Book and Audio Review: Concrete Evidence by Rachel Grant

Concrete Evidence
Author: Rachel Grant
Narrator: Meredith Mitchell
Series: Evidence (Book 1)
Publication: Janus Publishing (April 16, 2013); Tantor Audio (April 8, 2014)
Length: 323 p.; 11 hours and 22 minutes

Description: She wants revenge. He wants her.

Blackballed from underwater archaeology after accusations of artifact trafficking, Erica Kesling has a new job and a new life on the other side of the country and is working to clear her name. She's closing in on her goal when she's distracted by a sexy, charismatic intern who makes her want something other than revenge.

But Lee Scott is no intern. He's looking for the lead conspirator in an international artifact smuggling scheme, and Erica is his prime suspect. He'll do whatever it takes to win her trust and get her to reveal her secrets, even seduce her.

My Thoughts: Erica Kesling is having a bad year. First, she's betrayed by her mother who opened credit cards in her name, ran up a bunch of debts, and then died in a car accident. Second, she takes a job with treasure hunter Jake Novak whom she discovers is stealing and selling the artifacts she finds for him. She runs from him but he ruins her reputation as an underwater archaeologist on the whole West Coast.

Erica heads to Washington, D.C., and a job with Talon & Drake because she has a clue that someone from there is buying the stolen artifacts. Then she is saddled with a new intern. Lee Scott is undercover looking for the head conspirator in an international artifact smuggling operation. Erica is one of his prime suspects.

Lee has to find his crook as soon as possible as his stepfather Senator Joseph Talon is getting ready to make a run for President and doesn't need any scandal to derail his campaign. 

Lee and Erica fall in love despite many obstacles including that both of them are lying to each other about the reasons they are at Talon & Grant. There was a lot of emotional angst as their relationship grew. Erica doesn't know if she can deal with one more betrayal while trying to fight her way clear of, and get revenge on, Jake Novak. 

The story was packed with excitement and had a really twisty mystery plot. The narrator did a good job with the different characters and with keeping up the emotional intensity of the situations Erica found herself in. 

Favorite Quote:

"I'm sick of games and strategies," Erica said. "I'm sick of being a pawn."

"Pawns are more powerful than you think. Pawns who cross the board safely become queens."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.