In Close

Written by Brenda Novak

Narrated by Angela Dawe

“Intense and sensual and chock-full of emotional torment…a riveting read.”—USA TODAY

Claire O'Toole's mother, Alana, went missing fifteen years ago. That was big news in Pineview, Montana, the kind of town where nothing much ever happens. Then, last year, Claire's husband, David, died in a freak accident—after launching his own investigation into Alana's disappearance.

Is Alana dead? Or did she simply abandon her husband and daughters? Claire is determined to find out—and her former boyfriend, Isaac Morgan, wants to help. Although their relationship didn't end well, he still has feelings for her. And yet it isn't until he starts to suspect David's death wasn't an accident that he's drawn back into her life.

Together, Claire and Isaac search for answers to the questions that have haunted Pineview all this time. But as they soon discover, someone's prepared to kill so those answers won't be found....

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Oct 25, 2011
• ISBN: 9781455841875

Brenda Novak

New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak has written over 60 novels. An eight-time Rita nominee, she's won The National Reader's Choice, The Bookseller's Best and other awards. She runs Brenda Novak for the Cure, a charity that has raised more than $2.5 million for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). She considers herself lucky to be a mother of five and married to the love of her life. www.brendanovak.com

Reviews for In Close

[bettesbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Claire O'Toole's mother, Alana, went missing fifteen years ago. That was big news in Pineview, Montana, the kind of town where nothing much ever happens. Then, last year, Claire's husband, David, died in a freak accident after launching his own investigation into Alana's disappearance. Is Alana dead? Claire is determined to find out and her former boyfriend, Isaac Morgan, wants to help. Together, Claire and Isaac search for answers to the questions that have haunted Pineview all this time. But as they soon discover, someone's prepared to kill so those answers won't be found.The plot is predictable, the relationship between the sisters is possible but not believable, the relationships between Claire and her step - step parents left a taste of sugar in my mouth and the romance is so utterly imagined

[bookaholiccat · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In Close is the third book in the Bulletproof Trilogy by Brenda Novak.

I was really looking forward to this book, I thought it will be Pretty Boy/Rex’s story. Sadly it wasn’t. This book is about Claire O’Toole and the investigation on the disappearance of her mother fifteen years ago. We met Claire in book two (In Seconds).

I had some problems with the story and the characters. Even though I tried I couldn’t connect with Claire. Her behavior felt childish and she cared too much what other people thought about her. She was a people-pleaser to the point of sacrificing her happiness for underserving people as her sister Leanne. Claire also asked difficult questions and when she got answers she didn’t accept them despite being the truth.

Isaac was the character I liked the most. He has regretted the decision he took years back in regards to Claire. At the time he wasn’t ready for what she wanted from him. He had issues and traumas he needed to deal with before being ready for a relationship. Now he is sure he wants Claire and is willing to do anything to be with her. I loved how protective of her he was and how without expecting anything in exchange he took the reins of the investigation on his hands.
Their relationship felt rushed. I understand they had a past together but it was too much too fast.

I didn’t like any of the secondary characters starting with Claire’s sister Leanne. Her behavior was inexcusable and her story was left with many unanswered questions.
One of the problems I had was that Laurel and Myles felt completely different from the characters I loved in In Seconds. It was as if they were not the same characters but completely new ones.

My final thought: I was a little frustrated with In Close. First this is supposed to be the last book in the Bulletproof Trilogy and to say I was disappointed In Close wasn’t about Pretty Boy/Rex is an understatement. I felt cheated that the conclusion of the trilogy was the story of somebody we met quickly in book two instead of the story of the person remaining in the trio of friends from book one (Inside) and book two (In Seconds). I can say that from the three books of this series this one is the one I have liked the least. I blame it on the characters, the lack of closure of even mention of Pretty Boy/Rex and the abrupt and unsatisfactory end. Don’t take me wrong, everything wasn’t bad with In Close, Mrs. Novak writing is good as always and the mystery behind Claire’s mom disappearance had me glued to the pages, that I didn’t like the end it’s something else.

[nhnick · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good summer easy read with a few surprises. A little predictable, but enough mystery and romance to keep it interesting.

[eswaim-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyable story. Was sad to see the trilogy end.

Storyline was a bit busy. Didn't care for some of the characters but loved Claire and isaac's story line.

Will always recommend Brenda Novak.

[bookdivasreads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Imagine that your biological father abandons your family when you are just a toddler. Fortunately your mother remarries and your stepfather adopts you and your younger sister. Then when you are sixteen, your mother vanishes without a trace. If that's not bad enough, fast forward fifteen years and you are now a widow since your husband was accidentally killed while hunting. This is the life of Claire O'Toole and she has decided to uncover the mystery surrounding her mother's disappearance in the latest addition to the “Bulletproof” series by Brenda Novak, In Close.Claire knows that there is more to her mother's disappearance than she has been told. She has backed off of investigating or having the disappearance investigated because of the emotional reaction by her younger sister and stepfather. In an effort to feel closer to her artistic mother, she returns to the cabin her mother used for painting. The cabin is in good shape but has become a storage unit for the family's castoffs. Fortunately Claire discovers a police file that contains unseen documentation and now she has more questions than answers. Unfortunately, there's someone watching Claire at the cabin and she winds up suffering a concussion. Again, unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), a former lover, Isaac Morgan, lives close by and heard her scream. He comes running and ends up carrying Claire back to his house, Claire's former family home, before calling the police.What follows is a series of unfortunate and suspicious events and Claire begins to question her need for answers as well as her sister and stepfather's insistence to leave everything in the past. Claire refuses to back down and the only ally she has is Isaac. If she continues, she will uncover a variety of small-town secrets that many feel should be kept hidden. Was her mother actually having an affair and did she run away? Were her stepfather and stepmother having an affair and did they have anything to do with her mother's disappearance? Why was her younger sister taken out of school and subsequently returned on the day their mother disappeared? And finally, was the hunting accident involving her husband truly an accident or something more nefarious?Claire and Isaac seem to have a love-hate relationship. They speak at cross-purposes and it takes awhile before they realize that their attraction to one another is much more than a physical attraction. Claire's younger sister Leanne is disabled due to a sledding accident and a selfish spoiled brat. Leanne also feels that Claire is being disloyal to their adoptive father by continuing her investigation. The more answers Claire receives in the course of her investigation the more questions arise. Claire definitely has more invested in obtaining the truth than the police department on this cold case file, and perhaps it is this personal investment that won't allow her to stop even when her safety is endangered.In Close is a fast-paced, romantic suspense read. The characters are well-developed and realistic. I enjoyed reading In Close, as I've enjoyed reading many of Ms. Novak's novels. This is a great read for a lazy fall afternoon.

[rhonda1111 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In Close has a 15 year old mystery that kept me guessing till the end. Once I started I did not stop till I was finshed.Claire Mother for 15 years has been missing. Its bothered her why no one cares. Her sister last time she got the new sherrif to open the case talked her in to dropping it.July 4 while everyone was watching fireworks Clair went to the cabin her mom used to paint in. She got in the attic and was going to go through all her mom's boxes and see what she can find now. Before Clair could start she was startled to find all the boxes she put her husbands stuff after he died last year. Someone had moved them there but their was one box that had David's name on that she did not pack. Opened it was things from his youth and figured his mom wanted to keep them all together. In that one box she found a file that had her mom's police file and notes in her husbands hands. She did not know that David was trying to find her the answers without telling her. On the way out of cabin she saw man.s boots as he knocked her back and she screamed.Isaac had been a boyfriend back in high school and he had bought their house. Heard Clair scream and was running to the cabin when he ran into a branch and injured himself. Isaac had grown up and was still attracted to Clair and offered to help her to find the answers she needed. Was David murdered instead of hunting accident. What were her family hiding all the years. Did they really think her mom had left them 15 years ago. Someone did not want them to find out and was determined to stop them.I liked it. Mystery had a lot of suspects. lots of action and watched Clair & Isaac romance bloosom again. I was given this ebook in exchange of honest review.