Posted in Kate White, suspense on March 31, 2010

Kate White is best known as the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine and several bestselling career bibles including Why Good Girls Don’t Get Ahead…but Gutsy Girls Do and 9 Secrets of Women who Get Everything They Want. Then in 2002 she decided to try her hand at mystery novels and scored a hit with If Looks Could Kill featuring Bailey Weggins. There have been several follow up books in the series which have also hit the bestseller list and the books have been optioned by Lions Gate Pictures.

In her new novel, she breaks from her series involving Bailey Weggins and introduces us to Lake Warren.  Lake is in the process of divorcing her husband and gearing up for a fierce custody battle.  At least she had a good job in a fertility clinic as a marketing consultant but a one night fling with the flirtatious Doctor Keaton turns her world upside down when he is found murdered and Lake fears becoming the prime suspect.  When things at the clinic get strange, Lake looks into the murder herself because somebody is hiding something…but she may be in for more than she envisioned.

My Review:

I could not put this book down, it had me hooked from about chapter 4 when Lake found Keaton murdered in his own bed.  As I continued to read I tried to figure out who was behind everything.  I would think it was one character or another at various times but I was never right and the ending was quite a surprise.  I do think that Lake put herself into more jeopardy than necessary by not informing the police of what had happened at various times throughout the book but understood why she may not have wanted to put herself under scrutiny by police that might act first and think later.

The Giveaway portion:

I have a copy of this book to giveaway to any resident of the US & Canada.  To enter, leave a comment with your email address, no email address, you aren’t entered!

You can gain a second entry if you have a blog and blog about it and send people here to sign up.  Leave a 2nd message with your blog info so I can check it out.

This contest will run until Sunday, April 11th.

Good Luck

Posted in Cozy on March 10, 2010

Cleo Coyle is the pen name for Alice Alfonsi, who writes with her husband, Marc Cerasini.   They write a cozy series called the Coffeehouse mysteries.  While I’m not a coffee addict like some, the descriptions of the various drinks, types of coffee and methods makes me want to take up drinking coffee!  But a tea drinker I will remain.

The books (in order)

  • On What Grounds (2003)
  • Through the Grinder (2004)
  • Latte Trouble (2005)
  • Murder Most Frothy (2006)
  • Decaffineated Corpse (2007)
  • French Pressed (2008)
  • Espresso Shot (2009, hardback 2008)
  • Holiday Grind (2009)

The books feature Claire Cosi who is the manager of the coffee shop, her ex-husband Matteo and daughter Joy.  There is also detective Quinn who is the new love interest for Claire and who she meets helping to solve a crime in the first novel.  And we can’t forget Madame, Claire’s ex-mother-in-law that gets involved with helping to solve the crimes…plus has a large closet with vintage clothing that Claire utilizes when she needs a cover and the appropriate clothing.

This is an enjoyable series with characters that are fun and quirky.  If you read the series, be sure to read in order to keep the personal line straight!

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