What do you think?
Rate this book
Suspicious: Partners / The Art of Deception / Night Moves
Partners (1985)
He had wanted Laurel Armand for years—though professionally she was his nemesis. But once the two rival reporters headed down to steamy New Orleans to investigate a murder, Matt Bates was determined to make his lovely adversary his willing partner in passion.
The Art Of Deception (1986)
Supposedly he had come to her father's estate looking for respite. But was handsome Adam Haines the man he pretended to be? Or was Kirby Fairchild in danger of falling hard for a stranger who was even more practiced in the art of deception than she was?
Night Moves (1985)
The small town offered peace to the widowed Maggie Fitzgerald. But when sexy Cliff Delaney unearthed a skeleton in her backyard, she found herself playing detective with him—and wondering what was possible in the heat of the night...in the heat of passion.
He had wanted Laurel Armand for years—though professionally she was his nemesis. But once the two rival reporters headed down to steamy New Orleans to investigate a murder, Matt Bates was determined to make his lovely adversary his willing partner in passion.
The Art Of Deception (1986)
Supposedly he had come to her father's estate looking for respite. But was handsome Adam Haines the man he pretended to be? Or was Kirby Fairchild in danger of falling hard for a stranger who was even more practiced in the art of deception than she was?
Night Moves (1985)
The small town offered peace to the widowed Maggie Fitzgerald. But when sexy Cliff Delaney unearthed a skeleton in her backyard, she found herself playing detective with him—and wondering what was possible in the heat of the night...in the heat of passion.
586 pages, Trade Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
17 people are currently reading
852 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,221 books60.2k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 6, 2019
These three books are the first Nora Roberts novels I've read in more than 20 years. Having read them reminds me what a great story teller Robert's really is. Romance is not my favored genre but but the stories really were entertaining and I enjoyed reading them even though I don't believe I plan on reading another for a bit. Nora Robert's novels all seem to follow a general theme which gets old quick.
December 29, 2021
I loved all 3 of these books. The last one was my favourite. Quick and easy, perfect cottage read.
November 13, 2025
I only finished reading this collection of stories because it was given to me by someone. I can't figure out who Ms. Roberts has more disdain for - men or women, since the men in the stories are egotistical, condescending and sometimes creepy. All the women, in my opinion, should have put a stop to the advances of these men, but, NO, they fell in love with them.
In the first story the man makes inappropriate comments at the workplace that would have brought him to the attention of HR today.
I was hoping the next story would prove more benign. It was to a certain extent, until the guy mentions wanting to control the lady.
The third tale was equally disturbing. This is one line from the text: "He wanted her and he intended to have her."
Near the end of each story Ms. Roberts has the men show a bit more compassion, but it didn't make up for the attitudes they portrayed in the beginning of each, and I was left wondering what kind of a life those women would have with these men later. After all, a leopard does not change its spots.
These stories made my skin crawl.
In the first story the man makes inappropriate comments at the workplace that would have brought him to the attention of HR today.
I was hoping the next story would prove more benign. It was to a certain extent, until the guy mentions wanting to control the lady.
The third tale was equally disturbing. This is one line from the text: "He wanted her and he intended to have her."
Near the end of each story Ms. Roberts has the men show a bit more compassion, but it didn't make up for the attitudes they portrayed in the beginning of each, and I was left wondering what kind of a life those women would have with these men later. After all, a leopard does not change its spots.
These stories made my skin crawl.
January 2, 2016
1. Partners: 1 1/2 star
The killer was soooooo incredibly obvious in this book, which made Laurel and Matt just seem really stupid. However, the characters were fun and had a lot of spunk, and it was refreshing that the heroine was a virgin for once and that the guy wanted to wait and get to know her better before sleeping with her. It's worth borrowing for the characters, but definitely not worth buying and not a good pick for those looking for suspense or mystery.
2. The Art of Deception: 2 1/2 stars
This was definitely the best in this book; the characters are just absolutely outrageous and crazy and really made me laugh, and I actually didn't guess one of the "bad guys" for once. However, I was kind of annoyed with the whole Kirby-Adam "conflict," because I just didn't think it was that big of a deal and I thought Kirby was stupid about it at the end. As I said, this is the best in this book, but I still don't think these short stories are worth buying. Borrow them if you have free time or are a big Nora Roberts fan; otherwise, go with something else.
