's death. Her fireplace had not been finished and she had left the next day when she had apparently been knocked overboard off her boat and died. Eugenia and Cyrus now thought that she had placed the painting in the safe to replace the Hades cup. She had taken the cup and hid it in Eugenia's home where she would retrieve it later. Cyrus and Eugenia headed off the island and went to Eugenia's home. The were working on opening up where they thought the Hades cup was when someone knocked on the door. It was Damien March and Nellie.
Damien had Nellie frightened. Nellie didn't realize that Eugenia cared enough about her to try and find her. She had left the Hades cup to her in her will. She had thought that everyone would believe she was dead. Damien's employee's had found her in Vegas. Damien told Cyrus that he was the one who had hired him to find the Hades cup that was in Adam's possession.
Damien approached Cyrus and asked him for the cup out of the fireplace. Cyrus had hidden his gun in the fireplace when he heard his voice as Eugenia opened the door. He took the cup out and rolled it carefully over the floor. March took his eyes off the women and Cyrus giving Cyrus enough time to reach into the fireplace and shoot Damien. The Hades cup was now in possession by the Leabrook Museum but Tabitha agreed that they wouldn't keep it. It would be returned to Cyrus' client.
Cyrus looked through Damien's computer and found out that March was attempting to blackmail his father. Cyrus went to see him expecting to be paid off. Zachery told Cyrus that he never knew about him. Cyrus' mother had died when he was just a few months old and had no one had ever told him that he had a son. Cyrus told Zachery that March was trying to blackmail him and that he was dead. He also told him that March had killed his wife.
Zachery asked Cyrus why he had never contacted him when he found out who his father was and Cyrus told him that he knew he was in politics and there didn't seem to be any point. Zachery told Cyrus that he just showed up to save him from a political nightmare and he didn't believe that he didn't want anything in return. Cyrus expected him to be offered a payoff to leave. Cyrus wife then walked in and introduced herself. She told Cyrus that she was pleased to meet her husband's eldest son as were their two children.
Cyrus returned to Eugenia who told him that she was in love with him. Cyrus in return told Eugenia that he was in love with her.
Cyrus left to return the Hades cup to his client. Eugenia was at the museum's opening for their glass exhibition and she had received a call that Cyrus would be late. Cyrus came in holding the Hades cup. His client had agreed to let the Leabrook Foundation have the cup for it's museum.
Eugenia told Cyrus that she had picked up tickets for their honeymoon trip to Hawaii. Cyrus told Eugenia that he guessed that was a 'yes' to the question he had asked her before he left to return the Hades cup to his client.
Cyrus had taken it upon himself to be almost like a father to his late wife's nephew, Rick. He threatened the boy's dad, Jake Tasker, to show up at his high school graduation with thanks from his late wife's sister, Meredith.
Colfax was still in business, now alone, and worked private, high paying security details. He was also almost obsessed with finding out what happened to the bowl. He was hired by Tabitha Leabrook who's foundation endowed a museum run by Eugenia Swift. The museum was known for it's glass collection. Colfax had been hired to investigate the death of a contributor to the museum, Adam Coventry. Eugenia was to go to his house and log in his glass collection and Colfax was to go with her to keep an eye on her and investigate his death. The executors of his estate wanted to be sure his death was an accident. Adam had died and his wife, Nellie Grant, was missing and assumed drowned although her body had never been found. Nellie was a friend of Eugenia's and Eugenia wanted some answers concerning her death. Eugenia was not going just to look into the glass collection. Tabitha was her boss so she had to do as she was told and take Colfax with her to Frog Cove Island. Eugenia was attracted to Cyrus and didn't like that either.
Damien Marsh now lived on a Caribbean Island and was keeping an eye on Colfax. He was under the impression that Adam had the Hades bowl and Colfax would find it. After Marsh retrieved the bowl, Cyrus would die this time. Damien had also decided to use some information he had on Colfax to try and blackmail Zachary Elland Chandler II who was running for the Senate. Someone knew that Zachary had a son who had been the result of an affair he had when he was younger. He didn't want that information to leak before the election and he didn't know how his family would take the fact that he had another son that he had never acknowledged. Zachary began to do some research on his end to find out if the blackmailer was that son. Damien didn't ask for money. He informed Zachary that he wanted someone in power to do him favors when asked.
They arrived at Adam's house and were surprised that the caretaker wasn't there to meet them. Eugenia had a hard time sleeping that night and got up to notice that someone was in the house. She thought it might be Cyrus and yelled. This woke up Cyrus and scared off the intruder. They did some further inspecting of the house and found the caretaker dead in the wine cellar. They called the police and while they were waiting, they talked. Cyrus told Eugenia he was there to find the Hades cup and she told him she was there to investigate the death of her former employee and friend, Nellie. Nellie had complained of Adam's behavior and drug usage.
They went into town the next day and their cover for being there was supposed to be with Cyrus as Eugenia's assistant but that didn't seem to be working to Cyrus pretended that he was there as Eugenia's lover. Eugenia was angry and first but Cyrus was more angry and his decisions being questioned. He kissed Eugenia in anger and she responded by returning the kiss to the surprise of them both. They were in their car and were being watched by the locals.
When the kiss was over, Eugenia spotted a painting of Nellie's in a local shop. They went into the gallery and ended up purchasing the painting from the owner, Fenella Weeks, and asking about the artist. They got home and tried to contact her. They went out to dinner a few days later and the artist came in and confronted Eugenia in the restroom. She told Eugenia to stay away from her. Eugenia followed her out of the restaurant and found that she had fallen into the icy water off the Puget Sound and was unconscious. Eugenia tried to get to her with a life preserver and ended up falling in herself. They were both rescued and Rhonda Price was taken to a hospital on the mainland. Eugenia had saved her life. Cyrus took Eugenia home and they made love that night.
Cyrus and Eugenia had talked at dinner and Eugenia told Cyrus about her parents divorce. Her father had cheated on her mother with one of his grad students. He was a professor of sociology at a small college. Eugenia found out that Cyrus wife had cheated on him with Damien Marsh before Damien had killed her. Damien had been raised by his grandparents after his mother, Jessica, their only child had died.
Eugenia was in town a few days later and purchased a piece of glass created by a local artist, Jacob Houston. She purchased a piece of his glass at the art gallery where she purchased the picture that Rhonda had placed there. She saw Rhonda get off the ferry and followed her home.
Rhonda had returned to the island to pack up her things and leave. She confronted Rhonda about the picture and Rhonda told Eugenia that she had taken two portraits from Glass House and it was she who broke in the first night they arrived to look for the additional portraits. She knew there were four and she only had two. She wanted them for the money they would bring her. She told Eugenia that she was leaving because someone was trying to kill her and she had been knocked into the bay. She was at the house the night that Adam was killed but she didn't know what she saw that would have led someone to believe she was a threat. Eugenia let her leave and gave her Cyrus' business card if she found out she needed help.
Eugenia was getting into her car when she noticed that the bag containing the glass piece had been smashed and a note was left telling her to leave Rhonda alone. Cyrus had come looking for Eugenia and found her at Rhonda's. They deduced that whoever had smashed the glass piece didn't know what was in the bag. It was clear that Rhonda had someone watching over her and Cyrus went to the local coffee shop for gossip in order to find out who that was. He quickly found out that it was the local artist who created the glass piece and he went home to tell Eugenia.
Rick, his nephew had come to see Cyrus and he was helping go through the files in Adam's house. He found blueprints of the house and he and Cyrus started measuring the rooms in the house so see where they were off so they could find a hidden safe.
Later, Cyrus went to see Jacob and found out that he was watching Rhonda. He was in love with her but Rhonda treated him as a friend. He didn't know that he had destroyed one of his glass pieces and was upset about that. Cyrus talked with him a while and convinced him that he was ready to help Rhonda if she needed it. Jacob eventually believed him and they parted as friends rather than enemies.
The next evening, he received a call from Jacob that Rhonda's place had been trashed. Cyrus went to pick up Jacob at his house and found two people trying to set his workshop on fire and Jacob knocked out inside. He chased off the two guys and took Jacob home for the night. The next day, he called one of his employee's and had Rick go back to Seattle with him. The guy that worked with Cyrus took over watching Eugenia went to the festival to talk to some of the artists. She noticed a portrait that she liked in the gallery and went to check it out. She didn't see Fenella so she looked in the back room. She didn't see Fenella but she noticed a work of art that disturbed her. She had seen a similar work in the Glass House where there was a piece of artwork from each of Adam Daventry's past mistresses. She left the back room but had cut herself. Fenella came in and Eugenia exited the gallery as soon as she could. She went home to see if the work was really the same as the one in the Glass House. Fenella had followed her and came into the room with a gun. She took a shot at Eugenia and missed. Eugenia hid around the pedestals until the opportunity came to jump her in the dark. Eugenia knocked her out after she admitted to pushing Adam down the stairs and killing the caretaker because he saw the push. Eugenia was blackmailing Adam because she knew he had the Hades cup. She had also just gotten angry and Rhonda and had hit her and knocked her into the bay. Fenella was semiconscious when the sheriff arrived and was mumbling stuff but no one took her seriously and no one was listening to her. It appeared that she had lost it after being knocked out. She was on her way to a sanitarium.
Cyrus returned home with Rick and Rick told Cyrus that he wanted to go into the security business with him. Cyrus was proud but told him that they would talk about it again after he completed a year of college. He would let Rick work for him the following summer and see how it went.
They went ahead and finished measuring the basement section of the house and found the safe hidden in the wine cellar portion. Someone else had opened the safe. They found the fourth picture of Nellie's set of four. It was a painting of the Hades cup rather than the cup itself.
Eugenia looked closely at the painting the next morning. She realized that the background was that of her own fireplace. She had wondered why Nellie had come to visit her for such a short time after Adam's death. Her fireplace had not been finished and she had left the next day when she had apparently been knocked overboard off her boat and died. Eugenia and Cyrus now thought that she had placed the painting in the safe to replace the Hades cup. She had taken the cup and hid it in Eugenia's home where she would retrieve it later. Cyrus and Eugenia headed off the island and went to Eugenia's home. The were working on opening up where they thought the Hades cup was when someone knocked on the door. It was Damien March and Nellie.
Damien had Nellie frightened. Nellie didn't realize that Eugenia cared enough about her to try and find her. She had left the Hades cup to her in her will. She had thought that everyone would believe she was dead. Damien's employee's had found her in Vegas. Damien told Cyrus that he was the one who had hired him to find the Hades cup that was in Adam's possession.
Damien approached Cyrus and asked him for the cup out of the fireplace. Cyrus had hidden his gun in the fireplace when he heard his voice as Eugenia opened the door. He took the cup out and rolled it carefully over the floor. March took his eyes off the women and Cyrus giving Cyrus enough time to reach into the fireplace and shoot Damien. The Hades cup was now in possession by the Leabrook Museum but Tabitha agreed that they wouldn't keep it. It would be returned to Cyrus' client.
Cyrus looked through Damien's computer and found out that March was attempting to blackmail his father. Cyrus went to see him expecting to be paid off. Zachery told Cyrus that he never knew about him. Cyrus' mother had died when he was just a few months old and had no one had ever told him that he had a son. Cyrus told Zachery that March was trying to blackmail him and that he was dead. He also told him that March had killed his wife.
Zachery asked Cyrus why he had never contacted him when he found out who his father was and Cyrus told him that he knew he was in politics and there didn't seem to be any point. Zachery told Cyrus that he just showed up to save him from a political nightmare and he didn't believe that he didn't want anything in return. Cyrus expected him to be offered a payoff to leave. Cyrus wife then walked in and introduced herself. She told Cyrus that she was pleased to meet her husband's eldest son as were their two children.
Cyrus returned to Eugenia who told him that she was in love with him. Cyrus in return told Eugenia that he was in love with her.
Cyrus left to return the Hades cup to his client. Eugenia was at the museum's opening for their glass exhibition and she had received a call that Cyrus would be late. Cyrus came in holding the Hades cup. His client had agreed to let the Leabrook Foundation have the cup for it's museum.
Eugenia told Cyrus that she had picked up tickets for their honeymoon trip to Hawaii. Cyrus told Eugenia that he guessed that was a 'yes' to the question he had asked her before he left to return the Hades cup to his client.
July 19, 2021
I keep reading Jayne Ann Krentz, although her books are not very emotional and kind of stiff to me. She's a bit of a formulaic writer, both as Jayne Ann Krentz as well as Amanda Quick, but I like her Amanda Quick books better.
What I mean by formulaic is, each book will seize and revolve around a certain repeated theme, almost like she's bashing the reader about the head with it. In this book, it's Cyrus's loud Hawaiian print shirts (which are never explained) and his constant thoughts about how different he and Eugenia are and how she's so classy but he isn't. His lack of self-esteem grated.
Eugenia drives the plot; a lot of times she makes the first move, she apologises when they have misunderstandings, she tells him what she thinks of him and how she feels. I don't really feel that they are a good match. She gives him comfort and acceptance that he has never had, but I don't quite see what he is giving her. He's so laconic and sarcastic that I think he's closed up emotionally and she will have to keep drawing him out, which will end up being frustrating. I also don't feel that Cyrus's loud shirts will fit in Eugenia's refined artsy world, and it makes me wonder how long their relationship will last.
The plot is a bit convoluted but the whole point is to show that the two MCs both have a personal sense of honour and loyalty, and are strong people in their own right. I was really annoyed at the fact that they change the codes on the security system but Eugenia comes home and doesn't bother to lock the door, thus allowing an intruder to creep up on her. She's apprehensive and shocked, all the more reason to lock the damn door!
What I mean by formulaic is, each book will seize and revolve around a certain repeated theme, almost like she's bashing the reader about the head with it. In this book, it's Cyrus's loud Hawaiian print shirts (which are never explained) and his constant thoughts about how different he and Eugenia are and how she's so classy but he isn't. His lack of self-esteem grated.
Eugenia drives the plot; a lot of times she makes the first move, she apologises when they have misunderstandings, she tells him what she thinks of him and how she feels. I don't really feel that they are a good match. She gives him comfort and acceptance that he has never had, but I don't quite see what he is giving her. He's so laconic and sarcastic that I think he's closed up emotionally and she will have to keep drawing him out, which will end up being frustrating. I also don't feel that Cyrus's loud shirts will fit in Eugenia's refined artsy world, and it makes me wonder how long their relationship will last.
The plot is a bit convoluted but the whole point is to show that the two MCs both have a personal sense of honour and loyalty, and are strong people in their own right. I was really annoyed at the fact that they change the codes on the security system but Eugenia comes home and doesn't bother to lock the door, thus allowing an intruder to creep up on her. She's apprehensive and shocked, all the more reason to lock the damn door!
June 26, 2018
JAK books tend to be a hit or miss for me. This was a miss. It was just a bit too weird for me. Or maybe quirky is the right word?
The relationship between Eugenia and Cyrus was like the tortoise and the hare with Cyrus being the tortoise. Cyrus is someone who takes his time and tends to overthink things while Eugenia just rushes it.
Because of their personailty traits the book just didn't seem exciting. Eugenia is always stumbling onto a dead body or a dangerous situation because she wants answers now and if she waits, it's too late (Even though Cyrus tells her to wait and in one case, that it might even be dangerous). For the first few times, this might be ok but come on, you are the museum director which means you got brains. She's portrayed as a strong independent woman but her actions don't reflect it cause I would assume she would think before leaping. However, most of the time she's just reacting. Granted, she reacted smartly but still...
Also there was a lot of thinking in this book. Most JAK books have this and it usually helps move the story along. It didn't help much in this case because Cyrus exels at overthinking. He's so good at it that he predicts the reason his father is contacting him now and who the bad guy is. Which is awesome because that makes him good at his job but as a reader who is following the character around, it ruins the excitement and intrigue.
