A Body to Die For

Rating:
Summary: An enjoyable beach read.
Review: Crime reporter Bailey Weggins is in need of some rest and relaxation, and there is no better place than the Cedar Inn, an out of the way country spa, but Bailey's restful weekend is about to turn into the hunt for a killer.

Bailey doesn't like mingling with the snooty and up-tight, but a good massage is a good massage, and she's enjoying all the pampering until she stumbles, literally, over a dead woman wrapped up like a mummy in one of the spa's treatment rooms.

Now on a full murder investigation, Bailey begins interviewing the socialites that inhabit the spa and finds a long list of suspects, among them; a jilted lover, a shady husband, and a group of employees with something to hide. As Bailey gets deeper and deeper into her investigation she finds more questions than answers, and to make matters worse she finds herself falling for the detective assigned to the case.

Hoping to help the owner of the spa, Bailey wants to catch the killer, but another murder pushes her farther away from the truth, and forces her across state lines chasing clues until she becomes the killer's next target.

' A Body To Die For' is a great follow-up to 'If Looks Could Kill,' and fans of breezy, entertaining mysteries are in for a treat. The plot unfolds quickly as the murder sets the stage in an enjoyable page-turner guaranteed to keep you engrossed. Bailey is a funny, quirky, and quick-witted character, one that readers will root for no matter what situation she is thrown into. Kate White's fun mysteries are the much needed spark in a genre that is becoming stale. Her novels are fast-paced and smart, with plot twists that are exposed at just the right time with just the right amount of suspense to keep you engrossed.

A good, enjoyable mystery, perfect for the beach or plane ride.

Nick Gonnella

Rating:
Summary: totally unengaging
Review: I read half way through and then gave up, not even enough interested to look at the end to find out whodunit. What turned me off were the non-existent sexual morals of the protagonist.

Rating:
Summary: fun amateur sleuth
Review: Manhattan Crime reporter Bailey Weggins feels she needs some rest following her last dangerous investigation (see IF LOOKS COULD KILL). So she feels fortunate when she receives an invitation for a free weekend at the Cedar Inn, a posh nineteenth-century Asian-like spa in Warren, Massachusetts. Bailey plans to enjoy forty-eight hours of mud bath pampering.

However, her mellowing ends rather quickly when Bailey finds the murdered corpse of masseuse Anna Cole, wrapped like a mummy. Unable to ignore the homicide especially since the beleaguered owner is a close friend of her mom, Bailey makes inquiries and soon uncovers a laundry list of suspects. Also her continuing to look for clues keeps her within a caress of Detective Supervisor Jeffrey Beck even while psychology professor Dr. Jack Herlihy shows renewed interest in the brave heroine.

Readers will envy the lead protagonist for the melodious serene relaxation especially those heavenly physical massages that she undergoes. However, once the tale goes into investigative mode, it never slows down. The story line works because the audience will like the "pampered" Bailey who is as interested in the men in her life as she is in solving the homicide. Kate White will score once again with her second Bailey book.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Big, scary countryside
Review: Poor Bailey Weggins. Every time she leaves safe, cozy New York city for the big, scary countryside, someone threatens or tries to kill her. This happens in both of the first two books, and I have to admit I found it a little funny.

As someone who grew up in Berkshire County, I'm one of the backwoods "locals" White pokes fun at in this book. I can tell you that you're less likely to find a mullet, a plaid sportsjacket, or a tie "as wide as a lobster bib" in Berkshire County than you are in one of the five boroughs. And New Yorkers come to the Berkshires for our world-class cuisine (check out what Wine Spectator says about Wheatleigh, for example), but poor Bailey can't find anything more sophisticated than pot roast or roast chicken.

The other thing you won't find in the Berkshires is Warren, MA. There is such a town, but it's about 60 miles east of Berkshire County. When I saw that the Cedar Inn was located in Warren, I thought, "Whew! I can enjoy this while being spared the condescending views of some Manhattanite who comes to the Berkshires to spend money but doesn't see a thing." But when Bailey goes back to New York, she starts telling people she'd been/was returning to "The Berkshires." Look at a map, honey. (And while you're looking, check out New York state, too. The NYS Thruway stretches from the eastern border to Buffalo--it doesn't go to NYC.)

