I'm not a chiller, thriller, (except MJ), or heavy mystery reader, but this was kind of dropped in my lap. So, living the adventurous life I do, LOL, I figured what the heck. Our heroine, it's set in the 1930's so that term is still acceptable, starts out discovering her glamorous employer has been murdered and robbed. Naturally she had time to leave a note, a secret book with valuable info, and plenty of cash. Oh, and she also said, get the hell out of town: run for your life! Well,
of course Anna did, all the way to California where she became Irene and got a job as a "reporter." No spoilers here, but she ends up at a swanky, secretive, celebrity hideout, hotel, owned by a former magician. (Really) There, the minor celeb she was planning to interview is at the bottom of the spa pool at midnight, not for any "treatment" the spa has on their list, you dig?! Sorry, having fun.
Our heroine, Irene sorts out all the details, finds out who all the bad guys were from the beginning, in the most fantastic way. Plus, a marvelous treat back at the office for a surprise and great ending. And maybe a little romance for our girl and a former magician?! Who knows! FUN!
3.5 Light Mystery Stars!

Legendary author Amanda Quick returns with her latest romantic suspense novel, The Girl Who Knew Too Much, an historical mystery set in the outskirts of Hollywood’s secret-laden movie colony in the 1930s.

After stumbling onto the scene of the murder of her socialite employer and benefactress, Anna Harris takes the woman’s postmortem advice and runs, taking with her a notebook filled with the mysterious Helen Spencer’s secrets, a wad of cash, and an important blue velvet bag and heads up Route 66 to California. Named a suspect within twenty-four hours of her flight, Anna knows there’s no going back to Chicago and creates herself a new identity, renaming herself Irene Glasson. She quickly learns that others who were to connected to Helen and mentioned in her notebook have met with ugly ends, and so Irene has to fight for her own survival, four months after becoming a hard-nosed journalist for the third-string tabloid Whispers.

Irene follows a lead to a small resort town near Los Angeles. Celebrities have a history of using Burning Cove’s glamorous environs for the purpose of positive publicity and privacy alike, and the notion of having a glaring bright spotlight focused on its peccadilloes makes the movie colony and the people who have high-stakes businesses there incredibly wary. When actress Gloria Maitland is found at the bottom of a pool at the Burning Cove Hotel’s spa, Irene knows she’s in big trouble. She’d been chasing a lead on a hot new actor, Nick Tremayne, and Gloria was her best source; so when the scoop that is Gloria’s murder falls into her lap she finds herself with a new case and in an even more treacherous situation. She quickly comes to realize that her colleague, the blowsy gossip column legend Peggy Hackett, didn’t drown in her own bathtub but was murdered violently, adding a third murder to the roll call of macabre disaster that’s been tailing her.

Plenty of people want to keep Irene silent. There’s Nick, whose pretty face hides an ugly, selfish side – he was trying to get rid of Gloria before she became a human pool noodle. He’s determined to suppress his controversial past and stay in the Hollywood game at any cost, with the help of his anxious assistant, Claudia. Then there’s Earnest Ogden, a self-proclaimed ‘well-paid nanny’ (aka a fixer), whose job it is to babysit people like Nick and keep their scandals under wraps, happily hiring thugs whenever necessary to do it. Henry Oakes, a seemingly obsessed stalker extraordinaire, thinks he’s destined to share a future history with Nick – but their pasts are already enmeshed. Daisy Jennings, a hanger-on social climber knows too much about Nick’s past. And don’t forget father and son contract killers Julian and Graham Enright, part of a long tradition of sadists for hire grown fat on old money, who’ve been on Irene’s tail since Chicago.

But most importantly there’s Oliver, a reclusive ex-magician with an inventor uncle who owns the hotel and doesn’t want to lose his huge investment due to bad publicity. He soon becomes Irene’s greatest ally, a partner in her investigation – and the biggest target for her enemies, who accuse the two of them of fraternization. With Oliver’s old stagecraft tricks and Irene’s determination, the twosome are determined to bring the true killer to justice. Will Irene discover the connection between Gloria, Peggy and Helen and live to ride into the sunset, or will she and Oliver meet a watery grave?

Amanda Quick is an expert weaver of fiction, and it’s quite easy to get absorbed in the chatty, slightly gritty and gossipy world she weaves here. Her voice and tone are just right; the dialogue has a brash, smooth way of echoing thirties film noir – a whiff of Bogart there, a splash of Hawks here, and all of it in good fun. By the time the suspense truly kicks in – about midway through the book – the reader is primed and ready for things to get as juicy as they do.

Irene is a gutsy dame, and she’s fun to follow on her journey from secretary to journalist. Of the supporting characters, I liked Oliver the most; you can hear the Bogart brio in his voice as he weaves through the story with Irene on his arm. His disability is handled well, and his inventor uncle is charming, if underused. Irene and Oliver’s romance builds quite steadily and realistically throughout the novel, eventually echoing some of Quick’s best romantic work, and they have chemistry from their first meeting onward. Ms. Quick also bolsters her story by cleverly fictionalizing a few Hollywood legends and weaving them into Irene’s story. If you love old Hollywood gossip as much as I do you’ll have fun drawing lines between point a and point b.

The novel has only one problem - which is ironically its breakneck pacing. Suspects are introduced in chapter after chapter, barely giving the audience time to react before we’re suddenly with a new person and holding a new plot thread. This works when you’re reading a Sam Spade-style mystery and your hero doesn’t have intimate connections to people; but doesn’t when people like the lead’s mentor are biting the dust. One example: Peggy is introduced as a murder victim and we’re told – after her murder – that she was Irene’s best friend, biggest support and main leg up into journalism before her death; and that Irene found the body. Wouldn’t it have been much better for the story if we got to see Peggy interact with Irene? It’s an opportunity Quick misses, but a minor quibble. And I suppose it’s always a good sign when an author leaves you wanting more.

In the end the rapid pace, the great characters and the fine chemistry between them kept me turning the pages. Quick continues her winning streak of good books written well, and The Girl Who Knew Too Much stands happily and handsomely next to her best work.

This was a little different from what I usually expect from Amanda Quick, and I have to say I like the change. An interesting story in a time period I don't read much about, I couldn't put it down. Have recommended to fans of historical fiction and mysteries.

I am a big fan of Amanda Quick. I will not only recommend this book, but I will purchase for my library

Jayne Anne Krentz always writes a good story and this is no exception. Characters well drawn and believable. A little bit of mystery and romance makes for an enjoyable book. No one does it better than her. I have loved all her books.

Romantic and edgy suspense. Amanda Quick never disappoints.

This isn't a book I would read but once I saw it in one of berkley's posts on instagram I was intrigued and I decide that I really wanted to try it!And I'm glad I did because it was a great book!

I was surprised because once I start it I couldn't put it down!!It was interesting and I enjoyed it!The romance was a little bit slow for my taste but still good.Also both characters were complicated and not easy because they were keeping secrets so it takes some time to get to know each of them.

I really want to read more books by this author!!If you like a good mystery that will make you guessing till the end then this is perfect!!

Amanda Quick is known for her historical and Victorian romances but with the latest novel The Girl Who Knew Too Much she boldly throws herself into the 1930s era. I've always enjoyed her brand of writing and this latest one is no exception. From the beginning she gives us a quick twist and a page grabbing tale. While reading it I often was reminded of the play Chicago or the Film Noir genre of movies. Her characters always make me smile and I love reading about how they come together as a couple and how they escape the escapades they find themselves in. The Girl Who Knew Too Much is another fun chapter in Amanda Quick's writing career and I can't wait to see where she goes next though I'm hoping for another look at the 1930s because I really enjoyed her foray into this time period.
Irene Glasson is a rookie investigator in 1930s Hollywood, though she works for a very small paper she gives her job everything she has to give it. When a red hot tip about up and coming Nick Tremayne ends up landing her in the middle of a murder she finds herself up against masters of illusion and suspicion as she tries to solve the crime. Oliver Ward was a world famous magician but an accident during a performance sidelined his career. Now he runs a glamorous hotel known for keeping the secrets of the exclusive clientele that frequents the establishment. Irene's appearance threatens to turn his whole world upside down and expose the secrets well hidden in the past. Yet Oliver finds himself drawn to Irene and the secrets she is hiding about her own past.

A light cozy mystery that I enjoyed, but I prefer Quick's previous titles, I prefer the setting and time period of her other books published under that pseudonym.

After finding her boss' bloody body with the word "run" written in blood next to it, Anna Harris grabs her things and takes off for Hollywood. There she reinvents herself as a scandal sheet reporter named Irene Glasson. But when the confidant of her story about a new Hollywood star is found dead at the bottom of an exclusive hotel pool, it becomes clear that someone is willing to kill to stop Irene. So she decides to join forces with the hotel's owner--a former magician with secrets of his own

Although I read most of Jayne Ann Krentz's contemporary titles, it's been a long time since I've read a book by Amanda Quick. But, I really enjoyed this one! I loved the 1930s Hollywood setting--it seemed fresh and interesting. And, I've got my fingers crossed that Irene comes back to solve a second case.

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the ARC. Pub date May 9, 2017.

I received this title via NetGalley for review. As a long-time reader of books by Amanda Quick/Jayne Krentz/Jayne Castle, I was a little concerned when I heard that the next Amanda Quick title would be set in 1930s California instead of her usual historical romance setting of England. However, after reading this in the span of two evenings, I realized that it will make an excellent addition to my "keeper" bookshelf. I highly recommend it! Fans of Amanda Quick will fall quickly and comfortably into this romantic suspense story featuring former magician Oliver Ward and secretary/reporter Irene Glasson. The plot elements include murder, threats of blackmail, a stolen notebook, a very determined hitman and a crazed Hollywood fan. When the story ended, I found myself wanting to learn more about Oliver, Irene and their friends. It would be nice to revisit Burning Cove, California, again in the very near future.

Amanda Quick has written another captivating, enjoyable read with a strong woman as a main character. Set in the United States Anna Harris finds her employer murdered and a cryptic message, "Run." She makes a run for it and reinvents herself in California when she stumbles on another murder. With the help of a former magician she faces danger and sparks as they solve the mystery and keep her alive.

In Amanda Quick's (Jayne Ann Krentz's) magical THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, we're taken back to California in the 1930s. It's an interesting time period and really adds to the story, especially with Quick's full, rich descriptions.

Irene Glasson, a reporter and woman with secrets to hide, finds a dead actress at the bottom of a pool in the exclusive Burning Cove Hotel--where the Hollywood famous go to get away from it all, assured of discretion and privacy.

Quick takes readers on a roller coaster of mystery with plenty of suspects for the intrepid heroine and her handsome companion, owner of the Burning Cove, Oliver Ward, to investigate. Oliver's fascinating, a once prominent magician now retired. He walks with a limp, and there's some question as to how his last trick went wrong.

But Oliver's started over, and he's not willing to let his hotel go down in flames. Irene too has started over, and she needs the scoop of a lifetime.

Together, the pair make magic as they find out who killed the victim, but the hazards aren't over when they think they are, and Irene's life is in more danger than she can know. Especially because her buried past has risen from its grave...

Quick is a master when it comes to deftly weaving history and mystery with an entrancing romance. THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH is hopefully the beginning of a new set of mysteries set in the 1930s. Another sizzling whodunit from the always satisfying Amanda Quick.

4.5 Hearts
SJ, Romance Junkies

Set in 1930’s Los Angeles, this book is about Irene Glasson, a reporter who stumbles on a dead body at the Burning Cove Hotel while chasing a big story. The hotel is owned by former magician Oliver Ward, and it’s a celebrity hot spot where all the biggest actors come to enjoy some privacy (carefully curated and strategically interrupted “privacy,” of course - how do you think celebrities kept people talking before Instagram and Twitter?). Oliver is understandably not thrilled about the murder, both because of the negative publicity it might bring to his hotel and because he’s a genuinely decent guy who doesn’t like that someone got killed. Since both Irene and Oliver have a vested interest in figuring out what is going on, they start to work together a bit. Naturally, this draws them closer and brings danger to their door, and it brings to light some of Irene's own dark secrets.

I know this book wasn’t perfect, but boy did I enjoy the hell out of it! I really, really loved the setting. For me, 1930’s LA was an ideal setting for a romance, because it feels distant but still familiar at the same time. We have enough photographs and films that we can visualize the fashion, the cars, the type of actors described. I 100% pictured Irene as a young Katherine Hepburn, fast talking, acerbic wit, brilliant mind, and classy elegance. And setting it in LA, where the film industry was growing by leaps and bounds, where the young and the lost arrived hoping to make it big, was so smart. I don’t know much about the cultural or social history of that time period, but it felt realistic that LA would be the kind of place where morals were a little looser, where supervision was a little less strict, and where a woman like Irene could make it on her own. I was enthralled.

I thought Irene was a great character, but I was in love with Oliver. He was such a lovely, kind man. He took care of all his employees and was serious about his role as their caretaker, and the devotion they all had for him made it clear they cared for him right back. Plus, he was a magician! The job gave him a deep understanding of human nature, and it was one reason he was such a natural at catering to the rich and famous. He was a great match for Irene, too, because he didn’t stomp all over her independence.

Unfortunately, I thought we could have used a little more time for Irene and Oliver to get to know each other. I felt like Irene trusted him a little too easily, especially given that she was hiding some pretty heavy secrets. I enjoyed meeting Oliver’s inventor uncle, but he got so little page time that he wasn’t even close to a fleshed out character, which was a missed opportunity.

Despite the imperfections, I had a great time reading this book. I hope Quick, or any other other author, sets more books in this time period because I didn’t get nearly enough of it!

Grade: 4 out of 5

For two decades, Jayne Ann Krentz, kept her voice as the flowery historical romance author Amanda Quick separate from the straight-forward dialogue and unpretentious narration of books presented in her own name. The Girl Who Knows Too Much fits the template implemented by Krentz, not Quick. The pace of the story is in constant motion, which puts alot of information in the readers mind without enough time to analyze the input, break it down and process it, which had been an essential aspect of Quick's books.

The reader is inundated with one murder after another. A cryptic nemesis is introduced early on though the figure who does the killing lacks the motivation and amoral character of a genuine bloodthirsty murderer. The setting is meant to take place during the art deco/Classic Hollywood period of 1930's America but readers cannot discern this solely based on the narration and dialogue. The characters have a modern vernacular unlike the figure of speech heard in 1930's films. Descriptions about the characters wardrobe is mostly absent. The garments mentioned could depict any decade in the 20th century, and the atmosphere is not particular to the years in the aftermath of the Great Depression. In other words, the story, setting and characters are more modern than they should be.

As Quick, Krentz spent an extensive amount of time developing the personalities of her characters and forming a steamy attraction between the leading man and the heroine. Another downfall about the book is the heroine never acts like a heroine. In the past, the attraction demonstrated by the couple has been so palpable that the reader can imagine the couple in the throes of passion before Quick takes them there. For Krentz's latest offering in the Quick canon, the leading couple is continuously on the defensive with each other. Even when they see they can trust each other, the attraction is contrived.

As a murder mystery in the vane of Sherlock Holmes or Perry Mason, Krentz delivers. As a romance novel, readers are left asking where is it? The read is unpretentious, laying out the facts in a clinical, journalistic manner, written in Krentz's familiar pragmatic and un-starry eyed style.

This is a really different book for Amanda Quick. It reads like an old-time who-dun-it. Once I got over how different it was and figured out what time period I was in I really enjoyed it. Seeing into that time period through characters living it was interesting and fun. The actions, speech and thoughts of those in the story were genuine and believable.

I had a hard time getting into this book. Since I did not finish it, I do not intend to publish a review.