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Savannah Martin Mystery #2
Hot Property
When Savannah Martin’s fellow Realtor and friend Lila Vaughn is robbed during an open house, Savannah rushes to the rescue with tea and sympathy, or at least a really good lunch and a shoulder to cry on. However, Lila seems more peeved than distraught, and her main gripe is that the sexy robber who tied her to a kitchen chair—for her own good—didn’t follow her suggestion to tie her to the bed instead.
Lila’s description of the man fits Savannah’s old school-mate Rafael Collier to a T. Rafe has recently turned up in Savannah’s life again, and he isn’t above doing a little breaking and entering. Metro Nashville Homicide Detective Tamara Grimaldi is of the same opinion, and when Lila turns up dead, tied to her bed and strangled, Rafe becomes a suspect. Now Savannah must get busy finding the real murderer before Detective Grimaldi can arrest the wrong man.
*** Contains an excerpt of Contract Pending, Savannah Martin Mystery #3
Lila’s description of the man fits Savannah’s old school-mate Rafael Collier to a T. Rafe has recently turned up in Savannah’s life again, and he isn’t above doing a little breaking and entering. Metro Nashville Homicide Detective Tamara Grimaldi is of the same opinion, and when Lila turns up dead, tied to her bed and strangled, Rafe becomes a suspect. Now Savannah must get busy finding the real murderer before Detective Grimaldi can arrest the wrong man.
*** Contains an excerpt of Contract Pending, Savannah Martin Mystery #3
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 24, 2011
101 people are currently reading
428 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Bennett
122 books538 followersJenna Bennett writes the USA Today bestselling Cutthroat Business mysteries featuring Southern Belle and new-minted real estate agent Savannah Martin in Nashville, Tennessee.
As Jennie Bentley, she writes the New York Times bestselling Do-It-Yourself Home Renovation mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime, featuring designer and amateur sleuth Avery Baker and her boyfriend, handyman Derek Ellis, who renovate houses in Waterfield, Maine.
She also writes a variety of romance for a change of pace.
aka Jennie Bentley
The DIY series:
FATAL FIXER-UPPER (November 2008)
SPACKLED AND SPOOKED (August 2009)
PLASTER AND POISON (March 2010)
MORTAR AND MURDER (January 2011)
FLIPPED OUT (October 2011)
WALL TO WALL DEAD (September 2012)
HOME FOR THE HOMICIDE (December 2013)
The Cutthroat Business series:
A CUTTHROAT BUSINESS (May 2011)
HOT PROPERTY (June 2011)
CONTRACT PENDING (July 2011)
CLOSE TO HOME (September 2011)
A DONE DEAL (December 2011)
CONTINGENT ON APPROVAL (November 2012)
CHANGE OF HEART (May 2013)
KICKOUT CLAUSE (October 2013)
Soldiers of Fortune series:
FORTUNE'S HERO (December 2012)
Various:
ISLAND GETAWAY (October 2012)
VIRGINIA CREEPER (October 2013)
BEFORE YOU (March 2014)
As Jennie Bentley, she writes the New York Times bestselling Do-It-Yourself Home Renovation mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime, featuring designer and amateur sleuth Avery Baker and her boyfriend, handyman Derek Ellis, who renovate houses in Waterfield, Maine.
She also writes a variety of romance for a change of pace.
aka Jennie Bentley
The DIY series:
FATAL FIXER-UPPER (November 2008)
SPACKLED AND SPOOKED (August 2009)
PLASTER AND POISON (March 2010)
MORTAR AND MURDER (January 2011)
FLIPPED OUT (October 2011)
WALL TO WALL DEAD (September 2012)
HOME FOR THE HOMICIDE (December 2013)
The Cutthroat Business series:
A CUTTHROAT BUSINESS (May 2011)
HOT PROPERTY (June 2011)
CONTRACT PENDING (July 2011)
CLOSE TO HOME (September 2011)
A DONE DEAL (December 2011)
CONTINGENT ON APPROVAL (November 2012)
CHANGE OF HEART (May 2013)
KICKOUT CLAUSE (October 2013)
Soldiers of Fortune series:
FORTUNE'S HERO (December 2012)
Various:
ISLAND GETAWAY (October 2012)
VIRGINIA CREEPER (October 2013)
BEFORE YOU (March 2014)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
February 11, 2017
See, the thing is, I don't really like Savannah. She's a "lady", meaning that she is above everyone else and she likes to remind you of that by constantly comparing herself to less "well-bred" people (she actually makes connections between how people behave and how they were "bred". What???).
She is uptight about... well, pretty much everything. Sex? Oh no! How could you say such thing??? Swearing? Holy moly, what??
Even words such as "damn" made her burn with embarrassment. I like a passionate heroine and that includes swearing and getting pissed off. However, Savannah is a LADY and all she can think about is what her mother would say, and her mother would most certainly not approve of her showing such inappropriate behavior. *eye-roll*
This is precisely why the romance between her and Rafe (cool name, btw) feels so odd - he's a charming bad boy and she's like an inanimate object with literally zero emotions or personality. She could be a chair or a lamp by all we know.
It was also annoying that she clearly had feelings for Rafe but chose to slam him every time someone asked if they were together. She would always mention how a a man, who grew up in a trailer with a single mother, who got knocked up when she was 14 by a coloured boy (tad bit racist there, girlie) could never be with her. I'm not kidding, nor am I exaggerating. Go and read it. It's all there.
Savannah, plain and simple, was a grade A bitch. She wasn't passionate, she wasn't feisty, she was weak and empty and boring and arrogant. Don't believe me? She felt that it was perfectly ok to marry Todd, an ex-boyfriend she started dating again (btw, those always ended with one kiss and a goodbye), who she had no chemistry with (nada), who SPIED on her and who was an even bigger D-bag than her, just because her mother would APPROVE and he earned enough money to make her a comfortable housewife.
All in all, it wasn't such a bad book (although I wanted more Rafe appearances) but I hope to god that she will grow a pair and get her head out of her ass and become the heroine who I can picture with someone like Rafe.
She is uptight about... well, pretty much everything. Sex? Oh no! How could you say such thing??? Swearing? Holy moly, what??
Even words such as "damn" made her burn with embarrassment. I like a passionate heroine and that includes swearing and getting pissed off. However, Savannah is a LADY and all she can think about is what her mother would say, and her mother would most certainly not approve of her showing such inappropriate behavior. *eye-roll*
This is precisely why the romance between her and Rafe (cool name, btw) feels so odd - he's a charming bad boy and she's like an inanimate object with literally zero emotions or personality. She could be a chair or a lamp by all we know.
It was also annoying that she clearly had feelings for Rafe but chose to slam him every time someone asked if they were together. She would always mention how a a man, who grew up in a trailer with a single mother, who got knocked up when she was 14 by a coloured boy (tad bit racist there, girlie) could never be with her. I'm not kidding, nor am I exaggerating. Go and read it. It's all there.
Savannah, plain and simple, was a grade A bitch. She wasn't passionate, she wasn't feisty, she was weak and empty and boring and arrogant. Don't believe me? She felt that it was perfectly ok to marry Todd, an ex-boyfriend she started dating again (btw, those always ended with one kiss and a goodbye), who she had no chemistry with (nada), who SPIED on her and who was an even bigger D-bag than her, just because her mother would APPROVE and he earned enough money to make her a comfortable housewife.
All in all, it wasn't such a bad book (although I wanted more Rafe appearances) but I hope to god that she will grow a pair and get her head out of her ass and become the heroine who I can picture with someone like Rafe.
June 14, 2023
Hmmmmm ok
February 24, 2020
Loved it. A wonderful cozy mystery with a strong plot and solid relationships. I enjoyed the first book a lot, and one of the things I liked was the potential for development in the main character, Savannah. This book was much better and she shows the growth she made in the last book; she is aware that her old world is not the real world. Only a short time has passed between the two books.
I am disappointed that she does not see what I see about Rafe, but I could be wrong in my expectations; there is a great deal of evidence to support her beliefs. My disappointment is in the character, not with the author's pacing of the relationship. I think part of her level of expectations of Rafe is protection from being disappointed, but she is admitting that there is something between them and she knows that she trusts him. Their relationship is my favorite thing about the book, but I also love that she is not stupid. I enjoy cozy mysteries but sometimes I want to shake even my favorite characters and shout "get a clue". Savannah does not always make the best decisions, but she usually either realizes it or is making the decision based on what she knows.
I received a copy of this book in appreciation for reviewing the first one and I am sure in hopes of a review of this book. It is my delight to do so. As soon as I finished it, I sat down and wrote a note to my Facebook book group sharing how much I loved it. I will be buying the rest of her books over time and expect to continue to share my enjoyment.
I am disappointed that she does not see what I see about Rafe, but I could be wrong in my expectations; there is a great deal of evidence to support her beliefs. My disappointment is in the character, not with the author's pacing of the relationship. I think part of her level of expectations of Rafe is protection from being disappointed, but she is admitting that there is something between them and she knows that she trusts him. Their relationship is my favorite thing about the book, but I also love that she is not stupid. I enjoy cozy mysteries but sometimes I want to shake even my favorite characters and shout "get a clue". Savannah does not always make the best decisions, but she usually either realizes it or is making the decision based on what she knows.
I received a copy of this book in appreciation for reviewing the first one and I am sure in hopes of a review of this book. It is my delight to do so. As soon as I finished it, I sat down and wrote a note to my Facebook book group sharing how much I loved it. I will be buying the rest of her books over time and expect to continue to share my enjoyment.
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May 16, 2019I’ll echo some other reviewers and say this book is problematic. Just because there might be people in this day and age that still say things like “she got herself in the family way with a colored boy” doesn’t mean that anyone should still be saying it. This isn’t even a situation where it’s being used to stimulate conversation and maybe bring attention to the fact that people shouldn’t be talking like that about other people. It’s just Savannah’s way of talking to someone she is supposed to like. I read the second book thinking surely Savannah may hit some type of self awareness and shake off the over the top stereotypical Southern Belle who just does what mama and the men folk tell her to. But alas, no personal growth seems to be showing.
February 15, 2018
This book picks up right where Cutthroat Business left off and continues the wannabe realtor and wannabe investigator's adventures.
Although this story does not offer much in the sense of mystery, and although the protagonist is even more annoyingly prudish than in the first book, it still comes across as a fun, fast-paced read. The author presents us with a simple, but mostly effective, writing style and characters that you can't help but feel strongly about, whether you like them or hate them.
Although this story does not offer much in the sense of mystery, and although the protagonist is even more annoyingly prudish than in the first book, it still comes across as a fun, fast-paced read. The author presents us with a simple, but mostly effective, writing style and characters that you can't help but feel strongly about, whether you like them or hate them.
December 14, 2014
Great book :) The only thing I dont like about savannah is that she can be a bit judgemental... that being said I also like that about her, it makes me feel like I am really in someone's head. The part of it I dislike is the repetitiveness. Like we get it marquita is fat, yvonne is slutty but nice, etc etc...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2020
An OK read...too much talk about being well bred and other people being common as dirt..
December 29, 2020
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; DECEMBER 28, 2020
Narrator: Amanda Stribling
Despite my annoyance with Savannah for not being firmer with Todd's meddling in her private affairs (specifically, concerning Rafe), I thoroughly enjoyed this installment. While it still revolves around Savannah's job as a newbie realtor, there wasn't the techno-babble about the industry, unlike the first book. I would have abandoned the first book, and the whole series, if not for the possible romantic thread involving Rafe, the town's hot bad boy.
I'm so glad I decided to try this installment as I enjoyed, for the most part, Savannah's slow-bloom romance with Rafe. I very rarely read Romances these days but still look for series with a strong romance thread which does not overwhelm the mystery. So far, despite my being only 2 books in, this series is the best Cozy I've tried.
At the end of this book, Rafe warns Savannah he has to do the disappearing act again and doesn't know how long it will be before he can return. Oh well, at least I know he >i>will be returning. And to stay. I think.
Narrator: Amanda Stribling
Despite my annoyance with Savannah for not being firmer with Todd's meddling in her private affairs (specifically, concerning Rafe), I thoroughly enjoyed this installment. While it still revolves around Savannah's job as a newbie realtor, there wasn't the techno-babble about the industry, unlike the first book. I would have abandoned the first book, and the whole series, if not for the possible romantic thread involving Rafe, the town's hot bad boy.
I'm so glad I decided to try this installment as I enjoyed, for the most part, Savannah's slow-bloom romance with Rafe. I very rarely read Romances these days but still look for series with a strong romance thread which does not overwhelm the mystery. So far, despite my being only 2 books in, this series is the best Cozy I've tried.
At the end of this book, Rafe warns Savannah he has to do the disappearing act again and doesn't know how long it will be before he can return. Oh well, at least I know he >i>will be returning. And to stay. I think.
February 3, 2024
The mysteries are probably the best part of this series. I have been completely swept away by the puzzling circumstances Savannah keeps landing herself in and I haven’t yet been able to outthink the plot to pick out the villain before the big reveal. It’s the society that Savannah surrounds herself with that makes me question how much I like our heroine. In a time where women are once again struggling to maintain their autonomy, it’s really difficult to read about how Savannah keeps letting other people dictate her life. And this book was written far too recently for the bigotry in it to have been “okay”. I’m hoping that we’ll discover the author was using these as object lessons in the way her leading lady will grow. I’m also hoping we’ll start to see Savannah grow a little faster.
April 8, 2018
A really good second installment of the series. The plot was just as good as the first. Again it was kind of a surprise to find out who the culprits were. I really like watching savanna and the interesting situations she finds herself in. Rafael has been an interesting addition to her life and watching it almost turn upside down is amusing. But what I really like about this series is that they are relatively clean without a whole lot of descriptions of intimacy. I appreciate that. A good plot with a clean book is kind of hard to find sometimes. And as Savannah describes them “bodice rippers” sometimes just aren’t enough to satisfy a bibliophile.
February 13, 2025
3.5 but rounding down. I got this book through a Goodreads Giveaway for an honest review.
The Story is entertaining. The Dialogue bugs me in areas. I can't imagine how Savannah Martin get into the police investigations as much as she does. The Police detective tells her that she can't comment on an ongoing investigation then couple chapters later is giving way too many details about an ongoing investigation.
Her family is annoying with their hate for Rafe. WE get it you don't like him. But every time she talks to them that is all they talk about.
But other than that, it really is entertaining. A little predictable but not predictable enough to ruin the enjoyment.
The Story is entertaining. The Dialogue bugs me in areas. I can't imagine how Savannah Martin get into the police investigations as much as she does. The Police detective tells her that she can't comment on an ongoing investigation then couple chapters later is giving way too many details about an ongoing investigation.
Her family is annoying with their hate for Rafe. WE get it you don't like him. But every time she talks to them that is all they talk about.
But other than that, it really is entertaining. A little predictable but not predictable enough to ruin the enjoyment.
December 31, 2017
Really fun, fast paced cozy mystery! Even better than the 1st book! Savannah Martin is a Realtor. A couple of other Open Houses end up being burglarized and then people end up dead. Then Savannah has to do an Open House. This is a really good cozy mystery with everything I love : interesting characters, intriguing mystery with some twists, some humor and some romance. Savannah is still a little snobby but it is part of her character and the story. It was hard to put down right from the 1st page!
April 2, 2024
I love this series! It's funny and engaging, and I love Savannah's "voice" a reforming Southern Belle, learning that she wants more out of life than just following the plan her mother had for her. These are fast-paced, fun reads with a lot of heart. Great character development, and I'm excited to see where her new relationship (? emotional entanglement?) goes. Although I'm ready for Todd to go away. :-) Anyway, if you want a fun cozy with heart check these books out.
March 2, 2017
Wow! Okay, where to start? The book at times felt long, wordy. The mystery was good, kept me guessing. Some of the characters were a little over the top. Cheesy. Rafe was swoon worthy as a bad boy. I don't really care for Todd. The ending would have left me 50 kinds of mad had I not had book three ready and waiting.
June 8, 2017
I enjoyed this book very much but I just wish the protagonist wasn't such a southern belle who does everything the way her family expects. I am not saying that she shouldn't go out of her way to please her mother and her brother but I wish she would think about what makes her happy and act accordingly. There is a good story line and I have already started to read the next book in the series.
June 12, 2019
Another taut, keeps-you-guessing mystery. The chemistry between Savannah and Rafe continues to simmer like a beakered solution on a fluctuating burner. Interactions with other characters prove true to the form established in A Cutthroat Business, if a little predictable. Enjoyable read on the whole, but left me wishing Savannah's family/suitor would simply butt out!
December 16, 2020
Entertaining reading
A will written novel of robbery and murder in this romantic, thriller, mystery. The characters are interesting and will developed. The story line continues from book one as Savannah Martin continues to chase murders in Nashville. I would recommend this series to readers of mysteries. Enjoy reading 2020
A will written novel of robbery and murder in this romantic, thriller, mystery. The characters are interesting and will developed. The story line continues from book one as Savannah Martin continues to chase murders in Nashville. I would recommend this series to readers of mysteries. Enjoy reading 2020
February 13, 2024
Savannah Martin has and open house with her friend Lila Vaughn and find out that the house has been robbed. The description of the robber is a former classmate of Savannah's Rafael Collier and comes into Savannah's life again. Savannah works with Homicide Detective Tamara Grimaldi to find out who the robbers are and a murder also happens. Interesting mystery story and good series.
January 25, 2018
Mostly a good series
But that demure, southern belle bullS really gets on my nerves and Todd is a dumbA. I hope she finds the nerve to stop living the life her mom wants and tells her to back TF up. She's like a D helicopter parent. Jesus.
But that demure, southern belle bullS really gets on my nerves and Todd is a dumbA. I hope she finds the nerve to stop living the life her mom wants and tells her to back TF up. She's like a D helicopter parent. Jesus.
July 16, 2019
Nothing funnier than a southern Belle that is prim and proper. Throw in a murder and a bad boy. Good book! Have already ordered the next few in the series.
July 29, 2019
A good continuation of the series. More laughs, another mystery full of twists and the romance thickens.
August 26, 2019
Fun, clean and comfortably sexy (no descriptions of body parts or their movements). Ready to read the next in set. Recommend for those who like mysteries and a lot of romantic (lust?) interest.
October 6, 2019
Wow what people do when they are scared and tied up. Wow sorry for Savannah. Poor woman.
August 25, 2020
I am loving these books except that she faints. That’s annoying.
July 5, 2021
Great story and continued interaction with characters.
March 10, 2022
Hot Buyers
Lots of criminal activity and plenty of unrequited hot action. Got to love those southern Belles. Strong character lead to many funny innuendos.
Lots of criminal activity and plenty of unrequited hot action. Got to love those southern Belles. Strong character lead to many funny innuendos.
March 16, 2022
Good read!
I love mysteries and this book defiantly keeps me wanting to read more. I read it in two days and I'm ready for the next book in the series. Well written!
I love mysteries and this book defiantly keeps me wanting to read more. I read it in two days and I'm ready for the next book in the series. Well written!
May 11, 2025
Lupica is doing a good job so far with the Spenser character. Hopefully he keeps it up and remembers that Hawk and Spenser never tended to drop so many "F" bombs. Leave that to the other character.
September 27, 2016
I read and reviewed this book, along with Books 1 & 3, in the boxed set.
Totally enjoying this series! These books have kept my interest. They contain excitement, sadness, loss, crime, murder, romance, and family. Savannah was brought up as a 'proper' Southern lady. Her mother expects her to act and be a certain way. She is expected to marry the right type of man. But, what does a person do when the 'wrong type of man' is on their mind. Rafe was born and raised on the wrong side of the tracks, so to say. Trouble seems to follow him around, and Savannah ends up right in the middle of it all. Savannah's mother pushes her to marry Todd, who tends to be quite whiny. In my opinion, he would be a pain in the backside. I was happy to hear what Rafe did for a living, it suits him. I would recommend this series. It is a well-told, smooth flowing series. Each book tends to be better than the previous book, so they get better as the series goes on.
Totally enjoying this series! These books have kept my interest. They contain excitement, sadness, loss, crime, murder, romance, and family. Savannah was brought up as a 'proper' Southern lady. Her mother expects her to act and be a certain way. She is expected to marry the right type of man. But, what does a person do when the 'wrong type of man' is on their mind. Rafe was born and raised on the wrong side of the tracks, so to say. Trouble seems to follow him around, and Savannah ends up right in the middle of it all. Savannah's mother pushes her to marry Todd, who tends to be quite whiny. In my opinion, he would be a pain in the backside. I was happy to hear what Rafe did for a living, it suits him. I would recommend this series. It is a well-told, smooth flowing series. Each book tends to be better than the previous book, so they get better as the series goes on.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews