The dangerous task of acquiring rare and fabulous gems for the uniquely exquisite jewelry she crafts has taught Faith Donovan to be wary of anyone outside her own family. A man like Owen Walker is particularly suspect—a handsome and daring adventurer with an intimate knowledge of the ruby trade. Yet Owen is the one person Faith needs to trust as they venture together into the shadowy world of the wealthy and mysterious Montegeaus—a powerful Georgia clan descended from pirates and said to possess a staggering fortune in gems. A web of corruption and betrayal spreads out from historic Ruby Bayou, ensnaring two outsiders who have learned too much. Suddenly Faith and Walker are targets—endangered by the yearning of their hearts . . . and by the dark secrets of the legendary Blessing Chest. From Publishers WeeklyA close-knit family in the jewelry business, a clan of Southern aristocrats descended from smugglers, the FBI and a Russian assassin clash in this juicy final episode in Lowell's Donovan series (Pearl Cove, etc.). When Seattle-based jewelry designer Faith Donovan is commissioned by Davis MontegeauAher best friend Mel's future father-in-lawAto design a necklace using 13 priceless rubies of uncertain origin, she becomes the target of an assassin trying to recover jewels stolen from the fabled Hermitage in Leningrad. To protect Faith, her brothers assign Owen Walker, dashing troubleshooter and gem expert, to accompany her and the necklace to a jewelry show in Savannah and then on to the wedding on Hilton Head Island. From the moment Faith and Walker start out, the fate of the rubies becomes entwined with their budding romance. As Faith and Walker learn when they come to stay at Ruby Bayou, the Montegeau family's crumbling old plantation on Hilton Head, the alcoholic Davis has mortgaged the place to keep a failed land deal afloat, and as a result he's now mixed up with a New Jersey crime family. Davis's sister, Tiga, hasn't been right in the head for years, ever since her father, who had forced her into incest, was blasted with a shotgun by parties unknown. That same night, the Blessing Chest, filled with all the family gems, disappeared, and only Tiga knows where it might be. Though constantly shifting points of view and a few gratuitous sex scenesAeven by genre standardsAdetract from the tale, Lowell wraps things up neatly as all parties converge on the Bayou, and Faith and Walker contrive to save the day. (July) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library JournalJewelry designer Faith Donovan has created a peerless necklace containing $1 million in rubies. Her plan is to exhibit the necklace and turn it over to the owners. Unfortunately, the gems appear to have dubious ownership. Owen Walker, ruby expert, works for Faith's brother Archer, who is insuring the rubies in transit; he also makes an excellent bodyguard. Faith is torn between resentment and attraction; Walker is simply torn. He wants Faith but doesn't believe he's in the same class as the Donovans. When mysterious accidents begin dogging the designer, social classes take a backseat to staying alive. Laural Merlington is a good match for Lowell's often emotionally charged story. Although her male voices and Southern drawl could use work, she effectively manages to keep the characters distinct and the pace lively. This is the latest Donovan family sequel; public libraries should expect demand. Recommended. Jodi L. Israel, Jamaica Plain, MA Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Honor Donovan is a shrewd businesswoman, yet she has been shut out of Donovan International by her father and four brothers. When her favorite brother Kyle vanishes, along with a fortune in stolen amber, Honor's questions are ignored by the Donovan males. Defying them, she heads to the San Juan Islands of the Pacific Northwest in search of answers.Honor needs a guide because she knows nothing about running a boat -- and she knows nothing about Jake Mallory until he answers her ad. One of the things she doesn't know is that Jake is much more than a fishing guide. Until Kyle disappeared, Jake was brokering amber deals in the Baltic for Donovan International. Honor is completely unaware of the old wars, new politics, greed, and stolen amber that have lured ruthless, high-stakes players from around the globe.Jake wants no part of the intrigue, or of a Donovan woman in his life, but he suspects the Donovans have set him up to take the fall for Kyle's treachery. The way Jake sees it, some Donovan is going to pay for his troubles, and it just may turn out to be HonorJake and Honor cast off on a journeys moldering with distrust, betrayal, vengeance... and temptation. A hunger grows between them that