A valuable art collection disappears turning a treasure-hunting duo into crime-stopping sleuths committed to vindicating family members in Kaylin McFarren's action-packed suspense novel, Banished Threads.
While vacationing at the stately Cumberforge Manor in Bellwood, England, Rachel Lyons and Chase Cohen attend an elegant dinner party hosted by her uncle, Paul Lyons and his aristocratic wife, Sara. Before the evening ends, a priceless collection of Morris Graves' paintings are stolen from her uncle's popular gallery, throwing all suspicion onto his wife's missing granddaughter.
Determined to clear Sloan Rafferty's name and, in the process, win Paul's favor, Chase scours the countryside looking for answers. In his absence, the police accuse Rachel's uncle of an unsolved murder and secrets surrounding her grandmother's death and the deaths of Sara's former husbands turn his wife into the most likely suspect.
With the true villains hell-bent on destroying Paul Lyons and his family, solving both crimes while ensuring her uncle's freedom not only endangers Rachel's life but that of her unborn child. Will Chase save them before the kidnappers enact their revenge or will the ultimate price be paid, as predicted by a vagabond fortuneteller?
Excerpt
Sky turned to Sloan. “So, are you ready to leave for my place—sleep it off and tell me who you really are?”
“You think I’m joking, but I’m not. I’m invisible. I’m a figment of everyone’s imagination.”
“OK, so now you’re a blooming fairy. How ’bout buttoning up and giving me your hand?”
“Why? We just got here,” Sloan slurred. “I haven’t even danced yet.” She stood up and realized her mistake too late. The room tilted to the right and began spinning. She squeezed her eyes shut, fearing that if she moved too quickly or moved her mouth, her stomach would protest and add a new layer to her humiliation.
Sky was on his feet. “Sloan, look at me. It’s going to be all right. I’m going to get you out of here.”
She reached for him to keep from falling over. He tossed a few bills on the table and guided her through the crowd with her arm slung over his shoulder. After claiming her coat, they emerged through the exit and into the cold night with their arms around each other’s backs. In both directions, music lovers, minors in micro-minis, and bohemian misfits waited in line for their chance to witness the alternative rock band’s performance. In a matter of minutes, the club would explode, with Brice and Veronica in the center of all the action.
“Ah, bullock,” Sloan slurred. “Left my clothes at the gallery. Did you see them?”
Sky halted next to a lamppost. “I need you to stay right here. I’m going to grab my car and be right back. OK?”
Sloan nodded and wrapped her arm around the lamppost. As he walked away, she closed her eyes and leaned her head back. Breathe, breathe. Just breathe...She needed to gain control over her mind and body. Take her finger off the self-destruct button and conquer her fears before they conquered her. But where to begin? Even the shrink she had visited weekly offered no answers, solutions, or worthwhile advice, leaving her more perplexed than ever.
“Let go of your past, Sloan,” he had said. “Concentrate on the future and the positive aspects of your life, and before you know it, you’ll find yourself reengaging in the world, in the lives of the people around you.”
Dumb-ass advice. At the end of each session, he rewarded her with a new prescription—a quick fix designed to dull her anxieties and sweep her frustrations under the rug.
Ah, shit. Where were those pills when you needed them?
The air suddenly grew cold, stinging her ears. Sloan tugged at her coat with one hand and held onto the post with the other. She began wondering why Sky was taking so long when a car suddenly pulled up. The passenger window was rolled down, but the driver was obscured in darkness.
“Get in!” a man’s voice yelled.
Without a second thought, she opened the door and climbed in.
Professional Reviews
Romantic Times
"Readers will get quite a thrill from McFarren's latest Threads novel! Chase and Rachel are back in this fast-paced romantic suspense, based in an art gallery in England. It's full of family drama, stolen art, kidnapping, and even more exciting sex between the globetrotting couple. The story moves along at a brisk pace with plenty of peripheral characters to keep things interesting."
Readers' Favorite
"In an excellently written and thrilling murder mystery story by author Kaylin McFarren, Banished Threads: Volume 3 is a book that will keep readers obsessively turning the pages from the very start, hearts in their throats, and pulses racing!"
Pacific Book Review
"As with Severed Threads and Buried Threads, book three closes on a cliffhanger--one that indubitably will keep readers on edge. Well written and absolutely enthralling, Banished Threads is a wonderful addition to McFarren's award-winning series!"
Jack London’s cousin writes a heartwarming, young adult story about the glory of life. It is also a heart-pounding adventure to a new and strange world.
