Naked Once More (Unabridged)

Rating:
Summary: Jacqueline Kirby books are always a treat!
Review: I didn't think this book was as good as "Die for Love," which I thought was hilarious. It lacked the humor and outrageousness of that book, but I still enjoyed the mystery and "unveiling," which came as a surprise. I LOVE JACQUELINE KIRBY! As a longtime fan of Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels, I only wish that she would write more books with this wonderful lady as her central heroine!

Rating:
Summary: Naked Once More
Review: Love this book - It pulls you in right from the first word and keeps you reading right to the enexpected end. Hated to put it down. Read it more then once.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Seven years before this novel opens, Kathleen Darcy, a novelist famous for her one book, __Naked in the Ice__, disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Although no body was ever found and the only evidence was her abandoned car, which yielded no clues, her disappearance was officially ruled to be a suicide. Many of her friends, family, and fans question this conclusion and believe that she was either murdered or is still alive.

In the present, our protagonist Jacqueline (don't dare to call her Jackie!) Kirby, a successful novelist in her own right, wins a competition and is chosen to write a sequel to Ms. Darcy's novel. Upset by this decision are some fans who believe that no sequel should ever be written, and at least two of the other authors who lost out to her in the competition. These two rather unsavory characters are the aptly (self)named Brunhilde, and the bullying Jack Carter. How Jacqueline "destroys" these two through public humiliation is almost a case study in "coolness."

Jacqueline is a bit of an amateur detective whose instincts tell her that something is really amiss. There are a lot of people who might have had motives to get rid of Kathleen Darcy, and maybe Jacqueline, too.

She therefore makes it her business to determine:

(A): If Kathleen Darcy was murdered, or

(B): She committed suicide, or

(C): She is still alive, and

(D): If murder, who is responsible, or

(E): If she committed suicide, why, or

(F): If she is still alive, where is she, and

(G): Who murdered the owner of a local bookstore, a fanatical fan of Darcy, and why, and finally

(H): Who is setting up "accidents" that threaten Jacqueline's life, and why do they mirror a series of so-called accidents that happened to Darcy shortly before her disappearance?

Whew! That's a lot. Now let's throw in a sleazy lawyer, Kathleen's most unappealing half-brother, a handsome chef, a handsome neighbor, a dishonest agent, a couple of Kathleen's sisters, the two losing authors already mentioned, and one or two others, all with seeming motives, and all with something to hide.

It's Jacqueline's self-assigned job to sort through all of these people and possibilities while protecting herself, and o find the solution to this "who-dunnit."

How well does she do? You'll have to make it your job to find out.

Rating:
Summary: SUICIDE? -- MURDER? -- OR?
Review: Seven years before this novel opens, Kathleen Darcy, a novelist famous for her one book, __Naked in the Ice__, disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Although no body was ever found and the only evidence was her abandoned car, which yielded no clues, her disappearance was officially ruled to be a suicide. Many of her friends, family, and fans question this conclusion and believe that she was either murdered or is still alive.

In the present, our protagonist Jacqueline (don't dare to call her Jackie!) Kirby, a successful novelist in her own right, wins a competition and is chosen to write a sequel to Ms. Darcy's novel. Upset by this decision are some fans who believe that no sequel should ever be written, and at least two of the other authors who lost out to her in the competition. These two rather unsavory characters are the aptly (self)named Brunhilde, and the bullying Jack Carter. How Jacqueline "destroys" these two through public humiliation is almost a case study in "coolness."

Jacqueline is a bit of an amateur detective whose instincts tell her that something is really amiss. There are a lot of people who might have had motives to get rid of Kathleen Darcy, and maybe Jacqueline, too.

She therefore makes it her business to determine:

(A): If Kathleen Darcy was murdered, or

(B): She committed suicide, or

(C): She is still alive, and

(D): If murder, who is responsible, or

(E): If she committed suicide, why, or

(F): If she is still alive, where is she, and

(G): Who murdered the owner of a local bookstore, a fanatical fan of Darcy, and why, and finally

(H): Who is setting up "accidents" that threaten Jacqueline's life, and why do they mirror a series of so-called accidents that happened to Darcy shortly before her disappearance?

Whew! That's a lot. Now let's throw in a sleazy lawyer, Kathleen's most unappealing half-brother, a handsome chef, a handsome neighbor, a dishonest agent, a couple of Kathleen's sisters, the two losing authors already mentioned, and one or two others, all with seeming motives, and all with something to hide.

It's Jacqueline's self-assigned job to sort through all of these people and possibilities while protecting herself, and o find the solution to this "who-dunnit."

How well does she do? You'll have to make it your job to find out.

Rating:
Summary: Priceless mystery -- starring the flamboyant wonder
Review: This is one of my fave mysteries of all time, a witty, twisting mystery that will leave you laughing, sighing, frowning, and enjoying every sharply-defined character in it.

This book is the sequel to "Die For Love," starring the incomparable Jacqueline Kirby (first seen in "Seventh Sinner") who is now a bestselling author who previously did two historical romances (which she can't stand). Now she is being approached for one of the biggest book deals in history: Write a sequel to the historical/romance/fantasy epic "Naked on the Ice"--and yes, that is the real title. The author of "Naked," the cult figure Kathleen Darcy, is supposedly dead by suicide, having vanished into the wilderness seven years back, despite being a bestselling millionaire.

Jacqueline gains the book deal, but must now deal with the rising specter of murder. She suspects strongly that Kathleen Darcy was being targeted for death via "accidents." Among her suspects are Kathleen's toad-like half-brother, St. John Darcy; Kathleen's ex-lover; the hack historical-romance writer Brunnhilde; the violent male rival; the married hunk whom "Naked"'s hero was physically based on; the deformed woman who has an almost obsessive fascination with Kathleen; and a sprinkling of other former friends, enemies, and relations...

What happened to Kathleen? Did she really commit suicide, or was she murdered? Is she alive, possibly? And what possible reason would anyone have to want her dead--money, love, revenge? Jacqueline intends to find the truth -- but what if she gets in the murderer's way?

Jacqueline is still the same effervescently vivid character as before. With her slightly eccentric nature and keen mind (not to mention her flamboyant clothing--it's a treat just to visualize her) she is an instantly likeable detective. Yet she doesn't show everything on the surface: when she meets with her new agent, she has a wry cynical edge that is very appealing.

You will thoroughly loathe such characters as St. John Darcy, Tom and Brunnhilde, the overweight historical hack. More appealing is Paul, whose turbulent feelings and quick thinking make him a nice if blunt guy.

Aside from the excellent descriptive writing and wonderful situations (St. John attempting to kiss Jacqueline; Jacqueline showing what Sarah looks like) you also get little pokes and jabs at the book industry. Agents, contracts, those little fifteen-percent paychecks, "lit-ra-choor" and bestselling authors are all lampooned slyly by Ms. Peters. (And if you have ever tried to be published as I have tried and am trying, it's doubly amusing)

One slightly inaccurate thing in this book is that the person doing the cover art obviously didn't read the book. (No nude typing--the "naked" is a joke...) Aside from this, this is a witty, classic mystery that you'll read again and again...

Ms. Peters, write more about Jacqueline Kirby!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This, the fourth and thus far last installment of the Jacqueline Kirby series, reaches the greatness promised in the first stallment, but left largely unfulfilled by the second and third books. A challenging mystery, a hint of romance, and a more thoughtful, less mean-spirited Jacqueline. Too bad Ms. Peters stopped here. Enjoyable romp.