Bulletproof Princess

Vicki Hinze's characters are fully realized emotionally and jump off the page, full of life as they make their way through her precise plotting.

Gotham Rose member Chloe St. John, the Princess of Astoria of Denmark was engaged to attorney Marcus Sterling III, but he died in an explosion. However, Chloe knew the truth that her fiancé was setting her up for a kidnapping so she is not mourning her loss. Though Chloe has moved in with Architectural Restoration reporter Jack Quaid, Gotham Rose President Renee Dalton-Sinclair insists she attend his funeral to cut down the questions from reporters. Afterward, Renee informs Chloe she has her field assignment for her. Apparently the international criminal mastermind the Duke runs an escort service that fronts a while slave market. They abduct young Russian women with no family ties to sell to willing buyers. Marcus somehow was tied to the group. Though it will upset another Gotham Rose member to be yanked from the case someone fluent in Russian needs to take over. Renee wants Chloe to be a "victim" of an abduction so they can trace the trail and capture the elusive Duke. Though she anticipates the danger the case will entail, neither she, her best friend Emma nor Renee come close to the reality. The latest Gotham Roses thriller is an exhilarating action-packed suspense tale that never slows down from the moment that Chloe learns her assignment from Renee. The story line is fast-paced once the heroine prepares herself to be abducted and once done realizes how the best laid plans can go astray. Though some of the escapades seem over the top, fans will appreciate this strong look at surprisingly a real problem, the international slave trade. Harriet Klausner

Vicki Hinze concludes the It Girls series with the revelation and capture of the Duke. The Duke is the mysterious person behind numerous crimes, including human trafficking. Chloe St. John is one of the Gotham Roses who takes on the assignment with her partner, Emma Bosworth, to go undercover to stop the kidnapping and sale of women. However, their cover is quickly blown and Emma later lapses into a coma after being injured while following up on the case. Chloe has numerous suspects, all of them close associates of herself or her family. Even her brother, Erik, is a suspect! Chloe also realizes that one of the Gotham Roses is a leak for the Duke and she is forced to question the loyalty of everyone. This book is non-stop action and intrigue from page one. The only caution I have is that it is easier to identify the multitude of characters if you have followed the series. The book can be read as a stand alone novel but many of the nuances can be lost and the cast of characters may be overwhelming. Overall, I enjoyed this book and found it a satisfying conclusion to the series.