I feel like that sums up the book pretty well. It's a lot of reacting to situations rather than acting. As such, it's good but it didn't suck me into the story.
The relationship between Eugenia and Cyrus was like the tortoise and the hare with Cyrus being the tortoise. Cyrus is someone who takes his time and tends to overthink things while Eugenia just rushes it.
Because of their personailty traits the book just didn't seem exciting. Eugenia is always stumbling onto a dead body or a dangerous situation because she wants answers now and if she waits, it's too late (Even though Cyrus tells her to wait and in one case, that it might even be dangerous). For the first few times, this might be ok but come on, you are the museum director which means you got brains. She's portrayed as a strong independent woman but her actions don't reflect it cause I would assume she would think before leaping. However, most of the time she's just reacting. Granted, she reacted smartly but still...
Also there was a lot of thinking in this book. Most JAK books have this and it usually helps move the story along. It didn't help much in this case because Cyrus exels at overthinking. He's so good at it that he predicts the reason his father is contacting him now and who the bad guy is. Which is awesome because that makes him good at his job but as a reader who is following the character around, it ruins the excitement and intrigue.
I feel like that sums up the book pretty well. It's a lot of reacting to situations rather than acting. As such, it's good but it didn't suck me into the story.
July 8, 2017
Cyrus Chandler Colfax, a private investigator, is investigating the death of Adam Daventry, an artist who lives on Frog Cove Island. Cyrus is also trying to trace an ancient, valuable piece of glass art, the Hades Cup, that went missing after his partner in his security firm disappeared, and his wife got killed...by the partner.
Daventry fell down the stairs while giving a party at his house...was it an accident or was it murder? Eugenia Swift, director of the Leabrook Museum, is sent to Frog Cove Island to catalog the glass art Daventry left the museum. But Eugenia also wants to find out more about her friend Nellie Grant, who disappeared the day after Daventry died. Cyrus and Eugenia stay at Daventry's place, and in that time find the caretaker of the house dead, Nellie Grant's painting is being sold claiming another artist painted it, and a budding romance between Cyrus and Eugenia is filling in the rest of the time.
The working vacation at Frog Cove Island definitely was productive and then some. Eugenia got a great glass collection for her museum, she nearly missed being killed by an artist who thought she knew too much, and the question of Adam Daventry was answered. Cyrus not only finds where the Hades Cup was with the help of Eugenia, he also is in a near miss
of death when his old partner shows up with Nellie Grant. He even finally introduces himself to the father he's never met, and his future now looks promising with his marriage to Eugenia in the near future.
Daventry fell down the stairs while giving a party at his house...was it an accident or was it murder? Eugenia Swift, director of the Leabrook Museum, is sent to Frog Cove Island to catalog the glass art Daventry left the museum. But Eugenia also wants to find out more about her friend Nellie Grant, who disappeared the day after Daventry died. Cyrus and Eugenia stay at Daventry's place, and in that time find the caretaker of the house dead, Nellie Grant's painting is being sold claiming another artist painted it, and a budding romance between Cyrus and Eugenia is filling in the rest of the time.
The working vacation at Frog Cove Island definitely was productive and then some. Eugenia got a great glass collection for her museum, she nearly missed being killed by an artist who thought she knew too much, and the question of Adam Daventry was answered. Cyrus not only finds where the Hades Cup was with the help of Eugenia, he also is in a near miss
of death when his old partner shows up with Nellie Grant. He even finally introduces himself to the father he's never met, and his future now looks promising with his marriage to Eugenia in the near future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2018
Jane An Krentz is a great author of suspense and romance. The mystery story is usually interesting and the romance can be fun. Sharp Edges promised a great mystery about a missing rare artifact known as the Hades cup. The main characters were bound to be attracted to each other: Cyrus, a private investigator with a dark past and Eugenia an art director for a glass art museum in Seattle. The novel had its share of quirky artistic types and people with potential to completely come unhinged. The setting is an island off the Oregon coast where both Cyrus and Eugenia travel for the summer, each with their own mission. I enjoyed the mystery but the romance fell flat for me. I really didn't like Eugenia much. For someone in her position she didn't seem too smart in some of her actions. I am surprised Cyrus was even interested in her after she blew his cover but men can be kind of dumb too when it comeS to having the hots for some woman. I never really got why Cyrus'
neohew Rick was there either except as some kind of plot twist to make Cyrus not look so cold and uncaring. None of it fit together smoothly and I never really got a good sense of a flow of the story as it bounced from one thing to another and some of it seemed unnecessary. I liked the book but didn't love it.I gave. the book 4 stars but I really would rate it 3.5. Would be a good summer beach read.
neohew Rick was there either except as some kind of plot twist to make Cyrus not look so cold and uncaring. None of it fit together smoothly and I never really got a good sense of a flow of the story as it bounced from one thing to another and some of it seemed unnecessary. I liked the book but didn't love it.I gave. the book 4 stars but I really would rate it 3.5. Would be a good summer beach read.
August 19, 2013
Setting: Leabrook Glass Museum – office and displays; Frog Cove Island (Pugent Sound) – Glass House, art gallery, town;
Theme: What happened to the Hades Cup? What happened to Nellie Grant? Who can be trusted? What role does Damien March play? Falling in love.
Characters:
Hades Cup:2,000 + year Roman class, depicting Persephone and Hades; gorgeous; lost 200 years ago, and presumed destroyed;
Cyrus Chandler Colfax: PI & security; wears Hawaiian shirts – with the layback attitude that implies; no father listed on birth certificate, mother died when he was young, raised by loving, strict, elderly grandparents, and as he grew he took on care of them; married Katie, in hindsight because she was frail and needed him; after Katie’s death, he took on father/uncle duties for Katie’s sister’s son who as a teen was having trouble dealing with divorce; 3 years ago, in a ill-advised partnership with Damien March (who had seduced his wife, so that she advocated for him) – rich, arty, different kinds of high paying clients, they are hired to deliver the Hades Cup; once cup in hand, and on way out, Damien shoots him in the back (he ducks in a nick of time, instinct, and wakes up in hospital with shoulder wound) and his wife is car hijacked and killed the next day (she knew too much and expected to leave with Damien); he has spent 3 years trying to track the cup, and ultimately March to exact justice for his wife;
Eugenia Smith: director of Leasbrook Glass Museum; has a talent/instinct for art, for forgeries, for beauty; introduced a coworker (Nellie) friend to Adam Daventry, and when he died, then Nellie visited her, and then died (swept off boat by wave into ocean – body not found), Eugenia suspects foul play, and decides to vacation at Frog Cove, catalog Daventry’s glass collection, and investigate Nellie’s death;
Katie / Rick / Meredith / Jake Tasker: Cyrus’ wife of a couple years; his brother-in-law/scuz bucket by marriage / his sister-in-law / his nephew by marriage; after Katie’s death, and when Rick divorced Meredith, and teen Jake started acting out, Meredith called Cyrus when the police carted Jake in – and since he has stepped in (they need him) and done father things with him… fishing, ballgames, going to see him in sports… and for his high school graduation, Cyrus ‘blackmailed’ Rick into making time to show up for the graduation;
Fennella Weeks: Art gallery owner on Frog Cove Island; exlover of Daventry; crazy woman;
Damien March (and ex-Damien March): rich, intelligent, moralless; he temporarily pairs up with Cyrus to enhance his attractiveness for art dealership security jobs, seduces and manipulates Cyrus’ wife, and uses him to gain access to the Hade Cup; It is Damien’s plan to kill Cyrus (misses), and to kill his wife (no loose ends) and he retires to an island he rents for 50 years, moving most of the natives to the mainland and paying their rent… he has been keeping an eye on Cyrus, aware Cyrus is looking for him… and now someone has stolen Hade’s Cup; he believes Cyrus will find it, andhe plans tto be there to collect it;
Tabitha Leabrook: 70+ year old owner of the Leabrook Glass Museum, she values Eugenia, and when she goes to Daventry’s home to catalog his glass, she agrees with Cyrus to send Cyrus to the island as Eugenia’s assistant (or boyfriend) so he can protect Eugenia and investigate Adam’s death;
Adam Daventry: rich ‘bastard’; bought house on Frog Island, and his stuck up friends come over to party regularly; he has an art room of sexual art, each from a different girl friend, and his critique of their value and sexual ability – Like a large penis, that says, boring in bed except gave good head; he purchased (and perhaps arranged) the stolen Hades Cup; his most recent girlfriend was Eugenia’s friend/coworker; crazy, jealous Fenella pushes him down the stairs, killing him – and is seen by Nellie;
