"Is it possible to write a Good Novel In Four Days?"

First time novelist Jacqueline G. Randolph, author of Deception's Guard, certainly has a surprise for skeptical readers who cannot fathom that a novel can be written in four days.

When you have completed reading the first chapter, any skepticism you may have entertained has completely disappeared. You are emotionally drawn in and seduced to read this gripping tale of intrigue, espionage, deception and romance.

Randolph's plot focuses on two principal characters, Rhys Wielde and Skye Matthews.

Rhys is the youngest senior information systems staff member of a company he built and nurtured, Genoreach Technology, Inc.

One of the principal objectives of the company is to mate biology with computers in order to enhance the human condition.

Rhys's work involved the categor8zing and isolating of active brain neurons in coma, cataleptic, and autistic patients. Unfortunately, Rhys learns that someo9neon his research team has betrayed him and has sold the company's trade secrets to unsavory characters associated with the Latin American drug lords and the U.S. underworld.

Upon learning about this betrayal, Rhys volunteers his services to the DEA in a "sting" operation, who objective is to catch the culprits.

Unbeknown to Rhys, the DEA assigns as his bodyguard a 10-year veteran agent, Skye Matthews, who is a biracial woman (African-American and Spanish). She is also a pilot and consummate actress, both of which come in very handy in protecting her client. Skye, however, commits the unpardonable "no no," she falls in love with Rhys.

The plot swiftly moves along from Westcliffe, Colorado, to Peru and finally to Ecuador. Along the way, the author cleverly interweaves the unfortunate misconceptions the two principal characters have of each other that lead to disastrous consequences.

When I posed the question to the author if she believed that a good book generally focuses on the struggles of vividly drawn individuals, not issues, part of her reply was; "I wholeheartedly agree and my main characters, Skye and Rhys are on opposite ends o the spectrum in their understanding of the novel's conflicts. Hopefully, the reader (as the objective observer) will find themselves understanding several perspectives of the situation and thereby gaining broader/in-depth understating go underlying issues. In life we should do the same thing.I never believe one media source of a story."

Herein lies the fun in reading this novel. When you finally put it down, you are asking yourself-what if Skye and Rhys were on the same wave-lengths, would the author have succeeded in keeping the pages turning?

Randolph is a promising novelist and I am sure we will be hearing from her sometime in the near future. Stay tuned.

Reviewed by Norman Goldman
Courtesy Bookpleasures.com
Posted May 13, 2003

DEA agent Skye, is assigned to guard and protect Rhys Wielde with her life. Unfortunately, the thing Skye ends up guarding is her own desire for the powerful, handsome CEO. Rhys Wielde is livid when he learns that his trusted colleagues have used his successful company, Genoreach Technology's research and development lab to develop a gene receptor for illegal drugs. Rhys and Skye find themselves embroiled in danger in Peru and Ecuador, where drug lords are king and our two heroes find that life can be complicated indeed.

This book is exciting and suspenseful from start to finish. The plot never fails to leave the reader handing on for more. In depth character synopsis give the story an under current of romance while the characters struggle with past disappoints and present commitments. Misunderstandings that remain unresolved almost to the end, lead to some intriguing interaction between the tow main characters.

First time author Jacqueline Randolph's experience with the US Air Force as an officer and pilot give credence to the storyline, the settings and the character's professions.

Readers are drawn in with a winning blend of suspense, romance and intrigue in this compelling literary drama. This is a "can't put down" novel that this reviewer highly recommends.

Reviewed by Shirley Roe
Courtesy of Allbooks.com Reviews
Posted Summer 2003
Selected as Allbooks Reviews Editor's Choice for 2003

Rhys Wielde is the CEO of Genoreach Technology, Inc., a company he founded shortly after graduating the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Now Rhys has to deal with betrayal by his trusted associates.

The Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Agency have informed him Genoreach is involved in industrial espionage and drug trafficking. Genoreach has developed an artificial gene receptor that will make a drug addict incapable of kicking the habit. The code name to the program is Omega and Rhys has been asked to help the government again find the people responsible members of his research and development team.

Skye Matthews' diverse education, ethnicity, and skills make her an asset to the DEA in the offices of Central and South America. Skye is working undercover as a nightclub singer in Ecuador when she is recalled to be Rhys secret bodyguard. Skye arranges to bump into Rhys at the general store in Westcliffe (CO) and later arranges matters for him to give her a ride to what he thinks is her parents' home. Skye told Rhys her name is Sierra and make a date to bring him dinner later over Rhys' protests. Rhys does not want her around the cabin because the next night is when the trap will b sprung and the associates responsible for the betrayal will be apprehended.

