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Indiscretion
Separated from her controlling husband, romance author Zoe Swan meets a charismatic art history professor on the beach and begins a torrid affair. But who is he really? By the time Zoe finds out, she’s on the run with her husband, his jewel thief brother, and a priceless painting stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. With the FBI and the murderer in pursuit, the trio heads to Boston. The only way to prove their innocence is to make a deal with the very people who want them dead.
314 pages, Paperback
First published August 19, 2015
13 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Polly Iyer
20 books133 followersI'm a reader and writer. My reading choices range from mysteries to romantic suspense to thrillers. All my books have elements of suspense, mystery, and romance, with a dash of humor here and there. They are available as an ebook and in paperback.
amazon.com/Polly-Iyer/e/B006IUWXWO
amazon.com/Polly-Iyer/e/B006IUWXWO
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 26, 2015
I was a fan of Polly Iyer's books prior to seeing this book in the Kindle Scout program. When I read the ARC, I thought it was the best book in the Kindle Scout program that I had read. If I could have, I would have voted for this book more times than just once.
I loved the plot of this book exploring the underground side of the art world. The characters were well developed and I really liked Zoe.
Ms. Iyer definitely knows how to spin a story and pull you in.
I loved the plot of this book exploring the underground side of the art world. The characters were well developed and I really liked Zoe.
Ms. Iyer definitely knows how to spin a story and pull you in.
August 19, 2015
A woman at a crossroads in life is beguiled by a charming stranger, but the stranger is keeping a lot of secrets. The cops come to her door and so do the feds. The man is not who Zoe Swan thought he was; worse, her place gets trashed.
Separated but not divorced, Zoe calls her estranged husband who comes down to the beach to set matters straight. But things don’t go straight, they go horribly wrong. Shots are fired. Zoe’s husband manages to extricate them from the dangerous situation, but they running makes them look even guiltier.
With nowhere to turn, they call the black sheep of the family, Paul Swan. Having lived a double life, Paul has the underground connections they don’t, connections that could either clear them or seal their fate as stone cold killers.
Iyer’s latest mystery/suspense novel is a pure delight to read. The characters and the settings felt so real, it was as if I was there. I rooted for Zoe to triumph throughout the story, and the resolution was satisfying. I’m a big fan, and I can’t wait for Iyer’s next book to come out.
Another wonderful read from Kindle Scout.
Maggie Toussaint and Rigel Carson for Muddy Rose Reviews
Separated but not divorced, Zoe calls her estranged husband who comes down to the beach to set matters straight. But things don’t go straight, they go horribly wrong. Shots are fired. Zoe’s husband manages to extricate them from the dangerous situation, but they running makes them look even guiltier.
With nowhere to turn, they call the black sheep of the family, Paul Swan. Having lived a double life, Paul has the underground connections they don’t, connections that could either clear them or seal their fate as stone cold killers.
Iyer’s latest mystery/suspense novel is a pure delight to read. The characters and the settings felt so real, it was as if I was there. I rooted for Zoe to triumph throughout the story, and the resolution was satisfying. I’m a big fan, and I can’t wait for Iyer’s next book to come out.
Another wonderful read from Kindle Scout.
Maggie Toussaint and Rigel Carson for Muddy Rose Reviews
March 8, 2016
Meet Zoe Swan, novelist, and her estranged husband, David. They don't get along, and it doesn't help when Zoe, separated from David and living on the South Carolina coast, has a fling with a supposed professor, Neal Trainor.
No good can come from this. In fact, a remarkable string of bad takes place in a very short time, and from there, it's a wonderful, fast-moving romp touched off by the mysterious murder of Trainor, who, of course, wasn't Trainor at all. In short order, Zoe and David are running for their lives, framed for the murders of would-be Trainor and several investigators who were actually murdered by the story's bad cop.
What saves them all is Paul Swan, David's brother, a diamond thief himself. He, not David, becomes the hero. David is the cad.
The story moves from South Carolina to Boston, where the Swans find exile in a safe house where two of Paul's associates live.
Yes. The plot thickens. Then it thins. Expertly.
This tale is like lots of others. It's just better executed. Ms. Iyer is a pro. She knows her craft.
No good can come from this. In fact, a remarkable string of bad takes place in a very short time, and from there, it's a wonderful, fast-moving romp touched off by the mysterious murder of Trainor, who, of course, wasn't Trainor at all. In short order, Zoe and David are running for their lives, framed for the murders of would-be Trainor and several investigators who were actually murdered by the story's bad cop.
What saves them all is Paul Swan, David's brother, a diamond thief himself. He, not David, becomes the hero. David is the cad.
The story moves from South Carolina to Boston, where the Swans find exile in a safe house where two of Paul's associates live.
Yes. The plot thickens. Then it thins. Expertly.
This tale is like lots of others. It's just better executed. Ms. Iyer is a pro. She knows her craft.
March 29, 2017
I really enjoy reading Polly Iyer books. This one was again twisting and turning all the way through the book. I have read several books by Polly and I will continue to read them as they published.
April 4, 2016
I expected to enjoy Indiscretion because I love all of Polly Iyer’s books, and I wasn’t disappointed. This is a romantic suspense that keeps the romance and suspense, but suspends all other rules.
Author Zoe Swan is separated from her overbearing husband and living at their beach house when she meets a handsome stranger. Their passionate affair is brought to an abrupt end when she finds her lover dead and she becomes a suspect. Her estranged husband David appears on the scene, and various groups of people come after them. They believe Zoe and David are in cahoots with the dead man and harboring valuable art work that was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston twenty-five years ago.
Having nowhere else to go, Zoe and David turn to David’s brother Paul, whom they haven’t seen in years. Paul is a “gentleman thief” with connections in the art world and with other thieves. The story twists and turns, ending in a very satisfying conclusion. A great read for art lovers and lovers.
Author Zoe Swan is separated from her overbearing husband and living at their beach house when she meets a handsome stranger. Their passionate affair is brought to an abrupt end when she finds her lover dead and she becomes a suspect. Her estranged husband David appears on the scene, and various groups of people come after them. They believe Zoe and David are in cahoots with the dead man and harboring valuable art work that was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston twenty-five years ago.
Having nowhere else to go, Zoe and David turn to David’s brother Paul, whom they haven’t seen in years. Paul is a “gentleman thief” with connections in the art world and with other thieves. The story twists and turns, ending in a very satisfying conclusion. A great read for art lovers and lovers.
December 29, 2015
Romance author Zoe Swan has been separated from her husband for quite some time. While on the beach, she meets her new neighbor, an art history professor, and begins a brief but sizzling affair. But her new lover, turns out to be not what he seems-he has secrets-deadly secrets. Now Zoe is on the run with her ex-husband, accused of murder and trying to stay one step ahead of the FBI and the real killers.
This is a captivating fast-moving mystery. It has very well-developed, complex characters- who are not always who they appear to be. Just when I thought that I had the “who-done-it” figured out, I was proven wrong. A wonderful book-but don’t start reading it at bedtime-because you won’t be able to put it down.
December 5, 2015
I received a copy of this via the Kindle Scout program, and it was the first book by this author I've read. I was impressed with her writing voice, And would definitely read more of her books. There were some plot points I figured out early on, and others I didn't. All in all, a very satisfying read.
April 11, 2017
Well written and enjoyable mystery, plenty of action and complications. Everything a mystery should be.
October 9, 2015
I received this book through the Kindle Scout program to read and review. This story is a fascinating read. Zoe, separated from her husband David after a breakdown of her marriage, is living at the couple’s shore condo while writing a book. Zoe is a well-known author with two best sellers. David is an advertising company owner. Previously, they worked together in the company, but Zoe wanted to stretch her wings, so left. Their marriage is not a happy one, and has not been happy for quite a while. There are a lot of mysteries in David’s life that, even after twenty years of marriage, he refuses to talk about. While out one day at the shore, Zoe meets a fascinating man who claims he is a professor on a leave of absence. Zoe finds the man fascinating and has a brief affair with him. When he is found dead a short time later, she is confused, unaware that this man had told her a pack of lies, and was actually a well-known thief, who dealt with stolen art work. The story grows as Zoe calls David after their condo is ransacked. Next two FBI agents arrive and, along with David, who has just arrived at the condo, discuss Zoe’s relationship with this mysterious dead man, and any other information she may have concerning him. To further complicate matters, two more feds arrive, once these two leave, and a shoot-out follows during their visit to discuss the same dead man. From here on, the story focuses on who the man was, his known heists and activities selling stolen art work, and the fact that it is beginning to look like Zoe, with Davis as an accomplice, was largely responsible for her lover’s death and other subsequent deaths occurring during the investigation. David and Zoe go on the run, getting help from David’s estranged brother Paul, who also happens to be involved in selling stolen diamonds.
The story is fast-moving as well as fascinating, as the author takes us through a series of events where Zoe and David, assisted by David’s brother Paul, find and piece together the story of this dead man and a huge art heist that occurred years ago. The tale is interesting, to say the least. I enjoyed reading it from start to finish, trying to figure out what each would do next, amid well planned and thought-out twists and turns. I found Zoe to be a solid, we-developed character, as was David’s brother Paul. I did not care much for David, but I think the author never intended a love fest for him. It was obvious the author knew or had researched the lives and actions of players in the heist and sell artwork and other expensive items business. This is a well written story, a mystery with many different angles and events that will keep any reader waiting for the next “shoe to drop”. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery that is well done, giving the reader just enough information and clues to keep him/her wondering just what the next action/event or ending will be.
The story is fast-moving as well as fascinating, as the author takes us through a series of events where Zoe and David, assisted by David’s brother Paul, find and piece together the story of this dead man and a huge art heist that occurred years ago. The tale is interesting, to say the least. I enjoyed reading it from start to finish, trying to figure out what each would do next, amid well planned and thought-out twists and turns. I found Zoe to be a solid, we-developed character, as was David’s brother Paul. I did not care much for David, but I think the author never intended a love fest for him. It was obvious the author knew or had researched the lives and actions of players in the heist and sell artwork and other expensive items business. This is a well written story, a mystery with many different angles and events that will keep any reader waiting for the next “shoe to drop”. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery that is well done, giving the reader just enough information and clues to keep him/her wondering just what the next action/event or ending will be.
September 1, 2015
Polly Iyer’s INDISCRETION features bestselling author Zoe Swam whose success has given birth to her independence. Taking advantage of her husband’s suggestion to separate, Zoe is living in their condo in Cherry Grove just north of Myrtle Beach. Iyer places her readers next to Zoe as she enjoys her freedom to write, think, and meet new people. Zoe exercising her freedom, accepts advances from an art history professor staying at a condo down the beach from hers. Iyer gives her readers Zoe’s history and her reasons for separating from her husband. The author introduces support characters including, but not limited to her estranged husband David and his brother Paul, sharing important details of their backstories and their roles in the storyline as it progresses. The author builds momentum increasing at the turn of every page.
While Zoe is walking on the beach she connects with her neighbor, an art history professor from Boston. Accepting an invitation to dinner at his condo, Zoe arrives to finds him dead and his house ransacked. Afterwards the local cop escorts Zoe home finding her condo ransacked. While she waits with the local cop, she learns her lover is not an art history professor. Zoe calls her estranged husband to come to Cherry Grove. The author explains the FBI agents specialize in stolen art. Soon after her estranged husband arrives, the action explodes. David reacts and ties up the FBI agents and escapes. David gets his brother Paul to help them. They learn later someone has murdered the agents and they are looking for David. Paul has all the right connections to help Zoe and David to safety. Iyer helps her readers understand the Swan family history and Paul’s difficult relationship with his brother David.
