Book Description
Who is killing the rich society widows of Beverly Hills?
Meet Kerry and Terry McAfee—identical twin sisters who have nothing in common, save their red hair and California-girl looks. Kerry’s the good girl, a straight-A student who won a scholarship to UCLA. Terry’s the bad girl, whose appetite for nose candy won her a spot in the slammer. When Terry gets out of jail, the twins decide to open their own business as private investigators—and soon they’re keeping LA safe with the help of their trusty sidekicks: a Pomeranian named Paquito and a pug named Muffy.
When wealthy socialite Lenore Richling’s twentysomething gold-digging boy toy of a husband absconds with ten thousand dollars' worth of her jewelry, she does what anyone in her position would do: she checks herself in for a plastic surgery shopping spree, then calls the McAfee twins for help. While Lenore recuperates from her face-lift in a luxury hotel, the gals hop on their hot-pink Harley-Davidson and begin investigating a bevy of suspicious characters, including Barbie, a bimbo beauty consultant with buns of steel; Daniel Hattrick, a painkiller-pushing plastic surgeon; and Hugh Binion, a silver-haired, snake-tongued Hollywood attorney. Before they know it, the twins are wading in dead husbands, purloined cash, crotchless panties, mystery pills, and a body count high enough to make even tough cookies like them a little squeamish.
With a razor-sharp wit that brilliantly brings to life LA’s most eccentric personalities, The Butcher of Beverly Hills marks the debut of two of the hottest sleuths since Stephanie Plum—and delivers a fast-paced, highly original tale that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Download Description
Who is killing the rich society widows of Beverly Hills?
Meet Kerry and Terry McAfee—identical twin sisters who have nothing in common, save their red hair and California-girl looks. Kerry’s the good girl, a straight-A student who won a scholarship to UCLA. Terry’s the bad girl, whose appetite for nose candy won her a spot in the slammer. When Terry gets out of jail, the twins decide to open their own business as private investigators—and soon they’re keeping LA safe with the help of their trusty sidekicks: a Pomeranian named Paquito and a pug named Muffy.
When wealthy socialite Lenore Richling’s twentysomething gold-digging boy toy of a husband absconds with ten thousand dollars' worth of her jewelry, she does what anyone in her position would do: she checks herself in for a plastic surgery shopping spree, then calls the McAfee twins for help. While Lenore recuperates from her face-lift in a luxury hotel, the gals hop on their hot-pink Harley-Davidson and begin investigating a bevy of suspicious characters, including Barbie, a bimbo beauty consultant with buns of steel; Daniel Hattrick, a painkiller-pushing plastic surgeon; and Hugh Binion, a silver-haired, snake-tongued Hollywood attorney. Before they know it, the twins are wading in dead husbands, purloined cash, crotchless panties, mystery pills, and a body count high enough to make even tough cookies like them a little squeamish.
With a razor-sharp wit that brilliantly brings to life LA’s most eccentric personalities, The Butcher of Beverly Hills marks the debut of two of the hottest sleuths since Stephanie Plum—and delivers a fast-paced, highly original tale that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Customer Reviews:
Jennnifer Colt is now on my must-read list!.......2007-06-01
This book was a delight from start to finish. The mystery was labrynthine and surprising all the way to the end, the characters were hilarious and well-drawn, and the writing was top-notch. If I had to make a comparison, I'd say it's very Evanovich-like. Yet I didn't feel as if the author was trying to copy--it feels like an original, laugh-out-loud creation to me, and I can't wait to read the rest in the series.
WOW...........2006-11-20
Move over Stephanie Plum, there's a new girl in town. Or should I say, there are two new girls in town. "The Butcher of Beverly Hills" is the debut novel by Jennifer Colt featuring private eyes, Kerry and Terry McAfee.
Yes you read that right, Kerry and Terry; twins; redheads to boot and one is a lesbian. Men are going to be flocking to these books like gangbusters.
Great series! Witty with fun characters and interesting future developments. Quick moving and oh do we love the red herrings. This avid mystery fan figured it out but missed a crucial part. Let's see if the next reader can get it. Can't wait to start on the second one!
1st in the series.
