A QUARTER FOR A KISS

A Quarter for a Kiss
by Mindy Starns Clark
336 pages
ISBN: 0-7369-1293-2
Harvest House Publishers
2004
$ 10.99

Callie Webber is an overly qualified private investigator in that she also has been a successful attorney. Following the death of her husband, Callie is recuperating emotionally. She currently is employed as a private detective researching the backgrounds of charities for a philanthropist. Fortunately, this philanthropist and an unusual background and is patiently assisting Callie in the healing process, while also being very intent on becoming her partner for life.

In A Quarter for a Kiss, Callie receives a call from the wife of her mentor as a private investigator. Stella informs Callie that Eli, Callie’s mentor, was shot. Eli is the one responsible for having Callie in her present investigative position, so Callie and Tom decide to find out who is responsible for this attack and why, while Eli is in the hospital close to death. To assist them, Eli told his wife, Stella, a few clues that only Callie would understand in order to protect his family.

Callie discovers that Eli was investigating an old acquaintance of his. Eli had been in love with a Nadine Peters who had also worked in counterintelligence for the government. Eli had shot Nadine in the leg years ago after she had betrayed our government. This woman that Eli saw even had a scar on the leg. While uncovering the information, Callie and Tom find that to continue to investigate, they must travel to the Virgin Islands as this is where Nadine lives. Callie is also uncovering Tom’s past as a former cryptographer for the NSA.

On the island of St. John, Nadine’s house is like a fortress with extreme and obvious security. Tom and Callie are challenged as to how to investigate Nadine without endangering themselves. With them is Stella’s daughter, Jodi, who shows them around and allows them to use Stella’s house there.

What is refreshing about A Quarter for a Kiss is the relationship development between Callie and Tom. Most of the other characters exhibit little personal integrity which makes these two so unique. They both are constantly battling with what needs to be done, what they want to have done, and how to achieve without breaking their personal ethical standards.

The pacing and the development of the investigation are perfectly matched. The reader actually is part of the investigation with the pair throughout their escapades.

This is a wonderful action-adventure and has such strong characters that the reader wants to know more about them. I am very curious about the previous books now. What happened to Callie’s husband? The sign of a good author is one that makes you want to read more about their characters and their writing. This definitely is one series that everyone should read.
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Previous novels written by Mindy Starns Clark are A Penny for Your Thoughts, Don’t Take Any Wooden Nickels, and A Dime a Dozen. These are all a part of her Million Dollar Mysteries so obviously since she started with a penny, then a nickel, a dime, and now a quarter, the next book will probably be entitled a half-dollar. Mindy also writes plays and musicals for schools and churches.