Nellie Grant: had painted 4 paintings of Adam’s glass, one of the Hades Cup; he had a hidden safe where he kept the cup; after his death, she takes the cup, and places her painting of it with an altered background – Eugenia’s fireplace in the safe, and takes the Hades Cup in Eugenia’s apartment, in the wall that hasn’t been drywalled yet (fireplace being worked on), then took boat back to island, and apparently swept overboard and died - body not found;
Senator Zackery Elland Chandler II: Cyrus’ father – though he doesn’t know he has a son… and a fling with a waitress when in college, left her and did not return to that college… he is in a senate race when starts to get blackmail emails;
Summary:
In beginning Eugenia fights Cyrus… but he calmly takes it in, and after first night he admits what is heis really after (the cup), and though she doesn’t believe the cup exists and believes her friend’s death is just an accident, they partner to solve the other’s mystery; they become lovers, and start to trust and respect each other; her insightful/compassionate perception of Jake and Cyrus’ relationship helps them get on the right road;
They identify Fenelli as the murderer… they find Nellie’s painting in the safe, Eugenia recognizes its clue, they return to her place, and just as he is retrieving the cup, in comes March, a goonie, and her friend (who had been hiding in Las Vegas); in the end the goon is unconscious, March is dead, and the ancient glass is safe;
Memorable scenes:
Jake shows up on island angry at Cyrus for forcing his father into going to his graduation – (really angry that his dad needed to be forced)… Eugenia helps Jake realize he is lucky that his dad showed up no matter what the circumstance (no dad for her)… and a bit later helps Cyrus see that Jake wants and needs his respect as a man, the fathering isn’t necessary anymore… Cyrus engages Jake in helping him investigate – hmmmm
He insists they return the Cup to the gentleman who had hired him 3 years earlier; and Eugenia supports him and convinces Mrs. Leabrook that they should, and it would work to the museum’s advantage… and Cyrus shows up mid opening night to a new exhibit, with the cup, having convinced the owner to lend it to the museum; they finally share the words I love you…
Theme: What happened to the Hades Cup? What happened to Nellie Grant? Who can be trusted? What role does Damien March play? Falling in love.
Characters:
Hades Cup:2,000 + year Roman class, depicting Persephone and Hades; gorgeous; lost 200 years ago, and presumed destroyed;
Cyrus Chandler Colfax: PI & security; wears Hawaiian shirts – with the layback attitude that implies; no father listed on birth certificate, mother died when he was young, raised by loving, strict, elderly grandparents, and as he grew he took on care of them; married Katie, in hindsight because she was frail and needed him; after Katie’s death, he took on father/uncle duties for Katie’s sister’s son who as a teen was having trouble dealing with divorce; 3 years ago, in a ill-advised partnership with Damien March (who had seduced his wife, so that she advocated for him) – rich, arty, different kinds of high paying clients, they are hired to deliver the Hades Cup; once cup in hand, and on way out, Damien shoots him in the back (he ducks in a nick of time, instinct, and wakes up in hospital with shoulder wound) and his wife is car hijacked and killed the next day (she knew too much and expected to leave with Damien); he has spent 3 years trying to track the cup, and ultimately March to exact justice for his wife;
Eugenia Smith: director of Leasbrook Glass Museum; has a talent/instinct for art, for forgeries, for beauty; introduced a coworker (Nellie) friend to Adam Daventry, and when he died, then Nellie visited her, and then died (swept off boat by wave into ocean – body not found), Eugenia suspects foul play, and decides to vacation at Frog Cove, catalog Daventry’s glass collection, and investigate Nellie’s death;
Katie / Rick / Meredith / Jake Tasker: Cyrus’ wife of a couple years; his brother-in-law/scuz bucket by marriage / his sister-in-law / his nephew by marriage; after Katie’s death, and when Rick divorced Meredith, and teen Jake started acting out, Meredith called Cyrus when the police carted Jake in – and since he has stepped in (they need him) and done father things with him… fishing, ballgames, going to see him in sports… and for his high school graduation, Cyrus ‘blackmailed’ Rick into making time to show up for the graduation;
Fennella Weeks: Art gallery owner on Frog Cove Island; exlover of Daventry; crazy woman;
Damien March (and ex-Damien March): rich, intelligent, moralless; he temporarily pairs up with Cyrus to enhance his attractiveness for art dealership security jobs, seduces and manipulates Cyrus’ wife, and uses him to gain access to the Hade Cup; It is Damien’s plan to kill Cyrus (misses), and to kill his wife (no loose ends) and he retires to an island he rents for 50 years, moving most of the natives to the mainland and paying their rent… he has been keeping an eye on Cyrus, aware Cyrus is looking for him… and now someone has stolen Hade’s Cup; he believes Cyrus will find it, andhe plans tto be there to collect it;
Tabitha Leabrook: 70+ year old owner of the Leabrook Glass Museum, she values Eugenia, and when she goes to Daventry’s home to catalog his glass, she agrees with Cyrus to send Cyrus to the island as Eugenia’s assistant (or boyfriend) so he can protect Eugenia and investigate Adam’s death;
Adam Daventry: rich ‘bastard’; bought house on Frog Island, and his stuck up friends come over to party regularly; he has an art room of sexual art, each from a different girl friend, and his critique of their value and sexual ability – Like a large penis, that says, boring in bed except gave good head; he purchased (and perhaps arranged) the stolen Hades Cup; his most recent girlfriend was Eugenia’s friend/coworker; crazy, jealous Fenella pushes him down the stairs, killing him – and is seen by Nellie;
Nellie Grant: had painted 4 paintings of Adam’s glass, one of the Hades Cup; he had a hidden safe where he kept the cup; after his death, she takes the cup, and places her painting of it with an altered background – Eugenia’s fireplace in the safe, and takes the Hades Cup in Eugenia’s apartment, in the wall that hasn’t been drywalled yet (fireplace being worked on), then took boat back to island, and apparently swept overboard and died - body not found;
Senator Zackery Elland Chandler II: Cyrus’ father – though he doesn’t know he has a son… and a fling with a waitress when in college, left her and did not return to that college… he is in a senate race when starts to get blackmail emails;
Summary:
In beginning Eugenia fights Cyrus… but he calmly takes it in, and after first night he admits what is heis really after (the cup), and though she doesn’t believe the cup exists and believes her friend’s death is just an accident, they partner to solve the other’s mystery; they become lovers, and start to trust and respect each other; her insightful/compassionate perception of Jake and Cyrus’ relationship helps them get on the right road;
They identify Fenelli as the murderer… they find Nellie’s painting in the safe, Eugenia recognizes its clue, they return to her place, and just as he is retrieving the cup, in comes March, a goonie, and her friend (who had been hiding in Las Vegas); in the end the goon is unconscious, March is dead, and the ancient glass is safe;
Memorable scenes:
Jake shows up on island angry at Cyrus for forcing his father into going to his graduation – (really angry that his dad needed to be forced)… Eugenia helps Jake realize he is lucky that his dad showed up no matter what the circumstance (no dad for her)… and a bit later helps Cyrus see that Jake wants and needs his respect as a man, the fathering isn’t necessary anymore… Cyrus engages Jake in helping him investigate – hmmmm
He insists they return the Cup to the gentleman who had hired him 3 years earlier; and Eugenia supports him and convinces Mrs. Leabrook that they should, and it would work to the museum’s advantage… and Cyrus shows up mid opening night to a new exhibit, with the cup, having convinced the owner to lend it to the museum; they finally share the words I love you…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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