is as dangerous as the secrets they keep. Alone at sea, they pursue the stubborn mystery of the Amber Room, flee from relentless enemies, and fight against trusting each other. Yet when Honor and Jake dare to confide in one another, they face a final truth: the penalty for betrayal is death; the reward is a lifetime...together.Amazon.com ReviewWhen her brother Kyle vanishes, along with a fortune in stolen amber, Honor Donovan settles into his cottage in the San Juan Islands of the Pacific Northwest and hires fishing guide Jake Mallory to help her search the surrounding islands for him. What Jake doesn't want Honor to know is that, until recently, he brokered amber deals for Donovan International, run by Honor's brothers, and is now suspected by them of having stolen the missing amber, along with a priceless Russian antiquity called the Amber Room. As Honor and Jake search the high seas for Kyle, dodging wily international operatives and mysterious intruders, their smoldering distrust eventually gives way to explosive passion. But there's no guarantee that they'll survive, or that they'll forgive their mutual deceptions and create a future together. Fascinating details about amber, and less fascinating descriptions of boating, lend authenticity to this contemporary romance marked by its edgy repartee, highly charged love scenes, and gorgeous geography. --Ellen EdwardsFrom Kirkus ReviewsA well-made, completely predictable and unchallenging second hardcover from Lowell (Winter Fire, 1996)--a romance that offers all the sexual tension, adventure, and squishy clich‚s that fans of the genre could possibly want. Tough Jake Mallory (Jake being this year's romance-novel nom de choice for soldiers of fortune and macho men) passes himself off as a fishing guide in order to keep tabs on Honor Donovan, a jewelry designer who's searching for her lost brother Kyle in the San Juan Islands. (Honor needs a boat to find Kyle, and she doesn't know how to pilot a boat; in fact, she hates boats, and she hates fishing.) Kyle, it seems, has disappeared from Russia with a million dollars' worth of Baltic amber and, perhaps, a priceless panel from the famous Amber Room, which had been disassembled and taken from a czar's palace by the Nazis. Jake (Been there . . . done that . . . got the T shirt'') is a former government agent who now manages his own international investment company. Like most heroes of his ilk, he comes complete with scars, black stubble, and the requisiteclean fingernails'' (which is typical for the genre: only villains have problems with personal hygiene). Jake believes that Kyle and the Donovans, a colorful family, have framed him for the crime; Kyle's family believes that Jake has set Kyle up; and the CIA is trailing Jake and Honor to get its hands on the Amber Room, as are the Russian mafiya, a Lithuanian freedom fighter, ex-employees of the former KGB, and the Coast Guard. While he strives to clear his name, Jake teaches Honor how to drive a speedboat, catch salmon, and have good sex, which heretofore she'd always found pretty ``boring.'' Some parts of his job are, obviously, more fun than others. Much livelier than Winter Fire, and perhaps the beginning of a series. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Wild and restless, Kyle Donovan has freed himself from the constraints of his family's high-powered gem-trading empire to rove the world as a treasure hunter. Now the president of Donovan International has given Kyle an assignment with explosive ramifications. A casehe must take.When one of China's legendary cultural treasures isstolen, Lianne Blakely, a mysterious and beautiful jade expert, is accused of the theft. Its Kyle's job to get to the bottom of what could be a potential disaster for the Donovans as well as Lianne.But Kyle finds himself irresistibly drawn to the exotic beauty and captivated by her fierce claim of innocence. Soon they are in dangerous pursuit of the real thief, drawn deeper into the perils of spiraling power plays, and linked by a passion as powerful as the lore of the ancient culture and as enduring as the splendor of the treasured jade.Amazon.com ReviewElizabeth Lowell's second book in her trilogy featuring the internationally renowned Donovan family pairs youngest brother Kyle, who featured prominently in the previous book Amber Beach, with the illegitimate daughter of a Chinese trading dynasty. Lianne Blakely accepts that she'll never be openly acknowledged as Johnny Tang's daughter, but her expertise in handling the family's extensive jade collection has earned their respect and leads to her realization that someone has substituted inferior replicas for several priceless pieces. Kyle, meanwhile, has been ordered by