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Mad for Mod Mystery #1
Pillow Stalk
HUMOR AND DANGER MELD PERFECTLY… "A multifaceted story...plenty of surprises...And what an ending!" – New York Journal of Books
Interior Decorator Madison Night might look like a throwback to the sixties, but as business owner and landlord, she proves that independent women can have it all. But when a killer targets women dressed in her signature style—estate sale vintage to play up her resemblance to fave actress Doris Day—what makes her unique might make her dead. The local detective connects the new crime to a twenty-year old cold case, and Madison's long-trusted contractor emerges as the leading suspect. As the body count piles up, Madison uncovers a Soviet spy, a campaign to destroy all Doris Day movies, and six minutes of film that will change her life forever.
Praise for PILLOW STALK:"Make room for Vallere’s tremendously fun homage. Imbuing her story with plenty of mid-century modern decorating and fashion tips, not to mention a steady patter of Doris Day trivia, Vallere debuts a well-paced cozy series. Her disarmingly honest lead and two hunky sidekicks will appeal to all fashionistas and antiques types and have romance crossover appeal." – Library Journal
"If you are looking for an unconventional mystery with a snarky, no-nonsense main character, this is it. Madison is a strong leading lady who lands in lots of quirky situations. Instead of clashing, humor and danger meld perfectly, and there’s a cliffhanger that will make your jaw drop. You’ll look forward to the second Mad for Mod mystery." – RT Book Reviews
"A charming modern tribute to Doris Day movies and the retro era of the 50s, including murders, escalating danger, romance... and a puppy!" – Linda O. Johnston, Author of the Pet Rescue Mysteries
"Pillow Stalk is an intricately plotted and well-written book, I really enjoyed the story. I can't imagine decorating a house in the style from Doris Day's movies but it makes fine reading." – Leanne Davis, Fresh Fiction
"It was fast and furious, had a lot of info, characters, suspects, and even a few tangled romances. I love mysteries where I can’t figure out who the real killer is until the end, and this was one of those. The novel was well written, moved at a smooth pace, and Madison’s character was a riot." – ChickLit Plus
"If you love the Technicolor movies of Doris Day and Rock Hudson and watch Mad Men for fashion tips, author Diane Vallere has written a mystery that will appeal to the mid-century modern heart." – Joanne Hamilton-Selway, ReaderToReader.com
Books in the Mad for Mod Humorous Mystery Series: MIDNIGHT INK (prequel novella in OTHER PEOPLE’S BAGGAGE) PILLOW STALK (#1) THAT TOUCH OF INK (#2) (April 1, 2014) WITH VICS YOU GET EGGROLL (#3) (April 2015)Part of the Henery Press Mystery Series Collection, if you like one, you'll probably like them all...
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2012
318 people are currently reading
2340 people want to read
About the author
Diane Vallere
83 books1,013 followersRequest MURDER ON A MOON TREK on NetGalley: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...
I use Goodreads to track my reading and TBR list. For that reason, my rating scale is less important. I don't force myself to finish books, and I don't rate books I DNF. Each year I choose my own BOTY from my have-read list.
AUTHOR BIO: Diane Vallere is the national bestselling author of several mystery series. She edited the Agatha Award-winning essay collection Promophobia: Taking the Mystery out of Promoting Crime Fiction. Diane majored in art history at the College of William and Mary and worked in luxury retailing before reigniting her love of fiction. She currently lives in Pennsylvania. Find out more at: www.dianevallere.com.
Amazon: http://bit.ly/DianeVallere
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3aVXczm
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2RfiyAE
I use Goodreads to track my reading and TBR list. For that reason, my rating scale is less important. I don't force myself to finish books, and I don't rate books I DNF. Each year I choose my own BOTY from my have-read list.
AUTHOR BIO: Diane Vallere is the national bestselling author of several mystery series. She edited the Agatha Award-winning essay collection Promophobia: Taking the Mystery out of Promoting Crime Fiction. Diane majored in art history at the College of William and Mary and worked in luxury retailing before reigniting her love of fiction. She currently lives in Pennsylvania. Find out more at: www.dianevallere.com.
Amazon: http://bit.ly/DianeVallere
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3aVXczm
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2RfiyAE
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
October 24, 2017
Madison Night has started over in Dallas, and her life is going well, including her interior design company specializing in mid-century modern designs. However, things take a surprising turn when she finds an acquaintance dead under her car. Suddenly, the police won’t leave her alone. But is that because they think her friend is the killer? Or is it because she might be the next victim?
This book starts strong and never lets go. It’s filled with twists and turns that kept the pages flying. I did feel the climax had a timing hole in it, but it’s a minor issue in an other wise very fun story. Madison is a fresh main character, although the supporting players could use a bit more development, something I’m hoping for in future books. We certainly see hints of it here.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
This book starts strong and never lets go. It’s filled with twists and turns that kept the pages flying. I did feel the climax had a timing hole in it, but it’s a minor issue in an other wise very fun story. Madison is a fresh main character, although the supporting players could use a bit more development, something I’m hoping for in future books. We certainly see hints of it here.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
February 2, 2018
I enjoyed this cozy mystery. I read a review about this series by a blogger whose recommendations I enjoy. I had by-passed this series in the past due to the protagonist being a large Doris Day fan. I like Doris Day but didn't know if I would like a series based on this.
Well, I found out I really enjoyed this book. Madison Night is a mid century (the term makes me feel old) interior designer. Madison goes for her morning swim and a new competitor who dresses and resembles Doris Day is found murdered at the back of Madison's car. One of Madison's pillows was used to commit the murder. This is just the start of the murders. One thing in common is that the victims all resemble Doris Day. One murder happened twenty years ago. To top this off, Madison receives threatening notes and is physically attacked.
There is a dog named Rocky for Rock Hudson. Her handyman has a feisty cat. Madison has an independent personality. The mystery was good. I didn't know who the murderer was until the end of the book. I have downloaded the 2nd book to read. This is a good cozy read.
Well, I found out I really enjoyed this book. Madison Night is a mid century (the term makes me feel old) interior designer. Madison goes for her morning swim and a new competitor who dresses and resembles Doris Day is found murdered at the back of Madison's car. One of Madison's pillows was used to commit the murder. This is just the start of the murders. One thing in common is that the victims all resemble Doris Day. One murder happened twenty years ago. To top this off, Madison receives threatening notes and is physically attacked.
There is a dog named Rocky for Rock Hudson. Her handyman has a feisty cat. Madison has an independent personality. The mystery was good. I didn't know who the murderer was until the end of the book. I have downloaded the 2nd book to read. This is a good cozy read.
April 11, 2014
I received an ARC from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Net Galley and to Henery Press for approving my request.
Madison Night owns the shop, Mad For Mod. She's a 47 year old interior decorator who has been in the business for over 20 years. When the story begins, Madison calls a Mr Johnson, executor of the estate for his mother. Madison wants to write a check to Mr Johnson for the entire estate he's managing because she's done her research, and she knows she will be able to incorporate most items from the estate into her business. Mr Johnson didn't believe Madison was serious, so he hung up on her, only to call back later agreeing to accept her offer.
Madison shares a birthday with the singer/actress, Doris Day, and she's a huge fan of the Doris Day movies. I'm familiar with Doris Day movies since I spent plenty of Saturday afternoons sitting in movie theaters watching her and Rock Hudson in my younger days. Doris Day gave me hours of entertainment, and she proved what a wonderful comedienne a woman can be when given the opportunity and first rate material. It was no surprise that Madison also has a Shih Tzu named Rocky after Rock Hudson.
Madison has a knee injury which prevents her from doing very strenuous exercise, so she took up swimming at a local club, Crestwood. She likes it there and enjoys the company of the senior citizens who also go there. Pamela Ritter, a newly licensed realtor, has also begun swimming at Crestwood even though she's much younger than the other women. Her exercise activity got cut very short when she was murdered in the Crestwood parking lot. At the time she was wearing Madison's cover-up robe and was under Madison's car.
Diane Vallere has done a wonderful job of combining diverse activities into one woman's life. Madison is not wrapped up in any romantic entanglements, although there is a man she feels close to but has never pursued a relationship with him beyond friendship. I liked that about Madison because while she is capable of loving someone, she's content with her business and her involvement with The Mummy, a local movie house that shows old films. Until the murders began, she was fulfilled by what she chose to do with her life and the people she included in it. Hudson James, the handyman Madison calls whenever she has a repair job on one of the pieces of furniture she's going to use for a customer's home make-over, is very good at what he does, but he's a loner and has a cat that makes Cujo look like Bambi. Madison has asked Hudson to become her partner in Mad For Mod, but so far he has declined the opportunity. Hudson has issues in his past that prevent him from becoming involved with anyone in a more than superficial way. Since Madison has a similar experience with a past relationship, she does not press Hdson further either for business or pleasure. This does not mean, however that both these adults don't have moments when they'd like to move on to the next level.
And then the murder of Pamela Ritter occurs shaking everyone up and adding strain to everyone's life.
The story moves forward with twists and turns that keep everyone guessing who is killing women who have had some connection to Doris Day. There are enough surprises in store for Madison to keep her involved with a certain police detective and his investigation into what becomes multiple murders, and this includes a copy of the movie Pillow Talk that shows a side to Doris Day no one would ever have expected.
I would recommend **Pillow Stalk** to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, appreciates women's fiction, with a teaser at the end that made me want to get my hands on the sequel ASAP! You just can't beat that in a reading experience.
Madison Night owns the shop, Mad For Mod. She's a 47 year old interior decorator who has been in the business for over 20 years. When the story begins, Madison calls a Mr Johnson, executor of the estate for his mother. Madison wants to write a check to Mr Johnson for the entire estate he's managing because she's done her research, and she knows she will be able to incorporate most items from the estate into her business. Mr Johnson didn't believe Madison was serious, so he hung up on her, only to call back later agreeing to accept her offer.
Madison shares a birthday with the singer/actress, Doris Day, and she's a huge fan of the Doris Day movies. I'm familiar with Doris Day movies since I spent plenty of Saturday afternoons sitting in movie theaters watching her and Rock Hudson in my younger days. Doris Day gave me hours of entertainment, and she proved what a wonderful comedienne a woman can be when given the opportunity and first rate material. It was no surprise that Madison also has a Shih Tzu named Rocky after Rock Hudson.
Madison has a knee injury which prevents her from doing very strenuous exercise, so she took up swimming at a local club, Crestwood. She likes it there and enjoys the company of the senior citizens who also go there. Pamela Ritter, a newly licensed realtor, has also begun swimming at Crestwood even though she's much younger than the other women. Her exercise activity got cut very short when she was murdered in the Crestwood parking lot. At the time she was wearing Madison's cover-up robe and was under Madison's car.
Diane Vallere has done a wonderful job of combining diverse activities into one woman's life. Madison is not wrapped up in any romantic entanglements, although there is a man she feels close to but has never pursued a relationship with him beyond friendship. I liked that about Madison because while she is capable of loving someone, she's content with her business and her involvement with The Mummy, a local movie house that shows old films. Until the murders began, she was fulfilled by what she chose to do with her life and the people she included in it. Hudson James, the handyman Madison calls whenever she has a repair job on one of the pieces of furniture she's going to use for a customer's home make-over, is very good at what he does, but he's a loner and has a cat that makes Cujo look like Bambi. Madison has asked Hudson to become her partner in Mad For Mod, but so far he has declined the opportunity. Hudson has issues in his past that prevent him from becoming involved with anyone in a more than superficial way. Since Madison has a similar experience with a past relationship, she does not press Hdson further either for business or pleasure. This does not mean, however that both these adults don't have moments when they'd like to move on to the next level.
And then the murder of Pamela Ritter occurs shaking everyone up and adding strain to everyone's life.
The story moves forward with twists and turns that keep everyone guessing who is killing women who have had some connection to Doris Day. There are enough surprises in store for Madison to keep her involved with a certain police detective and his investigation into what becomes multiple murders, and this includes a copy of the movie Pillow Talk that shows a side to Doris Day no one would ever have expected.
I would recommend **Pillow Stalk** to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, appreciates women's fiction, with a teaser at the end that made me want to get my hands on the sequel ASAP! You just can't beat that in a reading experience.
Read
May 28, 2020Get a sneak peek at chapter one here: https://www.dianevallere.com/pillow-s...
August 10, 2022
Book 1. The first book in series is of Madison a woman that has bad luck with men. So she moved away from all her troubles and became her own boss in a Redecorating Planner which she had visions the right styles and fits for her clients she had a Great craftsmanship man that she hired that was really talented. She wondered why he did not find slot of work involving his work.
. She also had a job The Mummy with her boss Richard. She helped do events and other things for town.( And also she was a owner of some apartments. ) But when Maddie decided to talk to Richard about her next setting would be for The 4th July Event. Doris Day films and and people dressing up like he'd Loved Icon. But Richard vetoed that. Anyways there was a lady named Pamela that worked in the same work as Maddie's business Redecorating. ( Maddie felt like she stole that line of Work) Her and Maddie were at a pool that Made always went to. And somehow Maddie gave Pamela a Robe for her to goo outside and fetch something from Maddie' s car. But after awhile when she had not showed up She went in parking lot and she found Panel's body slumped on her Made car. She called it in but it was to late. She was hoity to the Chief Tex. But along time things started not adding up in the investigation. Yes started summing up some information about a 20 year old murder where her Craftsman was a suspect of killing the young woman. Oh Wow! Kudos to Diane Valerre this story has slot of Twists and Turns that made me Second guessing who the real Killers were. I would say oh that 's the killer. Or oh that must be the killer. But to no Avail. Her story will Leaving guessing what you had read and the information that was in the story line. I give this book a 10. I also had this book in my L node Library over 2 years and never read it. Glad I did now I have a new Author to read
. She also had a job The Mummy with her boss Richard. She helped do events and other things for town.( And also she was a owner of some apartments. ) But when Maddie decided to talk to Richard about her next setting would be for The 4th July Event. Doris Day films and and people dressing up like he'd Loved Icon. But Richard vetoed that. Anyways there was a lady named Pamela that worked in the same work as Maddie's business Redecorating. ( Maddie felt like she stole that line of Work) Her and Maddie were at a pool that Made always went to. And somehow Maddie gave Pamela a Robe for her to goo outside and fetch something from Maddie' s car. But after awhile when she had not showed up She went in parking lot and she found Panel's body slumped on her Made car. She called it in but it was to late. She was hoity to the Chief Tex. But along time things started not adding up in the investigation. Yes started summing up some information about a 20 year old murder where her Craftsman was a suspect of killing the young woman. Oh Wow! Kudos to Diane Valerre this story has slot of Twists and Turns that made me Second guessing who the real Killers were. I would say oh that 's the killer. Or oh that must be the killer. But to no Avail. Her story will Leaving guessing what you had read and the information that was in the story line. I give this book a 10. I also had this book in my L node Library over 2 years and never read it. Glad I did now I have a new Author to read
August 7, 2012
I won this book through First Reads giveaways.
I enjoyed this book for two main reasons:
1. I love Doris Day. Not to the extent of the woman in this book but she was an amazing woman.
2. I had 0 idea who did it until the end. I am so happy it wasn't predictable and relieved the ending wasn't either.
A good read for mystery lovers.
I enjoyed this book for two main reasons:
1. I love Doris Day. Not to the extent of the woman in this book but she was an amazing woman.
2. I had 0 idea who did it until the end. I am so happy it wasn't predictable and relieved the ending wasn't either.
A good read for mystery lovers.
December 14, 2022
Saddened to say this but this was quite boring honestly.
The mystery was genuinely good but it was so stretched that I felt like it kept going on and on with nothing substantial happening and I was literally looking at the number of pages left while reading this book. The characters fell a bit flat as well and by that I mean I did not like any of them - at all. Madison Night has to be one of the most infuriating characters I have ever come across and "Tex" was no better. I did not appreciate the humor of his name obviously.
Part of the reason that hampered my enjoyment was I know nothing about Doris Day and thus could not fully comprehend the characters' obsession with her and her movies. The only times I was positively thrilled were when the mystery seemed to move in a particular direction and especially the end big reveal.
The cliffhanger had me a bit curious as to what might happen next but I am on the fence about whether it's worth it to pick a book just to find out the mystery.
The mystery was genuinely good but it was so stretched that I felt like it kept going on and on with nothing substantial happening and I was literally looking at the number of pages left while reading this book. The characters fell a bit flat as well and by that I mean I did not like any of them - at all. Madison Night has to be one of the most infuriating characters I have ever come across and "Tex" was no better. I did not appreciate the humor of his name obviously.
Part of the reason that hampered my enjoyment was I know nothing about Doris Day and thus could not fully comprehend the characters' obsession with her and her movies. The only times I was positively thrilled were when the mystery seemed to move in a particular direction and especially the end big reveal.
The cliffhanger had me a bit curious as to what might happen next but I am on the fence about whether it's worth it to pick a book just to find out the mystery.
November 22, 2024
First time reading this author and found the premise of this story absolutely adorable. As a fan of Doris Day, I loved the numerous references to Doris, her movies and the mod style of interior design and fashion.
I liked Madison and found her to be an interesting character. She and Doris Day share a birthday and I would go so far to say she’s Doris’s biggest fan. She is such a loyal fan that she named her puppy ”Rocky” in acknowledgement of one of Doris’s co-stars, Rock Hudson. Unfortunately, not everyone is a fan and Madison discovers that the villain will murder to get what they want. Unfortunately, the victims, like Madison, were all dressed in the Doris Day style. I quickly began to wonder if Madison were the actual target.
This story is well crafted and the visualization I received at the author’s precise and detailed description of the mod style of décor and fashion gave me the feeling I was standing in the room with Madison. The plot moves at a good pace without feeling rushed and I struggled to the end of the story without ever figuring out who the killer was.
I went with the audiobook format for this story and enjoyed the narration performed by Susie Berneis. Her portrayal of each character brought out their personalities flawlessly. I was easily able to connect and relate to Madison and had a lot of empathy for her situation. Madison is like a lot of other cozy heroines who, through chance or fate, finds herself in the killer’s sights, thus needing to be rescued, as it seemed the killer was always two steps of her.
The supporting characters were great, as well. They balanced the story wonderfully. I’m not sure if there is a relationship in store for Madison in the future, but I really enjoyed that the focus was on the murders instead of romance.
My Final Verdict: Overall, I found this to be a really good story that will appeal to cozy mystery fans and if you love Doris Day too, then all the better. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to the publisher, Henery Press, who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
I liked Madison and found her to be an interesting character. She and Doris Day share a birthday and I would go so far to say she’s Doris’s biggest fan. She is such a loyal fan that she named her puppy ”Rocky” in acknowledgement of one of Doris’s co-stars, Rock Hudson. Unfortunately, not everyone is a fan and Madison discovers that the villain will murder to get what they want. Unfortunately, the victims, like Madison, were all dressed in the Doris Day style. I quickly began to wonder if Madison were the actual target.
This story is well crafted and the visualization I received at the author’s precise and detailed description of the mod style of décor and fashion gave me the feeling I was standing in the room with Madison. The plot moves at a good pace without feeling rushed and I struggled to the end of the story without ever figuring out who the killer was.
I went with the audiobook format for this story and enjoyed the narration performed by Susie Berneis. Her portrayal of each character brought out their personalities flawlessly. I was easily able to connect and relate to Madison and had a lot of empathy for her situation. Madison is like a lot of other cozy heroines who, through chance or fate, finds herself in the killer’s sights, thus needing to be rescued, as it seemed the killer was always two steps of her.
The supporting characters were great, as well. They balanced the story wonderfully. I’m not sure if there is a relationship in store for Madison in the future, but I really enjoyed that the focus was on the murders instead of romance.
My Final Verdict: Overall, I found this to be a really good story that will appeal to cozy mystery fans and if you love Doris Day too, then all the better. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to the publisher, Henery Press, who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
January 15, 2021
Madison Knight is a very likable character. She is not the average mid-twenty professional, often just without a job, we know from this genre. Madison is 47 and a strong, independent woman with her own successfull decorating company. And of course she's seen some troubles in her life and made some not so clever choices. So far, so good.
What I like about the book was Madison herself, and the way she refuses to be treated as a weak person. She prefers to keep her weaknessess for herself. Usually she does a good job with that, until she meets police officer Tex - just when she thinks her friendship with handyman Hudson could maybe lead to something more.
Complications, complications.
Why I in the end gave the book 3 stars instead of 4: the running (or driving) around. I was getting tired of reading how many times Madison, Hudson and Tex were sitting in a car driving between the police station, Hudson's home, Madison's home and workshop and the theatre. The animal - I won't tell what animal here because that would be a spoiler, but during the story an animal ends up in Madison's home and she doesn't even try to feed or water it for two whole days. She keeps on doing what she is doing. I really felt for the poor animal.
Last but not least: the ending. After reading a 'mystery' I expect a suprise at the end. Yes, it was a surprise. More of the kind of surprise you expect in a children's book, sadly. I couldn't believe my eyes, to be honest. On top of that, there is some sort of second ending, leading to the next book in the series, I think.
I would love to read more about Madison but I'm not sure yet what to think. I think I will try the second book to see whether the author comes up with a better ending for her story.
What I like about the book was Madison herself, and the way she refuses to be treated as a weak person. She prefers to keep her weaknessess for herself. Usually she does a good job with that, until she meets police officer Tex - just when she thinks her friendship with handyman Hudson could maybe lead to something more.
Complications, complications.
Why I in the end gave the book 3 stars instead of 4: the running (or driving) around. I was getting tired of reading how many times Madison, Hudson and Tex were sitting in a car driving between the police station, Hudson's home, Madison's home and workshop and the theatre. The animal - I won't tell what animal here because that would be a spoiler, but during the story an animal ends up in Madison's home and she doesn't even try to feed or water it for two whole days. She keeps on doing what she is doing. I really felt for the poor animal.
Last but not least: the ending. After reading a 'mystery' I expect a suprise at the end. Yes, it was a surprise. More of the kind of surprise you expect in a children's book, sadly. I couldn't believe my eyes, to be honest. On top of that, there is some sort of second ending, leading to the next book in the series, I think.
I would love to read more about Madison but I'm not sure yet what to think. I think I will try the second book to see whether the author comes up with a better ending for her story.
November 4, 2019
I really enjoyed. At times the story seemed confusing and I felt there wasn't a big suspect pool (turned out I wasn't including some characters). I liked Madison and her business. And of course now I want to watch a ton of Doris Day movies!
September 10, 2014
Can't wait to get going with this one, I'm still waiting patiently next to the door. I'm sure the postman is smirking at me....
.... Wow. Well it arrived. and I have now read it and OMG that ending, I need the next book, when's the next book out?? When can I have it!!!
Thank you Goodreads and Diane Vallere for giving me an ARC of this book. I don't know what I originally expected but this really surprised me.
Pillow Talk was about an Interior Decorator, Madison Night, who modeled her life after characters that Doris Day portraits in her films during the 1960s. (I must say now that I haven't really watched any but that really didn't matter, all you need to know is vaguely what she represented - the rest is there for you to read). I found Madison to be a really likable independent woman (who didn't fawn all over men - BONUS) and who some how finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation (very Angela Lansbury I know).
It's been along time since I read a mystery book that I didn't find predictable so I was ecstatic to get over half way through and find I still had no idea 'who dunnit'. This book was just so refreshing. It wasn't to heavy or full of waffled facts and data like others I have read. It was just great.
.... Wow. Well it arrived. and I have now read it and OMG that ending, I need the next book, when's the next book out?? When can I have it!!!
Thank you Goodreads and Diane Vallere for giving me an ARC of this book. I don't know what I originally expected but this really surprised me.
Pillow Talk was about an Interior Decorator, Madison Night, who modeled her life after characters that Doris Day portraits in her films during the 1960s. (I must say now that I haven't really watched any but that really didn't matter, all you need to know is vaguely what she represented - the rest is there for you to read). I found Madison to be a really likable independent woman (who didn't fawn all over men - BONUS) and who some how finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation (very Angela Lansbury I know).
It's been along time since I read a mystery book that I didn't find predictable so I was ecstatic to get over half way through and find I still had no idea 'who dunnit'. This book was just so refreshing. It wasn't to heavy or full of waffled facts and data like others I have read. It was just great.
November 24, 2020
Pillow Stalk left me wanting more of Madison Night! A great mystery that I couldn’t put down. I look forward to reading the rest in the series!
August 1, 2012
Interior Decorator Madison Night has lived for years as the iconic Doris Day has her inspiration. From her looks, style, and even now career, Madison loves to pay homage to Doris. She especially has affection for the film Pillow Talk – but that very film may be the reason for recent murders in her town. When two women that resemble the blonde actress are found dead, Madison is shaken – especially because she believes at least one was meant to be her.
I am a big fan of mystery novels, and I really enjoyed Pillow Stalk by Diane Vallere. It was fast and furious, had a lot of info, characters, suspects, and even a few tangled romances. I love mysteries where I can’t figure out who the real killer is until the end, and this was one of those. The novel was well written, moved at a smooth pace, and Madison’s character was a riot. I especially loved her dog, Rock. The ending threw me just a bit, and I mean literally the last page. I believe I am correct when I say this is part of a series, and 99% positive after that cliffhanger ending. It just seemed to come a bit out of nowhere and then end abruptly, but it certainly makes me look forward to the next book!
I am a big fan of mystery novels, and I really enjoyed Pillow Stalk by Diane Vallere. It was fast and furious, had a lot of info, characters, suspects, and even a few tangled romances. I love mysteries where I can’t figure out who the real killer is until the end, and this was one of those. The novel was well written, moved at a smooth pace, and Madison’s character was a riot. I especially loved her dog, Rock. The ending threw me just a bit, and I mean literally the last page. I believe I am correct when I say this is part of a series, and 99% positive after that cliffhanger ending. It just seemed to come a bit out of nowhere and then end abruptly, but it certainly makes me look forward to the next book!
October 12, 2012
Madison Knight not only loves Doris Day, she has modeled her life after the '60s actress. Her Dallas business, Mad for Mod, specializes in mid-century modern furniture and she acquires her wares by shopping the obituary columns. When she tries to acquire the contents of a recently deceased's home, she becomes entangled in a twenty-year murder mystery centered around her pop idol. The two men in her life, a contractor and police detective, have their own secrets related to the crime.
Diane Vallere creates a fun mystery that straddles twenty-first century attitudes with late '50s- early '60s fashion and pop culture references. I loved the love triangle she creates between the main three characters, and the wild ride of suspects that kept me guessing until the end. And speaking of endings, what a great one!
Diane Vallere creates a fun mystery that straddles twenty-first century attitudes with late '50s- early '60s fashion and pop culture references. I loved the love triangle she creates between the main three characters, and the wild ride of suspects that kept me guessing until the end. And speaking of endings, what a great one!
March 29, 2018
I came to this having read two of the later books in the series and wanting to know how it started/more about Madison's backstory. I'm fairly sure if I had read this first, I probably wouldn't have read any others in the series. This is just too much. Too much melodrama, too many suspects, too many coincidences, too many twists. I'm glad I've read later books so that I know that it settles down and even itself out. The writing is fine - there's just too many ideas thrown in here for me.
April 18, 2017
In Diane Vallere's Pillow StalkMadison Night, owner of the 1960s-era decorating agency Mad for Mod, spends each morning at the local pool, swimming and dodging the pinches of the dirty old man of the pool. Then one morning, she lends her robe to a fellow swimmer to wear over her swimsuit in order to help her avoid the pinches too. But when Madison goes out to her car to go home, there lies her own robe, with the young woman inside and murdered.
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Read the rest of this review, more reviews, and other wonderful, geeky articles on FangirlNation
March 8, 2014
Dollycas’s Thoughts
As a Doris Day fan myself I really enjoyed this story. My mom and I loved watching her movies. There are many nods to the films throughout the book. The character names especially.
A classic cozy mystery with a protag that loves the 60′s era in everything from clothes to furniture and she she even looks a bit like Doris Day. She is an independent woman with a terrific sense of humor that shines throughout the story. I feel like we have just scratched the surface with this character.
The story starts out simply with Mod Interior Decorator Madison trying to acquire the estate of a recently deceased woman but from there the story is set on its ear as a new murder connects to a 20 year old cold case. The plot twists and turns until I was totally confused. The author then gets me back on track and the clues all come together at what seemed a very rapid pace.
I am very interested in the next book in this series,THAT TOUCH OF INK coming out next month. I am glad Henery Press has acquired these books and is re-releasing them because I missed them the first time around.
March 26, 2013
I really enjoyed reading this book for the most part. I didn't know who dunnit until the very end, but the twists and turns it took were somewhat dizzying. The main character is fun and I enjoyed her sense of style, but she was always living in the past and every time you turned around her knee injury was bothering her. Don't get me wrong, it's a good part of the story that she has this injury, but it was getting tedious and some parts should have been edited out.
The author writes very well and it reads with relative ease. I look forward to seeing if she does a second book featuring this character and how the character development progresses.
The author writes very well and it reads with relative ease. I look forward to seeing if she does a second book featuring this character and how the character development progresses.
December 30, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this read! It was entertaining, interesting and had a nice plot! And, was delighted that it was sort of (but not really) based on Doris Day's Pillow Talk. I've always enjoyed Doris Day movies (along with Debbie Reynolds) so was just as happy as could be! The main character was easily understood (just because she really followed Doris Day's character) just a GREAT read and with the many choices for who dun it....I didn't pick out the right guy for the murderer! GREAT fun read! (plus I really enjoyed it dog!) :)
There were a couple editing errors but nothing that took away from the pure enjoyment of the read!
There were a couple editing errors but nothing that took away from the pure enjoyment of the read!
July 2, 2013
Being someone who grew up watching Doris Day movies and listening to her music, I admit that I was drawn to Pillow Stalk because of it's connection to her, but I really enjoyed this fun and funny story about Madison Night and her retro interior design shop Mad For Mod. In typical 'cozy' style there is a murder and Madison finds herself right in he middle of it. There's a large cast of eccentric characters~her swimming friends are especially fun~and in the end Madison helps to solve the case. I would recommend Pillow Stalk to anyone who enjoys cozies ~ or don't know that you do. Its a fun light read and one that I think you'll enjoy~and see if you can catch all the Doris Day references
May 19, 2019
(This is a review, not a synopsis or book report.) 2 stars because it was supposed to have a lot of mid century modern and fashion. Too much mystery, not enough of the 'mod'. Very weird cop behavior in the story that gets explained by personal history. OK, but this was too unprofessional and dangerous, and downright creepy. Madison loves her puppy, yet ignores her friend's cat that has been confined to her kitchen cabinet, then closet for multiple days without food, water, litter or attention. More bizarre, is the cat comes through to help save her life. Very strange book. I can see why Madison is single and also says she doesn't have any friends to call for a ride.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2012
I won this book through goodreads!
At first I wasn't too sure about this book because of the whole "Doris Day" thing, I thought it might be annoying but suprisingly it only added to the likeability of the main character Madison. It was a good mystery that I didn't want to put down. Unfortunately for me though, I read some reviews on goodreads and they said who "did it"!! Don't worry I won't do that here, that's all part of the fun of reading. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends. Thanks again Goodreads for a "good read" ;)
At first I wasn't too sure about this book because of the whole "Doris Day" thing, I thought it might be annoying but suprisingly it only added to the likeability of the main character Madison. It was a good mystery that I didn't want to put down. Unfortunately for me though, I read some reviews on goodreads and they said who "did it"!! Don't worry I won't do that here, that's all part of the fun of reading. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends. Thanks again Goodreads for a "good read" ;)
February 25, 2013
a light read. I enjoyed the characters and the plot.
January 8, 2019
Riveting mystery. Satisfying twists and turns.
September 6, 2016
Could not believe how dumb the main character was.
January 2, 2021
A fun mystery centered on a forty-something Doris Day-obsessed heroine who runs a Mid-century Modern interior decorating business. The descriptions of clothing and décor are vivid and enticing.
Recovering from a broken heart, blonde Madison Night moves to Dallas from Philadelphia to start fresh and is making good strides when she gets caught up in the midst of a string of murders. A handsome police detective suspects her equally good-lucking contractor associate but Madison isn't ready to accept that theory.
The plot swirls around with a variety of distractions and clues. All seems as though it will be resolved in the end, but not really...the cliffhanger ending signals that we'll have to wait for the sequel to see what happens next. Kind of disconcerting. Minus one star.
The editing wasn't entirely clean, with quite a few misspelled words and names that are variously spelled here and there. I find these errors distracting, though they seem to occur in almost every book or piece of journalism I read. In Pillow Stalk, there were enough to bring my rating down another star.
Recovering from a broken heart, blonde Madison Night moves to Dallas from Philadelphia to start fresh and is making good strides when she gets caught up in the midst of a string of murders. A handsome police detective suspects her equally good-lucking contractor associate but Madison isn't ready to accept that theory.
The plot swirls around with a variety of distractions and clues. All seems as though it will be resolved in the end, but not really...the cliffhanger ending signals that we'll have to wait for the sequel to see what happens next. Kind of disconcerting. Minus one star.
The editing wasn't entirely clean, with quite a few misspelled words and names that are variously spelled here and there. I find these errors distracting, though they seem to occur in almost every book or piece of journalism I read. In Pillow Stalk, there were enough to bring my rating down another star.
September 3, 2017
I loved this book, I had a hard time putting it down. Madison Night loves Doris Day, she dresses and decorates home in her style. When a killer seems to be targeting women who look like Doris Day, Madison is drawn into investigating to save herself from being the next victim. This story will take you on some twists that kept me guessing to who the killer could be. Just when I thought I knew there was a new twist to the story. I will definitely continue on with this series.
October 9, 2018
Good Mystery
Good mystery, good characterization, good use of vintage items, clothes, and Doris Day movies.ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, but since I am reading this three books later I can just delve into the next book.
Good mystery, good characterization, good use of vintage items, clothes, and Doris Day movies.ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, but since I am reading this three books later I can just delve into the next book.
February 21, 2021
Roller coaster
This book is a roller coaster of a good read with rapid twists of emotions and an ending you'll never see coming. Occasionally there is a slight misstep in tone, like the extremely tense moment when Madison feels like a strawberry caught in Jello. Wonderful read!
This book is a roller coaster of a good read with rapid twists of emotions and an ending you'll never see coming. Occasionally there is a slight misstep in tone, like the extremely tense moment when Madison feels like a strawberry caught in Jello. Wonderful read!
August 9, 2023
Madison was a headstrong independent main character. I didn’t really understand the Doris Day obsession…just seemed over done. Male characters were meh. They either gave off weird creepy vibes or were totally into Mad and they could switch between the two moods very quick.
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