Review--BLUE SMOKE AND MURDER

Review For:
Blue Smoke and Murder, by Elizabeth Lowell
ISBN: 9780060829858, Publisher: Harper Collins

I found Blue Smoke and Murder, by Elizabeth Lowell remarkable. Elizabeth Lowell is a New York Times bestseller of such titles: Innocent as Sin, Forget Me Not, Amber Beach, The Wrong Hostage, Midnight in Ruby Bayou, A Woman Without Lies, and Only Love. She resides in Arizona with her husband, with whom she writes mystery novels under a pseudonym.
When Jill Breck saved the life of Lane Faroe she thought she was just doing her job as a river guide. She didn’t think she’d ever need to take up his father’s offer of using St. Kilda’s expertise if she found herself in trouble. But when a mysterious fire kills her aunt and a feud within the Western art world over twelve family paintings immerges with a death threat, Jill calls in the favor. Zach Balfour is a part-time consultant for St. Kilda. He much prefers analyzing and gathering information from dangerous sources then playing bodyguard. Protecting Jill is familiar ground, but she’s in deeper than she knows. Zach and Jill are in a race against time to unveil a merciless killer who is hidden in a blue smoke of art dealers, lies, and money.
I obtained the advance reading copy of this romantic suspense for review, so I won’t bother with the very few errors I found. Aside from that, there isn’t a negative word to be said about this book.
I was certainly familiar with the name Elizabeth Lowell prior to this review. However, this is the first novel of hers I have read. I do believe I have found a new author to love. The plot was fast-paced, intriguing, and captivating. I, at no time, lost interest, nor were there any dead spots. The characters were believable and cogent. The suspense angle was jaw-dropping and had more twists than a gourmet pretzel. The romantic elements were tastefully written and not overly flighty or exaggerated. I especially like that readers can learn a thing or two about the art world. I certainly did. The setting was interesting, too, as well as the characters background steeped in some religious truth.
Blue Smoke and Murder will grip your attention from the first page and hold you hostage until the very last period. Elizabeth Lowell is a true icon in the romantic fiction genre! I cannot wait to pick up more of her books.

Kelly Moran,
Author and Reviewer