“Emotionally charged to envelope readers from the start, The Elizabeth Walker Affair combines the best elements of romance, mystery, and thriller. A top recommendation for all three genres.”
-Midwest Book Reviews
A murder investigation reveals a lost love affair. “I NEED TO TELL YOU ABOUT TRUMPET.” After Elizabeth Walker mouths those words to Andrew …
“I NEED TO TELL YOU ABOUT TRUMPET.” After Elizabeth Walker mouths those words to Andrew Keller, a lover she has not seen in twenty years, their shattered hearts ignite uncontrollable events.
Andrew pleads with his old friend, Jake Travis, to locate Elizabeth. When Andrew is murdered, a U.S. Marshall asks Jake to investigate.
Jake arranges a rendezvous with Elizabeth and senses that she is harboring secrets of her own. He learns of a tragic accident two decades ago that decimated her family. Like Elizabeth, Jake battles his own demons, for his past is a roadblock to his and Kathleen’s happiness.
Elizabeth’s quest, Kathleen’s desperate wish, and Jake’s pledge to find who killed Andrew Keller culminate in the final repercussions of a lost love affair.
Filled with mounting suspense, and at times equally humorous and tragic, The Elizabeth Walker Affair is an emotionally engaging mystery. It will linger with you long after the final page.
“Jake Travis is one of the best leading men to take the thriller fiction stage in years.” -Florida Weekly
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The fact that “The Elizabeth Walker Affair” is the seventh book in the Jake Travis novel series is a testament to the author’s way with words and story crafting. The intricate details of the setting and character descriptions loll the reader into the Florida climate and scenery Lane creates.
Bookended by love, this winding tale kicks off with a private murder investigation ignited by a visit from a US Marshal. “The Elizabeth Walker Affair” is delightfully and heartbreakingly romantic while shrouded in the mystery of death and killing. Rocketing into action within the first twenty pages, readers are kept firmly within the plot’s grasp until the very last page.
Author, Robert Lane, enchants readers as we explore different cities within the Florida corridor, attending several lobbyist fundraisers and confronting several characters with checkered pasts. “The Elizabeth Walker Affair” simultaneously feels like a murder mystery while remaining wholly within the illusion of a lost romance; readers will delight in Jake Travis’ unwinding of the robbery-gone-wrong killing of his old military buddy, just days after he approaches Jake for help.
Successfully reading as a standalone, there is a clear history between our protagonist, Jake, and his “friends.” From alluding to a murder charge our lead character was cleared of, to the Harbor House he set up with Morgan, the author injects Jake’s past throughout this book without making new readers feel left out. We are even given a look at Jake’s romantic interest and future wife, Kathleen, as Lane weaves Jake’s personal life into the story in an attempt to keep the read from becoming too murder heavy, thus maintaining its romantic feel.
However, perhaps the author’s greatest talent, is his ability to lyrically illustrate, in uncanny detail, Jake’s surroundings while crafting an attention-grabbing plot of lost romance and disguised murder. He is able to accomplish all this while never straying from taking on the heavy topics such as gun control, adultery, and adoption, as readers enter a world of NRA lobbyists, school shooting victims and Florida’s unique gun laws.
“The Elizabeth Walker Affair” may be the seventh in the series, but Lane provides a compelling argument to curl up and begin with book one, savoring every last lyrical detail of Jake Travis’ world.
I received a review copy from the author at my request and this is my honest opinion. I can’t decide how I feel about this book. I think it is a terrific story but the delivery fell far short of the mark, in my opinion. (I know I’m in the minority here.) Mr. Lane could and does give Shakespeare a run for his money. Not only is this story an unmitigated tragedy with multiple deaths, star-crossed lovers, a family torn apart. etc, all of Shakespeare’s favorite tools, but the writing is flowery and pretentious. For example, in talking about Jake and Kathleen’s cat, “She turned her head abruptly toward the screen and then, finding nothing of interest there, sulked her insouciance into another room.” Or “We’re a crooked breed, with anchorless imagination capable of drating a toyland world that we yearn to be true. That we have to believe in. ” Really? Maybe I’m slow but that doesn’t even make sense to me. Poetry was never my strong suit and that’s what it borders on. Or maybe I just like my murder mysteries to be straight forward. If I want flowery prose and fifteen words to convey a thought when three would do just fine, I’ll check out Shakespeare. I’m disappointed that Mr. Lane’s style clashes so badly with my tastes and the fault most likely lies with me (See, he’s rubbing off on me now!!) because I love this story and think Jake Travis and his friends could be people I would like to spend time with. But I had a headache long before I reached the halfway point of this book from all the extraneous words and having to reread paragraphs to make sure I completely understood what was going on. I’m sorry. This just isn’t my cup of tea.
Rich vocabulary, engaging characters, riveting storylines…mysterious page turning or emotionally mesmerizing…The Elizabeth Walker Affair…outstanding!
Robert Lane’s writing style is perfect for an escape to experience all the above, star crossed lovers, accidental and intentional murders, an unknown child.
The Elizabeth Walker Affair is a fantastic, exceptional goodread, who did it guessing, tugs on the heartstrings, and Jake Travis in pursuit of answers.
For Jake and Kathleen, “somewhere south of the mind and north of the heart”, Brigadoon is real for them.
Author, Robert Lane’s most imaginative and creative storyline for a special occasion. Don’t miss it!
A old friend, Andrew Keller, comes to see Jake. Andrew gets shot and killed at a local market. A federal marshall asks Jake to see if he can find evidence of a targeted murder. A car accident that killed two people in Elizabeth”s family changed the lives of Andrew and Elizabeth. A secret shared by just the two of them, a child and a lost chance at love. A novel to keep your interest.
ELIZABETH WALKER AFFAIR….# 7…Robert.Lane
Andrew remembering Elizabeth the one that was engaged, he didn’t try to win her, some twenty years ago. The reason for the visit, I think I just saw her, she came up and said” I need to tell you about trumpet” , I noticed the pain, and then she was gone.He needed Jake to be the indiscreet person to find out. A murder of Andrew and now Jake is called in, finding her was easy, the secrets were not that she held. The dialog was smooth flowing, almost poetic at times. The pain and mistakes of youth. The plot and ending to this mystery was good, and not to be missed in reading, well done. Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion