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Ten years ago, former special agent Cleo North ignored her gut instinct--and a young sergeant wound up brutally murdered. Finally she is in a position to find out what went wrong.Cleo is certain the official story--a murder-suicide--is wrong. Now she has a new assignment working with Major Jack Donovan and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, offering security to a pampered celebrity as a front for a terrorism factfinding mission. At last she has access to the one man she's sure show more is involved in the decade-old murder.
But as Cleo is plunged into a tangle of violence and lies, she must quickly decide who the real victims are. And who's covering up a first deadly mistake.
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The first of the exciting Cleo North Trilogy, THE FIRST MISTAKE draws readers into an exciting world of political intrigue, action-adventure, and passion with the first page. No one writes military romantic suspense as well as this former USAF Colonel, and THE FIRST MISTAKE doesn't disappoint!
For Cleopatra Aphrodite North, giving up a life as part of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations seemed to be the only choice she had left. After ignoring her sense that something wasn't right with a case involving a murder/suicide of Sergeant Debra Smith and Staff Sergeant Thomas Mitchell. Cleo is sure she botched the case, and that fact, along with her turmoil regarding paperwork and rules, forced her to trade in her uniform for a life show more of private investigations and security.
She hasn't regretted the fact that she left the Air Force, but she does regret never solving that one horrific case. When Major Jack Donovan suddenly shows up on the scene, asking for her help in a seven-burner investigation being overseen by her former commander, General Barnes, Cleo can't say no. But it's not for the reasons Jack might think-babysitting a cranky Tinseltown actress will provide the perfect smokescreen for Cleo to turn her sights on one Alexander Sloan, Colonel, USAF, Retired.
THE FIRST MISTAKE is military romantic suspense at its absolute best. Conspiracies, mysteries, action-adventure, and spine-tingling passion all come together to make this book a keeper. I can say with honesty, that after reading it, I immediately went and picked up THE MIDDLE SIN, the next book in the trilogy, just to find out where Cleo ends up next. Not to mention what becomes of Alexander's twin brother Marc, and to find out how Jack is dealing with his alcoholic ex-wife, Kate. Kudos to Ms. Lovelace for dragging this reader into the intrigue! show less
For Cleopatra Aphrodite North, giving up a life as part of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations seemed to be the only choice she had left. After ignoring her sense that something wasn't right with a case involving a murder/suicide of Sergeant Debra Smith and Staff Sergeant Thomas Mitchell. Cleo is sure she botched the case, and that fact, along with her turmoil regarding paperwork and rules, forced her to trade in her uniform for a life show more of private investigations and security.
She hasn't regretted the fact that she left the Air Force, but she does regret never solving that one horrific case. When Major Jack Donovan suddenly shows up on the scene, asking for her help in a seven-burner investigation being overseen by her former commander, General Barnes, Cleo can't say no. But it's not for the reasons Jack might think-babysitting a cranky Tinseltown actress will provide the perfect smokescreen for Cleo to turn her sights on one Alexander Sloan, Colonel, USAF, Retired.
THE FIRST MISTAKE is military romantic suspense at its absolute best. Conspiracies, mysteries, action-adventure, and spine-tingling passion all come together to make this book a keeper. I can say with honesty, that after reading it, I immediately went and picked up THE MIDDLE SIN, the next book in the trilogy, just to find out where Cleo ends up next. Not to mention what becomes of Alexander's twin brother Marc, and to find out how Jack is dealing with his alcoholic ex-wife, Kate. Kudos to Ms. Lovelace for dragging this reader into the intrigue! show less
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166+ Works 3,377 Members
After a 23-year career commanding U. S. Forces around the world, USAF Colonel Merline Lovelace began a second career as a writer. She has based many of her books on her own experiences in uniform. Lovelace has published more than 70 novels including those for the series: Men of the Bar-H and Codename: Danger. Her books have won numerous awards, show more including the Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA. She was named the University of Oklahoma's Writer of the Year and the Oklahoma Female Veteran of the Year. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
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- Canonical title
- The First Mistake
- People/Characters
- Cleo North; Jack Donovan
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- 83
- Popularity
- 382,497
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (4.00)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 6
- ASINs
- 2
























































