That Touch of Ink by Diane Vallere

Henery Press

 

This is one of those light reads great for the beach or a rainy day. 

Even for the fabulous Madison Night, interior designer, receiving a rare five thousand dollar bill in the mail is not your average day.  Convinced that this bill is somehow connected to her past and a former lover, she is intrigued and starts to look into what the bill is really all about.  Soon someone is murdered, Madison is in a car chase, guns appear, a mysterious neighbor moves in and Madison is running for her life. She is also running from some pretty hot men. She isn't sure about the men in her life -  does she actually love one of them, are they good for her and can she actually trust them or anybody else for that matter. Aw Madison, dilemma is thy middle name.

While she is dealing with murder, a counterfeit ring, and staying one step ahead of the law, she comes home to find her apartment has been painted in just the right shade of daisy yellow by persons unknown, deals with some kooky clients and hides out in a house she recently inherited that shows potential from an interior design point of view.

Though I am writing this a little tongue in cheek, I did have fun reading this book.  There are numerous Doris Day references scattered throughout the story (i.e. the title) that you are either going to love (like me) or find very kitschy, much like any Doris Day movie. But if you want a few laughs, a good story, and to learn a little about counterfeiting then read That Touch of Ink.  You won't be bored.

 

You can read an excerpt on the author's web page http://www.dianevallere.com/that-touch-of-ink.html

Rosemary and Crime by Gail Oust

St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books

Piper Prescott is recently divorced and she has invested all her money from the divorce settlement into opening a spice shop in her adopted town of  Brandywine Creek, Georgia.  Key to the opening of the store is a cooking demonstration to be given by the local celebrity chef.  Unfortunately, hours before the opening, Piper finds chef Mario dead on the kitchen floor of his own restaurant.  To make matters worse, Piper has touched the murder weapon and other key evidence at the crime scene making her the prime suspect of Wyatt McBride, the newly appointed police chief.  So she teams up with her BFF Reba Mae, the local hairdresser, to solve the crime before McBride arrests her for murder. 

Naturally, the daring duo stumble onto their clues rather than actually discovering anything through the use of brilliant sleuthing techniques.  There is the usual slate of quirky secondary characters, family issues and a little bit of a tease in the romance department.  This is definitely your typical cosy mystery.

It always amazes me how a well-written cosy mystery can turn murder into a rollicking good read and Rosemary and Crime is no exception.  This was a quick and entertaining light read that I thoroughly enjoyed.  Perfect for the beach or a day when you are stuck in the house.

Compliments of a Friend by Susan Isaacs

Open Road Integrated Media

This is the first time I have read anything by Susan Isaacs and I don't think it was a good place to start. This is a short story; apparently the only one she has written. Now Isaacs is known for her sharp, witty writing and is a very successful author.  That being said writing a good short story is no easy feat even if that is how many authors start their career.

The story is about a chic CEO of an employment agency who dies while trying on shoes in the shoe department of Bloomingdale's. Because of a large drug content in her blood the police declare it a suicide. But Judith Singer, her neighbor, is convinced that Vanessa didn't take a large dose of drugs and then go out to buy designer shoes.  Purchasing shoes, after all, is a commitment to living, a statement that there is a future  - as in - there will be some place to where the shoes.  So Judith investigates Vanessa's life and stumbles upon a few surprises as she tracks down the murderer.

The writing is sharp and I like the premise of the story, but I think for me personally, the characters needed to be fleshed out more and then it probably would have been a great read instead of simply a good read. 

Lowcountry Bombshell by Susan M. Boyer

Henry Press
(The 2nd Liz Talbot Mystery)

                               
Imagine the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe showing up on your doorstep and asking you to save her from the same fate as the real Marilyn.  Would you open the door and say “Sure – come on in and we’ll work this out.”?  Well apparently you would if you are local Stella Maris PI, Liz Talbot.

Calista McQueen (the Marilyn double) is one of many zany characters in the book that keep you amused, puzzled and engaged. The story moves along quickly with enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you guessing.  A little romance between Liz and Nate, who is not only her business partner but also the brother of her ex, helps to turn up the heat for those who like it hot.   

My only complaint is that some of the details seem like filler to me.  The love scene between Liz and Nate is too long for this type of book and the story itself.  And knowing that Liz and Calista both order salad with grilled chicken and a glass of iced tea for lunch, does nothing to move the plot along or develop the characters.  Why bother to include such redundant details?  Beats me - you wouldn’t be missing anything if this information was left out.

 

That being said, Susan Boyer is a talented storyteller who moves the plot along at a quick pace maintaining a nice balance between tense atmosphere and lighter moments.   She also incorporates some interesting information about the real Marilyn into the story, a subject that is of particular interest to her.   Overall this is an entertaining light read well worth your time on a lazy Sunday afternoon. 

Click on Susan's name above to link to her blog or you can find her on Facebook.

