Undercover Tales [Paperback]

Blayne Cooper (Author), KG MacGregor (Author), Susan X. Meagher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 11, 2007

From Blayne Cooper, author of Hard Times, Unbreakable, Madam President, and many others, comes Quicksand, a story about sinking into trouble so deep, there's no way out. Deceit, betrayal, and resisting sexual temptation were never part of private investigator Belinda Blaisdell's daily life. Until now. KG MacGregor, author of Just This Once, Mulligan, Malicious Pursuit, The House on Sandstone and Sumter Point, presents Stolen Souls, the tale of Vonne Maglio, who signs on for a two-week vacation at a working ranch in the Colorado canyons. Nothing at Sky Ranch is as it seems - but then, neither is Vonne. From Susan X Meagher, author of the I Found My Heart in San Francisco series, Arbor Vitae, All That Matters and Cherry Grove comes Narc. The dark side of Chicago is a cauldron of crime. Drugs, sex, blackmail, bribery and corruption so deep you can swim in it. And that's just the cops. How does an honest detective wade through this muck to do her job?

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Brisk Press; 1st edition (September 11, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0977088596
• ISBN-13: 978-0977088591
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,474,914 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Very Pleasant Surprise, December 31, 2007

By 

Sara Wimberly (Texas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Undercover Tales (Paperback)

The stories in this collection showcase the versatility of three outstanding authors. Short stories, because of the length restriction, often seem lacking in character development. That isn't the case here. Because of the title and the cover, I had the initial impression that this was an erotica anthology. I soon found out that "undercover" refers to covert law enforcement/P.I. work, the common thread of all the stories. The other reviewers have said enough about the imaginative plots, but I think each author deserves additional recognition for giving us a story that could be considered atypical for her style.

I liked Blayne Coopers "Quicksand" the best. I've read most of her other books ("Echoes from the Mist" and "Cobb Island" being my favorites), but this one shows a character's critical self-evaluation, as well as a wry sense of humor, that doesn't appear in her other work.

KG MacGregor's "Stolen Souls" tells a story of strange happenings on the fringes of society. (Rose Beecham's "Grave Silence" is a novel-length work that deals with a similar type of weirdness.) The double-whammy of a morbidly fascinating topic and a unique treatment of it adds up to a winner.

Susan Meagher's "Narc/Narc Redux" is the most unusual of all. What is certainly a complete story at the beginning of the book gains a new dimension at the end. It's an effective approach. Again, the style is very different from her "San Francisco" series, and I loved seeing this other side to her writing.

For those not familiar with the authors, this book provides a good introduction. While the stories are a variation from their usual type of work, the reader can gain an appreciation for their skill.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No formula writing here..., August 31, 2006

By 

Ellen M. Elhard - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Undercover Tales (Paperback)

Well written, good stories, fast reads, everything for the busy woman. Blayne Cooper's short stories delight, surprise, and often twist your emotions. Her POV is exceptional and every story is actually plausible at some level.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding! Entertaining!, February 20, 2006

By 

Joyce McNeil (Metairie, LA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Undercover Tales (Paperback)

Narc by SX Meagher

Sargeant Randolph is intelligent, beautiful and a woman on the Chicago police force. And she's just been handed the biggest case of her career. One that could bring her Lieutenant bars - if - and it's a big if -if she brings in one of the most notorious drug lords in the city. The big question is - will she do whatever it takes to get the job done? Unbenownst to her, the drug lord has devised a test - a test that if she passes, they make the deal for drugs; if not, she feeds the fishes.

Narc Redux by SX Meagher

Detective Grady, narcotics officer and married to a police lieutenant working in the Commissioner's office, is undercover and, unbenownst to Sgt. Randolph working on the same case. Unexpectedly she is asked to perform a duty she has never in her life thought she'd have to do. Anxious to prove she is willing to "go the extra mile" she performs the task and waits for the repercussions. Will there be any? Only time will tell.

Quicksand by Blayne Cooper

Private detective Belinda Blaisdell has a case referred to her by a friend. Another PI who figures Belinda is exactly what the client is looking for - someone who can pass for younger than they are and is female. The assignment seems simple enough. Befriend and report back on their daugher Keilana, who is currently attending college. Even as she accepts the assignment Belinda can't help but question what has happened with their daughter to raise the parent's concern? And why hire a private investigator instead of confronting their daughter? Belinda arrives at the college where she soon discovers all is not as it seems. The question is - what will she do with what she learns?

Stolen Souls by KG MacGregor

Vonne Maglio is off on what appears to be a trip to a working ranch in the Midwest. Only when she arrives, she finds that no such place existed. Seemingly rescued from her dilema by a representative from a rival ranch, Vonne is "allowed" to fill a spot not taken by another client. However, not long after Vonne arrives, questions begin to arise. Things seem to be going on that no one but a selected few are allowed to know about. Why all the secrecy? What or who are they hiding? Can Vonne gain answers to her questions without raising suspicions and placing herself in danger? More importantly, can she solve the mystery before others begin to question what Vonne really came for?

Undercover Tales is a dynamic book of four tales by three extremely talented writers. SX Meagher, Blayne Cooper and KG MacGregor are all well known for their dynamic books. Blayne Cooper's previous pennings include the intriguing and suspense-filled solo works of Unbreakable, Castaway, The Last Train Home, Cobb Island, The Road to Glory, and Echoes from the Mist as well as co-authorship of the dynamic books Madam President and First Lady. KG MacGregor's talents are displayed in fun-filled, romantic and oftentimes-dramatic books, which include Mulligan, Shaken, Malicious Pursuit, and The House on Sandstone. SX Meagher's authoring of the intriguing book, I Found My Heart in San Francisco makes it a book that simply MUST be read! All three authors have stories in the sizzling book, Telltale Kisses with SX Meagher also scripting stories in the terrific books Infinite Pleasures and The Milk of Human Kindness.