Saturday, April 23, 2016

Mug Shot by Caroline Fardig

How can one woman get into so many crazy situations? Juliet must find the real killer when her best friend Pete is arrested for the murder of his girlfriend.

This is the second adventure for the Java Jive manager but it reads well on its own. We get a glimpse into the high society of Nashville in this novel as Juliet and Pete are dating siblings with wealthy backgrounds. Juliet gets into all kinds of dangerous situations as she tries to penetrate the lies and schemes of that decadent society.

I like Juliet. Her friendship with Pete shows a high degree of loyalty. She is willing to take all kinds of risks to prove him innocent. As the novel and her investigation progresses, she comes in contact with some pretty dangerous guys. Her quick thinking pays off repeatedly. And when it doesn't, Ryder, the detective she broke up with, is there to protect her.

There is a twist at the end as Juliet confronts the murderer. I did not see that one coming, and neither did Juliet. It made for a surprising and suspenseful end to the novel.

I recommend this novel to those who enjoy the style of Stephanie Plum novels. There is about the same amount of craziness, sexual liaisons, and bad language. There is not quite as much laugh out loud humor but there are funny scenes. Fardig's writing style is good but there was no prose that was particularly excellent nor dialog I would describe as especially clever.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

Caroline Fardig is the USA Today bestselling author of the Java Jive Mysteries series and the Lizzie Hart Mysteries. Her Bad Medicine was named one of the “Best Books of 2015” by Suspense Magazine. She's been a school teachers, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay at home mom. She lives in her small hometown in Indiana with her husband and their two children. You can find out more at http://www.carolinefardig.com/.

Alibi, 289 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

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