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A Jaine Austen Mystery #11
Death of a Neighborhood Witch
When her faithful feline Prozac unwittingly scares to death a parakeet belonging to the neighborhood's resident curmudgeon, Jaine finds herself knee-deep in toil and trouble. The cantankerous Hollywood has-been once played the part of Cryptessa Muldoon, television's fourth most famous monster mom. Now a bitter, paranoid old dame, Cryptessa spends her days making enemies with everyone on the street, and accidental bird killer Jaine is no exception. So when the ornery D-lister is murdered with her own Do Not Tresspass sign on Halloween night, the neighborhood fills with relief--and possible culprits.
With a killer on the loose, Jaine hardly has time to fall under the spell of her yummy new neighbor, Peter. As the prime suspect, she summons her sleuthing skills to clear her name and soon discovers that everyone has a few skeletons in their closets--and movtives for murder are endless. Could it have been Cryptessa's next door neighbors, the barracuda husband and wife realtors whose landscaping Cryptessa bulldozed? Or the seemingly sweet old lady whose beloved dog was the object of Cryptessa's wrath? Or perhaps the crotchety actress was done in by her own nephew in a desperate attempt to get his hands on her money?
As the masks come off, Jaine's search for sweet justice turns up more questions than answers. And just when she thought nothing could be scarier than her run-in with a tortuous Tummy Tamer, she closes in on the killer and learns the true meaning of grave danger...
With a killer on the loose, Jaine hardly has time to fall under the spell of her yummy new neighbor, Peter. As the prime suspect, she summons her sleuthing skills to clear her name and soon discovers that everyone has a few skeletons in their closets--and movtives for murder are endless. Could it have been Cryptessa's next door neighbors, the barracuda husband and wife realtors whose landscaping Cryptessa bulldozed? Or the seemingly sweet old lady whose beloved dog was the object of Cryptessa's wrath? Or perhaps the crotchety actress was done in by her own nephew in a desperate attempt to get his hands on her money?
As the masks come off, Jaine's search for sweet justice turns up more questions than answers. And just when she thought nothing could be scarier than her run-in with a tortuous Tummy Tamer, she closes in on the killer and learns the true meaning of grave danger...
262 pages, Hardcover
First published August 26, 2012
167 people are currently reading
1345 people want to read
About the author
Laura Levine
57 books1,232 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 318 reviews
April 11, 2022
In this Jaine Austen mystery, set right around Halloween, Jaine gets involved with her eccentric neighbor after a freak accident causes the death of her parakeet (involving Prozac the cat, of course.) Lance and Jaine compete for the attentions of a cute guy, with hilarious results. And of course, there are the emails from Jaine’s parents, which are always a hoot. This time around, Jaine’s father is determined to win the neighborhood’s Halloween lawn decorating competition.
April 24, 2016
Ok...so I'm walking through the library and I see this book. The bright orange cover with a cat, pumpkin, and witch and when I read the story synopsis on the flap, I was hooked. Who didn't grow up with a neighborhood witch (you know, that person who's just angry and bitter and is going to make sure everyone is as miserable as they are) on their block. Ours lived right across the street from us, and she terrorized us kids.
In this take, Jaine Austen (yes, that's the protagonists name) once again finds herself in the middle of a murder. This is the 11th in the series but my first read and as mentioned throughout the book, Jaine has solved mysteries before and you can read them all, just look at the list at the front of the book. What??? I'd never read a book where the author was pushing their other books as a part of the story.
Let's start with the good. I loved the plot line, when the neighborhood witch is murdered, the whole neighborhood are the suspects, and they're all living next to each other. That's great! The emails from her mother and father are funny. Ummm....that's all I can come up with.
And now, why the one star?
Jaine is one heck of a masochist. She consistently complains about being fat, but the minute something devastating happens, like she gets a hang nail, off she is to eat whatever processed junk food she can find. Her self deprecating attitude was annoying and she seems to always be in the middle of a pity party. The incredibly stupid situation she places herself in and/or creates, had me throwing the book across the room in frustration. I swear, Jaine is the Queen of Victimland.
And another thing, Jaine's supposed bestie, Lance, continues to tear her down, humiliate her, and brings sweets whenever he's done something crappy to her and needs to apologize. And Jaine continues to give in and forgive him. Why??? Oh Why?? The negative atmosphere he creates should be tolerated by no one.
I don't have to like the characters I'm reading about (although, with a cozy mystery it's preferable), I do have to find them interesting. If I'm giving my time to a story, my time needs to be respected with interesting characters, storyline, writing, and oh-crap situations where I want to see how the protagonist prevails.
This wasn't one of those...
In this take, Jaine Austen (yes, that's the protagonists name) once again finds herself in the middle of a murder. This is the 11th in the series but my first read and as mentioned throughout the book, Jaine has solved mysteries before and you can read them all, just look at the list at the front of the book. What??? I'd never read a book where the author was pushing their other books as a part of the story.
Let's start with the good. I loved the plot line, when the neighborhood witch is murdered, the whole neighborhood are the suspects, and they're all living next to each other. That's great! The emails from her mother and father are funny. Ummm....that's all I can come up with.
And now, why the one star?
Jaine is one heck of a masochist. She consistently complains about being fat, but the minute something devastating happens, like she gets a hang nail, off she is to eat whatever processed junk food she can find. Her self deprecating attitude was annoying and she seems to always be in the middle of a pity party. The incredibly stupid situation she places herself in and/or creates, had me throwing the book across the room in frustration. I swear, Jaine is the Queen of Victimland.
And another thing, Jaine's supposed bestie, Lance, continues to tear her down, humiliate her, and brings sweets whenever he's done something crappy to her and needs to apologize. And Jaine continues to give in and forgive him. Why??? Oh Why?? The negative atmosphere he creates should be tolerated by no one.
I don't have to like the characters I'm reading about (although, with a cozy mystery it's preferable), I do have to find them interesting. If I'm giving my time to a story, my time needs to be respected with interesting characters, storyline, writing, and oh-crap situations where I want to see how the protagonist prevails.
This wasn't one of those...
November 2, 2017
fun halloween book :)
October 2, 2017
Read something like 2 or 3 chapters and skipped to the end. The MC needs way better friends, I have no interest in reading about a character whose *friends* treat her like crap. Neither am I enthralled with reading about how the MC (and everyone else in the book) constantly compares her (apparently) pudgy self to all the thin women around her in LA.
Tries to hard to be cutesy. Ends up just being mean and not funny.
Tries to hard to be cutesy. Ends up just being mean and not funny.
May 27, 2013
The first few books were laugh out loud funny at times; even if a bit predictable, they were fun to read. But by now the author has reused the same jokes over and over again to a frustratingly boring degree. The jokes are recycled - often with little, if any, variance - so often that each book is almost exactly the same as this one before. I would like to see some new material come from these stories, because the old stuff has been way overused.
It's also a bit tiring reading about a main character that never develops or grows out of her spineless, doormat personality. She lets her friends and acquaintances walk all over her, and it's always the same through every book. I'd hope by now she would have gained a little more self respect. But she never changes. It's a bit frustrating.
It's also a bit tiring reading about a main character that never develops or grows out of her spineless, doormat personality. She lets her friends and acquaintances walk all over her, and it's always the same through every book. I'd hope by now she would have gained a little more self respect. But she never changes. It's a bit frustrating.
December 7, 2015
I found the portrayal of the heroine in this book/series to be extremely offensive and I certainly will not be reading any more of them. Plus, can't the author get rid of this asshole gay "friend" who mocks her and sabotages her left and right? Also, her one female friend in this book is just as terrible, manipulating her with food. HORRID!!
September 3, 2016
So, I went to the library with a list of books to read and none of them were available. I happened to see this book. I enjoy a good cozy-mystery series but I usually like to start with the first book in the series. My library (of course) did not have the first book. Desperate for something to read I took this one home. Seriously, this is close to being one of the worst books I have ever read. You know that trend, in movies and TV, where the characters break from their roles and talk to the audience? (Think Deadpool) Well, this author tries doing that in her book...and fails miserably. Also, for some reason, she seems to think it is cute to have the main protagonist constantly put words into the other characters mouths only to follow it up with "Ok, I/She/He didn't really say that." Really? Once? Maybe. But this appears on every other page. I could go on and on, but just let's leave it at this book sucks and I won't be reading any more in the series...or by this author.
January 20, 2013
What an utterly annoying leading female!!! I was willing to give her the reason of doubt but I have never come across a more spineless woman in a novel than her. It took away everything from the murder mystery and her relationships to her best(?) friend and neighbour were frightening. You don't need enemies when you have friends like this. She and he can bribe her with almost any unhealthy food to do their bidding and are neither helpful nor supportive.
The heroine doesn't cook but loves to eat as her figure shows (well that's probably the only thing we have in common), but her brain is the size of a doghnut and filled with air and the "solving" of the crime is more accidental than anything. Finished it but did NOT like it at all.
