Synopsis
Samantha Elliot's father ran her life - even after his own death. A strange provision in his will demands that Samantha move to New York City and investigate the mysterious disappearance of her grandmother.
Shy, divorced, and naive to city life, Samantha arrives in New York and meets Michael Taggert, the handsome landlord of the apartment her father has already chosen for her. What she doesn't know is that her father also chose Michael to be her secret guardian. Soon sparks fly, but Samantha's tragic past keeps her distant. But as her family's history begins to unravel, so does Samantha's cold exterior, and despite her determination not to, she cannot help falling in love.
Once again, Jude Deveraux delivers a marvelous combination of romance and mystery, power and passion - which makes Sweet Liar a very special audio experience.
Publishers Weekly
Perennial bestseller Deveraux ( The Duchess ) involves yet another spunky heroine in a formulaic romance. After her divorce and her father's death in early 1991, 28-year-old Sam Elliott arrives in New York City to search for clues to the riddle of her grandmother's mysterious 1964 disappearance. Her father's will directs her to spend a year on this quest while renting an apartment from his young friend Mike Taggert, who is writing a book about Prohibition-era gangster Doc Barrett. Mike needs Sam's assistance to land an interview with the still-living Barrett, and despite her fear of her dangerously attractive landlord she becomes increasingly involved with his work and attracted to both him and his large, loving family; she also comes closer to the truth about her grandmother's bizarre past. Deveraux knows Manhattan and provides entertaining descriptions of the speakeasy age in Harlem, but her cliche-laden dialogue makes it seem that her characters speak English as a second language. The highly improbable story line, overloaded with convoluted plots and subplots, will discourage even the most die-hard romance fan. Literary Guild and Doub le day Book Club main selections. ( Sept. )