To Catch a Thief: Rescuing Sydney/Tangled Threads/Victorious/Skirted Clues (Inspirational Romance Collection) [Paperback]

Lisa Harris (Author), Carol Cox (Author), Kathleen Y'Barbo (Author), DiAnn Mills (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2003

In a time when women find career options limited, four Chicago women get the chance of a lifetime - busting a ring of train robbers for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Working undercover in Windmere Falls, Colorado, they begin to unearth clues overlooked by their male counterparts. Ruth Hunnicutt clothes mysterious characters in her dress-maker's shop. Could her interpretation of the clues destroy a blossoming romance? Sidney de Clermont falls off the train - and back into the life of an old family friend. Can she keep her cover and protect her heart at the same time? Working on a ranch even though she's terrified of horses, Moment Alexander filters a jumble of new clues. Can she overcome her fears to chase down thieves - and at the same time lasso a husband? Despite what the other agents think, Lady Victoria Barrett-Ames is convinced the real mastermind behind the train heists has yet to be caught. Is her boss the real suspect. . .or a possible new love? Nobody's expecting much from these female operatives - but breaking the case may take only some womanly intuition and a little faith. Will they ride the rails to success...and love?

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586609726
• ISBN-13: 978-1586609726
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,187,434 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Light-hearted, Charming Tales, March 21, 2004

By 

Jill E. Smith "Writer - Visit me at www.jille... (Southeastern Lower, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: To Catch a Thief: Rescuing Sydney/Tangled Threads/Victorious/Skirted Clues (Inspirational Romance Collection) (Paperback)

In this four story novella, TO CATCH A THIEF, authors Carol Cox, Lisa Harris, DiAnn Mills, and Kathleen Y'Barbo, create a delightful, interwoven tale of romance and mystery. These four female detectives are out to prove they have what it takes to be real-life detectives, but along the way begin to wonder if they'll forever be left to mend seams or mind stores. Then there is that little complication of romance, which springs up to complicate their missions. Will they find the culprits who've been robbing trains? Will they ever convince their male counterparts that they are just as good as any man at their jobs? Can love find its way into their hearts?

The third story, SKIRTED CLUES by DiAnn Mills, shows the escapades and misunderstandings between Moment Alexander and Brady Miller - a humorous, enjoyable tale. The interactions between these characters kept me turning pages. All of the tales were light-hearted, charming romances. You'll find TO CATCH A THIEF just what you're looking for. Don't miss it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To Catch a Thief, January 14, 2004

By 

Mary Connealy (Nebraska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Catch a Thief: Rescuing Sydney/Tangled Threads/Victorious/Skirted Clues (Inspirational Romance Collection) (Paperback)

If you want to have some fun reading a book, try To Catch a Thief. The anthology follows four lady Pinkerton agents. The foursome sets off together for the uncivilized west. They are there to back up Gus Drummond, the Pinkerton already on the case.
Carol Cox begins with Tangled Threads. Ruth Hunnicut, insulted by Gus - who was expect-ing MEN as backup - doesn't waste her time trying to work with the stubborn agent. When Mark Chandler catches her eye, suspicion keep them apart - for awhile.
In Rescuing Sydney by Lisa Harris, Sydney has a secret that isolates her from the others. In-vestigating on her own, she uncovers a trail that no one else has seen and follows it straight into danger. When the Windmere Falls pastor John Langston befriends her, she tries to avoid him, and drags him into trouble with her.
DiAnn Mills wrote Skirting Clues. All the books are all whimsical, but Skirting may be the funniest. Moment Alexander`s stubbornness gets her into some tight spots, including with the reclu-sive rancher, Brady Miller. No couple could be less suited than a Pinkerton who's never sat a horse and a cowboy who may well need to be arrested.
The finale, Victorious, is written by Kathleen Y'Barbo. Lady Victoria shows more talent for making hats than catching thieves. Gus had finally admitted these ladies know what they're doing, except Victoria. But Victoria gets her man, and along the way she gets Gus' love.
The Pinkerton ladies bravely make missteps and stay on the case, even when western life and attractive men, try and lead them astray.
You'll be ensnared by the courageous, funny ladies in To Catch a Thief.
By Mary Connealy a columnist for the Lyons Mirror-Sun, where this review first was published.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Four fun historical romances & introduction of new author!, March 28, 2004

By 

Mary Mercer "a writer" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: To Catch a Thief: Rescuing Sydney/Tangled Threads/Victorious/Skirted Clues (Inspirational Romance Collection) (Paperback)

Train robberies send four female Pinkerton agents undercover to Colorado on a quest for criminal and social justice.

"Tangled Threads." Ruth goes on the offensive after train robbers victimize her the day she arrives. Spurred to prove herself, she barrels past obvious clues in search of the obscure, but finds reasons to fraternize with a mine owner charmingly reminiscent of Bret Maverick with an A-type personality. Her inner conflict is so strong, I'd have enjoyed stronger motivations for the internal and romantic resolutions; Ms. Cox's ending felt as if it took a leap.

"Rescuing Sydney." Sydney falls off a train and into jail alongside a family friend. John, a minister, embodies the faith she turned away from and a ripening love that refuses to be ignored. Her internal growth is realistically layered, and I enjoyed her intelligent pursuit of the robbers. The well-balanced description grounds the reader in the scenes without interrupting the flow. This is an excellent inspirational romance debut by experienced writer Lisa Harris.

"Skirted Clues." Equinophobia upsets Moment's single-eyed investigation of a hermit rancher. Rescued by her prime suspect, she decides there's more to Brady than a troubling connection to the crimes. It'll take unraveling her own past to find out. I'd have enjoyed watching more of his internal growth occur onstage, but Ms. Mills' heroine has some strongly sympathetic moments.

"Victorious." Victoria butts heads with fellow agent Gus in her quest to reopen the case and snare the real mastermind. He suspects her real goal is capturing the local banker as a husband. She just might-if she doesn't fall in love with Gus first. I disliked Gus in the earlier stories, but Ms. Y'Barbo maximizes his point-of-view scenes, thoroughly winning me over. She has a gift for sizzling sexual tension, igniting sparks even in the short novella length.

These stories aren't complex who-done-its, but lighthearted reads easily finished in single sittings. The book is worth getting for Lisa Harris' debut alone, but she's surrounded in this anthology by other solid authors who make the reading experience as a whole quite enjoyable.