My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I didn’t get into Book 2 of the Samantha Jellicoe series as much as I did the first–but that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, because I did. This book’s set three months after the first, and changes have come into our cat burglar heroine’s life; she’s not only got a real, blossoming relationship with billionaire Rick Addison now, she’s even trying to go straight. Instead of robbing people blind, she’s now trying to advise them on their security.
It’s a great plan on paper, but it just goes to figure that one of Sam’s very first clients is murdered shortly after hiring her. Nor does it help matters much that Rick’s ex-wife arrives on the scene, ostensibly to integrate herself into Florida society–but as far as Sam’s concerned, clearly trying to integrate herself right back into Rick’s life, and Sam just can’t have that, now can she? Toss in complications with Sam’s former fence being a suspect in the murder of her client, and all in all, it’s a tasty little mystery.
The main reason it didn’t work quite as well for me as the first one, I think, lies with how there’s a bit more emphasis on the whole OHNOEZ EX-WIFE plot than I would have liked, vs. the OHNOEZ Sam is Trying to Go Straight But Her Past is Complicating Things plot, which was quite a bit more interesting. However, I’ve got to give Enoch credit for avoiding getting too cliched with the ex-wife, and for keeping Sam and Rick’s developing relationship lively. I’ll be proceeding on to book 3! Three stars.