Lucky Stuff

Jane Wheel #8

by Sharon Fiffer, Nora Fiffer (Narrator)

Antiques picker and PI Jane Wheel returns to her hometown to find a comedian's TV special has turned deadly in the eighth of Sharon Fiffer's charming mystery series. With her divorce final, Jane must clear out her antique collection and sell her house. Now homeless, Jane heads to Kankekee, IL, her hometown, to find it, too, has been turned upside-down. Lucky Miller - a little-known comedian - is staging a comeback. Suspicious, Jane's mother Nellie hires Jane to investigate. But why does Nellie care? Lucky would sure like to know, so he, too, calls on Jane to find out. Still, Nellie may be the least of his problems when a driver on his crew turns up dead hours after claiming that Lucky tried to kill him.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery

Audiobook

First published August 7, 2012

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this 8th book in the 'Jane Wheel' series, the private detective investigates a murder in her old hometown. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Private detective Jane Wheel collects 'antiques' from dumpsters, flea markets, house sales, etc. Having recently divorced, sent her son off to prep school, and put her house on the market, Jane packs up her best collectibles and sends them off to her hometown of Kankakee, Illinois. When her house sells Jane sets off for Kankakee herself, where her parents still live. Unfortunately Jane's belongings go astray en route, and she has to contemplate the possibility of losing them forever.





It so happens that Jane arrives in Kankakee at about the same time as second-tier comedian Lucky Miller. Lucky spent his childhood in Kankakee and has returned to stage a 'roast' for himself, thinking this might revitalize his career. Lucky is also spreading around a lot of cash to restore some of his old hangouts. It seems Lucky has lost his childhood memories and hopes that re-staging old experiences will help him recover them.



Before long a suspicious death occurs that draws Jane's attention. Fortuitously, Lucky hires Jane to be his temporary assistant, which gives Jane a good vantage point to look into what's going on with the comedian, who seems to be an eccentric sort of guy. Jane also gets a little help from her investigative partner, Bruce Oh.




It turns out that Lucky had a childhood friend who died tragically, after which Lucky's family moved away and his life took an odd turn. It seems Lucky needs to recall the details about all this to find peace.



Various characters add interest to the story including Jane's difficult mother and kindly father; her best friend Tim - who meets a new boyfriend; Lucky's employees; and more. I liked the scenes where Jane visited a favorite old soda shop - which reminded me of my own childhood.





I liked parts of the book but Lucky's quest to recover old memories - and the way he went about it - rang a false note for me. I didn't find this part of the story credible. The 'mystery' at the core of the story was also not believable to me, and was a letdown.

This is the first Jane Wheel book I've read and I might try another one.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Private investigator Jane Wheel looks into the murder of a local stage crew member.

Intriguing story, relatable characters and fine writing. And a protagonist who finds herself in this story.

A well-written mystery.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been thinking about this book a great deal since finishing it. Fiffer's series is one of my favorites and I look forward to the descriptions of vintage finds of my youth. A huge amount of character evolution happens in this newest entry to the series and I can't imagine responding to it without having read the whole series. I felt like this book was a present to her faithful readers and for that I thank the author!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I applaud Fiffer for moving her characters forward. Many authors keep their people doing the same thing for far too long (Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum). In this book, there is quite a lot of change and I am anxious to see what comes next for Jane, Tim, Nellie, and the gang.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I clicked the 'I'm finished' button and thought I'm FINALLY finished this never-ending book.

The book just goes on forever and ever and ever. There were hundreds of pages and only about 10 or so seemed to actually deal with the so-called story. The rest was self-involved navel gazing by the main character, Jane Wheel. On and on and on about her stuff, even when she is deciding that her stuff might not mean too much after all, she is still pondering over and over and over about her stuff. Who cares about her stuff?!? Jane notes early on that her ex-husband accused her of caring more about her stuff than him and their son. He was almost certainly correct. The whole book is about her stuff. Enough about her stuff! Really, who cares about her stuff?!? Who?!?

Aside from the tedium of reading page after page after page about Jane's stuff, there were many other problems with this book. Jane commits emotional incest with her teenaged son writing detailed emails about her finances. Her mother is a horrible 'person'. Her friends generally superficially developed, the plot (such as it was) not credible. Plus, Fiffer's treatment of repressed memories came across as extremely disrespectful, never mind that she ought not write about something that she seems to know nothing about (though that did comprise much of the 10 or so pages not focussed on Jane's stuff, so I suppose that is a bonus?).

Ugh! I will not be looking up any more books in this series. I am glad that I can give this one back to the library.

[Puddlediving · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all (7?) previous Jane Wheel mysteries, so it is no surprise that I enjoyed this one also. I feel my "guilty pleasure" is fluff mystery. And by that I mean amateur sleuth. Sharon Fiffer's characters are warm and relatable. I read this novel in one day, between breakfast and dinner. I don't often read that quickly, but it was an easy read. It was like getting an update from an old friend. I like how the characters live in the real world and evolve, and just happen to stumble across mysteries to be solved. Makes me aspire to be an amateur sleuth myself. Jane Wheel also makes me want to become an antiquer. A picker. Whatever you call it. Sharon Fiffer writes about the joy of being the first at an estate sale, finding a great find. That actually didn't happen in this book, although some furniture was lovingly described. I look forward to the next installment!

[Susan Cargle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book 41/2 stars. I've read all the Jane Wheel mysteries and this is by far my favorite. Jane's life has changed drastically since the first book. She finally learns that her "stuff" isn't as important to her life as she thought. She finds herself suddenly homeless and her treasures are wandering around the country in a moving truck, so she decides to move home for awhile. While she is busy deciding what her next move is she finds herself solving several mysteries and finding herself for the first time in awhile. This works as a stand alone, but to really understand Jane start at the beginning.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane Wheel's house in Evanston is on the market, so she ships her collections home for storage and moves back to Kankakee while she decides what to do next. Her visit coincides with a tv program about a mildly famous comic who lived in Kankakee for a while. Lucky Miller is back because of the memory gaps that are tormenting him, and he hires Jane to be his temporary assistant because her mother Nellie seems to know things about his past that he's forgotten.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another entertaining Jane Wheel novel. Sharon Fiffer is the one mystery writer I know who can sustain a series with each book feeling fresh.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not usually a mystery novel reader but am participating in a winter reading challenge at the Bourbonnais library. One of the challenges is to read an Illinois-based book. I was amazed to find one not only in IL but set in my community of Kankakee, IL. It was such a fun read, and I would really love to meet the author who apparently is well known here and comes home now and again. I'm familiar with the real-life areas she wrote about, but I moved here too late for the EZ Way Inn; however, many of my friends were familiar with it from growing up here and told me about it with fondness. I hope she writes another novel based here with Jane Wheel's new home base on the Kankakee River. Tying in a mystery with the checkered past of the B. Harley Bradley house nearby would be an extra bonus!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't like many the characters, especially Jane's mother, Nellie and Lucky, the guy whom this was centered around. The story dragged out longer than I liked, and there was a character tossed in towards the end to make the mystery fit together. Also not a cozy mystery I'm used to, as there was a lot of profanity. No sex, no graphic murders, thankfully.

The town seemed like a quaint one I'd like to visit, though, and Jane's possible new residence (no spoilers, but it comes at the end) would be an amazing place to live.

Would I read more from this series? Maybe. I liked Jane and her friend Tim. That might be the saving grace here.

[Alise HARRIS · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, this book is green, has a four leaf clover, leprechaun hat, horseshoe, and gold coins on the front, but ISN’T about St Patrick’s day! Why wouldn’t you just set the book at that time of year if it’s about “lucky stuff?” Jane is an idiot. She asked herself if she’s a hoarder. Well, duh! Her mother is a total bitch. She won’t call her partner by his first name. I regret having already purchased another book in this series because it sucks. And if I had to read the word “bakelite” one more time I was going to throw this out the window.

[ReadaBook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I've been awhile from this series for too long, but I found this #8 in the series to be only just okay. Kind of boring and meandering and just, um, meh. Maybe that is where Jane is in her life....kind of meandering and meh. Hope to see things improve in the next book of what had been an enjoyable series.

[Laurie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mystery was secondary to the main characters life and relationships which I didn't immediately notice because the characters are so enjoyable. Hope the others books are just as good as I didn't begin with book #1.

[Karen Holman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 8th book in the Jane Wheel series by Sharon Fiffer. The creative characters, Illinois setting, and crafty ending to this tale will have readers giving this group a yea or nay. 2012 copy right 306 pages

[Joan Drage · Rating 5 out of 5]

needs more proofreading but a fun read!

This is a fun read that needs more editing. It’s a shame when so many obvious mistakes are considered acceptable. 5 stars is for the story. Did not ding for …… poor editing!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting story about "stuff", well done.

[Susan Belau · Rating 3 out of 5]

first I'd read of this series. Obviously this is the 8th book. But good and easy enough to read as a stand alone book. I would read others from the series, very likable main character.

[Marseydoats · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. Jane moving on with her life. Not much about antiques in this one, which was a little disappointing. I didn't like Lucky, either.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane takes some major life steps in this book and reaches a new place of calmness. The mystery in the book takes somewhat of a back seat to that aspect but I found it satisfying.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! That was a lot of change for Jane & it was epic. I’m sad to see this case of characters go, but it makes me feel a little better knowing that they’re moving forward.

[Cat. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm very sad to see the end (?) of this series. I think after 14 years, we can probably assume it's over. This was a bittersweet and really lovely ending with some hilarious visuals.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sharon Fiffer's Jane Wheel mystery series has been a favorite of mine since the first book. Fiffer has a way of describing collectibles and antiques that makes me want to hop in the Jeep and head for the nearest estate sale. After drastically downsizing my own hoards, I always enjoy getting a collections fix through Jane. It also doesn't hurt that I'm familiar with the Kankakee area, and the books make me feel as if I've gone back to the old homestead.

Being a witness to Jane's packing up years of collections was painful, and I was shocked that she seemed to take it so well. I should have known that the author had a few surprises up her sleeve. It is a testament to Fiffer's talent that I worried about Jane's stuff throughout the book, even though the mystery surrounding Lucky Miller is a true puzzler. For once, Jane is flying almost completely solo on an investigation. Her partner, Bruce Oh, makes very few appearances, and even her best friend Tim is busy with other commitments. No, Jane is working alone and has the most contact with her parents. Since her relationship with her prickly, no-nonsense mother, Nellie, has always been problematic, this enforced closeness adds yet another layer of interest to this book.

A Jane Wheel mystery is always a three-pronged pleasure for its mystery, its collectibles, and its wonderful cast of characters. Lucky Stuff is no exception, and now I find myself in the unenviable position of waiting for Jane's next adventure.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel finds our multi-talented, Jane Wheel reeling from the one day sale of her home and losing all her belongings in one move. If that isn't enough, her honorary 'Uncle' Carl suffers a serious heart attack and life at the EZ Way Inn is changed forever.

Jane finds the entire town of Kankakee, Illinois dressing up to celebrate the homecoming of a humorist from Las Vegas, Lucky Miller. Problem is no one is really remembering just who he is. Jane's Mother hires her to figure it out and to Jane's amazement, Lucky, himself hires her to do the same job? What is going on?

Private Investigator and friend, Bruce Oh and his wife is on the scene to aid Jane. Jane's best friend, Tim Lowery is also finding life changes. Nellie and Don find life at the EZ Way Inn will never be the same and more.

Then into this mess drops a body. Peanuts are the culprits but just who the intended victim was is unsure as we learn identities are confused in this book.

This is a novel that was needed to allow the characters to grow. Ms. Fiffer did that very cleverly and well. I look forward to the future of Jane Wheel.

[Ricki]

Licky Stuff, by Sharon Fiffer, is book #8 in the Jane Wheeler series. I haven't read them all, but this is the 3rd or 4th one that I have, and I am going to see if I can get the rest from our local library. The author knows how to inject both humor and pathos into a story. Readers who love the usual suspects--Nellie, Don, and Tim--will certainly not be disappointed. But what stands out here is Fiffer's successful effort in continuing the arc of Jane's personal journey as well as the arc of her relationship with her crusty, but endearing mother, Nellie.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My favorite so far of Jane Wheel (Sharon's 8th!) but I say that every time :) and this one is the first audiobook of the series. Better yet, is read by daughter Nora Fiffer (a Fiffer-Two-fer :) In this story Jane evolves a great deal, and Nellie is also featured heavily, as Jane moves to a new place in her life, physcially, emotionally, intellectually... I really learned from her evolution, about letting go of stuff."

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of Sharon Fiffer's I've read and I found it delightful. The mystery element was more fun than hard boiled but her development of characters and relationships was superb. I especially appreciated her writing; she didn't fall into tired and used cliches in descriptions and comparisons. I'll be reading more about Jane Wheel--I especially like that the book was an easy read while not being juvenile or amateurish.

[Suka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. No found bodies, but still a mystery!

I feel bad about Jane losing all her stuff, but I'm glad that she is moving back to Kankakee and moving on.

In the interest of full disclosure, I live in the Kankakee area, which adds to my enjoyment of the Jane Wheel books. Sharon Fiffer is therefore a local author, so I wouldn't dare miss any of her books!

[Sherry D. Ramsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first encounter with the protagonist of this series, and I'll certainly look for more. I found the book to be engaging and fast-paced; a nice little mystery and funny to boot. Ironically, I listened to the audiobook while I cleaned out my office--and the protagonist in this volume (an almost-hoarder)is having trouble letting go of material clutter. Perfect timing!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book of the series I've read. It was a well-executed cozy, and I'll probably go back and read earlier books. This one seemed more focused on moving the series regulars forward than on presenting a plausible mystery plot, and if I were emotionally invested in the characters already I probably would have enjoyed it more.