The heroine doesn't cook but loves to eat as her figure shows (well that's probably the only thing we have in common), but her brain is the size of a doghnut and filled with air and the "solving" of the crime is more accidental than anything. Finished it but did NOT like it at all.
October 28, 2016
Once you get to the 11th book in a series, it starts to get a little more difficult to write a refreshing, interesting review. But for some reason, I love Jaine Austen so here we are again.
There's really nothing new here - Lance is a jerk, Jaine is ridiculously clumsy, there's a guy she and Lance are both attracted to, someone dies, Jaine's Dad is weird, Jaine's Mom is horrified by his behavior. The mystery gets solved and everyone is happy.
It would be nice to see some growth or change here, but I'm not holding my breath. That said, I'll be reading the next in the series.
There's really nothing new here - Lance is a jerk, Jaine is ridiculously clumsy, there's a guy she and Lance are both attracted to, someone dies, Jaine's Dad is weird, Jaine's Mom is horrified by his behavior. The mystery gets solved and everyone is happy.
It would be nice to see some growth or change here, but I'm not holding my breath. That said, I'll be reading the next in the series.
February 16, 2016
Jaine Austen is a writer, a major foodie, and a murder magnet who lives in “the slums of Beverly Hills”, Los Angeles with her cat named Prozac. She lives next door to her frienemy Lance, who is constantly eavesdropping...
Click below for my review.
http://www.ballemillner.com/deathofan...
Click below for my review.
http://www.ballemillner.com/deathofan...
October 28, 2015
2.5 I almost rounded up for making me doubt myself, but I feel like books I enjoyed more have only gotten three stars so it cheapens the rating (as though my ratings had any value). Not to spoil anything but I did predict the killer in my fifth comment as I read and I stuck with that belief (mostly from contrariness more than deduction) until we got to what seemed like an extremely disappointing climax for a mystery. I was mistaken thinking this writer was possibly breaking away from the mystery writing mold all series seem to follow, but that disappointment just made being right ten pages later all the sweeter.
This was a very quick read when I could be bothered to focus on it. Jaine had an interesting inner dialogue I didn't mind following, but it wasn't thrilling reading that kept me turning the pages. The "action" was almost always comically unrealistic which also made me take frequent breaks. I wouldn't mind being introduced to Jaine again in the first book to see what she was meant to be and compare it to what she's become after 11 books in a series (mystery series aren't generally known for improving as they go).
A bit of a bother was that I couldn't quite get a handle on Jaine's age, I thought maybe 30s but she didn't act like it really, she seemed older. Overall, it felt like an older person was trying to write about the life of a younger person and sometimes failing. Of course 11 years of technology advances happened since the author started this series so maybe some of it was just staying true to what she wrote in the past.
This was a very quick read when I could be bothered to focus on it. Jaine had an interesting inner dialogue I didn't mind following, but it wasn't thrilling reading that kept me turning the pages. The "action" was almost always comically unrealistic which also made me take frequent breaks. I wouldn't mind being introduced to Jaine again in the first book to see what she was meant to be and compare it to what she's become after 11 books in a series (mystery series aren't generally known for improving as they go).
A bit of a bother was that I couldn't quite get a handle on Jaine's age, I thought maybe 30s but she didn't act like it really, she seemed older. Overall, it felt like an older person was trying to write about the life of a younger person and sometimes failing. Of course 11 years of technology advances happened since the author started this series so maybe some of it was just staying true to what she wrote in the past.
February 27, 2020
Well, its definitely a book, I'll give it that much. And it definitely used the word lugubrious twice, which is how I felt reading it. Levine must have gotten it off of her word of the day calendar that Charlaine Harris gave her at their Women Hating Women club meetup. I did walk away with some questions;
- How many times must one describe eating as "scarfing down" some "chow"? Maybe it was cute once, but it became exhaustive and pretty disgusting.
- Why, oh why, do skinny women write plus-sized women to be slovenly?
- Is it supposed to be cute and quirky that the main character's car is stuffed with food garbage?
- Why is her "best friend" this vindictive guy that is nothing but petty and mean to her? Malicious, self-serving Lance needs to grow up.
Speaking of growing up, all of the characters are written like something you'd find in a 13 year-old's journal on Wattpad. Actually, so is the plot. And the main character's internal monologue. Wait... Was this written by a 13 year old?
- How many times must one describe eating as "scarfing down" some "chow"? Maybe it was cute once, but it became exhaustive and pretty disgusting.
- Why, oh why, do skinny women write plus-sized women to be slovenly?
- Is it supposed to be cute and quirky that the main character's car is stuffed with food garbage?
- Why is her "best friend" this vindictive guy that is nothing but petty and mean to her? Malicious, self-serving Lance needs to grow up.
Speaking of growing up, all of the characters are written like something you'd find in a 13 year-old's journal on Wattpad. Actually, so is the plot. And the main character's internal monologue. Wait... Was this written by a 13 year old?
October 20, 2018
Rated 3.5 stars
Jaine is a writer who lives in the semi poor part of town and she loves her food but when her cat Prozac murders her neighbors parakeet a chain of bad luck for her. Peter is new to the neighborhood and decides to have a Halloween party but then the crabby Cryptessa ends up being killer by her own sign and of course Jaine is blamed due to the fact that whoever killed Cryptessa was wearing her costume. While Jaine tries to find out who really did kill Cryptessa she finds out that it could be any of the neighbors since they all have their secrets.
There are some funny moments between her nosy neighbor and friend or enemy Lance. They are both attracted to the new comer and their competition gets Jaine into a bit of funny moments.
Jaine is a writer who lives in the semi poor part of town and she loves her food but when her cat Prozac murders her neighbors parakeet a chain of bad luck for her. Peter is new to the neighborhood and decides to have a Halloween party but then the crabby Cryptessa ends up being killer by her own sign and of course Jaine is blamed due to the fact that whoever killed Cryptessa was wearing her costume. While Jaine tries to find out who really did kill Cryptessa she finds out that it could be any of the neighbors since they all have their secrets.
There are some funny moments between her nosy neighbor and friend or enemy Lance. They are both attracted to the new comer and their competition gets Jaine into a bit of funny moments.
November 19, 2012
Levine's biting wit and fun writing style shine in this Halloween-y whodunit.
Jaine's crazy cat leads her into trouble this time when not-nice neighbor and has-been TV star Cryptessa Muldoon ends up dead.
I don't want to give away the fun twists that kept me turning pages (and I didn't guess who did dunit until Levine wanted me to, which is always good), but suffice to say that if you're a Jaine fan, you'll love this hilarious installment in a fantastic series. I look forward to the next one!
Jaine's crazy cat leads her into trouble this time when not-nice neighbor and has-been TV star Cryptessa Muldoon ends up dead.
I don't want to give away the fun twists that kept me turning pages (and I didn't guess who did dunit until Levine wanted me to, which is always good), but suffice to say that if you're a Jaine fan, you'll love this hilarious installment in a fantastic series. I look forward to the next one!
December 24, 2012
Jayne Austen is supposed to be funny and quirky, but instead we are supposed to laugh at her because she repeatedly humiliates herself. The mystery was totally meh, the harping on the heroines flaws and bad behavior is over the top - fast food trash filled car, bad eating habits which are a staple in this genre come across as just obnoxious instead of sympathetic, her good friend and neighbor treats her like dirt and purposely humiliates her and she is just fine with it. Just not funny.
September 28, 2012
Couldn't finish. Writer tries too hard to be funny at the expense of setting the scene and character development. Plot could not overcome this shortcoming.
October 11, 2015
This was a quick run read---no great depths here but plenty of humor. If you need to pass some time and want to be entertained, this is the book for you.
August 12, 2025
I admittedly picked this book up because it was Halloween themed and had a cat on the cover. It was a cute little murder mystery story! Nothing crazy or mind blowing but I had a fun time.
My biggest qualm with the story was this girl’s obsession with food. It was a little more than a quirky trait with the amount she talked about it.
Otherwise it had all the classic tidbits of mystery book with plenty of suspects, everyone having a possible motive for the murder, and a twist ending. I will say I low key saw the ending coming but maybe that just means I’m a good detective. 🕵️♀️
My biggest qualm with the story was this girl’s obsession with food. It was a little more than a quirky trait with the amount she talked about it.
Otherwise it had all the classic tidbits of mystery book with plenty of suspects, everyone having a possible motive for the murder, and a twist ending. I will say I low key saw the ending coming but maybe that just means I’m a good detective. 🕵️♀️
July 28, 2024
Ding Dong the Witch is dead. Did Jaine stab her with the “no trespassing” sign or was it one of her whacky neighbors? Read it for a trick and a treat!!
I love Prozac and my two cats Sara and Oreo. I am single, but I guess I’m not really a “cat lady” because I have two children!!
PS - You don’t have to be a fashionista to know that the soles of Christian Louboutin
shoes are RED. Ms Levine describes them once as bright pink and a second time as fuschia - then again as iconic pink soles - is she colorblind?
I love Prozac and my two cats Sara and Oreo. I am single, but I guess I’m not really a “cat lady” because I have two children!!
PS - You don’t have to be a fashionista to know that the soles of Christian Louboutin
shoes are RED. Ms Levine describes them once as bright pink and a second time as fuschia - then again as iconic pink soles - is she colorblind?
July 10, 2024
I like the cat Prozac and the email conversation with her parents - really funny!
Liked Cryptessa Muldoon and her parakeet and bat.
Okay, some of the characters and themes in the series are endless repetitions but nevertheless funny.
Still entertaining fast food!
Liked Cryptessa Muldoon and her parakeet and bat.
Okay, some of the characters and themes in the series are endless repetitions but nevertheless funny.
Still entertaining fast food!
September 12, 2012
A day without laughter is a day wasted.- Charlie Chaplin
Don't waste another day - Jaine Austen awaits you for another comedic adventure from Laura Levine. For those new to Jaine, she is a free lance author, living "la vida loca" in LA. No, no, she is not dancing to Ricky Martin. Instead, Jaine plays amateur sleuth when dead bodies appear around her. She is abetted in these cozy mysteries by her outlandish neighbor (and shoe salesman) Lance; her faithful friend (and successful writer) Kandi; and her cavalier cat (and pantyhose killer) Prozac.
Levine lets the dogs (and howls) out for her Halloween themed new release, DEATH OF A NEIGHBORHOOD WITCH. Only Levine can deliver such zany characters - the victim is Cryptessa Muldoon, "television's fourth most famous monster mom". Cryptessa's success lasted one season (many moons ago) and she has since terrorized her neighbors. Thus, her neighbors become the prime suspects when Cryptessa is murdered with her own "No Trespassing" sign. I chuckled when Jaine discovered that Cryptessa made her TV debut as a corpse on Hawaii Five O ... I wonder what Jack Lord thought of Cryptessa!
Even Jack Lord would roll with laughter at Jaine's antics in solving the crime. Jaine leaves no stone unturned (or candy unwrapped) as she plows forward in her elastic waisted pants. That's the beauty of Jaine - she is imperfect. She's real. She's a character with whom readers can relate ... especially her rationale for stocking up on Halloween candy, knowing few kids will ring her doorbell (the grocery clerk doesn't buy into Jaine's excuses). Levine writes Jaine in such a way that I can feel the physical comedy ala Charlie Chaplin himself.
The crème de la crème - Janie's parents live in a Tampa condo. They separately send emails to complain of the other. Her mother has an overactive credit card and her father has an overactive imagination. Jaine's parents hit home for me as my parents live in a Tampa condo ... and I understand the seniors' shenanigans in their golden years.
DEATH OF A NEIGHBORHOOD WITCH is alive with humor. It is the funniest book of 2012! Must read for fans of cozy mysteries and unlimited laughter!
Don't waste another day - Jaine Austen awaits you for another comedic adventure from Laura Levine. For those new to Jaine, she is a free lance author, living "la vida loca" in LA. No, no, she is not dancing to Ricky Martin. Instead, Jaine plays amateur sleuth when dead bodies appear around her. She is abetted in these cozy mysteries by her outlandish neighbor (and shoe salesman) Lance; her faithful friend (and successful writer) Kandi; and her cavalier cat (and pantyhose killer) Prozac.
Levine lets the dogs (and howls) out for her Halloween themed new release, DEATH OF A NEIGHBORHOOD WITCH. Only Levine can deliver such zany characters - the victim is Cryptessa Muldoon, "television's fourth most famous monster mom". Cryptessa's success lasted one season (many moons ago) and she has since terrorized her neighbors. Thus, her neighbors become the prime suspects when Cryptessa is murdered with her own "No Trespassing" sign. I chuckled when Jaine discovered that Cryptessa made her TV debut as a corpse on Hawaii Five O ... I wonder what Jack Lord thought of Cryptessa!
Even Jack Lord would roll with laughter at Jaine's antics in solving the crime. Jaine leaves no stone unturned (or candy unwrapped) as she plows forward in her elastic waisted pants. That's the beauty of Jaine - she is imperfect. She's real. She's a character with whom readers can relate ... especially her rationale for stocking up on Halloween candy, knowing few kids will ring her doorbell (the grocery clerk doesn't buy into Jaine's excuses). Levine writes Jaine in such a way that I can feel the physical comedy ala Charlie Chaplin himself.
The crème de la crème - Janie's parents live in a Tampa condo. They separately send emails to complain of the other. Her mother has an overactive credit card and her father has an overactive imagination. Jaine's parents hit home for me as my parents live in a Tampa condo ... and I understand the seniors' shenanigans in their golden years.
