This is the first thriller I’ve read by Nick Stephenson and it certainly
won’t be the last. I’m a huge fan of thrillers and I found that this author
truly delivered on action, suspense and a gripping tale of greed and betrayal.  

Let’s meet Leopold Blake, a billionaire and an
expert criminology consultant for the FBI. He is hired by Jean Dubois, the
Louvre’s senior art director to perform a full Security sweep of the place. However,
Leopold discovers the theft of a painting (The Virgin and Child with St. Anne) and
sets out to find out who stole it.  Unbeknownst
to Leopold and his bodyguard, Jerome, Jean Dubois and a few others are gunned
down by a ruthless German assassin. The assassin plants Leopold’s fingerprint onto
the abandoned rifle and leaves the scene, making Leopold a wanted man by the
French police for questioning.  

The stakes ramp up when NYPD police sergeant,
Mary Jordan gets caught up in the chaos, thinking she’d enjoy a vacation with
Leopold in Paris. Instead, she becomes part of the escape plan with Leopold, Jerome
and Sophie Bardot (who Leopold interviewed as a suspected art thief – she was
innocent). On the hunt for Leopold is Capitaine Anton Rousseau who is
determined to get to the bottom of the situation and vows to find and arrest Leopold.  

Overall, this was a fast-paced read with plenty
of action. I felt like I was watching a movie with the characters quickly
trying to escape from a hired assassin. The characters were well-developed, the
dialogue was realistic, the action scenes were well-executed, and the settings were
vividly depicted. The twist at the end was fantastic. I can’t wait to see what
happens in the next installment.   

Two thumbs up! Great read! 

Rating: 4 stars 

Some of my
favorite lines: 

He
grinned, not feeling the cold quite so much anymore. “With everything that’s
happened since you met me, all the close calls and near misses, do you think
there will ever be an end to it all?”

“Like, do
I think you’ll ever learn to settle down?” She punched him playfully on the
arm. “That doesn’t sound like the Leopold Blake I know.”

He forced
a smile. “No, I mean: do you ever think people will stop coming at me? Stop
trying to destroy the people I care about?”

 “It’s been getting worse, hasn’t it?” She
didn’t phrase it as a question.

“Yes.”

Originally Published on https://vocalexpressions.blogspot.com

Deliah Lawrence Attorney, Author, Blogger, Workshop Facilitator

Deliah Lawrence is a Maryland-based attorney and award-winning author of two romantic suspense novels (Gotta Let It Go and Gotta Get It Back) set in Baltimore. She’s also a blogger and workshop facilitator who writes poetry and short stories.

When Deliah isn’t writing, you can find her reading a book, indulging in her addiction to investigation discovery shows; or painting her yet-to-be exhibited oil artworks of landscapes, portraits or whatever else comes to her creative mind. Constantly on the go, she is also a member of the Black Writers’ Guild of Maryland and Sisters in Crime.