Ill-Gotten Gains by Ilsa Evans

A Nell Forrest Mystery

Momentum Books

In the second Nell Forrest mystery, the sleepy town of Majic is gearing up to celebrate its 150^th anniversary and preparations are in full swing to re-enact the sunset ride that led to the founding of the town.  Nell and her youngest daughter Quinn go to the local cemetery to do some research for Quinn’s school project related to the town founder, Petar Majic.  While examining the Majic crypt, Quinn inadvertently knocks down a plaque only to reveal another plaque that has lain hidden for years.  The two take the broken plaque to the historical society for repair and to report the newly discovered plaque.  This simple act of conscience sets into play a series of events that will question the town’s past, threaten its present and change the course for the future.  Two members of the historical society are murdered and a prominent family has its very roots questioned.

Nell is also looking at her own past, present and towards the future but not by choice.  Her ex is demanding his half of their house and Nell is having trouble letting go of the home and all the family memories it holds. Her personal life is complicated by her daughters trying to figure out their own futures, unwanted pregnancies, and the murder investigation, leaving Nell little time to contemplate her own future. Once Nell, her family and friends start asking questions pertaining to the murders and the town's past, her life is threatened and she is put under police protection and the ever watchful eye of the charming Detective Sergeant Ashley Armistead. 

Again each chapter begins with a funny note to Nell as the author of the Middle-Aged Spread column and Nell’s thoughts frequently appear as headlines.  Ilsa Evans’ witty Australian humour is a significant part of the pleasure of reading this book but so too is the well thought out and informative plot.

As an Aussie might say - a rip snorter of a read.

Nefarious Doings by Ilsa Evans

Momentum Books

A small Australian town called Majic is the home of Nell Forrest.  Majic has a bookstore, an art gallery, a community center, police station, a few restaurants and a rather large Richard III society.  It sounds very much like most small towns - except of course for the murder, arson, death threats, disappearances and adultery - quite bucolic.

Nell writes a weekly column and occasionally helps out at the bookstore owned by her mom.  Her husband recently left her for a younger woman but she certainly isn’t lonely.  Her home is virtually central station with the comings and goings of her five daughters, her mother, her sister and their various friends it can hardly be described as deserted. Especially after, out of necessity, her mother moves in.

Her mother’s house is torched and after her mother is rescued and the fire is extinguished the body of a neighbour is uncovered in the garage.  Since the neighbour and her mother disliked each other intensely, her mother appears to be a likely suspect for murder.  So Nell, her sister and daughters join forces to prove grandma is innocent.  Their sleuthing is more comical than professional but somehow they touch a nerve because Nell receives a threatening voice mail and another innocent soul is found murdered.  The local detective Ashley Armistead warns Nell that she could be endangering herself by not leaving matters to the police, but of course she doesn’t listen and Armistead’s warning becomes reality. 

This is a light, comical and entertaining mystery.  I loved how each chapter started with an email or note to Nell from a reader of her Middle-aged Spread column.  Some of these notes are hysterical.  I also loved how the thoughts in Nell’s head often take the form of headlines - “Local woman helps police with their inquiries. Implicates elderly mother.” And her sarcasm is sharp and witty. 

Nefarious Doings is a fun and cozy read and I am looking forward to the next Nell Forrest book, Ill-gotten Gains from Ilsa Evans.

Murder on Cue by Jane Dentinger

Open Road Media

When we first meet Jocelyn O’Roarke, she is being rudely awakened by her agent with a work proposal.  Hung over and still half asleep she accepts the offer from him to be the understudy of theatre star Harriet Weldon in a new play.  Weldon’s fame is due more to her prestigious publishing family and their money, than her less than sterling acting ability.  In fact Jocelyn describes Weldon at one point as a “tedious, artsy-fartsy actor(s)” and that pretty much sums her up.  But Jocelyn (Josh) is in no position to turn down a paying job that will guarantee her rent money for the next few months.

 

At one point Harriet suddenly becomes ill and Jocelyn steps in and proves herself to be better in the part than Harriet.  Other members of the troupe see how good the play could be with Josh instead of Harriet and tensions start to rise. Once Harriet returns Jocelyn resumes her minor part in the play but when the leading lady is suddenly murdered, Josh finds she has been cast in the role of leading suspect.

Jocelyn then must prove her innocence and the story evolves through her meetings and talks with other cast members or people from their past.  Detective Phillip Gerard is also in pursuit of the killer and ends up in pursuit of Jocelyn as well.  Their romantic attraction is cleverly understated and adds nicely to the story without taking center stage and overshadowing the main plot line.  You want to know where their relationship is going but you also want to know how Josh will get safely out of the situation.

The conversations Jocelyn has while trying to prove her innocence take you into the world of theatre – the gossip, the backstabbing, the alcohol, the drugs, broken relationships, and secret love affairs – all get honorable mentions as part of character and plot development.  Strewn throughout are a number of lines from famous plays which theatre lovers should enjoy.

 

This is a fun and entertaining read.  You may or may not figure out whodunit and there are enough red herrings thrown in to make you second guess yourself. Jane Dentinger writes with a sharp sense of humour that I really enjoyed and that adds to the character of Jocelyn in particular. 

This is a soft mystery and the first in a series of six theatrical mysteries starring Jocelyn O’Roarke.  Murder on Cue was originally released in 1983 and holds up well over time.  It still comes across as contemporary and is now available in ebook format. I received my copy through NetGalley.