Jane Reads: The Cupid Caper by Larissa Reinhart | Blog Tour with Excerpt, Guest Post, and Giveaway

The Blurb

Sassy, Sexy, Southern Suspense

She uses her criminal past to catch crooks. He wants her back. In the grift. And in his life. Can Finley Goodhart convince Lex that doing good is the greatest hustle of all?

Ex-grifter Finley Goodhart may try to stay on the straight and narrow, but walking that thin line becomes wobbly when she believes her friend Penny was murdered. The last thing she wants is to work with her ex-partner (and ex-boyfriend), the brilliant (brilliantly frustrating) British con artist, Lex Leopold. However, when it appears Penny's demise might be related to an exclusive matchmaking service for millionaires, Fin needs Lex's help to pull a long con to get the goods on Penny.

Romance is in the air for hustlers, gangsters, and their marks. Unfortunately for Fin and Lex, infiltrating the racket doesn't make for a match made in heaven. This Valentine swindle could stop their hearts for good.

There is a free prequel for my newsletter subscribers, Pig’n a Poke.

The Cupid Caper by Larissa Reinhart

Series: A Finley Goodhart Crime Caper, #1

Genre: Crime Caper
Publication Date: April 24, 2018
Publisher: Past Perfect Press
Paperback: 320 Pages

ISBN-10: 0998548499

ISBN-13: 978-0998548494

e-Book File Size: 21864 KB

ASIN: B07C12W8WB

The Excerpt

I wasn’t sure what to wear to a celebration of life. Figured basic black was safe. The country club was on the north side of Atlanta. No bus service, so I had to Uber. Just as well, since I’d Goodwill-shopped for a new dress and heels. I’d pulled my long hair into a chignon. Went heavy on the makeup. Kept on a pair of knock-off sunglasses that even fooled the Fendi sales rep at Nordstrom’s.

My diamonds weren’t real, either. But my boobs were, so I figured I had one up on most of the gals at this event.

The celebration of life looked a lot like a cocktail party. A blown-up photo of Penny and the fiancé on an easel. A table with flowers and more pictures. I scanned the guest book but didn’t sign. Snagged a glass of wine and a cheese straw. Meandered the room. I nibbled and sipped. Smiled and nodded. Ignored the looks from the businessmen. Also from their trophy girls. The businesswomen didn’t cut me a glance. Didn’t hear much mention of Penny. But I hadn’t found the fiancé yet, either. Seemed most of these folks worked for the same tech company as the fiancé, Mark Davis.

Lots of money in the room. My toes curled in my heels. I could barely contain myself from licking my lips. Money meant greed. Greed meant easy hustles from people who’d be too embarrassed to report the con, since the hustle meant they were willing to bend the law themselves.

That’s what I loved about a con. Sticking it to some rich jerk who wanted to pad his wallet the easy way and thought they were important enough to be above the law.

Also, the money. I couldn’t pretend I didn’t like the money.

And partnering with Lex. He’d made it fun. Lex had turned me out. Elevated the stakes to long cons. Penny had given me my first taste. She taught me the art of hustling pool. Quick-change. Pigeon-drop. Fiddle scam. And our teenage favorite, the bar bill scam. Grifting was as bad as any drug.

But that was all behind me. I was here to find out what happened to Penny, then get out.

A hand palmed my elbow. “Hello, love.”

I spun toward the voice and glowered at Lex. “What—” I knew what he was doing here. “I don’t need your help, Lex.”

“Of course.” He gave me an appreciative once-over. “I like the dress. Makes good use of your legs. And you’re wearing my diamonds. Feeling sentimental? Or feeling the itch?”

“Just trying to dress for the occasion, you know.”

“Dressing the part always came naturally to you. Feels like old times in here, it does.” He smoothed a non-existent wrinkle on his Armani jacket. “A celebration of life. Champagne nights and caviar dreams for our Penny. She would have had a right laugh at that.”

“Particularly because of the way she died,” I said sullenly. “Like a cheap hooker. Not particularly caviar worthy.”

“Speaking of caviar,” said Lex. “There’s someone I want you to meet. The fiancé. Mark Davis.”

“What else do you know?”

“This is his father’s club. But Mark’s VP of sales at his firm. High tech.”

“How long was he with Penny?”

“Three, four months. Quick engagement.”

“Penny knew how to work fast.”

“So cynical, Fin. Maybe she found love.”

“Right, and then died of an overdose?” I lowered my voice. “I want to know where they met. This matchmaking service. She must have been working on the inside. Penny would never have gone for this.” My lip curled at the crowd of bow ties and botox.

“You never know, love. Maybe, like you, Penny got tired of the grift. Wanted to settle down.” Lex sounded wistful. I gave him a sharp look and he shrugged. “She’d be on easy street here. That’s the dream, right?”

I didn’t know what the dream was. Surviving the night with more money than you began, maybe. Didn’t take long for the romance to wear off when you’re grifting. “I wasn’t tired, Lex. Conning people, even rich assholes, is wrong. A scam’s a scam.”

“Truer words never spoken.”

This was old ground. I moved on. “So, Mark Davis. Family’s the country club type, he’s a sales guy. Young to be VP, so he’s been working his tail off or he knew the right people to climb over.”

“You got it.” Lex circled an arm around my waist and leaned into my ear. “And by the way, his father is on the superior court.”

I froze. “He’s a judge? Penny was engaged to a guy whose father’s a judge?”

“Penny was as convincing as anyone.” Lex drew me closer. “Although that’s a risk I was surprised she’d take.”

“She would have vetted the vic. No way she’d hustle a judge’s kid.”

“Maybe it’s all legit.”

I pushed away. “I don’t believe it. Let me get a feel for this guy.”

“Right.” Lex smirked. “What do you say? Elizabeth Ann and Carter?”

“They’ll do.” Figured he’d choose those roles. Elizabeth Ann and Carter were a couple. Sometimes engaged. Sometimes married. Sometimes recently dating. Whatever we needed for the situation. Elizabeth Ann ran the gamut of hair color and professions. Carter, too. But they were always on the level. Chumps.

The Guest Post

Y'all, I'm thrilled to have a very special guest with me today. Please help me welcome Larissa Reinhart!

Oakland Cemetery: One of the best kept not-so-secrets in Atlanta

Jane, I’m so glad I can be here today and share one of Atlanta’s wonderful treasures. When I was writing THE CUPID CAPER, I wanted an interesting place for a car or foot chase. Atlanta is a city of old neighborhoods so there are many to choose from.

My family and I live about forty-five minutes away from the city (on a good traffic day), but even after living here for more than twenty years, there are still a lot of places we haven’t visited. After doing some research at home, I realized the resting place for Margaret Mitchell and many other famous Atlantans would be the perfect place for my chase scene: Oakland Cemetery.

Oakland Cemetery

I can tell you how unthrilled my daughters were when I told them the destination for our research trip. I couldn’t blame them. My parents used to drag my sister and me to cemeteries when we were younger (my dad was a history teacher). I think cemeteries are something you appreciate when you’re older.

However Oakland is more of a garden than a plot of dusty tombstones. It’s 48 acres of green space located just southeast of downtown (literally on the other side of the train tracks). A bevy of famous Georgians have been buried there, including Bobby Jones and Margaret Mitchell. It’s a great example of Victorian burial art: statues, mausoleums, and huge monuments line its brick paths.

Austell Vault

The Historic Oakland Foundation now cares and maintains for the graves and gardens since many of the generations responsible for maintaining family graves have passed themselves. And what makes Oakland even cooler is the themed, guided walking tours the Foundation offers. Among the twenty or so different tours are Art and Architecture of Death; Oakland’s Music Makers; Oakland and the Civil War; Margaret Mitchell and Gone with the Wind; and History, Mystery, and Mayhem. Check the website for information on the tours that run from March until November.

Oakland Fun

When we took our children, we let them scamper the brick paths and climb up the steps to peek into the mausoleums. It’s a kind of a maze of raised plots and monuments. Perfect for a foot chase. And for a Sunday stroll among budding spring flowers and trees. After the cemetery, we went across to the street to Tin Lizzy’s for nachos (also mentioned in The Cupid Caper).

My husband and I returned in late March with our friends for "Malts and Vaults: Where Beer Meets History” tour. After a tour of the burial spots for Atlanta’s beer makers and learning about their fascinating history, we had a tasting of local beers. How many cemeteries offer that?

Malts and Vaults tour

With beer in hand, we strolled to give our respect at Margaret Mitchell’s tomb. I wondered if Scarlett would have approved. Rhett, I’m sure, would have been amused. After the tour, we crossed the street to have another beer at the restaurant, Six Feet Under.

I love a neighborhood with a great sense of gallows humor.

If you get a chance to visit Atlanta, I hope you stop in at Oakland. Particularly if it’s a nice day, it’s worth the visit. There’s a lovely gift shop where you can ask about the tours. And be sure to say hello to Margaret.

Me and Margaret Mitchell

The Author

About Larissa Reinhart

Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Larissa Reinhart writes humorous mysteries and romantic comedies including the critically acclaimed Maizie Albright Star Detective, Finley Goodhart Crime Capers, and Cherry Tucker Mystery series. Larissa’s a contributor to the 2017 Silver Falchion Reader’s Choice winner, was the 2015 Georgia Author of the Year finalist, 2012 Daphne du Maurier finalist, 2012 The Emily finalist, and 2011 Dixie Kane Memorial winner.

Larissa’s family and dog, Biscuit, had been living in Japan, but once again call Georgia home. See them on HGTV’s House Hunters International “Living for the Weekend in Nagoya” episode. Visit her website, LarissaReinhart.com, and join her newsletter for a free short story.