DEATH OF A NEIGHBORHOOD WITCH is alive with humor. It is the funniest book of 2012! Must read for fans of cozy mysteries and unlimited laughter!
January 2, 2019
THIS cannot be the first book I read in 2019. Technically this is a hanger on from 2018 and I just wanted rid so I could return it to the library. Sweet Baby Jesus this was a bad book.
My Mother always used to say “if you can’t say anything nice.....” and for the most part that is my review philosophy on GoodReads. If I don’t like something, let it go and move onto something else that IS my cup of tea. After all we’re all different. We like different things, even different genres. I then think about the hours and hours of research, plot planning and other diligent work by the author and I feel mean expressing anything less than glowing. However this was SO bad that I feel it’s almost a public service to warn people.
My main beef has to be the characters. What a vile bunch of nasty, vicious and bitchy people. I swear the heroine of the tale (Jaine Austen.... I should have just walked away then) didn’t have one friend, including her so-called “best friend” (the vilest of the bunch), Lance. The storyline was bland and predictable, the characters vile and barely one-dimensional. Thank goodness I got this from the library (a last minute addition to my pile of books) because it would hurt even more had I paid for this.
If I could give it 0 stars I would. Sorry Laura Levine (truly) but this was NOT for me.
My Mother always used to say “if you can’t say anything nice.....” and for the most part that is my review philosophy on GoodReads. If I don’t like something, let it go and move onto something else that IS my cup of tea. After all we’re all different. We like different things, even different genres. I then think about the hours and hours of research, plot planning and other diligent work by the author and I feel mean expressing anything less than glowing. However this was SO bad that I feel it’s almost a public service to warn people.
My main beef has to be the characters. What a vile bunch of nasty, vicious and bitchy people. I swear the heroine of the tale (Jaine Austen.... I should have just walked away then) didn’t have one friend, including her so-called “best friend” (the vilest of the bunch), Lance. The storyline was bland and predictable, the characters vile and barely one-dimensional. Thank goodness I got this from the library (a last minute addition to my pile of books) because it would hurt even more had I paid for this.
If I could give it 0 stars I would. Sorry Laura Levine (truly) but this was NOT for me.
July 16, 2022
Solid entry in the series. You either like Laura Levine's brand of humor or you don't. It's a over the top, sometimes cringe-inducing when Jaine is about to do something particularly stupid but it doesn't take itself seriously and can be genuinely funny. The scene stealing cat Prozac is the stereotypical self-centered feline as Jaine attributes various points of view for the cat, but does love Pro devotedly. (A friend read one and refused to read another, saying that Jaine didn't like the cat. It does sound like that but Jaine has proven time and again she does-- no matter what she says.) As usual, some of the incidents are improbable I just go with the flow. The standard series of emails from Mom and Daddy-o are delightful.
March 13, 2016
Though the solution to this mystery was a rehash of the very first book, it upped its quality somewhat. I had a nasty surprise incoming when I read a ploy ripped off Desperate Housewives, of all sitcoms! God knows what else was lifted for this messy story. What was the point of no return was the transformation of Lance Venable, the heterosexually challenged neighbor of Jaine. He was insufferable. It was supposed to bring a cute but naughty touch to the fore. But the guy was like a villain twirling a comedic handlebar moustache. I'm quite let down, but I will continue reading these manageable, small packets of books if the author keeps churning them out. Even all things considered.
November 4, 2024
Death of a Neighbourhood Witch by Laura Levine is the 11th book in the Jaine Austen mystery series. Jaine's neighbour, ex actress Cryptessa Muldoon , sues Jaine when her pet bird dies after seeing Prozac. When Cryptessa is killed by being stabbed by her Do Not Trespass sign, Jaine is suspected and investigates. A very funny and enjoyable book with lots of twists and an entertaining side story when Jaine's father suspects a neighbour of murder. Lance was particularly obnoxious in this book and I wish that Jaine would stand up for herself a bit more.
September 16, 2013
Read for my book club. Maybe it's just not a book for me, but the not thing I looked forward to was the end. Felt like a beginning readers book to me. Looking forward to the clubs thoughts.
January 28, 2014
Completely predictable. But a quick read that one can breeze through in a seating. If you are looking for Stephanie Plum, Jaine Austen might disappoint you.
September 21, 2015
An entertaining Halloween cozy mystery.
did-not-finish
October 7, 2021DNF @ 5%
The cover on this book drew me in... and taught me a very important lesson about not judging books by their covers. What lies inside is not necessarily ugly - I'm sure there are plenty of people who might enjoy this - but rather deeply unappealing to me on a personal and borderline triggering level.
