Welcome to Thursday3Some. Today, I have reviews of 3 books.Dirty Little Secrets by Liliana Hart is a gritty mystery starring a female coroner as sleuth. This novel has strong romance elements.
The Housewife Assassin's Handbook by Josie Brown is a little harder to describe. It's also a mystery but very edgy with sex and violence and big dose of grim humor.
A Run for the Money by Gina Ardito is a delightful wholesome, heartwarming romance.
(This was free when I grabbed it, and it may still be. Totally worth the ebook price if it isn't.) I don't know if there are other mortician sleuths out there, but Liliana Hart's heroine could hold her own if there were. Solid story with a hefty dash of grim humor. You know, the kind of humor cops use to get through some ugly situations.
J.J. Graves isn't just in the mortuary business. She's also coroner for a Virginia county, and she seems to have a knack for stumbling over dead bodies. A lot of dead bodies--and most are gruesome.
She's paired with Police Detective Jack Lawson who also happens to be her BFF. Even though she's supposed to be ascertaining the cause of death and dealing with the dead body--not investigating and trying to solve the crime--she always ends up sticking her nose in other people's business. It's no surprise that this gets her in all kinds of trouble and makes her the target of a serial killer.
Throw in a romance, and you have an engaging story for those who love romantic suspense with a bit of an edge.
If you liked the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, you'll probably enjoy this sexy mystery laced with dark humor. If you're a stay at home mom, I'm rather certain you will get a laugh out of this assassin mom who feels she's the worst mom on the block when she's perpetually late in driving car pool and is forced to buy cookies rather than baking her own because her covert assignments put a kink in her parental obligations.
(How well I remember being told that we room mothers HAD to bake cookies, not buy them at the store!)
The comparison of being a housewife to being an assassin at the beginning of each chapter is hysterical. I think if you go into this knowing that this is not a sweet little cozy but a gritty, edgy, sexy book, you'll enjoy it.
Nicole Fleming confronts life head-on with a smart mouth and self-deprecating humor to hide her vulnerabilities. She's lost the most important person in her life, her step father. Now, because of the terms of his will, she's paired with his grandson Dante. They've each heard of the other through the years, and they each dislike the other based on what they've heard and just on general principles.
Dante is vulnerable too and has his own means of hiding that. Through thick and thin, Dante and Nicole go from adventure to adventure to solve the mystery that will give them their legacy, their treasure, at the end of their quest. They learn to like each other and then to trust each other. But what will happen after they gain the riches promised them?
This romance is at times funny and at times poignant. It was a delight from beginning to end. If you like The Ultimate Gift, one of my favorite Christmas movies, you'll love A Run for the Money.
Takeaway Truth
Three great books for your weekend reading fun. Better grab them today.
I second your recommendation for the Housewife Assassin's Handbook. I loved the dark wit and the situations. A real fun read.
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