Makeovers Can Be Murder
Author: Kathryn Lilley
Series: Fat City Cozy Mysteries
Other books in series: Dying to be Thin (Bk 1), A Killer Workout (Bk 2)
ISBN: 978-0-451-22826-0
261 pages
Book Description from Amazon:
“Plus-size reporter Kate Gallagher is facing the ultimate challenge-wearing a bikini for an upcoming assignment about weight loss scams. Sticking to her diet won’t be easy-especially since her love life is already wasting away.
Kate learns she’s not alone at a meeting of a women’s support group, the Newbodies-where her friend Lila confides that her marriage is in trouble. When Lila turns up dead, Kate’s suspicions immediately fall on the husband. But that’s before she finds out that Lila wasn’t the first “Newbody” to die. Apparently a killer has an appetite for plus-sized victims…”
MY REVIEW:
I feel that I need to preface this review by saying that I really like the character Ms. Lilley has created in Kate Gallagher. She is not your stereotypical size 2 tv reporter. She’s real. She could be you. She has insecurities like the rest of us. She gets heartbroken like the rest of us. She’s someone that you can relate to and I love that about this series of books.
With that said, I did not care for this book. I felt that the story was rushed and very convoluted. I didn’t understand the need for the second storyline that was introduced midway through the book. It was distracting and didn’t fit into the rest of the book. The relationship plot with Kate and Jonathan was silly, in my opinion. I just didn’t get it. And the very abrupt ending to the book left me feeling disappointed.
I loved the first 2 books in this series, so that’s why I’m saddened to have to write a not-so-stellar review, but I kind of felt like this book was completely different from the first two. It wasn’t as in-depth and didn’t seem to flow as well as the first two books. It was like the book was just thrown together in a mash-mash. With that said, I will continue to read this series and am looking forward to book 4!
Yup – that about sums up exactly how I felt too ;(
Glad I found your blog and that you discuss cozy mysteries too. I'm always on the lookout for another series with a great female-sleuth. There are so many of them out there! "Dying to Be Thin", the first book in this series, is on my TBR list. I'm finding the same thing among many series that I've enjoyed – that the first few books are very good and I get hooked on the series, only to be disappointed in subsequent books when the plot seems rushed and confused. Sorry that happened with this one too. But, like you, I manage to keep reading anyway!
Hi LadyPi! Thanks for stopping by! I've really become hooked on cozy mysteries over the last year! My favorite series is the Abby Cooper Psychic Eye books by Victoria Laurie. I highly recommend those if you haven't read them! I look forward to checking out your blog! I love finding new series with women sleuths!Thanks again for the comment!Jennifer