Beguiled

Title: BEGUILED
Authors: Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand
Publisher: Bethany House
February 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0628-3
Genre: Inspirational/romantic suspense

Rylee Monroe is a professional dog walker to Charleston’s wealthy. The ones who can’t be bothered to care for their own pets. But a thief known only as “Robin Hood” is terrorizing the rich, stealing only one thing, something with sentimental value, and giving it to a non-profit organization.

Since most of the victims are Rylee’s clients, Rylee is considered a suspect in the case. And a local reporter, Logan Woods, wants to solve this crime for two reasons. He wants to be a top reporter, and he is writing a book about this event. A publisher is interested—as soon as the crime is solved. But the police don’t seem to be making any effort.

Logan decides to try to solve this on his own. He realizes that someone is targeting Rylee but the more he digs the more the evidence point to Rylee. She seems to be at the center of everything. Now Logan is left with a choice. Chase the girl, the story, or plunge into the shadows after the villain who threatens it all?

BEGUILED is a collaborated author between prize-winning Gist, and debut author, Bertrand. I can’t say I am impressed with the writing. The passion, fun, and unexpected surprises of Gist’s voice are gone, and in its place is something flat, lifeless, and basic. I don’t like this duo writing together. I hope that Bertrand will do better individually, he does have a book releasing in July of this year.

If there was a faith message, it was rather weak. And as a suspense, this wasn’t terribly imaginative. It was fairly easy to discover who did it. The characters are rather flat, but the careers and motives of the two main characters are well-planned out. They both have conflict, internal and external, that they must work through in order for them to find happiness. So, the basics are there. If you are looking for a Gist book, or a suspense, then maybe BEGUILED is a book to consider. If you are looking for a fantastic, page-turning read, then maybe you should look further. $14.99. 329 pages.