Book Review – Love. Honor, and O’Brien

It appears that Carl Brookins has found another good read to share with us today. 

Love, Honor, and O’Brien          

Jennifer Rowe

ISBN: 978-1-59058-543-6

A 2011 hard cover release from

Poisoned Pen Press. 286 pages.

The author of this romp, Jennifer Rowe, is a highly prolific Australian writer. Her list of publications is nothing short of amazing. Once can legitimately wonder how she can turn out so many fine works. Perhaps that’s why this one too frequently sets this reviewer’s teeth on edge. Having made that comment I will go on to note that the book is well-written, contains some fine, well-thought-out unusual characters and resolves a plot that is ingenious.

Holly Love, our protagonist is an inexperienced young woman making her way for the first time in the world of commerce. She’s a back-office clerk in a sizeable office supply retailer in Sydney. She processes invoices in a competent if uninspired manner. She has few friends outside the office and they don’t appear very interesting. Holly Love has the unfortunate experience of falling for a slick, handsome bounder. A man with apparently stimulating talents, but one who has the moral balance of a feral cat.

On the eve of her wedding day to Andrew McNish, he pulls a disappearing act. Holly finds his house empty, his belongings gone and, later, all the money from their joint account. Holly quickly learns that Mr. McNish doesn’t own the house and is in arrears all over town. Among those he apparently owes, are some seriously criminal thugs.

Holly, being of sterner stuff than many young ladies, decides to pursue that man and get her money back, if not her feelings mended. She hires a dodgy private detective who promptly locates the missing bridegroom and just as promptly, dies. Left alone for the second time, Holly does what any upstanding young lady would do, and therein lies the rest of this very funny and very clever tale. I recommend this well-nuanced novel highly.

A copy of the novel was supplied to me at no charge from the publisher.
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Carl Brookins www.carlbrookins.com  BLOG:  http://agora2.blogspot.com  -BOOKS:  Case of the Great Train Robbery, Reunion, Red Sky