Review – Beguiled

Rylee Monroe held Karl Sebastian’s toy schnauzer, Romeo, one of her dog-walking accounts, close to her chest. They huddled together on the floor behind the Sebastian’s laundry room door, where police officers left them while they searched the house. She felt Romeo’s heart thump with pleasure at the unexpected attention, while her own beat with a staccato rhythm, as she replayed the past half hour in her mind.

After walking Romeo, Rylee’s senses went on high alert on her return. Something didn’t feel right when she unlocked the Sebastian’s front door and stepped inside. She slipped Romeo off his leash, listened intently, and then followed him into the laundry room feeling foolish. When the overhead floorboards creaked, she felt her nape hairs stand on end. She quietly put Romeo behind the laundry room doggie gate and cautiously tiptoed upstairs. Was a burglar in the house? Had Karl come home early? He was unmarried, what if he had a lady friend with him and she embarrassed him? She couldn’t lose his account! She was barely making enough to keep her grandmother in the home as it was.

She brushed the questions aside, gathered her courage, and loudly announced her arrival at the bedroom door before she flung it open. What happened next sent her screaming down the stairs to call the police. She couldn’t know her life changed for all time in that instant. But worst of all, fear would become her constant companion.

Add the historic, sometimes mysterious Charleston setting, a colorful cast of characters and splashes of subtle humor, and you have an entertaining “crime fiction novel with a…romantic element.” Unusual characters include a homicide detective whose certain Rylee is guilty, a genteel, poverty stricken grandmother lost in the past, a reporter in search of a book contract more than a story, and a thief named Robin Hood, who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. The subtle element of faith in the story line adds to the plot and can be enjoyed by anyone.

Two things bothered me about the book, the title and the cover. The cover is dark with a splash of pink, but the book won’t stand out on the shelf or invite readers to pick it up. And the title doesn’t fit the story. However, the criminal plot is the main attraction, the romance well-crafted and believable, and the suspense keeps the pages turning to find out what happens next.

Mystery writer, J. Mark Bertrand and inspirational fiction writer, Deeanne Gist blended their talents to produce their first debut romance-suspense novel-Beguiled. Bertrand said “…it’s a balance between humor and seriousness…a suspenseful, adrenaline-laced romp.”

DeeAnne added, “…we’re a creative odd couple,” writing from different genres offering, “something old, something new, and something not to be missed.” She’s right, this hybrid mystery romance won’t disappoint. Consider adding it to your summer reading list.