Close Up is one of Amanda Quick's books set in the 1930s. I highly recommend this book. I look forward to any story by Amanda Quick.

This latest installment in Quick's Burnin Cove series continues the action and mystery that surrounds the small retreat town. This novel centers around Vivian Brazier, a photographer trying to break into the art world, and the not one, but two killers that have targeted her. As with all of quick's Burning Cove novels, Close Up is filled with twists and turns, and independent women confident in their abilities but willing to fall in love.

This was so cool!! I loved the setting!!! It was so captivating to read about the 1930s then throw in a mystery add in a hot detective and I was hooked!! I do wish I read more of this series before going into this, but I really really had fun reading it!! Vivian is so smart and so clever and her chemistry with Nick was undeniable!! I was dying from the first moment they met and couldn’t wait for them to get together but I also loved how the plot was so fast paced!! I couldn’t put this one down and I’m excited to read more from Amanda quick!

Vivian Brazier never thought life as an art photographer would be so dangerous. However, when moonlighting as a crime scene photographer, she notices something that detectives missed in a series of murders. Something only a serious photographer would know. Something, that has now made her a target of a serial killer. Nick Sundridge is a private investigator who often suffers from visions and dreams that allow him to “see” things. Now he has been sent to protect Vivian and his ability to sense things may be the only thing that saves her from being the next victim.

Murder in 1930’s high society, where glitz and glamour hide an ugly underbelly, that is the signature of Amanda Quick’s Burning Cove series. In the latest book, we delve into the shady world of art photography. One of the things I love about this series, and indeed this book, is the setting. The 1930’s setting adds an almost film noir element to these books which only adds to the over all glamour.

In Close Up it was the heroine, Vivian, that really shone. She left a life of privilege and a gilded cage behind to pursue her dream of being an art photographer. She was willing to do the hard work and crappy jobs, like photographing a crime scene, to keep her independence. I loved her gumption and her confidence in herself and this really shone through in the book. She was a thoroughly Modern Woman.

Now, this isn’t just a mystery, it is also a romance between Vivian and Nick. They both have a psychic ability, Vivian has very strong intuition and Nick has visions, making them a great match. They also sparked straight from the first meeting and this continued to build through the book. However, I felt like Quick rushed this at the end with Nick making a marriage proposal, it felt too soon. I could be looking at this through a modern lens, but I felt like it would have been a more natural fit to have them end on the i-love-yous without the need for anything else. Yet.

Another part of the story that felt rushed was the mystery element. It did the typical, slow build up only to be concluded very quickly in the last 10-20%. Which, was a shame as I really liked the mystery in this book. You think it’s about one thing, when in the end Quick adds a twist and you realise nothing was ever quite what it seemed. It was an excellent story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, it had a fantastic heroine, a good romance and intriguing mystery. I will definitely to reading on, and recommend giving this series a go if you want a mystery romance with a glam twist.

Another book that I really enjoyed. It was suspenseful, yet still a “fun” read! I enjoyed touching base with some of the characters from earlier books.

This was a really interesting title for me. It's not something I would have normally read, but I liked the cover. Having completed the story, I know patrons will eat it up, so I'll be buying a couple copies. Thank you!

***ARC Provided by the Author***

Vivian and Nick were fun.

And, well, at this point, I feel like a little bit of a broken record when I review this author's titles. I am going to like them. I am going to like the characters, and the setting, and the quirkiness of them...because they are the reasons I keep coming back to titles by this author, and her other alias Jayne Ann Krentz.

So, I will say if you enjoy this author, you will love it. If you are new to her, what you are going to find is a well written story that holds your interest with characters you enjoy and settings that feel fresh. This is a historical romance set in the 1930s and I am not able to think of very many that are set in this time, so it was fun just for that.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.

This book was great storytelling. I was very engaged in this story. This book is definitely a must read.

Close up is a murder mystery first, a love story second, and an expose into the world of art photography third. Vivian Brazier hides the fact that she take crime photos for the newspaper to pay the bills when her goal is to become a recognized art photographer. The California galleries won’t touch someone who does photojournalism. By using a pseudonym for her crime shots, she thinks she might make some headway in her art career.

When she discovers a link between the “Dagger Killer” and photography, she lets the police know-putting her squarely in the killer’s sights. When the Dagger Killer is killed, it becomes obvious that someone else is targeting her. Enter Nick Sundridge, a private eye, who suffers from what he considers to be a family curse, being able to go into a trance and see details of a scene not obvious to others. He has been hired by contacts to protect Vivien from the second killer.

As the two of them work together to solve the mystery of who is after her and why, they give in to their mutual attraction. But can he keep her safe from those who want to silence her? Vivien was a great character. Not only is she a woman trying to be a success in a traditionally men’s career, she is willing to be totally unconventional, even to photographing male hunks, at a time when it was unheard of for women to take photographs of men.

Nick is harder to warm up to. He’s reticent and take charge at the same time. But he certainly takes his job seriously as he works to protect her.

The plot twists and turns keep make Close Up a real page turner, with surprises coming right to the end.

It was great to return to Burning Cove, California where we meet Vivian Brazier and Pete Sundridge. Vivian is from San Francisco Society whose family cut her off when she turns down the man her father has hand picked as her husband. She wants to become a Art Photographer, in order to pay the bills she
while she waits to be discovered. Vivian works the crime beat by taking the perfect crime picture. When Vivian is reviewing photos she notices clues and informs the lead detective of what details she has noticed and points the police to a suspect. In doing this she makes herself a target of the killer’s accomplice and this is where Pete Sundridge Private Investigator comes in to protect her and how they solve who wants her dead. This book leaves you waiting for the next chapter in Burning Cove Series. I cannot wait

This book is good to read alone or part of the series.
For me the plot of 1930s was fine, although that is a time when i really do not know much about or read about. Still, the book had a good story line involving romance and murder.
I prefer older books by this author - this one was just OK for me.

This is book 4 in the Burning Cove series. It surprises me how much I enjoy these books that are set in California during the 1930's. Vivian is a photographer who makes extra money shooting crime photos for the newspapers. When Nick shows up at her door convincing her that someone is out to kill her they decide to look for the killer before he finds her. It may be too late. Something in one of her crime photos has someone very nervous and as Nick and Vivian wade through the clues they begin a romance. Hope there are many more stories in this series. It is fun to read about changing flash bulbs and bulky film holders in todays age of instant pictures. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Welcome back to the small town of Burning Cove, California. It’s 1930’s and danger has returned to this seemingly sleepy town. Vivian Brazier, budding art photographer, is taking crime scene photographs for newspapers as a way to may ends meet until her art career takes off. As Vivian takes more and more crime photos from the “Dagger Killer”, she begins to see similarities that only a photographer would notice, putting herself in danger of being the next victim. Nick Sundridge is an investigator with a talent for seeing things that others don’t. Nick is sent to protect Vivian and together they discover the identity of the killer and much more.

In this 4th installment of the Burning Cove series, Amanda Quick makes the reader wonder what other danger is lurking. Close Up did not disappoint. In true Amanda Quick form, Vivian is a strong female who can hold her on, but isn’t afraid to accept the help of a man, Nick. With a little bit of romance and a mystery or two, Close Up left me wondering about what will happen next.

This e-ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Old Hollywood, Intuition, an Art Photographer, Private Detective, a Serial Killer’s coded poetry, and a bit of 30’s glitz and glamour to make Close Up one dishy read.
Review

Close Up is the fourth of the Burning Cove standalone modern historical romantic suspenses. A reader would have no trouble jumping in here while a reader who got them in order will spot the previous pairs in the series.

Close Up does an entr’acte on the scene of a garish murder where moonlighting crime photographer, Vivian Brazier snaps a pic and tosses the lead detective a big clue about his Dagger Killer. Vivian might come from a San Francisco blue blood family, but her rep of sleeping with her art teacher and turning down a golden marriage opportunity has her parents fed up and cutting off the cash so she’s hungry for a break. She pursues her dream of becoming an art photographer with the intuition of how to get the most out of her subject and the scene. Her series of pictures on men is barely getting started when the Dagger Killer decides to come after her.

Intuition has been a curse more than a gift for Nick Sundridge who takes a new job as bodyguard to a daring photographer who doesn’t bat an eye over his fever dreams that guide him in his detective work just as he shocks her when he thinks she’s got the talent to have her work in the exclusive galleries that keep snubbing her. Nick has his work cut out for him protecting Vivian from a coded poetry-writing assassin and the one who hired him especially when the danger is closer than they think.

Close Up is a delightful melding of historical backdrop that reminisces of Old Hollywood glamour and detective movies, edgy yet unusual characters like a lady crime photographer and a guy with a psychic sensitivity and a trained dog partner, clever suspense plot with a couple of twists, and a simmering romance that burns alongside the story building until it comes to a full sizzle.

Vivian is tough with soft edges. Her work is everything and she’s been burned by men in love and in her career choice so she’s wary of Nick. Nick has also had a bad experience with a woman so he matches her wariness all the while he is not intimidated by her talent and resourcefulness. He’s protective without being smothering. They clicked well and it was rather low-angst as far as the romance letting the suspense plot carry the external conflict. And his dog is as welcome to the cast of characters as meeting up with other familiar faces from earlier books.

No one element of the story stands out so it was as a whole enchilada that I appreciated what I got. I love how the author achieved a nostalgic feeling as I read like the glamorous classic movies give me and I definitely want more. Fortunately, I jumped in at book three so I can go back and snag the first two books before the next book in the series releases. I can definitely recommend this to those who like modern era historic settings and a good romantic suspense.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

Danger, suspense, simmering romance, and murder come together under author Amanda Quick’s deft hand in Close Up to form a diverting, action packed read. Close Up is the fourth book in the Burning Cove book series, but it can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

Vivian Brazier left her high society life in San Francisco to chase her dream of becoming an art photographer. What she finds in Southern California is resistance to her art medium (she is no Ansel Adams) and a macabre secret life as a crime scene photographer that is definitely a grisly way to make a living. When she notices details in a string of crime scenes that lead the Dagger Killer right to her door, she is placed firmly at the top of someone’s hit list. Nick Sundridge, a private investigator, is hired to be Vivian’s bodyguard, despite Vivian’s protests, and the pair soon face danger and go into hiding while they try to figure out who is trying to kill her.

Vivian is a feisty, independent, free thinking protagonist. She is smart and cool under pressure, as striking as her photography. She manages to be larger than life and relatable at the same time. Nick is rugged, astute, and appealing. He has visions, usually in his dreams, and they haunt him. Even though this gives him slightly supernatural vibes, his abilities work to his advantage and seem completely plausible within the context of the story. There is no denying the chemistry between the pair, and though they come together a bit too quickly to be believable, readers definitely root for them. They are perfect for each other. The supporting characters, including some that make appearances in previous books, are well drawn and interesting. Even the creepy gentleman assassin is fascinating yet twisted.

Close Up is heavy on the romance, but there is an intriguing mystery at its core. Quick provides plenty of misdirection and quite a bit of action and violence to keep readers on their toes. Various threads come together to make a satisfying, twisty conclusion to the tale. The pace of the story is brisk, and the writing descriptive, inviting readers into the glamour, glitz, and grit of the nineteen-thirties during Hollywood’s golden era. It is highly entertaining. Recommended for fans of historical romance/mysteries.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

Oh how I love Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick. And I really am enjoying this series. This is the 4th in the series but can be read as a stand alone. In this story Vivian is a photographer who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth but wanted to be her own person so she went into the photography field. And she also photographs crime scenes and something about her latest one has her looking into the crime a bit more than she should. But then all of JAK/AQ women are independent and strong so we couldn’t expect anything different.

Nick is brought in to protect Vivian as a bodyguard since she has been put into the crosshairs of the Dagger Killer.

Another great story by JAK/AQ. She always goes above and beyond.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Vivian Brazier was born to a wealthy, well-connected family, and left a life of luxury to pursue her dreams of becoming a photographic artist. Her parents were not pleased with her decision so she’s on her own trying to make her way in the coastal town of Adelina Beach in California. To supplement her income Vivian snaps photos of crime scenes, and one in particular sets her on edge: the victims of the Dagger Killer. This killer poses the victims is such a way that makes Vivian think this murderer has a background in photography. As if this isn’t strange enough Nick Sundridge, a private investigator, shows up on her door saying he’s been hired to be her bodyguard after information comes out that names Vivian as the target of a deranged killer.

I’ve really enjoyed the Burning Cove series! Set in the 1930s on the California Pacific Coast, Burning Cove is a resort/hotel that caters to the rich and famous. It’s a town described with the beauty of Big Sur or Carmel: cliffs with breathtaking views of the Pacific with the added enticing feel of Old Hollywood.

I loved Vivian! She was a strong, clever woman, and she never seemed to let life’s setbacks get her down or derail her from her goals. Nick and Vivian’s chemistry was palpable from their first meet, and of course working together closely their romance turns from attraction to more quickly.

The initial call to Vivian’s aid was made in conjunction with a supernatural lead, and I liked this bit of paranormal element added to the story. The mystery kept me guessing until the end, keeping my attention firmly focused on the story unfolding!

Close Up is the fourth installment in the Burning Cove series, but you don’t have to read the previous stories to enjoy it. Each book is a separate mystery/romance that wraps up nicely. I’ve read several books by Amanda Quick (aka Jayne Ann Krentz) and this is my favorite series by her.

I am usually a huge Amanda Quick fan, but this book just didn't do it for me. I'm not sure I can give a good reason why though as on the surface this book is my catnip! Perhaps I should blame quarantine for my lack of focus! Truth be told, I can't bring myself to give this book less than three stars because I really REALLY love Amanda Quick's work.

Characters That Keep The Reader's Interest

Amanda Quick, the pseudonym for romance author Jayne Ann Krentz, once again creates characters that keep the reader's interest in her latest installment of the Burning Cover series called Close Up. Burning Cove, the fictional resort town in a secluded part of California has been a stirring pot of characters that prove to be the guardians of chaps and damsels in distress. In true Amanda Quick style, the good prevails and the evildoers meet their demise.

Set in or about 1937, which is based on select facts that Quick craftly features in the narration, puts the story's time frame during the Post Prohibition Era, the Age of Classic Hollywood, and the heyday of gangsters and the Mafia's racketeering operations. However, the only cultural aspects of this time period that are heavily concentrated on is the controversy of two schools of photography, pictorialism and modernism or photo journalism. Quick's narration lacks any other descriptive setting that would put readers in this time period. The occassional name dropping of Ansel Adams, Amelia Earhart, and Johnny Weissmuller doesn't contribute enough to the ambience of the 1930's. The attitude and phrases used by the characters do not reflect California in the 1930's but rather mirrors California through the Millennium decades.

If readers can move past this shortfall, the read becomes increasingly compelling. Vivian Brazier, the heroine, is a burgeoning art photographer. Her character is reminiscent of Quick's lead female Venetia Milton from Quick's novel Second Sight as both leading ladies are photographers with a second sight to interpret peoples auras.

The hero in Close Up, Nick Sundridge, is a paranormal hunter and investigater, sharing these qualities with Quick's leading man Gabriel Jones in Second Sight. Like Venetia and Gabriel, Vivian and Nick come together in an effort to save one another. Vivian needs to be saved from an assassin who is commissioned to kill her. Nick needs to be saved from self-inflicted isolation, which keeps him from experiencing the rewards of the love of an honest woman.

Another recurring theme that Vivian and Nick share with Venetia and Gabriel is each have secrets. Secrets that if went public would destroy their reputations and ruin them from practicing their respective professions. Vivian and Nick's bond and affection for each other feels genuine and makes audiences enamored of them, which is key to keeping the audience's interest.

Quick's style of writing makes the tale move swiftly. Although the author reveals the villain early in the story, the disclosure does not sour the reader from continuing along the adventure. If anything, the bits of insight into the villain's motives and movements reel the reader in more closely.

At moments, the story seems rushed, and at other times, Quick moves the scenes slowly, consuming the reader in detailed information to acquire a full comprehension of the events. The leading characters have personalities that the reader wants to know, and the villain, in classic Quick fashion, is chilling and terrifying.

Close Up is the fourth installment in Amanda Quick’s Burning Cove, a series set in 1930s California. The story follows Vivian Brazier, a highly intuitive burgeoning art photographer. Quite suddenly, Vivian finds herself at the centre of a Hollywood serial murder case. She’s left reeling when the handsome, enigmatic Nick Sundrige appears on her doorstep with explosive information and an offer of protection. Vivian and Nick form an uneasy alliance as they set out to uncover dangerous secrets.

I’ll admit, Close Up was the first book I’ve read in the Burning Cove series. After becoming acquainted with the series, however, I wish I’d started at the beginning. While Close Up certainly stands alone, I enjoyed Quick’s writing so much I feel I’ve missed out. I liked the historical elements in the story related to photography as well as the zeitgeist of 1930s California. The characters are endearing, as is the story. Close Up is a well-crafted detective thriller that had me guessing until the very end.

If you like a good detective tale with charm to spare, Close Up is worth a closer look.