"Jeopardy in High Heels" By Gemma Halliday & Catherine Bruns: Review/Giveaway

Review by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of the post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

Strutting in High Heels…around Murder!

Maddie Springer, shoe designer and high heel connoisseur, was first introduced in Spying in High Heels (2010) and fans have followed her through a dozen more “Undercover,” with or without an “Alibi,” and definitely with engaging “Peril.” Maddie has managed, by accident, to become a successful amateur sleuthing discovering several suspicious deaths, getting into difficult predicaments, uncovering the truth, and helping make sure someone goes to jail. She is often joined, willingly or not, by L.A. Detective Jack Ramirez with whom a love/hate relationship evolved from an annoyance to dating, from a wedding to parenting twins. Her sidekicks are just delightful with long-time BFF, former aerobics instructor, and now actress Dana Dashel, over-the-top salon receptionist Marco, her Faux Dad and hair “sculptor” to the “rich, beautiful, and Botoxed of Beverly Hills” Fernando (ssh! aka as Ralph Hoggington to family), and Maddie’s mother for good, maybe bad, measure. Witty. Clever. Fun.


➡ switch to KingsRiverLife.com for more articles ⬅

Image Source Gemma Halliday Publishing
Jeopardy in High Heels earns 5/5 Buzzers...Clever, Engaging Fun!

“I can’t believe we’re actually here.” Maddie, her mother decked out in an Alex Trebek t-shirt, her mother’s friend and part-time psychic Mrs. Rosenblatt, and Maddie’s friend Dana have scored tickets to a taping of the iconic Jeopardy! game show’s special celebrity version. Maddie’s step-father has been selected as a contestant, and with his manufactured Spanish persona, he hopes to win for the charity of his choice. The other contestants include long-time “Queen of Mean” daytime soap star Angela Gold and bagpipe rap sensation and co-host of a cooking show Doggy Z. However, an altercation before the taping, suspicious behaviors, and limited participation grabs Maddie’s attention. Doggy Z incoherent manner, seemingly oblivious to the skill behind using the answer buzzer, and his tantrum on set is met with an exasperating “Cut!” from the director and definitely destined to go viral. But it’s later when Maddie’s Homicide Detective husband gets the call and the world learns...Doggy Z is dead! And after learning of some eavesdropping on a police scanner, it seems it’s murder!

Of course, the tabloids descend on Fernando’s, her Faux Dad’s salon, trying to get the scoop on Doggy Z’s last public appearance, but the questions by one reporter (reporter is used loosely) deeply worries Fernando (Ralph). Tina Bender from The L.A. Informer might have uncovered information that could “out” him to the Beverly Hills rich and famous. No, not for being gay, it’s worse...for being a Midwesterner.

The Answer is...Brilliant! Although written and released before the “breaking news” of Alex Trebek’s sad passing, Gemma Halliday and Catherine Bruns have ultimately provided a nice nod to the iconic Jeopardy! host...cozy mystery style. With a double dose of engaging writing styles, the rich characters, clever mystery, twists and misdirection, and witty banter, this tale is quite a page-turner. Maddie’s investigation starts out as a way to find out what the report may know, put up roadblocks, and protect her step-father’s less-than-sparkling hidden identity, but soon she gets embroiled in a dangerous murder mystery with several suspects and motives ranging from greed and jealousy to ambition and revenge. However, it’s the characters I totally enjoy, many realistic and identifiable as friends and maybe family. Maddie is delightfully smart, protective of her family and friends, despite their quirks, and her relationship with her detective husband is supportive and often collaborative. And all this as a mother of twins! Her mother and Mrs. Rosenblatt add great spice, and Marco is absolute fun! The series is compelling entertainment, and despite the fact so much as changed, like life, this story is perfect for the newbie...in or out of heels!

Goodreads List—High Heels Mystery 

Be a Big Gemma Halliday Fan!

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Gemma Halliday pens other popular and entertaining series cozy fans will enjoy. Along with this twelve-book High Heels Mysteries, a New York Times bestselling series, I am a big fan of her six-book Wine & Dine Mysteries, but I also greatly enjoy her other work that combines full-length books and some entertaining short stories. Check out her exciting cozy series: Hollywood Headlines, Jamie Bond, Marty Hudson, and Tahoe Tessie Mysteries. She also has thrillers with Anna Smith & Nick Dade and the Deadly Cool series. Her other hat is as publisher with Gemma Halliday Publishing fostering many exciting authors. 

Facebook: Gemma Halliday

Website: Gemma Halliday

Twitter @gemmahallidayca 

Be a Big Catherine Bruns Fan!

USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns pens many of my favorite cozy series that true cozy fans should not miss. From Gemma Halliday Publishing there is her nine-book Cookies & Chance Mystery series with cryptic messages found in her fortune cookies, the three-book Cindy York Mystery illustrating the murderous side of real estate, and the two-book Carrie Jorgenson series in the Aloha Lagoon Mystery multi-author collection giving us a delightful Hawaiian setting. She also has an exciting two-book Italian Chef Mysteries series from Poisoned Pen Press. 

Facebook: Catherine Bruns Books

Website: Catherine Bruns

Newsletter Sign Up—Receive FREE gift “Formals, Fortune Cookies & Fraud!”

To enter to win a copy of Jeopardy in High Heels, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "jeopary,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 28, 2020. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode goes up next week.

You can use these links to purchase the book. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:


Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.
Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Comments

Post a Comment