Don't be put off by "BUTCHER"- Book is fast paced funny and fresh.......2006-11-11
I typically am not attracted to books that have "slasher" word's in the titles... but this series is an marked exception. You have to read the premise and know the butcher is not a crazed body parts collecter... but a plastic surgeon. This is where the fun begins. Twins with amusingly opposite personalities combine to make an unlikely but hilarious private eye team. They are surrounded by a very broad spectrum of colorful characters and the scenarios just keep pulling you ahead page by amusing page. If I didn't know there was a sequel right behind it I might have savored it and read over a day or two but I read it in one sitting. So much for delayed gratification ;-)
One Hell of a Romp.......2006-04-27
I absolutely LOVED this book. Such smart, original writing. Colt does an excellent job of describing the L.A. scene (reminds me of how Carl Hiaasen so perfectly puts the read in Florida) and her obsessively self-absorbed characters (read Robert and Reba) are hysterical. I found my self laughing out loud on page after page -- to the point where people were starting to stare at me at the coffee shop. The plot is outrageous and totally over-the-top, but the perfect vehicle for her characters to shine through. I enjoyed every minute of this one.
A mystery for gen X and Y.......2006-04-08
A great book with hysterical characters. The twin sisters who are the detectives in the book cause more chaos than and three Stephanie Plum's. If you like Evanovich you will love this book. Also look at books by Robert Eversz.
Average customer rating:
- Fun and nostalgic
- A Light, Fast-Paced, Entertaining Read!
- I loved this book
- Some pieces of Hollywood truth, WWII and the Mob
- this book sucks, read like a tabloid
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The Prince of Beverly Hills
Stuart Woods
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ASIN: 0451214625
Release Date: 2005-04-05 |
Book Description
In Hollywood's Golden Age, brash detective Rick Barron enters the Hollywood fast lane-jammed with the sort of wealth, glamour, and blackmail that made this town famous-in this new thriller by the bestselling author of the Stone Barrington series.
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"A brash detective enters the Hollywood fast lane-jammed with the sort of wealth, glamour, and blackmail it is famous for-in this new thriller by the bestselling author of the Stone Barrington series. Stuart Woods's new novel is a sexy, action-packed thriller in the tradition of his best. As the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote about his last novel, Capital Crimes, ""Woods knows how to deliver a taut, well-told tale . . . The last two paragraphs will make any reader gulp."" In The Prince of Beverly Hills, set in Hollywood's Golden Age of the 1930s, Woods introduces a new character that possesses the kind of suave confidence, take-charge manner, and clever wit-under-pressure that his fans will recognize and love at first sight. Rick Barron, a sharp, capable detective on the Beverly Hills force, finds himself demoted after a run-in with his captain, but soon lands a job on the security detail for Centurion Pictures, one of the hottest studios. As the protector of the studio's interests, Barron looks after the cream of the crop of filmdom's stars-Clete Barrow, the British leading man with a penchant for parties; and Glenna Gleason, a peach of a talent on the verge of superstardom. Rick's easy charm has society columnists dubbing him ""the Prince of Beverly Hills,"" the white knight of movie stars, until he uncovers a murder cover-up and a blackmail scam that threatens the studio's business and may originate with the West Coast mob. When two suspicious deaths begin to look like double-murder, and an attempt is made on Glenna Gleason's life, Barron knows he is up against wise guys whose stakes are do-or-die. A dicey war of nerves is on. Set in the era of high style and silver-screen romance, Woods's thoroughly entertaining new crime novel shows us once again why he is a ""master of the genre"" (Los Angeles Times). "
Customer Reviews:
Fun and nostalgic.......2007-06-25
Set in the 1940s, "The Prince of Beverly Hills" follows a semi-disgraced policeman by the name of Rick Barron who, while sitting in his patrol car one night in Beverly Hills and contemplating his recent demotion, witnesses an accident that will change his life quite dramatically for the better. One of the accident victims is a Hollywood leading man, and based on the way that Barron handles the events of the evening, he soon finds himself in the employ of the actor's studio. The book chronicle's Barron progression from head of studio security to head of production over the course of about 3 years, right at the outbreak of World War II. Along the way, he's forced to deal with a number of organized crime figures, including the infamous Ben "Bugsy" Seigel of Las Vegas lore. The book features fictional characters, but also a large number of appearances by non-fictional characters. In addition to Seigel, Clark Gable, David Niven, Greta Garbo, and several other celebrities from that era have brief roles in the plot.
It's a fun read...nothing remotely cerebral here...and harkens back to a simpler time when Big Band music ruled the airwaves and Churchill occupied the Prime Minister's office. It's the type of book you could get through in a weekend quite easily. There's just enough mystery to keep it interesting, and the good guys really do finish first in this one.
Light and entertaining, it's a nice addition to the collection of 30+ novels authored by Stuart Woods.
