Kindle Edition Download to your Nook (eBook) Amazon Category:  Mystery/Suspense Publisher: Leti Del Mar ISBN-10:  1481931938 Type: Fiction Pages: 233 Copyright: June 5, 2012 ISBN-13: 9781481931939 A romantic suspense that delves into the world of art crime. As a security specialist, Vivien Flowers is a perfectionist. So when two very important paintings she had been hired to protect are stolen, her highly structured world is turned upside down and she must get them back. It’s too bad art theft is not very high on the Los Angeles Police Department’s list of priorities. So when Vivien is joined by a handsome insurance agent eager to prevent the multi-million dollar claim from being paid, they use any means necessary to track down the location of the stolen paintings. But is Vivien willing to become a thief herself to get the paintings back? The answer leads her on a journey of intrigue, deceit, crime and even love as she travels from Los Angeles to Paris and discovers the true brilliance she is capable of Excerpt He approached me with a quick and light step. His eyes crinkled into a smirk that looked especially prepared for me. He was tall and had a strong muscular build that was apparent even underneath his suit and tie. Coming right towards me, the intensity of his green eyes nearly took my breath. I felt the need to look away but was uncontrollably sucked into his gaze. His angular features spread into an even wider grin. “Vivien Flowers?” The voice was pleasant and surprisingly deep. “Um, yes.” My tear filled eyes quickly swept over his chiseled, razor-sharp features. “You’re just the person I was looking for.” Again the smile flashed and my knees weakened. “Walter Johnson. Pleased to meet you.” The insurance guy? That was fast. We shook hands. “What can I do for you?” I was relived at how even my voice sounded. Now all I had to do was pull myself out of the deep green pools that were his eyes. “I’m investigating what security is in place, what’s been done so far and what still needs to be done on behalf of the paintings.” “I’m afraid I’m rather new at this. What exactly is the protocol?” “Well, I would like to get the paintings back. If that’s possible,” he paused and ran his hand through his dark chestnut hair halfheartedly, “or at least, I would like to ensure that the other two paintings in the series are safe from any further theft. We insure all four, you see.” He continued to grin but this time I noticed the smile stopped before it reached his eyes. Further thefts! My career was swiftly going down the toilet. Just hours after my first stolen artifacts, an insurance agent had been sent to make sure I wasn’t going to lose any others. “There won’t be any further thefts. I can assure you that the other two of the Four Seasons are safe and sound. They won’t come to any harm.” My eyes narrowed as they took in his face. He seemed only superficially placated and his expression was unbearably patronizing. This man didn’t believe a word I said. My checks grew warm with anger and I tried desperately to keep calm. “As for these,” I gestured to the large empty wall, “don’t worry. I’ll get them back.” He first seemed surprised to find that his words brought up so much emotion. Then my final resolve made his once contrived smirk finally brake through all the way to his eyes. “What makes you so sure?” There was a curious edge to his deep voice. “Because,” I paused and met his eyes with passionate conviction, “this is personal.” Chapter 2: Data Analysis His eyes had a skeptic glint but he was still grinning. “May I ask, Mr. Johnson...” “Walter.” “What is it you want me to do for you?” “I was hoping you could give me some kind of proof, an assurance, that the other two paintings are safe. I’ve been doing this for a while now, and this theft has all the earmarks of a series collector. No other paintings were stolen and one must assume the worst to prevent any further loss of the company’s assets.” His voice dripped with honey over this carefully prepared little speech. I could understand the insurance agency’s quick reaction. Payout for just one of the paintings would mean millions, two would be double. This grinning Apollo was more interested in loss prevention, not reclamation. He considered Fall and Summer a lost cause. I was still struggling to control my emotions after the painful interview with Mr. Colton and I now needed more than the usual resolve to keep my voice even. I was determined to keep the water out of my eyes with sheer willpower. “Look, Walter, I’m perfectly confident that the other two are more than safe. Unlike the stolen ones,” I couldn’t even say their names, “the whereabouts of Winter and Spring are hardly common knowledge. I’m sure that the secrecy around them is security enough for the time being. At present, my focus is on the two missing paintings. I’m sure you can see that. Your company will be more gratified if they get these back instead of just preventing the loss of the others.” I was taking deep and deliberate breaths, my words coming out unnaturally slow. His eyes took in my face. I saw the grin fade for the first time as he paused for a moment. Then he came to a quick conclusion. “Okay. We’re going to get them back. I’ll help you in any way I can. I have lots of resources at your disposal and the company has authorized me to make myself indispensable, do whatever is necessary, to protect their assets.” He must think I’m a complete idiot or a fragile mess. How was I going to work with those penetrating and judgmental eyes following me around? I needed every mental faculty at its sharpest. “Thanks for the offer but I work alone. I’ll keep you updated of course.” I offered with an ineffectual smile. He leaned in closer. “I usually work alone too, so I guess we’ll both have to make some concessions. You see, this is my job and I do it very well. I have my instructions and Mr. Colton’s support.” He drew in a deep breath. “Listen, I have a feeling you are just as determined as I am and I think our best bet at getting what we want is to work on this together. So, what’s your first step?” “Okay.” I said with a little hesitation. “The first step is to go to my office. I need to go over all the data I’ve collected so far.” “Great, I’d love to see you work. I’ve heard a lot about your little company.” I took slight offense to the word little. I may only have two employees, but my company was my personal masterpiece. I hid my irritation and directed my attention to my caramel colored handbag. Its oversized leather design well hid the fact that it was a veritable tool box. I dug around until I found what I was looking for and then handed him my own plain white card with my office’s address printed on it. I gave it to him and he looked amused. Surely he didn’t expect something pink with flowers on it? “Do you need directions?” “No, I’ll find it. I’ll just check in with the police before I go. I want them to keep me in the loop. Let’s hope they’ve found something on the tapes and solved the case for us.” He was ginning again, widely. “Sorry, I don’t believe in miracles.”