big brother Archer to investigate Lianne's possible involvement in the sale of jade treasures that may have been stolen from China. With international relations and leadership within the Tang family at stake, Lianne joins Kyle's effort to find the thief and elude some nasty characters, despite the equally dangerous, explosive passion the couple shares. Hot love scenes, relentless suspense, and appearances by the noisy and affectionate Donovan clan keep the reader entertained. --Ellen EdwardsFrom Library JournalWhen Kyle Donovan, adventurer and youngest son of an international trading family, agrees to make the acquaintance of Lianne Blakely, jade expert and bastard daughter of the powerful Tang family, in order to avert a national incident, he has no idea that she has been commanded by her father to do the same, but for quite different reasons. Fast-paced and frankly sensual, this romance is peopled with intelligent, larger-than-life, yet appealing protagonists and a fascinating, well-plotted story that beautifully conveys the legendary mystique and appeal of jade as well as providing an insightful portrait of the overt and subtle differences between Eastern and Western cultures. A sequel to Amber Beach (Avon, 1997), this continues the Donovan family series, and Lowell's many fans will be waiting. Lowell is a best-selling romance writer of both contemporary and historical romances and lives in the Seattle area. She also writes under her own name, Ann Maxwell, and jointly with her husband, Evan, as A.E. Maxwell.Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell creates another masterpiece of excitement and chills, passion and surpriseDie in Plain SightWhen Lacey Quinn inherits the striking landscapes done by her late, much-loved grandfather, she believes they are as good as anything hanging in museums. But the paintings now in her possession are more than the works of a talented master. They are anguished voices from the grave . . . crying murder!Lacey begins researching her grandfather's past -- and is rocked almost immediately by a strange series of violent events. Someone wants to steal her inheritance, to reduce the paintings to unrecognizable ashes in a suspicious blaze. Someone wants to prevent Lacey from examining her grandfather's work too closely . . . by any means necessary.Ian Lapstrake, a security specialist, has taken an interest in Lacey's inheritance . . . and in her. Troubled by what he sees, he becomes Lacey's shadow, as her search for answers leads them both down an ever-darkening road paved with lies, blood, and devastating secrets.From Publishers WeeklyHeavy on romance and light on mystery, Lowell's latest romantic thriller (after Running Scared), set in the art world, promises fireworks, then fizzles out. Art buyer and struggling southern California artist Lacey Quinn shows a few of her grandfather's paintings to renowned artist Susa Donovan, in the area for a charity event. The paintings are mostly landscapes, but also include a few samples from his dark later work, including detailed depictions of murder and death by fire and drowning. Believing that the landscapes are really the work of famous California plein air painter Lewis Marten, Susa asks Lacey to have them professionally appraised. Lacey resists Susa's pleas, fearing that her grandfather may have been guilty of forgery, but she discovers something far more complicated and horrifying. The murders her grandfather depicted actually took place, and as Lacey digs into her grandfather's past, strangely similar murder attempts and arsons begin cropping up. Her research leads her to Ward Forrest, a financier and real estate mogul who is obsessed with the paintings. In spite of the high-concept plot, most readers will guess the outcome well before the end of the book, and the speed and ease with which Lacey unravels three decades of murder and mayhem defy credibility. The wide array of characters and the engaging lesson on California art are enjoyable, but they can't make up for the lack of suspense.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. From BooklistLacey Quinn makes her living selling odds and ends in her shop in Newport Beach, California, but to the consternation of her society parents, painting is her passion. Against her father's wishes, she unknowingly starts on a dangerous path when she has her grandfather's paintings appraised by the famous artist Susa Donovan at a charity event. Susa loves the paintings and the two become friends and painting partners along with Susa's bodyguard, Ian Lapstrake. Lacey and Ian, an investigator for Rarities Unlimited, set off sparks in a fiery love scene, but the heat of lust is dispelled by a series of mishaps involving Lacey and her grandfather's paintings, which generate unwanted publicity, attract a buyer who wants them at any cost, and put Lacey's life in danger. Ian extends his professional protection to include Lacey as they start investigating Lacey's grandfather. Was he a forger, or a murderer? And who so desperately wants the paintings now? Lowell tangentially touches on her well-loved Donovan family in this well-crafted, exciting romantic suspense novel. One of her best, this will enthrall Lowell fans and encourage others to join their ranks. Patty EngelmannCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Former U.S. Senator Quintrell is dead.His son, New Mexico's governor, is preparing hisrun for the highest political office in the land.And dark family secrets are about to explode with thedevastating force of a Southwestern earthquake.An eccentric Quintrell aunt has invited genealogist Carolina "Carly" May to their Taos compound to compile a record of the illustrious family. But digging into the past is raising troubling questions about a would-be president's private life . . . and the grisly street crime that left his drug-addicted sister dead. As a dark world of twisted passions and depravity slowly opens up before Carly, there is no one whom she dares trust -- perhaps least of all Dan Duran, a dangerous, haunted enigma who's tied to the Quintrells' history. But she will need an ally to survive the terrible mysteries a father carried to the grave -- because following the bloodlines of the powerful can be a bloody business. And some dead secrets can kill.From Publishers WeeklyAnn Maxwell has written over 60 books in multiple genres; as Elizabeth Lowell (Die in Plain Sight), she creates dialogue with immediacy and emotional coloration that sets her apart from the romantic suspense pack. Her 10th outing as Lowell begins with the tidy murder of "The Senator," the ill and infirm patriarch of a prominent Taos, N.Mex., clan. Carly May, a genealogist/historical researcher, is commissioned to write a family history by a disgruntled family member who hopes she'll dig up dirt. As Carly's research starts in earnest, she meets, among the Senator's many legitimate and illegitimate children, Dan Duran, a former CIA-like operative who, she finds out (but the reader knows all along), is the Senator's illegitimate grandson. Carly gets dire threats, she and Dan get close, and more people die. By combining new techniques of DNA testing with old-fashioned research and detective work (lots of appealing New Mexican history comes into play), Carly and Dan finally discover the truth about the family. But readers will care less about that than about their many charming exchanges, which Lowell crafts with sophistication and a sense of play. Quality and quantity may not be mutually exclusive after all. (July 1) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistCarly May was adopted and has never found out anything about her own biological roots, yet tracing genealogical roots for other families is how she makes a living. She has been hired by Winifred Simmons y Castillo, aunt of the governor of New Mexico, to write a history of her family, but only of the female descendants. This is highly unusual; then, when Carly arrives in Taos, she finds that the governor's father has died, and no one is truly mourning him. The power dynamics within the family have changed, and only Winifred wants Carly there, as proven by the threats she receives. Dan Duran has returned to Taos after sustaining injuries while tangling with a drug cartel. He knows that searching through family secrets can be deadly and takes on the role of white knight toward Carly as they investigate an illustrious but suspect family. As always, Lowell delivers top-notch romantic suspense in her signature staccato style. Patty EngelmannCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Dear Reader, Sometimes, if you're very lucky, you can go home again. An earlier version of this book was titled The Diamond Tiger and came out in 1993 under the name Ann Maxwell. When my present publisher offered me the opportunity of going back to the novel under the name Elizabeth Lowell, I admit that I hesitated. In the years since first publication, the diamond trade has changed so greatly that it would be impossible to update the facts in the book without destroying the very story that had compelled me to write in the first place. But like the diamond trade, my style of telling a story has also changed over the years. I decided to revisit the novel because I loved it and hoped my new readers would as well. Death Is Forever is my favorite kind of story, combining elements of danger, greed, trust, secrets, passions, and death. Enjoy!

On what at first appears to be an ordinary day, everything changes for private banker Kayla Shaw when she barely escapes a brutal kidnapping attempt and finds herself accused of a shocking crime: the illegal laundering of hundreds of millions of dollars. Damned by lies and false "evidence," she is trapped with no place to run.After five agonizing years, landscape painter Rand McCree has finally been offered what he desires most: the name of his twin brother's murderer. Hungry for vengeance, he accepts a job that will place him in the killer's orbit . . . and tantalizingly close to Kayla Shaw. The cold-blooded international criminal responsible for Rand's brother's death has targeted Kayla as his next victim—and only Rand can stop him from killing again.Suspicious of each other, needing each other, they are two against the world as the violence of the past erupts in the present. And now innocence alone will not be enough to keep Kayla Shaw alive. . . .About the AuthorElizabeth Lowell's acclaimed suspense novels include the New York Times bestsellers Death Echo, Blue Smoke and Murder, Innocent as Sin, The Wrong Hostage, Always Time to Die, The Color of Death, Die in Plain Sight, Running Scared, and Moving Target, as well as the four books featuring the Donovan family: Amber Beach, Jade Island, Pearl Cove, and Midnight in Ruby Bayou. Lowell has more than thirty million books in print. She lives in Nevada with her husband, with whom she writes mystery novels under a pseudonym. Las aclamadas novelas de suspenso de la autora Elizabeth Lowell incluyen varios bestsellers en la New York Times. Lowell ha vendido más de treinta millones de ejemplares. Vive con su esposo en Seattle, Washington y Sedona, Arizona, con quien escribe novelas de misterio bajo un seudónimo. From AudioFileKayla Shaw is happy and secure as a private banker until she realizes her boss, Andre Bertone, has used her to launder millions of dollars. Rand McCree has been hunting Bertone ever since the ruthless Russian brutally murdered his twin brother. When Kayla and Rand meet, they join forces to bring down the murderer, with the help of St. Kilda Counsulting, a private rogue operation. The story has a slew of agents, evildoers, and others, as well as a rash of emotions. Thankfully, Carol Monda moves easily up and down the roller coaster of feelings, maximizing the charged dialogue between Kayla and Rand and carefully portraying Kaylas growth from a worried woman to one who fears little and dares much. S.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

According to Maya legend, December 21, 2012, will mark the end of the world as we know it. Is it myth . . . or will their prediction become reality?Archaeologist Lina Taylor has devoted her life to studying ancient Maya artifacts, splitting her time between digs in South America and the classroom teaching college students. But the professor's structured, academic life is about to spin out of control. Some extremely valuable and important Maya artifacts have gone missing. Are the culprits fanatics determined to create chaos and usher in annihilation?Helping out a friend, former immigration and customs enforcement officer Hunter Johnston is determined to recover the missing pieces and he needs Lina's help. A man used to calling the shots and working alone, he isn't comfortable letting anyone get close, especially a beautiful and brainy woman like Lina. His gift for reading people tells him there's a lot going on below that professional exterior, and he's more than a little curious to probe her depths.Burying herself in her work, Lina's had little experience handling men, especially one as fascinating and exasperating as the secretive, headstrong Hunter. A devoted archaeologist, she has the skill to excavate those protective layers all the way to his core.But finding the missing artifacts is only the beginning of a mystery that will plunge these unlikely partners into adventure, romance, and danger more thrilling, sensual, and deadly than either of them knows. . . .Review“As Lina and Hunter dodge bullets and trade wisecracks across the Southwest, Lowell (Death Echo) deftly incorporates creepy basement corpse discoveries, sleazy antiquities dealers, crumbling jungle tombs, charmingly sinister relatives, fascinating archeological elements, and a well-realized, completely invented Mayan god.” (Publishers Weekly ) About the AuthorElizabeth Lowell's acclaimed suspense novels include the New York Times bestsellers Blue Smoke and Murder, Innocent as Sin, The Wrong Hostage, Always Time to Die, The Color of Death, Die in Plain Sight, Running Scared, and Moving Target, as well as four books featuring the Donovan family: Amber Beach, Jade Island, Pearl Cove, and Midnight in Ruby Bayou. Lowell has more than thirty million books in print. She lives in Arizona and Seattle, Washington, with her husband, with whom she writes mystery novels under a pseudonym. Las aclamadas novelas de suspenso de la autora Elizabeth Lowell incluyen varios bestsellers en la New York Times. Lowell ha vendido mÁs de treinta millones de ejemplares. Vive con su esposo en Seattle, Washington y Sedona, Arizona, con quien escribe novelas de misterio bajo un seudÓnimo.

The name Elizabeth Lowell has become synonymous with electrifying fiction that seamlessly combines suspense, intrigue, and passion. And now the phenomenal New York Times bestselling author brilliantly displays her incomparable talents in a story of treachery, greed, conspiracy, and murder that will hold the reader spellbound until the final word.It is the opportunity of a lifetime for Kate Chandler, the chance to cut seven rare, priceless sapphires and solidify her reputation as a world-class jewel cutter. But something goes horribly, tragically wrong during what should have been a simple transfer of goods. The sapphires vanish without a trace. Missing also is the man Kate trusted to transport the gems: her half brother, Lee, who now, quite possibly, is dead. And suddenly she is on the run, pursued by federal agents who suspect her of being the criminal mastermind of a cunning bait-and-switch scheme.Special agent Sam Groves is one of the best of the best, an essential member of the FBI's elite crime strike force and the perfect man to lead the hunt, since he could never be scammed by a beautiful confidence woman. But something is troubling about this assignment, because someone else is chasing Kate Chandler as well.Only Kate suspects the awful truth: She's unwittingly stumbled into a conspiracy of deceit, betrayal, and cold-blooded murder that goes far beyond a simple jewel heist. And a chilling, threatening voice on the telephone only confirms her worst suspicions. Getting Sam Groves, the FBI agent who's her constant shadow, to believe her is a step in the right direction -- but it may be one that's too little too late in a bloody game where terror dictates her every move and the rules are constantly changing. Because the order has already been passed down to a ruthlessly efficient assassin: Kate Chandler must not be allowed to live ...From BooklistKate Chandler is the gem cutter responsible for taking a rough sapphire and creating seven gorgeous stones called the Seven Sins. When they disappear along with the courier, her half-brother, Lee, she is the only one who believes that he didn't steal them. Kate tries to get the FBI and other authorities involved, but they assume that Lee stole the gems and is living the high life abroad, so she investigates on her own, starting at a gem show near her Arizona home. There she awakens the instincts of rogue FBI agent Sam Groves, who is part of a task force trying to stop the rise in gem thefts. He spots Kate palming an exceptional sapphire and intercepts her, but it's a beautiful fake and she ditches him. He tracks her down; Kate decides to trust him, and he, in turn, trusts her, jeopardizing his career to follow his hunch about the thieves in spite of his superiors' objections. Lowell deftly explores the underworld of the gem trade, treating readers to a nail-biting search for killers with an eye for glitter. Patty EngelmannCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedReview...a diverting read for thriller fans.

He might help her...if the price is right.Surrounded by potential enemies, Hannah McGarry faces the mystery of her husband's suspicious death, the prospect of bankruptcy...and the disappearance of the fabulous Black Trinity necklace that was to be her financial security. Desperate, she calls Archer Donovan, a silent partner in Pear Cove, her late husband's pearl farm venture. He might help her...if the price is right.Archer Donovan would rather forget he'd ever heard of Pearl Cove...its memories of living on the dark side, the soul-numbing certainty that there was no law, no justice, no mercy; just hunters and the hunted. That life taught him to trust no one but family. But when Hannah McGarry calls in an old debt Archer is back in the game. And at his side in pursuit of the stolen fortune is a woman he shouldn't want, yet cannot resist...a woman who may know more than she's telling about her husband's death...and more than is safe to know about the dark and elusive black pearls. With deadly competitors on their tails, Archer and Hannah race through uncharted waters in search of the fabulous Black Trinity. And the closer they come to finding the coveted pearls, the closer they come to danger and death...and to each other.Amazon.com ReviewSetting: Contemporary Seattle, Washington, and Pearl Cove, AustraliaSensuality: 8The eldest brother in one of Seattle's most powerful families, Archer Donovan is handsome, dangerous, and fascinated by pearls. He's also been in love with Hannah McGarry, his half-brother's wife, for the last 10 years. Far away in Australia, Hannah's loveless marriage ends in violence when a cyclone tears apart her pearl farm and her husband, Len, dies. But Len's death wasn't an accident; he was murdered. Desperate for help, Hannah places a call to Archer, who rushes to her side and quickly finds that powerful competitors in the pearl trade are circling Pearl Cove like buzzards.Businessmen, criminals, and government agencies are willing to do whatever it takes to find a fabulous pearl necklace, named the Black Trinity, and to learn Len's secret formula for producing the extraordinary black pearls. Racing against time and tracked by enemies too numerous to count, Archer and Hannah begin a dangerous game of hide and seek to find Len's murderer and recover the Black Trinity. But even if the two lovers survive their adventure, will Archer find a way to convince Hannah that he's a different man from his unbalanced half-brother? And can Hannah find the courage to chance her heart and love again?Readers who have waited impatiently for this third book about the Donovan family won't be disappointed. Lowell combines her trademark sophisticated suspense and sexual intensity with a plot rich in the fascinating lore of cultured pearls and full of Australian atmosphere and the sights and sounds of Seattle. --Lois Faye DyerFrom Publishers WeeklyFormulaic but fun, Lowell's latest romantic suspense novel returns to the glamorous Donovan family she created in Amber Beach and Jade Island. When wheelchair-bound pearl harvester Len McGarry turns up dead on an Australian beach with an oyster shell sticking out of his chest, his beautiful widow, Hannah, knows that Len was murdered for his $3 million rainbow pearl necklace, the Black Trinity, now missing. Feeling herself in danger, Hannah seeks help from Len's partner and half-brother, the ruthless but hunky Archer Donovan. Archer fell for Hannah 10 years ago, when she was Len's teenage bride, and he's only too happy to help her track down both Len's killer and the necklace. Archer uses his family's resources, his inside knowledge of the pearl trade and his U.S. government connections to find the (rather predictable) bad guys. True love turns out to be harder to locate. As soon as they fall into bed, Archer knows he wants Hannah to have his baby. But Len was a cruel, unworthy husband, and Hannah, still recovering from her marriage, has trouble committing to Archer. Lowell uses the double search as backdrop for the push-and-pull between a reticent heroine and an oddly insistent, "elementally masculine" hero. Neither her plotting nor her airy prose take the romance genre anywhere new. Lowell does, however, infuse the minutiae of pearl diving and of international gem sales into a racy light read. (June) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In the scorching heat of the Southwestern desert, a frightened old man knows his time is quickly running out . . . as the lethal secret he protects can be hidden no longer.Risa Sheridan knows everything about gold—its mysteries, its allure, its perils. Her boss, Shane Tannahill—owner of the ultra-successful Las Vegas gambling mecca, the Golden Fleece—is addicted to the stuff. Now an ancient Celtic piece is being offered to Shane for his collection, with the promise of more to come, and the casino owner is hooked. But though she shares Shane's enthusiasm, Risa is wary—because something about this particular artifact is mysterious and troubling, something that says "stay away." It is a voice that should be heeded, because soon people are dying all around them. And whether it's an ancient curse that has taken hold of their lives or the simple, murderous