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Pearl Cove by Elizabeth Lowell
#3 Donovan series
3-1/2*

Archer Donovan receives a call from his half-brother's wife, letting him know of his death after a tropical storm and asking for his help, as she is sure that he was murdered. Archer immediately returns to Australia to help her, although it has been 10 years since he has seen either her or Pearl Cove, a business in which he has half-interest.

There had been a lot of acrimony between him and his brother, Len, especially over Len's wife, Hannah McGarry. He and Len had both worked together in the secret world of undercover operations for the government before Len got in over his head and received an injury which left him in a wheelchair. He was bitter about that and the undesirable side of his personality came to the forefront. Len was abusive and controlling and jealously demanded that Archer never return or Hannah herself would be the one to face his wrath. Archer reluctantly had left as requested, knowing he secretly loved Hannah but couldn't have her. Upon his return, he was still as drawn to her as he had been a decade before. She, however, has lived for years with a cold, hard husband and sometimes sees the same look in Archer's eyes. It takes her a while to allow herself to see the real Archer underneath that look and to know that he is not his brother.

Archer quickly confirms that Len had been murdered and that Hannah was now a target. On top of that, there is now a mystery surrounding the disappearance of a priceless triple-strand of unusual rainbow-colored black pearls, as well as the method of developing those pearls which Len took to his grave.

Archer sweeps Hannah off to Seattle and to the Donovan family compound for her safety. The two then start hunting around trying to find any information on a sighting of the Black Trinity necklace, knowing that if they find that, they will find the killer.

First read in 2012, rated 4*.