Musings and Ramblings

The Final Cut

A Brit in the FBI, #1

Catherine Coulter, J.T. Ellison

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Jove
Date of Publication: September 17, 2013
Number of pages: 465
Cover Artist: Nicole Laroche

Scotland Yard’s new chief inspector Nicholas Drummond is on the first flight to New York when he learns his colleague, Elaine York, the "minder" of the Crown Jewels for the "Jewel of the Lion" exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was found murdered. Then the centerpiece of the exhibit, the infamous Koh-i-Noor Diamond, is stolen from the Queen Mother’s crown. Drummond, American-born but raised in the UK, is a dark, dangerous, fast-rising star in the Yard who never backs down. And this case is no exception.

Special Agents Lacey Sherlock and Dillon Savich from Coulter’s bestselling FBI series don’t hesitate to help Drummond find the cunning international thief known as the Fox. Nonstop action and high stakes intensify as the chase gets deadly. The Fox will stop at nothing to deliver the Koh-i-Noor to the man who believes in its deadly prophecy. Nicholas Drummond, along with his partner, FBI Special Agent Mike Caine, lay it on the line to retrieve the diamond for Queen and country.

I know this is going to sound a bit crazy, but this was my first Catherine Coulter book.  I know, Right! How is it possible, that with everything I have read, she wasn't on my list?  I have no clue. *shrugs* Her FBI Thriller series interested me, but it was so large, that I just kept thinking "maybe some day". Then I saw that there would be a spin off series, A Brit in the FBI. A NEW Series. Starting from scratch at book 1? I'm there.  Except that, as usual, my eyes were bigger than my time allotment, and the book has been sitting on a shelf.  Well, I finally got a chance to dust it off and crack it open.

Having never read either Coulter or Ellison, I honestly have no comment on who wrote what and where their individual influences can be seen.  I will leave that to those who can recognize such things.  I did however notice some disjointing in the book, leaving me to think that these two had some difficulty seaming their styles together. It wasn't horrible, but it was definitely noticeable that two chefs were in this kitchen.

As for the story line, it was interesting and I do love a good heist story. The combination of the FBI and Scotland Yard made this different. I was a bit disappointed in Nicholas Drummond. I mean, a decent hacker, a former spy, a detective with Scotland Yard, and nobility? Plus he is rich and super good looking. Come on, him not following rules doesn't pull him from Mary Sue status, it just takes it to the next level. Michaela "Mike" Caine, on the other hand, seemed to be a bit more realistic character and one I wouldn't mind seeing more of.  Usually it's the female characters I am not happy with, it totally shocked me that it was reversed this time.

There was some really interesting history about the Koh-i-Noor gem, mixed in with some new material to take it's mythology to a whole new level. I also enjoyed the fact, that even though the FBI didn't get the exact facts right, they kept the case moving forward on what they did find. It was a case of "what actually happened", "what the bad guys wanted it to appear happened" and "what the FBI thought happened."  I'm not saying it was all procedural, but there were some components mixed in. Overall I had a good time with this book, and I can see myself giving the next one a try.  I gave this book 3 stars.