A Light, Fast-Paced, Entertaining Read!.......2007-02-05
In The Prince of Beverly Hills Woods has introduced a new main character, Rick Barron, who rises from being a demoted police detective to a big career in the movie industry. In his book, which takes place between the late 1930's-early 1940's, Woods weaves the right amount of interesting characters, history and excitement that results in a very enjoyable, entertaining and fast-paced story. The Prince of Beverly Hills is the perfect type of book for a plane ride, vacation or for when you just want something light 'escape' reading that will keep you turning the pages and engrossed. If you're looking for something heavier and thought-provoking to read, I'd suggest that you skip this book. My one criticism with The Prince of Beverly Hills -- and it's a minor one -- is the ease with which everything good falls into the leading character's lap. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to the next book featuring Rick Barron.
I loved this book.......2006-12-03
I loved this book. I hope Stuart Woods writes more books with these characters!
Some pieces of Hollywood truth, WWII and the Mob.......2006-10-09
What a fabulous book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are pieces of truth in this saga of early Hollywood that are so enjoyable. The stories of Gable and David Niven having gone to war, the mob's desire to get into Hollywood, and the bygone era of making stars. This was a superb story. To really appreciate it, get David Niven's wonderful five star books, THE MOON'S A BALLOON and BRING ON THE EMPTY HORSES. Both are superb and will help set the pieces of these two actors who are mentioned in Woods' book. Unfortunately for me, I've now read every one of Woods' books and have to wait until he writes another. He's one my my all time favorite authors. The commentary from the British star regarding Neville Chamberlain and Churchill are enlightening as well as true. The Niven books will truly give you insight into David's chats with Churchill and how he went home to England to fight the war, leaving Hollywood for six years. You've got to read this book...it's star quality page turner...Oh, and the bad guy reminds me of Lana Turner's boyfriend who was allegedly killed by Lana's daughter Cheryl. It's a delicious book...get it!
this book sucks, read like a tabloid.......2006-09-30
mr. woods kept going down the hill but still so actively churning out bad almost barely readable novels year after year. this hollywood detective/cop turning bad story really sucks big time. very bad dialogue and storyline. guess woods simply couldn't get away from hollywood too far.now i rank him under sidney sheldon and harold robbins. give it a rest of this kind of hollywood junk, don't waste too much paper again.
Average customer rating:
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Left Handed Policeman
Robert Westbrook
Manufacturer: Crown
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0517559536
Release Date: 1985-02-13 |
Amazon.com
In the 1953 of Pete Dexter's Train, Miller Packard is a sergeant in the San Diego police department who has little time for hypocrisy or racism. He lives life as a dare, fearless and bemused, his wife observing that he "was drawn to movement and friction, to chance; he had to have something in play." He is also a golfer, though not a great one. Over a game with a fat cheater named Pinky, Packard's world collides with the troubled life of Lionel "Train" Walk, a young African-American caddy at Brookline Country Club. Train is a virtuoso golfer but is doomed to tote old men's clubs in a sport that can't find a place for a young black athlete. Train also holds a secret, a murder that has never been reported but haunts his every step. In the volatile world of 1950s racial politics, bonds of friendship that cross the color line are doomed, and Packard and Train cruise towards inevitable conflagration.
Dexter explores racism with a cold eye in Train--rarely politically correct and always unafraid to find pettiness in the lives of liberal whites, beatniks, philanthropists, and powerful African-Americans. Outside of the purity of Train's golf swing, Dexter finds little to celebrate in the troubled times, and every page offers the possibility of new catastrophe. Occasionally, with this abundance of disaster, Dexter seems to lose track, and a few of his subplots (like the story of a hideously burned reporter who tries to uncover the truth behind the killings on a sailboat) never quite get resolved. Yet, Train is not a bleak novel, and Packard's detachment lends the book an air of dark comedy. When Dexter writes, "Packard was amused with the world at large" he could just as well be writing about himself: curious, entertained, fascinated, but never unsettled by the grotesquery of human existence. --Patrick O'Kellley
Book Description
Los Angeles, 1953. Lionel Walk is a young black caddy at Brookline, the oldest, most exclusive country club in the city, where he is known by the nickname “Train.” A troubled, keenly intelligent kid with no particular interest in his own prodigious talent for the game, he keeps his head down and his mouth shut as he navigates his way between the careless hostility of his “totes” and the explosive brutality of the other caddies.
Miller Packard, a sergeant with the San Diego police department, first appears on the boy’s horizon as a distracted gambler, bored with ordinary risks. Train names him the “Mile-Away Man” as they walk off the first tee, and even months later, when they have become partners of a sort and are winning high-stakes matches against golf hustlers all over the country, the Mile-Away Man is a puzzle to Train, remote and intimate, impulsive and thoughtful, often all at the same time.
Packard is also a puzzle to Norah Still, the beautiful lone survivor of a terrifying yacht hijacking, who is both aroused and repulsed by his violent and detached manner at the crime scene. Packard himself feels no such ambiguity. He is unequivocally drawn to Norah – and perhaps to what has happened to her – and an odd, volatile triangle takes shape, Packard pulling the other two relentlessly into deeper water, away from what is safe.
With his trademark economy of style, Dexter brings these characters to life in their most reckless, vulnerable moments, stripping away words and manners until all that is left is the basic human pulse.
Download Description
Los Angeles, 1953. Lionel Walk is a young black caddy at Brookline, the oldest, most exclusive country club in the city, where he is known by the nickname “Train.” A troubled, keenly intelligent kid with no particular interest in his own prodigious talent for the game, he keeps his head down and his mouth shut as he navigates his way between the careless hostility of his “totes” and the explosive brutality of the other caddies.
Miller Packard, a sergeant with the San Diego police department, first appears on the boy’s horizon as a distracted gambler, bored with ordinary risks. Train names him the “Mile-Away Man” as they walk off the first tee, and even months later, when they have become partners of a sort and are winning high-stakes matches against golf hustlers all over the country, the Mile-Away Man is a puzzle to Train, remote and intimate, impulsive and thoughtful, often all at the same time.
Packard is also a puzzle to Norah Still, the beautiful lone survivor of a terrifying yacht hijacking, who is both aroused and repulsed by his violent and detached manner at the crime scene. Packard himself feels no such ambiguity. He is unequivocally drawn to Norah – and perhaps to what has happened to her – and an odd, volatile triangle takes shape, Packard pulling the other two relentlessly into deeper water, away from what is safe.
With his trademark economy of style, Dexter brings these characters to life in their most reckless, vulnerable moments, stripping away words and manners until all that is left is the basic human pulse.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
50's Crime Noir with a Social Conscience.......2007-05-22
1953 and Train is a caddie at an exclusive all-white country club. He doesn't bother nobody, he doesn't get in the way, and all he wants to do is put his money in a sock in his drawer until he has enough to go out on his own. Train is Lionel Walk and he's 17 and black and just being a young black man in Southern California is enough to get you in all kinds of trouble.
Miller Packard is a detective in Los Angeles, but he doesn't act like one. A gifted golfer with a brutal disposition he's as hard-boiled as they come, associating with anyone who'll take risks and gamble money. Packard seems to be riding that fence between the legal and the illegal, ethical and crooked. But results are what matters and Packard sees the world without shades of skin color or class distinctions - he sees everything as being in three camps; that which can hurt him, that which can help him, and the rest. He deals with life pro actively.
Train is in the wrong place at the wrong time, finding himself in the middle of a murder and rape investigation that he didn't want any part of while fighting through his own personal hell at home where his mother has yet again taken up with the wrong man. Everything that can go wrong does.
Until Packard notices that Train can play the game of golf.
Then it all turns into a roller coaster ride.
A ride I enjoyed to the end. Masterfully told and perfectly timed.
- CV Rick
"Sometimes great, sometimes not".......2007-01-07
The 4 STAR rating is because author Pete Dexter can write with the force of a sledgehammer, and although he's inconsistent, that ability is uncommon. This noirish novel, set in 50's LA, has the requisite sex, violence, and ambiguity, but its best parts dissect country club golf and all who play at it, along with capturing the decline into failure of a real estate development. These are unusual aspects to highlight in this genre, but Dexter's prose is wicked at denuding these arenas. Dexter gets to the essences of these narrow worlds as they existed in a not-so-terribly-long-ago time period. The truth is that I should only have given this book 3 STARS: Much too much of the plot is built of blocks that don't fit together; the sex/love/violence of the "relationship" between two of the main characters is unbelievable; and the conclusion is so open-ended that you are left feeling as if you ran out of gas at the side of the road before arriving at any destination. Additionally, a horrific rape and multiple murder scene that takes place in the first third of the novel is so over-the-top as to be unconvincing.
Train.......2006-08-25
I have been a big fan of Pete Dexter's since first reading "The Paper Boy." Since then I have read all of his books and would say that I enjoyed "Brotherly Love" the most. I was very excited to come across "Train" recently and order the book as quick as I could. "Train" is an excellent book and Dexter stay closes to his signature style. I do however agree with some of the reviewers that the book loses momentum at the end. When I finished the the last page I fond myself whishing there were another 100 pages to go. Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend reading any and all of Dexter's works.