Action and Romance
$ Stars
It took me a little while to get into the storyline, but once I did it was hard to put it down. The world building is well done. One of the things I enjoyed about the book was the suspense. Leti Del Mar's take on the suspense will certainly hold your attention. She does a great job of providing you with just enough information that you want to keep going.
I liked how Vivien and Walt/Nathan interacted in the beginning and how she saw him as a challenge and tried to keep her distance, refused some of his favors and managed to stand her ground even if she felt like melting at his feet.
From the very first word, the details build into a crescendo of tension, along the main plot and the romantic arcs.
The star of the story is Vivien. I was engrossed immediately and Leti Del Mar kept my attention as Vivien, Walter, George and Carlos, the main characters at the core of the story, are involved in finding the "infamous" thief.
It's a story full of twists and turns and keeps you guessing to the end. An end that will bring a smile to your face.
The Inadvertent Thief is an entertaining read, a clever combination of action and suspense.
I give it a solid 4 stars.

Thriller
5 Stars
I was quickly absorbed in the story from the beginning and I decided to read the book during my holiday last month. If you're married, this is one of those books that will keep your husband up all night because you can't put the book down! It's definitely a thriller and as the story unravelled I just wanted to read faster to find out what happens. The ending doesn't disappoint either. I wouldn't be surprised if this book is made into a movie one day!

Great Romantic Suspense Thriller
5 stars
This book has an almost Thomas Crown kind of feel to, just in reverse since the main character doesn't start as a thief. I actually pictured Pierce and Renee as the leads. Because Renee's character in the Thomas Crown Affair is so similar to Vivien's character I was able to do this. The story begins when two very important paintings that Vivien was hired to protect are stolen, and she is forced to partner with a handsome insurance agent who doesn't want to pay the multi-million dollar claim. Read the story and discover their adventures. You won't be sorry. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was nicely written, the characters were well developed, and the plot was very good. I would recommend it to anyone I know and I certainly will be reading more of Leti's books