Absolutely captivating plot with a surprise ending. I love the characters too. Am eager to read Amanda Quick's other novels.

The glitz and glamour of Hollywood in the 1930's was what sparked my interest in this book. It's an era of speakeasy's, starlets, classic actors...just pure glamour. Throw in a little mystery and you have my attention.

When Anna Harris discovers her boss has been murdered, she flees to California with only the clothes on her back and a notebook that belonged to her late boss - a notebook that people are willing to kill for. Once in California, she changes her name to Irene and is now a reporter for a small time Hollywood gossip magazine. However, it seems that murder just seems to follow her around as the informant she was supposed to meet up with is found floating in the hotel pool.

This was my first Amanda Quick novel - I've read the author under another name. And I basically found this book okay. It had a good mystery around it: was an upcoming Hollywood leading man killing woman? And why was the notebook Irene still had so important? But in a way, it had too much mystery. With two giant mysteries happening, it was hard to keep track of what information went with what and the cases got jumbled. While the notebook mystery may not have been enough to hold a novel by itself, the other case was so jumbled that it overshadowed Irene's problem making me forget about it multiple times.

The most interesting character to me was Oliver Ward , the elusive hotel manager. Everyone else was just kind of blah, even Irene herself. I think because there was so much plot, we never really got the chance to get to know the characters really well. And I'm the type of person who needs the characters to be real. Also, that ending rubbed me the wrong way and just seemed rushed.

Overall, it was a good book and the thriller aspect held up. If you're looking for just the facts of the case type of book this is for you. Just be warned there's no real character development.

I am a huge fan of this no matter which pen name she is using at the moment (for those who do not know she also writes as Jayne Ann Krentz and Jayne Castle). Under this name the books are usually set in the past somewhere and this one seems to fall in the years between the two world wars. When Irene comes home to find her boss murdered she finds the word run in blood on the wall as well as a brief note of vague explanation. She quickly follows the suggestion reinventing herself on the opposite side of the country as a reporter for a gossip magazine. While researching a story she finds herself in the cross hairs of the killer while her own personal demons show up at the same time. The book moves at a quick pace with plenty of intrigue in a well-developed manner. Great for fans of mystery, suspense, and a little romance thrown in as well. I really enjoyed reading it. I give it 4/5 stars.

No rating DNF at 25%
I try to give a book until 25% to grab my interest as I have a ton to read for the blog. This is my first book by the author and I was intrigued by the murder/mystery aspect as well as the Hollywood backdrop. Unfortunately this was VERY slow moving for me and I just couldn't get into it. I wanted to don't get me wrong because the premise is something different for me and I love a good mystery but the several POV's outside of the main characters threw me off a bit and it was just TOO slow that it didn't have that heart palpitating/quick page turning reaction I was hoping for. I could see where it was going with the love interest and even that was too fast for me in the midst of everything going on. This book definitely has potential and maybe it's just me and my reading mood right now but unfortunately I DNF'd it.
:(

Warning: there are a couple of murders, though not much gore; there’s adult language, and sex on the page. If any of these bother you, avoid this one.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much, by Amanda Quick

I liked many things about this novel, starting with how well the setting is rendered. I felt immersed in the period without awkward lectures or info-dumping. Both of the main characters are complex and three dimensional, and their world is populated by three dimensional, complex people.

The suspense thread is a lot more layered than the blurb would make one think, and the story is told from several characters’ point of view, which allows the reader to believe she knows more than our hero and heroine.

As a suspense, it worked very well, despite–or perhaps, because–we know so much about what is going on, from so many people’s perspectives. Except, we really don’t.

One of the best things about this story, on the suspense angle, is that no one, and pretty much nothing, is precisely what they appear to be. In most cases, the clues that there’s more there than meets the eye are quite subtle, which is lovely.

And then, there are the twists–of which I’ll say nothing more, because they are most excellent, and you, dear readers, deserve to get the full impact, as I did.

As a romance, I liked both main characters almost equally.

Irene may be younger than Oliver by about a decade, but she’s no naïve, trusting chit. The most enduring lesson in her life is that she can count on herself first and last, and that nothing in life is free–or without consequences. She has given her trust fully only a few times, and paid for it dearly, and she’s not about to spill her guts to the mysterious Mr. Ward now.

However, while resourceful, there is nothing of the dreaded Mary Sue in Irene. She makes mistakes, and her self-assurance has been hard-earned. She is in a vulnerable position from the start, making the best decisions she can–even when the choice is between to fairly ominous alternatives. More than anything, Irene is very relatable.