Dexter at the Top of His Game.......2005-12-24
It's been too long since Pete Dexter wrote a cluster of great noirish novels ( The Paperboy and Brotherly Love among them) and I was floored to stumble across this brand new Dexter novel when I figured he'd packed it in. The time in between has sharpened him. Train packs a punch and Dexter, as I've come to expect, jams more into one book than most writers can in two or three. This story is wickedly funny, dark and fluid like Hammett or Chandler, and has a meaningful message about self-deception and also delivers some commentary on racism in the 1950s. Dexter is pat for creating hardnosed and realistic characters ( read Paris Trout) and nowhere will you find a typical knight-in-shining-armor, squeaky-clean hero. He avoids all of that and lets the reader draw their own conclusions. Awesome as usual. Hopefully we don't have to wait six or seven years for the next one.
needs more club.......2005-05-10
train has a very interesting theme of a young black caddie who can really hit a golf ball, but just as the story is building up to a intricate level, it just drifts off to the end. very disappointing. i'd skip it. dgs
Book Description
Edgar Award-winning author
Andrew J. Fenady has seen it all in Hollywood, and now he takes his insider's knowledge of Tinseltown and whips up a mystery novel that shows the best -- and worst -- the City of Angels has to offer. Alex Night is a private investigator/wanna-be author. Movie stars, hookers, con men, perverts, grifters, writers, producers, directors and assorted characters from the stately pleasure dome in Palm Desert to the seamy streets of Hollywood to the glitter of Rodeo Drive keep interrupting Alex's writing career -- and life -- as he walks a tenuous tightrope, balancing a gun and a typewriter through a maze of murder, mystery and suspense.
Customer Reviews:
engaging urban noir.......2003-12-26
Hollywood sleuth Alex Night serves as bodyguard and chauffeur of wealthy old tomato Cynthia Alderdyce as she attends the Annenberg New Year's Eve Party in Palm Springs. On the way home, a cop car stops them. Two thugs steal Cynthia's millions in jewelry. Alex gives chase, wounding Bogus 2, recovering the loot, and taking a bullet while Bogus 1 escapes.
With his mother pressuring him, Alex decides it is time to begin writing like his heroes Hammett and Chandler. However, he suffers writer's block until Cynthia asks him to learn about the Bogus who escaped especially since Bogus 2 allegedly leaped from the hospital roof. As Alex uncovers the truth behind the robbery by the Bogus thugs of Cynthia, he knows he has the true crime story of the century. However, he also knows that though this would make him into a successful writer, Alex cannot reveal the tale to anyone at least while Cynthia lives.
Fans of urban noirs with a salute to the movies will appreciate this engaging crime thriller. The story line centers on Alex who with asides often pays homage to classic pictures and actors. The investigation begins late in the tale, but the plot has plenty of action throughout as Andrew J. Fenady provides a solid novel that will be thoroughly enjoyed by readers.
Harriet Klausner
Average customer rating:
- The Best Book!
- Summerhill Secrets (Secret in the Willows)
- Summerhill Secrets (Secret in the Willows)
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Windows on the Hill (Summerhill Secrets #9)
Beverly Lewis
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
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Hide Behind the Moon (Summerhill Secrets #8)
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ASIN: 1556618751
Release Date: 1999-03-01 |
Book Description
Merry Hanson hopes that her stay with Miss Ruby Spindler will be the perfect chance to learn how "Old Hawk Eyes" is able to spy on them. But she's in for a big surprise! Ages 11-14. Summerhill Secrets book 9.
Customer Reviews:
The Best Book!.......2002-12-22
This book is the best book, it finally reveals her true feelings about Jon and it finally shows how Miss Spindler spies on everyone. It is great I suggest that you read it, as well as the rest of the series!!
Summerhill Secrets (Secret in the Willows).......2001-05-07
This book was really good! I read all the others in the series and I think Merry should go with Levi not Jon! I stayed up all night reading this book to find out what happens to her and her cats! I highly recomend this book!
Summerhill Secrets (Secret in the Willows).......2001-05-07
This book was really good! I read all the others in the series and I think Merry should go with Levi not Jon! I stayed up all night reading this book to find out what happens to her and her cats! I highly recomend this book!
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- She's the Bait and that's not Good
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- A Fine New Mystery Series
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BAIT: A Crime Novel
C.J. Songer
Manufacturer: Scribner
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ASIN: 0684850427 |
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Trained by Navy SEALS, a graduate of Gunsite, Thunder Ranch, and similar venues where, according to the jacket copy on her first novel, "street survival skills are measured, " C.J. Songer is an ex-cop who could give Dirty Harry a run for his money. In Bait, her first novel, Meg Gillis's partner is missing, and Meg suspects the worst--even before her house is ransacked, her stolen car is found soaked in blood, and she's caught up in a deadly game of murder and deception where the cops make all the rules. They seem to think she's holding out on them--especially Joe Reilly of the Special Tactics Unit, who might have known Meg's husband Charlie before he was killed. Or maybe not. Charlie was a cop, too, and the details of his death have never been cleared up. Even paranoids have real enemies, and Meg's inside knowledge of dirty deals by dirty cops makes her inability to trust anyone perfectly plausible. While she's willing to put herself out there as bait to trap her partner's kidnapper, she's never quite sure who's holding the keys to the cage. It makes for a taut thriller, and the sexual tension between Meg and Reilly holds up all the way to the explosive finish. --Jane Adams
Book Description
Define paranoia.
Meg Gillis lives with it. It's the sixth sense that's kept her alive -- a necessary evil, a part of her baggage.
Meg used to be a cop.
She's put that behind her the best that she can. She and a friend, ex-cop Michael Johnson, own a security business on the fringes of Beverly Hills, and Meg's found she can bury herself in the details, the day-to-day operations. She's turned her back on the cop life, but Mike hasn't quite. He still hangs out with cops, still does the odd favor. Sometimes very odd, but Meg doesn't ask, doesn't want to know.
Until the day Meg catches a phone call meant for Mike at the office -- something about a possible kidnapping -- and that night Mike doesn't get home.
He's a big boy, he doesn't have to tell Meg where he's going. That's what she says to Sergeant Joe Reilly of the Beverly Hills PD Special Tactics Unit, who seems to think Meg knows more than she's telling. The problem, of course, is that she might.
Define paranoia at the edge of the jungle.
Meg's been there, you see. Known crooked cops. Knows how things operate, knows not to trust. Someone's playing games -- cop kinds of games -- and everything Meg has that she loves is at stake.
Put herself out there as bait?
Yes, if that's what it takes.
She learned a lot in her cop days. She can handle herself and a weapon. She's not so sure about her emotions, but this is do-or-die time, and Meg doesn't plan to die anytime soon.
With the authenticity that only an author who has worked behind the scenes in law enforcement could provide, Bait introduces a dynamic new sleuth in the witty, sharp-edged Kinsey Millhone tradition. Meg is both tough and vulnerable, and her creator, C.J. Songer, is a bright new talent sure to win acclaim for her accomplished debut.
Customer Reviews:
She's the Bait and that's not Good.......2003-10-19
Security specialist and former police officer Meg Gillis knows her partner Mike sometimes does side jobs that are less than respectable, but she looks the other way. Then he disappears.
When she finds his apartment ransacked and blood smeared on the walls, she hits the streets with the cops hot on her tail. The same thing happens at her house, with one big difference, there's a body in her bed. To find Mike and to find the killer, Meg unwittingly becomes the bait.
This is an excellent first novel that had me reading through a rainy Sunday. When I finished the sun was going down and all of a sudden I wondered where the day went.
Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne
Read It!.......2002-10-01
C. J. Songer's crisp style of writing nicely fits her story and her characters. And what great characters she has created. Reilly and Meg are flawed but so darn likeable. I found myself wanting to get to know them better. I just finished reading "Bait" and I plan to purchase "Hook" as soon as possible. If you are perusing the reviews to decide whether or not to read "Bait" my advice is, read it!
Definitely Hooked.......2002-08-12
I bought Bait and Hook based on reader reviews and am glad I bought both at the same time because I didn't have to race out and buy the second. I did have to go back and re-read once in awhile to catch on to what Meg was saying or doing. Does it detract from the books? No. You (and the other characters) think Meg is going to do one thing by her actions, but she usually manages to surprise both. Meg's relationships with her partner Mike and the investigating cop Reilly are believable and add a great deal to the story. My only disappointment is learning from C.J.'s website that we have to wait until Fall of 2003 for the next in the series.
Don't get 'Hook'-ed.......2002-05-16
Meg Gillis is a former cop working at a small Beverly Hills security firm. She receives a call from a Mr. Houratanian who demands to speak to her partner Mike. Meg has not heard from Mike in days and is afraid to learn what he has cooked up now. In order to distract herself from her thoughts she offers to help. The caller lets her know that his son has been kidnapped and he does not want to involve the police. Once she arrives to the scene she discovers that the police had already arrived and Mr. Houratanian has no idea what is going on. He says that no kidnapping has taken place and that all this was a mistake. Meg should have just ignored the situation but instead she decides to put her two cents and try to figure out what is going on.
