Shannon Tanner's perfect life is turned on end when she discovers her boyfriend, Mark, is not what he seems. Fearing for her safety, she enlists the FBI, who puts its best man on the job Rick Holden, who dons a dress and goes undercover as Shannon s roommate. For a while it seems that life is safe again, until Mark kidnaps Shannon's best friend. Shannon realizes the only way to save her friend and herself is to send Rick, her only protection, away. Agent in Old Lace is a thrilling combination of action, suspense, and romance that will keep you turning the pages until the end.
I originally read this a few years ago and enjoyed it. When I saw the author was tweaking and republishing it I jumped at the chance to read it again. Love the new cover!
I thought this a fun, unique romantic suspense. We're thrown right into the action when Shannon stumbles upon suspicious information at her boyfriends work, when he catches her he kidnaps her and off we go on a fun ride. You definitely want to keep reading to see what will happen next. Mark was an okay character, I think his "evilness" could have been upped a notch. I liked Shannon and her bodyguard Rick. They had a fun storyline and good chemistry.
You may be able to figure things out early on, but that doesn't take away from the fun of the story. I enjoyed the overall plot of the story and that it takes place in my hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah. Overall, a nice romance and fun read.
Content: Clean romance, mild violence, no language
Updated 10/21/2019: I just finished reading the most updated version of this book and I have to say I didn’t care for it as much as the original. The extra scenes didn’t add much to the book and in fact took away some depth and made it feel more like fluff.
Original Review: I really enjoy the storyline and flow of this book. I've actually read it quite a few times. Although I wish there was a bit more to the romance part of the plot, I still find myself enjoying it each time. A great read!
Shannon's life seems to be perfect, but when her boyfriend, Mark, surprises her with a gun, instead of a ring, her life drastically changes. Since Mark is relentless in his quest to get her, she gets a bodyguard/roommate--Rick, an undercover agent.
This story is thrilling and face-paced, but I had things figured out pretty quickly, and I wanted a good surprise. Shannon is a normal, every-day girl and I just can't imagine the fear she felt. Her character is written in a way that really plays that up. Rick is a real trooper to do what he has to do to keep Shannon safe. He takes his job seriously and works hard to crack the case. Mark is crazy! I couldn't figure out why he didn't just give up and disappear and his appearances are pretty creepy.
I wanted a little more depth with the characters at times--to feel their connections on a more emotional level, especially at the climax.
Since I did have things figured out, I enjoyed watching the characters put the pieces together. I was rooting for them to put an end to things and was cheering them on with each page. It's a great suspense and one that I really couldn't put down.
Content: mild violence; mild romance. Clean!
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*
Reading this book was a life changing experience for me. Not hugely, like having a kid or getting married, more like discovering a new good restaurant or discovering a new type of music you like. I admit, I have said some not very nice things about LDS genre fiction in the past; cliche is probably one of the more moderate words I have used. I was nervously looking forward to getting the review copy of this book because if it lived up (down) to my expectations, what would I write? But it didn't. In fact, I will say this is one of the best thrillers (-ish) that I have read in a long time, because it so wasn't cliched. Having the girl not meekly go along with the threatening gunman made me give a shout of joy just in the first few pages. I've never understood why someone would go along with their own removal to a more easily disposed of location. The heroine felt like a real person, not just a stick figure to get into trouble and then rescued. She jumps out of a car and actually hurts herself. How's that for a departure from regular fiction? The writing was crisp and fresh. Though that sounds like more of a description of salad than prose, it truly was light and easy to read. Without getting bogged down in horrific descriptions of the evilness of the bad guy (we can figure it out) or of ballistics, or meandering, long passionate monologues about the tormented romance. Tristi Pinkston has single-handledly convinced me to try more LDS fiction. I might actually start shopping Deseret Book instead of B&N. I'm sure your fellow authors will thank you, I certainly do.
I really wanted to love Agent in Old Lace, but I found it to be completely and extremely rushed, and when I say rushed, I mean russshed. On the very first page we enter a scene that, to me, seemed like the height of a main climax. We see the girl go to her boyfriends desk and find a hidden file that he shouldn't have. The boyfriend comes in mad and upset. Girl freaks out, man pulls out the gun, and then it pretty much spirals out of control from there on. It came out of no where and I didn't have the time to feel what would/could have been, suspenseful, gripping and even a thrilling part of the story. I felt no real connection to the characters and the dialog was chalky. On the plus side, there was a lot of potential in this book and there was even some amusing and even cute parts that did manage to put a smile on my face. But at last, I couldn't love this one, no matter how much I wanted to.
I actually got introduced to Tristi Pinkston through an on-line chat group long before I learned that she was a published author. So I was excited to take the opportunity to read one of her books. Agent in Old Lace was released last year to the LDS market. As a fan of mystery books, I really loved reading it, though I had some difficulty at first. The difficulty revolves around the fact that the bad guy was supposedly a good upstanding Mormon. In my brain, that didn't jive. But then I realized, the more that I read, that just because you belong to (or say that you belong to) a certain religion does not mean that you live the standards that religion teaches. It is the person, not the religion, who has chosen to take the wrong path. Once I realized that, then I was able to thoroughly enjoy reading this book.