“Acting on instinct–she certainly wasn’t thinking clearly now–she scooped up the weapon” (Chapter 1)

Seriously, Irene is great. She smart, loyal, and a survivor.

Oliver is outwardly the more worldly of the two. From an early age, he has created a purposefully obscure public persona, which he uses as leverage in his early dealings with Irene. He deals with chronic pain from a serious injury, which I really liked. He’s still the tall, dark, mysterious hero one comes to expect from Ms Quick, but he’s more human than most.

He has very good reasons for his own lack of trust, but he is also smart and loyal.

They complement each other without being so perfectly matched as to be boring.

Then there are the secondary characters. I mentioned above that the novel is told from several points of view, which include a couple of Very Bad Dudes ™ as well as a few relatively minor players. With one or two exceptions, Ms Quick creates a very intriguing and unique cast of characters to populate the world of The Girl Who Knew Too Much. We have the magician, the aspiring gossip columnist, the shady wealthy man, the androgynous bar tender, the rising Hollywood star, and more.

What is great is that none of these people are just there for the sake of the plot; whoever they are, whatever they do, they ring true. They are people with their own lives beyond their lines in this play, so to speak.

I mentioned that I enjoyed the sense of time and place. The thirties are the beginning of the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema, and the novel conveys all the glamour and concurrent darkness of the era. Ms Quick manages to drop references to the economic situation of the country, the state of technology, and even the politics of the time, without distracting from the narrative. This is simply when and where the characters live, and this is how it affects their thoughts and actions.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much gets a 8.75 out of 10.

I have read books by Amanda Quick for the last 15 years. Some of my most favorite historicals were written by this author. Her books have always been a beacon of hope and love. I never had to worry about not liking her books especially since I loved her female characters. Her heroine’s were usually spunky, sassy and strong willed. And I utterly adored how they had the heroes wrapped around their little fingers.

I truly loved her books!!!

I still have my old paperbacks of Surrender, Desire, Reckless, Seduction, Rendezvous, Scandal , Deception, Dangerous, and my most favorite of all – Ravished!!!!

Unfortunately the last few years her novels don’t captivate me anymore. They feel bland, a repetition of the same formula, and just forgettable.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick was not one of her regular historical novels per se, it played in the 1930s in California. But the glamour and seduction of that era was gravely missing.

Amanda Quick definitely knows how to spin a great tale. The novel had a good amount of mystery and suspense – no wonder when so many people ended up dead. And the author kept me guessing until the very last minute about who did what. With a couple twists and turns the book was the opposite of predictable.

There were quite a few POV’s that made the story a bit more complex but also confusing. At the beginning I had no idea who all those people were, and at the end I could have cared less about them.

But the most crucial problem was the missing CHEMISTRY!!!

Real honest chemistry. Some passion, heat, attraction, PDA, – SOMETHING!!!!

ANYTHING really would have been fine with me. But no, all I got was dialogue and a partnership between the main characters. Honestly they were partners in pursuing the killer – not convincing lovers. There was actually no real reason for the couple to be attracted to each other – none at all.

There were no signs of affection or attraction. Both were pretty cool cucumbers if you’d ask me.

I’m not saying I didn’t like the characters, I just didn’t feel convinced that they loved each other, that’s pretty much what it came down to. There was barely any kissing, touching, hugging etc….. I didn’t even need sex, but I needed passion, love, a sexual connection.

They solved the murder and that was that.

THE END!!!

I miss her old books 🙁 I really do!!! ARDENTLY!!!!

THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH by Amanda Quick delivered a suspenseful romance against the backdrop of 1930s Hollywood. A retired magician and a woman on the run team up to solve a murder mystery. Come to Tinseltown and discover their secrets.

Welcome to the Burning Cove Hotel where Hollywood's stars and moguls go to escape. The hotel is owned by Oliver Wood a retired magician whose final act almost got him killed. Enter Irene Glasson, a reporter from a local LA rag who comes to the Burning Cove for a clandestine meeting with an actress who promises the inside scoop on actor Nick Tremayne. Only the meeting never happens because Irene discovers her at the bottom of the pool.

Amanda Quick (Jayne Anne Krentz) always manages to pull me into her stories and THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH offered an interesting cast of characters. Irene Glasson is hiding a secret, and Oliver Ward is determined to discover it. As the two begin to investigate, they find themselves facing down danger and finding passion. I connected with Irene and admired her spunk and quick wits. She is tenacious and once she gets a hold of a story she just doesn't let go. Oliver was an interesting character, from his connections to the secret he carries that resulted in him walking with a limp. He protects those he cares about, and he quickly decides Irene needs his help.

Quick gives us two mystery threads. The first involves Irene and her former life. We are even privy to the thoughts of those who seek her. This was a dark thread that added suspense to an already interesting murder case that's connected to Nick Tremayne. I loved the different suspects and players involved. Quick did a great job of sharing their mindset, throwing down red herrings and providing twists. All of this allowed me to slip into the world and become involved.

I absolutely loved the setting and Quick easily captured the atmosphere, glitz, and glamor of 1930s Hollywood scene. Her characters felt authentic, and the murder mystery threads offered surprises and kept me flipping the pages.

The romance that develops takes a backseat to the mystery plot, but we do get brief moments of passion and discovery. Their relationship felt genuine, and they worked well together, but for me, this was the weakest thread in the tale. Quick writes a compelling story that held its own, and I actually wouldn't mind meeting this couple in a future mystery.

THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH was delightful as it transported me to this bygone era with its suspenseful mystery and colorful characters. Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this engaging tale.

I love Amanda Quick Novels. This one is a bit different from the usual. It is 1930's and we have a murder, bloody warning, mysterious code book and new identity to start with. We get a luxury spa hotel where all the stars go to have hidden affairs and there... another murder happens...
This book takes the reader through intrigue and an off center love tale too.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick is a mystery romantic thriller that takes place during the 1930’s in old glamorous Hollywood. The story starts off with a bang, as we meet Anna Harris, who has discovered the dead body of her employer, with a message about a notebook and to “run”. She manages to flee from the scene in New York to Hollywood, with a new identity. Months later, we meet Irene Glasson, who is now a columnist for a Hollywood gossip paper.

Murder seems to follow Irene, as the actress she was meeting at the Burning Cove Hotel was found dead. Because she heard the footsteps of the possible killer, Irene jumps into the pool to escape. It is here she meets our hero, Oliver Ward. Oliver is the owner of the hotel, and a former famous magician, who due to an injury gave up that career and went into the hotel business. Oliver takes an interest in Irene, and they will join hands to try to solve the murder. When their relationship becomes a bit more than partners, Irene will eventually confide her past, running from someone who wants her dead. Oliver is determined to keep a close eye on Irene, as he wants to protect her, as well as his hotel.

While interviewing actor, Nick Tremayne, Irene gets a scoop to enhance her career, only to have the powerful Hollywood conglomerates use everything in their power to cause her to lose her job, even to the extent of hiring people to stop her anyway necessary. Those who have been looking for Anna Harris, will discover her new identity, which will double up on the threats to her.

This was an exciting and fun mystery thriller, with a number of twists, and many dangerous situations that both Oliver and Irene are in the middle of. The slow build romance between Irene and Oliver was nice, as I did like them together. The nice thing about their romance was it as part of the story line, not taking away from the real story….the murder investigation. I also liked some of the secondary characters in the book, especially Luther Pell. The last third of the book was filled with action and excitement, and held our attention throughout. The Girl Who Knew Too Much was another great story by Amanda Quick. If you enjoy mysteries taking place in the 1930’s; in old time glamorous Hollywood, and excellent characters, then you should read The Girl Who Knew Too Much.

This book started out slow at first, but once Irene gets to Burning Cove, things really take off.

Amazingly, this was the first book that I have read by this author, either by her real name or her pseudonym. I know I have several of hers on my shelf. Not sure how that could be true, but I checked it out.

I thought the writing at first for her to have so many books was a little awkward. However, I soon got used to her style and it started to flow. Midway, I was enjoying it. By the end, I couldn't put the book down. There was so much going with so many suspects and plots.

Very entertaining and I really liked it. I am deeply appreciative of Berkley Publishing for approving my request. And, I thank Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

Just to make it clear The Girl Who Knew Too Much is set in 1930s Hollywood.
This was an entertaining read, the plot focuses on a magician and a journalist who fall in love and found themselves in a murder mystery and decide it would be a great idea to come together and solve the mystery, so that Irene can get her story, and Oliver so he can protect the reputation of his hotel.
I was worried when I realized that The Girl Who Knew Too Much was set in the 1930's since I’ve never read a book set in that time period before, but I did not regret it. The mystery in the story got my attention and kept it (well not throughout the whole thing).
I like the characters development throughout the story and how Irene and Oliver were great together. They made a great team and you could see their romance was growing. I like Uncle Chester and Luther Pell they were very interesting and entertaining they even reminded me of my own uncle.