greed of unscrupulous adversaries, there is suddenly no place in the surreal, blinding glitter of Vegas for Risa and Shane to hide . . .The most dazzling, spine-tingling combination of adventure, thrills, and sensuality yet from the gold standard in contemporary suspense fiction.From Publishers WeeklyWho would have thought there'd be a market for retro kitsch … la Remington Steel, complete with two protagonists fighting their attraction for each other as well as dumber-than-doorpost crooks? Apparently, Lowell, whose long string of romantic suspense novels (Moving Target, etc.) have earned her a Romance Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award. This latest involves antiques, druid gold and psychic powers and is set primarily in post-mob Las Vegas with side trips to Sedona, Ariz. Risa Sheridan is a consultant for Rarities Unlimited, hired by casino mogul Shane Tannahill to find something spectacular to display at a New Year's Eve opening bash for his new gallery. It looks like Risa's hit pay dirt when she comes across some gold druid pieces that a WWII vet purloined from Wales during the war. But there are complications. Risa's childhood friend Cherelle, a faux psychic who goes by the name of Lady Faulkner, had been scamming the vet and is now in pursuit of the gold, too. Then there are Shane's rival casino bosses, who are looking for something to frame him with so they can edge him out of the picture. Can they somehow use the discovery of druid loot to achieve that end? Lowell's research is thorough, but it's often presented awkwardly, with copious information on authenticating antique jewelry as well as slightly more interesting background on druidic lore. The narrative is formulaic from start to finish: will any reader not guess that after Shane warns her away for safety's sake, Risa still dangerously goes for the gold solo in the end? An all-talk wrap-up takes the edge off the action, but Lowell's readers will be more interested in the romance, anyway. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Library JournalLowell continues her new romantic suspense series, begun with Moving Targets. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell cuts a new edge in suspense with a thrilling tale of passion and international intrigue. Emma Cross abandoned the blood, guilt, and tribal wars of CIA life for the elite security consulting firm St. Kilda's. Now she's tracking the yacht Blackbird, believed to be carrying a lethal cargo that will destroy a major American city . . . in just seven days. Emma's partner, MacKenzie Durand—a former special ops killer well-honed in the world's nastiest regions—is more dangerous and unpredictable than the worst enemy she's ever faced. And other eyes are watching Blackbird as well—cold and calculating, looking to alter the geopolitical balance through violence and terror. In a deadly game where the rules change without warning, Emma and Mac must find answers or watch the innocent die in unthinkable numbers. The race is on—and there's no telling who will cross the finish line alive . . . From Publishers WeeklyIn Lowell's well-crafted fifth St. Kilda Consulting thriller (after Blue Smoke and Murder), Manhattan operative Emma Cross travels to Seattle, Wash., where Blackbird, a yacht purported to contain enough explosives to destroy a major U.S. city, is being offloaded from a container ship. Posing as the representative of a buyer interested in the yacht, Emma connects with MacKenzie Mac Durand, Blackbird's transit captain, who's supposed to deliver the boat to a commissioning yard in the San Juan Islands. Emma and Mac, who has a background in special ops, wind up becoming unlikely allies on a dangerous sea journey in which they find themselves succumbing to their mutual attraction. Forced into a high stakes encounter with a pair of Russian spies, they come to realize that the scope of their mission is much greater than they at first assumed. Lowell's primary focus on espionage rather than on romance is a major change from earlier novels, albeit a pleasing one. (June) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistA couple of missing yachts is not a case that would ordinarily involve the private security firm of St. Kilda Consulting. But when an identical double of one of the yachts turns up—and a high-placed U.S. government official believes there is a connection to an upcoming terrorist plot—it does become St. Kilda's latest assignment. Which is how Emma Cross, former CIA agent and current St. Kilda operative, finds herself in Seattle trying to finesse her way past transit captain MacKenzie Durand and get onboard the Blackbird. With the clock ticking, Emma doesn't have time to deal with a cranky, yet incredibly sexy, captain, but fortunately it doesn't take much to convince Mac to become St. Kilda's newest employee. Working together isn't going to be easy for Emma and Mac, and once desire is injected into the equation, their mission becomes even more volatile and urgent. The latest thrilling addition to Lowell's St. Kilda series is another white-knuckle, adrenaline-drenched tale of danger and desire from one of the true masters of romantic suspense. --John Charles