Numerous friends suggested I try on Beauman on for size, so I decided to do just that with Lovers and Liars.

At first I felt like a mouse in a maze trying to find the prize. Beauman offered loads of twists and turns but in time I was able to narrow down the offending culprits and deduct what was what. Cleverly created to let the reader assume they know what's at the core of the plot and Beauman pulls out of left field with the unexpected and you're at square one figuring out the plot and its perpetrators. The narrative is somewhat sophisticated which makes up for the whopping 500 plus pages, fairly fast read but lulls did rear their ugly head at times. Lovers and Liars consisted of 80% dialog, despite the large amount it was well done. Blending the past romantic involvement with Pascal and Gini was carefully weaved into the main storyline expertly adding an interesting controversial past with motivating factor for a sexy present and future only to highlight the bones of the major sex scandal storyline.

The downfall for me was Gini Hunter. She was all over the place, one minute she was playing the feminist card, the next minute she was as helpless as a kitten up a tree. As far as a journalist, Pascal acted more of a journalist than Gini. Gini should have played photographer and left the investigative journalism to competent Pascal. Another flaw with Gini, she made very poor choices which highlighted the fact she wasn't the most vibrant color in the crayon box. She needs a serious IQ boost, most irritating was her brainless comments and actions. Making Gini less of a scardey cat would have helped loads too. Beauman should have stepped Gini's character up a notch, would have enriched the entire story.

Lovers and Liars is pitched as a romantic thriller, in reality it is a thriller with a small romantic storyline fused. Entertaining and well written but it felt dated. I'm sure this was strong in its day but felt like I was in the 80's without question. Good not great, wouldn't mind reading current material from Beauman's solid writing.