Rating: 
Summary: MYSTERY AND MIRTH ARE A GREAT COMBINATION
Review: "This Pen For Hire" could just as easily be called "This Pun For Hire" because it's a rollicking, laugh-filled mystery by Laura Levine, an L.A. based comedy writer with many hit television programs to her credit. In this, her first novel, she introduces witty and wary Jaine Austin who views life, love, lust and Los Angeles with a practiced albeit jaundiced eye.Jaine is a writer for hire who has authored everything from libido laced personal ads to ardent vows of true love. This is her daytime job. At night she's out and about searching for her one-and-only in Hollywood's bistros. Enter a gawking geek, Howard Murdoch, who retains Jaine to write a love letter to Stacy Lawrence, a heart-stopping aerobics instructor whom Howard has never met. Crime comes quickly when Howard discovers Stacy beaten to death with a Thigh Master. The hapless Howard is, of course, fingered for the killing. Jaime is determined to prove his innocence. Wielding her Bloomies card like a press pass and totally disregarding all obstacles Jaine is hot on the trail of the killer who wants to make a real ghost writer out of her. "This Pen For Hire" is a fun beach read, and Jaine a likeable heroine. Hope Laura Levine is back at the computer coming up with a second adventure for this dauntless dame. - Gail Cooke
Rating:
Summary: This Pen's Popularity No Mystery
Review: "This Pen For Hire" is a mystery novel for everyone who has become bored with mystery novels, as it (if I may be pardoned the choice of words) brings fresh blood into an increasingly tired and cliche-ridden genre. Laura Levine's mixture of irreverent humor and a fast-paced, cleverly plotted storyline enables the book to stand as both a spoof and a celebration of the traditional whodunit. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this delightfully talented author!
Rating: 
Summary: Cute tale of love letters, dating, and murder in LA
Review: A love letter is a bit of a strange request, but Jaine Austen writes for hire so when Howard Murdoch asks for her help getting a date for Valentine's day and has his heart set on his beautiful aerobics instructor, Jaine writes the letter. That would have been the end of it, except Howard actually gets the date--only to find Stacy Lawrence bludgened to death with a thigh master. Now Howard is accused of murder and Jaine decides she's got to set things right. One thing she knows for sure--if Howard can't even ask Stacy for a date on his own, he certainly didn't kill her. Unfortunately, there were plenty of people who would have killed Stacy. Like many beautiful women in Los Angeles, Stacy was ambitious and didn't care who got in her way. She wasn't past blackmailing her lovers, stealing men from her friends, or using her influence to get the best apartment in the complex. Jaine finds plenty of men and women who are perfectly happy to have Stacy dead. But that doesn't mean they killed her. As Jaine starts to get threats to her own safety, she realizes that she'll have to find the real killer or she may end up the next victim. Author Laura Levine writes with a chatty and humorous style. Jaine is constantly losing the battle of will-power and indulging in the extra cheese on her buritto while simultaneously bemoning the size of her thighs. Levine's description of the competitive world of Los Angeles dating rings true, and a heroine who solves mysteries between writing toilet ads definitely has appeal.
Rating:
Summary: Delightful!
Review: Absolutely the most delightful new female "detective" on the market! I spent a Sunday afternoon with Jaine and hated for it to come to an end--would have loved to invite she and Prozac for dinner!
Rating:
Summary: Good Start to the Series
Review: Excellent job on the first of, what I hope to be, a great series of reads! Her experience as comedy writer for shows such as The Bob Newhart Show, Laverne & Shirley, and The Jefferson's (to name a few) reflect in this book. I can not wait for the next. I rank this book/series real close to Janet Evanovich's for humor, but exceedingly for keeping me in suspense right up till the end.
Rating:
Summary: Kudos Ms. Levine !!
Review: Excellent job on the first of, what I hope to be, a great series of reads! Her experience as comedy writer for shows such as The Bob Newhart Show, Laverne & Shirley, and The Jefferson's (to name a few) reflect in this book. I can not wait for the next. I rank this book/series real close to Janet Evanovich's for humor, but exceedingly for keeping me in suspense right up till the end.
Rating:
Summary: amusing and cleverly designed amateur sleuth tale
Review: Her almost namesake (mom could not spell) is probably turning over in her grave with the type of writings that freelance ad author Jaine Austen flushes from the deepest bowls of her mind. Industrial strength toilets not romances are Jaine's typical ballads. So when nerd Howard Murdoch hires her to write a love letter to aerobics instructor Stacy Lawrence, Jaine feels this is her chance at scribing an Emma. Jaine succeeds and reticent Howard goes on a date with Stacy.
On Valentine's Day, someone murders Stacy using her thigh master as a sledgehammer. The police arrest Howard. Jaine feels that her client is innocent and that in a way she caused his current predicament. There is also conceited LAPD detective Timothy Rea needing some comeuppance plus she needs an excuse to stay in touch with the victim's gorgeous neighbor Cameron Bannick.
THIS PEN FOR HIRE is amusing and cleverly designed amateur sleuth tale, but the romance comes across as interceding with the wonderful who-done-it. Jaine's humorous dialogue about her personal pitfalls turn her into quite a character study and makes for a superb novel. Laura Levine has written an amusing tale, so original that readers will want more works starring the other J. Austen. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: What a great read!
Review: I am slways on the look out for a book that can successfully blend a good mystery with humor and a touch of romance. This book hits a home run in all those areas. The cover alone was enough to catch my eye, but what lies between the covers is a fun, fast-paced read that introduces us to amateur sleuth Jaine Austin. Jaine is great and her perspective on life, love, food and the LA scene will keep you laughing while you go with her on a journey to find out whodunit. As is the sign with a book you really enjoy, I was glad to reach the end of the book, and yet sorry that it was over. This is definitely a keeper and, I hope only the first book in what promises to be a very promising series.
Rating:
Summary: Better than Prozac
Review: I can't remember what I was stressed out about when I started this book. And maybe that's the point. By the third paragraph I was smiling. By late in the first page I laughed. -- After that, I forget everything except that I'm glad I'm a slow reader, because this book kept me happy for almost a whole day. A month later I felt lousy again. I opened the book -- wishing I hadn't already read it. And at the end of the first page I decided to go to amazon.com and prescribe this book to anyone who needs an upper. The scene is great (the real LA). The heroine's fun to be with -- makes you happy. And even if you're sorry to finish the book, the ending surprises you with a sense of satisfaction. In fact the whole book's full of surprises. Now that I've written my first book review since 8th grade, I have a sense of accomplishment. By telling you to read it I've done you a good deed. I feel better already -- and I think I've earned a reward: I'm going to read the whole book again.
Rating:
Summary: Good Start to the Series
Review: I enjoyed this light read and look forward to more books in the series. However, there were a few things that kept me from giving it 5 stars. First, I thought it was too predictable -- the murderer's identity was easy to figure out early in the story. I also found the "I/he/she said...well, not really, but I/he/she thought it" very annoying after the first few times. Otherwise, it was a lot of fun and definitely a welcome addition to my library.
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