Lost and Found

Amazon.com
Cady Briggs was happy to get out of the family business. Aunt Vesta's antiques gallery may be a prestigious and successful business, but the stress and responsibilities weren't much fun for her, nor were the frequent comparisons to Aunt Vesta's quirky personality. Cady much prefers her art-consulting business, especially when it leads to meeting enigmas like Mack Easton. Mack's request for help tracking down a stolen Renaissance helm seems like an easy job, and a good way to get to know the mysterious man.

When Aunt Vesta dies under suspicious circumstances, Cady finds she needs to call on Mack's unique talents. Posing as Cady's "almost fiancé," Mack helps investigate the complex workings of the antique world. Sparks begin to fly, however, as everyone becomes confused about the true nature of their relationship, including Cady and Mack.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
With more than two dozen New York Times bestsellers to her credit and more than 24 million books in print, Jayne Ann Krentz could easily rest on her laurels. Instead she keeps cranking out captivating tales of romantic suspense that demonstrate her immense talent and amazing diversity. She scores yet another winner with her latest effort, Lost and Found, a tale of money, murder, and morals that explores the dark underbelly of the antiquities market.

Cady Briggs, an expert in finding, evaluating, and brokering antiquities, has built up a fantasy around her online business acquaintance, Mack Easton, owner and CEO of a low-profile "collections" company called Lost and Found. Together the duo track some missing antiques and artworks, indulging in a bit of flirtatious online banter in the process. When Cady finally gets to meet Easton in person, the case that brings them together -- the theft of an ancient warrior's helmet -- culminates in a life-threatening encounter with a couple of thugs and a shared night of passion between the sheets. But Cady's fascination with Easton is temporarily put on hold when her beloved but eccentric aunt, Vesta, is found dead, apparently having drowned while swimming in her pool.

Vesta was the owner of a prestigious antiques gallery and was about to approve a merger with another family-owned company when she died. Though Cady had always made it clear she had no interest in running the gallery, Vesta's recently revised will leaves the controlling shares in the company to her. Puzzled, Cady begins to suspect that something isn't right with the merger, or with her aunt's death. She solicits Easton's help in investigating the situation, and together they uncover a shady con man who is luring wealthy older people into buying high-class fakes that are so well done they even fool some of the experts. But Cady soon learns that the con man is merely the skim on the surface, and that the treachery lies far deeper -- and much closer -- than she ever thought.

Krentz, who also pens futuristic and historical romances under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, has a flair for intriguing plots, engaging characters, and compelling stories. With tales as smart and sexy as Lost and Found, it's easy to see why she is one of the most popular authors of romantic suspense around.

Contributing Editor Beth Amos is the author of three novels, including Cold White Fury and Second Sight.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Cady Briggs is very useful to Mack Easton-her expertise in art and antiques helps his shadowy, low-profile company, Lost and Found, find missing treasures for high-paying clients.

But as Cady's beloved Aunt Vesta warns her, being useful to a client is one thing-and being used is another. Still, Cady finds it hard to resist the magnetic pull Mack exerts, an attraction she felt from the first time she heard his voice on the phone. And as their work together puts them in an explosive situation, Cady wonders just how much she'd risk for the thrill of being with this man.

When Aunt Vesta dies suddenly, and strange developments affect her family's prestigious gallery, Cady must turn to a man she isn't sure she can trust. And instead of tracking down missing masterpieces, they'll be hunting for a killer....

Lost and Found will delight the readers who made Soft Focus a smash New York Times bestseller-and the new fans that Jayne Ann Krentz is gaining every day.

FROM THE CRITICS

Jill M. Smith - Romantic Times

It is always a joy to open a book by prolific author Jayne Ann Krentz. Her consistent ability to deliver satisfying reading experiences is unmatched.

Library Journal

Art consultant Cady Briggs has a bit of a crush on occasional employer Mack Easton, owner of "Lost and Found," a company specializing in the recovery of lost or stolen artifacts. She has only talked with him over the telephone and exchanged e-mails, but it's enough to make her think of him as her Fantasy Man. Naturally, she leaps at the chance to meet him in person, even if he needs her expertise in a case involving a questionable antique helmet missing from a tacky Las Vegas "museum." Mack turns out to be every bit as exciting as Cady imagined, and he is as interested in her as she is in him. Complications abound Cady's aunt recently left her niece with a business she doesn't want but can't turn down, Mack's teenage daughter isn't thrilled to discover that her widowed father has a sex life, and Cady is beginning to have doubts about her aunt's "accidental" drowning. This is romantic suspense at its most enjoyable, enhanced by Krentz's (Flash, Soft Focus) trademark humor and quirky characters. Fans will be very happy with this entertaining and delightful read. Recommended for all popular fiction collections. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/00.] Elizabeth Mellett, Brookline P.L., MA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Diane Simon - People Magazine