From the very first page, I knew I was going to have a bad time. The way the main character spoke of her own choice to eat Halloween candy made me feel icky. She shamed herself strongly, and then the author chose to add a nasty cashier who added to the shaming... without even challenging such disgusting treatment of another human. (In fact, it's played for laughs.)
I just... are you kidding me, here?! First off, it's unlikely a cashier would be stupid enough to say that in front of the customer. Second, it's Halloween candy. Everyone eats some of their own stash. The context here is that, feeling awkward, the MC overemphasized that she was stocking up for trick-or-treaters. Are we supposed to believe she just so happened to get this bully of a cashier who wouldn't just laugh it off, keep quiet, or believe her?
This is not funny, in my eyes. And that's not the only instance, either.
Other things I find completely annoying instead of entertaining include:
* A cat named Prozac and the groan-inducing, inevitable mix-ups caused by the name.
* The MC's cat escapes her house. She has to chase the cat, which rightfully annoys the neighbour who suddenly has a cat and a person on her lawn, ignoring the No Trespassing sign. The neighbour has a bird, which sees the cat through a window and basically has a heart attack. When the neighbour yells at the MC for killing the bird, the MC barely cares and makes a huge deal of how all she did was stand there... where she and her cat had no right to be in the first place. The bird's death is basically played for laughs with her offering the painted pumpkin her cat was chewing on as a sick consolation.
* When she has to help the neighbour bury the poor bird, the dumbass MC wears her brand new shoes... just so there can be another 'funny' moment in which she steps in some oil from a lawn mower and ruins her brand new shoes. Which she wore. Knowing she was about to be standing and digging a bird-grave in dirt and grass.
* The dead bird's owner mourns while wearing practically a widow's outfit and sings a ridiculous eulogy song that literally mentions how the bird's poops popped out his butt when he was alive. (Yes, really). Because haha mentally unstable people who are attached to their pets, I guess...?
* The MC starts talking soul mate potential in her head two minutes after meeting a guy.
Just... no. This is not my brand of humour. I hate to give up on a book this cute on the outside, but when all of these things happen in the first chapter I think I need to admit this book isn't a good fit for me.
The cover on this book drew me in... and taught me a very important lesson about not judging books by their covers. What lies inside is not necessarily ugly - I'm sure there are plenty of people who might enjoy this - but rather deeply unappealing to me on a personal and borderline triggering level.
From the very first page, I knew I was going to have a bad time. The way the main character spoke of her own choice to eat Halloween candy made me feel icky. She shamed herself strongly, and then the author chose to add a nasty cashier who added to the shaming... without even challenging such disgusting treatment of another human. (In fact, it's played for laughs.)
I heard her whisper to the bag boy as I walked away, “Ten to one she’ll be breaking into those Snickers at the first stoplight.”
How utterly ridiculous.
I didn’t break into them until the third stoplight.
I just... are you kidding me, here?! First off, it's unlikely a cashier would be stupid enough to say that in front of the customer. Second, it's Halloween candy. Everyone eats some of their own stash. The context here is that, feeling awkward, the MC overemphasized that she was stocking up for trick-or-treaters. Are we supposed to believe she just so happened to get this bully of a cashier who wouldn't just laugh it off, keep quiet, or believe her?
This is not funny, in my eyes. And that's not the only instance, either.
Other things I find completely annoying instead of entertaining include:
* A cat named Prozac and the groan-inducing, inevitable mix-ups caused by the name.
* The MC's cat escapes her house. She has to chase the cat, which rightfully annoys the neighbour who suddenly has a cat and a person on her lawn, ignoring the No Trespassing sign. The neighbour has a bird, which sees the cat through a window and basically has a heart attack. When the neighbour yells at the MC for killing the bird, the MC barely cares and makes a huge deal of how all she did was stand there... where she and her cat had no right to be in the first place. The bird's death is basically played for laughs with her offering the painted pumpkin her cat was chewing on as a sick consolation.
“I know it’s small consolation for the loss of your beloved pet, but I hope you’ll accept this colorful Halloween pumpkin as a token of my apology.” I held out Pumpkin Face.
“Get the hell out of here!” she shrieked.
Only too happy to oblige, I grabbed Prozac and scooted off to freedom, leaving the pumpkin behind, just in case Cryptessa changed her mind.
* When she has to help the neighbour bury the poor bird, the dumbass MC wears her brand new shoes... just so there can be another 'funny' moment in which she steps in some oil from a lawn mower and ruins her brand new shoes. Which she wore. Knowing she was about to be standing and digging a bird-grave in dirt and grass.
* The dead bird's owner mourns while wearing practically a widow's outfit and sings a ridiculous eulogy song that literally mentions how the bird's poops popped out his butt when he was alive. (Yes, really). Because haha mentally unstable people who are attached to their pets, I guess...?
* The MC starts talking soul mate potential in her head two minutes after meeting a guy.
Just... no. This is not my brand of humour. I hate to give up on a book this cute on the outside, but when all of these things happen in the first chapter I think I need to admit this book isn't a good fit for me.
January 25, 2022
Amateur sleuth, Jaine Austen (Pampered to Death, 2011, etc.), is back at it again in a Halloween-themed murder mystery which involves one dead parakeet named Van Helsing, a rented ape suit, and the neighborhood witch.
When her cat, Prozac, snatches her newly-bought miniature painted pumpkin, Jaine Austen, freelance advertiser, is forced to abandon her bags of Halloween candy and chase Prozac up the street into the yard of the infamous Cryptessa Muldoon (a.k.a. the neighborhood witch), an old, miserable, washed up, third-rate sitcom star from decades past. Upon seeing Prozac, Cryptessa’s beloved pet parakeet, Van Helsing, drops dead on the spot, and Cryptessa intends to make Jaine pay for what her cat has done. After digging a grave for the bird and planting some petunias, Jaine thinks that her and Cryptessa are even until Jaine is served with a law suit filed by Cryptessa for the wrongful death of her parakeet. Meanwhile, Jaine is hired by Marvelous Marv of Mattress King Mattresses to revamp his marketing campaign. More specifically, Marv would like Jaine to create a character who is like "a hip and edgy Goldilocks with a bad back.” Jaine aims to prioritize her work but becomes even more distracted by competing with her friend Lance for the affections of the handsome and charming new neighbor, Peter Connor. Lance makes matter worse by sabotaging Jaine’s Halloween costume plans by switching her cute flapper dress for an ape suit to make her appear less appealing to Peter. When Cryptessa is suddenly murdered during Peter’s Halloween party by someone in an ape suit, Jaine is at the top of the suspect list. She is determined to clear her name by solving the murder on her own, but it’s proving to be difficult because, as it turns out, almost everyone in the neighborhood had reason to despise Cryptessa. Don’t let the elastic-waist pants fool you; be it the hunky neighbor down the block or a deranged witch killer on the loose, you can “bet your bottom Pop-Tart” that Jaine won’t stop until she bags her man.
Humorous and witty with lovable, quirky characters, this title hits the mark in the cozy mystery genre with a bit of PG sass.
When her cat, Prozac, snatches her newly-bought miniature painted pumpkin, Jaine Austen, freelance advertiser, is forced to abandon her bags of Halloween candy and chase Prozac up the street into the yard of the infamous Cryptessa Muldoon (a.k.a. the neighborhood witch), an old, miserable, washed up, third-rate sitcom star from decades past. Upon seeing Prozac, Cryptessa’s beloved pet parakeet, Van Helsing, drops dead on the spot, and Cryptessa intends to make Jaine pay for what her cat has done. After digging a grave for the bird and planting some petunias, Jaine thinks that her and Cryptessa are even until Jaine is served with a law suit filed by Cryptessa for the wrongful death of her parakeet. Meanwhile, Jaine is hired by Marvelous Marv of Mattress King Mattresses to revamp his marketing campaign. More specifically, Marv would like Jaine to create a character who is like "a hip and edgy Goldilocks with a bad back.” Jaine aims to prioritize her work but becomes even more distracted by competing with her friend Lance for the affections of the handsome and charming new neighbor, Peter Connor. Lance makes matter worse by sabotaging Jaine’s Halloween costume plans by switching her cute flapper dress for an ape suit to make her appear less appealing to Peter. When Cryptessa is suddenly murdered during Peter’s Halloween party by someone in an ape suit, Jaine is at the top of the suspect list. She is determined to clear her name by solving the murder on her own, but it’s proving to be difficult because, as it turns out, almost everyone in the neighborhood had reason to despise Cryptessa. Don’t let the elastic-waist pants fool you; be it the hunky neighbor down the block or a deranged witch killer on the loose, you can “bet your bottom Pop-Tart” that Jaine won’t stop until she bags her man.
Humorous and witty with lovable, quirky characters, this title hits the mark in the cozy mystery genre with a bit of PG sass.
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