I love Shannon as a character as she does not just sit by and play the victim, but does what she can to help herself out of the situation. I also really love the various law enforcement officers, especially Rick. The relationship that builds over time between him and Shannon is fantastic and they are able to find humor where it is needed while trying to capture the man who has been steadily destroying Shannon and her family. For mystery lovers out there who are tired of overly violent novels. This is a fun, clean read and I highly recommend it.
Shannon Tanner seems to have everything, until she realizes that what she's believed about her boyfriend, Mark, is a total lie. He's a creep and he's been embezzling a lot of money from many of his clients. He even believes he can convince Shannon to come with him and revel in the stolen funds. Thankfully, Shannon has morals and won't even consider it. Mark kidnaps her, but she escapes.
Then it's a cat and mouse game while FBI agent Rick protects Shannon from Mark and his obsession with revenge against Shannon.
Agent in Old Lace is a fast and fun read with plenty of humor. I especially enjoyed the budding romance between Shannon and Rick. I thought it was realistic and believable.
I thought Tristi did a great job of making Mark, the villain, slimy. I was glad when he got what was coming to him.
Other than a few pet words/phrases, I thought the writing was solid and the story flowed well. I also enjoyed the storyline about her dad and how it was resolved at the end (I was convinced I knew what was happening, but Tristi threw in a twist--she's good at that).
I recommend you add it to your reading list and tell your friends. It's a fun book!
Fun, witty, suspense, romance, action, deceit ...this book is packed with great things to read!
I love it when I pick up a book and I am pulled into the story. This book is well written and entertaining. I loved Tristi's writing style. It shows humor in spite of the drama unfolding in the plot.
Shannon is an intelligent woman. She trusted someone unworthy of her affection, leading to a kidnapping and the introduction of an amazing FBI agent. Her life is unraveling and she finds an anchor in Rick, the agent assigned to protect her.
I appreciate that it wasn't instant love, but a friendship that developed from trust and mutual respect. Of course, the fact that the FBI agent has to dress up as a women led to many fun circumstances and jokes.
This was a fantastic book! Tristi Pinkston has written a great mystery with a little romance along for the fun. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with believable characters.
I was part of the blog tour for the book. You can read more about how I feel about the book and read the interview I had with Tristi. Go to my blog http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot....
Ok. This is not my favorite time period and I often have to talk myself into reading a modern romance. So after a lengthy discussion with myself and exhausting my other options, I finally read the book. Wahoo! Talk about a fun mystery/romance with a Generous dash of humor! I repeat, Wahoo!
I read this last year sometime and didn't realize until today that I never added it. This is a quick, cute, funny read. It could have used some more depth or maybe development in some areas, but I would difinitely read this author again.
The book kept me interested enough to see how it ended but the silly portrayal of law enforcement and the lack of research of the same was disappointing.
If you live in Utah you probably have that one in-law or auntie or neighbor who is unfailingly earnest and sweet and cannot have a single conversation without bringing religion into it. This book is what I imagine you get when that lady tries to write a screwball Cary Grant movie. It's so full of Latter-day Saint jargon it would be nearly incomprehensible to anyone outside the culture.
On the very first page, main character Shannon gets caught snooping in her boyfriend's office, and by page 3 he has her at gunpoint. Considering she was practically engaged to him she seems weirdly unsurprised by this and barely questions him at all. After a series of unlikely events, Shannon makes it to relative safety and the FBI assigns a female agent to live with her and pose as her roommate. Only the agent breaks her leg and apparently there are NO other female agents (???) because the FBI decides the ONLY reasonable option now is to have the handsome male agent move in with her and DRESS UP like a female roommate. There were some redeemable parts but for the most part the whole thing was like an overly-contrived train wreck I couldn't look away from.
I found the overall story to be quite enjoyable. It has a good amount of suspense without producing anxiety and it is a clean read with a good blend of sweet moments. The story takes a few two days and turns that I wasn’t expecting from the outset which I enjoyed. Now for the audio side of things. The narration, I have to admit is not my favourite, but I know I am picky with this and it was still very well done. I can’t imagine it’s an easy job performing multiple character roles for both male & female parts. I am happy to recommend to anyone who likes clean crime reads with a nice dose of romance to accompany it 🙃 I received a free copy of this book, however this in no way influenced my opinion of it and I am under no obligation to leave this review
I enjoyed this audiobook. It was a sweet romance along with a bit of a mystery. I really liked that the characters developed a friendship over months. I appreciated that Shannon didn’t fall head over heals for a pretty face when she was trying to get over a betrayal of her except boyfriend. I appreciated that the story wasn’t focused on the attraction they had for each other even though Shannon does recognize Rick as being quite handsome. I also appreciated that this was a clean story. I figured out what was wrong with Shannon’s father from the beginning and the reason behind it. But I didn’t figure out exactly how it was accomplished. That was the only thing I was frustrated by in the book. I couldn’t understand why it wasn’t considered sooner. The narrator also did a good job.
This book was just OK. The authors writing was extremely predictable, and jumped around a whole lot. There wasn't enough detail to describe all of the things that were happening. But I do love a good mystery/suspense, so it was at least enjoyable! I liked the two main characters. Their personalities didn't really come out enough, but it was alright. I probably won't read another book by this author though. Toi jumbled up and it didn't flow well enough for me.
"Agent in Old Lace" By: Tristi Pinkston Narrated by: Kristin Post Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins Release date: 08-29-19
This was a great Romance Suspense with a side of comedy story. Well, maybe not comedy but some light-hearted seriousness, at least from my point of view. I truly did enjoy my time in this author's story with this narrator's presentation of 'Agent in Old Lace'. If you choose to read this story, I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Happy Reading ! !
Mystery, Some Twists, and a Healthy Dose of Humor! Shannon’s life has become a circus. Her father is deathly ill, and she has found out her boyfriend is a psychopath. Can she keep all of the plates spinning long enough to stay alive and maybe also save her family? I feel as if I can’t say much more about this book without giving away the little moments that made this book so much fun. I received this audiobook as a review copy, and I am leaving a voluntary review.
I probably should just give this four stars but it was so exactly what I was craving at the time that it gets the fifth star out of pure contentment and for the fact that when closing the book I smiled and uttered, “Aw, I loved that.”
Fun adventure, fast-paced, squeaky clean, quick read, and Rick and Shannon were adorable.
I had the great privilege to narrate this audiobook! I enjoyed performing the variety of characters...from a strong, independent, witty woman...to a gentlemanly FBI Agent...to an energetic and dramatic BFF...and several more. The story was engaging with plenty of suspense, moments of sweet romance, and the occasional dash of laugh-out-loud lines. Check out the book...or hey--even the audiobook!
A enjoyable fun romantic suspense. This engaging storyline kept me interested from the start with kidnapping, humor, action, chemistry, romance, and mystery in a good clean story. The characters are intriguing, well developed and truly delightful. The narration was wonderfully done really adding to the adventure. Really glad I found and listened to the little gem.
I really enjoyed this book! It had charm and drama, suspense and witty dialogue. The main character is very relatable and the hero is a knight in shining armor. I would definitely recommend this book.
I love a good romantic suspense and Tristi Pinkston gave me exactly that. I loved the characters, storyline, and little moments in the book that hinted at a future for the Knight and his Damsel.
Can I just tell all my Blogland friends how MUCH I enjoyed reading Tristi Pinkston's Agent in Old Lace? I'm not kidding, I love the humor and the mystery. It is a work of triumph for Tristi in her first foray into romantic comedy with some great suspense. Congratulations, my friend!
Let's check out the backliner ... for you non-authors that would be the description of the story on the back of the book, hence the term "backliner."
"Shannon Tanner s perfect life is turned on end when she discovers her boyfriend, Mark, is not what he seems. Fearing for her safety, she enlists the FBI, who puts its best man on the job Rick Holden, who dons a dress and goes undercover as Shannon's roommate. For a while it seems that life is safe again, until Mark kidnaps Shannon s best friend. Shannon realizes the only way to save her friend and herself is to send Rick, her only protection, away."
Agent in Old Lace is a thrilling combination of action, suspense, and romance that will keep you turning the pages until the end.
Tristi Pinkston is the author of Nothing to Regret, Strength to Endure and Season of Sacrifice, all fantastic, page-turning historical fiction which can be purchased off her website. But I have known Tristi for five years now and have encouraged her, along with dozens upon dozens of our peers, to write something which highlighted her delightful, not to mention hysterical, sense of humor.
Agent in Old Lace introduces us to that quirky sense of humor, coupled with Tristi's writing which is crisp, strong and brings the reader into the world she has created which they are always reluctant to leave. I literally curled up on my couch, opened the book and refused to get up until I turned the last page.
Tristi's books are always a great read, but this one will introduce you to a new side of Tristi you won't soon forget. It is a great precursor to her Secret Sisters series which unleashes the full strength of Tristi's sense of humor.
Thanks for giving me a highly enjoyable couple of hours, Tristi. This book gets a HUGE two thumbs up. It is a "must buy" and a wonderful addition to your home libraries. Trust me on that one.
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About Tristi: Tristi Pinkston is a stay-at-home mom, home schooler, media reviewer, Cub Scout leader, freelance editor, obsessive blogger, and headless chicken. She s married to her first and only boyfriend, Matt Pinkston, and together they have four children: Caryn, Ammon, Joseph, and Benjamin. Tristi is a regularly featured presenter at the LDStorymakers Writers Conference and enjoys helping others learn how to fine-tune their writing skills. She also gives presentations on literacy, the Hole in the Rock Pioneers, and the importance of honoring the talents you've been given. Tristi is the author of three historical fiction novels. Agent in Old Lace is her first novel with Cedar Fort.