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Private Investigator Regan Reilly is back in another “fun, delightful, and entertaining mystery, enhanced by quirky endearing characters” (WashingtonTimes.com).
When Regan Reilly returned to the West Coast, where she began her career as a PI, she never imagined that her unsuccessful appearance on a game show seven years earlier would throw her trip totally off course!
REGAN REILLY is in Los Angeles with her husband, Jack, head of the NYPD Major Case Squad. After Jack finishes his meetings with the LAPD, the couple may head north to the wine country, or may head south to Baja. Their only plan is to see which way the wind blows.
The first day back, Regan goes shopping at an upscale new mall in West Hollywood. To her surprise, she runs into Zelda, a woman she’d become friendly with seven years before at a television studio in Burbank, when they were waiting to appear on the game show Puzzling Words. They haven’t seen each other since.
Zelda and Regan didn’t win much money, but Zelda made up for it! A year ago an elderly neighbor she barely knew left Zelda eight million dollars. She has been enjoying her newfound wealth but is aware of the need to give back. At a recent fundraiser, she bid on a week’s stay in an old Hollywood Hills estate and was the lucky winner. She’s currently in residence there and invites Regan to a party at the mansion.
While Jack attends a business dinner, Regan goes to Zelda’s by herself, unaware that she is being followed. Regan is more than surprised at the run-down condition of the house and grounds. People should be paid to stay here, she thinks. Zelda introduces Regan to a colorful cast of characters, including her old neighbors, friends from her yoga class, a filmmaker, Zelda’s financial adviser, her bookkeeper, and her personal assistant. It’s all good fun. As the guests are leaving, Zelda asks Regan to stay for a cup of tea. They’ve barely sat down to chat when Zelda falls ill. A worried Regan doesn’t want to leave Zelda alone and decides to spend the night at the isolated, aging estate. It’s not long before Zelda asks Regan to investigate people in her life, starting with her father’s new wife, Bobby Jo. The couple said “I do” in the back of a cab at a drive-through chapel in Las Vegas after only three months of togetherness.
Has Zelda’s windfall put her in danger? Regan is determined to find out, not knowing that she’s a target herself!
When Regan Reilly returned to the West Coast, where she began her career as a PI, she never imagined that her unsuccessful appearance on a game show seven years earlier would throw her trip totally off course!
REGAN REILLY is in Los Angeles with her husband, Jack, head of the NYPD Major Case Squad. After Jack finishes his meetings with the LAPD, the couple may head north to the wine country, or may head south to Baja. Their only plan is to see which way the wind blows.
The first day back, Regan goes shopping at an upscale new mall in West Hollywood. To her surprise, she runs into Zelda, a woman she’d become friendly with seven years before at a television studio in Burbank, when they were waiting to appear on the game show Puzzling Words. They haven’t seen each other since.
Zelda and Regan didn’t win much money, but Zelda made up for it! A year ago an elderly neighbor she barely knew left Zelda eight million dollars. She has been enjoying her newfound wealth but is aware of the need to give back. At a recent fundraiser, she bid on a week’s stay in an old Hollywood Hills estate and was the lucky winner. She’s currently in residence there and invites Regan to a party at the mansion.
While Jack attends a business dinner, Regan goes to Zelda’s by herself, unaware that she is being followed. Regan is more than surprised at the run-down condition of the house and grounds. People should be paid to stay here, she thinks. Zelda introduces Regan to a colorful cast of characters, including her old neighbors, friends from her yoga class, a filmmaker, Zelda’s financial adviser, her bookkeeper, and her personal assistant. It’s all good fun. As the guests are leaving, Zelda asks Regan to stay for a cup of tea. They’ve barely sat down to chat when Zelda falls ill. A worried Regan doesn’t want to leave Zelda alone and decides to spend the night at the isolated, aging estate. It’s not long before Zelda asks Regan to investigate people in her life, starting with her father’s new wife, Bobby Jo. The couple said “I do” in the back of a cab at a drive-through chapel in Las Vegas after only three months of togetherness.
Has Zelda’s windfall put her in danger? Regan is determined to find out, not knowing that she’s a target herself!
224 pages, Hardcover
First published April 3, 2012
143 people are currently reading
1502 people want to read
About the author
Carol Higgins Clark
68 books834 followersCarol Higgins Clark was an American mystery author. She was the daughter of author Mary Higgins Clark , with whom she co-authored novels, and the former sister-in-law of author Mary Jane Clark.
Born in New York City, Clark received her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College in 1978 and then studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. She was the author of the Regan Reilly mystery series. She also acted in several films.
Clark's New York apartment building, The Belaire, was hit by a small plane flown by New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle on October 11, 2006. Her 38th floor condominium was just a floor below the main impact zone. She was not injured in the accident.
She appeared on the game show, To Tell The Truth.
Carol died at the age of 66 on June 12, 2023 of appendix cancer.
Born in New York City, Clark received her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College in 1978 and then studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. She was the author of the Regan Reilly mystery series. She also acted in several films.
Clark's New York apartment building, The Belaire, was hit by a small plane flown by New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle on October 11, 2006. Her 38th floor condominium was just a floor below the main impact zone. She was not injured in the accident.
She appeared on the game show, To Tell The Truth.
Carol died at the age of 66 on June 12, 2023 of appendix cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
May 30, 2012
When I go to the beach, I often hoard junk books. Light things that I can read in the hammock, mostly. Mary Higgins Clark was always stocked in the local library, and hers were go-to beach books, so I THOUGHT I picked another one up for Memorial Day Weekend. Turns out, the library had taped the shelving label right over the word "Carol". Key, key difference.
This was a bloody awful book. I'm not saying that MHC is any sort of master writer, but this must be nepotism of the highest order, because the only thing passed down to her daughter is the ability to put words on a page and some sort of general grasp of plot structure wherein you follow three or four apparently separate groups, only to have them intersect in the final chapters. The characters are two-dimensional, with absolutely painful dialogue of the "tell-not-show" tradition. You could get whiplash trying to track some of these conversations - they're either exposition or dutifully shoving the plot forward, and CHC doesn't seem to care much for consistency. There's a character named Turquoise in the first few pages, who is written with the same depth as characters we stick with the rest of the book - this is not a compliment. Criminals leap from petty, white-collar crime to federal cases with NO LOGIC AT ALL. There is no suspense here. This book is apparently a plodding account of a woman who inherited money and is too stupid to live. They're all too stupid to live, frankly.
Spoilers? Yes, spoilers. So don't click if you don't want a terrifying trip into the totally mundane:
Did you know...
- a life coach can buy her non-paying clients material goods without violating ethical standards?
- that it's much easier to leave a shiny new butcher's knife at the site of your failed attack, rather than risk carrying it back to your car, even though it's dawn on an abandoned road? (On a side note, I at one point carried a large Global cleaver through a suburban mall. First in a purse, then wrapped in a shirt. Unless you are totally naked, knives are really quite simple to conceal.)(I got the knife as a present and then the box was thrown away in the restaurant. I don't actually wander malls with knives just because.)
- this book's protagonist has a mother who is a celebrated mystery novelist? And she's a key, smug part of the plot?
- that a man who tries to open multiple cars in the garage has not lost his rental, but is actually a brigand of some sort?
- a ten year old televised gameshow appearance is remembered by the majority of the book's characters?
- that a petty criminal will try to kill you AT LENGTH if you report him to the bored parking attendants for essentially "looking kinda shifty"?
- that everything will be tied up with a big bow BY FORCE OF WILL at the end of this book?
- that Jack might as well have stayed home for all he does in this book, but then who would have provided delusional lovestruck asides about Regan?
Honestly, this book was shockingly bad. Like middle schoolers putting on a badly-blocked play. You know, where crossing to the table to put down a book is not natural at all, and is instead so weirdly emphatic that you know the precision means someone's going to have to pick up that book in the next act. This book was a relay race of morons. And they speak to each other like robots.
I just picked this up off the shelf and it's apparently one of a series, and this one's later in the series. Whatever. I refuse to believe that I'm missing anything redeeming, given Regan rehashes her life story extensively in the first half of the book. There's no mystery, no suspense, no romance, no nothing, just the slow unveiling of factual things. Early on in the book you think to yourself "hunh, this is probably what's happening" and lo and behold, you're right. Except for the bit that is so totally left-field that it's making a cameo from another, more interesting book about degenerative mental disorders, because there is no other way to explain that character otherwise.
I actually went back to the library and took out a few MHC books to make sure I wasn't imagining things. I'm not, MHC is acceptable beach reading. CHC is not. Boring, dim and absolutely awful writing. Save yourself.
This was a bloody awful book. I'm not saying that MHC is any sort of master writer, but this must be nepotism of the highest order, because the only thing passed down to her daughter is the ability to put words on a page and some sort of general grasp of plot structure wherein you follow three or four apparently separate groups, only to have them intersect in the final chapters. The characters are two-dimensional, with absolutely painful dialogue of the "tell-not-show" tradition. You could get whiplash trying to track some of these conversations - they're either exposition or dutifully shoving the plot forward, and CHC doesn't seem to care much for consistency. There's a character named Turquoise in the first few pages, who is written with the same depth as characters we stick with the rest of the book - this is not a compliment. Criminals leap from petty, white-collar crime to federal cases with NO LOGIC AT ALL. There is no suspense here. This book is apparently a plodding account of a woman who inherited money and is too stupid to live. They're all too stupid to live, frankly.
Spoilers? Yes, spoilers. So don't click if you don't want a terrifying trip into the totally mundane:
Did you know...
- a life coach can buy her non-paying clients material goods without violating ethical standards?
- that it's much easier to leave a shiny new butcher's knife at the site of your failed attack, rather than risk carrying it back to your car, even though it's dawn on an abandoned road? (On a side note, I at one point carried a large Global cleaver through a suburban mall. First in a purse, then wrapped in a shirt. Unless you are totally naked, knives are really quite simple to conceal.)(I got the knife as a present and then the box was thrown away in the restaurant. I don't actually wander malls with knives just because.)
- this book's protagonist has a mother who is a celebrated mystery novelist? And she's a key, smug part of the plot?
- that a man who tries to open multiple cars in the garage has not lost his rental, but is actually a brigand of some sort?
- a ten year old televised gameshow appearance is remembered by the majority of the book's characters?
- that a petty criminal will try to kill you AT LENGTH if you report him to the bored parking attendants for essentially "looking kinda shifty"?
- that everything will be tied up with a big bow BY FORCE OF WILL at the end of this book?
- that Jack might as well have stayed home for all he does in this book, but then who would have provided delusional lovestruck asides about Regan?
Honestly, this book was shockingly bad. Like middle schoolers putting on a badly-blocked play. You know, where crossing to the table to put down a book is not natural at all, and is instead so weirdly emphatic that you know the precision means someone's going to have to pick up that book in the next act. This book was a relay race of morons. And they speak to each other like robots.
I just picked this up off the shelf and it's apparently one of a series, and this one's later in the series. Whatever. I refuse to believe that I'm missing anything redeeming, given Regan rehashes her life story extensively in the first half of the book. There's no mystery, no suspense, no romance, no nothing, just the slow unveiling of factual things. Early on in the book you think to yourself "hunh, this is probably what's happening" and lo and behold, you're right. Except for the bit that is so totally left-field that it's making a cameo from another, more interesting book about degenerative mental disorders, because there is no other way to explain that character otherwise.
I actually went back to the library and took out a few MHC books to make sure I wasn't imagining things. I'm not, MHC is acceptable beach reading. CHC is not. Boring, dim and absolutely awful writing. Save yourself.
December 4, 2013
Mary Higgins Clark books are a guilty pleasure. Read aloud with my significant other, they are a laugh riot. The short chapters, predictable events, stereotypical characters, and mild suspense make for a handful of fun evenings.
Gypped was the first Carol Higgins Clark book we read together. Judging by this book alone, it seems Carol does not share her mother's talents.
We bought this book because the title is so obnoxiously offensive. "Gypped" here refers to exactly the stereotypically racist activity the word used to be used to refer to in ignorant society. We were amused that, in twenty-first century America, a bestselling mystery author would think it was reasonable to use that word for a book title, and somewhat hopeful that the book would present the same guilty pleasure as a Mary Higgins Clark novel -- in other words, not a "good" book, but an amusing one.
Unfortunately -- if predictably -- the book was a tremendous disappointment. The author's ignorance in using a racist title should have alerted us that the rest of her book would exhibit similar ignorance. The mystery is late in arrival and thin on foundation. The climax is roughly constructed and over far too quickly. There are no red herrings -- or, rather, the red herrings are each dispatched with so quickly as to remove any real suspense from the tale. The author, and, by extension, each character, suffers from a lack of focus. One sentence does not logically follow the one before it, so that whole thoughts or connectors are lost. What remains is a scattershot, unusually slim novel with no payoff.
For a guilty pleasure like a Mary Higgins Clark novel, seek out something by Mary's ex-daughter-in-law, Mary Jane Clark. Her writing is breezy and her mysteries, while as silly as Carol's, have the fun of Mary's. Gypped, on the other hand, may be the worst book I've ever read. (At least Veronica Roth's Divergent and Insurgent were fully developed, if insipid.)
Gypped was the first Carol Higgins Clark book we read together. Judging by this book alone, it seems Carol does not share her mother's talents.
We bought this book because the title is so obnoxiously offensive. "Gypped" here refers to exactly the stereotypically racist activity the word used to be used to refer to in ignorant society. We were amused that, in twenty-first century America, a bestselling mystery author would think it was reasonable to use that word for a book title, and somewhat hopeful that the book would present the same guilty pleasure as a Mary Higgins Clark novel -- in other words, not a "good" book, but an amusing one.
Unfortunately -- if predictably -- the book was a tremendous disappointment. The author's ignorance in using a racist title should have alerted us that the rest of her book would exhibit similar ignorance. The mystery is late in arrival and thin on foundation. The climax is roughly constructed and over far too quickly. There are no red herrings -- or, rather, the red herrings are each dispatched with so quickly as to remove any real suspense from the tale. The author, and, by extension, each character, suffers from a lack of focus. One sentence does not logically follow the one before it, so that whole thoughts or connectors are lost. What remains is a scattershot, unusually slim novel with no payoff.
For a guilty pleasure like a Mary Higgins Clark novel, seek out something by Mary's ex-daughter-in-law, Mary Jane Clark. Her writing is breezy and her mysteries, while as silly as Carol's, have the fun of Mary's. Gypped, on the other hand, may be the worst book I've ever read. (At least Veronica Roth's Divergent and Insurgent were fully developed, if insipid.)
November 12, 2014
This book met my primary criteria for a road trip audio book - six hours long and no graphic sex and violence. I wanted a bigger pay off from the scenes where the PI is driving around LA in a rental car having forgotten that she has a big butcher knife in her trunk that she meant to surrender to the local police .... but she just remembered the knife and turned it in.
May 19, 2012
Carol Higgins Clark's latest book, Gypped,starting her popular character, Regan Reilley, is another mystery to thrill her legion of readers. Gypped is full of surprises and suspense. In the beginning, Regan is with Jack, her husband, the head of the NYPD Major Case Squad, who has to attend some important conferences in LA for his department. While Jack is full of meetings to go to,Regan goes shopping on her first day back to the west coast. Lucky to find a perfect pair of jeans, she heads out of the store, and encounters Zelda, one of the contestants alongside her years ago in a game show, Puzzling Words. Zelda and Regan became friends during the show, even though they both fared poorly. Life has been good for Zelda, though. She's rewarded amply for her good deeds when an elderly lady, who is extremely grateful to Zelda for her kindness, leaves her a fortune of 8 million dollars in her will.
Upon their meeting once again, the old friendship sparks up with Zelda inviting Regan to come to the mansion she is staying at. The suspense starts escalating here, reaching a maximum crescendo. The clues are there to follow, but to find out whether Regan and Zelda escape alive from the mayhem and danger surrounding them, you can only discover by reading the book.
Upon their meeting once again, the old friendship sparks up with Zelda inviting Regan to come to the mansion she is staying at. The suspense starts escalating here, reaching a maximum crescendo. The clues are there to follow, but to find out whether Regan and Zelda escape alive from the mayhem and danger surrounding them, you can only discover by reading the book.
May 7, 2013
* I received this book free through a goodreads giveaway *
I was fully prepared to give this book 3 stars until I got to the last few pages which were full of such unrealistic moments. I don't know how many times I thought, "That would never happen" or "That doesn't even make sense" or "Nobody would react like that or say that." Too many. There were some truely suspenseful moments but that isn't enough to make up for all the shortcomings. For a 200 page book, one would want to set up the mystery right off the bat and get going with the plot. Not in this case. About 70 pages in and I still had no idea what the plot was. And there was a subplot about internet scams that went absolutely nowhere. I couldn't figure out why it was even in the book except to make the book longer? The mind boggles. Disappointing read.
I was fully prepared to give this book 3 stars until I got to the last few pages which were full of such unrealistic moments. I don't know how many times I thought, "That would never happen" or "That doesn't even make sense" or "Nobody would react like that or say that." Too many. There were some truely suspenseful moments but that isn't enough to make up for all the shortcomings. For a 200 page book, one would want to set up the mystery right off the bat and get going with the plot. Not in this case. About 70 pages in and I still had no idea what the plot was. And there was a subplot about internet scams that went absolutely nowhere. I couldn't figure out why it was even in the book except to make the book longer? The mind boggles. Disappointing read.
January 19, 2021
Carol Higgins Clark comes by her writing skills naturally as she is the daughter of the great Mary Higgins Clark. I enjoyed Gypped, a Regan Reilly Mystery. I was in the mood for something light and breezy, yet still offering a mystery that would capture my attention. Gypped did just that. It is a fun read, fast-paced with an eclectic cast of characters, including Regan’s Mother, Nora Regan Reilly, a well-known mystery writer. For those who enjoy Cozy mysteries, Gypped is a great choice.
October 29, 2017
Quick and easy to finish. Entertaining.
August 21, 2012
Only 4 out of 5 stars, because even though I enjoyed it, there were several points that I took issue with.
I picked this audio book from the library shelves because I can always count on Carol Higgins Clark's "Reilly" stories for a feel-good read, with a light mystery and a satisfying ending.
This book delivered all of the above.
I did have a few quibbles (issues), in areas which detracted from the story somewhat.
1) at one point Regan Reilly puts her car in drive then engages the parking brake before getting out. My personal feeling is that this would be a dangerous combination of actions!
2) there was a "throwaway" line about Norman, which unfortunately I didn't document, but it was the last sentence or two in a chapter and added nothing except perhaps to remind the audience that he is important
3) since this is a book on tape I may have misheard, but Regan puts her boots on then goes on a walk on a hiking trail – in her sandals
4) unnecessary repetition of the fact that Regan's father Luke is the owner of 3 funeral homes: once is enough to tell the reader who he is
5) during a climactic scene near the end, Jack gets out of the back of the police car. Now I realize that the writer does not need to cover every minute detail, but with other details being covered multiple times, I felt that it was important to note that someone would have had to let him out. After all, the back doors of police cars don't normally allow the passenger to exit freely.
6) As for Regan, she actually covered the next quibble I had when she realized that she had babbled everything she knew about what was happening to people she barely knew. Not a good trait in a PI.
7) The final quibble I had was with the reader. The accents she affected for the reading seemed more Chicago and New York than Los Angelos, especially for Norman, who had what sounded very Chicagoan to me.
Okay – maybe not the final quibble. I kept wondering how a PI, with an important police officer for a husband, would pick up knives that might be a clue, without gloves, or other means of keeping her prints off them.
Overall, however, the book did entertain me during my long drive, kept me awake and amused. It also gave me an added benefit, as I was able to note the above points which kept the story from being boring, although there were points when I wanted to shake the heiress in the story, get her to wake up, and tell her to stop taking people on their word.
The story itself was interesting and well told. It doesn't have the dramatic flair of other, spine-tingling mysteries, but is a good road companion. It also is woven together in a way that brings all the characters together in a happy ending.
I have to admit that I knew how it would turn out, as I have read a later installment about these same characters. However, that later story did not spill enough of the beans so that it spoiled this one. Great job on that one!
I picked this audio book from the library shelves because I can always count on Carol Higgins Clark's "Reilly" stories for a feel-good read, with a light mystery and a satisfying ending.
This book delivered all of the above.
I did have a few quibbles (issues), in areas which detracted from the story somewhat.
1) at one point Regan Reilly puts her car in drive then engages the parking brake before getting out. My personal feeling is that this would be a dangerous combination of actions!
2) there was a "throwaway" line about Norman, which unfortunately I didn't document, but it was the last sentence or two in a chapter and added nothing except perhaps to remind the audience that he is important
3) since this is a book on tape I may have misheard, but Regan puts her boots on then goes on a walk on a hiking trail – in her sandals
4) unnecessary repetition of the fact that Regan's father Luke is the owner of 3 funeral homes: once is enough to tell the reader who he is
5) during a climactic scene near the end, Jack gets out of the back of the police car. Now I realize that the writer does not need to cover every minute detail, but with other details being covered multiple times, I felt that it was important to note that someone would have had to let him out. After all, the back doors of police cars don't normally allow the passenger to exit freely.
6) As for Regan, she actually covered the next quibble I had when she realized that she had babbled everything she knew about what was happening to people she barely knew. Not a good trait in a PI.
7) The final quibble I had was with the reader. The accents she affected for the reading seemed more Chicago and New York than Los Angelos, especially for Norman, who had what sounded very Chicagoan to me.
Okay – maybe not the final quibble. I kept wondering how a PI, with an important police officer for a husband, would pick up knives that might be a clue, without gloves, or other means of keeping her prints off them.
Overall, however, the book did entertain me during my long drive, kept me awake and amused. It also gave me an added benefit, as I was able to note the above points which kept the story from being boring, although there were points when I wanted to shake the heiress in the story, get her to wake up, and tell her to stop taking people on their word.
The story itself was interesting and well told. It doesn't have the dramatic flair of other, spine-tingling mysteries, but is a good road companion. It also is woven together in a way that brings all the characters together in a happy ending.
I have to admit that I knew how it would turn out, as I have read a later installment about these same characters. However, that later story did not spill enough of the beans so that it spoiled this one. Great job on that one!
September 20, 2020
2020
These books are just so cringe-worthy.
"Little Red Riding Hood," he whispered. "That's who you'll be. And I'm the Big Bad Wolf." - there is a scene with a guy sitting in his car, handling a knife and that's his big "scary" line. It's so cringey that it hurts. Aside from that, I'm fairly sure that she's used that in one of her Regan Reilly mysteries in the past. So, apparently, a bunch of bad guys think that little red riding hood in the tops of scary things they can say.
I'm not a huge fan of her writing style (I think a lot of it has to do with her mother - Mary Higgins Clark has done this kind of writing style for like 40+ years and has it down to an art. But it's hard to be your own writer when you are imitating some else's writing style). A lot of her books are jumbled with so many characters; and a lot of the time it doesn't tie together really well. Or it just seems like there's a whole bunch of extra fluff that doesn't even belong in the story. Instead of being a 300 page book, it'd almost work better for me in they cut that into a third just because the story has so much unneeded additional nonsense that I'd rather read a shorter version that makes me feel like I'm involved in just one story instead of involved in a tangled piece of yarn that never really comes together.
I feel like I gypped myself because I forced myself to read the whole thing.
These books are just so cringe-worthy.
"Little Red Riding Hood," he whispered. "That's who you'll be. And I'm the Big Bad Wolf." - there is a scene with a guy sitting in his car, handling a knife and that's his big "scary" line. It's so cringey that it hurts. Aside from that, I'm fairly sure that she's used that in one of her Regan Reilly mysteries in the past. So, apparently, a bunch of bad guys think that little red riding hood in the tops of scary things they can say.
I'm not a huge fan of her writing style (I think a lot of it has to do with her mother - Mary Higgins Clark has done this kind of writing style for like 40+ years and has it down to an art. But it's hard to be your own writer when you are imitating some else's writing style). A lot of her books are jumbled with so many characters; and a lot of the time it doesn't tie together really well. Or it just seems like there's a whole bunch of extra fluff that doesn't even belong in the story. Instead of being a 300 page book, it'd almost work better for me in they cut that into a third just because the story has so much unneeded additional nonsense that I'd rather read a shorter version that makes me feel like I'm involved in just one story instead of involved in a tangled piece of yarn that never really comes together.
I feel like I gypped myself because I forced myself to read the whole thing.
April 29, 2012
Most of Ms. Clark's books are easy reading mysteries, and this one is as good as the rest. Regan Reilly bumps into an old friend while traveling with her husband, who has come to LA for a conference. She attends an evening party, and stays afterward because the friend gets sick. The rest is the story. I found this book a well written, fast reading light mystery, with characters who endear themselves to the reader from the get-go. None of the characters, including the main one, Regan, is overpowering and none overshadows another. Still, you definitely get a good feeling for them all. I highly recommend this or any of Ms. Clark's other books.
April 20, 2012
Her books are quick reads and perfect for the plane ride [only a short trip] or the doctor's waiting room. However, her plots seem to get even more simple and the book shorter. It was 202 pages of fairly large type with a lot of blank pages between sections and chapters to account for the $25 price tag!!! Good thing I check her books out of the library because I certainly couldn't justify the cost.
May 22, 2012
Great!! book ... loved it. Read the whole book in one day!! :D Can't wait for another one of her books to come out ....
August 23, 2012
I feel Gypped having wasted my time on this awful, boring, not even funny book!
July 24, 2023
I wanted to enjoy this book (I really did!).
A friend had given it to me with a sweet note saying how much she enjoyed the book and that she wishes I could too, so you'd understand when I say I went in with HIGH expectations. Now, we're about 2 hours apart in time difference, and I am deciding if I should say my thoughts at all.
Venturing into the Regan Reilly series for the first time, bluntly, I was a bit underwhelmed. Maybe I should catch up on the first 14 books before this. Though even on its own, it doesn't compare to commercially popular "thriller"/"mystery" books from authors such as MHC, Agatha Christie, Tess Gerritsen, etc.. Even disregarding the connection between Miss CHC to Mary Higgins Clark "queen of suspense", I just did not find myself — at any point in the story— with my heart racing and wanting to turn the page (or maybe I did for the sake of completing it). I read it in one sitting too!
I felt as if the writing was cliché, the plot too predictable — I was waiting for a plot twist in the final chapters, but ended up getting disappointed and sifting through for ANY piece of easter egg, foreshadowing, or an "aha!" moment. I know I don't enjoy a book if I don't start overanalyzing the last line and do this thing in my mind where I just absorb the story — let it sink in, you know?
! SPOILERS MIGHT COME AHEAD !
.
.
The characters, I did NOT get to internalize with. Take the damn sign pen away from Zelda. Her character plays 'generous but naïve'. She pays for people's rent, likes to shop, and apparently, doesn't know or bother reading any document presented to her.that tea scene had no excuse.
Norman I found utterly annoying — almost aggravating — midway. When he was first introduced, I was SURE he would play some significant role. I initially thought it was his jealousy that would be his downfall, leading me to suspect he'd be the mastermind of this. But, nope! Turns out he's as loyal as a retriever. Even had a whole estate in his name for YEARS, so karma I guess? His small remarks like "I can't wait to see his face in jail!" were just...unnecessary and cringey that I wanted to close the book then and there.
But alas, we persevere. Just like the way the mc Regan persists that her bestie Zelda isn't stupid, assuring her that it's not her fault. I would argue that if Zelda would've just gone to business school instead of life-coaching she'd be the least bit smarter and discerning of people.
Z: I should've read those papers and checked where my money's been going into all along!
R: Noooo...It's not your fau-
YES IT IS.
Apart from that, I just found all the other characters irrelevant. Rich and Heather rewritten as a modern-century Bonnie and Clyde. Maggie? What about her? Broke actress chasing her dream in the city of LA but turns out the real world's a lot tougher than that. All those chapters dedicated to her visiting thrift shops and 2 other dep stores did not matter, feel free to skip them. Gladys I just did not understand at all. There was no chapter told from her perspective so no ulterior motive from her side was ever revealed. Petunia — who surprise surprise — one of our masterminds' mom is in the shady scamming biz that gave us nothing but the fact that the apple does not fall far from the tree.
Plotwise, as mentioned, very predictable. Some lines and dialogues were painfully cheesy, even for a book written around a decade back.
C, if you read this, in whatever time zone, I wish I could've enjoyed it as much as you did. But it's just not my cup of tea. One thing I will say though, it's a perfect way to pass your summer by, even in all its 'tropeiness".
Also, mad respect to the author, Carol Higgins Clark who unfortunately passed this year. 15 books in this series, WOW! That's a whole legacy to honor. Rest easy, Ma'am.
A friend had given it to me with a sweet note saying how much she enjoyed the book and that she wishes I could too, so you'd understand when I say I went in with HIGH expectations. Now, we're about 2 hours apart in time difference, and I am deciding if I should say my thoughts at all.
Venturing into the Regan Reilly series for the first time, bluntly, I was a bit underwhelmed. Maybe I should catch up on the first 14 books before this. Though even on its own, it doesn't compare to commercially popular "thriller"/"mystery" books from authors such as MHC, Agatha Christie, Tess Gerritsen, etc.. Even disregarding the connection between Miss CHC to Mary Higgins Clark "queen of suspense", I just did not find myself — at any point in the story— with my heart racing and wanting to turn the page (or maybe I did for the sake of completing it). I read it in one sitting too!
I felt as if the writing was cliché, the plot too predictable — I was waiting for a plot twist in the final chapters, but ended up getting disappointed and sifting through for ANY piece of easter egg, foreshadowing, or an "aha!" moment. I know I don't enjoy a book if I don't start overanalyzing the last line and do this thing in my mind where I just absorb the story — let it sink in, you know?
! SPOILERS MIGHT COME AHEAD !
.
.
The characters, I did NOT get to internalize with. Take the damn sign pen away from Zelda. Her character plays 'generous but naïve'. She pays for people's rent, likes to shop, and apparently, doesn't know or bother reading any document presented to her.that tea scene had no excuse.
Norman I found utterly annoying — almost aggravating — midway. When he was first introduced, I was SURE he would play some significant role. I initially thought it was his jealousy that would be his downfall, leading me to suspect he'd be the mastermind of this. But, nope! Turns out he's as loyal as a retriever. Even had a whole estate in his name for YEARS, so karma I guess? His small remarks like "I can't wait to see his face in jail!" were just...unnecessary and cringey that I wanted to close the book then and there.
But alas, we persevere. Just like the way the mc Regan persists that her bestie Zelda isn't stupid, assuring her that it's not her fault. I would argue that if Zelda would've just gone to business school instead of life-coaching she'd be the least bit smarter and discerning of people.
Z: I should've read those papers and checked where my money's been going into all along!
R: Noooo...It's not your fau-
YES IT IS.
Apart from that, I just found all the other characters irrelevant. Rich and Heather rewritten as a modern-century Bonnie and Clyde. Maggie? What about her? Broke actress chasing her dream in the city of LA but turns out the real world's a lot tougher than that. All those chapters dedicated to her visiting thrift shops and 2 other dep stores did not matter, feel free to skip them. Gladys I just did not understand at all. There was no chapter told from her perspective so no ulterior motive from her side was ever revealed. Petunia — who surprise surprise — one of our masterminds' mom is in the shady scamming biz that gave us nothing but the fact that the apple does not fall far from the tree.
Plotwise, as mentioned, very predictable. Some lines and dialogues were painfully cheesy, even for a book written around a decade back.
C, if you read this, in whatever time zone, I wish I could've enjoyed it as much as you did. But it's just not my cup of tea. One thing I will say though, it's a perfect way to pass your summer by, even in all its 'tropeiness".
Also, mad respect to the author, Carol Higgins Clark who unfortunately passed this year. 15 books in this series, WOW! That's a whole legacy to honor. Rest easy, Ma'am.
September 21, 2020
Private investigator Regan Reilly and her husband, Jack, are in Los Angeles where Regan began her private investigator career. Jack, head of the New York Police Department’s major case squad, has come here to attend a series of meetings. After the meetings conclude, the couple plans to spend a few days traveling in the area.
Regan bumps into Zelda, a friend from some seven years ago when they both appeared on the television game show “Puzzling Words.” Zelda invites Regan to a party at a Hollywood Hills estate where she’s staying for a week, thanks to a successful bid at a charity fundraiser.
When Zelda suddenly falls ill, Regan stays with her friend and Zelda reveals her concerns about her father’s new wife. The two, it seems, got married in the back of a cab at a drive-through church in Las Vegas after knowing each other for only three months and Zelda is concerned about her father.
But other unknown dangers lurk and both women soon find themselves in danger.
Fifteenth in the Regan Reilly series, this is a lighthearted, quick read. Populated by a group of quirky characters, the book is light on both plot and character development. The escapist tale has enough backstory for readers new to the series, but the novella-length narrative lacks depth and, for a mystery, is short on suspense.
The elephant in the room, as far as this book is concerned, has nothing to do with the story. Instead, it’s the use of a cruel racial slur for the title. About a year after its initial publication, the book title became “Scammed,” but that did little to lessen the sting of the original choice.
Regan bumps into Zelda, a friend from some seven years ago when they both appeared on the television game show “Puzzling Words.” Zelda invites Regan to a party at a Hollywood Hills estate where she’s staying for a week, thanks to a successful bid at a charity fundraiser.
When Zelda suddenly falls ill, Regan stays with her friend and Zelda reveals her concerns about her father’s new wife. The two, it seems, got married in the back of a cab at a drive-through church in Las Vegas after knowing each other for only three months and Zelda is concerned about her father.
But other unknown dangers lurk and both women soon find themselves in danger.
Fifteenth in the Regan Reilly series, this is a lighthearted, quick read. Populated by a group of quirky characters, the book is light on both plot and character development. The escapist tale has enough backstory for readers new to the series, but the novella-length narrative lacks depth and, for a mystery, is short on suspense.
The elephant in the room, as far as this book is concerned, has nothing to do with the story. Instead, it’s the use of a cruel racial slur for the title. About a year after its initial publication, the book title became “Scammed,” but that did little to lessen the sting of the original choice.
October 6, 2025
I've got to admit, closing the cover after reading the final words in the book was bittersweet.
"With us it never matters," Regan said. "We're already there."
Knowing that this is the last installment of the series, I wish I had read more slowly. I know I will revisit this series again in the future. It took me a while to track down every book in the right format. Small mass paperbacks from the early 2000s are a rare commodity indeed!
I first discovered Regan Reilly quite by accident. I was wandering through Waldenbooks at Ridgmar mall many, many moons ago, and came across a Christmas book called "Deck the Halls" by Mary Higgins Clark. I had actually read quite a few of Mary's books but had never heard of her daughter.
I finally purchased a novel by Carol a few years ago and read it some time later. Because I already felt as if I knew the main characters from the Christmas books written by the mother-daughter duo, I didn't obsess about reading it in release order of the series. I enjoyed it thoroughly and decided to pick up more books by Carol when I came across them at the used book stores.
This series is cozy before it was cool. A few suspenseful moments are contained throughout the series, but relatively little violence and pretty much no foul language that I can recall. I highly recommend this series to anyone who just wants to punch out from the world for a while and travel along as the good "guy" brings the bad "guy" to justice.
"With us it never matters," Regan said. "We're already there."
Knowing that this is the last installment of the series, I wish I had read more slowly. I know I will revisit this series again in the future. It took me a while to track down every book in the right format. Small mass paperbacks from the early 2000s are a rare commodity indeed!
I first discovered Regan Reilly quite by accident. I was wandering through Waldenbooks at Ridgmar mall many, many moons ago, and came across a Christmas book called "Deck the Halls" by Mary Higgins Clark. I had actually read quite a few of Mary's books but had never heard of her daughter.
I finally purchased a novel by Carol a few years ago and read it some time later. Because I already felt as if I knew the main characters from the Christmas books written by the mother-daughter duo, I didn't obsess about reading it in release order of the series. I enjoyed it thoroughly and decided to pick up more books by Carol when I came across them at the used book stores.
This series is cozy before it was cool. A few suspenseful moments are contained throughout the series, but relatively little violence and pretty much no foul language that I can recall. I highly recommend this series to anyone who just wants to punch out from the world for a while and travel along as the good "guy" brings the bad "guy" to justice.
March 7, 2019
On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, Gypped by Carol Higgins Clark is a Chips Ahoy! Cinnamon Sugar Thin cookie. Crunchy with a kick of cinnamon, each bite requires a sip of milk.
Regan Reilly is on a weekend trip while her husband has work training. While out shopping, she runs into her old friend, Zelda. Push comes to shove, and it seems like Zelda is the focus of some nasty business.
A book recommendation from a friend, Gypped offered an easy reading experience. This light mystery kept me curious, and I thoroughly enjoyed the quirky cast of characters. While some head-hopping (sorry, talking shop) and language tense distracted me occasionally, I still enjoyed the story.
If you enjoy mystery and light reading, you may be able to read Gypped in a day.
Regan Reilly is on a weekend trip while her husband has work training. While out shopping, she runs into her old friend, Zelda. Push comes to shove, and it seems like Zelda is the focus of some nasty business.
A book recommendation from a friend, Gypped offered an easy reading experience. This light mystery kept me curious, and I thoroughly enjoyed the quirky cast of characters. While some head-hopping (sorry, talking shop) and language tense distracted me occasionally, I still enjoyed the story.
If you enjoy mystery and light reading, you may be able to read Gypped in a day.
September 27, 2019
Another book from the Regan Reilly series. Private investigator Regan Reilly goes to Los Angeles with her husband Jack. While Regan was in West Hollywood, she manages to run into an old friend that she had not seen in years. The friend's name is Zelda. The two appeared on a game show together. Neither lady won that much money. While at a mansion a party was held. Zelda invites Regan to the party. Several characters appear at the party from her filmmaker, business advisor, and others. An investigative search was done by Regan as instructed by Zelda. Zelda seems uncertain of some of the people that she is around. All in all, another great read here by Carol Higgins Clark.
October 10, 2025
Gypped is a typical Carol Higgins Clark book. Regan bumps into Zelda, who she met while the two were contestants on the game show “Puzzling Words.” Zelda has recently come into a great deal of money and Zelda invites Regan to a party she is giving in a mansion where she will be living for a week, courtesy of her winning bid in a charity auction. She had inherited $8 million from an elderly neighbor because she had been kind to her, but Zelda isn't sure who she can trust now that she has this money. There is no murder, but there is a hostage situation. There are the usual cast of colorful characters and again the bad guys are caught in the end. This is a fast read and won't keep you up at night.
October 28, 2018
Great writing this isn't, but it's a light, easy-to-read book that is good for vacations. A lot of the dialogue tends to be short, choppy simple sentences and the story gets wrapped up way too neatly at the end. Regan is supposed to be a private detective, but her investigative skills seem to be limited to searching the internet and asking her police chief husband to ask his staff to do background checks for her. At the end, one of the police officer's wives did a more thorough internet search and found better information. Maybe I should have given this 2 stars? But I did enjoy it because it was a relaxing read.
April 3, 2018
I know that Carol Higgins Clark has written a whole slew of mystery novels. I have not been a follower of her work for no reason in particular. I read Gypped just by chance as it was on the new book list at the library. It was a mystery but I would not say it was stunning, spectacular, or fabulous. It was a Whodunit. It did not have the intrigue of some of Daniel Silva's books or the medical background of Gerritsen's books or the cultural intrigue of Joh Rowland's books. Some people may consider her writing style as their cup of tea.
October 27, 2017
It was a nice short read. Apparently it was part of a series. I didn't really need to know the history because part of it was provided. Reagan is back in L.A. with her husband Jack and she falls into a situation with an old friend being scammed after receiving 8 million dollars. Reagan a private investigator jumps in and helps her friend who is still adjusting to being so wealthy and saves her from being ripped off by her money manager.
April 17, 2018
Another typical Higgins Clark book. I like them because you know the formula will leave you with a happy ending, and all of the plot lines intertwine. It's usually a very quick read (300 pages that read like 200) that makes me laugh like a Scooby Doo episode.
I definitely reccomend these for a single day read, or a beach or travel read.
I definitely reccomend these for a single day read, or a beach or travel read.
June 21, 2018
If you're headed for the beach and looking for something that will amuse and not be too deep, pick up a Regan Riley mystery. You may have to suspend your disbelief with all the coincidences and neat endings, but it is fun to and unstressful to solve the mystery of who on earth would want to harm a recent millionaire, coincidentally, a friend of the famous detective Regan Reilly.
December 26, 2020
Zelda inherited 8 million from a neighbor. Regan knows Zelda through a game show they were on together. Regan is hired to check into Zelda's stepmother, but discover's Zelda's financial manager is stealing her money.
Easy read, simple plot, concludes neatly. I enjoy reading this type of book in between complex or thought provoking books
Easy read, simple plot, concludes neatly. I enjoy reading this type of book in between complex or thought provoking books
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2024
Regan Reilly and her husband are visiting Los Angeles when Regan runs into a acquaintance from a game show they were both on. While Regan's husband is at a conference, Regan accepts an invitation to her friend Zelda's dinner party that night. After the party everything get really crazy with Zelda's family and "friends". Many twists in this story!
August 24, 2018
Another audio book. The story built very slowly and then was over too quickly. This was the first story I heard by the author so maybe I just don’t enjoy her writing? The ending was satisfying at least.
November 2, 2018
This was just about what I wanted. Easy, quick, and fun.
The writing style is painful and sloppy. I kept wondering how an editor let those things go. Weird thoughts. Weird texts. Just so weird. A ton of dialogue.
But it's fun and I'll read more when I need a break.
The writing style is painful and sloppy. I kept wondering how an editor let those things go. Weird thoughts. Weird texts. Just so weird. A ton of dialogue.
But it's fun and I'll read more when I need a break.
May 14, 2019
I think of the Regan Reilly Mystery books as quick and easy reads. I've enjoyed most of them in the form of audiobooks. Fast paced and exciting. Very convenient that these novels can be read out of order!
May 9, 2020
I think this is the first book I have read by Carol Higgins Clark. While it wasn't life changing, it was a fun little mystery. It took a long time for the author to set the stage -- essentially half the book -- but then things started happening very quickly.
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