Review - - The Conspiracy

The Conspiracy
By Kat Martin
Maximum Security - Book 1
Publisher: HQN
Release Date: January 22, 2019
Reviewed by PJ

Harper Winston’s brother has disappeared. Pursuing his dream of sailing the Caribbean, Michael hasn’t responded to texts or emails in days. When even the Coast Guard can’t find him, Harper is forced to take desperate measures. Which means going to Chase Garrett, once her brother’s best friend, now the only man she can trust…or so she hopes.

As the successful owner of Maximum Security, Chase has learned to trust his gut. He knows Harper’s father is mixed up in a deadly business, and suspects there’s more to Michael’s disappearance than meets the eye. Getting involved again with the Winstons goes against everything he stands for, yet old loyalties die hard. As the case draws him closer to Harper and deeper into the Winstons’ snarled crime family, he is forced to put everything on the line to keep Harper safe…and both of them alive.

My thoughts:

The Conspiracy launches Kat Martin's new series with taut suspense, steamy romance, and plenty of action. I really enjoyed that action. Martin takes readers from Texas to a Caribbean resort and, finally, into the jungles of South America as Harper and Chase race against time to discover what happened to Harper's brother. There are plenty of twists and turns along the way that kept me involved with the story, even after the reveal of who is behind Michael's abduction.  

I had kind of a push-pull relationship with the romance. There's plenty of desire between Chase and Harper and I do love the "best friend of older brother" trope but I also had a few issues with them along the way. There's one scene in particular (no spoilers) that made me very uneasy but I did buy into their eventual HEA. While the primary focus of this book is on Chase and Harper, a secondary romance also unfolds as the story progresses. This romance includes a scene that I'm still trying to figure out why the author felt was necessary. Maybe she was going for an erotic edge, or shock value, but it didn't have that effect on me. In fact, it was disturbing enough that I had to set the book aside for several days before I could continue reading, which is a shame because I really did enjoy the rest of the book. 

Those few issues aside, The Conspiracy is a fast-paced, twisty race against time filled with danger, action, betrayal, and desire that sets the stage for what looks to be another winning series by Kat Martin. 


Do you enjoy books that take readers to exotic, danger-filled locations?

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