OK, these are just the picky objections of someone who doesn't like the way an condescending outsider fails to portray her where she lives. So how's the mystery? It adds two stars to the one-star portrayal of the setting. The Mylar-wrapped body was a nice touch that added interest and originality. While I enjoy Bailey's breezy tone and her determination (and love her neighbor Landon, who's never in the books enough), the mystery does tend to drag on. I don't need to know what Bailey had for each and every meal, nor do I need to know each and every thought that passes through her head. While I enjoy red herrings and deadend clues, the sheer volume of Bailey's thought processes gets a little overwhelming, and I find I can skip ahead and not miss anything. The book would be better if edited down by about a third. As it is, it's as flabby as the thighs of some of the spa's guests.

It also bugged me how the structure more or less followed the first book: Bailey finds a body; is asked by a friend-she-can't-refuse to investigate; gets spooked in the countryside; receives a threatening, wordless warning at her office; worries about her commitment-shy lover; and finally "solves" the mystery by stumbling across the real killer, who intends to harm her. Oh yeah, and somewhere in there she writes an article for a national magazine in about two seconds. Must be that I'm just one of ignorant, rural Massachusetts hicks, but I can't figure out how a freelance writer can afford her own apartment in Greenwich Village, given how little work she does.

Rating:
Summary: Fast-Paced Sequel to 'If Looks Could Kill'
Review: Thirty-three-year-old amateur sleuth and crime journalist, Bailey Weggins, is back, and she's up to her old tricks. When Bailey is invited to stay at her friend, Danny's spa, the Cedar Inn and Spa, in Warren, Massachusetts, she jumps at the chance to leave her fast-paced Manhattan lifestyle behind, along with the drama with her on again, off again lover Jack Herlihy, a thirty-five-year-old professor of Psychology. So she packs up her things and heads for the rural Inn, where she plans on getting a little R&R, and a few good massages. However, when she arrives at Cedar Inn, she is shocked to find a mummy-wrapped corpse in one of the many treatment rooms at the spa. Before she knows it, Bailey's vacation/weekend of rest is out the window, and she is fully immersed in solving the case. Soon she is uncovering all types of secrets about Cedar Inn, such as a shady ring of employees, a spurned lover, and a sleazy husband. However, with a totally good-looking cop, Jeffrey Beck, by her side, she knows that everything will work out for the best. Unless the killer comes after her next...

As I was a HUGE fan of Kate White's IF LOOKS COULD KILL, I eagerly awaited the paperback release of A BODY TO DIE FOR. While the wait was long, it was well worth it. Bailey's quirky personality, is one of the most pleasurable things about White's writing, and is a gift to be able to read again. White is magnificent at describing the fast-paced world of journalism, seeing as how she's the Editor-in-Chief of COSMOPOLITAN magazine, and she is amazing at weaving together an amazing story filled with the strangest twists and turns at every corner. Her ideas are remarkable, and will have even the savviest mystery reader stumped by who the murderer is. A must have book, do not miss it.

Erika Sorocco

Rating:
Summary: Crisp and well written
Review: This is a book written by a truly professional writer. She wastes no time introducing her sleuth, Bailey Weggins, and her plot, murder at an elegant spa in rural Massachusetts. The sleuth is a sharp-tongued and witty magazine writer - one of the more interesting and provocative female sleuths to come down the pike in a long time.

The plot and sub-plots are complex, unusual and well thought out. The characters, from the slightly shady husband to the murdered staff member who offered just a little extra to some of her massage clients, were totally believable. If I was to offer a suggestion it would be that more of the characters be developed more fully.

The dialogue is sharp and edgy and the conflict, both internal and external, is well maintained throughout. The pacing is crisp, working to a surprising and satisfying climax.

The writer really has a handle on all the aspects of writing detective fiction. It's a treat to read a who-dun-it and not have to cringe at an overdone setting or a poorly thought out plot. She has put together a great read. She's a professional, and it shows.