A Fashionable Murder

Rating:
Summary: A Pigeon in the City
Review: I enjoyed Josie's view of New York. And amateur detectives always get involved whatever the local P.D. is doing, so I can't fault that as another reviewer did.

Rating:
Summary: I liked this one; the setting's different, though.
Review: Josie Pigeon is a bit out of her element in New York City, but that's part of the plot. Her son has a great time in NY. Sam's mother Carol is a much bigger character in this novel than in the previous ones in the series.

We meet Josie's former employee Betty again. We don't meet Sam's former girlfriend Pamela Peel - because she's dead before we can be introduced. And Sam is a suspect.

There was a bit much about the shopping joys of NYC, but then, that is Carol Birnbaum's view of life. The stuff about interior decorating- Pamela's profession - was interesting. But my favorite is the inside views of several very different salons, from Elizabeth Arden to a New Age place; the gossip and bitchiness of the employees rings true. The struggles of various New Yorkers to make it in their chosen professions is a theme throughout the book.

Let's see, to intrigue you: Sam's brown reading chair plays an important role in this mystery. And, this is not a spoiler since it has nothing to do with solving the mystery or saying who-dun-it: Josie proposes to Sam at the end. So you definitely don't want to miss this one in the series! It's not the best, but it is good, and it is fun.

Rating:
Summary: Liked these until.............
Review: These books have always been a fun read, like the writer, as well as the writing.
Something went wrong with this one, however.
Josie has a boyfriend whose former girlfriend is found murdered in his NYC condo.Josie wants to find the murderer, forget the entire NYC police force is seaching for the one who 'dun' it.
Josie sets out on a mission to find the killer- how does she do it ? By going to every spa/salon/trendy shop in NYC- that's how.We come to quickly forget that she is asking questions at the time- we no longer care. She leaves no stone unturned either. We hear about every fabric in every dress she looks at , as well as procedures done at all the fancy spa/salons. Like a travel brochure with the hint of a mystery- which is never delivered to the reader. Sorry, the book was lacking.