Sierra/Skye shows up at his cabin with a picnic dinner and Rhys is not able to get rid of her. Sierra/Skye gets Rhys to kiss her and she injects him with something to knock him out. She then hides them both under the floorboards while the other agents assigned to the operation overcome the criminals after a fierce firefight. When Rhys comes to, he is in a military hospital and doesn't remember anything but the kiss he shared with Sierra/Skye. Rhys does not know that he will meet up with Skye/Sierra again when he attends the Industrial Conference in Lima, Peru where he is to retired the computer disks and clean any hardware used to run the Omega programs.

DECEPTION'S GUARD has romance, hot sex, lots of suspense, a beautiful heroine and a handsome hero. It also has a most interesting heroine and hero, Skye is strong and capable of disguising everything about herself including her voice and has away with the Spanish language. She has met her match in Rhys though because he is as strong and stubborn as she is and will let her go so far in protecting him. Skye and Rhys give the reader danger and romance on a level that is seldom seen between the pages of a book.

Reviewed by Hattie Boyd
Courtesy of Scribesworld.com
Posted 2003

Love vs. Deception

In his adult life Rhys Wielde is the CEO or the company he developed to merge computer technology and biology in such a way that will allow for positive human advancement. When Rhys learns that one of his hand-selected employees is responsible for developing a dangerous new drug he joining the team of DEA investigations committed to identifying and punishing the guilty parties. It is through his work with the DEA that Rhys meets Skye, the DEA agent assigned to protect him. However, because Skye often relies on the use of secret identities in her work, it is not until several encounters that Rhys learns who she really is. S the two travel from state to state and country to country, they must trust and rely on one another for their own safety. Through their adventures they soon realize that their attraction to one another cannot be denied.

DECEPTION" GUARD has a hearty portion of adventure coupled with plenty of romance. The author's vivid descriptions of the various settings of the book bring the location and their respective culture alive. While the adventure aspects of the book keep the story going, I found myself getting frustrated by the slow development of the romance plot. In addition, I would have like a little more back-story on Skye' life so that I could better understand her motivation and actions. IN spite of these things, the book is an admiral freshman effort for Randolph that is worth checking out.

Reviewed by Stacy Seay
Courtesy of Rawsistaz.com Reviewers
Sep 2003

Suspenseful to the last page.

Skye Matthew's career as an undercover DEA agent has been successful due to one reason. She has never allowed her emotions to derail her obligations. Whe she is called upon to guard CEO Rhys Wielde, she finds her creed of emotional detachment is in danger of being despoiled. On what she believes to be her last night as his bodyguard, his kiss has her remember him after her assignment is finished.

Rhys Wield is devastated when his life's work is compromised. The betrayal of several close and supposedly loyal employees angers him. He is determined to halt the impending assault of a new drug germ-fare. His sojourn in the mountain retreat as he awaits the fruition of justice finds Rhys in danger of losing both is life and his heart to the lovely woman who disappears after the seductive kiss they share.

Both Skye and Rhys are thrown together again and into the deep end when he travels to Peru for a convention. Skye is called upon to shadow him again, keeping him safe as he tries to recover information vital to the DEA's case. Circumstances force them to leave for Ecuador and there they are forced to marry to keep u appearances. But Skyes' marital bliss is underscored by Rhys's plan for vengeance.

Deceptions' Guard's author teams suspense and romance together in such a way as to leave readers on the edge of their seat. Although Ms Randolph does not adhere to some tried and proven rules for writing, her book gets an A+ for being a highly interesting read.

Reviewed by Faith V. Smith
Courtesy of Myshelf.com

When Rhys Wielde discovers one of his employees has secretly used Genoreach Technology's labs to create "Omega". A genetic receptor that makes it impossible for a user to kick his drug habit, he is furious. Working with the DEA, Rhys is determined to make sure his employees are shut down and put behind bars for good. However, his determination also put him in danger.

Skye Matthews is the DEA agent assigned to protect Rhys. Skye is good at her job, and nothing will keep her from her duties, including her growing attraction to him. Falling for you assignment is definitely not kosher.

Soon Rhys is more determined to protect Skye. He is not aware that she is his bodyguard and therefore he is afraid his presence in her life would be dangerous to her. His need to act as her protection is unstoppable, that that need could hamper Skye's job and lead them straight into danger.

The most amazing part of this book is that the author wrote it in four days time. Not an easy task by and means. And give the fact that is rushed from head to paper, it is fast-paced story that catches your attention.

However, I found that the action of the plot overshadowed the romance. I had a hard time feeling any romantic bond develop strongly. More emphasis was placed on their adventures than on developing passion. So while I found DECEPTION'S GUARD to be an above average suspense, the romance never caught my attention. Those looking for a fiery romantic suspense may not find exactly what they are looking for in this book. However, fans of military and police suspense will be very satisfied.

Reviewed by Tracy Farnsworth
Courtesy of The Romance Readers Connection, 2003

One of my favorite all-time movies is "The Long Kiss Goodnight." It was one of the first action/suspense movies I had seen where the female was the main character. Geena Davis starred as an assassin for the CIA. As I met Skye Mathews in DECEPTION'S GUARD, the first book in the Deception series by Jacqueline G. Randolph, I was reminded of my delight in having the female as the lead in an action-packed thriller! In DECEPTION'S GUARD, Skye is a top Drug Enforcement agent working undercover. She is called back from her primary assignment to become the bodyguard for CEO Rhys Wielde, who has agreed to work with the DEA. Just as with the character played by Geena Davis, readers will quickly come to admire Skye's courage, strength and commitment, while maintaining an underlying warmth and concern for those she serves and protects.

Rhys had been shocked when, after extensive research and elimination of his possible involvement, he was contacted by the DEA, regarding his company, Genoreach. They had determined that his company was responsible for the creation of a genetic receptor, code-named Omega, for all known illegal drugs. That is, the receptor was designed to annihilate the biological receptors in the brain responsible for addiction and necessary for withdrawal and rehabilitation. The destroyed receptors would be replaced by artificial receptors incapable of purging drugs, thus ensuring a captive market for drug smugglers!

Rhys had created Genoreach shortly after graduating from MIT. He had considered the small group of employees as his family and felt bitter betrayal and anger that one or more of them had not only turned against the goals of the company, but had worked to create something so monstrous and deadly. Once he was convinced his company was involved, he agreed to help bring these traitors to justice. That placed him in immediate danger from those who had first contacted his company representatives.

While Skye was a long-term, experienced agent, she had learned through that experience that oftentimes men did not accept a woman as a bodyguard. Instead, it was instinctual for them to try to protect the female in times of trouble. Skye surmised that Rhys Wielde would follow that role. So, while she had agreed to become his bodyguard, it was to be done without Rhys ever meeting her. However, as she and other agents surrounded Rhys in a hideaway cabin, and a car drove slowly by without his knowledge, Skye realized that she would have to be closer if she were actually going to be able to protect him. Skye's plan was to meet him in disguise, as Sierra, and have him become interested in her, so that he would invite her to spend time in his company. The plan worked-very well. Unfortunately, the plan worked on Skye as well. Their attraction was instant.and real. But Skye is able to maintain control of her passion and, within Rhys' arms as he kisses her, she plunges a syringe deep into his neck. As arranged, she pulls him into a hiding place; then crawls in, guns in both hands now, to protect him if necessary. She nervously listens, sweat pouring down her face, as those wanting to kill Rhys attack the cabin, and as her team fights against the assassins.

When Rhys regains consciousness, the battle is over; Sierra is gone! But the first phase of the Omega operation is a success and they arrest the chief biologist and two information system programmers of Genoreach, along with a number of South American mercenaries. Now they must turn their efforts to those who initiated the research. Just as the mercenaries gave up the Genoreach contacts, Rhys is permitted to shake information out of his former colleagues. He discovers that they were to make contact at an industrial conference in Peru. Since Rhys had already been scheduled for attendance, he readily agrees to act as the promised systems analyst who would release the data and receive payment from the drug lords.

Although fearful of her own feelings, Skye is again asked to act as his bodyguard and Gabe, her boss and friend, has arranged for her to be disguised as a haggard domestic worker in the capitol mansion. With various disguises, Skye is able to handle many of the activities necessary to the mission. However, as the Haggard is called upon to guide him from danger and they must abandon their disguises to escape, Rhys unhappily discovers how the various characters Skye has played have fooled him. Is the woman for whom he has such attraction, Sierra, Skye, or the domestic worker-or some other woman he has not yet met? Rhys finally accepts and applauds that Skye is able to guard him. But, by the time they are nearing the end of their mission, and they are under attack, Rhys does exactly what Skye was afraid of-he takes the bullet that she should have taken and is badly injured.

DECEPTION'S GUARD has constant action and twists, setting a pace that keeps the reader interested and involved. Jacqueline Randolph has used knowledge gathered through extensive traveling as well as her excellent writing skills to introduce wonderful characters whom you will quickly come to know and love. Then she takes us through a wonderful and exciting adventure in faraway lands of intrigue.

You might plan on buying the second in her series, DECEPTION'S FURY, at the same time. I read both books in two days, reading almost around the clock-plan to meet Skye and Rhys on Friday night and have a wonderful, exciting weekend! Trust me! This author is on the move! Watch her! She is a challenge to J. D. Robb and many other well-established writers. This is definitely a MUST-READ!

G. A. Bixler
IP Book Reviewer