Fragile Designs

By: Colleen Coble

Narrated by: Karen Peakes

"With tons of suspects and plenty of danger, this is Coble at her best." --Library Journal | "Nobody does romantic suspense better than Colleen Coble." --Lisa Gardner | "Engaging characters, irresistible intrigue, and a slow-burning romance." --Mary Burton

USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble knows there are few things more dangerous than family secrets, and her novels provide that ideal blend of suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat with just the right amount of romance. Perfect for fans of Laura Dave's The Last Thing He Told Me or Allison Brennan's You'll Never Find Me.

Since her police-officer husband Eric's mysterious murder, Carly Harris has been struggling to support herself and their infant son. Her career as an antique dealer isn't sustainable, nor is her dream of becoming a novelist. So, when her grandmother proposes she and her two sisters restore the family's large Beaufort home and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast, she immediately gets to work clearing out the house. In the process, she uncovers a family secret that Eric kept hidden. And an heirloom that the wrong person wouldn't hesitate to kill for.

Homicide detective Lucas Bennett isn't his neighbor's biggest fan, not since she broke his brother's heart years ago. But when Carly turns to Lucas for help, believing she's found a lost Fabergé egg that would be worth millions and could put her family's lives in danger, he can't help but get involved. Soon, they're entangled in a mystery with threads that lead all the way to the Russian mafia. Lucas has gotten in deep, and while he trusts his ability to keep Carly and her family safe, he begins to realize he's vulnerable to an unexpected kind of danger--and helpless to stop the freefall. As they continue working closely together, Carly and Lucas realize they may have found something more precious than gold. Yet it's only a matter of time before Carly--or, worse, someone she loves--gets hurt.

Colleen Coble's Fragile Designs is gripping suspense with closed-door romance and includes an intriguing mystery surrounding an extremely valuable Fabergé egg, second-chance romance, home renovation, and found family.

Looking for more from this author? Try her Annie Pederson Series (Edge of Dusk, Dark of Night, and Break of Day) or her most recent novel coauthored with Rick Acker, I Think I Was Murdered.

©2024 Colleen Coble (P)2024 Thomas Nelson

Critic reviews

"Nobody does romantic suspense better than Colleen Coble. From a fascinating and fast-paced plot to characters who will make you want to cheer, Coble's novel offers up the perfect way to spend a weekend or any other time of the week."—Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Fragile design.

I have loved Colleen Coble since I found a book written by her at a book store that was marked down. Now I would buy any book with her name on it. This book was the best book I’ve listened to in a long time. Thank you C Coble you are great. Wish you could write faster.

Another fantastic a story

I absolutely loved this book. I have read nearly all of her books and this is another favorite. Coble is using her God-given gift!

Fragile Designs

Had to restart it once but it was great. Once I got familiar with all the Characters

Just ok

This read is Just ok, I wouldn't pursue this author mainly due to preachy themes

I couldn’t put it down. YEAH 👍🏾

Colleen has done it again. I really enjoyed the book. It kept me guessing until the end. I loved the characters

Great book

The story keeps you captivated. I would qualify it as a romantic thriller. I highly recommend it.

A layered story

It took me a bit to get into the story, but once I did, the twists never stopped. This one has complication after complication and kept me speculating until the end. The egg and surprise added interesting historical tidbits to the story as did the dual lost families. Narrator did well with all the various accents.

Excellent

This was hard to set aside. Listened to the entire book in 3 days. Highly recommend

A new author for me.

I tried a new author and was pleasantly surprised! Loved the story, loved the characters, loved the setting. I will definitely listen to to more from Colleen Coble.

A little cheesy for my tastes

I think this might’ve been better off as a book to read vs to listen to. It, to me, felt more like a YA novel.