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Bullet Catcher #4
First You Run
AN UNSTOPPABLE BODYGUARD ON THE HUNT.
A WOMAN HIDING A SECRET EVEN SHE DOESN'T KNOW. A PASSION THAT BEGINS WITH DANGER....
Bullet Catcher Adrien Fletcher is on a mission to track down a baby given up in a black market adoption thirty years ago. He has a list of possible names and one tantalizing clue: the infant girl had been marked with a tiny tattoo. And since tattoo-hunting will mean getting up close and personal with the women on his list, he's the perfect man for the job. But when Fletch meets Miranda Lang, he knows she can never be just a name on his list. If she's not his target, he should move on and find the right woman, despite their electrifying attraction. But Miranda is on her own mission, and every step takes her closer to a deadly trap. Fletch may be the only man who can protect her...forcing him to choose between duty and desire.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2008
27 people are currently reading
867 people want to read
About the author
Roxanne St. Claire
265 books1,832 followersI don’t know about you, but when I check out an author's bio, it’s usually because I’ve read a book I liked and wondered about the person behind it. Let's skip the formal bio and I'll give you the inside scoop on who Roxanne St. Claire really is.
First of all, call me Rocki. Everyone does. Evidently, when my mother brought me home from the hospital I seemed too scrawny and small to pull off “Roxanne” (she’d read Cyrano de Bergerac while pregnant or I would have been Judy) so they called me Rocki.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, the youngest of five (overachievers, every one), and fell in love with words and stories the summer I read Gone With The Wind. That year, for my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me a typewriter (with italic font – it was the coolest thing) and from that day on, I’ve had my fingers on a keyboard, pounding out love stories for fun. My AP English teacher taught me the two most important lessons an aspiring author ever needs: 1) verbs are the key to life and 2) a writer should get a real job. After attending UCLA and graduating with a degree in communications, I tried acting and television broadcasting. Oh, they aren’t real jobs? I learned that the hard way. I changed my last name from Zink to St. Claire because a news producer told me Roxanne Zink had too many harsh consonants for a TV personality – apparently Katie Couric didn’t get the memo. I got some fun gigs, and even met Tom Hanks when I did a guest appearance on Bosom Buddies. I liked on camera work, but wasn’t too crazy about starvation, so I moved to Boston and got that “real” job. In fact, I placed my foot on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder and didn’t look down until I’d climbed all the way up to the level of Senior Vice President at the world’s largest public relations firm. On the way up, I met the man of my dreams in an elevator. Two years later – in the same elevator! – he asked me to marry him and I wisely said yes.
I stayed in PR, moved to Miami, had a few babies, lost my home in a hurricane, built another one a few hours north and all along, I kept writing my “stories” for fun. One night, I read a particularly fabulous romance novel that changed my life for good. That night, I decided I wanted to make someone else feel as whole and happy as that author made me feel. (Everyone asks! It was Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.) With two small children and one big “real” job, writing my first novel wasn’t easy, but I did finish a manuscript that managed to get the attention of a literary agent. She told me to do one thing and one thing fast: write another book. (The first one is usually a “learner” book, honestly.) That second manuscript sold to Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books and was released in 2003 as Tropical Getaway. Since then, I’ve written almost thirty more, in multiple genres, and long ago replaced the corporate ladder with the rollercoaster of publishing as a full-time novelist. Finally, writing is my real job.
Today, I live in a small beach community in Florida with my husband and two dogs. Our kids are off to college and law school, which means my nest is empty! I spend my time writing, working with the kids at my church, enjoying my husband's gourmet cooking, and hanging with my many writer friends. Of course, I love to read. I’m still crazy about words and stories and hope to write at least a hundred books in my lifetime. And, yes, verbs are the key to life. My favorites? Love. Work. Believe.
xoxo
Rocki
First of all, call me Rocki. Everyone does. Evidently, when my mother brought me home from the hospital I seemed too scrawny and small to pull off “Roxanne” (she’d read Cyrano de Bergerac while pregnant or I would have been Judy) so they called me Rocki.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, the youngest of five (overachievers, every one), and fell in love with words and stories the summer I read Gone With The Wind. That year, for my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me a typewriter (with italic font – it was the coolest thing) and from that day on, I’ve had my fingers on a keyboard, pounding out love stories for fun. My AP English teacher taught me the two most important lessons an aspiring author ever needs: 1) verbs are the key to life and 2) a writer should get a real job. After attending UCLA and graduating with a degree in communications, I tried acting and television broadcasting. Oh, they aren’t real jobs? I learned that the hard way. I changed my last name from Zink to St. Claire because a news producer told me Roxanne Zink had too many harsh consonants for a TV personality – apparently Katie Couric didn’t get the memo. I got some fun gigs, and even met Tom Hanks when I did a guest appearance on Bosom Buddies. I liked on camera work, but wasn’t too crazy about starvation, so I moved to Boston and got that “real” job. In fact, I placed my foot on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder and didn’t look down until I’d climbed all the way up to the level of Senior Vice President at the world’s largest public relations firm. On the way up, I met the man of my dreams in an elevator. Two years later – in the same elevator! – he asked me to marry him and I wisely said yes.
I stayed in PR, moved to Miami, had a few babies, lost my home in a hurricane, built another one a few hours north and all along, I kept writing my “stories” for fun. One night, I read a particularly fabulous romance novel that changed my life for good. That night, I decided I wanted to make someone else feel as whole and happy as that author made me feel. (Everyone asks! It was Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.) With two small children and one big “real” job, writing my first novel wasn’t easy, but I did finish a manuscript that managed to get the attention of a literary agent. She told me to do one thing and one thing fast: write another book. (The first one is usually a “learner” book, honestly.) That second manuscript sold to Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books and was released in 2003 as Tropical Getaway. Since then, I’ve written almost thirty more, in multiple genres, and long ago replaced the corporate ladder with the rollercoaster of publishing as a full-time novelist. Finally, writing is my real job.
Today, I live in a small beach community in Florida with my husband and two dogs. Our kids are off to college and law school, which means my nest is empty! I spend my time writing, working with the kids at my church, enjoying my husband's gourmet cooking, and hanging with my many writer friends. Of course, I love to read. I’m still crazy about words and stories and hope to write at least a hundred books in my lifetime. And, yes, verbs are the key to life. My favorites? Love. Work. Believe.
xoxo
Rocki
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
June 25, 2017
Adrien Fletcher has some downtime and is using it to help his former teammate track down a baby given away in a black market adoption thirty years ago. The first on his list is Miranda Lang, an associate professor of linguistic anthropology at Berkeley. She's beginning a book tour to promote her recent publication that debunks the theory that the world will end on the last date of the Maya calendar. While Adrien is trying to locate the identifying tattoo, someone is out to sabotage Miranda's book and hurt her in the process.
I have mixed feelings about this story, which had two mystery angles. The first was the search for the adopted child and it was the most interesting but had the least amount of page time. The second was identifying who was disrupting Miranda's book tour and why. The anthropological aspect was fascinating but the mystical shenanigans were a distraction. It's obvious that an extraordinary amount of research was conducted for the story but I wish the shaman stuff had less focus.
I liked Adrien and Miranda but didn't love them because their chemistry seemed forced. They just never grabbed me emotionally. The mysteries, however, were intriguing and compelling. Please know that while most of the mysteries were resolved here, part of the story arc continues into the next book. I enjoyed the story despite my issues and am looking forward to the next. 3.5 stars
I have mixed feelings about this story, which had two mystery angles. The first was the search for the adopted child and it was the most interesting but had the least amount of page time. The second was identifying who was disrupting Miranda's book tour and why. The anthropological aspect was fascinating but the mystical shenanigans were a distraction. It's obvious that an extraordinary amount of research was conducted for the story but I wish the shaman stuff had less focus.
I liked Adrien and Miranda but didn't love them because their chemistry seemed forced. They just never grabbed me emotionally. The mysteries, however, were intriguing and compelling. Please know that while most of the mysteries were resolved here, part of the story arc continues into the next book. I enjoyed the story despite my issues and am looking forward to the next. 3.5 stars
November 19, 2016
Roxanne St Claire's Bullet Catcher Series continues with First You Run (book #4) with Aussie Bullet Catcher Adrien Fletcher helping a friend track down a baby adopted illegally in the black marked, 30 years ago, whose biological mother is dying of cancer and needs a bone marrow transplant.
One of the names on the list he's given is Miranda Long, a Mayan historian, who is being targeted by fanatics opposed to her theory that the world will not end in 12/21/2012.
Another fast-paced and suspense filled romantic adventure that keeps you turning the pages.
And yes, some parts of the story are a bit far-fetched and dare I say...hard to believe....but wait...this is pure and enjoyable fiction.......WHERE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!
I enjoyed the plot....and the characters.....the only quibble I had was Adrien Fletcher's irritating Aussie slang!!!!!
So, do I want some more Bullet Catchers??? Yes, I'm on a total roll here with these hot and sexy guys!!!
One of the names on the list he's given is Miranda Long, a Mayan historian, who is being targeted by fanatics opposed to her theory that the world will not end in 12/21/2012.
Another fast-paced and suspense filled romantic adventure that keeps you turning the pages.
And yes, some parts of the story are a bit far-fetched and dare I say...hard to believe....but wait...this is pure and enjoyable fiction.......WHERE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!
I enjoyed the plot....and the characters.....the only quibble I had was Adrien Fletcher's irritating Aussie slang!!!!!
So, do I want some more Bullet Catchers??? Yes, I'm on a total roll here with these hot and sexy guys!!!
June 20, 2017
Bullet Catcher Adrien "Fletch" Fletcher has been asked by a friend to track down a baby who was given up in a black market adoption thirty years ago. Since he has been given a list of a dozen names, Fletch must track down each woman and try to discover if she has a tattoo that she was given at birth. Halfway through the list, Fletch meets Miranda Lang. She is currently on a book tour, repudiating the popular theory that the Mayan calendar ending in 2012 means the world will end. But there are people who do not want Miranda's book to be a success and will do anything to stop her from selling a single copy.
This is the first book in a mini-trilogy within the Bullet Catchers series. You should have no problem jumping into the series at this book. This story had a unique plot with the Mayan calendar slant to the story. I found some of it interesting, but portions with the Shaman made me want to skip pages. My favorite part of the story was the hero searching for a woman on behalf of her mother who was convicted of murder and is currently dying from cancer. I want to know who actually committed the murder. Well, I have to read the rest of the trilogy to find out. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
This is the first book in a mini-trilogy within the Bullet Catchers series. You should have no problem jumping into the series at this book. This story had a unique plot with the Mayan calendar slant to the story. I found some of it interesting, but portions with the Shaman made me want to skip pages. My favorite part of the story was the hero searching for a woman on behalf of her mother who was convicted of murder and is currently dying from cancer. I want to know who actually committed the murder. Well, I have to read the rest of the trilogy to find out. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
April 24, 2008
Book #6 and looks like Book #1 of a trilogy within the Bullet Catcher Series as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It started off with a BANG and went. Wonderful characters. Wonderful. Loved the Australian accent and enjoyed how the author showed the pronunciation to readers. Still not sure what a Bunyip is though. Is that a Bun-yip or Buny-ip?
This book reminded me of the t.v. show Bones because Miranda is a Linguistic Anthropologist who studied the Mayan Culture, wrote a book, etc. I thought I was in trouble for not remembering who Jack Culver was. The book eludes to history from another, but truth be told, his story comes out in the end of the book where it all gets explained. And I can safely say that Jack Culver's "stuff" was NOT in a previous book! ;-)
I see how this book sets up the trilogy and that's all I can say about that without posting a spoiler alert. I see the next in this series in due out July 2008, "Then You Hide." And This Reader can't wait!
I laughed and cried while reading this and it was oh so romantic, too. One of This Reader's favorites.
This book reminded me of the t.v. show Bones because Miranda is a Linguistic Anthropologist who studied the Mayan Culture, wrote a book, etc. I thought I was in trouble for not remembering who Jack Culver was. The book eludes to history from another, but truth be told, his story comes out in the end of the book where it all gets explained. And I can safely say that Jack Culver's "stuff" was NOT in a previous book! ;-)
I see how this book sets up the trilogy and that's all I can say about that without posting a spoiler alert. I see the next in this series in due out July 2008, "Then You Hide." And This Reader can't wait!
I laughed and cried while reading this and it was oh so romantic, too. One of This Reader's favorites.
June 28, 2017
I am really enjoying this series. This book "First You Run" is the first in a trilogy within the series and I am very excited to read the other two books. There is a arc that will connect the books and each book has its' own hero and heroine and a mystery to solve.
Bullet Catcher Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher is on a month long break, except instead of going home to Australia he is going to help a mate, Jack who was a former Bullet Catcher, who is now a PI. Jack needs to find a baby given up in a black market adoption thirty years ago. Fletch has been searching for the baby, now a 30 year woman, and his only clue is a list and the information that she has a tattoo.
Miranda Lange is the next name on his list. Miranda is an associate professor on Anthropology at UC Berkley and she has just published her first book on the Mayan Long Count Calendar which, some say, prophesy the end of the world in 2012. She has plenty of critics and detractors and at the launch of her book tour, demonstrators interrupt her. Adrian is on hand to rescue her and they have an instant sexual connection and Adrian thinks getting her nude to search for the tattoo should be easy-peasy. Except, the crazies after Miranda prove to be a lot more than disruptive and Adrian must choose between protecting her and completing his mission. 4 1/2 Stars
Bullet Catcher Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher is on a month long break, except instead of going home to Australia he is going to help a mate, Jack who was a former Bullet Catcher, who is now a PI. Jack needs to find a baby given up in a black market adoption thirty years ago. Fletch has been searching for the baby, now a 30 year woman, and his only clue is a list and the information that she has a tattoo.
Miranda Lange is the next name on his list. Miranda is an associate professor on Anthropology at UC Berkley and she has just published her first book on the Mayan Long Count Calendar which, some say, prophesy the end of the world in 2012. She has plenty of critics and detractors and at the launch of her book tour, demonstrators interrupt her. Adrian is on hand to rescue her and they have an instant sexual connection and Adrian thinks getting her nude to search for the tattoo should be easy-peasy. Except, the crazies after Miranda prove to be a lot more than disruptive and Adrian must choose between protecting her and completing his mission. 4 1/2 Stars
August 23, 2009
4 ½ stars – Romantic Suspense
This installment of the Bullet Catcher series features the yummy former Tasmanian Special Ops Policeman Adrien “Fletch” Fletcher, whose sexy Aussie accent and nefarious tattoos are positively swoon-worthy...'nough said 'bout that!
Of course, there’s also a fairly complex plot about a black market baby adoption ring, a fanatical Maya worshipping cult preparing for 2012 Armageddon, and a threat on linguistics anthropologist Miranda Lang’s life; so it's a good thing hottie Aussie Bullet Catcher Fletch is there to come to her rescue and save the day!
This was a thrilling addition to the Bullet Catcher saga, and Fletch is a devilishly sexy hero. 4.5 stars!
This installment of the Bullet Catcher series features the yummy former Tasmanian Special Ops Policeman Adrien “Fletch” Fletcher, whose sexy Aussie accent and nefarious tattoos are positively swoon-worthy...'nough said 'bout that!
Of course, there’s also a fairly complex plot about a black market baby adoption ring, a fanatical Maya worshipping cult preparing for 2012 Armageddon, and a threat on linguistics anthropologist Miranda Lang’s life; so it's a good thing hottie Aussie Bullet Catcher Fletch is there to come to her rescue and save the day!
This was a thrilling addition to the Bullet Catcher saga, and Fletch is a devilishly sexy hero. 4.5 stars!
November 1, 2011
Most Romantic Suspense novels I've read have been heavy on the suspense but light on the romance, often not having any more romance than books that don't try to lay claim to the romance catagory. This one was more balanced and I like it better as a result. (Not to mention being totally smitten with the Australian hero Adrien.)
September 18, 2009
This is the first Roxanne St. Claire book I've read. While it is #6 in the Bullet Catcher series, it is first in a trilogy within that series. I wasn't confused by coming in so late, though there may have been things I missed about secondary characters because I didn't have the full backstory.
First You Run was very enjoyable with great leads -- fearless bodyguard/security expert Fletch and panic prone professor/writer Miranda. The emphasis is definitely on their romance and relationship rather than sex, though there was plenty of attraction between the two from the get-go. My biggest quibble was that Miranda's book on Maya history was supposed to be such a huge splash with the general public. I was willing to believe there could be a cult of fanatics who believed in Maya myths. There's been crazier cults out there, lord knows. But every time there was a reference to all the "excitement" about her book dispelling Maya myths and how Miranda was telling people they didn't need to worry about a predicted doomsday, I kept thinking "Really?" A few times the Maya doomsday thing was compared to the Y2K scare but it still seemed a stretch. So that was a bit distracting.
Otherwise, it was a fun quick-paced story with well developed characters. I look forward to reading the next two in this series within a series.
First You Run was very enjoyable with great leads -- fearless bodyguard/security expert Fletch and panic prone professor/writer Miranda. The emphasis is definitely on their romance and relationship rather than sex, though there was plenty of attraction between the two from the get-go. My biggest quibble was that Miranda's book on Maya history was supposed to be such a huge splash with the general public. I was willing to believe there could be a cult of fanatics who believed in Maya myths. There's been crazier cults out there, lord knows. But every time there was a reference to all the "excitement" about her book dispelling Maya myths and how Miranda was telling people they didn't need to worry about a predicted doomsday, I kept thinking "Really?" A few times the Maya doomsday thing was compared to the Y2K scare but it still seemed a stretch. So that was a bit distracting.
Otherwise, it was a fun quick-paced story with well developed characters. I look forward to reading the next two in this series within a series.
September 15, 2012
First You Run
3.5 Stars
Series note: Although this is book #4 in the Bullet Catchers series, it is book #1 of a trilogy within the series. It is not necessary to read books #1-3 other than the fact that they are very entertaining reads.
Review:
An OK story but not my favorite in the series perhaps because Adrien and Miranda lack the chemistry of the previous couples and the hero didn't really appeal to me.
With his background, Adrien has the potential to be an excellent tortured hero but is actually bland and boring. Moreover, his "ends justify the means" attitude toward sex is a turn off.
Miranda is more likeable but her constant focus on Adrien's accent becomes annoying and she manages to get over her fears a little to quickly and neatly.
The Mayan apocalypse angle is intriguing although the supernatural Shamanistic elements are over the top and the resolution to the suspense plot anti-climactic. In contrast, the adoption and murder mystery threads are very compelling with some good twists and turns, and I look forward to seeing how these develop in the next book.
March 31, 2011
Adrien is by far the sexiest Bullet Catcher!!! Even though ther is in a ton of sex in this book, lots of "near misses", when they do get together it is explosive. Worth the wait too!
Although I thought the whole Mayan end of the world thing was boring, I really enjoyed the relationship between the H/h. The true bad guy is not really revealed, this bad guy carries over into the next two books.
I think the books have gotten better as the series has gone on. I still cannot wait for Dan's book, it better be good!
Although I thought the whole Mayan end of the world thing was boring, I really enjoyed the relationship between the H/h. The true bad guy is not really revealed, this bad guy carries over into the next two books.
I think the books have gotten better as the series has gone on. I still cannot wait for Dan's book, it better be good!
December 7, 2009
I am reading the Bullet Catcher series completely out of order, but I'm loving them. It's fascinating how every book has its own tone, which is set primarily by the couple and the circumstances that surround their particular mystery. This one featured an author whose book debunking the 2012 Mayan prediction for the end of the world put her in the crosshairs of a creepy end of the world cult. And of course she is being protected by a gorgeous Tasmanian Bullet Catcher with a hidden agenda. Sexy, suspenseful and fun!
June 18, 2017
Big Mystery: Who fathered the recently-pregnant woman (who was then forced to adopt), who set her up for murdering another of his lovers?
Since this is the first part of a trilogy-within-a-series, the mystery I want solved isn't yet, but the read is a tale of bullet catchers teaming up to find a daughter of the aforementioned woman who is in prison, dying of a disease that a bone marrow transplant from her daughter might help cure.
Of course, the other question is whether this woman lives long enough to be exonerated.
I liked the book, maybe 3.5 stars. I do intend to keep reading this series with a goodreads group.
Since this is the first part of a trilogy-within-a-series, the mystery I want solved isn't yet, but the read is a tale of bullet catchers teaming up to find a daughter of the aforementioned woman who is in prison, dying of a disease that a bone marrow transplant from her daughter might help cure.
Of course, the other question is whether this woman lives long enough to be exonerated.
I liked the book, maybe 3.5 stars. I do intend to keep reading this series with a goodreads group.
March 5, 2010
Although in the middle of the Bullet Catcher series, this book starts off a trilogy of books with a continuing plotline, this is a fantastic new romantic suspense with Bullet Catcher Adrien Fletcher, a Tasmanian with plenty of charms, who's on a mission to find a daughter who've been sold illegally on the black market trade, when she was adopted. It's the request of her dying mother, who's wrongly accused of murder, and needs a bone marrow transplant. Plus, there's a heinous twist to why Miranda Lang's life--his principal's--is at risk, when she's on a book tour talking about 2012 and deals with the Mayan gods. Great suspense, plenty of romantic drama, and a great book to be hooked on for good.
January 14, 2013
Amazing hero! Gotta love Adrien Fletcher aka The (my) Australian. :D
The main characters, Adrien and Miranda Lang meet up-not so accidentally-at Miranda's first book sighing. Adrien quickly deduces that someone is out to sabotage Miranda's book. So they team up. Along the way Adrien discovers secrets about Miranda's birth. He's not sure if he should tell her or not; but, those secrets might just be relevant to his current pet project.
Great story and characters. Again, Adrien had me in the last book when he was called Crocodile Dundee. :)
The main characters, Adrien and Miranda Lang meet up-not so accidentally-at Miranda's first book sighing. Adrien quickly deduces that someone is out to sabotage Miranda's book. So they team up. Along the way Adrien discovers secrets about Miranda's birth. He's not sure if he should tell her or not; but, those secrets might just be relevant to his current pet project.
Great story and characters. Again, Adrien had me in the last book when he was called Crocodile Dundee. :)
August 12, 2011
Another winner from Roxanne St Clair and her Bullet Catchers.
November 5, 2017
Eileen Stafford had an affair with her powerful and married boss, resulting in a pregnancy. He then set her up for the murder of another of his secretaries. The trial was a farce, but she was threatened with the life of her child if she fought the charges. Thirty years later, she is still in jail and dying of leukemia and asks PD Jack Culver to find her child who was sold on the black market. The babies were all tattooed in an inconspicuous part of the body. Armed with a list of names and running out of time, he asks his buddy, Bullet Chatcher Adrien Fletch for help. After eliminating several names on the list: women who had already contacted their birth mothers, he meets Miranda Lang, PhD, who he immediately saves from an angry mob. She is doing a book tour for her book on the Mayas and someone wants her stopped. Trying to get close enough to her to look for the tattoo while also keeping her safe, brings another challenge, keeping their relationship temporary. Two mysteries in one, intrigue, danger, electric attraction, well developed and interesting characters, descriptive settings and an interesting resolution. Terrific read.
April 9, 2023
NO SPOILERS AHEAD !!!!!!!
First You Run is my first book of the Bullet Catcher, I loved everything about the characters. It will just be an amazing, I hope they turn it into a movie. ABOUT THE BOOK Basically it was an amazing story, loved the characters, what I did not enjoy was how it got a bit boring in the middle of it. IT GIVES UNCHARTED GAMEPLAY VIBES. I loved how it is almost a Grumpy x Sunshine vibesss. And I absolutely loved the relationship between Miranda and Adrien, and how she is the only one who doesn't call him fletcher, and how he calls her as ''Luv'' so cuteeeeee, and how he is overprotective on her. Such an amazing story that made me look forward into reading more of this author, and more of the Bullet Catcher series. And I am incredibly lucky to have this book as my first ever book in my Bullet Catcher series.
First You Run is my first book of the Bullet Catcher, I loved everything about the characters. It will just be an amazing, I hope they turn it into a movie. ABOUT THE BOOK Basically it was an amazing story, loved the characters, what I did not enjoy was how it got a bit boring in the middle of it. IT GIVES UNCHARTED GAMEPLAY VIBES. I loved how it is almost a Grumpy x Sunshine vibesss. And I absolutely loved the relationship between Miranda and Adrien, and how she is the only one who doesn't call him fletcher, and how he calls her as ''Luv'' so cuteeeeee, and how he is overprotective on her. Such an amazing story that made me look forward into reading more of this author, and more of the Bullet Catcher series. And I am incredibly lucky to have this book as my first ever book in my Bullet Catcher series.
November 26, 2023
This was a weird book. The plot was all over the place and it never felt like connected well. The characters also felt either paper thin or over the top in ways that just made them feel out of place.
There is one thing that I love. Tt blew my mind when someone had to say ‘we’ll still wake up Dec. 21 2012’ with a straight face. Remember when that was all the nonsense we have to deal with? With all the conspiracy weirdos yelling these days and all that, all I could think was ‘how quaint and refreshing'. It brought me a lot of silly joy.
There is one thing that I love. Tt blew my mind when someone had to say ‘we’ll still wake up Dec. 21 2012’ with a straight face. Remember when that was all the nonsense we have to deal with? With all the conspiracy weirdos yelling these days and all that, all I could think was ‘how quaint and refreshing'. It brought me a lot of silly joy.
June 27, 2025
I found this book while on vacation in a neighborhood little library (this kind you take a book and leave a book). Turns out to be a romance/detective novel. A body guard’s job is to find a woman who was given up for a black market adoption but turns out to find a woman on a book tour whose book puts her in danger.
May 5, 2018
Yikes! It’s like out of the frying pan into the fire for Miranda, several times. But with Fletch there to help her out, they’ve both got it made. Oooo, and secrets too!! Miranda’s parents were perfect at the end. Thank you for that Roxanne St. Claire.
April 23, 2025
Love the Bullet Catchers!
What a ride! Incredibly detailed and exciting journey for two people who are so different yet so perfect together! Lots of excitement and danger but Fletch is there to save the day!
What a ride! Incredibly detailed and exciting journey for two people who are so different yet so perfect together! Lots of excitement and danger but Fletch is there to save the day!
August 12, 2017
Enjoyed this book very much, now I want to read this series too.
romantic-suspense
November 13, 202120
Read
February 22, 20245/29/2009
November 16, 2018
Registered on Bookcrossing - http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1...
I love this author, she writes great romantic suspense.
I love this author, she writes great romantic suspense.
April 22, 2012
Erster Satz: Wahrscheinlich hatte sie den Verstand verloren.
Adrian Fletcher hat Urlaub, eigentlich. Doch ein alter Freund und ehemaliger Bullet Catcher braucht seine Hilfe und so macht er sich wenig später auf um die Tochter einer todkranken Frau zu finden die wegen Mordes im Gefängniss sitzt und deren einzige Überlebenschance ihr unbekanntes Kind ist. Seine Suche führt ihn zu Dr. Miranda Lang, einer jungen Professorin die gerade ihr erstes Buch geschrieben hat. Die beiden lernen sich kennen als in der Buchhandlung in der Miranda aus ihrem Buch vorlesen soll, Chaos ausbricht und sie in Gefahr gerät. Adrien rettet sie und ist von da an immer an ihrer Seite, denn es scheint so als hätte jemand es auf Mirandas Leben abgesehen und das nur aufgrund ihres Buches, das sich mit dem von den Maya prophezeiten Weltuntergang 2012 beschäftigt. Adrien muss sie nicht nur vor den verrüchten Fantaikern beschützen, sondern gleichzeitig auch nach der Tätowierung suchen die sie als Eileens Tochter auszeichnet.
Leider muss ich sagen das die Geschichte um Adrien und Miranda für mich die bisher schwächste der gesamten Bullet Catcher Reihe ist. Die Geschichte um die illegale Adoption und die Suche nach Eileens Kind, sowie die Gefahr in der Miranda sich durch die Fanatiker befindet ist durchaus interessant und spannend, doch irgendwie hat es diesmal an dem gewissen Etwas gefehlt. Vor allem Adrien ist für meinen Geschmack ein wenig zu blass geblieben. Man erfährt kaum etwas über ihn, nur das er Familienprobleme hat und begeisterter Rugby Spieler ist. Leider ist das zu wenig um ihm einen tiefgründigen Charakter zu geben. Er kümmert sich rührend um Miranda und verhält sich auch sonst wie ein Bullet Catcher, aber das war in diesem Fall einfach ein bisschen zu wenig.
Dennoch ist das Buch keinesfalls langweilig, vor allem die Maya Kultur kann einen als Leser immer wieder in den Bann ziehen, denn die Autorin beschäftigt sich sehr damit. So erfährt man viele Dinge über die Maya die die meisten Menschen wahrscheinlich nicht wussten. Ein bisschen Geschichtsunterricht nebenbei also. Außerdem lernt man einen weiteren bis dahin unbekannten Bullet Catcher kennen: Wade Cordell, den Hauptdarsteller des nächsten Buches. Ich muss sagen ich bin schon sehr gespannt auf seine Geschichte, denn er ist ein interessanter Mensch bei dem man jetzt schon den ein oder anderen Abgrund erahnen kann.
Was ich leider auch nicht so gut fand, war die Tatsache das nicht aufgelöst wurde wer im Prolog denn nun die blonde Sekretärin erschossen hat. Das gesamte Buch über war es ein rießen großes Fragezeichen und obwohl die Geschichte um die adoptierten Babys in Wades Band weiter geht, fand ich es doch blöd das man nichtmal ansatzweise eine Ahnung hat wer dahinter steckt. Das hätte man anders lösen sollen, ein paar Hinweise wären ja genug gewesen, aber so tappt man noch komplett im Dunkeln.
Kann man nur hoffen das man im nächsten Band endlich erleuchtet wird. Ich zumindest freue mich schon auf Wades Geschichte und hoffe das sie an die Erfolge der ersten drei Bände anschließt.
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Fazit
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Leider nicht so gut wie erhofft.
Adrian Fletcher hat Urlaub, eigentlich. Doch ein alter Freund und ehemaliger Bullet Catcher braucht seine Hilfe und so macht er sich wenig später auf um die Tochter einer todkranken Frau zu finden die wegen Mordes im Gefängniss sitzt und deren einzige Überlebenschance ihr unbekanntes Kind ist. Seine Suche führt ihn zu Dr. Miranda Lang, einer jungen Professorin die gerade ihr erstes Buch geschrieben hat. Die beiden lernen sich kennen als in der Buchhandlung in der Miranda aus ihrem Buch vorlesen soll, Chaos ausbricht und sie in Gefahr gerät. Adrien rettet sie und ist von da an immer an ihrer Seite, denn es scheint so als hätte jemand es auf Mirandas Leben abgesehen und das nur aufgrund ihres Buches, das sich mit dem von den Maya prophezeiten Weltuntergang 2012 beschäftigt. Adrien muss sie nicht nur vor den verrüchten Fantaikern beschützen, sondern gleichzeitig auch nach der Tätowierung suchen die sie als Eileens Tochter auszeichnet.
Leider muss ich sagen das die Geschichte um Adrien und Miranda für mich die bisher schwächste der gesamten Bullet Catcher Reihe ist. Die Geschichte um die illegale Adoption und die Suche nach Eileens Kind, sowie die Gefahr in der Miranda sich durch die Fanatiker befindet ist durchaus interessant und spannend, doch irgendwie hat es diesmal an dem gewissen Etwas gefehlt. Vor allem Adrien ist für meinen Geschmack ein wenig zu blass geblieben. Man erfährt kaum etwas über ihn, nur das er Familienprobleme hat und begeisterter Rugby Spieler ist. Leider ist das zu wenig um ihm einen tiefgründigen Charakter zu geben. Er kümmert sich rührend um Miranda und verhält sich auch sonst wie ein Bullet Catcher, aber das war in diesem Fall einfach ein bisschen zu wenig.
Dennoch ist das Buch keinesfalls langweilig, vor allem die Maya Kultur kann einen als Leser immer wieder in den Bann ziehen, denn die Autorin beschäftigt sich sehr damit. So erfährt man viele Dinge über die Maya die die meisten Menschen wahrscheinlich nicht wussten. Ein bisschen Geschichtsunterricht nebenbei also. Außerdem lernt man einen weiteren bis dahin unbekannten Bullet Catcher kennen: Wade Cordell, den Hauptdarsteller des nächsten Buches. Ich muss sagen ich bin schon sehr gespannt auf seine Geschichte, denn er ist ein interessanter Mensch bei dem man jetzt schon den ein oder anderen Abgrund erahnen kann.
Was ich leider auch nicht so gut fand, war die Tatsache das nicht aufgelöst wurde wer im Prolog denn nun die blonde Sekretärin erschossen hat. Das gesamte Buch über war es ein rießen großes Fragezeichen und obwohl die Geschichte um die adoptierten Babys in Wades Band weiter geht, fand ich es doch blöd das man nichtmal ansatzweise eine Ahnung hat wer dahinter steckt. Das hätte man anders lösen sollen, ein paar Hinweise wären ja genug gewesen, aber so tappt man noch komplett im Dunkeln.
Kann man nur hoffen das man im nächsten Band endlich erleuchtet wird. Ich zumindest freue mich schon auf Wades Geschichte und hoffe das sie an die Erfolge der ersten drei Bände anschließt.
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Fazit
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Leider nicht so gut wie erhofft.
June 1, 2008
“I need to find a woman. I don’t know who she is or where she is. And when I find her, chances are I’m going to get her naked, rock her world, and then make her wish I were dead.”…Adrien Fletcher, Bullet Catcher
Adrien Fletcher a/k/a Fletch is a bold, blonde, buff, Tasmanian hunk of deadly sex appeal and one of the elite Bullet Catchers security specialists. Dr. Miranda Lang is a studious assistant professor of linguistic anthropology at Berkeley who has finally broken away from her overprotective mother and is taking her first steps to independence. She has just published her first book which negates the theory that the world will end 12/21/2012 and is poised to begin a promotional tour even though opponents of her book have sworn to stop her, at any cost.
Eileen Stafford is dying and her only hope of survival is a bone marrow transplant from the child who was taken from her and sold on the black market thirty years ago, just before Eileen was framed for murder and sentenced to life in prison. Ousted Bullet Catcher, Jack Culver, believes Eileen’s professed innocence and convinces his friend, Fletch to search for Eileen’s daughter while Jack searches for the real murderer. Fletch’s only leads are a list of female babies sold through a black market adoption ring and a tattoo that was placed somewhere on Eileen’s baby’s body before she was taken.
When the baby list leads Fletch to Miranda Lang, his only objective is to get the good doctor naked as quickly as possible and search her body for the tattoo to determine if she could be Eileen’s daughter. He has no intention of hiring on as her bodyguard to protect her against the radical forces that seem determined to stop her book sales with escalating violence. He doesn’t expect to be drawn into the mysterious lives of Maya fanatics living in Santa Barbara or fighting for both his and Miranda’s lives in a maze of Maya crypts and jungles in the middle of southern California and he most certainly never planned on falling in love.
Join Fletch, Miranda, Jack and the other Bullet Catchers on this non-stop, fast-paced, action filled, romantic adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Filled with heart-stopping suspense, sizzling hot romance, a heroine you’ll cheer for and a hero from down under who you’d love to be “down under”, St. Claire’s latest story leaves us wanting just one thing – more Bullet Catchers!
Adrien Fletcher a/k/a Fletch is a bold, blonde, buff, Tasmanian hunk of deadly sex appeal and one of the elite Bullet Catchers security specialists. Dr. Miranda Lang is a studious assistant professor of linguistic anthropology at Berkeley who has finally broken away from her overprotective mother and is taking her first steps to independence. She has just published her first book which negates the theory that the world will end 12/21/2012 and is poised to begin a promotional tour even though opponents of her book have sworn to stop her, at any cost.
Eileen Stafford is dying and her only hope of survival is a bone marrow transplant from the child who was taken from her and sold on the black market thirty years ago, just before Eileen was framed for murder and sentenced to life in prison. Ousted Bullet Catcher, Jack Culver, believes Eileen’s professed innocence and convinces his friend, Fletch to search for Eileen’s daughter while Jack searches for the real murderer. Fletch’s only leads are a list of female babies sold through a black market adoption ring and a tattoo that was placed somewhere on Eileen’s baby’s body before she was taken.
When the baby list leads Fletch to Miranda Lang, his only objective is to get the good doctor naked as quickly as possible and search her body for the tattoo to determine if she could be Eileen’s daughter. He has no intention of hiring on as her bodyguard to protect her against the radical forces that seem determined to stop her book sales with escalating violence. He doesn’t expect to be drawn into the mysterious lives of Maya fanatics living in Santa Barbara or fighting for both his and Miranda’s lives in a maze of Maya crypts and jungles in the middle of southern California and he most certainly never planned on falling in love.
Join Fletch, Miranda, Jack and the other Bullet Catchers on this non-stop, fast-paced, action filled, romantic adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Filled with heart-stopping suspense, sizzling hot romance, a heroine you’ll cheer for and a hero from down under who you’d love to be “down under”, St. Claire’s latest story leaves us wanting just one thing – more Bullet Catchers!
September 2, 2013
This is the first in a trilogy of Bullet Catcher novels (and I'll say no more about that).
I found Fletch's Australian accent difficult to hear in my head because I'm English and so when he used words like "Mum" and "luv" I heard an English accent – my issue not the author's!
So Miranda has written a book about the Maya (Mayan is the language) which debunks the myth that the world will end on 31 December 2012. She is on a book tour to promote the book but is being harassed by a group who are convinced that she is wrong.
Fletch is helping his friend Jack look for the daughter of a woman, currently serving life in prison, Jack is convinced that the woman is innocent (I'm never sure how he reached that conclusion or even met the woman). The kicker is that the woman has leukaemia and needs a bone marrow transfusion. Thirty years earlier (about eight months before the murder for which she is serving life imprisonment) she gave away her baby for adoption because she was an unmarried mother. Jack has enlisted Fletch to find the daughter based on a list of female children adopted in that year from the home. There may have been more to the story than that but it wasn't really important other than to explain why there weren't proper records of the adoption. Apparently the daughter was tattooed somewhere on her body by the nurse at the mother's request – this was often done so that the mother could identify her child later in life.
So, Fletch is going through a list of women, trying to get them naked to identify whether they have an identifying tattoo – he doesn't know what the tattoo looks like or where it is on the body!
Miranda is his next target – he goes along to one of her book reading/signing events only to save her when one of "the end of the world is nigh" starts a near riot. Fletch sweet talks Miranda in order to try to get her naked and persuades her to keep him around as protection – however, he soon finds out that she has no idea that she is adopted.
The trouble at the book signing is only the start of a series of events, including the bombing of a book store, which threaten her life. She and Fletch get closer but he is running out of time – does Miranda have the tattoo?
I won't spoil the story, which is suitably wacky and YET AGAIN involves two different villains and classic misdirection. Nevertheless, because of the overarching story arc which begins in this book I felt it had more substance than the previous books.
I found Fletch's Australian accent difficult to hear in my head because I'm English and so when he used words like "Mum" and "luv" I heard an English accent – my issue not the author's!
So Miranda has written a book about the Maya (Mayan is the language) which debunks the myth that the world will end on 31 December 2012. She is on a book tour to promote the book but is being harassed by a group who are convinced that she is wrong.
Fletch is helping his friend Jack look for the daughter of a woman, currently serving life in prison, Jack is convinced that the woman is innocent (I'm never sure how he reached that conclusion or even met the woman). The kicker is that the woman has leukaemia and needs a bone marrow transfusion. Thirty years earlier (about eight months before the murder for which she is serving life imprisonment) she gave away her baby for adoption because she was an unmarried mother. Jack has enlisted Fletch to find the daughter based on a list of female children adopted in that year from the home. There may have been more to the story than that but it wasn't really important other than to explain why there weren't proper records of the adoption. Apparently the daughter was tattooed somewhere on her body by the nurse at the mother's request – this was often done so that the mother could identify her child later in life.
So, Fletch is going through a list of women, trying to get them naked to identify whether they have an identifying tattoo – he doesn't know what the tattoo looks like or where it is on the body!
Miranda is his next target – he goes along to one of her book reading/signing events only to save her when one of "the end of the world is nigh" starts a near riot. Fletch sweet talks Miranda in order to try to get her naked and persuades her to keep him around as protection – however, he soon finds out that she has no idea that she is adopted.
The trouble at the book signing is only the start of a series of events, including the bombing of a book store, which threaten her life. She and Fletch get closer but he is running out of time – does Miranda have the tattoo?
I won't spoil the story, which is suitably wacky and YET AGAIN involves two different villains and classic misdirection. Nevertheless, because of the overarching story arc which begins in this book I felt it had more substance than the previous books.
February 22, 2016
Bullet Catchers are an elite group of personal protection specialists ruled over by sleek and sophisticated Lucy Sharpe. They are called into jobs where expertise in guns, technology, undercover, surveillance, and, yeah, defensive physical moves are needed. Their clientele must be referred and is comprised of the upper cream of society. While they are supposed to be professionals through and through, sometimes getting close to their principal (protected client) means letting the principal into their hearts.
The first of three interconnected Bullet Catchers brings us Aussie former special police Adrien Fletcher, known as Fletch, as he engages in an assignment Lucy Sharpe did not sign off on. He's taken his month's vacation to help out a former Bullet Catcher track down a baby sold on the black market some thirty years ago. He'll know he's got the right girl if she has a tattoo in some private place. Miranda Lang is an anthropologist and a writer who's new book on the Mayan Apocalypse is attracting a lot of bad attention from a cult that is convinced she's misleading the masses. Adrien can't find the tattoo on her but he can't abandon her, especially not when that cult wants to shut her up for good.
I found the plot interesting, though the romance felt a little formulaic. Seeing as it is 2012 and the whole Maya Apocalypse is often in the news, I'm happy I read the book this year. It gave it a bit more punch. This book also shows further softening of Lucy Sharpe as she slowly comes to help Fletch and forgive the former Bullet Catcher Jack Culver, whose relationship will come to a head in the sixth book Now You Die. Grade: B
The first of three interconnected Bullet Catchers brings us Aussie former special police Adrien Fletcher, known as Fletch, as he engages in an assignment Lucy Sharpe did not sign off on. He's taken his month's vacation to help out a former Bullet Catcher track down a baby sold on the black market some thirty years ago. He'll know he's got the right girl if she has a tattoo in some private place. Miranda Lang is an anthropologist and a writer who's new book on the Mayan Apocalypse is attracting a lot of bad attention from a cult that is convinced she's misleading the masses. Adrien can't find the tattoo on her but he can't abandon her, especially not when that cult wants to shut her up for good.
I found the plot interesting, though the romance felt a little formulaic. Seeing as it is 2012 and the whole Maya Apocalypse is often in the news, I'm happy I read the book this year. It gave it a bit more punch. This book also shows further softening of Lucy Sharpe as she slowly comes to help Fletch and forgive the former Bullet Catcher Jack Culver, whose relationship will come to a head in the sixth book Now You Die. Grade: B
July 7, 2012
I was disappointed and for me, so far, it's by far the book I liked the least in this serie.
The investigation is quite interesting and I liked all the explanations coming in the end for anything and almost everything that had puzzled me earlier, including the non-rational shamanism experiences.
However this interesting environment is not enough to make up for a couple H/h that I felt nothing for.
The hero, Fletch, does not have the depth of character and feelings he should, considering his personal history. Despite his having long hair, one earring, an accent from down-under and a few major tattoos, I found him extremely bland and quite uninteresting.
Miranda is not much better actually. I did not find her completely consistent in her expectations regarding her life and job. And from time to time, she turns into a complete nympho who has to have sex in the next 5 minutes or die. Given that she's afraid of her own shadow and has been living as such almost all her life, I found that more than difficult to believe.
I had a very strong feeling they only had sex attraction linking them together and to be honest I never could change my mind about that. So sometime when I read that they might be starting to go in the right direction to maybe someday begin to feel the first pull of what might become love, I rolled my eyes and thought "no way". When closing the book, I still had that strong feeling that their story was not meant to last. And that is a big sign that the romance was a total miss.
The investigation is quite interesting and I liked all the explanations coming in the end for anything and almost everything that had puzzled me earlier, including the non-rational shamanism experiences.
However this interesting environment is not enough to make up for a couple H/h that I felt nothing for.
The hero, Fletch, does not have the depth of character and feelings he should, considering his personal history. Despite his having long hair, one earring, an accent from down-under and a few major tattoos, I found him extremely bland and quite uninteresting.
Miranda is not much better actually. I did not find her completely consistent in her expectations regarding her life and job. And from time to time, she turns into a complete nympho who has to have sex in the next 5 minutes or die. Given that she's afraid of her own shadow and has been living as such almost all her life, I found that more than difficult to believe.
I had a very strong feeling they only had sex attraction linking them together and to be honest I never could change my mind about that. So sometime when I read that they might be starting to go in the right direction to maybe someday begin to feel the first pull of what might become love, I rolled my eyes and thought "no way". When closing the book, I still had that strong feeling that their story was not meant to last. And that is a big sign that the romance was a total miss.
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