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Irene Kelly #4
Remember Me, Irene
In this gripping addition to the Irene Kelly mystery series, a young reporter learns the hard way that a revered figure from her past is not the man she imagined he was. In an unsettling encounter on the streets of Las Piernas, newspaper reporter Irene Kelly fails to recognize the homeless man who declares, "I'm not who I used to be." Only later does she realize that he had been her favorite instructor back in college -- Lucas Monroe. Once a gifted young academic with a promising future, Lucas needs her help, but he's gone missing. Now his name keeps coming up in association with charges of blackmail and possible homicide. Irene wants to know more but no one is willing to talk. And then she stumbles upon a dead body... Jan Burke lives in Southern California with her husband and Cappy the devil dog. "Electric suspense [with a] surprise climax." -- Grand Rapids Press "A memorable who-done-it, a splendid addition to an excellent new series." -- Los Angeles Times
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 21, 1996
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412 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
April 18, 2022
Ooooooh, this was far and away the best Irene Kelly book yet! Also, it's the first one I've read this year that was not a reread, so that added some extra zing, I suppose. Though, to be honest, I haven't remembered loads about the first three either, since it had been so long since I'd read them the first time.
I especially loved the parts that took place in an abandoned hotel called the Angelus. First, I am fascinated by abandoned buildings, and second, it sounded like a place they would use as a setting for some random ep of Angel (1999-2004). I loved imagining wandering around in it.
Also, I love that Irene and Frank are a happily married couple. They are both such strong-minded, stubborn, loyal, wonderful characters who insist on standing by each other through anything, but who also don't always get along at every minute of the day.
I especially loved the parts that took place in an abandoned hotel called the Angelus. First, I am fascinated by abandoned buildings, and second, it sounded like a place they would use as a setting for some random ep of Angel (1999-2004). I loved imagining wandering around in it.
Also, I love that Irene and Frank are a happily married couple. They are both such strong-minded, stubborn, loyal, wonderful characters who insist on standing by each other through anything, but who also don't always get along at every minute of the day.
November 28, 2018
This one started out pretty slow. I’ve been used to these books popping from the beginning but in this one Irene just hit road block after road block. I wanted to know what was going on, who the bad guys were, and what the story was!! It kind of drove me nuts for a while. About half way through things started getting so good and then by the end it was another great read.
May 7, 2020
good story that moved along. sort of a popcorn read with likable and believable characters. nice bits of tension developed. I always like a mystery that keeps me guessing. A couple of times I thought that I knew the direction that the story was heading but it had a nice little twist at the end that I did not see coming.
October 22, 2011
liking this series, can't believe I just discovered it. Going back to read them all!
April 20, 2023
Irene Kelly, a reporter at the newspaper that serves her community, saw the homeless man who recognized her. She had no idea who he was, but he insisted she could help him.
Before she can figure out who he is, someone murders him, and they find his body inside a creepy abandoned hotel. It’s up to Irene to figure out why he had to die. As to who did it? Well, you’ll be surprised by that. I certainly was.
This is a story of politics and blackmail. It’s a story of love between the reporter and her new detective husband, and what a great love affair that is. They stand by one another in every way possible. It’s the story of a sometimes-vulnerable Irene and the fears she faces because of close calls in previous books.
In short, this is an excellent series, and this book is an able representative of the best of that series.
Before she can figure out who he is, someone murders him, and they find his body inside a creepy abandoned hotel. It’s up to Irene to figure out why he had to die. As to who did it? Well, you’ll be surprised by that. I certainly was.
This is a story of politics and blackmail. It’s a story of love between the reporter and her new detective husband, and what a great love affair that is. They stand by one another in every way possible. It’s the story of a sometimes-vulnerable Irene and the fears she faces because of close calls in previous books.
In short, this is an excellent series, and this book is an able representative of the best of that series.
July 7, 2023
Journalist Irene Kelly is accosted by an African American bum who claims he knows her. Afterward, she finds out he had taught her statistics when she was a student. What follows is a complex investigation involving possible fraud in city redevelopment, suspicious deaths and attacks. Although Irene took a stupid pill very near the end, an unexpected guardian angel saved her bacon. The mystery was good, the characterizations good, the view into homelessness and sexual predation heartfelt.
March 15, 2017
Really liked this one. Story was intricate enough to keep me guessing, and the characters just keep on developing. Great narration helps too. <><
November 4, 2017
one of my favorites of this series so far. Kept me guessing till quite near the end.
October 14, 2020
This was a good story, but a bit more slow going than her other books.
October 27, 2020
It's not exactly gripping but I'll continue the series
June 18, 2024
The book was very good and I couldn’t stop reading it and it had a great ending!!!
October 5, 2024
A more sympathetic and kind Irene than in previous books. It seems that the bad guys in this series come in groups that collude to cause problems in the city.
March 14, 2025
solid! quick! twisty! a few bad similes!!
Read
July 29, 2011Newly married Southern California newspaper reporter Irene Kelly (seen before in Dear Irene, etc.) doesn't immediately recognize the bum on the bus stop bench who says he knows her. A few weeks later, meeting with some old friends, she learns that he was Lucas Monroe, her statistics teacher in college. That same night, she drives a friend home to find the woman's wealthy husband dead from a self-inflicted gunshot. The next day, the longtime Las Piernas city manager resigns, refusing to give a reason. While tracking that story, Irene hears that a closed circle of the city's rich and powerful men will convene in secret at a local restaurant. Dragging along her homicide detective husband, Irene crashes the rendezvous and is there when one of the men has a heart attack. She then discovers that each of the men at the meeting has been visited by Lucas and presented with a copy of a photograph. Tracing the connections among the city bigwigs, Lucas and the photograph, gutsy Irene gets to the bottom of a mystery that takes on the tangled history of a city's development.
October 15, 2015
#4 in the Irene Kelly series.
Irene Kelly series - Newly married Southern California newspaper reporter Irene Kelly doesn't immediately recognize the bum on the bus stop bench who says he knows her. A few weeks later, meeting with some old friends, she learns that he was Lucas Monroe, her statistics teacher in college. That same night, she drives a friend home to find the woman's wealthy husband dead from a self-inflicted gunshot. The next day, the longtime Las Piernas city manager resigns, refusing to give a reason. While tracking that story, Irene hears that a closed circle of the city's rich and powerful men will convene in secret at a local restaurant. Dragging along her homicide detective husband, Irene crashes the rendezvous and is there when one of the men has a heart attack. She then discovers that each of the men at the meeting has been visited by Lucas and presented with a copy of a photograph. Tracing the connections among the city bigwigs, Lucas and the photograph, gutsy Irene gets to the bottom of a mystery that takes on the tangled history of a city's development.
Irene Kelly series - Newly married Southern California newspaper reporter Irene Kelly doesn't immediately recognize the bum on the bus stop bench who says he knows her. A few weeks later, meeting with some old friends, she learns that he was Lucas Monroe, her statistics teacher in college. That same night, she drives a friend home to find the woman's wealthy husband dead from a self-inflicted gunshot. The next day, the longtime Las Piernas city manager resigns, refusing to give a reason. While tracking that story, Irene hears that a closed circle of the city's rich and powerful men will convene in secret at a local restaurant. Dragging along her homicide detective husband, Irene crashes the rendezvous and is there when one of the men has a heart attack. She then discovers that each of the men at the meeting has been visited by Lucas and presented with a copy of a photograph. Tracing the connections among the city bigwigs, Lucas and the photograph, gutsy Irene gets to the bottom of a mystery that takes on the tangled history of a city's development.
January 30, 2009
Jan Burke is a current author whose Irene Kelly series has a well-deserved following. This one, my most recent read, begins with Irene's chance encounter with Lucas Monroe, her former statistics professor, now homeless and trying to recover his good name. Irene becomes increasingly aware that Lucas's emergence is tied to suicides, resignations, vicious attacks, and even murders, and tries to piece together the story before it's too late--for her.
Ms. Burke delivers a satisfying tale, a great escapist read. Some quibble with the extraordinary number of life-threatening adventures Irene encounters in the course of her lifetime (yes, there is a chronology to the stories), but this is FICTION, folks, so I say go with the flow and enjoy.
Ms. Burke delivers a satisfying tale, a great escapist read. Some quibble with the extraordinary number of life-threatening adventures Irene encounters in the course of her lifetime (yes, there is a chronology to the stories), but this is FICTION, folks, so I say go with the flow and enjoy.
May 24, 2012
This is the fourth book in the series of eleven (as of 2011) ... I'm rereading the series.
I found this one to be just okay, not great. There were a lot of characters and I had a hard time keeping them all straight ... so I gave up and focused on the main ones.
It's been a while since I'd read this one so didn't remember anything about it but it didn't take me long to figure out what happened to a couple of the key characters.
Considering it was written and set in the mid 1990s, it's funny to read about the reporters having to wear beepers ... do they still exist? And "cellular" phones were used sparingly because of their high cost.
Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2012/05...
I found this one to be just okay, not great. There were a lot of characters and I had a hard time keeping them all straight ... so I gave up and focused on the main ones.
It's been a while since I'd read this one so didn't remember anything about it but it didn't take me long to figure out what happened to a couple of the key characters.
Considering it was written and set in the mid 1990s, it's funny to read about the reporters having to wear beepers ... do they still exist? And "cellular" phones were used sparingly because of their high cost.
Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2012/05...
August 22, 2008
REMEMBER ME, IRENE - VG
Burke, Jan - 4th of Irene Kelly series
Newpaper reporter Irene Kelly stumbles upon the dead body of her favorite instructor from college and begins to sift through the trail of dirty deals and dangerous acquaintances that destroyed a gifted man.
Even though this book started a bit slow, it had a very good ending. I am rapidly becoming a very big fan of Jan Burke's. Characters, plots, dialogue, sense of place are all very well done. She is now on my "must buy" list.
Burke, Jan - 4th of Irene Kelly series
Newpaper reporter Irene Kelly stumbles upon the dead body of her favorite instructor from college and begins to sift through the trail of dirty deals and dangerous acquaintances that destroyed a gifted man.
Even though this book started a bit slow, it had a very good ending. I am rapidly becoming a very big fan of Jan Burke's. Characters, plots, dialogue, sense of place are all very well done. She is now on my "must buy" list.
February 5, 2008
Another in the Irene Kelly Southern California newspaper reporter mystery series. Again, Irene finds herself in the middle of trying to solve a murder mystery. This one is a bit different in that Irene does not get beat up physically or mentally during the course of the novel
As with this series, the plot is multilayered and a number of issues have to be resolved/solved by the novel's end. A good read.
As with this series, the plot is multilayered and a number of issues have to be resolved/solved by the novel's end. A good read.
June 28, 2016
This was my first Irene Kelly book. It moved along at a good pace and didn't drag out the storyline. Although some references to her relationship with her husband and other things in her past made me feel I had missed something by not reading the books in order - but the book was good enough to entice me to rectify that.
August 28, 2009
Good; Continuing character: Irene Kelly; reporter comes across street person who is her former college instructor, and he (along with others) ends up dead when he starts resurrecting an old story about corruption in city development.
Read
August 27, 2011While researching the bus system in Las Piernas Irene Kelly meets up with an instructor from her college days. She does not initially recognize him but does uncover his story and learns what happened to him (and Las Piernas) because of it.
March 21, 2016
Book 4 of the Irene Kelly mysteries, wherein more is learned about Irene's background as she solves a mystery about her college statistics teacher. Each mystery fleshes out Irene more, and I am raring to go on to number 5!
Read
December 28, 2007An Irene Kelly novel
August 17, 2008
Fourth in a series
Newspaper reporter Irene Kelly solves mysteries a la Kinsey Milhone. She meets a homeless man who later she finds out was her mentor/professor. She must find out who killed him.
Newspaper reporter Irene Kelly solves mysteries a la Kinsey Milhone. She meets a homeless man who later she finds out was her mentor/professor. She must find out who killed him.
December 28, 2008
This is one of my favorite series. If you are looking for a new mystery author to try, start with this series. Not this book, obviously! Jeez!
May 28, 2025
Fourth book of the series. Haven't found the 3rd one yet. But this one is best so far.
June 1, 2009
great
October 5, 2010
A worthy 4th novel in this series. It is multilayered and the plot is sophisticated. I did figure out the major “twist” pretty early on, but the book still surprised me in places. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews