This is the second book in the Nicole Grave Mystery series and Nicole finds herself once again in the middle of a situation not of her making. She has returned home to LosAngeles after her last adventure in the United Kingdom and is working as the office manager for a Legal Firm. Part of her job is to assist the firm's investigator with computer searches etc. When he does not come into work for a couple of days, Nicole is asked to check on him. Traveling to his home in a very ritzy area of LA, she stumbles upon his dead body, shot in the head. When the police show up and being their investigation, Nicole becomes a suspect. Not only do they find photos of her in a skimpy bathing suit, but some of her lingerie. When it comes out that she is his beneficiary of his lucrative estate, the paparazzi begin hounding her. The firm requests she take time off and hire a lawyer for her as well. Things ratchet up when someone starts following her and she appears to be a target of someone, but who?

Once again, Nancy Boyarsky has written a fast paced mystery, with adventure around every corner. I enjoyed the plot of the story and as I read I felt like I was on a twisty, turning ride. Who should Nicole trust, who is telling the truth, how are the paparazzi able to figure out where she is? This is a story about corruption, trust, and using people for your own benefit. Nicole was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was in danger. She is pretty quick on her feet and the plans she made and cautionary steps she took saved her life on more than one occasion. Piece by piece Nicole got to the bottom of this mystery as she traveled around Los Angeles covering her tracks. Another area touched upon was the dynamics of the workplace. Even when co-workers are simply polite and tolerate each other, you never know what is going on in their minds. You also might think you are well liked, but when you are no longer there, your co-workers waste no time moving in on your job. Just as in the first novel, there was some romance along the way. We do see Reinhart again, but living across the pond from one another makes it hard to sustain a relationship.There was no sexual tension in this novel like in the first, but there was plenty of warm, romantic emotional feelings along the way.

This is the second book featuring Nicole Graves and it reads nicely as a standalone. Nicole finds her friend and colleague dead and suddenly inherits a lot of money, and a lot of problems! Quick paced and entertaining book - recommended!

Engaging story and immersive plot lead to a fast-paced roller coaster ride. Loved it!

Nicole Graves, an office manager at a Los Angeles law firm, has just stepped off the plane from a visit to London when she's told that the firm's investigator, Robert Blair, is missing. She finds him soon enough—in his home, dead of a bullet wound through his head.

Almost immediately, she falls under suspicion, mostly because Robert had photo after photo of her in his home, as well as a piece of lingerie that Nicole owned. While Nicole, 32, was friendly with the older man, she is further surprised to learn she is the sole beneficiary of a hefty bequest—not only does she get his mansion in Sunset Hills, but a cabin and his savings.

Police are not the only ones picking apart Nicole's life. There's the paparazzi, outside both her workplace and her home, as well as a mysterious stranger in an SUV. It's not the first time Nicole's been in trouble, and on the run from danger. Boyarsky's debut novel, THE SWAP, had Nicole and her then-husband swapping houses for a stay in London in a vacation from hell. As THE BEQUEST opens, Nicole is wondering what has happened to her lover, former London cop Ronald Reinhardt, who now works for a secretive agency. He was supposed to meet her in London, but never showed. One flaw of the book is that she doesn't seem overly concerned, and a week later has a new boyfriend, the younger Josh Mulhern. One would expect her to put her new investigative skills toward finding Reinhardt.

In fact, Nicole seems to have switched personalities as she switched cities, becoming a little less likable in this second book. However, she is a smart protagonist who doesn't wait for a man to save her, and the pacing is nonstop action. It's a good story, and works well (maybe even better) if you haven't read the first book.

Truly enjoyed this fast paced thriller. Love this authors works.

A page-turner from beginning to end. Not sure who to trust. Sorry I hadn't read the first one in the series, but not a problem. A stand-alone mystery, but previous relationships may have been fun read about first. I do look forward to reading the next one in the series.

This is one of those books that makes you lose sleep. From the first few pages where Nicole finds a co-worker dead in his palatial home, the plot was a series of twists and turns that kept me reading “just one more chapter” to find out what was going to happen next. She is a charming protagonist that remains remarkably plucky despite all the adversity she faces. I look forward to the next book because I am sure Nicole’s life will continue to be filled with drama and intrigue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Light Messages Publishing for a review copy of the novel.

I really enjoyed this book, it is a well thought-out crime thriller. It gave me a good idea of LA and the different parts of this town.
It proves not everyone is good, and some are really bad. An enjoyable read.