Amanda Quick’s ‘The Girl Who Knew Too Much’ Is Glamorous and Intriguing [REVIEW]

A reporter finds a dead actress at the bottom of a pool in 1930s Hollywood in Amanda Quick’s
The Girl Who Knew Too Much. (Photo courtesy Pexels)

There are few things as glamorous as 1930s Hollywood, back when Tinsel Town was in its heyday and everyone wanted to be the next rising star. Now, with The Girl Who Knew Too Much, New York Times bestselling author Amanda Quick leaves behind “the ton” in England to tackle a new mystery, one that transpires among society’s most celebrated and infamous characters and begins with the shocking discovery of a beautiful actress found floating at the bottom of a pool.  

Berkley

Swedish film star Greta Garbo was perhaps best remembered for saying, “I want to be let alone.” But she wasn’t the only one in La La Land who felt that way. Others also want privacy, from the big Hollywood moguls to the actors and actresses who brought cinematic stories to life. When that happens, they travel to an exclusive coastal town and the Burning Cove Hotel, a resort which caters to their every need. It is there that rookie reporter Irene Glasson finds the body.

But this isn’t the first time Glasson has had a close brush with death. In fact, she moved to California to outrun the past and a sinister secret of her own. Originally known as Anna Harris, Glasson used to live in New York City where she worked as the personal secretary of wealthy socialite Helen Spencer, a woman who became her friend and mentor. When Glasson found Helen dead in her bedroom with the word “run” etched in blood on the baseboard near her body, she throws everything she can into a bag and flees to the Golden State in hopes of avoiding the authorities’ questions regarding her former employer’s death.

Now, here she is again, once more caught up in another mystery, one which involves the well-kept secrets of up-and-coming leading man Nick Tremayne, a man Hollywood’s most powerful will do anything to protect. But would they kill for him? All Glasson knows is that she has to get to the bottom of the mystery, even if that means teaming up with the hotel’s proprietor, former magician Oliver Ward. As they both look for answers, they soon discover that the coastal town of Burning Cove is teeming with dark, deadly secrets and is harboring the very individuals who want them kept most.

Although The Girl Who Knew Too Much is a departure from Quick’s popular Arcane series, the author once again does what she does best: she introduces us to a character who wins our hearts within the first few pages. Glasson is a woman who isn’t defined by her past, and she doesn’t let the fact that she is an orphan dictate her future. In fact, she is bold, fearless, and more than a tad bit sassy, and we can’t help but cheer her on as she determines the rules of her own life. This isn’t to say that she gets everything she wants, however. In true Quick style, Glasson never truly takes hold of the carrot life dangles in front of her, so must learn to adapt to her current circumstances, even if doing so leads her into the arms of a man who isn’t keen to trust her.

If you’re a devout fan of Quick’s work, don’t let her new series dissuade you from reading The Girl Who Knew Too Much. This is still compulsively readable fiction, albeit a bit more current than her previous works, but juicy and addictive just the same. This will make perfect beach reading fare for anyone who loves a good mystery, a dash of romance, and a heroine who isn’t afraid to tackle anything life throws her way. Enjoy!

Amanda Quick aka Jayne Ann Krentz
(Photo by Marc Von Borstel)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amanda Quick is the pen name New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz uses for her historical romantic-suspense novels. She writes contemporary romantic-suspense titles as Krentz (her married name) and futuristic/paranormal romantic suspense as Jayne Castle (her birth name).

Why does she use three different names for her books? “This way readers always know which of my three worlds they will be entering when they pick up one of my books,” she says.

Krentz earned her Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State Universityin California. She worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries before she began writing full time.

She currently resides in Seattle with her husband, Frank. Visit her home on the Web at JayneAnnKrentz.com or like her on Facebook.

THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
By Amanda Quick
368 pgs. Berkley. $27

Purchase The Girl Who Knew Too Much at one of these fine online retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million.