Customer Reviews

Friends in High Places (Kick Keswick Mysteries #4)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kick Keswick has retired from her vocation at Ballentine's (and from her avocation as the Shamrock Burglar) although she finds she is a bit bored with living the quiet life that she planned for herself. Overhearing at a party that her former employer is in trouble (and hoping that trouble does not lead back to her) Kick decides to return to Ballentines to find out the truth. When her husband Thomas gets called back to Scotland Yard to help with a case, Kick travels back to London, and soon finds things as complicated as she had suspected, with her old nemesis behind the potential collapse of the auction house. Through a twist of fate, Kick finds herself running the organization and is approached by a young nun with an intriguing jeweled statue to sell, and an even more incredible story of the history of the statue and the others that are missing. Kick hatches a meticulous plan to not only restore the jeweled statues to their rightful owner, but to replace an intricate piece of jewelry that she herself had stolen years before (because, after all, self-preservation has been Kick's goal since she was a child).

This is the fourth book in this series, but Ms. Kellogg does such a wonderful job in drawing out and explaining the intracacies of each character that it is not necessary to have read the others to understand the background (although all of the rest are also fabulous fun). This one is my favorite, because we finally understand the details in Kick's past that led to her life of larceny. She also develops friends for the first time in her life; one who may turn out to be her daughter. Kick is so likeable that you tend to overlook the fact that she lies, steals, and changes identities so well that she can fool just about everyone (except the lovable Thomas, of course). But she has such a wonderful heart, and justifies her behavior by only stealing from the people who deserve it! Kick takes the art of revenge to a whole new level!

Friends in High Places is an entertaining read, and it is obvious that Ms. Kellogg enjoys writing about Kick. Let's hope there will be many more books in the future about Kick's mis-adventures!

Kick Keswick, retired jewel thief, is enjoying her life with her husband, former Inspector Thomas Curtis. Thomas still gets called in by Scotland Yard, leaving Kick alone. When Kick finds out the Ballantine and Company Auctioneers, where she used to work, is having serious problems, she decides to jump in and help. Especially when she figures out that her old enemy is behind some of it and that lots of the fake jewels she'd carefully substituted over years of secret theft are possibly going to be exposed.

When she arrives at Ballantine, she ends up with a more time consuming position than she preferred. And she finds out that things at Ballantine are much worse than she imagined. As her enemy gets closer, Kick finds she has to work hard to keep a step ahead. A young nun comes to Kick with a great jeweled figurine and a story of murder. Kick soon realizes she must sneak into a high-society wedding in the Italian Alps, break into a castle owned by a murderer, and do it with style and finesse so she doesn't get caught. Can she locate the missing items and replace the needed jewels all without raising any suspicions or putting herself in danger?

I love this series. Kick is such a great character. She's high society with an undercurrent of intrigue and secrecy. Even though she's now retired, she always gets called out to help by using her skills as a jewel thief. I enjoy these books because I get to see a slice of life that I wouldn't experience any other way. The locations and food are always exotic.

I can't wait for the next installment. I highly recommend this book and series.

Must we be constantly reminded that Kick is more beautiful than every woman around her, has perfect cooking skills, possesses exquisite taste, makes flawless decisions, knows how to execute every obscure European ballroom dance, has impeccable business sense, drinks cocktails for hours but never gets inebriated, owns an encyclopedic knowledge of all jewelry and gems, delivers just the right motivational speech to her underlings (who she has just met for the first time), wears a top-of-the-line designer wardrobe, blends effortlessly into every social gathering, opens every safe the first time, on and on and on ad nauseum? Kellogg does not know how to be subtle or paint in any shade except black or white. Her Kick is overcompensating for something. Maybe it's her lack of moral integrity? Or her irresistible compulsion to emasculate Thomas in every book (at least once)? I have a suggestion: Give Kick a REAL retirement and make the next book about Duchess Mary Margaret.

Former jewel thief Kick Keswick retired to Provence with her husband former Inspector Thomas Curtis. However when Thomas is called back by Scotland Yard to work a high profile case and Kick learns her former place of employment is in financial trouble, they both return to work. At Ballantine & Company Auctioneers, an appraiser made a mistake that led to a loss of millions and a firing. Also a person returning jewels substituted false stones causing the current fiscal crisis.

Kick knows that her former fiancé owner Owen Brace is the on who returned the phony gems, but she has no proof. Sister Immaculata wants to sell a jeweled Madonna so that the proceeds can be used to restore her order to health. She knows where the purloined jeweled Madonnas are but cannot get to
them because the possessor of them is extremely powerful. When Constance Flynn comes in to sell all her jewels including one of which a fake which resides in Kick's safety deposit box, she is forced to attend the wedding of the woman's son in order to substitute the fake jewels for the real ones. Constance's beau turns out to be Owen while another woman who Kick likes is married to the killer who possesses the jeweled Madonna's. Kick wants to steal them and get them to Sister Immaculata whom she thinks might be her daughter.

Marne Davis Kellogg has a hit series because of her heroine, a jewel thief with a heart of gold streaked with larceny. There is plenty of action as the support cast turns the storyline into a special cozy as they play major roles along side the kick butt heroine in the jeweled purloining "Olympics". Friends in High Places is a charming superb suspense thriller.

Harriet Klausner

I only put a like it alot, would have loved it if she had tied up some ends that we've been waiting four books to find out the answer. It actually really annoyed me to wait for the payoff, none came and she hasn't written a new book in years. BOO HOO

High society never had it so good as when Kick Keswick retured from being a thief. Even though she worked with her husband who was a retired Scotland Yard detective in the past, Kick still felt the same acquisitive urges from time to time. Usually they were controlled and she presented the world of society with her lady-of-leisure persona, a lady who would never do a wrong.

Her husband is called out of retirement to work a case, so Kick takes the chance to help the auction house that once employed her. She intends to fix the problem of fakes turning up and fears an old enemy is responsible.

Will Kick encounter her old enemy, Owen Brace? Who is he? Can she help save the auction house that gave her education in valuables?

These are but a few of the questions you'll find as Kick re-enters the world of valuables that are to be auctioned. The story behind the fakes keeps the plot moving as intriguing characters lead you deeper into the story. You'll want to know how Kick will handle the situation and if she'll run into Owen and what would happen if they meet.

A fun read that any mystery fan will enjoy, written in a light breezy style that entices you to keep reading, unaware of the passage of time. I'm pleased to recommend this tale of the past returning to haunt a retired jewel thief as one that will have you looking for oter stories by this talented writer.
Enjoy. I sure did.

Dear Ms Marne
i just adore these Kick Keswick books.. whenever my life seems to get a bit dull, i drag these out and reread them.
The only terrible thing about them is one has to wait so long for the next one! i can only hope you are churning out the next one as we speak!
thanks ever so much.. cheers! to your good health and happy writing!
we await the next one x0x :)

Well Ladies, I am afraid this isn't nearly as good as her first books. he plot is weak and boring, very boring. Quite frankly, I liked it better when she wasn't married to the detective Thomas. The author needs to get another plot line going with Kick. I love her character! Love her, but she needs to go in another direction.

Now keep in mind that I'm a huge Lily Bennett series fan and live in the hope that the author will write another book in that series soon, I have to say that this is my favorite of the Kick books. It was a wonderful read. The secondary characters are the best developed of the series and the references to food, jewels and clothes are just right. If another Kick book comes along before the author writes the long overdue Lily Bennett book- please have more interaction between Kick and her wonderful husband.

My whole family read this book, waiting impatiently for their turns because we all so enjoyed the prior books. Everyone loved it. I read it twice, beginning again as soon as I finished it the first time. It is a delightful, funny, well-plotted mystery that transports you into the lifestyles of the rich and famous. The jewels! The clothes! The gourmet food! The super-luxury hotels and fabulous homes! I would love a book of recipes from the Kick Keswick books. I would love to live her life. This is a such a fun romp! The only problem is having to wait for the next book in the series.