I will say that it was very hard to get through the beginning of the book because so many new characters were introduced and even had their own POV (which was very annoying). This made it very confusing, but eventually, they started to focusing back on the main character so you were good. I like how the story wraps up the book and I felt like it was an ok ending.
I hope you pick this book up because I know you will enjoy it

The first page had me hooked until the very end. A book you will read in a day. A ripple roaring fast pace suspense mystery book.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much
By Amanda Quick
Berkley
May 2017

“Run!” was Helen Spencer’s final word, written in her own blood on her bedroom wall, a message to her private secretary, Anna Harris. Anna had discovered Helen lying dead on the floor of the house they’d shared for the past year. She’d often wondered if her dream job and fairytale lifestyle as Helen’s assistant were too good to be true. Now she knew. Whatever Helen was involved in had gotten her killed, and her macabre warning made it clear Anna would be next. Gathering as many of her things as her suitcase would hold, Anna ran for her life, destination California, to disappear and start over with a new identity.

Wealthy and well-connected hotel owner Oliver Ward was once a world famous magician until a terrible on-stage accident cost him the use of a leg, and nearly his life. When he first meets Anna, she’s going by the name Irene Gaston working as a reporter for a local gossip rag. She’s investigating a series of drownings including the one that occurred at Oliver’s exclusive celebrity hideaway. She suspects these deaths may be linked, and not accidental as believed. Her investigation touches a nerve, and a mere four months after escaping Chicago, Irene is in as much danger as Anna, as her past and present lives collide.

The smart, dual-layered plot and finely-crafted suspense combine to make this a fast-paced thriller from beginning to end. Peril closes in on Anna from all sides, while Oliver’s mastery of magic and misdirection adds a twist of clever deception to this nail-biter of a tale. Loved it!
--Sandra Van Winkle, Staff Reviewer for ReadertoReader.com

A plucky secretary and a retired magician team up to solve a string of murders in 1930s Hollywood.

Irene Glasson has the worst luck. Running away from trouble in her past, she reinvents herself as an intrepid journalist in a faraway town- Burning Cove, California, where the elite of Hollywood go to let loose or hide out. Determined to succeed in her new career while still keeping a low profile, she has to admit that stumbling across a dead body in less than ideal circumstances is not going to help her situation. Suddenly under police suspicion, she teams up with former magician and current resort owner Oliver Ward as she tries to prove that the murder is connected to her current investigation and he tries to keep his business clear of gossip. Sparks fly and so do bullets as the two manage to solve a mystery while forging a powerful romantic connection.
Quick’s foray into a new historical setting- the golden age of Hollywood- adds spark and sophistication to her latest charming novel. There is plenty to love here, and the potential for more stories from the town of Burning Cove is evident. Bring on the glamour!

Even though this is a different time period or Amanda Quick, (Jayne Ann Krentz, Jane Castle) the suspense, smart, sassy heroine and great storytelling is still there. I love the characters, and I look forward to more books set in this interesting time period.

This is the best book by Amanda Quick yet! The mystery was very compelling! The characters were strong, and the romance was slowly developed! I recommend this novel for fans, not only for fans of Amanda Quick, but also for those who love cozy mysteries with a dash of romance thrown in!

Amanda Quick has fast forwarded in time to the 30s. Secretary Anna fears for her life when she finders her boss dead with the words Run written in blood. She heads west to disappear only to stumble across more murders. ARC from Net Galley. Review on GoodReads.

I'm not a chiller, thriller, (except MJ), or heavy mystery reader, but this was kind of dropped in my lap. So, living the adventurous life I do, LOL, I figured what the heck. Our heroine, it's set in the 1930's so that term is still acceptable, starts out discovering her glamorous employer has been murdered and robbed. Naturally she had time to leave a note, a secret book with valuable info, and plenty of cash. Oh, and she also said, get the hell out of town: run for your life! Well,
of course Anna did, all the way to California where she became Irene and got a job as a "reporter." No spoilers here, but she ends up at a swanky, secretive, celebrity hideout, hotel, owned by a former magician. (Really) There, the minor celeb she was planning to interview is at the bottom of the spa pool at midnight, not for any "treatment" the spa has on their list, you dig?! Sorry, having fun.
Our heroine, Irene sorts out all the details, finds out who all the bad guys were from the beginning, in the most fantastic way. Plus, a marvelous treat back at the office for a surprise and great ending. And maybe a little romance for our girl and a former magician?! Who knows! FUN!
3.5 Light Mystery Stars!

Legendary author Amanda Quick returns with her latest romantic suspense novel, The Girl Who Knew Too Much, an historical mystery set in the outskirts of Hollywood’s secret-laden movie colony in the 1930s.

