Sharp Focus (First Daughter Mystery Series #2) [Hardcover]

Susan Ford (Author), Laura Hayden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 25, 2003

Eve Cooper takes a glider ride at the Air Force Academy. Shortly thereafter, the same glider is involved in a fatal crash. Just a coincidence, or did someone try to sabotage the plane? Is a killer stalking the President's daughter? Or is the real target her dad? A vivid you-are-there feeling adds extra sparkle to this fast-paced and witty puzzler.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Former first daughter Ford and co-author Hayden nicely blend action, suspense, humor and a little romance in their second collaboration (after 2002's Double Exposure), a "feel-good" whodunit whose characters hug each other almost as much as a sitcom family. Eve Cooper, the 20-something daughter of widowed President Elliot James Cooper, has quite a list of obligations, from playing big sister and mom to her teenaged brother Drew to helping her Aunt Patsy fill in as First Lady. Eve precedes her dad to the U.S. Air Force Academy, where the president is to speak at the commencement exercises for the graduating class. Only minutes after Eve sets down from a specially arranged flight in an Academy glider, another glider smashes into a mountainside, killing its passenger and seriously injuring the pilot. Was this an accident or a mistimed attempt on her life? Before she can absorb the shock of this close call, bullets begin to fly, and now Eve can be certain that she's the intended target. When she discovers her connection to the passenger who died in the glider crash, she realizes she's going to have to dig through a lot of military garbage to find the stinker at the bottom of the plot. Ford's insider's view of the Secret Service and how their charges cope with all the protective measures lends extra interest to a G-rated mystery that often reads as if it were aimed at teens.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Former first daughter Ford and co-author Hayden nicely blend action, suspense, humor and a little romance in their second collaboration" -- Publishers Weekly on Sharp Focus

Praise for Double Exposure

"A successful start in [a] promising new mystery series." --Clarion-Ledger

"Ford draws on her own experiences to provide an authentic view of life in the White House fishbowl....Ford's insider knowledge and humor...have a certain naive charm, and is sure to attract a curious audience." --Publishers Weekly

"Ford joins the ranks of mystery writers who are also First Children with a tale of White House intrigue....Ford's debut offers some pleasant glimpses behind the scenes at the White House." --Kirkus Reviews

"An insider's view of life in the House. With this debut, First Daughter Ford joins presidential offspring Elliott Roosevelt and Margaret Truman in the mystery arena." --Library Journal

"The look inside the White House by President Ford's daughter rivals if not surpasses that of Elliot Roosevelt and Margaret Truman in both their long running series. Double Exposure has an insider feel that the White House amateur sleuth audience will enjoy" --Harriet Klausner

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (July 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312284993
• ISBN-13: 978-0312284992
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,027,781 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cozy with an intriguing lead protagonist, July 2, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sharp Focus (First Daughter Mystery Series #2) (Hardcover)

Being the First Daughter of US President Elliot James Cooper carries enough responsibilities for any person to cope with, but Eve Cooper also shares First Lady chores with her aunt since her mom is dead. Thus Eve journeys to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs where her dad will provide a congratulatory speech to the graduates at the commencement ceremony. Part of her itinerary is to fly in an Academy glider, so Eve hides her fears and accomplishes the task.

However, not long afterward, a glider smashes into the nearby mountains, killing one person and seriously injuring an another. Feeling paranoid, Eve wonders whether someone meant to assassinate her, but blew the assignment. Soon her theory proves correct as someone tries to kill the First Daughter. However, Eve refuses to remain in SHARP FOCUS as a lame duck target by attempting to uncover the identity of the executioner although that leaves her doubly exposed.

The key to the second First Daughter mystery (see DOUBLE EXPOSURE) is the insight into a First Family provided by co-author Susan Ford, a former White House resident. The tale is an amateur sleuth cozy rather than a deep political thriller, but Eve is a delightful protagonist especially when she performs required tasks in which she must hide her apprehension or disdain from the ever-present media. Fans who enjoy a cozy with an intriguing lead protagonist will want to read the latest collaboration between Ms. Ford and Laura Hayden.

Harriet Klausner

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice "light mystery", December 29, 2009

By 

S. Cornett - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sharp Focus (First Daughter Mystery Series #2) (Hardcover)

This book is perfect when you are in the mood for a "light" mystery.

The book has subtle humor and a solid plot. The descriptions are not too graphic- allowing you to know what has happened without getting gruesome.

I look forward to reading the next book in the series.