More Than a Mission

In Leonia, Aidan Spaulding seeks the assassin Sparrow who poisoned Prince Reginald, heir to the throne of Silvershire. Aidan knows he owes Sparrow for killing his Lazlo Group partner Mitchell Lama in Rome two years ago so bringing her in for justice will prove difficult as he wants to personally kill her. The Lazlo Group insists that restaurateur Elizabeth "Lizzy Bee" Moore is Sparrow. Though cook, chief and bottle washer and desperately in need of a bartender, she reluctantly hires Aidan. He realizes from her first blush that she is a lousy poker player and that her life is the restaurant. Aidan cannot believe Lizzie Bee is the assassin he seeks. Yet the evidence leads to Lizzy Bee. Her garden contains the right plants to make a poison and she uses a knife like no one he has ever seen before. He wonders how the person he is half way in love with could be a cold blooded assassin even as he thinks perhaps that is her way to charm the victim. Caridad Pinero is a sure shot when it comes to keeping a reader fully engaged for several hours of pleasure (see TEMPTATION CALLS and DARKNESS CALLS) and her latest tale MORE THAN A MISSION does so too as the audience will fully enjoy this one sitting thriller. The story line reads like a cat and mouse caper with the audience wondering just who the feline is and who the rodent is as Lizzy Bee and Aidan constantly skirmish. Fans need to know if she is the assassin as Ms. Pinero keeps the audience and the hero guessing. This reviewer has not read the four previous Capturing the Crown tales by different authors (impossible as that seems), but that does not take away from a terrific romantic suspense. Harriet Klausner

Set in a small town called Leonia, near Silvershire. Elizabeth "Lizzy Bee" Moore runs a four star restaurant/bar. Everyone around knows her well and genuinely cares for her. Her face shows all her emotions as she feels them. Other than spending Friday nights out with her girlfriends, she eats and breathes only for her business. There is just no way she could fake all those things. Yet the Lazlo Group is sure that Elizabeth is the world-renowned assassin called the Sparrow. Aidan Spaulding has only been careless once in his years as an agent. That once had been in Rome, two years ago, and cost the lift of his best friend and partner, Mitch. Mitch died with the Sparrow's name on his lips. The Lazlo Group might have been hired to find out who killed Prince Reginald back then, but Aidan only wanted Mitch's killer. That the Sparrow did both murders was sure, so in doing his mission, Aidan also got revenge for his best friend. All leads pointed to Leonia. Elizabeth's garden has all the ingredients that had been used in the prince's poison, she has the fighting skills, and she has mastered the skills with the knives in her kitchen that no one else is allowed to ever touch. All the dates and places of the Sparrow's assassinations had Elizabeth in town. The only thing needed now was physical proof. Aidan is hired by Elizabeth as her bartender. Both are attracted to each other, yet both try to deny it. Neither can afford to get attached emotionally. And a danger, unknown to them both, is coming. ***** As I have come to expect from this author, I found my attention captured faster than lightning and just as startling. I am glad I had several hours reserved for the story, because I never stopped reading until the last page had been turned. I never noticed how much time had passed as I sat on the edge of my seat with my nose stuck in this book. Next time I get something written by this author, I'll order out for pizza before opening the cover! Romantic Suspense gets no better than this! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.