Review: Undercover Star by Jackie Keswick

Title: Undercover Star

Author: Jackie Keswick

Publisher: Self-Published

Length: 130 Pages

Category: Contemporary, Action/Adventure

At a Glance: Undercover Star is a really great suspense/romance novel from Jackie Keswick. It’s nicely paced and keeps you interested at every turn.

Reviewed By: Maryann

Blurb: It sounds like the stupidest idea in the history of stupid ideas. Detective Inspector Josh Ingram wants to find a deadly medieval locket and through it, a murderer. So why does his boss decide to team him up with Matisse Vervein, a pop idol many consider just a pretty face… and expect the two of them to hunt down an art thief?

Marissa Godwin, Matisse’s no-nonsense manager, isn’t stupid. Neither is her brother-in-law, Detective Superintendent Tim Montgomery. Each is looking out for a lonely man on the verge of quitting what he does best, and both believe that their charges would make a great team.

The attraction sizzling between Josh and Matisse is hard to miss, but there’s plenty of resentment, too. Focussed on pushing Josh and Matisse towards each other, Marissa and Tim haven’t imagined the kind of trouble a music star and a detective can find when they ditch their prejudices and accept that the attraction between them is mutual. Or how far each is prepared to go to prove it to the other.

A feel-good, action adventure romance set in England and Scotland, featuring a reluctant pop star who’s not out, a detective trying his hand at being a bodyguard, plenty of adventure, and a happy ending.

Review: Josh Ingram, Detective Inspector at New Scotland Yard, is working on a cold case related to the death of his partner and good friend. He’s invested in all his cases, but this one has devastated him to the point that he doesn’t have time for anyone. His boss sets him up with someone who can get him into a charity event where a valuable piece of jewelry is the key to catching a thief…who just may lead him to the murderer.

Matisse Vervein finds himself and his artistic ability needed by Scotland Yard. He’s a serious artist and wants to leave the “rock star” reputation behind to write more music. Although he has millions of fans and many staff persons, his life is somewhat lonely. His biggest fear is that he will lose his fan base if he comes out.

Josh isn’t crazy about the idea of Matisse being involved in the case, especially because of his age. He reluctantly goes forward with this stupid idea, and experiences being a bodyguard for Matisse. He also starts to see what goes with the territory of being famous, and what Matisse’s life is really like. When the case becomes dangerous and feelings get in the way, Josh backs away from Matisse, and both are thrown back into their lonely worlds.

But Detective Superintendent, Timothy Montgomery and Marissa, his sister-in-law and a representative of Matisse, seem to have an agenda of their own going on. Are they trying too hard to bring these two lost souls together?

Undercover Star is a really great suspense/romance novel from Jackie Keswick. It’s nicely paced and keeps you interested at every turn. She’s crafted an intriguing murder plot and then melded it with the temperament of a young musician and the fears he faces over the changes he wants to make. I liked the relationship that built between Josh and Matisse. At times I didn’t even think about the age difference, because Matisse seemed to have an old soul that made everything come together. Josh and Matisse also have to struggle with different views about their sexuality. There’s also a nice cast of secondary characters that add moments of humor to the storyline.

I found Undercover Star entertaining, and I liked the great cover. It certainly fits this novel!

You can buy Undercover Star here:
[zilla_button url=”http://authl.it/B076YZ5FKP?d” style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Amazon [/zilla_button][zilla_button url=”http://bit.ly/2zYxMQn” style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Barnes & Noble [/zilla_button][zilla_button url=”https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/undercover-star/id1303214623?mt=11″ style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] iBooks [/zilla_button][zilla_button url=”http://bit.ly/2zZXdkE” style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Kobo [/zilla_button]