Fragile Designs is a standalone novel by Colleen Coble. It combines history and mystery for a twisty romantic suspense that fans of this genre will love. Messy family dynamics are front and center, as the main character negotiates her present circumstances and past secrets. After her husband is killed, Carly moves back to her home town and her grandmother’s house. Danger follows her as mysterious break-ins occur. It’s providential that her next door neighbor is a policeman, who soon becomes as interested in her as the case. I liked the relationship that went from cautious friends to more. The mystery involves a lot of digging into the history surrounding Faberge eggs, and the two soon uncover more than they bargained for, including more family for Carly. Everyone was a suspect as I tried to figure out whodunit. Coble does a good job of keeping her characters and readers on their toes!
If you like fast-paced suspense, strong romantic elements, and a cleverly plotted novel, then put Fragile Designs on your wishlist.
Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Since her police-officer husband Eric’s mysterious murder, Carly Harris has been struggling to support herself and their infant son. Her career as an antique dealer isn’t sustainable, nor is her dream of becoming a novelist. So, when her grandmother proposes she and her two sisters restore the family’s large Beaufort home and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast, she immediately gets to work clearing out the house. In the process, she uncovers a family secret that Eric kept hidden. And an heirloom that the wrong person wouldn’t hesitate to kill for.
Homicide detective Lucas Bennett isn’t his neighbor’s biggest fan, not since she broke his brother’s heart years ago. But when Carly turns to Lucas for help, believing she’s found a lost Fabergé egg that would be worth millions and could put her family’s lives in danger, he can’t help but get involved. Soon, they’re entangled in a mystery with threads that lead all the way to the Russian mafia. Lucas has gotten in deep, and while he trusts his ability to keep Carly and her family safe, he begins to realize he’s vulnerable to an unexpected kind of danger–and helpless to stop the freefall. As they continue working closely together, Carly and Lucas realize they may have found something more precious than gold. Yet it’s only a matter of time before Carly–or, worse, someone she loves–gets hurt.
Colleen Coble’s Fragile Designs is gripping suspense with closed-door romance and includes an intriguing mystery surrounding an extremely valuable Fabergé egg, second-chance romance, home renovation, and found family.
Best-selling author Colleen Coble‘s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has over 5 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana. Visit her website at http://colleencoble.com.
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