Under Lock and Key - K.D. Richards (HI #2249 - Nov 2024)

Series: West Investigations (Book 11)
 
The man who broke her heart…
Must now be her protector.
 
Maggie Scott has worked hard to become an assistant curator at the Larimer Museum. But following the theft of a rare, priceless jewel and the murder of her fellow employee and friend, Maggie is suspected of complicity. Only investigator Kevin Lombard believes in her innocence. But thanks to their shared history, he's hardly objective. In fact, this may be the second chance he never thought possible. First, though, he must prove Maggie's innocence…and protect the woman he never forgot from whoever is out to get her.
 
Another terrific book in the West Investigations series with a gripping mystery, second-chance romance, and an interesting art museum setting. It starts with a bang when the famous Vipere ruby is stolen from the Larimer Museum.
 
Maggie is one of the curators at the museum and the force behind the special exhibit. The night of the donor's preview, Maggie is attacked, and the ruby is stolen. Later that night, she discovers that her best friend and fellow curator has been murdered. Complicating matters, the investigator for the security company is Kevin, the college sweetheart who left her without looking back.
 
Kevin recently started working for West Investigations. This is his first case with them, and he's determined to excel. The last person he expects to see is Maggie, the girl he's never forgotten.
 
The suspense of this story had me glued to the pages from start to finish. The search for the ruby is a rollercoaster ride of promising clues and dead ends, with a twist at the end that I never saw coming. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with a terrific ending.
 
I enjoyed the rekindling of Maggie and Kevin's relationship. Maggie still feels hurt and resentful over how Kevin walked away from her, while Kevin realized long ago that he'd made a terrible mistake. I liked how Maggie insisted on being part of the investigation, which meant spending more time with Kevin. It quickly became evident that the sparks between them were as strong as ever, but Maggie was wary of getting her heart broken again. I liked Kevin's protectiveness and his support of Maggie during the turmoil of the investigation. I liked seeing that they could talk about their past, mistakes, and hopes for the future, taking things slowly to ensure they get it right.