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A Jaine Austen Mystery #9
Death of a Trophy Wife
Without a job or a date in sight, freelance writer Jaine Austen is equally out of luck in finance and romance. So when her friend Lance offers to treat her to brunch at the Four Seasons, Jaine leaps at the invite. They've barely made it through the menu when Lance spots his friend Bunny, who is the new trophy wife of mattress maven Marvin Cooper.When Bunny generously offers Jaine a gig writing Marv's new advertising campaign, Jaine accepts the job, and an invitation to her upcoming soirée. But at the party Bunny cruelly rules the Cooper mansion and before the evening is over, someone poisons Bunny. The police arrest Lance, but Jaine knows his murderous urges end at her closet door. Setting out to clear his name, she soon discovers a list of suspects longer than Bunny's credit card bill. . ."Zany. . .series fans will find Jaine as funny as ever." --Publishers Weekly"If you love a good mystery, this book is for you." --New York Journal of Books
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
138 people are currently reading
1267 people want to read
About the author
Laura Levine
57 books1,234 followersGrew up in Brooklyn, New York, back when mastodons (and Edsels) still roamed the earth.
Education: Barnard College
First job: Reporter/photographer at a newspaper so small, we had our photos developed in the local camera shop.
Advertising claim to fame: I created Count Chocula and Frankenberry cereals for General Mills.
TV gets invented, and I get a job as a sitcom writer, turning out scripts for shows like The Bob Newhart Show, Three’s Company, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, The Jeffersons, and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.
Current (and favorite) incarnation: Author of Jaine Austen mysteries.
Marital status: Wedded blissfully to business journalist Mark Lacter (aka Mr. Hubby), whose insightful coverage of the Los Angeles business scene can be checked daily at http://www.laobserved.com/biz/
Favorite authors: COMEDY: Joe Keenan. MYSTERY: Agatha Christie. SERIOUS STUFF: Anne Tyler.
Hobbies: Reading, swimming, gardening, and lots of walks (mainly to the refrigerator).
Education: Barnard College
First job: Reporter/photographer at a newspaper so small, we had our photos developed in the local camera shop.
Advertising claim to fame: I created Count Chocula and Frankenberry cereals for General Mills.
TV gets invented, and I get a job as a sitcom writer, turning out scripts for shows like The Bob Newhart Show, Three’s Company, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, The Jeffersons, and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.
Current (and favorite) incarnation: Author of Jaine Austen mysteries.
Marital status: Wedded blissfully to business journalist Mark Lacter (aka Mr. Hubby), whose insightful coverage of the Los Angeles business scene can be checked daily at http://www.laobserved.com/biz/
Favorite authors: COMEDY: Joe Keenan. MYSTERY: Agatha Christie. SERIOUS STUFF: Anne Tyler.
Hobbies: Reading, swimming, gardening, and lots of walks (mainly to the refrigerator).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
February 21, 2022
In this 9th book in the Jaine Austen series, Jaine is after an advertising gig from a mattress company, and the company’s owner has some sticky personal entanglements in the form of an ex-wife who he works closely with and owns half his businesses, and a new wife who throws herself shamelessly at him at work. (Jaine just wants to write ads for mattresses so she and her cat Prozac can eat. Meow.) When Bunny the new wife turns up dead, and Lance, Jaine’s neighbor, is blamed, she goes on the hunt for the killer. I especially loved the emails back and forth with Jaine’s parents in this one.
October 28, 2017
This series is really addicting & fun to read.
August 25, 2016
I really enjoyed the story this time around. Yes, after a re read, I've decided to change my tune and sing the praises of this book, part of a series that has given me so much joy. See, there's a balance between the murdered and the murderer that failed to seep into my mind first time I read this book.
The victim is a socialite b*tch who gold dug her way to her current status. A lot of what seems apparent, is only for show though. I liked that a lot. Information about the victim, Bunny, and her surroundings, is fed us timidly. So when the twist comes finally, it's worth the wait.
The murderer's identity is not gasp inducingly known. However, the twist concerning the act of the murder was very satisfactory. Since I skipped the so called funny parts of the book (believe me, the inquiry into the case by Jaine Austen, is way funnier than the funny skits), I found that beneath the slightly shoddy exterior, beat a story with lots of chutzpah.
The victim is a socialite b*tch who gold dug her way to her current status. A lot of what seems apparent, is only for show though. I liked that a lot. Information about the victim, Bunny, and her surroundings, is fed us timidly. So when the twist comes finally, it's worth the wait.
The murderer's identity is not gasp inducingly known. However, the twist concerning the act of the murder was very satisfactory. Since I skipped the so called funny parts of the book (believe me, the inquiry into the case by Jaine Austen, is way funnier than the funny skits), I found that beneath the slightly shoddy exterior, beat a story with lots of chutzpah.
November 2, 2020
Love these zany adventures
These books are always so funny and I love hearing Jaine’s inner thoughts. Lots of laugh out loud moments in this one. I also always love the emails from Jaine’s parents, she’s really got a lot of her dad in her. #readforkimberly
These books are always so funny and I love hearing Jaine’s inner thoughts. Lots of laugh out loud moments in this one. I also always love the emails from Jaine’s parents, she’s really got a lot of her dad in her. #readforkimberly
May 6, 2010
Normally I don’t read these types of books, but I gave it a try and after I zipped through the pages I just couldn’t help but love the quirky part-time unlicensed snoop, Jaine Austen, and not to mention her sarcastic cat, Prozac.
Jaine has the tendency to live dangerously - that’s of course when she’s not veggin’ out in her jammies or writing toilet bowl ads – and she gets a break from her mundane life by poking her nose into a humorous “who dunnit” case, in which she must help solve in order to get her best-friend, Lance, off the suspect list.
As the plot progressed through a numerous twists and turns, none of which I found boring, I couldn’t help but feel involved in the story. I laughed, cringed and sympathised with Jaine, but mostly I yelled at Vladimir with her – Vladimir is a persistent suitor who really just won’t take no for an answer. I could also relate in how she has to put up with her crazy, but harmless parents, who are so full of colour and life, both of which bring a little added spice to the mix.
Jaine is such a likable character that I’m sure many readers out there would no doubt want her as a bestfriend, or at least an eating buddy, as her taste in fast food gave me cravings you cannot imagine. This is definitely a book that will make you smile and forget your worries, and will also make for a quick read as you won’t want to put it down.
My advice; enjoy it as Jaine would with a healthy serving of Ben and Jerry’s!
Jaine has the tendency to live dangerously - that’s of course when she’s not veggin’ out in her jammies or writing toilet bowl ads – and she gets a break from her mundane life by poking her nose into a humorous “who dunnit” case, in which she must help solve in order to get her best-friend, Lance, off the suspect list.
As the plot progressed through a numerous twists and turns, none of which I found boring, I couldn’t help but feel involved in the story. I laughed, cringed and sympathised with Jaine, but mostly I yelled at Vladimir with her – Vladimir is a persistent suitor who really just won’t take no for an answer. I could also relate in how she has to put up with her crazy, but harmless parents, who are so full of colour and life, both of which bring a little added spice to the mix.
Jaine is such a likable character that I’m sure many readers out there would no doubt want her as a bestfriend, or at least an eating buddy, as her taste in fast food gave me cravings you cannot imagine. This is definitely a book that will make you smile and forget your worries, and will also make for a quick read as you won’t want to put it down.
My advice; enjoy it as Jaine would with a healthy serving of Ben and Jerry’s!
August 7, 2011
a fantabulous cozy mystery. Just loved it. This is the first book of the series that I read , though this is not the first in series. I really liked the dry wit (though sometimes it was repetitive) which made me laugh out loud and the heroine-ad writer-detective and her gay friend next-door. This plot revolves around a trophy wife with a cruel interior who is disliked by one and all, and it comes as no surprise when she is killed. Who did it is difficult to fathom, as all had motive to do so.
August 12, 2014
"OMG I eat food and don't understand fashion and I'm SO lonely but I'm disgusted by men who actually pay attention to me especially earnest eastern European stereotypes and PHYSICS IS HARD and my parents' emails are like charmless episodes of 'I Love Lucy' aren't I a hilariously relateable everywoman HAHA BEN AND JERRYS AND JADED DESPERATION AND CATS ARE SO FUNNY."
August 25, 2011
This is a very lighthearted, fun, who-done-it. The main character is Jaine Austen an advertising writer and occasional p.i. She has a gay male friend Lance who gets accused of killing his best shoe buying customer Bunny. Jaine sets out to prove him innocent once he invades her cherished apt and her diet. He eats healthy she prefers Mcdonalds. Plus it would help her bank acct and career if she could land Bunny,s widower ,s mattress King advertising acct. A cast of believable characters. I was a little disappointed by the big twist. But it was still an enjoyable read.
October 22, 2017
Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine is the 9th book in the Jaine Austen Mystery series.Jaine's neighbour, shoe salesman, Lance introduces Jaine to one of his clients, the trophy wife of a mattress king, who offers to introduce Jaine to her husband giving her an opportunity to present some advertising ideas. Unfortunately when she is killed, Lance is suspected and Jaine investigates to help clear him. Another fun and entertaining book which kept me laughing. I had such an enjoyable time reading the book that it seemed to finish very quickly.
July 25, 2010
Something to loose yourself in for an afternoon and then completely forget about. The writing is mildly entertaining and there are some cute tongue and cheek lines. However, I found the endless references to eating and the main characters constant conversation with her cat distracting. While this provided humor the first 3 times; after that it became tiresome.
May 27, 2010
A very quick read, mostly becaus there's no substance to this book. Apparently, this is the 9th book in a series. I can't believe 9 of these have been published. If you like the Stephanie Plum books you'll notice the writer is unsuccessfully trying to copy that concept.
May 5, 2022
I love how these books manage to mix comedy with murder. Once again, great cozy mystery and lots of chuckles.
April 5, 2024
Picked this up for 50 cents at a library sale bc I liked the title and I like mysteries… Yikes!!! You can clearly tell this book was written in 2010. This entire book was so cringy. The MC was pathetic, overly judgy of other woman and slightly racist. The other characters were cliché. The writing attempted to be funny but fell flat. Also she wrote about a “wheatberry gluten free” muffin which for a fact is contradictory and is not actually gluten free … I have celiac and have been GF for 15 years so that annoyed me. Do your research if you’re going to write about it. Will not read anymore in the serious.
July 10, 2024
I still like the cat Prozac and the email conversation with her parents - really funny! Okay, some of the characters are endless repetitions but nevertheless funny. I didn't think I would enjoy a cozy mystery set in Beverly Hills.
Still entertaining fast food!
Still entertaining fast food!
July 4, 2021
This was a good book for $3 from Dollar General. It was written kinda like a Wattpad fanfiction but it had a great plot!!
May 6, 2010
I picked this out thinking it might be a fun read and it was free on Kindle. I'm not sure which is worse, the fact that it was so bad or the fact that I actually finished it. This was an insult to my literature minor! You'll soon note that the author spends more time having the main character describe the food that she eats, her dad cooks, and her cat eats, than the main character does actually describing the other characters in the book. That may have been on purpose because I have a feeling that if she spent five lines on a description of other charaters, you'd be able to figure out who the killer is. Lame. Boo Hiss.
December 14, 2021
This is the book that got me hooked on this character series (Jaine Austen by Laura Levine). It was funny, engrossing, and a not too obvious whodunit. After a couple of false starts, I started with the first book in this series which I just finished. There is definitely an evolution in the author's style and format. I plan on reading all the books in this series; they're that interesting and entertaining.
May 15, 2024
Jaine Austin is at it again but this time she must defend her best friend, Lance, who is accused of a young socialite’s murder. Once again the novel is packed with snarky comments and Prozac’s presence.
May 18, 2017
I just love her books. They are a wonderful lunchtime companion that keep me laughing right out loud.
June 12, 2017
Respectable and fun. The parental emails provide the comic relief, along with Prozac the cat.
February 5, 2019
The funniest book in the series so far. I laughed out loud many times.
April 27, 2021
I will say that this is a very good and quick read. But it seemed a little too easy to read and for a younger level.
April 30, 2019
Typical Jaine Austin plot - with the usual character annoyances - but still a light and quick read.
October 24, 2020
I love this book, Jaine and the cat, this is really funny series!
March 12, 2021
Another comical and laugh out loud book from the Janie Austen series that will keep you guessing till the very end...love it....
Highly recommended.....😂 😆 😋 😻 😼 😽 😸 😹
Highly recommended.....😂 😆 😋 😻 😼 😽 😸 😹
June 24, 2022
Maybe I was just in the mood for a good light read, but I really enjoyed this one. I have recently read several big, long books including some non-mysteries. this one just hit the spot.
June 29, 2023
This book was overtly racist, a cliché based piece written by probably a 13 year old and worst of all 1st person pov.
July 21, 2023
This series is one of my favorite. It is a very fun read and I hadn't figured this one out til the big reveal. Great series!
October 17, 2023
Jaine Austen, I love you, sister! So pleased to finish another book in this series and looking forward to the next.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews