If Historical Fiction is my favorite genre then Thrillers are my guilty pleasure. Reading a good thriller is like sneaking into the kitchen at midnight to have a glass of milk and cookies.
Recently I was introduced to a thriller series called Lust, Money & Murder by Mike Wells. At first I was skeptical because the first book was a free download. However, as soon as I started reading, I knew I would fly through these books in no time.
Lust, Money & Murder starts out with a young, school-aged Elaine Brogan, an Irish-decent city girl whose father would do anything for. Turns out her father did do anything and eventually wound up in prison for a criminal scandal he concocted to pay for his daughter’s private school tuition. He had actually got caught when he tried to pass counterfeit bank notes that Elaine was paid by a sham modeling agency to the bank.
Elaine grew up resenting the man who betrayed her and imprisoned her father. Her whole life was bent on doing everything possible to make it into the Secret Service so she could hunt down the counterfeiter and take her revenge. It wasn’t easy but eventually she makes it in only to find that it’s too late for her to take revenge as the counterfeiter has already passed away.
Don’t think this Secret Service bombshell is lost just because her revenge is stifled. As the books progress we learn that Elaine has a knack for pinpointing counterfeits – something both the Secret Service and the counterfeiters wish to capitalize on.
Eventually Elaine is betrayed by a colleague and sent right into the counterfeiter’s lair. Will she continue her duties to her country and help to bring down one of the most sophisticated counterfeiting rings the Secret Service has ever encountered? Or will she go to the dark side, tempted by the luxury and lifestyle of the handsome counterfeiting mastermind?
This book is fast-paced and full of excitement, but one thing that I appreciated most was the time the author took to bring to light the challenges in counterfeiting American currency. He explains in layman’s terms the process, the necessary equipment and the progression of the elaborate counterfeiting ring throughout the three novels.
He also took time to explain the process and requirements of a Secret Service agent. Elaine’s career choice wasn’t easy and it’s obvious in the book that it wasn’t a breeze for her to pass through the different requirements. In a way, it makes Elaine this super-powerful, drop-dead gorgeous perfect example of an agent, a little more relatable to the rest of us who may not have perfect bodies, perfect ambition or perfect success with men (or women).
Elaine, you are one kick-ass hero in this larger-than-life conspiracy story!
Who is your favorite kick-ass law enforcement female from literature?