After stumbling onto the scene of the murder of her socialite employer and benefactress, Anna Harris takes the woman’s postmortem advice and runs, taking with her a notebook filled with the mysterious Helen Spencer’s secrets, a wad of cash, and an important blue velvet bag and heads up Route 66 to California. Named a suspect within twenty-four hours of her flight, Anna knows there’s no going back to Chicago and creates herself a new identity, renaming herself Irene Glasson. She quickly learns that others who were to connected to Helen and mentioned in her notebook have met with ugly ends, and so Irene has to fight for her own survival, four months after becoming a hard-nosed journalist for the third-string tabloid Whispers.

Irene follows a lead to a small resort town near Los Angeles. Celebrities have a history of using Burning Cove’s glamorous environs for the purpose of positive publicity and privacy alike, and the notion of having a glaring bright spotlight focused on its peccadilloes makes the movie colony and the people who have high-stakes businesses there incredibly wary. When actress Gloria Maitland is found at the bottom of a pool at the Burning Cove Hotel’s spa, Irene knows she’s in big trouble. She’d been chasing a lead on a hot new actor, Nick Tremayne, and Gloria was her best source; so when the scoop that is Gloria’s murder falls into her lap she finds herself with a new case and in an even more treacherous situation. She quickly comes to realize that her colleague, the blowsy gossip column legend Peggy Hackett, didn’t drown in her own bathtub but was murdered violently, adding a third murder to the roll call of macabre disaster that’s been tailing her.

Plenty of people want to keep Irene silent. There’s Nick, whose pretty face hides an ugly, selfish side – he was trying to get rid of Gloria before she became a human pool noodle. He’s determined to suppress his controversial past and stay in the Hollywood game at any cost, with the help of his anxious assistant, Claudia. Then there’s Earnest Ogden, a self-proclaimed ‘well-paid nanny’ (aka a fixer), whose job it is to babysit people like Nick and keep their scandals under wraps, happily hiring thugs whenever necessary to do it. Henry Oakes, a seemingly obsessed stalker extraordinaire, thinks he’s destined to share a future history with Nick – but their pasts are already enmeshed. Daisy Jennings, a hanger-on social climber knows too much about Nick’s past. And don’t forget father and son contract killers Julian and Graham Enright, part of a long tradition of sadists for hire grown fat on old money, who’ve been on Irene’s tail since Chicago.

But most importantly there’s Oliver, a reclusive ex-magician with an inventor uncle who owns the hotel and doesn’t want to lose his huge investment due to bad publicity. He soon becomes Irene’s greatest ally, a partner in her investigation – and the biggest target for her enemies, who accuse the two of them of fraternization. With Oliver’s old stagecraft tricks and Irene’s determination, the twosome are determined to bring the true killer to justice. Will Irene discover the connection between Gloria, Peggy and Helen and live to ride into the sunset, or will she and Oliver meet a watery grave?

Amanda Quick is an expert weaver of fiction, and it’s quite easy to get absorbed in the chatty, slightly gritty and gossipy world she weaves here. Her voice and tone are just right; the dialogue has a brash, smooth way of echoing thirties film noir – a whiff of Bogart there, a splash of Hawks here, and all of it in good fun. By the time the suspense truly kicks in – about midway through the book – the reader is primed and ready for things to get as juicy as they do.

Irene is a gutsy dame, and she’s fun to follow on her journey from secretary to journalist. Of the supporting characters, I liked Oliver the most; you can hear the Bogart brio in his voice as he weaves through the story with Irene on his arm. His disability is handled well, and his inventor uncle is charming, if underused. Irene and Oliver’s romance builds quite steadily and realistically throughout the novel, eventually echoing some of Quick’s best romantic work, and they have chemistry from their first meeting onward. Ms. Quick also bolsters her story by cleverly fictionalizing a few Hollywood legends and weaving them into Irene’s story. If you love old Hollywood gossip as much as I do you’ll have fun drawing lines between point a and point b.

The novel has only one problem - which is ironically its breakneck pacing. Suspects are introduced in chapter after chapter, barely giving the audience time to react before we’re suddenly with a new person and holding a new plot thread. This works when you’re reading a Sam Spade-style mystery and your hero doesn’t have intimate connections to people; but doesn’t when people like the lead’s mentor are biting the dust. One example: Peggy is introduced as a murder victim and we’re told – after her murder – that she was Irene’s best friend, biggest support and main leg up into journalism before her death; and that Irene found the body. Wouldn’t it have been much better for the story if we got to see Peggy interact with Irene? It’s an opportunity Quick misses, but a minor quibble. And I suppose it’s always a good sign when an author leaves you wanting more.

In the end the rapid pace, the great characters and the fine chemistry between them kept me turning the pages. Quick continues her winning streak of good books written well, and The Girl Who Knew Too Much stands happily and handsomely next to her best work.