Readers thinking Iyer’s storyline only deals with solving a murder and clearing Zoe’s name will find her mystery/thriller has a connection to events going back to the theft of priceless paintings stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum more than twenty-five years ago. The storyline becomes more complex with the turn of each page. Paul, David, and Zoe decide they need to travel to Boston to see if they can unravel the mystery. Zoe takes no guff from David and is gradually finding David is not who she thought he was. The author continues to build intrigue and suspense developing a riveting story. A must read earning a 5-star ranking.
While Zoe is walking on the beach she connects with her neighbor, an art history professor from Boston. Accepting an invitation to dinner at his condo, Zoe arrives to finds him dead and his house ransacked. Afterwards the local cop escorts Zoe home finding her condo ransacked. While she waits with the local cop, she learns her lover is not an art history professor. Zoe calls her estranged husband to come to Cherry Grove. The author explains the FBI agents specialize in stolen art. Soon after her estranged husband arrives, the action explodes. David reacts and ties up the FBI agents and escapes. David gets his brother Paul to help them. They learn later someone has murdered the agents and they are looking for David. Paul has all the right connections to help Zoe and David to safety. Iyer helps her readers understand the Swan family history and Paul’s difficult relationship with his brother David.
Readers thinking Iyer’s storyline only deals with solving a murder and clearing Zoe’s name will find her mystery/thriller has a connection to events going back to the theft of priceless paintings stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum more than twenty-five years ago. The storyline becomes more complex with the turn of each page. Paul, David, and Zoe decide they need to travel to Boston to see if they can unravel the mystery. Zoe takes no guff from David and is gradually finding David is not who she thought he was. The author continues to build intrigue and suspense developing a riveting story. A must read earning a 5-star ranking.
November 29, 2015
Another riveting crime novel from one of my favorite authors! Indiscretion is a Kindle Scout winner that I voted for, so got a free copy, but it’s well worth paying for.
Ms. Iyer does a first-class plot, complex and twisted, with intriguing characters who aren’t what they first seem. The secondary characters, from the local police detective to the art dealer to the nurturing Nina, nearly steal the show. Paul is a marvelous character whom I hope to see more of, but all are so vividly depicted I’d recognize them instantly if I met them on the street.
This book is full of unexpected turns—just when the situation looks impossibly bleak, it gets worse. Straight-arrow Zoe’s single indiscretion leads to consequences far beyond her imagination, taking her into a world of con men, thieves, and killers. Read it when you have plenty of time because you won’t want to put it down. Highly recommended!
Polly Iyer
Ms. Iyer does a first-class plot, complex and twisted, with intriguing characters who aren’t what they first seem. The secondary characters, from the local police detective to the art dealer to the nurturing Nina, nearly steal the show. Paul is a marvelous character whom I hope to see more of, but all are so vividly depicted I’d recognize them instantly if I met them on the street.
This book is full of unexpected turns—just when the situation looks impossibly bleak, it gets worse. Straight-arrow Zoe’s single indiscretion leads to consequences far beyond her imagination, taking her into a world of con men, thieves, and killers. Read it when you have plenty of time because you won’t want to put it down. Highly recommended!
Polly Iyer
December 27, 2015
I wasn't sure how I was going to like Indiscretion when it began. The main character is engaging in an affair (which, as it turns out later, was not exactly an affair by my reckoning, as she had been separated from her husband for quite a while), and I was concerned that the book wouldn't have enough action for me and would instead focus on the the romance/relationship aspects over the thriller part.
Wow. Was I wrong. Indiscretion was an action-packed, staying one step ahead of both the cops and the bad guys, rip-roaring good read. By the end of the book, I was rooting so hard for main character Zoe to escape not only the frame-up for murder but her jerk of a husband that I couldn't put it down until I found out what happened. Lost a couple of hours sleep. It was worth it.
I see that several of Ms. Iyer's other books are also available on Kindle Unlimited, so I am going to have to pick out a few to put in my TBR. Here's hoping the plots are as intricate and fast-moving as this one was.
Wow. Was I wrong. Indiscretion was an action-packed, staying one step ahead of both the cops and the bad guys, rip-roaring good read. By the end of the book, I was rooting so hard for main character Zoe to escape not only the frame-up for murder but her jerk of a husband that I couldn't put it down until I found out what happened. Lost a couple of hours sleep. It was worth it.
I see that several of Ms. Iyer's other books are also available on Kindle Unlimited, so I am going to have to pick out a few to put in my TBR. Here's hoping the plots are as intricate and fast-moving as this one was.
August 31, 2015
I nominated Polly Iyer's Indiscretion in the Kindle Scout program, which was an excellent decision. Each of us presents a false face to the world and has at least one or two personal skeletons we would prefer no one exhumed. Our secrets are mostly embarrassing; Zoe's secret--a torrid affair with an art history professor--could get her killed when his secret is revealed.
Iyer weaves a tale rich in history (the very real unsolved art theft at the Gardner Museum in Boston), good guys who are bad and bad guys who are good, and complicated family relationships. Filled with suspense and intrigue, you'll probably find yourself reading this standalone novel well past your bedtime. And you'll be glad you did.
Iyer weaves a tale rich in history (the very real unsolved art theft at the Gardner Museum in Boston), good guys who are bad and bad guys who are good, and complicated family relationships. Filled with suspense and intrigue, you'll probably find yourself reading this standalone novel well past your bedtime. And you'll be glad you did.
September 16, 2015
Tension abounds in Indiscretion by Polly Iyer. She surprises the reader from the first break-in to the end of the book. Zoe Swan is a well-developed, likeable character, and Reston is a believably-human FBI man. The author made me feel like I knew the victim, Neal, much better than seemed possible by Chapter 3. The book was especially intriguing because it gave the readers an eye through the picture frame into the other side of the world of art.
There was sexual tension but it was discreet. It seemed that David’s skills were not foreshadowed well at first. However, it all pulled together into a great read.
There was sexual tension but it was discreet. It seemed that David’s skills were not foreshadowed well at first. However, it all pulled together into a great read.
September 25, 2015
I'm a big fan of Polly Iyer's books, and when this new book WON at Kindle Scout, I just had to read it right away. Wow! Deceptively calm start in the book that quickly ramps up into gut twisting suspense. I loved the characters and I really liked the idea that this is based on a real event--art theft at a museum. Highly recommended!
December 15, 2015
This story of one woman’s dalliance that quickly turns into a nightmare is reminiscent of Hitchcock, with its twists and turns that kept me guessing. The characters are well developed and believable and the police procedural details solid. There’s plenty of steam as well as our unsuspecting protagonist falls for the wrong man.
I received this book through Amazon’s Kindle Scout program.
I received this book through Amazon’s Kindle Scout program.
January 9, 2016
Five stars aren't enough
Fast-paced and smooth, this story will keep you on the edge of your seat. Her heroine is a woman to root for as she comes into her own. The novel is written primarily in first person; an enviable feat in Polly Iyer's ever capable hands. If you're looking for excellent story-telling with a fresh, exhilarating voice, you won't be disappointed.
Fast-paced and smooth, this story will keep you on the edge of your seat. Her heroine is a woman to root for as she comes into her own. The novel is written primarily in first person; an enviable feat in Polly Iyer's ever capable hands. If you're looking for excellent story-telling with a fresh, exhilarating voice, you won't be disappointed.
April 5, 2016
Take an extramarital affair, mix in some murder and a dash of art theft, then run like he**. Stir it all together and you have Indiscretion. I fear that I never would have found this book if I hadn't voted for it while it was up for nomination on Kindle Scout, and I would have been missing out. It's a wild ride. Check it out.
January 30, 2023
What a ride! Loved this suspenseful story that at times had me on the edge of my seat. Great cast of characters and an interesting peek into the highly lucrative and equally dangerous world of stolen art. Zoe Swan starts out certain of what's legal and illegal, but when her world gets turned upside down she learns that legal is not always right and illegal may not always be wrong.
January 15, 2018
The beginning of this book seems like it's going to be some kind of steamy romance. Thankfully, it wasn't. There's more depth to the plot, with plenty of suspense and action as the Swans flee from the FBI and try to prove their innocence. At times, the dialog tends to be a bit long-winded when people are hashing out possible solutions to the art theft and in a few other places. The husband was quite the beast. The other characters were a bit more well-rounded. In all, an enjoyable read.
April 30, 2021
In the mood for some adventure? Ready to try to sort out the “good guys” from the bad? — careful, it’s not easy, in real life or in good fiction. Polly Iyer’s INDISCRETION puts Zoe Swan, romance writer, on a roller coaster of emotion, danger, suspense, finding her way through moral mazes while trying to stay alive and clear her name. It’s said that everything is material to a writer, but I’m happy to learn these life lessons on the pages of a book, safer and less painful.
June 28, 2021
When I started reading Indiscretion, I thought it was going to be like one of those old "madcap romp" movies, but the tension quickly ramped up and I had no clue what was coming next. I had forgotten how much I liked Polly Iyer's writing. I will be reading more of her books.
December 20, 2022
I loved the view into a world famous art heist.
January 18, 2016
The title of this murder mystery should have been Indiscretion AND MUCH MORE! This was my first taste of Polly Iyer’s storytelling and I found it riveting. Setting the scene in a beach community always is a nice way to go but the buildup in the beginning chapters really just sets the stage for a roller coaster ride of delight and emotions set in both a beach paradise and back alleys filled with underworld characters.
The author brings to life those things us good gals wonder about such as seductive affairs with handsome and dangerous letharios and suspenseful moments during dangerous “Bonnie” and her potential “ex-Clyde” action! This book finds something in you that is familiar and then shows you how different things could be with a single choice or action that is out of the norm of every day life. One decision can find you in a world of intrigue and running for your life.
Seduction, suspense, genuine characters of substance, famiky loyalties straining, a puzzling thrill ride, and this read has all I need for an exciting evening of reading. I couldn’t put it down.
My only issue….there wasn’t MORE.
*I received an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Heather J. Reviewer for Romantic Picks Reviews
The author brings to life those things us good gals wonder about such as seductive affairs with handsome and dangerous letharios and suspenseful moments during dangerous “Bonnie” and her potential “ex-Clyde” action! This book finds something in you that is familiar and then shows you how different things could be with a single choice or action that is out of the norm of every day life. One decision can find you in a world of intrigue and running for your life.
Seduction, suspense, genuine characters of substance, famiky loyalties straining, a puzzling thrill ride, and this read has all I need for an exciting evening of reading. I couldn’t put it down.
My only issue….there wasn’t MORE.
*I received an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Heather J. Reviewer for Romantic Picks Reviews
August 2, 2016
Great book. The story unfolded nicely, with Zoe and Neil hooking up, only to have Zoe stumble on Neil's dead body a few days later. Turns out he was a master art thief. This book is not so much a murder mystery, it's more of a suspense novel. Zoe and her estranged husband become the prime suspects in not just Neil's but several other murders. They're also accused of being behind an art heist. They turn to Zoe's brother in law, a man with a criminal past, for help. I liked the tension between the characters and the way the story played out. Highly recommend for lover of suspense. The book was very well written.
August 6, 2016
Great summer read
Since I'm from Boston and have been to the Gardner museum,this story grabbed my attention.
Good read, plenty of twists n turns. Some plots lines are pretty predictable but overall, very entertaining.
Since I'm from Boston and have been to the Gardner museum,this story grabbed my attention.
Good read, plenty of twists n turns. Some plots lines are pretty predictable but overall, very entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews