The Eye of the Beholder, The [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Jayne Ann Krentz (Author), Jayne Atkinson (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1999

Alexa Chambers has a flair for style, an eye for art -- and a reputation in tatters. An expert in Art Deco, she blew the whistle on an employer who was selling fakes to wealthy clients. Her payoff? No job and no prospects. Now she runs a shop in her hometown of Avalon, Arizona -- a hot spot for crystal devotees and sunset gazers. But gutsy, energetic Alexa has no intention of sitting still. She's ready to take risks to rebuild her career...and she secretly consults on an exquisite deco collection being installed at the new Avalon Resorts. Her scheme might just work -- if she can steer clear of the resort's owner, the enigmatic and possibly dangerous J. L. Trask.

Alexa was a scared teenager the last time she saw Trask, the man who accused her stepfather of murder. Insisting his dad's fatal car crash had been no accident, Trask vowed one day he'd come back to Avalon for revenge. Now, twelve years later, their meeting is inevitable. Their attraction is immediate. And their chances of bliss are infinitesimal.

Trask wants to piece together the past with Alexa's help -- and get closer to this dazzling deco diva. Alexa wants to protect her family -- and figure out Trask's real motivations. But when a killer emerges from the shadows, they have no choice but to team up to solve a deadly crime from long ago.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Setting: Avalon, Arizona, present day
Sensuality Rating: 7

Perennial favorite Jayne Ann Krentz weaves a complicated tale of metaphysics and murder, romance and revenge, in Eye of the Beholder. J.L. Trask--"Trask" to friends and enemies alike--has returned to Avalon, Arizona, 12 years after his father's mysterious death, to not only fulfill his dream of opening a world-class resort hotel but also to hunt down his father's killer. There he encounters none other than Alexa Chambers, stepdaughter of one of his father's former partners, whom Trask suspects of playing a role in the murder. Alexa is biding her time in Avalon, working tirelessly behind the scenes to regain her reputation as an expert in 20th-century antiques and art after having been framed in a forgery scandal that rocked the art world a year earlier. Alexa's best chance to redeem herself is by verifying the authenticity of the Art Deco collection at Trask's new hotel. Thrown together by the project, the two find it difficult to ignore the lasting animosity of a past encounter--not to mention the passionate heat they experience in each other's company. And as Trask grows ever closer to discovering who the true killer is, dark forces conspire against him, endangering not only his life but Alexa's as well. Once again, Krentz combines elements of romance and mystery in a winning union. --Alison Trinkle --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

When hotel magnate J.L. Trask returns to Avalon, Ariz., to open his magnificent new resort, art expert Alexa Chambers and the other locals in this New Age town suspect he's come, after 12 years, to avenge his father's death. Trask, convinced that his father was murdered, must deal with Avalon's charismatic guru, Webster Bell, and his many eager disciples in bestselling author Krentz's (Flash) latest romantic thriller. Alexa, who considers herself Trask's nemesisAhis accusations against her stepfather have echoed in her mind since she was 16, when she forced the furious Trask to leave her homeAbecomes his unlikely ally in the search for the truth behind his father's death. The prolific Krentz, who also churns out bestsellers as Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle, once again demonstrates her knack for page-turning plots that masterfully inveigle and misdirect readers up to a surprising denouement. Krentz here captures the intriguing perils of the art collecting world: Alexa's career as an expert on 20th-century art was nearly ruined after a forgery scandal tarnished her reputation. The Dimensions Institute, the metaphysical retreat that dominates Avalon, is another richly observed milieu. Psychics, aura readers and meditation guides hold sway, and the author treads a thin line between poking fun at so-called New Age enlightenment and lauding the benefits of introspection and intellectual pursuits. In the end, this is a well-paced thriller fraught with tensionAboth sexual and suspensefulAthat will please Krentz fans.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Audioworks; Abridged edition (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671576151
• ISBN-13: 978-0671576158
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,076,347 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Books on Cassette > Authors, A-Z > ( K ) > Krentz, Jayne Ann

More About the Author

The author of over 50 New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 35 million copies of her books in print.

Building on the success of her DREAMLIGHT TRILOGY in 2010, Jayne is now focused on writing the LOOKING GLASS TRILOGY. This series will follow the Quicksilver Mirror (a paranormal artifact) through all three of Jayne's worlds covering a time span of several hundred years.

The first LOOKING GLASS book, IN TOO DEEP, will feature Fallon Jones, a recurring character from Jayne's contemporary ARCANE SOCIETY series of novels.

When she's not writing, Jayne can be found at her favorite social networking site posting messages to her fans.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not Krentz's Best Effort, October 29, 1999

By 

K. Whatley (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eye of the Beholder (Hardcover)

I really hate to say this since I LOVE Jayne Ann Krentz's books, but I didn't care for this book very much. Lately her books, while still somewhat enjoyable, have been rather flat and predictable, sort of "if you've read one, you've read them all." Now, I love the New Age influences and the quirky characters in her books, but I'd like a fresh twist on the old theme. And I definitely think that twist is missing here.

My recommendations to those contemplating the purchase of this book are:

If you haven't read her other novels, buy one of those instead. They really are better books and well-worth your time.

If you have read all her other novels, buy this one too but wait for the paperback. Better yet, check it out at your local library. And, if you have other books in a pile waiting to be read, don't bother with this one.

Sorry, Ms. Krentz. I am looking forward to your next effort, though.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it!, May 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Eye of the Beholder (Hardcover)

I just finished "Eye of the Beholder" and found it to be one of the author's better books of late. I hate to admit it but I wasn't in any hurry to pick up this book since I'd read several of JAK's books recently and they had all started sounding alike. But I really liked this one and read it in 2 days - it would have been 1 day but life got in the way.

I liked the interaction of the main characters and the eccentricities of the supporting ones. I love it when JAK adds the "odd" people - they make the story more interesting. It had drama, humor (a necessity), and just the right touches of mystery and romance, of course. I liked the fact that the story wasn't overwhelmed by the love interest (Trask & Alexa) but was neatly blended together with the mystery to create a thoroughly enjoyable story.

But, I especially liked the fact that I couldn't figure out the entire plot until the end of the story. Tho' the story was lightweight compared to some, it kept me interested and curious. I've read several mysteries lately that were a waste of time - this one wasn't.

So, even tho' I thought the ending came a little too quickly & neatly, my only real complaint is the fact that Trask's brother was missing at the finish. How could the story end without Nathan showing up? He's there at the beginning, he's there in the middle, but along comes the ending and he's no where in sight...?

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reponse to Eye of the Beholder, December 26, 1999

By 

Eva Beaton - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eye of the Beholder (Mass Market Paperback)

Hi there! After reading a few of the reviews I can't see what people are complaining about. I recieved this book from Santa and spent Christmas day reading it. As usual I couldn't stop and resented the delays in finishing the story.

The setting was interesting, the characters were fairly well fleshed out and the complaints that the relationship was too fast and uncontested were without basis. I don't know about others but my relationship was about that fast. So I can see where and why it happened that fast. Real life is not romantic, and slow.

The complaint about there being too many charaters to keep track of is also not reasonable, because it added to the story line and kept the reader in suspense until the end, and like any convoluted story including those in the news (real life) there are twists and turns galore before the end.

I enjoyed the book, the story and the characters including the bad guys, and have no complaints except that Janye can't write them fast enough. For those who like mystery with romance it is a good read, for those who wish for only romance, that pales, after awhile and doesn't stand up in the day to day living, a hero who can be romantic, (ie: buy a romance novel and wrap it from santa) but still bring home the bread and help with the dishes, is much more romantic, than one who only thinks of candle light and roses, and leaves the heroine to do the cleanup.