MIDDLE SIN

Cleo North #2

by Merline Lovelace

When a young woman vanishes without a trace, former special agent Cleo North is hired to find her. But cold trail after cold trail lead to nowhere, until Major Jack Donovan -- special agent with the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations and the on-again, off-again man in Cleo's life -- joins the case.

Soon they are trying to determine why a lowly employee had access to engineering schematics of a ship carrying dangerous cargo. When the evidence leads them to Malta, they uncover a massive threat with international consequences. Absolutely nothing is as it seems -- and time is running out for them to find the key to a terrorist's deeply hidden sins.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Military Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

384 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2005

About the author

After a 23-year AF career, Colonel Merline Lovelace launched a second career as a writer, basing many of her tales on her own experiences in uniform and on her travels all around the globe.

The USA Today best-selling author now has more than 11 million copies of her books in print. Her works have won numerous awards, including the Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA. Merline is especially proud to have been named the University of Oklahoma's Writer of the Year and the Oklahoma Female Veteran of the Year.

Reviews

[Luli]

I just can't.
I first began this series because it was tagged 'romantic suspense'. But it really is not. Romantic, that's it.
I'm at 25% and there is zero suspense but a love-pentagon(*) that is driving me crazy.
I think this is going to be another soap opera.
I'm throwing in the towel.

(*)So Diane have loved Marc since forever, Marc lusts after Cleo, Cleo lusts after Marc and after Jack, Jack lusts after Cleo but he still hangs upon his ex wife, Kate, who is dependent on him.
Sorry, soap opera at its finest

[Dallass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where’s the romance?

The case of the missing assistant was intriguing and well done. It was mysterious enough that it made sense when the investigation fed into an even larger conspiracy, that of course, brought Donovan back into Cleo’s orbit. There are numerous leads, and a couple of red herring moments when you think you know what’s going on, but Merline Lovelace did a good job of keeping the reader on their toes.

I’m still a little miffed that for a book sold as romantic suspense there really is no romance involved between the two main characters. I got a more romantic vibe from Marc and Diane - and that’s saying something. Speaking of Marc, there is a doozy of a secret that comes to light and I loved it.

3.75 stars ⭐️

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

The second installment in the Cleo North trilogy, The Middle Sin isn't quite as strong as The First Mistake. Even so, it's a better-than-average romantic suspense with a strong female lead and an well-developed suspense plot. Lovelace has evidently done her research and it shows. I look forward to the final book, The Last Bullet.

[Judy Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second one in a series. I think I read the first one years ago. Comments every once in awhile seem familiar. Regardless I love the book. Cleo North and Jack Donovan back together as a team searching for the bad guys is really great. I think that I will be on the lookout for the final one, might be a little hard since this one was written in 2005.

[Debbe · Rating 4 out of 5]

OKAY, I AM HOOKED ON THIS AUTHOR. I DID THIS IN ONE DAY. BY BOOK THREE I "THINK" I KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS, BUT TIME WILL TELL. THE THIRD BOOK IS LAYING BESIDE ME NOW READY TO GO.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleo North #2

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, exciting romantic suspense with interesting characters and plot twists.

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced, great character development! Love the series!