Hot Pursuit by Christina Skye

When mystery writer Taylor O’Toole offers to help her friend Candace with an unfaithful boyfriend, she didn’t expect to get swept into her own mysterious world filled with mobsters, hit men, and death threats. But that is exactly what happens, starting with a mysterious climbing fall, a bouquet of black roses complete with a threat, then getting her own Navy SEAL assigned to watch after her every move. Taylor is confused- what could she possibly know about the disappearance of a Navy scientist and the threat of a deadly drug that international terrorists are after?

With SEAL Jack Broussard watching over her, Taylor begins to feel frustrated with the whole situation. She couldn’t be in any real danger, right? But a gruesome wakeup call and the death of an officer opens her eyes to the terrifying world she has stumbled into. Her love for the SEAL begins to cloud both their judgments, and their missteps almost get them both killed.  

Hot Pursuit by Christina Skye has some good elements to it- specifically the suspense and the mystery. I thought the plot dragged on in the beginning, and you have wait until the end to really get caught up in the story. I liked the mystery, though the whole terrorists and hiding drugs did seem a teeny far-fetched, and the coincidences seemed a little too, well coincidental. I enjoyed the fact that I could not figure out all the guilty players involved until the very end when the criminals are unveiled. That kept the suspense even higher for me, and made me want to keep reading. This wasn’t my favorite book, but still a fun read, and romantic thriller fans will be entertained.

Killer Riff by Sheryl J. Anderson

Molly Forrester has finally done it. No longer is she just an advice columnist, she has been promoted to a feature writer!  Her hard work and nose for investigating has been noticed by her publisher, giving her a well deserved advance on the career ladder.  Molly couldn’t be more thrilled, but wishes she had ex-boyfriend, NYPD homicide detective Kyle Edwards to share the joy with.

Her first assignment is keeping her more than busy. What seems like a simple article about the death of Russell Elliott, legendary rock producer and manger, turns out to be a much trickier case. The death is blamed on an accidental overdose, and nobody raises any red flags of suspicion, as overdoses are a common occurrence in the rock world. Except for one person- Elliott’s daughter, who has become convinced her father’s death was murder, and solicited Molly to help her find the killer.

 Molly has found herself stuck. Her job does not want her investigating a homicide; they want a simple, inside look at the life and career of Russell Elliott, not stirring up rumors of murder. But Molly’s sleuthing abilities and evidence of possible suspects makes it hard to resist, putting both her promotion and winning back Kyle at risk.

Killer Riff, the fourth book of Sheryl J. Anderson’s Molly Forrester series, delivers a powerful but still glamorous mystery, keeping the stylish and sexy characters alive with humor and wit. Readers will enjoy getting a behind the scene look at the powerful music industry, and the fast paced chick lit novel will keep you hooked until the end.

Killer Deal by Sheryl J. Anderson

The ‘Sleuth in the City’ is back for more. Molly Forrester, our fashionable gossip column writing heroine, Molly Forrester, is still determined to make it as an investigative crime reporter. She gets another crack at it after getting the opportunity to interview the wealthy Gwen Lincoln, widow to Garth Henderson, advertising executive that was murdered.  Molly is determined to find the killer: is it Gwen, the bitter ex wife? Or did the murder have something to do with the rumored buyout that Henderson was working on with a rival advertising company?

Killer Deal, the third novel in the Molly Forrester series by Sheryl J. Anderson, again brings the mystery, fashion, and a slew of colorful characters and suspects. Molly’s boyfriend, sexy NYPD homicide detective Kyle Edwards wants Molly to stay away from the crime scene to keep her out of danger. Molly struggles to make her boyfriend happy and keep herself happy and pushing towards what she wants to do for a career.

I have to say that I  didn’t find Killer Deal quite as exciting and titillating as the first two novels, but I enjoyed following Molly’s story as she tries to get her byline while juggling her boyfriend and personal life. Anderson gives readers another light-hearted read that does an excellent job of mixing mystery and chick lit.

Skinny-Dipping by Claire Matturro

Skinny-Dipping by Claire Matturro whips a frothy chick lit legal thriller, keeping readers on their toes while trying to sort out the crimes. Lilly Rose Cleary, junior partner to a Sarasota law firm, is working her usual malpractice cases- a whiplash case caused in a kayaking incident, and a “veggie baby case” passed along to her from a senior partner. Life seems to be going at normal for Lilly- until she is put in a choke hold on her way back to the office. This incident caps off a tailspin of unusual events. First, a doctor facing a malpractice suit comes to Lilly for advice- and is dead within hours. Next, Lilly is getting shot at, but even then the (sexy) detective working on the case can’t seem to decide if Lilly is a victim or a suspect.

Matturro gives readers a sexy, sassy, determined, and witty heroine, but mixes in just enough legal jargon to make this thriller truly suspenseful. I loved that the villain is not indentified until the very end, as with many mysteries readers can pinpoint them within a few chapters. This aspect ups the intensity and need to keep turning the pages. The plot zips by quickly with a mix of memorable characters, including a depressed Rottweiler and an albino ferret, and they add an ingredient of humor to this enjoyable first novel from Claire Matturro.

Killer Cocktail by Sheryl J. Anderson

Killer Heels, the first novel in the Molly Forrester series from Sheryl J. Anderson, introduced us to Molly and her girlfriends, Tricia Vincent and Cassady Lynch, faithful sidekicks to Molly-even when she is trying to solve murders. Killer Cocktail, the second installment, is no different, but now the stakes to solving the mystery are even higher- Tricia’s brother David has become the prime suspect when his actress fiancé is found dead at their engagement party.

Molly is eager to get involved in the case, not only to help clear David’s name, but to up her chances once at again at getting a fabulous story published and moving up from her boring advice columnist position. The trail proves sticky, as Molly is taken on a path of sex, lies…and a pornography video? The three girls are resilient in their efforts, and paired again with Molly’s new boyfriend, homicide detective Kyle Edwards. With the setting taking in place in the glamorous Hamptons and the wild characters that abound, this mystery is sure to please.

Killer Heels by Sheryl J. Anderson

Are you a Sex in the City fan? Of course I am, and the moment I began reading Killer Heels by Sheryl J. Anderson I felt that I was transported right onto the set. Our heroine, Molly Forrester, is a replica of Carrie Bradshaw, a sassy Manhattan journalist with an ambition to move up from her so-so advice columnist position (“You Can Tell Me”), two girlfriends with night and day personalities, and of course: a love of expensive designer shoes. The cover alone was enough to lure me to pick up this book, with nothing but legs and pink stilettos resting above the New York skyline.

The plot begins with Molly walking into (literally into) a crime scene involving her companies’ advertising director, Teddy Reynolds and his murdered body at the office.  Molly’s beautiful, brand new Jimmy Choos are ruined after inadvertently stepping in Teddy’s blood, but what’s more- Molly is now determined to solve this mystery, get a fabulous story, and finally become a real writer. It doesn’t take long for the wide array of characters to step up and get their hands messy as well. Molly’s two sidekicks- Cassady Lynch, a fierce lawyer, and Tricia Vincent, a sweet event planner, are loyal and loveable throughout. I enjoy how Anderson makes these characters come alive, giving reader’s knowledge and insight about their careers, love lives, and families. Peter Mulcahey, Molly’s ex-boyfriend who happens to be a rival reporter, enters the scene in hopes of getting the better story than Molly to move up in the writing world. And there is hottie Detective Kyle Edwards, who is assigned to the murder case. His piercing eyes and built body is enough to make Molly forget her words, but the no-nonsense attitude he portrays about the case derails Molly making any moves on him. 

The plot is well crafted to hold your attention throughout the book, and the suspense and mystery makes you want to flip to the back prematurely to solve the murder. Killer Heels is the first of four Molly Forrester novels, and the debut sparks the thrill-seeking, fashion obsessing, and even romance side out of all the chick lit lovers.