Author Profile: CJ Lyons

Author Name: CJ Lyons

Website: http://marketingwithheart.blogspot.com/

Bio: Trained in Pediatric Emergency Medicine, CJ has assisted police and prosecutors with cases involving child abuse, rape, homicide and Munchausen by Proxy. She has worked in numerous trauma centers, on the Navajo reservation, as a crisis counselor, victim advocate, as well as a flight physician for Life Flight and Stat Medevac.

CJ has been a story-teller all her life, always creating stories about people discovering the courage to make a difference. This drove her into writing thrillers centering on strong relationships and led her to coin the term: Thrillers with Heart.

EBooks: Lost in Shadows, Chasing Shadows, Borrowed Time, Nerves of Steel, and Blind Faith.

Currently: CJ’s newest project is as co-author with Erin Brockovich creating a new suspense series due out in 2011 from Vanguard Press.

Bio Retrieved from marketingwithheart.blogspot.com

Well Read and Dead by Catherine O’Connell

One of my favorite heroines Pauline Cook is back and better than ever in Well Read and Dead, the second novel in the high society mysteries by Catherine O’Connell. This time, Pauline returns to America after an extended European vacation, only to come back after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Her once exceptional stock portfolio has now crumbled, leaving her without much money to go of off- again. To make it worse, her beautiful Chicago penthouse that was highly damaged in a fire still isn’t in a livable condition yet, one of her closest friends Whitney has gone missing, and Whitney took Pauline’s precious cat, Fleur, with her! Pauline becomes determined to find Whitney, so she can get her cat back and score a cool multimillion dollar reward promised to her by Whitney’s husband if Pauline can find her. What Pauline doesn’t know is that Whitney has stumbled upon a very disturbing secret regarding her husband’s lingerie business, and Pauline finding Whitney and discovering the truth could cost the woman both their lives.

Again, I was highly entertained by the antics of Pauline. Losing 20 million dollars when her Enron stock collapsed? A missing best friend and no place to live? Pauline doesn’t let these obstacles bring her down, she continues her shopping, luncheons, and staying in the best room at one of Chicago’s finest hotels. There was something different about Pauline in this novel compared to the first, Well Bred and Dead, and those occurrences happen when two very devastating occurrences happen. I won’t say what they are because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone, but I was shocked more than once in this book. I thought O’Connell’s writing was once again exceptional for the character and her story, and I highly look forward to the third novel, Well Wed and Dead.

Rating: 5/5

Well Bred and Dead by Catherine O’Connell

Pauline Cook, a widowed Chicago socialite, likes the finer things in life. Her stunning Chicago penthouse with 360 degree views of the city, the latest fashions, her classic car and high society luncheons. Pauline is hiding a secret though- her money is running out. Her husband, who passed 10 years before, didn’t leave Pauline with the millions she thought, and a few bad stock market choices have left her drying out. But Pauline’s troubles worsen when she finds her friend, Ethan, dead in is apartment. Suicide, the police say, but Pauline thinks something more is at stake. She follows her instinct, which leads her to Ethan’s double identity, past murders, and a whole lot of trouble. Pauline’s life is threatened when she finally uncovers the big secret, and a final twist in the plot ends this classy mystery.

I really enjoyed Well Bred and Dead by Catherine O’Connell. At first I had trouble liking the heroine- who continues to shop and live luxurious when she is about to go broke. But after a few chapters go by, I started to like her for her sense of loyalty, especially to the deceased Ethan. There are enough plot twists at every turn to keep you guessing the final reveal until the very end. O’Connell’s writing fits perfectly with the heroine and her upper class ways, and this truly is a “high society novel.” I look forward to reading more of Pauline’s stories!

Rating: 4/5

A Job to Kill For by Janice Kaplan

Lacy Fields is back in Janice Kaplan’s follow-up, A Job to Kill For. Lacy finds herself thrust in the middle of a murder once again when she is with trophy wife Cassie Crawford as she mysteriously dies. When police begin their investigation, Lacy is devastated to learn that her own best friend, Molly Archer, has been cast as the lead suspect. Molly’s prints are all over the bottle of tea that contained the poison killing Cassie, and Molly has been recently canoodling with Cassie’s uber-rich husband. Lacy knows that Molly couldn’t have possibly committed the crime, and sets out to clear her friend’s name. But while trying to track down the real killer, Lacy finds herself suddenly being the prime suspect. Now it’s not just about clearing Molly’s name- but also her own.

A Job to Kill For was as excellent as the first Lacy Fields mystery, Looks to Die For. The mystery tied in with the glamorous lives the heroine and her friends lead makes this a fun read for chick lit fans. Kaplan, a veteran in the entertainment industry, enjoys name dropping and showcasing designer brands along the way. Her writing is fast and witty, and each supporting character has a well constructed back story that makes them as memorable as the heroine. Once I hit just over the halfway mark and the mystery started to intensify, I had to keep reading to find out just who committed the crime.

Rating: 4/5

Looks to Die For by Janice Kaplan

Lacy Fields is thriving in life. A great job as an interior designer, a successful and loving husband who works as a plastic surgeon in Hollywood, great family and friends. But when the cops explode into her house one night and arrest her husband Dan for murdering a wannabee actress, Lacy feels her life getting turned upside down. Convinced that Dan is not a murderer, but feeling like everyone- including Dan’s attorney- thinks he’s guilty, the mom who loves designer shoes and sparkling jewelry decides to launch her own investigation into the shady world of fame, money, and scandal. She certainly doesn’t expect what she finds- ex-cons, ransom notes, a dead body in her own trunk, being taken hostage. But determined to stand by her man, nothing will knock down this well-dressed amateur sleuth as she works feverishly to clear her husband’s name and put the pieces of her family back together.

Looks to Die For, the first of two Lacy Fields mysteries from well-known author Janice Kaplan, will give readers plenty of suspense along with the posh LA lifestyle the heroine is living. The mystery is puzzling, with enough plot twists and character assumptions that will keep you guessing until the end, and the celebrity name dropping is delightful for chick lit fans. Kaplan’s witty writing along with the pull of a love story will keep readers wanting more from Lacy Fields.

Rating: 3.5/5

« Previous Page