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Handbags and Homicide by Dorothy Howell
Chick Lit Review

Handbags and Homicide by Dorothy Howell

I was looking forward to reading back to back chick lit mysteries. After finishing up the Lacy Fields novels from Janice Kaplan, I moved on to the Haley Randolph series from Dorothy Howell. The first, Handbags and Homicide, sounded like it could provide enough entertainment, but it definitely fell flat with me. The heroine Haley reminded me of Sophie Kinsella’s shopaholic, Rebecca Bloomwood, but without the likeability. She’s in massive debt, has an addiction to designer handbags, and working at a minimum wage position in a low scale retail store. Instead of finding some sort of work ethic and paying off debts, she continues to slouch through life, racking up extreme credit card purchases and showing no sign of changing. That alone put me off, but then comes the mystery part. When Haley finds the retail store’s assistant manager dead in the stockroom, she becomes a suspect in the crime. She sets off her own half-assed investigation, which I found to be pointless and overly long-winded, and eventually the real killer was uncovered and I could finally stop reading this book. I knew right away I wasn’t going to like this story when Haley finds her deceased boss, then walks away from him and decides she needs to buy another purse. What?? The supporting characters were not well written, most times I couldn’t decipher between characters or couldn’t remember who they were and why they were being talked about. I couldn’t finish this novel fast enough, and have zero interest looking into any of the other Haley Randolph books.

July 12, 2010
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Author Profile: Dorothy Howell
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Dorothy Howell

Author Name: Dorothy Howell

Website: http://www.dorothyhowellnovels.com/books.html
Bio: Dorothy Howell is the author of 26 novels. She’s written for three major New York publishing houses. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages, with sales approaching 3 million copies worldwide. Dorothy currently writes for two publishing houses, in two genres, under two names. Dorothy also writes historical romance novels under the pen name Judith Stacy. Her titles include Harlequin Historical’s Top Seller of the Year, a No.1 on the Barnes & Noble historical list, and a RITA Award Finalist. More information is available at www.JudithStacy.com. Dorothy is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Romance Writers of America. She’s a requested speaker at writing, civic, and women’s organizations, and has appeared on television and radio promoting her work.
Tiles: Handbags and Homicide, Purses and Poison, and Should Bags and Shootings.
Currently: Dorothy currently lives in Southern California.

July 9, 2010
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In My Mailbox: Week of May 23
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In My Mailbox: Week of May 23

In My Mailbox: Week of May 23, 2010

Title: Hook, Line and Sink Him
Author: Jackie Pilossoph
Received: From Jackie Pilossoph for Review & Giveaway
Synopsis: Anna wants to get married. Her boyfriend Chris wants to wait. But now, help may be on the way. Meet Jeff and Dave, two commitment phobic guys who overhear the couple arguing at a popular Chicago bar, and guarantee Anna they can con Chris into springing for a ring and walking down the aisle. When she takes them up on their offer, and the plan actually works, the three decide they’re going into business to help other bride wannabees. Come along for the ride with Anna and these two loveable, very funny guys while they take on clients, manipulate boyfriends, and turn frustrated girls into blushing brides, all while raking in the cash. But the marriage business gets messy when Jeff discovers he’s got a little problem. He never counted on falling madly in love with Anna, his new business partner and the girl who is now planning her wedding, thanks to him.

Title: A Job to Kill For
Author: Janice Kaplan
Received: From Public Library
Synopsis: At the start of Kaplan’s fun, breezy second mystery to feature ditzy L.A.A interior designer Lacy Fields (after 2007’s Looks to Die For), Lacy’s latest chic client, Cassie Crawford, drops dead whileA inspecting the decor ofA the poshA penthouse Cassie and her new husband, billionaire Roger Crawford, were planning to buy. Cassie, it turns out, made a fatal mistake by drinking a bottle of arsenic-laced Japanese tea from the penthouse’s Sub-Zero refrigerator. To Lacy’s dismay, the fingerprints of her casting agent pal, Molly Archer,A who’s been schmoozingA with Roger, are found on the fridge, making Molly a top suspect. But when Billy Mann,A Cassie’sA biker friend, isA murdered after confiding in Lacy that Cassie fearedA for her life,A LAPD Det. Brian Wilson decidesA Lacy makes a betterA suspect. While Lacy’s Dolce & Gabbana shoes andA her linen Calvin Klein shirt suffer damage near story’s end in a tight fix Edgar Allan Poe might have devised, Lacy’s blithe, la-di-dahA spirit remains unscathed

Title: Handbags and Homicide
Author: Dorothy Howell
Received: From Public Library
Synopsis: Haley Randolph is always ready to go to any lengths to get the latest Louis Vuitton. Unfortunately for Haley, her life goes from glam to grim when her passion for fashion outlasts her credit cards, and she’s forced to work at Holt’s–a mid-market department store. Looking for a bit of shopping inspiration, Haley sneaks into the stock room to get a first glimpse of Holt’s one-of-a-kind selection of handbag styles. But instead of the newest Vuitton, Haley discovers her boss is the ultimate fashion victim.
According to the security tapes, Haley was the only person in the stockroom before, during, and after the murder. With everyone in the store eyeing her like last season’s Marc Jacobs, Haley turns to the hunky Ty Cameron, who heads up the store’s loss prevention unit, to help her investigate the murder. Now her knowledge of hot trends will take her from the sales floor to the boardroom to the gritty streets of L.A.’s Garment District as she searches for a killer with impeccable fashion taste. . .

May 23, 2010
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