Designer Knockoff: a Crime of Fashion Mystery

Rating:
Summary: Better and better . . .
Review: I laughed so hard at "Killer Hair," I couldn't imagine Ellen Byerrum topping herself with her second book. Happily, I was wrong. "Designer Knockoff" is even better - an expanded cast of wonderfully original and offbeat characters, a fascinating murder (well, two actually, separated by decades by linked by circumstance and fate), and, of course, Ms. Smithsonian at the center, stirring up action every page. Again the reader can delight in her funny fashion columns and her never-ending ability to surprise. I love this series!

Rating:
Summary: I'm haute on Ellen Byerrum's new couture mystery
Review: I was so excited to see the new Byerrum book last week at my local B&N, right in the top row of new paperbacks, I could hardly wait to buy my copy. Now, having read it, I'm even more enthusiastic. Ellen Byerrum has created a series with characters I now know I love to come back to-and that is the very essence of this kind of writing. Lots of mysteries have very competent plots (and Ellen Byerrum is no slouch, plotwise), but they don't all have characters you care about.

I suspected from reading the first book, KILLER HAIR, that I was going to like Lacey Smithsonian, her boss, her quasi-boyfriends, her hairdresser Stella, her friend Brooke-and best of all, Aunt Mimi's trunk. And with DESIGNER KNOCKOFF, my prediction proves true. I like Ellen's characters just as much as Janet Evanovich's (I'm from NJ, and I appreciate a character who, like Stephanie Plum, appreciates a good pork roll sandwich). And I like Lacey and co. even more than Marsha Muller's or Sue Grafton's characters. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series.

I imagine the next one's going to cost more, however. I don't think the publishers can keep Ellen Byerrum a paperback writer exclusively after this great new book, DESIGNER KNOCKOFF.

But that's okay. I'll pay the extra ca-ching to catch the latest happenings with Lacey, Vic, Tony, Stella, and the rest of the gang. One more thing: I think CIA agent Bradley is a much better romantic pairing for Lacey. So far, Vic is too much an "unavailable man" for someone as together as Lacey.

Rating:
Summary: Fashion and murder in DC.
Review: Lacey Smithsonian is a fashion columnist. Her column "Crimes of fashion" gives fashion advice to unfashionable D.C. She didn't choose to be a fashion columnist, it was chosen for her by her boss.

She learns that a new fashion museum will soon open in D.C. Designer Hugh Bentley spots her at one of the events. He tries to get her vintage Hugh Bentley suit, but Lacey won't swap. The suit was her aunt Mimi's, along with many other vintage clothes and patterns she left behind.

Lacey is a reporter at heart. An intern that she knows goes missing and she is hot on the story. She is also working to get the scoop on Bentley and his past. In doing so she uncovers a mystery that's never been solved about a missing Bentley employee, Gloria Adams. Lacey finds letters from Gloria to Mimi as well as some from Mimi to Gloria. These letters help give her a sense of what might have happened and some more background on Bentley.

Lacey begins to try to put the pieces together about both disappearances and see if there is any connection, as well as any connection to Bentley. In doing so, she finds herself in many sticky situations and puts herself and others in danger more than once.

I love this series. Lacey is such a fun character. I had trouble putting this book down. Make sure you read where you can laugh out loud.

Lacey's best friend and hairdresser Stella and Miguel who worked for the Bentley's are terrific characters as well. They add a lot of fun to this story.

Ms. Byerrum has a real handle on fashion in D.C. Lacey's columns are right on the mark!

If you like cozies, you will love this book. I highly recommend it Killer Hair, the first in this series.


Rating:
Summary: A Cold Case File
Review: Lacey Smithsonian, thinks that the opening of the new Fashion Museum will be a good story. Working for the Washington DC based The Eye Street Observer, she would like to do real news, but does her best on the fashion beat until she gets her big break.

Lacey, is noticed at the meeting by Hugh Bentley, the famous fashion designer. He recognizes the vintage suit she's wearing as one of his original 1940's model. Although he denies every meeting her Aunt, Mimi Smith, who had left Lacey a treasure trove of vintage clothes, Lacey doesn't believe him.

She has a note which her Aunt says some unflattering things about Hugh and what went on in the factory during World War II.

The fashion beat gets exciting when Esme Fairchild, an intern turns up missing. She was working for a congressman who was on the committee overseeing the Fashion Museum. It turns out she was having an affair with the congressman, but she was also trying to get a job with the Bentley's.

Lacey found it strange that someone who was involved with the Bentley's disappeared, as her aunt had left notes and other clues to a close friend of hers, Gloria Adams, who had worked for the Bentley's in the 1940's and had mysteriously disappeared.

Were these two disappearances, 60 years apart related? Or did a congressman kill his mistress to avoid scandal. And what about the armed robbery at a Bentley's store, where the employee's were almost killed?

