Flawless: An Anthology (New York Confidential)

My favorite aspect of this story was it's Irishness. Is that a thing? If not, it should be. The story involves an Irish-American family, proud of their heritage and operating a family pub in New York City, named Finnegans. Most of the characters were of Irish descent and they just had a wonderful and supportive community base that centered around the pub. The love and support between the Finnegan family was plain to see... but they had an extended family of sorts with regulars at the pub, which becomes apparent when one is injured, or put in danger, or starts being celebrated as a hero.

Kieran Finnegan is our heroine, and is a newly graduated criminal psychologist. Having a similar educational background made me perk up and take interest... of course I went on to law school but sometimes I think What if?, ya know? Anywho, I enjoyed reading about Kieran's professional life and cases, and felt that they were well-developed and integrated in the story at appropriate times and frequency. As in, they weren't overdone but served as a nice addition. After helping to thwart a jewelry heist, Kieran is being touted a hero and media darling. Only Kieran is cringing from the spotlight and seems almost afraid of being seen on the news. I don't really understand why, as it wasn't fully explained, so that one aspect was left at loose ends. Otherwise. Kieran was a likeable and relatable heroine. She was a bit of a mother hen over her younger brother, and I had to admire her for not throttling Danny and Julie when she discovered their idiotic scheme to get revenge on Julie's soon-to-be ex husband.

The hero is FBI Agent Craig Frasier, with the looks and height of his Highland ancestry. Apparently he has not been in a relationship since someone died, but we never got that story. Another loose end that I would have liked to discover. He has an immediate attraction to our stunning heroine, but he knows she is hiding something. Even so, his protective instincts flare to life and he finds himself dogging her footsteps right into her bed. I liked the relationship between them, but I wish the characters would have been more developed. I have unanswered questions for both of them and so I felt I was left a bit wanting.

The suspense plot moved along steadily, and I didn't quite figure out the culprit, though some of my suspicions proved true. But some of the action sequences, and the ending, felt hurried. I enjoyed the story as I was reading, but wasn't fully satisfied after I finished.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars / 2 flames.

4 STARS

Flawless is a change of pace for Heather Graham. It has no paranormal aspect to it. Just a good romantic suspense. I was not sure who the bad guys were till the end.

Kieran Finnegan is a smart hard working woman. She just graduated from college and working at a new job full time and then after work she helps work in her family's bar Finnegan. She cares about the people around her. Has a great motto.

Kieran is returning a diamond that was taken from a jewelry store when it gets robbed. She becomes a kidnapped victim. She is not afraid to take action. She needs to keep it a secret her real purpose for being in the store at the time of robbery.

I did stay up late till I had finished reading Flawless to see what and who the bad guys were.

The setting for the story is New York City, NY

There are a few love scenes in it.
I like all the FBI Agents in the story. I hope we get to see more of them in the future. Plus all of Kieran's family I would like to see again.

There is a lot of humor along with mystery.

I was given this ebook to read by NetGalley and Harlequin and in return I agreed to give a honest review of Flawless.

This is a typical Heather Graham, she always excels at romantic suspense. The paranormal element isn't prevalent in 'Flawless' however like her other books. It is a detective story set in New York City in and around a small pub that has been in the Finnegan family since the Civil War. Kieran Finnegan is a criminal psychologist who works part time in the pub owned by herself and her three brothers.

Kieran is returning a diamond that was taken from a jewelry store when it gets robbed. She overcomes her kidnappers as she is not afraid to take action. Plus she needs to keep it a secret her real purpose for being in the store at the time of robbery. After helping to thwart the jewellery heist, she finds herself a heroine as she saves an FBI agent from being shot. Kieran is being touted a hero and media darling. Only Kieran is cringing from the spotlight and seems almost afraid of being seen on the news.

Enter FBI Agent Craig Frasier, after another incident brings her back into the limelight, Craig sets his sights on having Kieran help question the suspects. They begin working together but her omission about the diamond lies between them. He has an immediate attraction to our heroine, but he knows she is hiding something. Even so, his protective instincts flare to life and he finds himself right in her bed.
The suspense plot moved along steadily, I did stay up late until I had finished reading 'Flawless' to see what and who the bad guys were. Great read.
I am a verified purchaser in Australia

Flawless is by Heather Graham. It is a detective story set in New York City in and around a small pub that has been in the Finnegan family since the Civil War. Kieran Finnegan is a criminal psychologist who works part time in the pub owned by herself and her three brothers. The setting is flawless simply because a pub setting in itself is flawed by the people who frequent the pub. Add in the not-so-clean past of the Finnegan children and you have a flawed group of people.
Kieran is very upset with Gary Benton’s treatment of his almost ex-wife Julie Benton. Julie has been friends with the Finnegan’s since childhood and she is considered one of the family. You simply do not treat the Finnegans with contempt without getting the others involved. Julie has taken a diamond from her husband’s business and has given it to Kieran’s brother Danny. They hope Gary will be accused of having taken the diamond and dealt with by the police. Kieran doesn’t want them to get involved so takes the diamond to the store in hopes of getting a chance to return it without being caught. She asks to see Gary who isn’t in but the other salesman brings out Gary’s collection of stones for her to see. As she is looking at them, a robbery takes place. In the confusion, Kieran is able to return the stone; but finds herself a heroine as she saves an FBI agent from being shot. The robbers are not the ones who have been killing people during their robberies; but the original gang who uses toy pistols as props.
Kieran is questioned by the FBI and finds herself attracted to Craig Frasier the agent who questions her. After another incident brings her back into the limelight, Craig sets his sights on having Kieran help question the suspects. They begin working together but her lie about the diamond lies between them. How can she tell him about it if she suspects her own brothers of doing something wrong? Is someone at Finnegan’s involved in the robberies? If so who and why?
It is a very good book and keeps you involved in the story so you can’t put it down.

An outbreak of robberies and a couple of murders have hit New York's Diamond District in "Flawless" an exciting new romantic thriller by Heather Graham that opens when Kieran Finnegan a criminal psychologist struggling to return a "flawless" diamond that her brother Danny swiped from a jewelery store is swept in a heist and held hostage at gunpoint. Captured because of Kieran's indomitable will and FBI agent Craig Frasier's determination, the gang's quickly arrested but there's evidence that they might not be involved in the rash of killings.

The plot heats up as Craig and his partner Mike Clayton's search for the killers leads them to a pub in lower Manhattan and to Kieran who's involvement in the heist and rescuing a student in the subway has her targeted. Swept up in a mystifying investigation and working together to find answers attraction ignites between Kieran and Craig, and he will have to keep her from harm if they're to have any chance of seeing where their feelings will lead.

Heather Graham sets this mesmerizing plot against the backdrop of Finnegan's a family-owned and operated pub on Broadway in lower Manhattan. With youthful arrests in their past Kieran Finnegan will do anything to protect her brothers- Declan, Kevin and Danny- who all work at the popular pub, even covering up the fact that she was in the jewellery shop at the time of the robbery to "unsteal" a flawless gem one of her siblings stole to help her friend Julie Benton. Fast-paced, intensity and suspense quickly building clues are uncovered that lead FBI agents Craig Frasier and his partner to Finnegan's after a man in a dark hoodie threatens Kieran's life, and two patrons are assaulted near the tavern.

Meeting the handsome FBI agent Craig Frasier for the first time Kieran is flushed and off-kilter, their chemistry electric as she agrees to help him investigate in her capacity as a criminal psychologist. Amid all her doubts and his suspicions as the mystery of the case deepens sexual tension quickly builds between the two until one night it ignites.

The characters are complex and realistic especially Kieran Finnegan with her fire, charm, humor and big heart. A quick thinking, competent and observant psychologist it's not long before she begins helping in the investigation. Craig Frasier the ruggedly handsome and clever FBI agent who heads up the case with his easy-going, shrewd partner Mike Dalton quickly finds himself enthralled by the red-headed, feisty beauty who he struggles to protect. These main characters as well as Kieran's outgoing and caring brothers; her smart, talented and messed up friend Julie; and the cruel, callous and crass Gary Benton sweep you up in a thrilling blend of mystery, crime and romance you can't put down until the end.

I loved "Flawless" with its engaging setting, captivating plot and appealing characters, and look forward to reading more novels by Heather Graham.

Flawless is a straightforward romantic-suspense novel set in New York City. And I wish I knew why I didn’t love it. Heather Graham is usually a pretty good storyteller, and on the whole I liked the two main characters, but something just didn’t quite jell for me. Close, but not quite.

For once, the blurb describes the book pretty accurately. Kieran is in the wrong place at the wrong time (albeit for the right reason); she is abducted in the course of a jewelry store robbery. Craig Frasier is an FBI agent who responds to the robbery and chases after the fleeing thieves. Once everything is under control, Kieran has to walk a very fine line for the rest of the book. She doesn’t want her youngest brother Danny to get in trouble, she doesn’t want the authorities to know about his juvie record, she doesn’t want her eldest brother to find out what an idiot Danny was, and (as the case goes on) she doesn’t want her family or their pub dragged into the case. And she really, really doesn’t want any personal fame or publicity. That means she ends up keeping a lot of secrets — from Craig and his partner as well as from her eldest brother.

The problem is, Kieran is both good and not good at keeping secrets. Craig knows there are things she’s not telling him. His gut says to trust her, but he’s too good an agent not to wonder why she was in the shop and if she was somehow involved with the thieves. And Kieran isn’t good at hiding the fact that she’s concealing something. At the same time, she stubbornly holds back when telling the truth might be a better move. I do understand why she doesn’t speak up. Even as their relationship deepens, she hasn’t known Craig all that long, certainly not long enough to know how he would react about her brother. But on the other hand, how on earth did she think she could keep her brother’s record a secret from the police, let alone the FBI — he’s in the system, for heaven’s sake! For someone who seems pretty smart, she sure doesn’t always act it, or think logically. The urge to protect and keep silent seems to overcome some of her common sense, and I began to find that exasperating.

Craig I liked immediately, and that liking only grew as I continued to read. He’s a good friend to his partner, an excellent field agent, and a stand-up guy. He really shouldn’t be getting involved with a witness (couldn’t that cost him his job in real life?), but other than that, he makes an admirable hero, complete with a sense of humor.

The Finnegans are a typical (stereotypical) Irish-American family. Big brother Declan runs the pub and raised his younger siblings after their parents died. The younger ones all work at the pub when they’re not out doing other jobs. (Besides Kieran’s work as a criminal psychologist, her twin brother Kevin is an actor trying to get roles, and her younger brother Danny is a tour guide.) The family extends to friends, including Julie, the girl who got Danny into the mess in the first place — and oh, did I want to shake some sense into the pair of them more than once! There’s also an older man, Bobby, a recovered alcoholic who nonetheless loves to hang out at the bar. (Does that seem as unlikely to you as it does to me?) And of course, there’s Craig’s partner Mike. The dynamics between all these characters are interesting—especially the affection the whole family feels for Bobby—and for me they were one of the best parts of the book outside the mystery plot.

The mystery itself was absorbing, though I spotted two of the real villains very soon after they were introduced. Copycat crimes are not unusual, but what is unusual is to have the copycat(s) acting simultaneously with the original criminal(s), making it harder to investigate. . . especially when the DA is convinced the killers have been caught. And of course, once Kieran and Craig begin to suspect someone is trying to kill her, the suspense ratchets up a notch or two. Even once I was fairly sure I knew who was behind the murder-robberies, I was still eager to find out how and when they would be apprehended.

I may not have loved Flawless, but I did like it, certainly well enough that I would read a sequel if it turns into a series. There’s no clear indication of that happening, so it may be a standalone, and that’s OK too. Either way, Flawless gave me several hours of reading pleasure in the middle of an insomniac night, and that was all that really mattered.

REVIEW ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED at The Bookwyrm's Hoard: [...]

FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.

Strange twists can sometimes lead to unknown pleasures and dangers as in the case of FLAWLESS by Heather Graham.
Narrator Saskia Maarleveld does a superb job making each character unique sounding. She captured the tone, attitude, and accents of the various characters with great ease. Her interruption enhances this romantic thriller.
Kieran Finnegan only wants to return an expensive diamond to the jeweler without being caught to keep her clueless brother and their best friend from getting into trouble. Seems Julie thought it was a good idea to borrow the diamond to get her soon-to-be ex-husband in trouble with his boss at the jewelry store. Wanting to help her, Danny saw no problem in taking the diamond for her since he was only ‘borrowing’ it and not planning on keeping it.
Just as Kieran is about to make the return, the jewelry store is robbed by three masked gunmen. Taken hostage, Kieran is soon able to escape with the help of FBI Agent Craig Frasier who was pursuing the robbers. The robbers, using fake guns, are captured, the jewels (including the one Kieran had) are returned, and all is well Kieran thinks.
Not so as Craig believes Kieran is hiding something and begins to dig deeper. Could it be she was in on the robbery or is her family’s bar somehow involved? Oh, and there’s another set of jewelry store robbers identical to these only the group still on the loose is killing people when they rob.
Through a series of twists and turns the author places Kieran and Craig together creating sparks, as well as doubts. The attraction between the two intensifies as the plot thickens. The characters are well-written and likable. The New York City setting, with an Irish pub backdrop, adds depth and dimension to the story.
The blossoming romance between Kieran and Craig doesn’t overshadow the suspense and intrigue involving the robbers and murders. While this story doesn’t contain the paranormal aspect the author is famous for, it features fascinating characters, a historical setting, and enough suspense and murder to keep you guessing until the very end.
Impeccably written and faultlessly narrated, FLAWLESS is an entertaining thriller that will provide hours of suspenseful delight. It’s also available in print and eBook format for those wishes to read this captivating story.
FTC Full Disclosure – An audio copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review

I have always loved Heather Graham’s romantic suspense books. I started with her Silhouette Intimate Moment books and, then, moved with her to her mainstream novels. However, since her latest books have been paranormals, I have sadly missed her romantic suspense books. Therefore, I am very happy to see that she has returned to the genre I love best.

This is the story of Kiernan Finnegan and her younger brothers who own a pub that has been in their family for generations. Another business the Finnegan family has dabbled in is robbery. However, Kiernan has left that business to become a criminal psychologist even though she still works in the bar.

Meanwhile there has been a rash of thefts lately. Unfortunately, in the latest robbery, a murder occurs, and FBI agent Craig Frasier is called in to help. There appear to be two groups causing trouble and one is a copycat gang. Kiernan and Craig end up working together to find out who stole the gems. And, of course, they are attracted to each other.

This is a wonderful thriller with non-stop action and lots of romance. The characters are well developed, especially Kiernan, who helps look for the one set of robbers while trying to keep her brothers out of the equation. This book has humor and action, enough to keep me interested to the very end of the book.
I highly recommend this book. In fact, I hope Ms. Graham writes more romantic thriller novels and includes more books about the Finnegan brothers!

Quick, easy read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was not the same old story. The
Finnegan's are a very close family and I enjoyed how that played out through the story. Kieran's friend is going through a tough divorce and to get back at her almost ex for not taking proper care of the dogs, she arranges for Kieran's brother to "borrow" a diamond that the ex was responsible for. Needless to say, Kieran is horrified and decides she has to return the diamond. Diamond thieves come into the store while she's returning the diamond and take her hostage. The cops come to the rescue but she ends up saving FBI agent Craig Frasier. Long story short and without giving too much away, Kieran gets involved in helping solve the diamond thefts. I was afraid during the whole book that her brother's part in the theft would come out and even felt at times like the friend could have been involved. The book ended leaving me with hope that Kieran and Craig would get together and that we'd see them in future books. (This book was checked out from my local library.)

I am no stranger to Ms. Graham’s novels, though admittedly, I have read a mere few; I have always genuinely enjoyed her books. Flawless is no exception.
Starting with the plot, I was really intrigued by the Irish-American family with a heavy past of delinquency, a jewelry store heist, and a violent copycat. There was, as is usually the case with Ms. Graham, enough action that I can sort of ignore the romance portion. I am not fond of the romance heavy suspense novels.
As for the romance, I like that the detective love interest, despite his growing feelings for the MC was still weary of her initial non-guiltiness, because of course she is keeping her families big ol’ (totally mild and underage) crime spree under wraps. It was a little silly of her honestly. I would have expected a criminal psychologist to at least have a basic understanding of law. Well, alas, that is fiction for you.
Still this was a very enjoyable read. I am really glad I requested it!
Pick up this book, take a trip to the beach, and just enjoy this quick trip away from reality! Totally recommended.
I received this novel for free from Netgalley and the Publishers in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my review in any way.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest and open review.
This is the first book I've read by Ms Graham so I was unsure what to expect. I certainly wasn't disappointed and will look out for more of her books.
Kieran is a criminal psychologist by day and also helps to run the family pub. I loved the way the pub and its customers were described. I wish it was my local.
She is a strong, fiesty woman who wants to be involved with everything that's going on, even though they might touch on the illegal.
There was plenty of action that kept you turning the pages. I kept trying to work out who was responsible but failed miserably.
I do hope there are more books to come about Kieran and Special Agent Craig Frasier.

FBI agent, Craig Frasier is brought in to investigate when a rash of thefts in New York’s Diamond district turns deadly and finds himself drawn to Kieran Finnegan whose pub is somehow involved in this engaging romantic suspense. Heather Graham knows how to make her stories pack a punch, she adds surprising twists and sneaky little details that arouse the curiosity and keeps readers longing for more. Flawless was full of some of those sneaky details that make the story seem real like and I was completely captivated from beginning to end.

“Copyright Night Owl Reviews”©

See my full review at: Night Owl Reviews .com

The motivations of the villain did not make sense, as revealed at the end. The good guys were not well developed characters, either. This was my first Heather Graham book and probably my last. I like books by Nora Roberts, Karen Robards, and Karen Rose far better.

Local jewelry stores are being robbed and people murdered. Kieran's family owns a local pub and someone seems to think that she heard something she shouldn't have so her life is in danger. Craig, an FBI agent, is working hard to solve the case but his feelings for Kieran make it hard to maintain his objectivity. I really enjoyed this romantic suspense novel from Heather Graham.

True to Heather Graham's style, the main character is a strong woman. She has a very close family, loyalty to them and her day job. There's some evil doings afoot with a mystery to solve before someone else dies. Enter a handsome, smart, strong FBI man and... you'll find out!

A relationship built on lies and secrets. The "romance" moved too quickly and the hero knows the heroine is hiding something, then all of a sudden, it doesn't matter and is never discussed at all. I thought that it would be a possible point of suspense for the reader, a "would he forgive her for lying and keeping secrets from the FBI" type of thing. However, at the end, she does say that they will always have secrets, so maybe that's our answer.

I love Heather Graham. I have read Krewe of Hunters 3 times! This book did not do it for me. I kept waiting for the ghosts. lol I think someone who was not a Graham fan, would like it more than I did. My expectations got in the way.

I've mostly read Heather Graham's Krewe of Hunters series. This book lacks the 'paranormal' element but is still very well written with great touches of humor. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that the mystery wasn't all that mysterious and the romance seemed to be on fast forward. But the characters (even side characters) are well developed and interact in believable ways. An engaging and quick read, it was very entertaining and holds up to her other works.