Soft Focus [Hardcover]

Jayne Ann Krentz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 27, 1999

With her hallmark blend of sparkling style and wit, intricate suspense, and steamy passion, Jayne Ann Krentz is truly one of a kind. One of today's premier storytellers, she has more than twenty-three million copies of her novels in print. Now the phenomenal New York Times bestselling author spins her latest scintillating tale: a story of two people bound together by that most binding of ties--a business contract.

Elizabeth Cabot is all business. She knows how to maximize her investments and cut her losses--in both her career and her personal life.

So when she discovers that Jack Fairfax has deceived her, she's determined to end their relationship. Putting a stop to their budding romance is easy. But breaking up their business deal will be more difficult. Despite all her efforts, she has no luck disentangling herself from Jack's client company, Excalibur. But the situation becomes even more strained when a new obstacle emerges: a lethal act of sabotage that could put both of them out of business for good.

Elizabeth is no fool. If she can help Jack save Excalibur, she'll recoup her substantial investment plus millions in profit. Putting her emotions aside, she insists on helping him search for the scientist who's disappeared with a valuable new crystal that could revolutionize the high-tech industry. She'll go in, solve the problem--and get out.

The trail leads Elizabeth and Jack to a fringe film festival, but their goal is as elusive as the shadowy black-and-white images from classic noir films. Life starts to imitate art, and double-dealing seems to be the name of the game. For these business adversaries turned reluctant partners, keeping an eye on each other--and the lid on a sizzling attraction--seems the only insurance against further treachery. But with millions at stake, trust can turn to betrayal in the blink of an eye.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Six months after a disastrous one-night stand, Jack Fairfax and Elizabeth Cabot are dismayed to realize that they'll need to work together to recover a stolen crystal vital to the success of a business in which both have invested. This uneasy couple is soon off to a film noir festival in pursuit of a thief obsessed with noir, and they discover that life sometimes imitates art (or at least B movies). Threats, stalkers, double crossers, and an unknown femme fatale are the least of the problems Jack and Elizabeth face in this entertaining tale of romantic suspense. Readers may not find as much humor in this book as they are accustomed to in Krentz's (Grand Passion) work, but the author's trademark wit is still present, and her many fans will certainly not be disappointed. A well-written, enjoyable novel with something a little extra for fans of film noir (who are sure to note the Veronica Lake lookalike gracing the cover). Another winner from a favorite author; for public libraries.
-AElizabeth Mary Mellett, Brookline P.L., MA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Onetime lovers Elizabeth Cabot and Jack Fairfax are forced to work together because she is the administrator of the fund that is supporting Excalibur, a small, family-held R & D firm, and he has been hired as CEO to turn the company around. When the lab is trashed, a technician is murdered, and the crystal that the fortunes of the company depend upon disappears along with its inventor. Jack knows he has only two weeks to solve the mystery or Excalibur will be beyond salvation. Uncovering the fact that the missing scientist was obsessed with film noir and was the producer of a film that will be premiering at the Neo Noir Film Festival in Mirror Springs, an exclusive Aspen-like Rocky Mountain resort, he heads to the hills. Meanwhile, Elizabeth discovers Excalibur's predicament. She also decides to investigate, and they end up together in the same house in overbooked Mirror Springs. Taking in independent neo noir films, attending panel discussions and parties feting those involved, the duo, who have good reason to dislike each other, muster up a mutual if grudging respect and admiration and then ignite a sizzling passion as they become submerged in the gritty film noir world. Best-selling Krentz, known for her strong-willed, independent characters, once again provides satisfaction in this hot, suspenseful romance set against the fascinating and darkly glamorous atmosphere of a film festival. Diana Tixier Herald

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons; First Edition edition (December 27, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399145788
• ISBN-13: 978-0399145780
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,833,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Slick but disappointing, January 6, 2000

By 

bookstealth "bookstealth" (Northern Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soft Focus (Hardcover)

I've loved JAK's books for years for their vibrancy and sparkle. I'd hoped she'd break the trend of smooth reworking of familiar forumulas and return to her former emotional intensity. But, sad to say, this doesn't do it.

Oh, it isn't *bad*, it's just blah. She skips the New Age element this time, but everything else is the same. I don't mind authors having distinctive styles and outlooks, but JAK's recent books read like manufactured units dropping off the assembly line. I don't think it's a case of JAK going more mainstream like Iris Johansen or even Linda Howard. This is obviously targeted as a romance, but while the plot premise is clever enough, the characters never come to life at all. The plot can't carry the book over the too-familiar terrain when the love and romance stays so flat and uninvolving.

If you're a die-hard JAK fan, this will stave off the worst of your cravings, but it won't feed your hunger the way even rereading some of her older books would. It's okay--but only okay. It certainly is not a keeper, and not a likely hardback investment. I'm about given up hope that JAK will be one of those authors whose books I eagerly await. And that's a pity.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a keeper, January 3, 2000

By 

Irene Tooker (Syracuse, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soft Focus (Hardcover)

This latest book of Jayne Ann Krentz is a far cry from her usual style of writing. I've read every one of her books and was disappointed by this recent release. Her books have always been enthralling, entertaining and a true joy to read. Soft Focus was very different from her other books. While the use of crude language itself did not bother me, it was out of context with the story. The action between the main characters was disjointed. There was no strong feeling of romance between the characters nor was there much development of the characters love for each other. The story did not flow nor did it make any sense. Being a fan of Krentz, I would still purchase any book she writes, but this one is not one to save to read again. The style is so different from her other work that it is as if someone else wrote it. Wait for it to come to your local library rather than purchasing it.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A mechanical repeat of JAK's usual plot, February 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Soft Focus (Hardcover)

I've been reading JAK since I first found her as Jayne Castle and have spent many enjoyable hours hunting down her work under all her pen names. She has been one of a very select number of authors I buy in hardback, but no longer.

I agree with a previous reviewer, you always know the issues and basic characters in a JAK book, but they used to have more life and spontaneity. For me, her last 3, 4 or even 5 novels have been stilted, blurred copies of her earlier body of work.

Although I will continue to buy her books, hoping for her old style, I won't buy them in hardback. I recommend first time readers try some of her earlier books, in paperback.