Nessa Dahl lives a sensible life with her two eccentric
great-aunts in their historic old home in New Orleans. To
help meet expenses, they take in a diverse group of
boarders, which doesn't make Nessa happy -- but they have no
choice. She's been waiting for a promotion at the bank
where she works, but it never seems to come through,
especially considering that the snotty bank manager takes
all the credit herself for the hard work Nessa does.
A string of bizarre robberies over several years at
different locations of this bank has become a thorn in the
side of Mac MacNaught, the man who owns the banking
conglomerate headquartered in New York. After viewing tapes
of all the robberies, he decides to investigate them
personally. Since no one in New Orleans has met him, he
introduces himself as an undercover insurance investigator
named Jeremiah Mac. Suspecting that Nessa might be involved
in the crimes, he shrewdly enlists her help in trying to
solve them. Of course, after meeting her in person, he's
only too happy to keep her close at hand. He's sure her
sweet exterior masks a larcenous soul, but he's not sure
how to prove it. It doesn't take long for Jeremiah to
realize that things aren't quite what they seem, and his
deceitfulness could get him in more trouble than he can
handle -- especially since his attraction to Nessa is hot
and sensual.
For a man who demands honesty and integrity from the people
in his life, Jeremiah has no qualms about lying and
masquerading as someone else when it suits his purpose.
This double-standard does not make for an appealing hero,
until closer to the end when he finally redeems himself.
Nessa, her great-aunts, all her friends and acquaintances,
as well as most of the boarders, are charming and likable
characters who make this an enjoyable read. Set during
Mardi Gras, you get a real taste and feel for this
wonderful city.
Nessa Dahl always had the good sense to steer clear of
trouble. Then Jeremiah MacNaught showed up in New Orleans,
determined to get to the bottom of a string of bank
robberies by two women wearing Mardi Gras masks. Little
does Nessa realize that the handsome investigator is
convinced she's involved with the crimes-or that he's
willing to do anything to get the truth. Even if it means
taking the beautiful woman he's convinced is a liar and a
thief straight to bed...