The Persuasion

Eve Duncan #26

by Iris Johansen

When Eve Duncan's daughter, Jane MacGuire, becomes a killer's target, Jane must team up with longtime love interest Seth Caleb in this thrilling novel from the
#1 bestselling author of Smokescreen.

Forensic sculptor Eve Duncan and ex-Navy Seal Joe Quinn are about to give Seth Caleb their trust for the most important duty of his life: keeping their daughter, Jane, safe at any cost. Her talent as an artist has caught the attention of a brilliant psychopath with a violent past.

Seth, Jane's strongest ally and fiercest protector, is determined to keep her out of danger, but that becomes nearly impossible when Jane is forced to take matters into her own hands and confronts the madman who wants her for himself...and wants Seth Caleb dead.

As Jane and Seth chase down their blood-thirsty adversary, they also have to reckon with their own epic love story. Can they finally commit to a life together, no matter how uncertain? As the two come face to face with danger, one thing is made clear: it will take both of them to confront and defeat this evil.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Romance, Mystery Thriller, Paranormal

464 pages, Hardcover

First published June 2, 2020

About the author

Iris Johansen is a New York Times bestselling author. She began her writing after her children left home for college. She first achieved success in the early 1980s writing category romances. In 1991, Johansen began writing suspense historical romance novels, starting with the publication of The Wind Dancer. In 1996 Johansen switched genres, turning to crime fiction, with which she has had great success.

She lives in Georgia and is married. Her son, Roy Johansen, is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist. Her daughter, Tamara, serves as her research assistant.

IRIS JOHANSEN is The New York Times bestselling author of Night and Day, Hide Away, Shadow Play, Your Next Breath, The Perfect Witness, Live to See Tomorrow, Silencing Eve, Hunting Eve, Taking Eve, Sleep No More, What Doesn't Kill You, Bonnie, Quinn, Eve, Chasing The Night, Eight Days to Live, Blood Game, Deadlock, Dark Summer, Pandora's Daughter, Quicksand, Killer Dreams, On The Run, and more. And with her son, Roy Johansen, she has coauthored Night Watch, The Naked Eye, Sight Unseen, Close Your Eyes, Shadow Zone, Storm Cycle, and Silent Thunder.

http://www.irisjohansen.com

Reviews

[Kat valentine ( Katsbookcornerreads)]

Finally Iris gave two of my favorite characters of all times their happy ending!!! So! Excited! I have loved both Jane eve's adopted daughter and Seth Caleb the dangerous and sexy mercenary for hire who has the ability to not only control a person's blood flow and kill with just one touch but who has the power to persuade anyone to do just about anything he wants them to do. Since his first introduction in Blood Game I have been so intrigued by him and when he and jane meant you can see the instant attraction. Jane can't help how Seth makes her feel but she has kept him at arm's length for so long,but when Luca a sick sonofabitch leaves a dead guard's blood painted in a cross with Jane's picture in the middle at Macduff's castle a twisted game of cat and mouse has Seth and jane tracking down this psycho monster before he can kill anyone else. The chemistry between Jane and seth is sensual dance with both of them holding nothing back. I have loved and read all of Iris Johansen's books!! She is one of my fave author's of all time. With awesome storylines and fabulous characters its no wonder that after 30 consecutive best sellers she's still one of the best voices of thriller and suspense! Her villians are truly evil and Luca and his second in command Alberto are pure psychotic killers who enjoy hurting others. Also eve and joe are back along with their 10 year son Michael who plays a big role in this book. Michael has always been very special from the time he could talk,like his mother he has special gifts and all though both eve and joe have tried to keep a lid on his talents so that he could have a normal childhood and keep him safe he is the key to finding the little boy that luca is using to get Jane to do what he wants. Until next time Luv's💕💋

[Drw · Rating 2 out of 5]

if you ever wondered if honesty was just another word for deliberate cruelty or if being self-sacrificing is the same as hardheaded stupidity then come to Iris Johansen for the answer.

I started this book because at last it seemed Jane and Caleb would get together. At first I thought - oh yes, the best Johansen in years.

But then the endless - and I can't stress "endless" enough - chatter between characters. I hope the author is trying for witty repartee but the back-and-forth talk between these characters is just too much "perils of pauline" mixed with "keystone cops" - "I'll protect you." "No, I'll take care of myself and protect you." "But I must protect you." "But you can't protect me." "Promise me you'll take care of the child." "But you must take care of the child"

And, what happens while everyone is cross-talking like idiots who run off to save everyone - the child is kidnapped.

The action and bad guys would be ok if the author could just get past the stupid dialog and senseless - "no you can't save me, I'll save you" dialogue.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Eve Duncan series is always a solid read. Sometimes Iris Johansen can get carried away with long descriptions though. I enjoyed catching up on favorite characters. Suspense, strong characters, and a tight plot makes way for a compelling read.

I won this book from Goodreads Giveaways.
Thank you Tiffany at Grand Central Publishing for sending the book for my review!

[Jessica]

DNF @ page 78 - I just couldn't with the childish bickering that was occurring between Jane and Caleb (which again, I think it's weird that you would call your own lover by his last name instead of his first...)


#3 The Search - ★★★★★
#4 Body of Lies - ★★★★★
#5 Blind Alley - ★★★★★
#6 Countdown - ★★★★★
#7 Stalemate- ★★★★★
#8 Quicksand - ★★★★★
#9 Blood Game - ★★★★★
#10 Eight Days to Live - ★★★★★
#11 Chasing the Night - ★★★★★
#12 Eve - ★★★★★
#13 Quinn - ★★★★★
#14 Bonnie - ★★★★★
#15 Sleep No More - ★★★★☆
#16 Taking Eve - ★★★☆☆
#17 Hunting Eve - ★★★★★
#18 Silencing Eve - ★★★☆☆
#19 Shadow Play - ★★★☆☆
#20 Hide Away - ★★★★☆
#21 Night and Day - ★★★★☆
#22 Mind Game - ★★★★☆
#23 Shattered Mirror - ★★★★☆
#24 Dark Tribute - ★★★☆☆
#25 Smokescreen - ★★★★☆

[P Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to stay reading

Once again, had a hard time to get pass all the argumentative dialogue. So juvenile, everyone having to have last word. I found the story line very difficult to stay with. Spoiler Alert: all I can say it's about time they finally get with it - ended nicely.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced, sinister, and intense!

In this latest novel by Johansen, The Persuasion, Eve and Joe’s daughter, Jane MacGuire finds herself the target of a ruthless killer obsessed with owning the priceless Cira’s treasure, and begrudgingly in need of some assistance from her ex-lover Seth Caleb, a man of many special talents and a secretive past of his own.

The prose is ominous and tight. The characters are multilayered, unique, and resourceful. And the plot is a suspenseful tale full of familial drama, tension, obsession, death, kidnapping, cruelty, desperation, violence, and murder, all interwoven with a sliver of the supernatural.

Overall, The Persuasion won’t disappoint fans of Johansen and the Eve Duncan series who’ve come to expect and love her menacing tales, action-packed plots, and smidges of heat.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lisa Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Iris Johansen book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was full of action, adventure, suspense, mystery, family, and a hot romance. It was a fast-paced read that kept me up late and got me up early. I had to know how it was going to play out! The end was not a surprise, but the thrill for me was in the journey getting there, and there weren't any loose ends for me. This is a fun ride that I recommend you take.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Tess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this Kindle ebook from Goodreads Giveaways.

I really wanted to like this newest book in the Eve Duncan series. I have read many of her books and this one just didn’t have enough substance for me. Not one of the top ones in her series.

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bestselling author Iris Johansen entertains readers with the 27th installment of her series starring forensic sculptor Eve Duncan. In THE PERSUASION, Eve’s daughter, Jane MacGuire, becomes the target of a ruthless, psychotic killer named Luca. Seth Caleb, her love interest, ally and protector, promises to keep her safe, but he is unable to do so when she confronts the monster who is after her.

An up-and-coming artist with a real gift, Jane finds herself alone with Luca, who is using her as a pawn. This psycho is an art collector who wants Jane all to himself so she can paint exclusively for him. He also plans to use her as bait to draw in Seth so he can destroy him. Jane must find a way to extract herself from this explosive situation without putting others, particularly Seth, in danger.

As in previous books in the series, Seth’s unique abilities play a major role in the storyline. He is able to change the blood flow of people he touches, which means he can either help them or kill them, depending on the circumstances. He also can alter a person’s perception of things with “the persuasion," a technique by which he enters a person’s mind and changes their memories to “persuade” them to do what he wants.

While this story focuses primarily on Jane, another prominent figure in the narrative is Eve’s son, 10-year-old Michael, who is learning how to utilize his own powers. He can communicate telepathically with others, even if they are a long distance away. This becomes an important skill when he is able to calm the fears of another young boy, who is being held captive by Luca.

Fans will want to read THE PERSUASION to catch up on these characters’ lives and enjoy the thrill of the hunt as everyone works together to bring down Luca. Although Johansen provides plenty of backstory for newcomers, it still would be a bit difficult to follow all the action without having read at least one other book in the series. I highly recommend you do so; you will be hooked in no time!

Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin

[Living My Best Book Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Persuasion is another great addition to the 'Eve Ducan' series. This book focuses on Eve's daughter, Jane. She is a talented artist that is now the target of a psychopath. She is in danger and Jane is going to try her hardest to stay alive.

Jane is a talented artist and has caught the attention of a violent psychopath. Jane's parents enlist the help of Seth Caleb to keep her safe. He and Jane have a romantic past.

There is danger at every turn and there are tense moments that you can't help but want more of. This is a thrilling ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

I give The Persuasion 4 stars. I love Iris and her fast-paced writing style. She gave us drama, romance, danger, and so many thrilling moments. This series never disappoints.

[Althea Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have not figured it out already, Iris Johansen is one of my favorite authors. I find that she writes really good books. This is yet another great Iris Johansen book. Although it is #26 in the Eve Duncan series, Eve Duncan plays a fairly minimal role in the story. The story mainly follows that of Eve Duncan's adopted daughter Jane MacGuire and also that of Seth Caleb, who is Jane's past lover and has mysterious powers of his own (blood and the persuasion). Jane and Seth's relationship has always been that of intense sexual desire and longing for one another. It really reminds me of Eve and Joe's relationship in some ways.

The persuasion and/or Seth's blood powers have been a mystery and not very understood except for by Seth. Seth has also been a man of mystery with little about him known. We did learn a little bit more about Seth when Jane was having dreams of a girl, who turned out to be Seth's sister Lisa, in Mind Game by Iris Johansen. Persuasion, as you can probably guess by now, is about Seth' ability to persuade individuals to do his bidding and this book takes us further into his power of persuasion and his family home in Fiero Village, Italy.

Michael, Eve Duncan's son, also plays a bit of a bigger role in the story. It is so surprising to see how fast he has grown since he was first introduced in Night and Day. Michael has his own psychic powers, which have been very vague and not as well understood partly due to Eve and Joe. However, this changes in The Persuasion. Michael has also grown to become very close to Seth for obvious reasons due to their unique abilities.

The Persuasion does tie in a bit of the most recent released Eve Duncan book prior to this one, Smokescreen. As it has Eve still being in Maldara working on the skulls of the children who were brutally murdered in the small village. If you haven't read Smokescreen yet, you definitely should, but you will not be lost at all in this next series installment.

I quite enjoyed this book. It was filled with action, supernatural, sexual tension, mystery, and suspense. It is everything that you expect to find in an Eve Duncan story. I cannot wait to see what continues to unravel and happen between Seth and Jane. I hope that we continue to learn more about Seth and his past, as I find it so intriguing. I look forward to seeing how Michael continues to grow, especially with his powers and the way that Eve and Joy's views on them have evolved in this story.

The setting of the story takes you to a few different countries, which I quite enjoyed. You have your usual Eve Duncan characters that came back including Lord MacDuff. You can't have the story take place in Scotland and not have Lord MacDuff be apart of the story.

Rating: 5 out of 5. This books did not disappoint. It was everything that I expected it to be and more. It is a must read.

Thank you Goodreads and Grand Central Publishing for the copy of the book to review.

[Monica Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually love the books in this series but this one....I have no idea what was going on here.

Pages and pages of "filler", that didn't really go anywhere. Scant mention of Eve at all and then there was a cult just thrown into the mix (although nothing much was explained). Lisa, Seth Caleb's sister, seemed to have a couple of screws loose e.g. after figuring out that Jane had just been on the phone to a psychotic killer and was in shock, she GRINNED at her and wanted to know what was going on? I can only hope that the word should have been GRIMACED because she was certainly not showing a lot of empathy. Then there was her attitude to Jane, almost like a rival love interest, it was weird. There is also a strange thing about names. Stefano Luca - either name could be used as a first name so he was known as Luca throughout....weirder though is that Seth Caleb was universally known as Caleb, even by Jane, who was his lover.

I had to look up one word in this book, which seemed very out of place, especially for an author in her 80's: "milquetoast". It only appears twice, in the same paragraph. I just don't know.

All in all, this was a really disappointing, frustrating read. I think my 3 stars here is generous, considering. I like the Kendra series much better, just saying.

[Arpita (world of a book enthusiast) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane MacGuire is an amazing artist and a psychopath is following and observing her for years, who wants Jane to be with him for his personal gains. Seth Caleb can only protect her and they share a romantic past.

This is Iris Johansen’s 27th book in Eve Duncan series and has made me so invested in all the characters that now I want to read all the previous 26 books in this series to know their complete story. I used to be up late at night and get up early in the morning to read this book. The second half was quite fast-paced and action-packed.

There is so much information being shared and so many twists and turns are happening which makes the reader fully engrossed in this book. There is action, adventure, drama, suspense, mystery, thrill, and romance.

Often times I felt the conversations between the characters were quite straight forward and they lacked emotions but this can be just for me.

This book is not going to disappoint you if you are a fan of Suspense, Crime Thriller, and Eve Duncan series.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lindsey Domokur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting for this book for what feels like forever. I don't know why, but I love Seth Caleb and Jane together so much that it might be more than Eve and Joe. This series is one that never gets old for me. I love how new characters get introduced and you just know there will be spin offs and as the characters grow older, you will see more and more of them. I'm glad Eve and Joe are still highlighted as well, the two of them work so well together and they have my heart. I do like the bits of paranormal that are thrown into the mix too, it makes it all the more interesting. This is one series I will continue to read, no matter what.

[Bob]

Another great read featuring Jane, Michael, Caleb and his sister Lisa , Eve and Joe, MacDuff in a back and forth battle with a rich, determined killer who is intent on using Jane and Caleb to further his dream of becoming a second Machiavelli and setting up his own fiefdom. Luca is relentless, psychotic and bloodthirsty and willing to kill anyone in his way. A book that kept me up late to finish it.

[Read All About It · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this day would never come. I’ve been waiting for year’s for Jane and Caleb to finally get together as a couple. This story had all that is great about a Iris Johansen book. Great suspense a crazy whacked out bad guy and all our favorite Eve Duncan characters. Here’s hoping for many more great books to come.

[Kay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t know why I bothered to finish this book. It was nothing but bickering between five adults and one 10-year-old boy about who could do the better job of keeping everyone safe!

[Marilyn Lafave · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible Boring

[Mel (whilemelwasreading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ “She could not help him out there in the woods, but sometimes a hint did not always take place in the wild...”
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If you enjoy:
•Suspense
•Hint of Romance
•Mystery
•Series Reads
•Mulitple POV
Then this may be the book for you.
.
When Jane becomes a killers target, her long time love interest Seth is determined to keep her safe. But Jane is forced to take matters into her own hands. As they work together to chase the killer down, can they rekindle their own relationship.
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This is my first read of this authors in quite some time. The book had a slow start. A build up. That led to plenty of action and suspense. And even some quick sexy scenes. There’s an element of paranormal in this, that is quite unique. But I had some difficulty connecting to the writing style in this one.
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While you can definitely read this as a stand-alone, I personally felt like it would have been better to catch up a little bit prior to reading this one. It’s unique and would be ideal for those who enjoy a mystery with a slight paranormal feel.
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Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for my gifted copy for my honest review.

[Talie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for my complimentary copy of this book. I really enjoyed The Persuasion by Iris Johansen. The book is a winning combination of engaging characters, quick moving story line, family dynamics, and a little supernatural talent thrown in to make things interesting.

The book is a part of the Eve Duncan series of books. I haven't read an Eve Duncan book before and didn't feel it hampered my enjoyment of the book at all. This book revolves around Eve's daughter Jane. The book does have an element of second chance romance where it might have been helpful to read previous books, but again I was able to pretty quickly get up to speed and understand what was going on. And now I really want to start the books from the beginning to learn even more about Eve and her family!

So in summary, if you like romantic thrillers this might be a good choice for you. If you like your thrillers romance free, or don't care for characters with supernatural talents, this might not be the book for you.

I traded between the book and audiobook when reading this. I really enjoyed the narration on the audiobook and thought the narrator did a good job bringing the characters to life.

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 1 out of 5]

Never thought the day would come that I would rate an Iris Johansen book a one star. Especially as I have liked both the main characters - Jane and Seth aka Caleb. Jane is the now successful artist and adopted daughter of Eve Duncan. She has featured in her own book a couple of times in this series. Those were good. Caleb is a complicated man with a psychic background that makes people uncomfortable. He is the dangerous "hunter" you don't want after you. Their relationship has been complicated over the years. I guess this is supposed to be their happily ever after.

To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was lots of adventure and had the classic Iris Johansen writing style that I enjoy. However, the reason for the four stars is for two reasons. One, some of the descriptions in this book were overkill. I don't usually notice this in her novels but this book could have used some editing. The second was because I felt the on again off again between Jane and Caleb went too far. I started to lose interest and it became annoying. Overall, an enjoyable read.

[(NurseLisa) Square Granny from Ohio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Man, I hate giving just two stars - especially considering I have enjoyed TWENTY FIVE books in this series already - but this one was way too much “extra/filler/fluff” for me / imo. Kinda felt like it could’ve been a novella. I literally skimmed at times. I do NOT skim while reading for pleasure, lol. Oh well. I love love love these characters, so I’ll likely try again with number teeny seven 🤭🤓🖤 cheers! LBR

[Davia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Love this book! I ad9re watching Michael grow up as the books continue. I love seeing him find his feet as a preteen. Jane and Caleb are wonderful and so entertaining. Just could not put it down.

[Debra Berding · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of hers and have read most of this series. I have to say this one was unnecessarily long.
There wasn't any real action until halfway through, and there were way too many pages exploring the
relationship between Jane and Caleb. It felt like more of a romance novel than a thriller. If most of the
relationship exploration had been left out, especially since it was so repetitive, it would have been much better.

[Margaret Yelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another action-packed thriller from one of my favorite authors. I have always enjoyed Jane and Calebs romance or lack thereof. This book helped to bring the two closer together and work out the issues that kept them apart. I definitely would recommend this book to others.

[Michele M · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome from start to finish. I listened with audible and the narrator for this series is wonderful. the main focus of this book of the series is Jane and Caleb instead of Eve and you just can't help but to fall in love with Caleb. Now on to the next one. The Bullet

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! The best of the series to-date.

Complete review to come.

[Donnap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read from the Eve Duncan series! Started off a little slow, but started getting better and better. More excitement and more suspense as it went along!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

I love the chemistry between Jane and Seth Caleb and I can't wait to see how their relationship goes forward.