3. Night Moves: 1 star
I don't get what happened with Roberts in "Night Moves;" usually in her books the characters invest heart and mind in the relationship before body, but in this one they just hop right into bed together without getting to know each other. It probably has to do with the fact that the story's so short, but I just don't like that; Maggie and Cliff's relationship just seemed unhealthy. Also, it was just too short to include both a complete and thrilling suspense and romance at the same time, and both suffered as a result. I figured out the killer almost from the start, which was just disappointing as well. I just can't recommend this; it doesn't satisfy either the suspense or romance reader. FYI: I didn't realize it until I picked it up, but this book is from Roberts' "Night Tales" series, so if you already own or have read "Night Tales: Night Shield/Night Moves" you're only getting two new stories instead of three.
I recommend Blue Smoke or the O'Hurley series (Born O'Hurley) and O'Hurley's Return) for the best of Nora Roberts.
The killer was soooooo incredibly obvious in this book, which made Laurel and Matt just seem really stupid. However, the characters were fun and had a lot of spunk, and it was refreshing that the heroine was a virgin for once and that the guy wanted to wait and get to know her better before sleeping with her. It's worth borrowing for the characters, but definitely not worth buying and not a good pick for those looking for suspense or mystery.
2. The Art of Deception: 2 1/2 stars
This was definitely the best in this book; the characters are just absolutely outrageous and crazy and really made me laugh, and I actually didn't guess one of the "bad guys" for once. However, I was kind of annoyed with the whole Kirby-Adam "conflict," because I just didn't think it was that big of a deal and I thought Kirby was stupid about it at the end. As I said, this is the best in this book, but I still don't think these short stories are worth buying. Borrow them if you have free time or are a big Nora Roberts fan; otherwise, go with something else.
3. Night Moves: 1 star
I don't get what happened with Roberts in "Night Moves;" usually in her books the characters invest heart and mind in the relationship before body, but in this one they just hop right into bed together without getting to know each other. It probably has to do with the fact that the story's so short, but I just don't like that; Maggie and Cliff's relationship just seemed unhealthy. Also, it was just too short to include both a complete and thrilling suspense and romance at the same time, and both suffered as a result. I figured out the killer almost from the start, which was just disappointing as well. I just can't recommend this; it doesn't satisfy either the suspense or romance reader. FYI: I didn't realize it until I picked it up, but this book is from Roberts' "Night Tales" series, so if you already own or have read "Night Tales: Night Shield/Night Moves" you're only getting two new stories instead of three.
I recommend Blue Smoke or the O'Hurley series (Born O'Hurley) and O'Hurley's Return) for the best of Nora Roberts.
July 5, 2024
Suspicious is a compendium of three novels, combining both mystery and romance. Individually, they each deserve five stars, making this collection a delightful acquisition.
Partners: Two reporters, Matt and Laurel, have been competing and rubbing each other up the wrong way for a year when they are assigned to the same story. Laurel knows the people involved, but it's Matt's beat, so they reluctantly team up. Slowly and inevitably their relationship changes as they work together, and in the process uncover more than they expected, both in relationship to the subject they are researching and in their own feelings for each other. Laurel's grandmother is a particularly great character, both funny and fun.
The Art of Deception: I don't know which relationship I found more delightful, Philip Fairchild with Kirby Fairchild, father and daughter, or Kirby Fairchild with Adam Haines. Adam is a painter who has come to stay with Philip for four weeks to paint in peace and quiet. Philip is also a painter, and Kirby is a sculptor. All three are successful at what they do, but the Fairchilds are so unexpected in everything they do and say that you can't help but be entertained throughout the book at their antics.
Night Moves: Maggie Fitzgerald, a famous child of famous parents and a song writer, has had enough of LA and moves to a remote mountain and a house that hasn't been lived in for ten years. It needs a lot of work. As she starts on the inside, she hires Cliff Delaney to work on the landscaping. Cliff does not like city people who fancy themselves capable of adjusting to small town ways, and he particularly doesn't like famous ones. In the process of digging out part of the yard for a pond, the men take a break and poor Maggie and her new puppy stumble upon a partially disinterred body. From then on Cliff and Maggie have to deal with each other more than they'd like as the police try to discover the identity of the murdered man and that of his murderer.
Partners: Two reporters, Matt and Laurel, have been competing and rubbing each other up the wrong way for a year when they are assigned to the same story. Laurel knows the people involved, but it's Matt's beat, so they reluctantly team up. Slowly and inevitably their relationship changes as they work together, and in the process uncover more than they expected, both in relationship to the subject they are researching and in their own feelings for each other. Laurel's grandmother is a particularly great character, both funny and fun.
The Art of Deception: I don't know which relationship I found more delightful, Philip Fairchild with Kirby Fairchild, father and daughter, or Kirby Fairchild with Adam Haines. Adam is a painter who has come to stay with Philip for four weeks to paint in peace and quiet. Philip is also a painter, and Kirby is a sculptor. All three are successful at what they do, but the Fairchilds are so unexpected in everything they do and say that you can't help but be entertained throughout the book at their antics.
Night Moves: Maggie Fitzgerald, a famous child of famous parents and a song writer, has had enough of LA and moves to a remote mountain and a house that hasn't been lived in for ten years. It needs a lot of work. As she starts on the inside, she hires Cliff Delaney to work on the landscaping. Cliff does not like city people who fancy themselves capable of adjusting to small town ways, and he particularly doesn't like famous ones. In the process of digging out part of the yard for a pond, the men take a break and poor Maggie and her new puppy stumble upon a partially disinterred body. From then on Cliff and Maggie have to deal with each other more than they'd like as the police try to discover the identity of the murdered man and that of his murderer.
March 4, 2017
Partners - 4/5 - This must have been around the time that Nora Roberts started getting good - because this is a pretty great story. It's obviously dated (it's from 1992!) with people using typewriters and smoking indoors and whatnot. But it's easy enough to look past that to the pretty decent suspense-romance that we get here. Laurel Armand is a journalist working at her father's paper and sort of a Southern Belle who starts out iffy for me, as she's kind of vain and has a touch of self-centeredness, but it doesn't stick with her and it doesn't get on my nerves. She has a moment or two of utter stupidity, but she's not TSTL. Matt works at the same paper as she does, but he had much rougher beginnings. And he's been attracted to her pretty much forever, but is taking his sweet time about acting on it. When they're partnered together to do a story about the death of the wife of a family friend, things get a bit spicier. And the suspense and mystery part of the story definitely keep you reading. Some of this was rather unrealistic in that, how did the cops close this case and not uncover any of the information that these two reporters did? Did they not question anybody or ever go looking for clues?
Interestingly enough (and this is very telling about the story quality) I read this about 10-15 years ago and almost as soon as I started reading it again, the story and things that happen in it started coming back to me. I actually remembered this story. I tend to forget whole books and everything that happens in them years after reading them, so this was definitely good enough to remember.
Art of Deception - 3/5 - This is an early Nora Roberts, so not her greatest. It's mostly a romance with a touch of suspense added in. It centers around a father and daughter who are great artists and eccentrics and a visiting artist (who is also on a mission to find a stolen Rembrandt painting). As a romance, it's not much because for most of the story they lack any emotional tension. And there certainly isn't much physical chemistry...even their love scene is about a paragraph long and it fades to black after they kiss. As a suspense it's kind of lackluster as well.
While the banter between Kirby and her father is pretty damn delightful, Kirby on her own is a bit annoying. I'm sure she was supposed to be written as delightfully quirky - but I couldn't see it that way. She is constantly swearing with mundane words like "galoshes" or "corkscrews" or something else (some bet with her father)... And she's supposedly so confident and aware of her sexuality that she looks at sex quite casually. That's perfectly fine, but the examples the author uses to demonstrate it are completely unnecessary (and disturbing) - I don't need to know who she slept with and who is or has been interested in her. And in all of this wacky craziness of the Fairchild House, Adam just can't hold his own...literarily speaking. He's a great character and he balances the insanity, but he doesn't have a strong enough character to stand out...to be anything but boring in comparison. So it's good and it's easy to read - but I didn't care for Kirby. I really liked her father though! Too bad he wasn't one of the two main characters.
Night Moves - 3/5 - So I was extremely surprised at the publication date of this story. Most of the 1980's Nora Roberts stories have asshat heroes, heroine POVs and the tendency of heroes to attack the heroines with kisses completely out of the blue and with no chemistry whatsoever. This is surprisingly superior to those stories - thank goodness!
It starts with Maggie, who grew up the cherished daughter of actors in Hollywood - she has decided to make it on her own in the stix and revamp an old house. I honestly liked her - she's self-sufficient, a little stubborn, artistically quirky and she reminded me a bit of me (without the talent of course...). She hires Cliff Delaney, the local landscaper to redo the grounds. Cliff is a jerk, not an ass, and he has a very narrow-minded view of Maggie. He heaps all his preconceived notions on top of her and treats her like crap because of it. She doesn't always just take it, but for some completely unfathomable reason, she falls in love with him. Their "first time" together went pretty much as you'd expect when the hero looks down on the heroine and the heroine can't seem to control her lust even though she knows it's not in her best interest to sleep with the guy. Lots of passion and then...reality. They hurl insults. One of my favorites is, "What kind of man are you, to sleep with a woman that you don't have an ounce of respect for?" What I SOOOO wish, was that the she had maybe had the thought, "What kind of woman am I, having slept with a man who doesn't have an ounce of respect for me?" He seems to lack morals. She is apparently lacking self-esteem.
In the midst of all this is a dead body, a murder done some 10 years ago and a killer who wants to keep the whole thing hidden. Honestly, this mystery is very secondary to the romance - it almost doesn't really feel like a threat. It really just gives the Hero a reason to act all protective and to sleep over every night. And this forced intimacy and protectiveness is where the romance resolves itself. Plenty of angst as they fight their feelings, but it turns out well enough. Overall a pretty decent and quick read.
Interestingly enough (and this is very telling about the story quality) I read this about 10-15 years ago and almost as soon as I started reading it again, the story and things that happen in it started coming back to me. I actually remembered this story. I tend to forget whole books and everything that happens in them years after reading them, so this was definitely good enough to remember.
Art of Deception - 3/5 - This is an early Nora Roberts, so not her greatest. It's mostly a romance with a touch of suspense added in. It centers around a father and daughter who are great artists and eccentrics and a visiting artist (who is also on a mission to find a stolen Rembrandt painting). As a romance, it's not much because for most of the story they lack any emotional tension. And there certainly isn't much physical chemistry...even their love scene is about a paragraph long and it fades to black after they kiss. As a suspense it's kind of lackluster as well.
While the banter between Kirby and her father is pretty damn delightful, Kirby on her own is a bit annoying. I'm sure she was supposed to be written as delightfully quirky - but I couldn't see it that way. She is constantly swearing with mundane words like "galoshes" or "corkscrews" or something else (some bet with her father)... And she's supposedly so confident and aware of her sexuality that she looks at sex quite casually. That's perfectly fine, but the examples the author uses to demonstrate it are completely unnecessary (and disturbing) - I don't need to know who she slept with and who is or has been interested in her. And in all of this wacky craziness of the Fairchild House, Adam just can't hold his own...literarily speaking. He's a great character and he balances the insanity, but he doesn't have a strong enough character to stand out...to be anything but boring in comparison. So it's good and it's easy to read - but I didn't care for Kirby. I really liked her father though! Too bad he wasn't one of the two main characters.
Night Moves - 3/5 - So I was extremely surprised at the publication date of this story. Most of the 1980's Nora Roberts stories have asshat heroes, heroine POVs and the tendency of heroes to attack the heroines with kisses completely out of the blue and with no chemistry whatsoever. This is surprisingly superior to those stories - thank goodness!
It starts with Maggie, who grew up the cherished daughter of actors in Hollywood - she has decided to make it on her own in the stix and revamp an old house. I honestly liked her - she's self-sufficient, a little stubborn, artistically quirky and she reminded me a bit of me (without the talent of course...). She hires Cliff Delaney, the local landscaper to redo the grounds. Cliff is a jerk, not an ass, and he has a very narrow-minded view of Maggie. He heaps all his preconceived notions on top of her and treats her like crap because of it. She doesn't always just take it, but for some completely unfathomable reason, she falls in love with him. Their "first time" together went pretty much as you'd expect when the hero looks down on the heroine and the heroine can't seem to control her lust even though she knows it's not in her best interest to sleep with the guy. Lots of passion and then...reality. They hurl insults. One of my favorites is, "What kind of man are you, to sleep with a woman that you don't have an ounce of respect for?" What I SOOOO wish, was that the she had maybe had the thought, "What kind of woman am I, having slept with a man who doesn't have an ounce of respect for me?" He seems to lack morals. She is apparently lacking self-esteem.
In the midst of all this is a dead body, a murder done some 10 years ago and a killer who wants to keep the whole thing hidden. Honestly, this mystery is very secondary to the romance - it almost doesn't really feel like a threat. It really just gives the Hero a reason to act all protective and to sleep over every night. And this forced intimacy and protectiveness is where the romance resolves itself. Plenty of angst as they fight their feelings, but it turns out well enough. Overall a pretty decent and quick read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2023
I loved all 3 of the stories in this book and would definitely recommend!
Partners - I loved the chemistry between Laurel and Matt and I loved the little twist at the end!
The Art of Deception - First I would love to be Kirby and Philips friend! They are amazingly kooky! I loved the chemistry with Kirby and Adam and loved their story.
Night Moves - Maggie and Cliff were fantastic together! I loved the story line and how it all played out!
Partners - I loved the chemistry between Laurel and Matt and I loved the little twist at the end!
The Art of Deception - First I would love to be Kirby and Philips friend! They are amazingly kooky! I loved the chemistry with Kirby and Adam and loved their story.
Night Moves - Maggie and Cliff were fantastic together! I loved the story line and how it all played out!
January 16, 2021
Three stories. The first and the third I enjoyed but the second one was too slow. Maybe I’m just not into that kind of thing. Anyways, the second took longer than the others.
September 21, 2025
Did NOT finish…. I don’t enjoy this kind of book!
April 25, 2021
Enjoyable stories, if somewhat predictable. I enjoyed the middle story the most, it was less predictable and felt different from other Nora Roberts books I have read. I liked feeling like I was living in that big house for the duration of the book. I have to again say, Nora Roberts from the 80s does not hold up in the 2020's. The men all come across so rapey, there were several points I had to stop reading and remind myself that it was a different world back then. Thank god!
July 13, 2012
SUSPICIOUS contains three full-length novels that have been out or print for over 10 years.
"Partners" Two rival reporters head to New Orleans to investigate a murder. EXCELLENT
"The Art of Deception" An artist attempt to discover forgery creating his own deception. OKAY
"The Night Moves" Composer 'Maggie" runs away for some R&R, to a country town, population 142. Purchases a ramshackle home. Landscaper unearths a skeleton in her yard ... ENJOYABLE
Just re-read this stories... like finding an old friend.
"Partners" Two rival reporters head to New Orleans to investigate a murder. EXCELLENT
"The Art of Deception" An artist attempt to discover forgery creating his own deception. OKAY
"The Night Moves" Composer 'Maggie" runs away for some R&R, to a country town, population 142. Purchases a ramshackle home. Landscaper unearths a skeleton in her yard ... ENJOYABLE
Just re-read this stories... like finding an old friend.
November 2, 2012
Wonderful Early La Nora categories. Entertaining, charming, and totally '80s. You have to take them as they are, mid-'80s stories, because updating to modern technology would not work for them. So enjoy the clacking of typewriters, secret radio transmitters (walkie talkies?) and choke on the cigarette smoke. (Eww!)
(There's a mystery/suspense thread in each story, but not enough, IMO, to call them romantic suspense. YMMV.)
(There's a mystery/suspense thread in each story, but not enough, IMO, to call them romantic suspense. YMMV.)
February 10, 2011
I didn't realize this was a triology when I bought it on ebay. Got through the first story in March of 2008, but haven't started the other two since.
The writing pretty dismal - story was developed too rapidly a for novel and had too much of a story for a "short-story". You feel cheated either way.
The writing pretty dismal - story was developed too rapidly a for novel and had too much of a story for a "short-story". You feel cheated either way.
Read
August 14, 2012I could only get through the first book, "Partners" for some reason. I tried several times to get into the second book but just couldn't get through it enough to even move onto the third...It's the first time I haven't made it through a Nora Roberts book...I love most all of her books. The first book was great and enjoyable...not sure what happened in the second...
January 9, 2008
Three good romance novels, I really enjoyed the middle and last stories.
October 1, 2008
wow good! It was a good mystery element!
with some romance... good books. All three.
with some romance... good books. All three.
December 30, 2010
First story was silly, but I liked the second and thought the third was okay.
October 20, 2012
Early NR.. Prtnrs:4* grt news ppl, mrdr myst; PM Moves:3.5* lkd it, edgy; Art: 4* lv Kirby, Dad, vry excntrc;
August 7, 2012
partners-2 stars
art of deception-2 stars
night moves-3 stars
art of deception-2 stars
night moves-3 stars
September 8, 2012
You can never go wrong with Nora Roberts!
March 10, 2013
Enjoyed the first and third stories but could not get into the second one.
June 9, 2016
This was an older Nora Roberts - story line was a little weak but kept my interest enough to finish
Bates & Lorellie were good partners - enjoyed the pairing
Bates & Lorellie were good partners - enjoyed the pairing
May 29, 2012
gotta love these seperate stories in one book.
June 8, 2014
Enjoyed all 3 stories in this book.
December 27, 2014
a good leisurely read. learned a lot about the arts.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews