What do you think?
Rate this book
Billy Blessing #3
The Talk Show Murders
After waking up the neighborhood with The Morning Show Murders, and keeping readers up late solving The Midnight Show Murders, Al Roker returns with his most tantalizing mystery to date. Celebrity chef turned sleuth Billy Blessing finds his plate full of danger once again, as secrets from his long-buried past threaten to make a comeback.
Before Billy had his five-star restaurant in New York, before he was tapped to co-host the morning show Wake Up, America! and travel with it for a week in the Windy City—before he even assumed the name Billy Blessing—he lived a totally different life under a very different identity: as wily con man Billy Blanchard. Caught trying to run a scam on a shady Detroit businessman, Billy did time for his crimes, reinvented himself, and has successfully kept that part of his past covered up ever since. But when he and Eddie Patton, a nosy ex-cop with a long memory, are guests on a popular Chicago TV talk show, the off-camera chat turns to blackmail. And Billy may have no choice but to pay up or see the embarrassing truth from being blogcast to the world on Patton’s true crime website.
This being Chicago, secrets have a way of getting out—and getting people killed. When Patton winds up dead in his apartment only hours after trying to shake Billy down, it’s just the first in a string of killings that has America’s most beloved TV host scrambling for clues, unsure who his friends are, and desperate to clear his name before he becomes the media’s latest poster child for celebrity scandal. Throw in a budding romance with a visiting movie star and Billy Blessing may have finally gotten himself into one sticky situation even he can’t talk his way out of.
Fast-paced, funny, and bubbling over with inside scoop on the business they call show, The Talk Show Murders is Al Roker mystery fiction at its delicious, dishy best.
Before Billy had his five-star restaurant in New York, before he was tapped to co-host the morning show Wake Up, America! and travel with it for a week in the Windy City—before he even assumed the name Billy Blessing—he lived a totally different life under a very different identity: as wily con man Billy Blanchard. Caught trying to run a scam on a shady Detroit businessman, Billy did time for his crimes, reinvented himself, and has successfully kept that part of his past covered up ever since. But when he and Eddie Patton, a nosy ex-cop with a long memory, are guests on a popular Chicago TV talk show, the off-camera chat turns to blackmail. And Billy may have no choice but to pay up or see the embarrassing truth from being blogcast to the world on Patton’s true crime website.
This being Chicago, secrets have a way of getting out—and getting people killed. When Patton winds up dead in his apartment only hours after trying to shake Billy down, it’s just the first in a string of killings that has America’s most beloved TV host scrambling for clues, unsure who his friends are, and desperate to clear his name before he becomes the media’s latest poster child for celebrity scandal. Throw in a budding romance with a visiting movie star and Billy Blessing may have finally gotten himself into one sticky situation even he can’t talk his way out of.
Fast-paced, funny, and bubbling over with inside scoop on the business they call show, The Talk Show Murders is Al Roker mystery fiction at its delicious, dishy best.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
139 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
About the author
Al Roker
24 books132 followersAl Roker is an American weather forecaster, journalist, television personality, actor, and author. He is the current weather anchor on NBC's Today.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
September 2, 2024
I didn't pay attention when i ordered it. Thought it was Al's autobio. Nope, it is a complicated murder mystery. Not my cup of tea.
August 19, 2012
Having sped through Roker's series (trology?) I can make some more general comments, as well as some book-specific to give readers a better idea of what they can expect out of this. Roker and his co-author do get better as the books progress, which is not to be disputed. That said, the books never leave their cheesiness factor by the wayside and are, as far as I am concerned, strictly summer beach fare or travelling reading. I cannot come to say that, had I been presented with these books that they were at the top of my list. I kept the first on my iPod for a long time and chose, perhaps subconsciously, to add the others so that when I did read them, I could have the series in front of me and give the review I am typing now.
This is the most complex (though on some levels it seems silly to call anything about these books complex) of the three books, in that it pits the main character's current life with his past; moreso than Book 2 and will many more sinister undertones. The book seeks mainly to deal with the death of a former police detective, while giving the reader some behind-the-scenes looks into television broadcasting on location. The murder brings our main character out to do some sleuthing in hopes of tripping upon the mastermind behind it all. I am, however, left to wonder if Billy Blessing and Jessica Fletcher (flashback to 'Murder, She Wrote', of 1980s and 90s fame) share the same bloodline, as murder seems to follow them everywhere they go.
A few questions worth tossing out there:
- Would I purchase these books to read? Absolutely not! Libraries have their purposes and this is one reason that I would use them. I do not find the content to be worth the gouging I get from them)
- Would I choose to read over listen to the books? No, again. Roker does a good job in narrating his own books and I find that they flow better here. Also, I can listen wherever I am and finishing the book faster than sitting down to read. Honesty, a real stinger.
- Would I read another book in the series? I am still on the fence there.
So, I suggest you tap into your library's audiobook collection and hope it is there.
Decent series, Mr. Roker.
This is the most complex (though on some levels it seems silly to call anything about these books complex) of the three books, in that it pits the main character's current life with his past; moreso than Book 2 and will many more sinister undertones. The book seeks mainly to deal with the death of a former police detective, while giving the reader some behind-the-scenes looks into television broadcasting on location. The murder brings our main character out to do some sleuthing in hopes of tripping upon the mastermind behind it all. I am, however, left to wonder if Billy Blessing and Jessica Fletcher (flashback to 'Murder, She Wrote', of 1980s and 90s fame) share the same bloodline, as murder seems to follow them everywhere they go.
A few questions worth tossing out there:
- Would I purchase these books to read? Absolutely not! Libraries have their purposes and this is one reason that I would use them. I do not find the content to be worth the gouging I get from them)
- Would I choose to read over listen to the books? No, again. Roker does a good job in narrating his own books and I find that they flow better here. Also, I can listen wherever I am and finishing the book faster than sitting down to read. Honesty, a real stinger.
- Would I read another book in the series? I am still on the fence there.
So, I suggest you tap into your library's audiobook collection and hope it is there.
Decent series, Mr. Roker.
March 27, 2018
Okay, there were moments that I was just frustrated with the story and then as this one went on there were some laugh out loud moments.
Billy Blessing and the crew are in Chicago for the show and he has been sent to visit someone else's show, while a blackmailing former cop is on and this starts the ball rolling for many deaths and other things going wrong. Billy's past is being brought out by the former cop who wants lots of money to keep it quiet. At the same time there are so many others who he is trying to blackmail, the only thing, he went after the wrong man and is murdered for his troubles.
While the murderer tries to get the files back, they are going after Billy and anyone who comes between him and the files.
One of my favorite lines in the story involved Billy being kidnapped from in front of the police station, not once, but twice.
The story was interesting and had moments of intrigue and I did not really have a clue about who murdered whom. I did feel that Cassandra's calls of irritation at Billy for not being around to help run his restaurant were over the top and the mysteries of what was wrong with the electric and where the rodents and bugs were coming from were just too much.
Billy Blessing and the crew are in Chicago for the show and he has been sent to visit someone else's show, while a blackmailing former cop is on and this starts the ball rolling for many deaths and other things going wrong. Billy's past is being brought out by the former cop who wants lots of money to keep it quiet. At the same time there are so many others who he is trying to blackmail, the only thing, he went after the wrong man and is murdered for his troubles.
While the murderer tries to get the files back, they are going after Billy and anyone who comes between him and the files.
One of my favorite lines in the story involved Billy being kidnapped from in front of the police station, not once, but twice.
The story was interesting and had moments of intrigue and I did not really have a clue about who murdered whom. I did feel that Cassandra's calls of irritation at Billy for not being around to help run his restaurant were over the top and the mysteries of what was wrong with the electric and where the rodents and bugs were coming from were just too much.
June 28, 2017
I love you Al. But, don't give up your day job as they say. I needed a quick read for a short vacation and had a hard time finding something on the mobile app from the library. The writing quality is not great - there are too many outstanding authors with books I will not have enough time to read in my lifetime so I like to choose more wisely... The writing in the first person does not really serve any purpose in my opinion. The story and characters were introduced quickly and it was confusing, convoluted plot. However, the STORY itself was actually pretty good - it needs someone else to write it or rewrite it. Maybe Grisham. Hah. The food descriptions are great as you would expect from Al.
June 14, 2015
I would have given this book 5 stars except for the language. I know some people say the f bomb a lot, but it is very disconcerting to hear Al,Roker say it! He narrated his book, which I thought was wonderful...until all the cursing started. He has quite the repertoire of voices, which I enjoyed. He is very versatile. There were an awful lot of murders-I think I counted 7 by the end, but Billy Blessing managed to tie everything up and stay alive by the end! He was kidnapped twice, avoided a third kidnapping and was shot at numerous times. All the while he is doing his morning show and keeping track,of his restaurant back in NYC a, from Chicago. Lots of secrets and mystery.
October 11, 2015
Just alright. It dragged and fell flat at the end. I borrowed the audio version. It helped that I could listen while doing something else. I would've abandon the book all together had I borrowed a non-audio version and had to sit reading it.
********SPOILER********
Not sure if this is a spoiler, but just to be on the safe side: The stuttering character really grated on me. It was so over the top that I almost gave up at that point. It sounded more like a cartoon character than the voice of a human.
********SPOILER********
Not sure if this is a spoiler, but just to be on the safe side: The stuttering character really grated on me. It was so over the top that I almost gave up at that point. It sounded more like a cartoon character than the voice of a human.
June 26, 2024
Lots of moving parts
Dynamic, twisted plot lines intermingling with a diverse group of characters.
Billy Blessings finds himself once again embroiled in murder, though this time it just may be his own Try to follow along the windy path to solve the deaths piling up. Billy has an entourage of helpers, some, very unexpected, to walk, run, or hide with him.
Dynamic, twisted plot lines intermingling with a diverse group of characters.
Billy Blessings finds himself once again embroiled in murder, though this time it just may be his own Try to follow along the windy path to solve the deaths piling up. Billy has an entourage of helpers, some, very unexpected, to walk, run, or hide with him.
February 18, 2013
An enjoyable mystery with not to many descriptions of gratuitous bloodshed. I had trouble keeping track of who some of the characters were.
September 4, 2016
Did you know Al Roker wrote a book? A fiction book? This was a cute, fun, mystery that was better than I thought it was going to be. I really enjoyed it.
December 15, 2024
While this was entertaining, with a complicated plot, I found it a bit hard to put aside my disbelief for the sake of the fiction.
Al Roker and Dick Lochte may come back with all of this was based on real events, but I found it difficult to accept the parts the characters played.
I could accept that Billy Blessing was interested enough in finding out what happed to Paul Lamont, because of their relationship. I could even see him going along with Nat Parkins blackmail to retrieve the evidence that could harm his own reputation.
I could not see him dodging bullets on the street, and outwitting the gangsters, for the most part. For most of the book he was dragged here and placed there, just doing his celebrity thing.
Most of the other characters were a bit over the top either visually or in intensity. The Baker gang was particularly unbelievable. The movie people were overly dramatic and unconvincing as accomplices.
Chicago shined.
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
Al Roker and Dick Lochte may come back with all of this was based on real events, but I found it difficult to accept the parts the characters played.
I could accept that Billy Blessing was interested enough in finding out what happed to Paul Lamont, because of their relationship. I could even see him going along with Nat Parkins blackmail to retrieve the evidence that could harm his own reputation.
I could not see him dodging bullets on the street, and outwitting the gangsters, for the most part. For most of the book he was dragged here and placed there, just doing his celebrity thing.
Most of the other characters were a bit over the top either visually or in intensity. The Baker gang was particularly unbelievable. The movie people were overly dramatic and unconvincing as accomplices.
Chicago shined.
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
June 24, 2021
I forgot how mind blowing and gripping Al Roker's mysteries were. I read "The Morning Show Murders" a VERY long time ago and was gifted the remaining two by one of my favorite college professors, finally continuing following the life of Billy Blessing and his misfortune of constantly being entangled in murder cases, I was unfortunately not as impressed.
⭐⭐⭐
Don't get me wrong the twists had me mind blown and I had zero idea who the killer was the entire book but the writing style wasn't wasn't for me. There were a lot of way over the top cheesy jokes and lines from Billy that took away from how great the mystery could have been and Al wrote in A LOT of characters. Writing in loads of characters tended to get extremely confusing at times and by the time I got to the end when the killer was revelead I was like "HUH!?!?! WHO THE HECK IS THAT?"
I was very invested in the mystery but disappointed in the cheese factor. Still a solid twists that had my mouth hanging open.
⭐⭐⭐
Don't get me wrong the twists had me mind blown and I had zero idea who the killer was the entire book but the writing style wasn't wasn't for me. There were a lot of way over the top cheesy jokes and lines from Billy that took away from how great the mystery could have been and Al wrote in A LOT of characters. Writing in loads of characters tended to get extremely confusing at times and by the time I got to the end when the killer was revelead I was like "HUH!?!?! WHO THE HECK IS THAT?"
