Review of The Cache

[Steinkar]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Cache" by Lauren Anne Davis.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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The Cache is Lauren Anne Davis’s mixed-genre story about a young widow alone in the world who has lost all of her family’s precious heirlooms in a burglary and is determined to get them back—no matter what it takes. Megan realizes her first step would be to scan all the local pawn shops, a decision that would change her life forever. Since she has very limited money, she goes into the first pawn shop in disguise, ready to use a loaded gun if she must. But King, the owner of the shop, understands her situation and allows her to leave with her mother’s pearls before the police arrive. In her quest to find the rest of her mother’s stolen jewelry, Megan and King cross paths numerous times, and a romantic attraction forms between them, but neither takes any steps to pursue it. Megan is too single-minded in her pursuit to retrieve the last remnants of her family’s legacy, and King is entangled in a failing relationship with Gayla because he thinks he’s the father of her child. Through great sleuthing, Megan believes some of the jewelry is hidden in King’s house, so she takes a job as his maid. A mix of family issues, relationship complications, and financial struggles runs throughout this witty rom-com mystery story until the plotlines converge to a satisfying ending.

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. Davis cleverly introduces Megan as a tragic character who has literally lost everything important in her life. This characterization helps readers understand the bizarre lengths she goes to in order to get any semblance of her life back. For example, Megan breaks into King’s house and hides out there—in closets, under beds, and in the garage—for days. Davis also sprinkles in a good amount of humor that turns this into a "caper" story rather than a gruesome crime mystery. As Megan surreptitiously surveils King’s house, she sees him coming out of the shower in his Scooby Doo underwear. Finally, Davis does a nice job of juxtaposing the parallel storylines of Megan and Gayla. Although she’s a criminal, Megan garners sympathy from the very beginning, but readers will view Gayla, who is by all rights a loving mother to Gary, as the villain. This creates some delicious irony throughout the novel.

However, there are some negatives in this book. Although a caper story allows for some bending of reality, I found myself unable to suspend my disbelief far enough to accommodate some plot points. For example, even after King discovers Megan—the robber who had recently held him at gunpoint—hiding under his bed, he simply goes to sleep. I was also disappointed in Davis’s overall characterization of King. If the romance storyline is going to work, readers need to hope the couple eventually gets together. But King’s subtle implications about women being "prey" are distasteful enough for me to root against their coupling. His ego needed her to come to him rather than lower himself to pursue her: "He had never instigated a romantic kiss in his life, and he wasn’t about to change. He even went so far as to disparage her reputation to a possible suitor so she would never have anyone else care for her. This tainted the romantic storyline beyond repair for me.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. It is a fast read with many twists and turns. Although it misfires on the romantic storyline, as a light-hearted mystery caper and a more serious exploration of family dynamics, it is worth a read.

There are some examples of vulgar language and some sexual innuendo, so it’s probably intended for adults. However, I don’t think this novel would offend teens who might enjoy the mystery part of the story.

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The Cache
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[BRIjita23+]

There is some negatives in this book.there is some point after king discover megan the robber who had recently held him gunpoint hiding under the bed.he is simply goes to sleep. I rate this book 3 out of 5 star. It is a fast read with many twist and turn.

[Uchechi uk]

This is like a heist but a legal one. The Cache is better off dished out as a movie with those popular actors. I love and enjoyed reading this review. Well-done.

[NetMassimo]

Romance is not my thing, so I don't particularly care if it's not developed very well. Otherwise, this novel seems engaging with intensity in Megan's quest to recover her heirlooms. Thank you for your great review!