Innocent as Sin

by Elizabeth Lowell

Kayla Shaw is a talented young gal who came up through the ranks of private banking and dealing with fortunes one only dreams about in the normal day-to-day life of real people, but where did all of this particular client’s money come from?? Innocent as Sin is the book that gets into arms running, overthrowing of governments for money and profits, annihilation of countries for the joy and the interest rate accumulation of more money. Elizabeth Lowell gets into the thick of all that is bad about capitalism and dealings with foreign governments for the profit of it.

Lowell is an excellent writer who researched and learned a good deal about the subject of the worst of the capitalistic societies that rue the commerce of nations. She showcases that involvement in the subject by writing a very real, encompassing novel which brings it to the forefront of our imagined horrors, when we think of places like Darfur, Iraq and Somalia.

Rand McCree is on a photography expedition when he gets caught up in the job of trying to take a shot of a notorious arms runner. His twin brother is with him and by mishap and misfortune, takes several shots and is killed. Rand goes into hiding and healing in the Pacific Northwest and becomes a painter with some skill, who is invited to a “Fast Draw” art competition. Kayla Shaw is the private banker to a company who looks the other way when it comes to where the money comes from that they divest for the clients. The Feds are interested, but the company shuts its eyes and leaves Kayla out to dry in the melee. Money laundering is a huge no-no in the US Governments and the Fed’s eyes and when all this starts coming down, Kayla finds herself in a very bad predicament with nowhere to go to get out alive. Rand is brought back into the investigative company, St. Kilda Consulting, whom he briefly got involved with when he took the pictures of the arms runner five years prior. There is the “Fast Draw” art competition, a kidnapping and then all hell starts to break loose. Kayla is brought into St. Kilda, by Rand and eventually, after the thrilling – chilling running amuck, the story brings everybody to the fall of the empire and the millionaire who has to cop to the real events which led him to be what he has become.

This story is a great summer read and you will have no trouble finishing it is a few days. It is written well, with a deft hand that makes you want to stay up half of the night to get the book finished. Both thumbs up to Elizabeth Lowell and Innocent as Sin…… totally enjoyable.