I was very invested in the mystery but disappointed in the cheese factor. Still a solid twists that had my mouth hanging open.
September 26, 2024
I enjoy reading the Billy Blessing mystery stories co-authored by Al Roker. In this installment, someone threatens to blackmail protagonist Billy Blessing about his past, which has long since been resolved and forgotten. But the blackmailer, Eddie Patton, is murdered, and Blessing is a key suspect. As Blessing attempts to solve the mystery, more people are murdered -- people who seem to be targets of Patton's extensive blackmailing schemes -- and police suspect Blessing as he looks to be a connecting factor in all of them. What's unique about this series is that the main character is a talk show host specializing in a cooking segment, and he owns a restaurant. Roker gives us personal insights into what it's like behind the scenes of a major morning talk show. It makes the series a lot of fun to read. This book has a lot of twists and surprises as Blessing attempts to put the past behind him, a past that won't go away while working on his career as a successful talk show host.
May 16, 2017
This is the third in the Billy Blessing series by Al Roker (yes, THAT Al Roker). I haven't read the first two books yet. The story was interesting. People who were on the same episode of a Chicago talk show were being murdered. Billy, a chef from New York, was on that show and became a target. I got lost when things started in with organized crime tie-ins and people with multiple names. I wonder if reading a physical copy of the book rather than just listening to it might have helped that issue. Anyway, I do enjoy Al Roker's weather reports and such on the Today Show, so it was fun to listen to him narrate his book.
August 28, 2024
I never seemed to quite get fully interested in this story. The mystery is very complex and throughout there are many, many characters to keep straight. I felt at times the story was being padded with insignificant information that just lengthen the story for no good reason. The ending that explains a lot was the most surprising and of course interesting. I know this book got lots of accolades, but for me it just was not my cup of tea!
April 2, 2018
I generally prefer less "hard-boiled" mysteries, but at least most of the blood and gore was kept "off-stage." The twists and turns of the plot kept me guessing. I didn't figure out the solution until nearly at the end. Aside from "Billy," (who is most definitely based on Al Roker, himself) I found the characters rather under-developed.
December 14, 2023
This is the final entry to the Billy Blessing Trilogy. Billy is in Chicago doing a morning talk show segment when a ex cop who knows about his past. Starts going for blackmail and then turns up dead. He's just the first and it gets better from. There is a lot more. It was good as far as mystery, not quite hard boiled and yet not cozy. I have enjoyed this series as far as it went.
March 23, 2024
It was cute but nothing earth shattering. I'm not sure if I would feel differently if I'd started from the beginning of the series but it can definitely stand alone. I found it kind of convoluted by the end and lost interest. Overall...meh.
Thanks to Librofm and Blackstone Publishing for this complimentary audiobook. My thoughts are my own.
Thanks to Librofm and Blackstone Publishing for this complimentary audiobook. My thoughts are my own.
October 6, 2017
Listening on audio, I had trouble keeping the characters straight, which made the plot harder to follow.
March 10, 2018
Clever.
June 25, 2020
It just felt lukewarm. Not especially interesting.
January 5, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It's been my favorite of the series. There were some surprising twists and I finished this book in a few days,once I was able to actually sit down and read.
October 1, 2021
A good mystery with some humor. An easy read that is not too complicated. Decent story.
May 3, 2023
It was goo
June 28, 2024
The story and style are great. The surprises are surprising. I would have given 5stars if the foul language was left out.
December 17, 2024
This was another entry into a mystery series that's... Fine.
July 24, 2024
Fast read but too long for story line. I forced myself to finish it to see if my guesses were correct.
March 22, 2012
Chef Billy Blessing and his Wake Up, America! team are traveling and the next two weeks they will be in Chicago, doing live shoots, interesting stories and in Billy's case, getting involved in a local murder or two.
It starts with a body found on the shores of Lake Michigan, headless, without arms and legs. Billy is scheduled to a mid-day show to promote their being in Chicago. One of the other guests turns out to be a pain, a creep and eventually a blackmailer. Eddie "Pat" Patton is a former, decorated, Chicago Policeman. Upon his retirement he started a website and practiced the art of being a pain, obnoxious and highly entertaining to many people. When he decides to blackmail Billy and then turns up dead, Billy is drawn into the investigation because of the need to find the files used for the blackmail.
