Hello readers! Today, my dear friend LEE COLLINS and his co-author JANE COLLMAN drop by to talk about the amazing first book in their new "No Plain Jane PI" series, AN UNETHICAL PRACTICE. Please give them a warm welcome, and check out the book. It's a great read. I zoomed through it in less than 24 hours. They share the blurb, and an excerpt from this amazing book. I reviewed it on Amazon, and I'm sharing my glowing review for it.
But please, don't just take my word for it, go get it! It's available in Kindle, Print on Demand paperback, and it's even available on Kindle Unlimited (which I used).
Thanks for stopping by, Lee and Jane! All the best with the series, I can't wait to read Book 2 when it comes out.
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AN UNETHICAL PRACTICE
By Lee Collins and Jane Collman
Blurb
Dr Julian Fitz-Bartholomew, the Secretary of State for Health and Social
Care, goes to a bar after attending a Health Minister’s Forum to relax and put
his long and draining day behind him. After talking to an attractive young lady
with an alluring middle-class British accent, whose features gave him the
impression she was of Eastern European descent, he regains consciousness on a
beach close to his hotel late at night. When he takes a bath, he discovers a
black line drawn along his breastbone, and a ruptured puncture wound in the
crease of his arm. Given his medical background, he suspects he was drugged and
something untoward was meant to happen to him. To prevent anybody else being
subjected to his traumatic experience, and the press catching wind of what had happened,
he turns to a private investigator, Jane. Working with her small team, Martine,
and recruit, cocky wide-boy Grant, they race against time to find out who’s
responsible for what happened to Julian—before whoever it is gets what they’re
hunting for. And reporters have the opportunity to twist Julian’s innocent
conversation with the vixen into a sex scandal, thereby potentially destroying
his marriage and career.
About the authors
Lee was born and raised in London where he worked as a management consultant, but moved to Tenerife in the Canary Islands in 2001 to pursue a more fulfilling life and focus on his writing. He has been signed to the publisher, eXtasy Books, since 2016 and has sixteen books published with them (Lee and Jane have published An Unethical Practice independently). Jane is a retired police constable from the UK and has been actively involved in the last eight books Lee has published. Her input and first-hand knowledge of police procedures and the limitations of private investigators have been invaluable in making An Unethical Practice as credible and authentic as possible.
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Excerpt (part of
the dream scene)
I open
the door. My nostrils fill with perfume-scented air laced with alcohol which
lures me inside. I glance to my left and right—there are quite a few couples
enjoying a romantic night together. A group of work colleagues are letting off
steam after a hectic day. A few strays, like myself, sitting or on foot at the
bar staring at everything and nothing.
Except
one. The attractive young lady standing beside a stool wearing a hip hugging
black satin skirt with a matching blouse, sheer enough to show off her satin
camisole underneath. Everything accentuated her curves beautifully, and yet
left a bit to the imagination. Her stiletto heels with thin shoestring laces,
wound around her feet, up and above her ankles begged to be untied and unlaced
slowly.
She
doesn’t take her eyes off me, and I don’t know why. I glimpse behind me, but
there’s nobody there—just me. She’s definitely staring at me, and my brow and
palms become moist. I’m not sure if I’m flattered or shocked by her direct and
unashamed eye contact. The other people in the bar, and the noise have faded
into the background.
I head
to the bar, not sure where to position myself along it. There are some gaps,
but only one spare stool, and the mysterious lady has her Hermes handbag on it.
I recognise it because Claudia has one and I remember how much it cost me.
Uncomfortable,
I change direction. She acknowledges me, smiles, revealing immaculate white
teeth, and takes her handbag off the stool. I walk towards her, nod and sit
down. “Erm…that’s very kind of you to let me take your seat.”
She
giggles. “Actually, it was my handbag’s seat, so she’s the one you should be
thanking, not me.” Her middle-class British accent, and stunning facial profile
and skin tone, which are suggestive of her Eastern European descent, are both
charming and sexy. Her pupils are dilated.
I’m
unable to sit still.
I
chuckle. “Oh, I see. Forgive me, my mistake. Let me correct that right away.” I
eye the handbag trying not to laugh. “Why, thank you, Ms. Hermes.” My cheeks
burn slightly. I hope she appreciates, or at least tolerates, my pathetic
attempt at humour.
She
cocks her head to one side, eyes wide, lips pouting, and stares into my eyes.
“Ooh, I’m impressed. Not many men can tell the difference between a Hermes
handbag and what they sell at street markets, even if it’s swung at them with a
brick inside it.”
We both
laugh, me nervously, her confidently.
“Well,
I’ve learned with time, it always pays to recognise a good handbag, if you want
to keep on the right side of the ladies.”
“You’re
quite the ladies’ man, are you?”
I
shuffle uncomfortably on my stool, waving a finger. “Maybe once upon a time,
but not anymore. Those days are over, I’m pleased to say.” I point to my
wedding ring.
She
flinches, her smoky vixen eyes aren’t sparkling so much. I sense
disappointment. She averts her attention to my ring, takes my hand in hers, and
raises it so she can inspect it. The view of her hair is replaced by her face
and our gazes lock. “Aww. That’s so sweet. I’m really happy for you, and your
wife. She’s a very lucky woman to have a handsome charismatic man like you. Do
you have children?”
“Yes, we
have two beautiful children—a girl and a boy.” I puff my chest out.
The
sparkle in her eyes is back. “How lovely. Oh well, I’m quite young, so I’m sure
I’ll have plenty of time for all that later in life.”
“Oh, I
have no doubt in my mind you’ll find the right man when the times right for
you. After all, you’re an extremely pretty and attractive young lady.” I tug on
my jacket sleeve.
“Oh,
stop it. You’ll have me blushing. And…” She pauses and taps a red polished nail
against her glossy red lips—a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I’m not trying to
pick you up. It’s just nice to have some good company. It’s not much fun being
in a bar on your own. Especially when it seems like I’ve been stood up by a guy
I was meant to be meeting. Anyway, changing the subject, and without wishing to
sound rude… Are you going to order a drink for us both, or do I have to?”
I cover
my face with my hand. She oozes confidence and has no problem taking control.
“Oh my goodness. I didn’t think for one minute you were trying to…you know.
Anyway…swiftly moving on. Of course, I’ll order us a drink. What would you
like?”
She
points at her empty Martini cocktail glass. “I’ll stick with the dry Martini’s,
thank you.”
“Coming
up. And, would Ms. Hermes like a drink?”
She
giggles flirtatiously. My passionate senses ignite when she caresses my
forearm.
“No,
she’s driving, so she’d better not. My name’s Mila by the way. And you are?”
“Ah, I’m
Julian.” I swivel my stool as she moves her hand away. I’m relieved, but
surprisingly disappointed. I raise a finger in the air to attract one of the
bartender’s attention.
“What
can I get you, sir?”
“A dry
Martini and a large scotch with ice, please.”
“Coming
right up, sir.”
I glance
to my left. Mila rests her chin in her hand as she leans against the bar. She
studies me quizzically. “Do you work here, or are you just visiting?”
“I’m
just visiting. I’m attending a conference and thank goodness it finishes
tomorrow.” I’m momentarily reminded of Claudia, but Mila’s suggestive smirk has
me mesmerised.
“Oh
right. In which case you’re only going to be in town for tonight?”
I nod.
“That’s right. As lovely as this place probably is, I can’t say I’ve really had
the time to appreciate it, and I can’t wait to get back home.”
“Yes,
I’m sure. It must be difficult being away from your family.”
“Harder
than you can imagine.”
“Where
are you staying?”
“The
Royal Chesterfield. Do you know it?”
“Oh yes,
I know it. It must be a very important conference if you’re staying there. It’s
not cheap that place.”
“I
wouldn’t know about that, but I guess it must be.” I shift awkwardly on my
stool. “Anyway. I don’t really want to think about that place right now. That’s
why I came here—to get a break from it.”
Mila
grimaces. “I’m sorry. Let’s change the subject.”
* * * *
VJ's Review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is amazing from start to finish. You kick off with Julian, a politician, who goes to a bar, feels sick and passes out... He wakes up on a beach not far from his hotel, unsure of how he got there. When he discovers two marks on him, he panics but is reasonable enough to call a Private Investigator. What happens next is a wild roller coaster, full of twists and turns that take you around several blocks before a high, explosive finale that leaves you wanting more.
Highly recommended. Five stars! I'm waiting anxiously for the next installment of this kick butt series.