Ms. Songer's character is very annoying. The author considers herself to be the next Virginia Woolf by having us learn everything through Meg's stream of consciousness. The reader is expected to catch up and the heck with everything else. One of the most perplexing scenes involve her mentioning a character named Josh. It is not until sixty pages later in the book that we learn that Josh is her stepson. Is it so hard to say `my stepson, Josh' when first introducing him.
The title of the book is misleading. It is not until three-quarters of the book that any reference is made in using Meg Gillis as a lure. The Bait here is getting people to purchase her book.
A Fine New Mystery Series.......2002-04-17
This book introduces the series character, Meg Gillis. She is an ex-cop, a cop's widow, and the partner in a home/business security firm with another ex-cop. She's not a lighthearted, wisecracking heroine. She's had a lot of pain in her life and it has scarred her. Her partner disappears, possibly due to what looks like involvement with police corruption, and she becomes a suspect. The story chronicles her ever-changing role in the investigation and her dealings with the complex personalities involved.
What intrigued me by this book, as I got further and further into it was that my impression of Meg Gillis was being built up by her words and actions, not by an author-provided description of her looks or her setting. It seemed to me that Ms. Songer really managed to describe the mindset of an ex-cop, one who views the world from the feminine perspective rather than the masculine, but who is forced deal with the masculine preconceptions of the cop's world.
The writing style in this book is spare and to the point. You have to pay attention to the nuances of the characters. This serves to create tension nicely and forces you to try to puzzle out what is exactly going on, and who, if anyone, Meg can trust. There are a lot of twists and turns in this story, and the pace is maintained throughout the book. This was a good debut novel about an interesting character, and I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
Average customer rating:
- A Cop With Integrity
- Beverly Hills Detective missed a stop at the Editor!
- Beverly Hills Detective
- good job at great crime...
- TRUE STORIES THAT INFORM AND ENTERTAIN YOU.
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Beverly Hills Detective
Robert Downey
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 073880729X |
Book Description
The magic city of Beverly Hills conjures up images of movie stars, Rodeo Drive, big homes and even the neighboring town of Hollywood. During the late 1950's and 1960's, Robert Downey found himself in the detective bureau of this fascinating city investigating an odd assortment of crimes. This is the story of Robert Downey who goes from rookie cop to seasond veteran and the cases and people who took him there.
Customer Reviews:
A Cop With Integrity.......2001-06-25
BEVERLY HILLS DETECTIVE is a true story that restores faith in America's police force, a refreshing perspective after the accusations of brutality and incompetence that reporters use to sell copy. It is no secret that the media has a talent for stirring up a hornet's nest, but reading between the lines of this book will stir frenzy of a different sort.
Through a series of vignettes, Robert Downey relives the life of a policeman moving up the ranks from a rookie changing light bulbs for elderly women, to a detective solving a rash of crimes in the posh Mecca of Hollywood's famous residential district. He is a cop bent on restoring justice in spite of laws that favor crooks and penalize victims. He deals with crooks who bribe officers, with wealthy residents who bilk insurance companies, and with insurance companies that take it on the chin rather than risk offending the clientele that keep the wheels greased. He talks about lawyers and judges who have lost a sense of justice, who drag legal proceedings into eternity, who use legalese to turn truth upside down. He speaks of a lawyer who suggests crooks should compromise investigators and get the incriminating evidence on tape. He tells of a judge who disregards evidence of forced entry, ignores the discrepancy of a non-existent sewing machine that defense claims proves innocence, and shows how plea bargaining keeps crooks on the streets.
The justice system seems to have gone amuck. Perhaps the solution is as simple as the suggestion of a rookie cop who said keys made to fit every black and white would keep cars drivable, or of a seasoned detective who said penalizing lawyers and judges for cluttering the system would restore integrity. Movies discrediting police, media taking the side of crooks, a few professionals giving the entire system a bad name, and an author comes forward to set the record straight.
BEVERLY HILLS DETECTIVE is a plea for change, as eye-opening as a movie, without a doubt well-worth the price of admission.
Beverly Hills Detective missed a stop at the Editor!.......2000-10-08
Looks like great material. Mr. Downey certainly has the experience to back up his excellent narrative. The problem is: this book has so many typos that the reader is seriously distracted from the otherwise superb product. I would think that the publisher would have proofed this book prior to printing! There are at least a dozen typos in the first 25 pages! Detective Downey should choose another editor/publisher for his (hopefully!) next book about his work in law enforcement.
Beverly Hills Detective.......2000-08-19
I really enjoyed this book!!! It is refreshing to see a book written by the REAL person who was involved with the content of the book. This book gives a true account of life and law enforcement in the 50's and 60's. I highly recommend it!!!
good job at great crime..........2000-08-19
This acknowledgement of BHPD at it's finest is all about true life crime without the hype, sex, and sleaze that you will find in many crime novels today. Without the "men in blue" that we had in the '50's/60, we would not have the charactor today that we have to deal with the present and future problems of youth, morality, sex, and violence.
TRUE STORIES THAT INFORM AND ENTERTAIN YOU........2000-08-17
ROBERT DOWNEY HAS REVEALED, IN DETAIL, TRUE DETECTIVE CASES THAT OCCURRED IN BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA. THESE TRUE STORIES HAVE NEVER BEFORE BEEN AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. AS FORMER POLICE CHIEF OF BEVERLY HILLS, I CAN ATTEST TO THE AUTHENTICITY OF THESE FASCINATING CASES.
Book Description
Who Is Killing the Rich Widows of Beverly Hills? Beverly Hills socialite Lenore Richling is recuperating from a facelift at a five-star hotel when she hires fledgling investigators Kerry and Terry McAfee to find her flyaway husband. The much younger man has absconded with a large sum of her money, leaving Lenore thoroughly humiliated and hungering for revenge. The McAfees are hot on the boy toy's trail when he's shot by an unseen assailant, the client dies under mysterious circumstances, and the McAfees are drawn into a web of high-society blackmail, prescription drug dealing, and of course, murder most foul.
It's hilariously wacky. "I Love Lucy-Noir".
Customer Reviews:
A great read!.......2004-01-09
I picked up The Butcher of Beverly Hills based on a recommendation from a dear friend and could not put it down. My husband even came into the bedroom to see what was so funny. I love mysteries and to read one with such wacky characters and interesting plot lines was a thrill. Ran out and bought the second book, Mangler of Malibu, and loved that too. I can't wait for more.
5 Star review!.......2003-04-12
from TT reviewer Angie Gibbs
Kerry and Terry McAfee are identical twins, and fledgling investigators. Asked by their zany Aunt Reba to help a friend of hers, the twins embark on a quest to find a runaway husband, but the situation quickly turns into a quest to find a killer. Tooling around the posh streets of Beverly Hills on a pink Harley straight out of the pages of Biker Barbie, the twins get more than what they bargained for when they uncover an intricate maze of blackmail, drugs, and murder.
With the help of their Aunt Reba and Kerry's former boss, defense attorney extraordinaire Eli Weintraub, the twins are determined to find the killer of their former client. Throughout the book, you get introduced to a cast of wacky characters, and two precocious dogs, a Chihuahua named Paquito and a Pug named Muffy. You are going to fall in love with the McAfee twins. Kerry and Terry McAfee are twins with very different personalities that seem to complement each other, as much as they spark off of each other.
Jennifer Colt has written a winner! A laugh a minute thrill ride, The Butcher of Beverly Hills will go down in history as a classic "who done it". From the first page, you'll be crying because you are laughing so hard at the quick dialogue, the kooky characters, and the hilarious situations that the twins always seem to find themselves in. Whether they are dodging police questions, getting beaten up by a mop-wielding janitor, or chased by an actor turned bodyguard, Kerry and Terry will hold your attention and keep you on the edge of your seat. The Butcher of Beverly Hills has been nominated in the Private Eye Writers of America/St. Martin's Press Best First Private Eye Novel Contest. This book is going to take a permanent place in my keeper collection. If you like a good mystery, you will not be disappointed.
Books:
- The Chinatown Trunk Mystery: Murder, Miscegenation, and Other Dangerous Encounters in Turn-of-the-Century New York City
- The Commanding Heights: The Battle Between Government and the Marketplace That Is Remaking the Modern World
- The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus
- The Concise Oxford English-Arabic Dictionary of Current Usage (Dictionary) (Dictionary)
- The Dictionary Of Modern American Philosophers (4 Volume Set)
- The Dictionary Of Modern American Philosophers (4 Volume Set)
- The Dragonfly Door
- The Farmhouse: Classic Homesteads of North America
- The Freedom Line: The Brave Men and Women Who Rescued Allied Airmen from the Nazis During World War II
- The Invisible Wall: A Love Story That Broke Barriers
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