The Edge of Doom [Large Print] (Hardcover)

It is wondered if discovering a relationship so late in life should make a difference. Kate's husband wants to investigate further. Jay supplied Reed with a resume. Jay had guessed why Reed wanted to see him. Kate's mother had been tolerant. She had permitted Kate to grow up and become the woman and have the career that suited her.

Next Jay Smith disappears. Jay may have used another man's career to prepare his resume. A note from Jay said to tell Reed it was not as bad as it looked. Later Kate heard from all three of her outraged brothers. To recover from the meeting with the brothers, Kate and Reed went to the Frick. They discovered that Jay had been in the Witness Protection Program.

As suddenly as he disappeared Jay reappeared. He said that someone was trying to kill him. Restoration work in New York City can get really nasty. Jay had become the accomplice of an art thief. In the 1970's art theft became a federal crime. Jay Smith's name was phoney, his real name was Dyson, and so he really did not fake his career on his resume, he was the other man, Dyson.

The book mentions a lecture on Shakespeare's comedies of forgiveness. Kate asked the lecturer that if a father sought a lost daughter was he unconsciously seeking redemption. Kate sought permission from Laurence to read her mother's notebooks. The information contained in the notebooks was not germane to the search.

Reed and Kate developed a plan to get Jay out of their apartment safely. Unfortunately Jay does get kidnapped. Kate discovered her Fansler father knew all along that his paternity was bogus. Jay had gotten stuck in a long ago passion, like a fly in amber. Then Jay was out of her life. His story and his motives for his conduct were mixed. Kate could say that nothing violent had happened.

The writing is bright, serviceable and the plotting adequate. The motivations of the characters are muddled, perhaps as they are in real life.

I also felt the notion that Cross doesn't describe ANYTHING as a tip of the hat to her protagonist Kate(who doesn't notice her surroundings) as a one-note tune at best. It made the novel boring, boring, boring. So boring in fact, that I couldn't finish the novel. And I'll reading finish almost anything.

I think the author should stick to her day job. Although I shudder to think she might be teaching my daughter in her college years.

And what was with her political agenda being pushed in one paragraph half way through the book? It had nothing to do with the story and just seemed to be so out of place.

Do yourself a favor and pass on this one! There are so many better books out there.