Death by Killer Mop Doll

Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries #2

by Lois Winston

Overdue bills and constant mother vs. mother-in-law battles at home are bad enough. But crafts editor Anastasia Pollack's stress level is maxed out when she and her fellow American Woman editors get roped into unpaid gigs for a revamped morning TV show. Before the glue is dry on Anastasia's mop dolls, morning TV turns crime drama when the studio is trashed and the producer is murdered. Former co-hosts Vince and Monica--sleazy D-list celebrities--stand out among a lengthy list of suspects, all furious over the show's new format. And Anastasia has no clue her snooping has landed her directly in the killer's unforgiving spotlight.

Includes instructions for creating themed mop dolls.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Crafts, Ebooks

294 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

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USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry.

Visit Lois and Emma at www.loiswinston.com and visit Anastasia at the Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog, www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com. Follow everyone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anasleuth.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crafts editor Anastasia Pollack isn’t happy when she and her fellow magazine editors are required to add a morning TV show to their schedule, especially when they won’t get paid any extra. Anastasia has a hard enough time fitting everything in on a daily basis with her family at home and the different personalities at work. But the show’s producer happens to be engaged to her mother, so how can she refuse? Then when the studio is ransacked and the producer ends up dead, she can’t help getting involved. Witty, fun, and fast-paced, this entertaining mystery has a memorable cast of characters, a large dose of humor, and a touch of romance. What more could readers want?

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this well paced cozy mystery even better than the first as I got to know the characters better. I enjoy that although Anastasia does get into predicaments, for the most part her actions make sense in the situation she faces. So often that is not true even of good cozy mysteries.
A few of Anastasia's money worries are lessened and the loan shark it out of the picture, so now she should be able to breathe a bit in spite of having to care for a home with too many people who don't pull their weight and the never ending stress of making her deadlines as crafts editor for a woman's magazine. She might even be able to catch a little rest! Ha! Someone comes up with the bright idea of having the editors of their little magazine do tiny, little, 15-minute segments on a morning show that the company owns. Fifteen minutes that will take at very least a day to prepare for if everything goes well. Fifteen minutes that according to their contracts, they do not get paid for! Needless to say everything doesn't go well as someone vandalizes the set and some of the crafts the first day of shooting. On the second day of shooting the director of the program and Anastasia's mothers newest fiancee is found dead in the crafts closet and police custody for all her work, again. When the cops start eyeing her mother as a suspect, Anastasia takes it upon herself to try to figure out the real killer since it has to be someone who works on the show.

I read this book as part of an inexpensive boxed set that included books one and two but I will be buying the rest of the books in the series. They are not expensive but I probably would not have found them without the boxed set promotion and that would have been sad.

[Sara Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in love with the Anastasia Pollack mysteries. There's humor and a touch of romance that makes Anastasia realistic. I love the twists and turns in her life that don't sour and weigh down the stories. I'm not even sure one needs a mystery to make these stories interesting. Just reading how she deals with two teens, a mother in law, and her mother all under her roof with a dog, a cat and a parrot are entertaining enough. Through in her steamy tenant, Zack and everything else is just gravy.

[Curly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light and fun...good book to take one's mind off of real life. Well written.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-done light-weight chick-lit mystery...this is the second in the series.

[Susan Oleksiw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anastasia Pollack loves her job creating articles for a crafts magazine, but when the editor informs her and the other writers that they now have to develop material for a TV show without additional pay, she and the other staff have no choice but to go along. The just-bounced co-hosts, Monica and Vince, are only two of the long list of people furious at the new format. But before they get very far, the studio is trashed and the producer dead. This is only the first murder, and at each one is found a mop doll, Anastasia's creation for the new revamped show.

No longer facing crippling debt, Anastasia manages to juggle her children, mother-in-law, mother, and pets along with her newly expanded job. Her hunk of a tenant turns out to be surprisingly adept at handling the kids, stepping in at crucial moments. The parrot, of course, adds a few words at the perfect wrong moment as life continues its delightfully insane path.

[Patricia Kiyono · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Book 2, Anastasia and the other editors at American Woman Magazine have been roped into working extra hours on a local television show owned by the same company that owns the magazine - but without extra pay. By coincidence, the producer of the show Lou, who is engaged to Anastasia’s mother, Flora, who believes the idea for the show was hers. But before the wedding can take place, Lou is murdered. Flora and the disgruntled magazine editors are all suspects, and Anastasia is doubly motivated to find the true killer. Added to her troubles is the antagonistic mother-in-law who gets into her own legal troubles. On the romantic front, Anastasia’s new tenant is proving to be almost too good to be true. Who can resist a guy who not only cooks like a dream, gets along with the kids, and actually gets the mother-in-law to practice some manners?

