Il cancello dei santi

Sharpe & Donovan #1

by Carla Neggers

Quando Emma Sharpe viene convocata in un convento sulla costa del Maine per indagare sulla morte di una suora e la scomparsa di un quadro, ha l'impressione che la vita le stia chiedendo conto di tutte le sue azioni passate.
Alcuni anni prima, infatti, Emma aveva varcato il cancello di quel luogo come novizia e qualche tempo dopo lo aveva lasciato, pronta ad abbracciare uno stile di vita opposto, quello di agente dell'FBI. Non solo... la famiglia Sharpe ha creato una famosa e importante agenzia di indagini legata ai furti d'arte e il training di Emma come agente è iniziato proprio grazie agli insegnamenti del nonno. Dunque la chiamata di quella mattina di suor Joan non poteva essere solo la richiesta di aiuto fatta a una vecchia sorella. Emma e soprattutto Colin Donovan, agente sotto copertura, ritengono che qualcosa di grosso si celi dietro i fatti avvenuti al convento e la scoperta che il quadro rubato rappresenta leggende irlandesi di santi non fa che avvalorare la tesi di Emma che il convento sia finito nel mirino di un traffico di quadri. Ma le indagini sembrano arrivati a un punto morto, come avvolte in una spessa nebbia...
Uno spietato assassino, due agenti che sembrano avere più segreti di quanti intendano svelarne, una serie di quadri dalla misteriosa origine, la comunità di un convento che piomba all'improvviso nell'angoscia: gli ingredienti perfetti per un romanzo dai risvolti inquietanti, in cui non solo tutti i protagonisti sembrano non essere coloro che appaiono ma anche l'ambientazione, tra le coste rocciose del Maine e le verdi colline d'Irlanda, pare tingersi di giallo.

Genres: Mystery, Romantic Suspense, Romance, Fiction, Suspense, Contemporary, Audiobook

291 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 30, 2011

About the author

Carla Neggers is the New York Times bestselling author of the Sharpe & Donovan series featuring Boston-based FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan, and the popular Swift River Valley series set in the small, fictional New England town of Knights Bridge. With many bestsellers to her credit, Carla loves to write now as much as she did when she climbed a tree at age eleven with a pad and pen and spun stories perched on her favorite branch.

A native New Englander, Carla and her husband divide their time between their hilltop home in Vermont, a sofa bed at their kids' places in Boston and various inns, hotels and hideaways on their travels, frequently to Ireland.

Find out more and sign up for Carla's newsletter at CarlaNeggers.com.

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 3 out of 5]

SAINT'S GATE by Carla Neggers is an installment in the Sharpe & Donovan series. The first protagonist is Emma Sharpe, an FBI agent in the art crimes division. She gets a call from a friend at a convent in her Maine home town. The friend, Sister Joan, wants her is look at a painting, but before that happens, the nun is murdered. Our second protagonist is Colin Donovan, an FBI undercover agent who is getting some downtime after his last mission. During the murder investigation, Emma and Colin meet and work together and separately to solve the crime.

The story has an interesting hook and the characters are well-defined. However, I felt that the novel was slow in places. The plot twists were actually too believable. I had determined who the killer early in the story. The romance developed rather quickly and without any real conflict to add to the story line.

Overall, this was an okay read. I enjoyed it, but it didn't thrill me.

[Kathryn Bain · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book deals with the death of a nun and possible art theft. Ms. Neggers did a very good job on her research on the details of the art and the history involving Vikings, etc.

However, this book is billed as "A Novel of Suspense". There was none. Even at the end where the heroine is supposed to be in the most jeopardy, I didn't feel any tension. At the end, we are supposed to think that the killer is also a man who likes to torture people. The worst the killer had done up to that point was hit people over the head. One died. How are we to assume he's a sadistic killer from that. There was no groundwork layed to make me believe this was a sadistic killer.

Also, I didn't like the hero. Once he discovered the heroine had been a member of the Sisters of Joy Convent, he acted like a total jerk. Then later we're to think that she's got the hots for him, so much so, that she initiates their initial sexual encounter. No way. The only thing she'd even noticed about him was the way he looked and how he was built. There was no other redeeming quality mentioned.

This is the beginning of a series. I hope in the next, Ms. Neggers puts a lot more fire into both the suspense and the heart of her characters.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Saint’s Gate was a fast-paced read with an engaging plot and the possibility of a great romance.

Prior to joining the FBI’s art crimes division, Emma Sharpe was part of a convent in Maine leading to her being perfectly suited to look into a mysterious painting that has shown up at the convent. But while Emma is waiting to be let into the convent, the nun who contacted her is murdered and the painting Emma was to look at is stolen. After convincing her boss to let her look into what happened, Emma is joined by Colin Donovan, a deep-cover agent in the FBI, who has his own reasons for looking into the case. When the pair discover a connection between Emma’s family and the missing painting, it becomes clear Emma’s involvement was no coincidence.

Emma is a fantastic main character and I enjoyed her quite a bit. She’s dedicated to her work and is very good at it due to her ability to find connections that other people miss. I liked how through her work, Emma and Colin were connected before they had even met. Colin’s approach to his work is quite different than Emma’s which made for an interesting work relationship. Colin is more about confronting things head on while Emma prefers to uncover all relevant information before making a move. Their personal relationship was where I had issues with this book. I think the makings of a great relationship are there, but I had a hard time buying how invested the pair became in such a short period of time. I imagine going forward I won’t have these issues as there will be more time for the relationship to develop.

Emma and Colin’s investigation into the missing painting and the murder was very well done. When Colin became involved in the case at the request of a local priest, I was immediately interested to learn more about Father Bracken. Father Bracken is definitely one of the more mysterious characters in the book and I hope we learn more about him in future installments. Initially Emma and Colin’s investigation focuses on who would murder a nun and why which ultimately leads to the pair tracing the painting. The painting led them in a few directions I didn’t see coming which was a nice surprise. I did end up figuring out who the killer was prior to the reveal, but I still enjoyed the way the author revealed their identity as well as their motive as I was way off when it came to the why of the crime.

Overall I enjoyed Saint’s Gate and I’m looking forward to picking up the next book in the series, Heron’s Cove, which I’m hoping will be more romance focused. I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a romantic suspense that’s more mystery focused and lighter on the romance.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am hit or miss with Carla Neggers. I've read some of her early works and loved them. Her later stuff...not so much. This new series is intriguing and her heroine, Emma, and hero, Colin, are, what I think of as, typical North Eastern characters. They are self-sufficient, tough minded and independent. They are also both FBI agents.

Emma, an art expert in Boston with the FBI, gets a call from an old friend, Sister Joan in Maine, who has a painting she wants Emma to look at. Soon after Emma's arrival, Sister Joan is murdered and the painting disappears. Colin is home in Maine for some much needed R&R and his friend, Father Finian Bracken, enlists his help to figure out who killed Sister Joan and what is going on. Emma's boss also wants him to keep and eye on Emma.

There are many layers and character interactions, not to mention the blossoming attraction between Emma and Colin, both of whom deny it. Motives are hidden and the relationship between past and present makes for a very interesting book. My favorite character is the tragic Father Bracken. Awesome character development for a secondary character.

[Mardy · Rating 2 out of 5]

blah, couldn't even finish it. The premise was good but the characters were all off. For some reason, the whiny, boring lead girl is all freaked out that someone may discover she was once, for a short time, training to be a nun. Now she's an FBI agent (although I couldn't buy into that with the persona she portrayed) with issues with everyone from the town priest to her immediate supervisor. The first 11 chapters were filled with all kinds of "coincidental" revelations that were all over the place chronologically and geographically. I hope all of that was pulled together into a cohesive plot by then end but I'll never know.

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this latest from Carla Neggers, which I received as an ARC from Netgalley. The storyline caught my attention from the beginning, and kept me interested throughout. It had me guessing, and I was never able to completely figure out the culprit until the end of the book. Neggers introduced a large number of characters in this one, and I liked many of them enough to hope that this will be the beginning of another series. I felt that this book had more suspense than romance, but I was still satisfied by what romance there was.

In Saint's Gate, Emma Sharpe, is called by a nun for help. Emma, who is now an FBI agent, was once a novice in the same order. When Emma responds to the plea for help, the nun is murdered before she can tell Emma what she called about. This order of nuns is very interested in art education and restoration, and it quickly becomes apparent that art had something to do with the murder. Colin Donovan is a deep undercover agent who lives in the same part of Maine as Emma and the order of nuns. He is sent to keep an eye on Emma, and as they begin to work together to uncover the murderer and the mystery behind it, they develop feelings for one another. While they try to unravel the mystery, which could be tied to a previous case or to Emma's art detective family, they have to decide how to handle their attraction and growing feelings.

This was a good romantic suspense, and I really hope to see these characters again. There were several secondary characters who would make great main ones in another book. The plot was interesting with the connections to the order of nuns, art, and the past. I enjoyed this book, and look forward to more by Neggers.

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have never read Carla Neggers before and should have taken a clue from the book list I found that showed that she does write some mystery and some romance. I detest romance novels, so was reluctant, but gave a mystery a try. FBI art expert Emma Sharp was a formerly almost a nun at an art loving convent. She is summoned by one of the nuns to look at a painting, but before she sees the painting, the nun is murdered and the painting goes missing. Enter Colin Donovan, FBI undercover agent. He and Emma search for the killer and the painting. Of course, Ms. Neggers can't resist the romance angle. Sheesh, a nun just got her head bashed in, someone is trying to murder Emma, and priceless art is missing. Can we, I don't know, focus on the job instead of his broad shoulders and piercing eyes? Otherwise it is a decent story.

[Saturnus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma Sharpe ville en gång i tiden bi nunna, men blev FBI agent. Under ett besök i det klostret hon en gång ville tillhöra dödas nunnan som vill visa Emma en tavla, men allt skulle vara hemligt.
Efter mordet på nunnan dras Colin Donovan, en ensamvarg till agent in. Hans jobb är att hålla ögonen på Emma och försöka lista ut vem mördaren är. Men det är det många som vill veta. Som Fader Bracken, polisen, Emmas bror Lucas och en annan konstnär.
Mördaren finns bland dom, men vem kan det vara?

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

If the female lead had spent half as much time worrying about the case as she spent worrying about people finding out she had a been a nun-this book would have much, much better. It was had an interesting plot but the vague and confusing dialogue was distracting.

[Vicki]

Just finished this book and as always, she captured me from the beginning!

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was almost a DNF. I put it on hold about 85% of the way through, and read a more exciting series. About a month later, I decided to buckle down and force myself to finish. The plot was interesting and original. The character backgrounds had me engaged early on. The scene was set with beautiful imagery. I was there. It had potential. It did not deliver. The pace was slow and only got slower toward the climax. I choked down the book, but I'm DNF on the series.

[Marie Polega · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, and would consider reading more of the series. The plot was good and kept my attention and I liked the characters. I didn't expect the romance, but liked how it developed.

[CD {Boulder Blvd} · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read a number of reviewers who liked this series just not the first book. So I decided I would read this one so that I would have the backdrop to the series. However, I could barely make it through this one. I almost DNF'd and 1 starred it.

There really wasn't much of investigation going on. We have three FBI people in this plot and none of them do much except have weird dialogue that I can't imagine would happen in real life. Everyone has to hop over to Ireland which just seemed like filler versus something necessary to the plot.

For a book in the romantic suspense genre, both the romance element and suspense element were extremely absent. The main element of the plot seemed to be that Emma had at one time almost taken her vows to be a nun and she didn't like people knowing that. This seemed to be regurgitated with way too much frequency.

It was a very boring book with a whole lot of nothing going on. Maybe I should have 1 starred it. However, now I'm not too interested in reading any more books in this series.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...


While “Trust your faith. Let it guide you to act with strength, courage, and compassion” is good advice; it is not always easy to follow with a killer invades one’s life, whether one is a nun, an FBI agent, or a priest.

Emma Sharpe is an FBI agent and highly valued for her expertise in the field of art crime. For three years she’d been a part of the Sisters of the Joyful Heart convent, but left before taking final vows.

The international, multimillion dollar art crime operations are often linked with gun trafficking, drug trafficking, money laundering, kidnapping, fraud, extortion, and even terrorism. Emma is analytical and brings a unique perception to her work. While she can shoot straight and fight when needed, she is by nature thoughtful, reflective, contemplative, and prayerful. She needs her space at times to function at her best.

When her friend Sister Joan asks for help on a matter at the convent, Emma goes and finds herself entangled in murder and theft. Events that happened long ago that may involve Emma’s family as well as the convent and artists, long-dead, may be the cause of the upheaval at the convent.

Colin Donovan, trying to recharge after a long undercover assignment as a FBI ghost agent, is a “Lone Ranger” type who likes his space. But, at the request of his friend, Father Finian Bracken, Colin gets involved with the convent case. It is on his “old stomping ground”, just a short distance from his hometown. From his marine patrol days along the Maine coast, he is well acquainted with Heron’s Cove and the convent. He and Emma square off at each other for a short time, but soon work together with a little encouragement from Emma’s boss Matt Yankowski, who goes a long way back with Colin.

The tangle of events from Dublin, Ireland to Maine keeps the adrenaline pumping. The many secondary characters and sub-plots help keep tensions high and emotions on full alert. Emma’s grandfather and brother become a part of the tangled web as do the nuns. The flighty young artist Ainsley deAuberville, her deceased father, and her fiancé Gabe Campbell add to the tangled web with their connection to Emma’s family and the convent.

Carla Neggers’ skill in foreshadowing and subtle clue-giving make suspense crackle like distant lightning that announces danger. Her characters come alive with their hang-ups, fears, past histories, and present needs. Father Finian Bracken is a character that intrigues with his connections and wealth in Ireland. The wide variety of characters make Saint's Gate throb with life, mystery, and suspense with humor wrinkled in that makes one smile.

Ms. Neggers weaves bits of Viking lore, religious history, and art crimes into the immediate story of Emma and Colin as they ferret out a murderer and thief from the many possible suspects while they make a life-changing love connection that sizzles. The happy-ever-after is tenuous—not the usual and more a "happy for now", but who knows what the future holds?

Saint's Gate is one for the bookshelf to be enjoyed again.

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a free copy of the Kindle edition of this book after entering a Goodreads giveaway. I have never read anything by this author before so I was unsure of what to expect. Although I was not blown away by her writing, I was pleasantly surprised.

I enjoyed the storyline of a budding romance between two independently single FBI agents mixed with the hunt for an art thief turned killer. In my opinion, the characters are a likable bunch that felt very much like a tight knit family; their relationships are solid and they are always there for one another. Carla Neggers does a great job in setting the background scene of the book. I have never been to a coastal town before, but through her description, I could picture the quaint, quiet life that Heron Cove and Rock Point have to offer.

The female lead, Agent Sharpe, does tend to obsess a bit too much over the fact that others find out about how she was a novice of the sisterhood. Other than that, I liked her character and the banter between her and Agent Donovan gave the book a reprieve of lightheartedness.

All in all, there was enough action in the storyline to set the pace of the book and to keep my interest peaked. Although I figured out who the 'bad guy' was early on, I didn't know what drove them to their actions until the ending when the story unfolded.

With the main character's backgrounds, the author has a multitude of options for future storylines in this series. I look forward to reading more about them and what shady characters she introduces next, I just hope that they are given more depth and grow from here on out to keep reader's connected.

My rating scale

⭐️ Terrible in every way
⭐️⭐️ Meh
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Good
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Excellent, will cause book hangover

[Anne OK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Start to a new series by Neggers. Enjoyed the diversity of the book, the story was intriguing from beginning to ending with a mixture of religious convictions, mysterious artwork, murder, and romance. I guessed the villain (or at least who I thought it would be) early on, but wasn't completely sure and certainly didn't figure out the complicated reasons for being said villain. This book had a variety of characters that thorougly captured my attention. Among those, a rich priest who drives a BMW and drinks expensive whiskey with a background story that tore at my heart, an FBI agent who was once committed her life to becoming a nun but never took her final vows, and a bad boy undercover agent who I still haven't quite figured out. I loved the scenes with the lobster boats, the cliffs, the apple orchards and Hurley's, where you can grab a beer and talk for hours. The ending wasn't quite the happily ever after you generally await. Perhaps that will be completed in a second book titled "Heron's Cove" in the "Sharpe and Donovan" series.

[Marjorie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have always loved Neggers' books but this was either poorly written or poorly edited. I would often have to go back a page or two to see if I had missed something to help me with the storyline. Yet I hadn't missed anything. It just wasn't there. Glad I got this from the library and didn't purchase it.

[Lisa Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Someone please explain the plot to this book.. so much talking about FBI agents on the case, not on the case.. not talking to each other. No one is solving the mystery.. it seemed like a great premise for a book but sadly there is no plot...

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not real fond of this one. Thought it could have benefited by some better editing as I thought there was way too much repetition of information. You’ve said it already— so move on with the plot already.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book one of this rounds #crushyourtbr

[Jeanne T. Houde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Detective Story

This story was okay but a bit predictable. Not sure I would read another. It Did take place on familiar territory, but that was all.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two-haiku review:

FBI art chick
Called by nun who's then murdered
Was painting stolen?

Decent characters
Plot's a bit convoluted
Going on to next

3-1/2 stars

[Brooke Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Review] Saint's Gate: Subpar Villain and Romance Holds Back A Solid Case

Saint’s Gate is the first installment in Carla Neggers’s Sharpe & Donovan series. I won Saint’s Gate as a bundle with the second book, Heron’s Cove, from a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

I loved the bits of information about Vikings, painting, and visual vocabulary. It reminded me of Ideas and Values in the Humanities (HUM 250 & 251). I don’t give a fuck about “saints” but I find them interesting historically in a detached way.

The insider’s peek into their nunnery is well done and the nuns aren’t stereotypes. The small town living experience is there in spades and it’s interesting how its subcommunities intertwine.

These lifelike neighborhoods coupled with mood-matching environment descriptions created a moving atmosphere. This along with an interesting buildup whodunit made me continue reading.

I do think the blurb’s misleading though, I’d call it a mounting mystery rather than countdown thriller. But that’s only a negative expectation-wise for me. It was enjoyable nonetheless minus the romance and until the climax.








The Good
Well-researched, interesting topics
Solid mystery I didn’t figure out early
Decent, likable cast of characters

The Bad & The Other
Forced, disconnected romance
Villain was fine until sudden pathological change (aka bullshit) made them a monster
Failed climax with anticlimactic ending (because of villain)
Couldn’t connect with characters emotionally


Characters start strong and coast along

Emma’s history is different than anything else I’ve read while Colin’s standard FBI hero material. Her specialty meshes with his action-oriented style, creating a perfect crime-fighting duo for this case.

Their team leader, their families, and Father Braken round out the supporting cast. They’re likable with one exception. Boy, did that fucker make it hard to reader xe’s appearances. It’s a good start for a series but you’ll have to wait for character progression.

However, I did have difficulty connecting with them. Our dynamic duo’s most common emotes are staring and deadpan. They’re introspective, communicating only about the case while sizing each other up like spitting cats. I found Father Braken and his whiskey talk more interesting.

I’ve read and watched tons of crime dramas yet these partners didn’t do anything for me. Maybe because they felt like pawns instead of people or maybe there was too much suspicion and emotional isolation. I don’t know. The next book will hopefully expand upon the good beginning and I can groove with them.

The Hot Pocket Romance

I know insta-love is a cornerstone of romantic suspense but this was so horrendous, I don’t even give a fuck about that part. It doesn’t make any sense for these characters. It felt like watching your drunken friend cook after driving them home—without the funny.

Emma was almost a nun and didn’t quit for sex. Yet she goes from “OMG, look at his hips” to saying she’s in love and jumping his bones 100 pages later. Really? Saying she “tripped and fell on” would be more believable.

It’s not like she was dying to lose her virginity and didn't have the opportunity to bone an attractive man before. She’s calculating and removed emotionally, not prone to rash decisions. Yet an empty house is all she needs to become an insta-fuck seductress apparently.

Then there’s Colin. He plainly wanted sex and was checking out Emma from get-go. He flipped from aloof and cold to hot and tempting like he was trying to neg her. Obviously, not surprising he gets his freak on. However, I do have problems believing he'd commit this quickly with all of his trust issues and career. It’s beyond “I don’t get the connection”, their romance flies in the face of their characterization. It felt forced to make it a romantic suspense.


Suddenly: Sadistic Killer! *jazz hands*

I was enjoying the building suspense and mystery until the end. Then the villain got amped up to make it a “thrill ride showdown” because Murderer + Torturer= Monster. But there were no prior signs or reasons for the shift.

It’s easy to see what it was supposed to accomplish but did the opposite. Confusion rather than shock or awe disrupted my focus. It killed progress from other solid pieces of last-minute information making it anti-climactic.

Skipping the transforming bite is a misstep. And falls in line with my other problem with Saint’s Gate, the sudden vaulting characters. Instead of feeling natural, it’s like they’re forced along with a cattle prod.


Conclusion

Interesting tidbits and atmosphere but it’s not my kind of romance and even the best part, the case, ends on a sour note.

Recommended for:
fans of Carla Neggers or those not picking about fluff. If you want a mystery or case procedural, I’d recommend previewing it. If your suspension of disbelief is stronger than mine, you’ll hopefully have a better time.


Note: Originally posted on 11/28/2012, updated on 9/19. All ratings, pros, cons, and sections remain the same, it’s (hopefully) better written now and re-formatted to fit my new design.

FYI Update: I’ve read more of Neggers’s work, beyond Heron’s Cove (Sharpe & Donovan #2) and I won’t be reading more. They’ve all been alright but not my thing, especially with the pattern of adult women virgins who of course have first-time idealized sex. However, I’ve been recommended her Death series written as J.D. Ward, so I’ll be trying that soon(ish). We’ll see if mixing up the elements is enough or if Neggers really isn’t the author for me.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first Sharpe and Donovan mystery was an entertaining story with fascinating characters.

The story begins when Emma Sharpe is called to the Convent of the Joyful Heart at the request of Sister Joan. The convent specializes in art restoration and other artistic endeavors. Emma herself was a novice there for three years before leaving to join her family's business tracking down art thieves and then later joining the FBI to do the same sort of work.

Sister Joan doesn't tell Emma what she wants. She finds a gate she thought open locked and goes to get a key to let Emma in. Before she can return, someone kills her by hitting the back of her head. Emma feels guilty that she didn't accompany Sister Joan on the key hunt and is confused about what Sister Joan wanted to show her.

A novice named Sister Cecelia saw someone in the garden but didn't recognize the person. She does indicate that there was a painting in Sister Joan's studio that is now missing.

Colin Donovan is an FBI agent from nearby Rock Point who is home for some downtime recovering from an undercover assignment - though his family believes he's a desk jockey. Emma's boss contacts him to look after Emma who is actually a desk jockey. Colin would rather be kayaking or camping but he's curious about Emma who provided some key information that helped finish up his last case.

Both Emma and Colin are great characters. They are both independent and smart. Emma has some concerns that her past as an almost-nun will cause her colleagues to look at her differently and Colin does some teasing about it.

The story quickly becomes more complicated as details of the missing painting are discovered with connections to Emma's grandfather. There is also a new priest Finian Bracken who has come from Ireland to fill in for the local priest's sabbatical who has an interesting backstory of his own and who provides clues that help solve the crime.

I enjoyed the growing relationship between Colin and Emma. I liked the Maine and Ireland settings. I liked learning more about Emma's family and their business. The story had nicely building tension as the clues were gathered and the villain was unmasked.

This is the first of a nine book series. I reviewed the third and fourth books back in 2013 and 2014 and had the first two on my TBR mountain since then so that I could catch up. Looks like I have quite a few more to read and am looking forward to it.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a sucker for art crime fiction especially when it is presented as a mystery. So, this book should have been a slam dunk for me, and I did enjoy huge swaths of the story. I liked Emma one of the main characters I love that she works for the F.B.I.'s art theft division, and I thought her backstory to be fairly interesting. The mystery itself was set up well and I enjoyed trying to figure out whodunnit. I will admit I loved how much the author described the Maine coastal setting although there are A LOT of descriptions so I can see why that might be a complaint for some people. My main problem with this book is the other main lead, deep undercover agent Colin. He is described up one side and down the other as this lone wolf...so dangerous...so mysterious. Everyone in this book describes him like that over and over again. The problem with being told that rather than being shown means that I am not sure he actually is all that badass or just has a really good P.R. team. Plus, Colin is an official agent for the F.B.I. but apparently, he is above getting search warrants because he goes into two people's houses without their permission and riffles through their stuff. One of those people is Emma which is a huge red flag. She figures it out later and is totally okay with it. (Which doesn't seem realistic at all.)

Having said all that, I liked Emma, and I liked the concept of following agents trying to solve art mysteries so I will probably continue on and hope Colin's character improves as the series goes on.

[Emilye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharpe&Donovan1

Official start of the series, Saint’s Gate introduces Emma Sharpe, former novitiate of the Sisters of the Joyful Heart. Emma is now an FBI agent and part of a special unit, HIT.

Called back to the nunnery by one of the Sisters, Emma is there when the nun is killed and a painting stolen. Because of dense fog, no one really saw anything with surety.

No one really believes that Colin Donovan is an analyst for the FBI, they just don’t confront him about it. But Father Finian knows what kind of man Colin is and asks him to aid the FBI agent in her investigation. As a friend, Colin borrows a boat and goes to check her out. Then things get interesting.

Is Emma in over her head? Not by a long shot. She understands art, art theft and recovery and when to carry a gun. She understands people, especially when they’re hiding something. And she’s not a great believer in coincidence- like the lobster boat that pulled up in the marina at home, suddenly running aground at the convent. Enter Colin Donovan...

There are twists and turns as they move to uncover who is killing to steal art and why.

Fast paced read.

[Liz McMahon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful surprise to discover this Sharpe & Donovan series by Neggers that was recommended to me by a friend. Luckily found the first one at the library and jumped in. Very interesting combination of main characters: a former nun turned FBI agent and an undercover FBI agent. The convent is widely respected for the art restoration/repair work they do on priceless art objects. When Sister Joan contacts FBI agent Emma Sharpe to come to the convent on an important but unexplained matter, Emma does not hesitate. However, as Emma waits at the gate, Sister Joan is attacked and murdered. A puzzling art mystery quickly devolves into a murder mystery. Undercover FBI agent Colin Donovan has his kayaking/camping vacation cut short as he is drawn into the investigation. Small town life in a Maine coastal community, the art world and old family legacies intersect and tangle in this absorbing mystery with two FBI agents who have definite fascinating backgrounds and chemistry! Looking forward to the next in the series!

[RumBelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be a little slow in places, but I really loved the characters and her writing was enjoyable. I will try the next book hoping the pace is better.

Sharpe and Donovan were both intriguing people, especially Sharpe with her past history and her work with art crime. Suspense books about art crime are some of my favorite to read and, in that aspect, this book did really well. I also enjoyed how clever and intelligent both these characters were. I look forward to seeing their relationship develop.

The setting was great too, rural Maine, with the sea and the rocks, it made for a very rustic setting that added to the drama really well. The end, the last five or so chapters, the pace really picked up and it was an exciting finish. It made up for the slow spots earlier in the book.

[Arch · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I liked about this book is that the hero, Colin Donovan was a dangerous bad boy and he was messy and liked to teased the heroine. He’s an undercover FBI Agent.

Emma is a FBI agent as well. She used to be a nun.

They are trying to figure out who killed Sister Joan, a nun where Emma used to be a nun at.

This is a series. I have to say that although, Colin fit what I like about a dangerous bad boy, such as him being messy in a good way and a teased, I really didn’t see chemistry between him and Emma.

I might check out the other books one day. I think it’s like 9 books. I just can’t read anymore right now. I don’t have time to keep reading that Emma was a nun at one time and Colin is an FBI agent, who his three brothers is to believed is a desk FBI agent, instead of a ghost FBI.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

The pacing of this is weird. The plot is very meandering. I spent a lot of time wondering where things were actually going. The characters’ actions did not make sense, and for all their motivations were said to solve the crime, they sure went in the most roundabout way to do it.

The characters feel very wooden. They don’t have actual personalities. It’s like Neggers decided that ‘holds close to chest’ was everyone’s main character trait and that was as far as she went.

They keep throwing out all these suggestions, but they do not make sense, especially after they repeat it over and over. This story feels like Neggers had a general idea she wanted but didn’t put a lot into the details of how to make it work. The actual finale/answer was fine I guess, but it was still as bland as the rest of the story.