4.5-STAR REVIEW: THE FALL OF JAKE HENNESSEY by P.J. MacLayne

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About The Book

Publication Date: March 21, 2022

Jake Hennessey deals in selling fine jewelry of an illegal nature. The thrill of getting away with it is his addiction. When he hears a rumor about a rare old book in the personal collection of a small-town librarian, he gets the urge to try a new game.

After all, even jewel thieves get bored.

But the librarian, Harmony Duprie, isn’t what he expected and the challenge becomes serious business.

In order to win, Jake’s going to have to play by a new set of rules—and make them up as he goes along—because this time, he’s playing for the rest of his life.

Excerpt

The Review

An effective con artist knows there is one rule that must never be broken: Forming a personal relationship with a potential mark will almost guarantee failure. Author PJ MacLayne illustrates this in The Fall of Jake Hennessey.

Jake is, for all intents and purposes, a thief. While he has been blessed with the ability to blend in like a chameleon to the surroundings and is skilled with adapting his persona as needed, he is still a thief. While jewelry tends to be his specialty, he gets word of a rare book that is in the hands of librarian Harmony Duprie.

As a small-town woman, Harmony represents stability and honesty. Her character is well depicted, particularly in contrast to Jake. Blessed with a good sense of humor, Harmony proves to be much more than Jake expected. Unfortunately, hanging around Jake may prove to have some unintended consequences.

The setting of Oak Grove provides a picturesque backdrop as Jake pretends to be interested in home restoration. It’s a small town where everyone knows what is going on…or they come up with some incredible rumors.

This story serves as a prequel to the Harmony Duprie Mysteries Series, a set of cozy mysteries. The Marquesa’s Necklace picks up Harmony’s story in the aftermath of the cliffhanger finale of The Fall of Jake Hennessey.

As crime fiction, The Fall of Jake Hennessey provides memorable characters taking some brazen chances. I found myself cheering for Jake in spite of his poor choices. I look forward to diving into the series to see what happens next.

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About The Author

Born and raised among the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania, P.J. MacLayne still finds inspiration for her books in that landscape. She is a computer geek by day and a writer by night who currently lives in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. When she’s not in front of a computer screen, she might be found exploring the back roads of the nearby national forests and parks. In addition to the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, she is also the author of the Free Wolves adventures.