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries series. I listened to this book narrated by Alexandra Bitton-Bailey.

This book begins 3 months after Anastasia’s husband’s death and xxx after the first book. Anastasia no longer has to worry about the loan shark her husband owed money to; he’s in jail.

Anastasia deals with the following personnel at her home on a daily basis: two teen sons, a PITA mother-in-law, and her oversexed mother along with a dog, a cat and a parrot. It is a bit overwhelming. Luckily she has a handsome tenant, Zack Barnes, in her ex-craft office above the garage.

Wild ride through this mystery. Enjoyed every minute & the narrator, Alexandra Bitton-Bailey, did a wonderful job.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Death by Killer Mop Doll" came into my possession at just the right time. I won this book as I was recouping from a medical procedure. Lois Winston has the ability to make me care about her main character Anastasia Pollack. Anastasia, now a widow, is coping with two teenage sons plus keeping her Mother and Mother-in-law from their daily verbal battles. Office coworkers and bosses keep Anastasia on her toes with her daily craft editor grind plus the newest project; a tv show. Throw in company murders and anyone would be frazzled. Yes, there is humor in Anastasia's life and a possible/growing love interest, Nick.
I would recommend this book #2 in the series.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook: Book 2 of the "An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery" series was as good as the first one. I enjoyed the story. I was entertained by Anastasia and her friend as they worked to try and solve the mystery. I appreciated the information on how to make mop dolls. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Alexandra Bitton-Bailey's narration was good, and her performance enhanced the story's entertainment. I was given a free copy of the audiobook and I have voluntarily posted this review.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second time reading.
Received in Goodreads giveaway.

It was a fairly quick read. The first time I read it I didn't care for it at all. This time around it was more enjoyable. I found it funny and the way she viewed her stressful situations/life and her sexy tenant was relatable. Overall an enjoyable book. I'll be looking for the next book in the series (not to mention finding the first to read!).

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been enjoying listening to this series when I do my walks. The stories are fun and so far have kept me from figuring out who the killer is. The narrator does a terrific job of making the characters sound so separate! I have to wait for more credits to continue the series but I look forward to the next book in the series!

[Ellen Dark · Rating 2 out of 5]

A cozy in which the characters use the f word? It's true, so be warned. I skipped the instructions of making various mop dolls that were distributed throughout the book. I wonder if I'm compulsive enough to search out the third in the series. We'll see.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one. Anastasia is a middle-aged Stephanie Plum with the quirky characters and unusual situations she gets herself into. This one involves a TV show she and her co-workers have to work on for the owners of the magazine they work for. Murder and mayhem ensue.

[Peggy Clayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was funny and also good. At times I was laughing out loud and I like when a book can do that. It was also a good mystery. Lois hit a home run with this!

[Carol K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really fun story. I love the crazy characters and their pets. I'm not very crafty but I liked reading how to make the dolls anyway.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

More fluff in the series but more enjoyable than the first but that might be because I “know” the characters.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis (from bn.com):

Overdue bills and constant mother vs. mother-in-law battles at home are bad enough. But crafts editor Anastasia Pollack’s stress level is maxed out when she and her fellow American Woman editors get roped into unpaid gigs for a revamped morning TV show. Before the glue is dry on Anastasia’s mop dolls, morning TV turns crime drama when the studio is trashed and the producer is murdered. Former co-hosts Vince and Monica—sleazy D-list celebrities—stand out among a lengthy lineup of suspects, all furious over the show’s new format. And Anastasia has no clue her snooping has landed her directly in the killer’s unforgiving spotlight.

Also includes instructions for creating holiday-themed mop dolls!

Critical acclaim for Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun, the first book in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series

My thoughts: I love this witty, charming cozy mystery series. Anastasia Pollack, crafts editor for American Woman Magazine, is back in another hilarious adventure. I love this main character, Anastasia, and the rest of this wacky cast of characters. This series offers a wonderful addition to the cozy mystery genre. Readers of this series will enjoy reading how the characters continue to grow and develop since the first book in the series “Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun”, including their continued shenanigans. I am really interested to see what happens between Anastasia and her hunky, photographer tenant . . . are they a couple? Ooooooo.

I look forward to the next book in the series, “Revenge of the Crafty Corpse” coming in 2013.

This would make a great summer beach read! Enjoy!

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anastasia Pollack leads a pretty chaotic life. She's the mother of two teenage sons whose husband not only recently left her widowed, but also responsible for an exuberant amount of debt. She also resides with a Shakespearian spouting parrot, her spiteful mother-in-law and a mysterious, cute tenant named Nick. Her mother just returned home from a cruise, engaged once again, and eager to marry husband number five. If that's not enough, the American Woman editors are roped into taking on additional work for a new TV show, even though they won't be compensated for their extra time. Anastasia soon finds herself involved in yet another mystery when secrets are revealed, sabotage occurs on set and the producer winds up murdered.

I had a tough time getting through this book. There was a lot going on that felt disconnected at times. The author tried using a good amount of humor in each chapter that really seemed exuberant and distractingly excessive. The mystery was weak, I didn't enjoy the storyline with the MIL (had no relevance) and the romance felt forced. There was also detailed instructions on how to create various mop dolls thrown randomly in the middle of a few chapters. It definitley interrupted the storyline and could easily have been placed at the end of a chapter or back of the book. I enjoyed the first book in this series so I'm quite disappointed that this one fell short for me.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anastasia Pollack is having a rough, well, life. Raising two teenage sons alone would be enough without the constant pressure of having both her mother and her mother-in-law live with her - plus a Shakespeare-spouting parrot, and a militant dog. The mothers hate each other, Anastasia's dead husband has left them massively in debt, and her poor-paying job has now piled on a tv show spot with no extra pay. Not to mention the dead body on set - impaled by one on Anastasia's Mop Dolls! No stranger to murders (see her first mystery in Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun), Anastasia's snooping soon lands her into even more trouble, and in the cross-hairs of the killer!

Anastasia is a typical North American mom – just trying to hang in there like the rest of us. With a little bit of romance, a dose of who-done-it and a giant pile of hilarity, Winston’s mystery novels are fun and entertaining – perfect for a girl’s night off or lying on a beach! Fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series will be sure to enjoy the exploits of Anastasia Pollack!

[Shirley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Death by Killer Mop Doll, the second book in the crafting mystery series. Lots of light-hearted fun and laughter considering the tension in the Pollack household. Three women living together would be trying for anyone, let alone tossing a murder in the mix. The romance between Anastasia and her renter is beginning to develop. I do wish the publisher would have separated the instructions for the crafts from the body of the mystery. Would have preferred to see them at the end of a chapter, or at the end of the book, not interspersed with the reading material. That part was distracting for me, but all in all a good book.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The editors of American Woman magazine, including crafts editor Anastasia Pollock, are forced to work on a morning television show without anymore pay, in part because Anastasia's mom Flora new fiance Lou, producer of the show, adopts her idea. When there's a murder on the set, the police don't really know who to suspect, but there turns out to be a lot about Lou's life that Flora didn't know about. As usual, Anastasia is struggling with her busy work life, her two teenagers, her grouchy mother-in-law, and the crushing burden of debt she incurred when her husband died.

[Sandybear76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

he story was interesting with bits of fun and romance thrown in the mix. Anastasia's life is filled with lots of outstanding debts, a crazy mom who is thinking of marrying again for the 6th time, a crazier mother-in-law, two teenage boys, and a hunky tenant over the garage. Anastasia works as a crafts editor for a magazine who has just decided that the magazine group will help in producing new segments for the parent company's TV show. More work for the same money is a sore spot for all the magazine editors.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know there is an audience for this type of book, but I'm not it. I'll be honest - I'm a doll collector, and I picked this book up because it involves dolls. Turns out that was not a good reason.

It was too chaotic, full of unbelievable things happening right and left, interspersed with cutesy family scenes and a romance that was also hard to believe given how haggard our heroine was made out to be. Definitely not the series for me. Even as a light read to pass the time, this book did not cut it with me.

[Emilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw the cover and title I was imagining something voodoo-like, you know, with a mop doll instead of the usual :D But this turned out to be not so, and am I ever grateful! :)
Full of humour, action, some internal struggles, neverending animosities that poor Anastasia has to endure. Her reward? Well. How about a very hot photo-journalist renting a room above her garage...? :D
can't wait for #3 :D

[Chi Dubinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anastasia Pollack, a recent widow, is overwhelmed with money and family problems. When her employer, American Woman magazine, produces a television show, Anastasia and her colleagues discover they are required to put in extra time on the job for free. This is the second in a very funny mystery series.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crafting and crime go hand in hand in this fun series. Anastasia moves from the magazine business to tv in this foray. As usual she is saddled with the debts and single motherhood thrust upon her when her gambling husband died suddenly. The romance and intrigue with her boarder is heating up as well. Quite enjoyable!

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it in one day...enjoyable sequel in the Anastasia Pollack crafting series; smart-aleck style, colorful characters with even more colorful pets; I did figure out the culprit, but there was a major twist I did not see coming so that was enjoyable...already put the next entry in the series on hold at the public library...

[Jules · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the first one, good mind fluff. However, by this time, you begin to get a little frustrated by the sheer amount of coincidences that happen just to make this come out the way it needs to. It's funny. The characters are a hoot. The plot is really thin.