Donna Hill, Guilty Pleasures

Guilty Pleasures

Donna Hill

St. Martin's Oct 2006, $19.95

ISBN: 0312354215

Eva and Jake Kelly are considered the perfect power couple as they live an upper class Manhattan lifestyle and obviously love one another. Most people who know the pair envy their loving closeness while simply assuming the dynamic duo fund their standard of living via their respective successful careers.

The loving part is true as Eva and Jake truly do and do not hide their affection. However, the affluence aspect is a bit different than anyone perceives as the Kellys employ a secret method to earn income way beyond their day jobs. Eve picks up affluent drunken businessman so that Jake can photograph them in embarrassing positions; blackmail pays the bills. However, this time they select the wrong victim as he refuses to fold over to their extortion. Instead he is coming for the Kellys who are caught in a wider con that could prove fatal.

Ethics aside, this is a wild thriller in which whatever the Kellys do seems to go wrong placing them increasingly in danger from a no nonsense Type A individual. Surprisingly even with their extortionist victims funding their elitist lifestyle, readers will empathize with the lead duo when they select the wrong victim. Mindful of Fun with Dick and Jane, Eva and Jake are a fascinating married couple who combine love, sex, and larceny into a delightful suspense.

Harriet Klausner