Above Temptation by Karin Kallmaker is a romance built around a fraud investigation. Something that doesn’t sound at all sexy and yet it’s Kallmaker so you know that it will be fun and have some great chemistry.
Kip Barret is happy in her job. She works long hours and is good at tracking and gathering evidence of fraudulent activity. So good, in fact that she gets asked to do an investigation of the very company in which she works. The request comes from her boss’s boss’s boss, CEO Tamara Sterling.
Kip has to do what she has done a thousand times before, uncover the cyber-trail to find the thief and make sure that the documentation is in order so that they can recover the money and prosecute the criminal.
This time, though, the embezzler might be inside the company, a fact that has Kip looking at everyone with suspicion, including Tamara Sterling.
Tam provides Kip with valuable information but the more Kip uncovers the less she can rule out Tam herself.
Tamara Sterling has built a company with an unblemished reputation for ethical conduct and someone is out to destroy her reputation and take her money. She turns to Kip Barret to help her solve the mystery and prevent everything she owns from going up in flames.
The problem is that there is a strict no fraternisation rule at the company and when Tam and Kip find themselves at the mercy of a strong attraction they have to fight their feelings.
Can Kip figure out who is behind the scheme before Tam’s hard-earned reputation is destroyed? And what happens if she and Tamara succumb to their feelings? Is it worth giving up her job over?
Writing
Kallmaker wrote a good romance with an interesting fraud case to solve. There were a handful of suspects, it was fun to get into the head of an accounting detective and follow the clues.
The romance was hot and the fact that Kip couldn’t rule out that Tamara was the one who was doing the embezzling added a fun twist to the reason they couldn’t get together.
Narration
Quinn Riley is a solid narrator. She is easy to listen to and makes it clear who everyone is with consistent and individual vocals for each person.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
One of the things I really love Kallmaker’s romances is that there are strong plots. And not just romance plots with a lot of feelings but interesting jobs, mysteries to solve and smart problems. They are intelligent romances and that makes my brain happy.
Heads Up
There are one or two things that date the book, such as mentions of it only recently being legal to get married in the US, so go into this one seeing it as a period piece for a very specific time in history (2010) then you should be good.
The Conclusion
Get this one if you are looking for an interesting plot paired with a slow-burn romance that will make you think that accounting is super cool.
I enjoyed the audiobook. It was fun revisiting the story that I read years ago and it is a great addition to my audio library.
Excerpt from Above Temptation by Karin Kallmaker
Kip said carefully, “You want me to investigate embezzlement at SFI? In secrecy and potentially involving one of your direct reports? And you can’t ask Woo or Daniels because the guilty party might notice?”
She nodded gravely. “I need you because you’re still a low profile. Someone is siphoning cash out of SFI bank accounts. You can start with these.” She tossed a stack of papers in her direction.
Kip had examined thousands of bank reconciliations in her years with SFI and the Justice Department. Even in the digital age, bank statements were tick marked by real people for key balances, an essential check against error and fraud. She flipped through the pages and saw the telltale signs of alterations. It was a very good job, though. “How much is missing?”
“Half a million that I’ve discovered so far. I haven’t started looking where the real money is. Someone would notice if I did.”
Kip arched an eyebrow. “The trust accounts?”
She got a nod in response. “I was ambivalent about offering the service to clients from the beginning, and this was one of the reasons why.”
“We take every precaution,” Kip said. “Loss of a client’s money would be devastating. It would literally shatter our reputation.”
The look she got said she had just stated the obvious again. Fighting down another flush, Kip changed direction. “I understand why you’re asking me. Whoever is doing this might be on the lookout for you or one of the top investigators. But they won’t be looking for someone like me. How do you know you can trust me?”
“Because of the Prudential case. If you were susceptible to bribery I think you would have taken the three hundred thousand they offered you. You have no offspring yearning to go to Ivy League schools. You’re driving a six-year-old car and you live in a very modest condo. No untoward debts, no unexplained riches.”
Sterling had clearly done a cursory background check. Kip tried not to resent the intrusion; it came with the territory. “The condo is modest, maybe, but it cost plenty. Seattle’s real estate was through the roof when I bought it.” Kip didn’t mention the cabin, which she’d been able to buy last year, using her savings and the bonus from the Big Blue case. Nobody knew about the cabin.
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 978-1594931796
Publisher: Bella Books
Audiobook Publisher: Tantor Audio
Narrator: Quinn Riley
Run time: 10 hours and 29 minutes
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