As we learned in series starter The Girl Who Knew Too Much, strange things happen in 1930s Burning Cove, CA, where people go to rest up or start over. Here, a former trapeze artist is caught up in the onstage death of an inventor whose latest clever creation has gone missing.

After surviving a bizarre murder attempt—and sending the villain to his death in the process—trapeze artist Amalie Vaughn is carving out a new life as a hotel owner in Burning Cove on the California coast. When her first guest is murdered on stage by his own robot, the old stories of a psychic who jumped off the hotel's roof to her death resurface and then the rumors start. The tale of a curse may be false, but the dangers soon prove too real, and a late-night intruder results in the enigmatic Matthias Jones moving in to keep Amalie safe. Now the stage is set for danger of a whole different sort. A priceless cipher machine, dastardly villains, and an unexpected romance add surprises of their own. VERDICT With a multithreaded plot, quick-witted banter, and offbeat characters with a theatrical flair, Quick's work returns to Burning Cove and another trip to the edgy, elegant Thirties. This twisted tale of murder and revenge ties up loose ends while it hints at more to come. Quick (The Other Lady Vanishes) also writes as Jayne Ann Krentz and Jayne Castle; she lives in Seattle. [See Prepub Alert, 11/26/18.]

Quick's third thriller set in Hollywood's Golden Age is a dense work of romantic suspense. Burning Cove, Calif., a playground for Hollywood stars and wannabes, also attracts plenty of eccentrics, including former trapeze artist Amalie Vaughn. She used every last dime to open a B and B in the same mansion once owned by psychic Madam Zolanda, who mysteriously jumped from its roof (in The Other Lady Vanishes). Amalie is one of hundreds in the audience for a demonstration of a butler robot, and is horrified when the machine murders his own creator, Dr. Pickwell—who happens to be her first paying guest. However, Matthias Jones, who has arcane abilities and works for suspected mob boss Luther Pell, doesn't for a second believe that a poorly wired robot could shoot to kill. He knows Luther lured Pickwell to town to arrange the illegal sale of a highly valued ciphering machine that the U.S. government wants back, and thinks the murder is related. Quick excels at developing complex plots that keep the reader guessing, all while building chemistry between Amalie and Mattias as they work together to catch a criminal who may also be linked to Amalie's past. This tangled novel will satisfy series fans and others looking for a bit of a challenge. (May)