In this tantalizing thriller from a #1 New York Times bestselling author, a woman uncovers lifelong secrets as she searches for the truth behind her father’s involvement in a heist gone wrong. Twenty years ago in the dead of night, four seemingly random individuals pulled the ultimate heist and almost walked away with half a million dollars. But by daybreak, their plan had been shot to hell. … plan had been shot to hell. One of them was in the hospital. One was in jail. One was dead. And one got away with it.
Arden Maxwell, the daughter of the man who disappeared all those years ago — presumably with the money, after murdering his accomplice — has never reconciled with her father’s abandonment of her and her sister. After countless personal setbacks she decides to return to her family home near mysterious Caddo Lake, and finally get answers to the many questions that torment her. Little does she know, two of her father’s co-conspirators — a war hero and a corrupt district attorney — are watching her every move.
Ledge Burnet, a rebellious teen at the time of the heist, evaded his jail sentence by enlisting in the army. Now he’s back in town to care for his ailing father — and to keep his eye on the county’s corrupt district attorney, whom he suspects was the real murderer. Although the two are bound to silence because of the crime they committed together, each has spent years waiting and hoping that the other will make a fatal misstep. But the arrival of their elusive accomplice’s daughter, Arden, who may know more about the missing money than she’s telling, sets them both on red alert. She ignites Ledge’s determination to expose the D.A.’s treachery . . . and sparks a desire he wishes to deny.
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Another sexy, twisty, mystery romance from Sandra Brown – I could hardly come up for air. Imperfect, complicated characters will have you asking, to what lengths will you go to protect the ones you love? Action-packed from the start, swoon worthy seductions, and a jaw-dropping ending. Reason #178 why Ms. Brown is an auto-buy for me. Well done!
Thick As Thieves by Sandra Brown is a well written thriller that is full of danger, intrigue, twists and turns, surprises and a little romance. The ending both surprised and shocked me. Without writing a synopsis and giving away any spoilers, I think the author did a great job in masterfully and created the plot and the characters. I rated it a five.
This author is amazing and always takes you on an amazing ride.
Sandra never fails to please. She develops good characters and and plot and usually has a surprise up her sleeve. I will always read one of her books.
Loved, loved, loved this story. As with every Sandra Brown book, you never really know how it will end. It’s never what you think!
Loved it!
One of my favorite authors!
A Deal With The Devil
Some of the characters in this book could have used a little common sense and foresight. With just a slight provocation, they descended into criminal behavior alongside a thug. The only possible exception was Ledge because he was young and lacked the maturity and foresight the others should have had. I was alternately frustrated by and pitying of these folks. How could they not see they were giving themselves over to someone with the means to torment them the rest of their lives? Their circumstances didn’t call for it, and aside from the mystery, I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I might have.
Listened to the audio book. I thought it started out kind of slow. Maybe it was because I was listening to it, but at times it was hard to follow the jumps from past to present. There are some twists thrown in at the end.
I could not put this down! Sandra Brown is an amazing story teller!
Twenty years ago, four people robbed Welch’s, a local family owned store that rivaled the big box outlets. It was a major haul and the next day, one of the robbers was dead and his supposed accomplice had disappeared. Joe Maxwell was a widow who was down on his luck, struggling with alcohol and barely managing to provide for his two daughters. He was never found and it was just assumed he’d run away with the money, abandoning his family. Lisa Maxwell, the oldest daughter who was in college, took her younger sister, Arden who was only 10-years old, and fled to Houston. Now Arden has returned to the town and their former home, determined to restore the house and maybe find answers to what really happened the night her father disappeared.
The story begins with the immediate aftermath of the robbery but doesn’t identify the individuals by name. In the present day, we get some clarity about who planned the heist and some of the participants but exactly what happened is what unfolds slowly throughout. I went into this blind, which I highly recommend, so I never knew where the story would lead. Even Arden’s history is a mystery and her decision to seek out and hire Ledge Burnet, a local contractor, to restore the house feels predestined. Their instant attraction to each other is clear from the onset and is also a slow burn, adding more tension to the mix.
What makes the mystery work, at least for me, is getting the points of view from a host of involved characters who I wasn’t sure were always reliable in their recounts. Sifting the details required some work and I got completely immersed in the who, what and how of it all as they were always pretty murky. And, it became clear early on that Arden’s return to town stirred the proverbial hornet’s nest. I listened to the story and the narrator delivered a sultry and fine piece of storytelling. He made the slowly developed narrative seem natural and worth the wait, making my reading experience a pleasurable one. While I never really connected with Arden and Ledge’s romance, the mystery hooked me from the beginning and never let go. And, the ending delivered the excitement, twists and surprises I hoped it would.
I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed with a book by this author. The twists come unexpectedly and a few REALLY surprised me. Arden, one of the rmain characters, returns to her home town to have her baby. Twenty years before, her dad was involved in a burglery and murder and then disappeared. Her appearance in her hometown stirs up one person in particular (not in a good way) and another person in a good way — if they can overcome the bumps in their relationship. Looking forward to reading more of Sandra Brown’s books.
Really enjoyed the book and was really surprised at the end.
Sandra Brown always has a twist at the end. I spent some time wondering who/what it would be. She always delivers.
Another must-read by Sandra Brown. She always creates unforgettable characters, and Ledge and Arden fit right into that group. Great story. You think you have it figured out, then you don’t.
Arden returns to her home town to search for answers to her father’s disappearance. She meets and falls for Ledge, who knows the answers. There is the trademark twist at the end of the mystery that Brown is famous for but I had a few problems with pacing and motivation in this book. I’ve always been a Sandra Brown fan. This was not one of her best.
I’m a big Sandra Brown fan and while this was still a good romantic thriller, it was not my favorite from her.
Love Sandra Brown and this book was awesome as well as all her others!!!!
I’ve always enjoyed books by Brown. I found this one outstanding! Loved these characters and the plot. Was floored by the turn of events. Can’t wait to read more from this author.
I always enjoy reading her books