Lacey investigations is getting to close to someone, as a car is blown up in "The Eye's" parking lot. Lacey was on the phone with the bomber when the car blew up, they had mistaken another employee's car for hers.

Scared, but determined to solve the crime, Lacey gathers the clues which lead not only to the solution of Esme's death, but to a disappearance that had been long forgotten.

Highlights:

I love Lacey and her vintage clothes. She's smart, funny and has a great group of friends around her.

Her friends: Tony Trujillo - the police reporter on "The Eye", very funny and doesn't mind if Lacey's story overlap onto his own beat. He's always there to help.

Stella Lake, hairdresser who knows everyone and can get absolutely anything that Lacey needs.

Brooke Barton, an attorney friends, who sees conspiracies everywhere and who meets her match in Damon Newhouse.

Damon Newhouse, who runs the web site DEADFED.COM he's a complete conspiracy nut who matches well with Brooke.

Miguel Flores: He's the unfortunate clerk at the Bentley's Boutique when it was robbed. He was nearly killed, but had managed to knock the phone off the desk and call 911. He's very funny and very angry over the fact that he's fired because Bentley's has a policy to not put up any kind of fight when you're being robbed. I can't figure out how calling the police when you think the robbers are going to kill you is against the rules.


The mystery. I love mysteries where there is old case that is being solved. Lacey trying to come up with clue and interviewing 80 year old people to see if they remembered details of what happened while they worked for Bentley's during World War II was very interesting.

Lowlights:

I only have one problem with the series. That is Vic Donovan, who is Lacey's sort of boyfriend, he's an ex-sheriff from Steamboat Springs, now a security expert that Lacey had been in love with when she lived in Colorado. He was married and they never dated, he had kissed her once on New Years Eve. In this story he has gone back to Colorado to sell his house to his ex-wife. He doesn't write and barely calls Lacey during the months he's there.

A guy who can't bother to pick up the phone and call, isn't worth worrying, waiting or caring about. Not when she has a great guy, Tony Trujillo sitting in her office. She also goes out with Jeffrey Bently Holmes, nephew of the designer who is also a great guy.

I hope Vic either comes up to snuff, or he's dropped as Lacey's boyfriend. She's to smart to settle for a guy who can't be bothered to keep in contact.

That's my rant.

Otherwise, great book and looks like it will be a great series. This is what I call a great filler series. Those series that have 5 or less books in them that you can enjoy while waiting for the next book in your favorite series to come out.

Other great fillers.

Victoria Pade - 2 Jimi Plain Series - Dating Can Be Deadly and Divorce Can Be Murder - She's normally a Harlequin writer so if you're looking for her books, you usually have to look for the titles, because she has dozens of romance novels listed.

Elaine Viets - 2 Dead End Job Series - a third in this series is going to be published shortly.

Barbara Colley - 2 Charlotte LaRue Mysteries - a third in this series will be published at the first of the year.

Judy Fitzwater - Jennifer Marsh Series. There are actually 6 in this series, but they are very fast reads. Big print, not a lot of pages, but very interesting mysteries.


Rating:
Summary: offbeat, quirky and eccentric
Review: The column "Crimes of Fashion" of fashion reporter for the Eye Street Observer Lacey Smithsonian Chase has more to do with crime than fashion. She is at the capital building covering a $40 million dollar appropriation to the National Building Museum but the committee members do not how that item got into the bill that was passed. While observing the proceedings, Lacey notices that Washington Staffer Esme Fairchild who is always around in a high profile manner surprisingly is nowhere in sight.

Lacey cannot get Esme off her mind and as the days go by, the police start to believe she is dead. Esme serves as liaison between fashion designer Hugh Bentley and the committee who wanted to revoke the museum findings. Coincidentally, Lacey wore a premier design from Bentley's first collection. He offers her more money to sell her the suit. She does not give in to his demand because her great aunt believed that he was responsible for the disappearance of factory girl Gloria Adams during WWII who was having an affair with him. Lacey, who wants off the fashion beat decides to investigate Esme and Gloria's disappearance.

Ellen Byerrum is a very talented writer with an offbeat sense of humor and talent for creating quirky and eccentric characters that will have readers laughing at their antics. There are some very good fashion tips spread throughout DESIGNER KNOCKOFF. This is a great beach read because it is the perfect way to relax and enjoy the water. It will be hard to wait for the next book in this "hate crime" series.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: DESIGNER KNOCKOFF, A GREAT COZY MYSTERY
Review: When I bought DESIGNER KNOCKOFF at the bookstore I had never read any of Ellen Byerrum's novels. I've now placed her on my favorite authors list. DESIGNER KNOCKOFF is good entertainment which draws you into the newsroom and fashion world with her. The settings are well done, characters believable, and the plot and suspense keep you turning pages with excelent dialogue and a few chuckles along the way to bring you to the end with a satisfied sigh. DESIGNER KNOCKOFF is everything we cozy lovers are looking for and I look forward to reading more of her books.
Jackie Griffey, Cabot, Arkansas