Other bodies start showing up and Billy is drawn further into CPD business. There are a lot of threads of stories going on here and I didn't expect the ending, at all!
I love Billy, I love all the inside information you get from Al Roker's years as a television news and weather man, his actual experience in writing cookbooks and just the fun pokes he takes at his world.
Can't wait to read more in his Chef Billy Blessing series.
It starts with a body found on the shores of Lake Michigan, headless, without arms and legs. Billy is scheduled to a mid-day show to promote their being in Chicago. One of the other guests turns out to be a pain, a creep and eventually a blackmailer. Eddie "Pat" Patton is a former, decorated, Chicago Policeman. Upon his retirement he started a website and practiced the art of being a pain, obnoxious and highly entertaining to many people. When he decides to blackmail Billy and then turns up dead, Billy is drawn into the investigation because of the need to find the files used for the blackmail.
Other bodies start showing up and Billy is drawn further into CPD business. There are a lot of threads of stories going on here and I didn't expect the ending, at all!
I love Billy, I love all the inside information you get from Al Roker's years as a television news and weather man, his actual experience in writing cookbooks and just the fun pokes he takes at his world.
Can't wait to read more in his Chef Billy Blessing series.
June 30, 2024
𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒗 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒇?....
Special thanks to @librofm for the #gifted eALC. #librofmpartner
👉🏼 swipe for synopsis ➡️
I love a good murder mystery every now and again to break up my constant stream of thrillers, but this one fell a bit flat for me.
Don't get me wrong, it was very fast paced, had lots of twists and adventure going on, but it was almost TOO much for me.
And I think it was almost too far-fetched for me.
I think what the main character went through was definitely a rollercoaster of bad luck from beginning to end, and maybe I should have listened to the first two books first, but I figured I'd take a shot.
QOTD ❓️⁉️❓️ Do you watch morning / daytime talk shows? Which are your favorite?
Or
What's your current read?
AOTD - I don't get a chance to watch much TV in the morning.
I'm currently reading The Favorite Girl by Monica Arya.
.
.
.
#murdermystery #thetalkshowmurders #librofm #audiobooksarereading #audiobooksofinstagram #bookaddict #bookcommunity
.
Special thanks to @librofm for the #gifted eALC. #librofmpartner
👉🏼 swipe for synopsis ➡️
I love a good murder mystery every now and again to break up my constant stream of thrillers, but this one fell a bit flat for me.
Don't get me wrong, it was very fast paced, had lots of twists and adventure going on, but it was almost TOO much for me.
And I think it was almost too far-fetched for me.
I think what the main character went through was definitely a rollercoaster of bad luck from beginning to end, and maybe I should have listened to the first two books first, but I figured I'd take a shot.
QOTD ❓️⁉️❓️ Do you watch morning / daytime talk shows? Which are your favorite?
Or
What's your current read?
AOTD - I don't get a chance to watch much TV in the morning.
I'm currently reading The Favorite Girl by Monica Arya.
.
.
.
#murdermystery #thetalkshowmurders #librofm #audiobooksarereading #audiobooksofinstagram #bookaddict #bookcommunity
.
April 11, 2012
Book 3 in the Billy Blessing series by Al Roker. So far I don't love this series, but I don't dislike it either - reading these books is just something to do because of Roker's celebrity, although if he keeps injecting his left wing hate/politics into the stories, his celebrity won't be enough to keep me reading.
This time out, Billy and his TV crew are broadcasting from Chicago when Billy is threatened with blackmail because of a criminal incident in his past. Billy becomes involved in the case when the blackmailer is murdered. As the story progresses, at least three more people are murdered, another two people are blackmailed, and Billy becomes enamored with a French actress. The end contained a couple mild surprises - mostly concerning a headless body that washed up on the shore of lake Michigan at the start of the book. The identification of the killers, and their motivation felt a bit contrived, but not hurt the book overall.
This time out, Billy and his TV crew are broadcasting from Chicago when Billy is threatened with blackmail because of a criminal incident in his past. Billy becomes involved in the case when the blackmailer is murdered. As the story progresses, at least three more people are murdered, another two people are blackmailed, and Billy becomes enamored with a French actress. The end contained a couple mild surprises - mostly concerning a headless body that washed up on the shore of lake Michigan at the start of the book. The identification of the killers, and their motivation felt a bit contrived, but not hurt the book overall.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews