Helpful Score: 2
Amanda Bell Brown is one sassy, funny, and independent woman--Dr. Brown to her counseling patients. Her psychology experience draws her into a murder mystery, which soons threaten her life in a number of ways. First, she is assailed by a spontaneous combustion of the romantic kind, in her initial encounter with Jazz, a likeable cop. Second, she is drawn into the dark corridors of a Scripture-twisting cult, which seems to have been involved on some level with the murder victims. Third, she must face her own painful past or risk losing even more than she has already.
Humor keeps the book well-balanced, and there are some sassy, realistic handlings of the romantic moments. At the point in which I thought things would turn saccharine, Burney kicked things into a darker, grittier gear, never shrinking from some heart-wrenching scenes. Told with style and heart, these parts of the story are all too real, and Burney unveils the deceptions with masterful skill.
Humor keeps the book well-balanced, and there are some sassy, realistic handlings of the romantic moments. At the point in which I thought things would turn saccharine, Burney kicked things into a darker, grittier gear, never shrinking from some heart-wrenching scenes. Told with style and heart, these parts of the story are all too real, and Burney unveils the deceptions with masterful skill.
This book is a laugh out loud, mystery that will keep you going from beginning to end. I love the characters, the dialogue is absolutely brilliant and this book and it's sequel "Death, Deceit and Some Smooth Jazz" are fantastic. You start with a single 30 something forensic psyshologist who has never actually been to a bad crime scene, her 40 something sister who is a medical examiner and then throw in a good looking, tall drink of water named Jazz who just happens to be a homicide detective. Mix that up at a crime scene and come away with Amanda Bell Brown starting in on an investigation dealing with cult leaders and their influence over people while crushing on some Jazz. There is some deep insight into some dark stuff while some amazing flirtation and sweet nothings between Bell and Jazz and her sister Carly is there to protect her. What a great book!
