The Housewife Assassin's Relationship Survival Guide

The Housewife Assassin #4

by Josie Brown

London. Paris. Guantanamo Bay. Donna Stone is looking for love -- and terrorists -- in all the wrong places.

In this fourth full-length novel of The Housewife Assassin series, Donna Stone finds out that breaking up is hard to do. Then again, so is dating a terrorist, let alone eleven of them!

Does this make Donna a serial dater, or a serial killer?

Worse yet, an old flame gets in the way of Donna's chance for true love.
But she doesn't cry...She gets even.

(A small portion of this book appeared as a novella in "Guns and Roses: A Murder She Writes Anthology".)

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Romance, Humor, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Thriller

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 4, 2013

About the author

Josie Brown's forty-two novels are now in the hands of over two million readers.

She has been published by St. Martin's Press, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins Publishers, Penguin Books.

Read Josie’s books. You’ll get a good idea of her sense of humor. https://www.JosieBrown.com

You'll also find Josie on
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JosieBrownCA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josiebrownau...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josiebrownn...

Visit her podcast, where she discusses writing with other authors:
http://bit.ly/AuthorProvocateurApple

Josie is the author of these novels:

The Housewife Assassin Novel Series, including
- Handbook (Book 1)
- Guide to Gracious Killing (Book 2)
- Killer Christmas Tips (Book 3)
- Relationship Survival Guide (Book 4)
- Vacation to Die For (Book 5)
- Recipes for Disaster (Book 6)
- Hollywood Scream Play (Book 7) [2014, Signal Press]
- Killer App (Book 8) [August 2014, Signal Press]
- Hostage Hosting Tips (Book 9)
- Garden of Deadly Delights (Book 10)
- Tips for Weddings, Weapons, and Warfare Hosting Tips (Book 11)
- Husband Hunting Hints (Book 12)
- Ghost Protocol (Book 13)
- Terrorist TV Guide (Book 14)
- Deadly Dossier (Book 15 - SERIES PREQUEL)
- Greatest Hits (Book 16 )
- Fourth Estate Sale (Book 17 )
- Horrorscope (Book 18 )
- White House Keeping Seal of Approval (Book 19)
- Assassination Vacation Tips (Book 20)
- Antisocial Media Tips (Book 21)
- Manners, Missiles & Mayhem (Book 22)
- Gambit (Book 23)
- Underwater Assets (Book 24)

The Candidate (Steamy Political Thriller)

Extracurricular - 3 episodic Novels (2020; Signal Press)

Totlandia - 8 episodic Novels (2014-2017; Signal Press)

The Baby Planner
[2011, Simon & Schuster]

The Housewife Assassin Gets Lucky (written with Deborah Coonts)

Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives
[2010, Simon & Schuster 2014 Signal Press]]

Hollywood Hunk (Book 1 - True Hollywood Lies)
[2005, HarperCollins; 2010 Signal Press]

Her novel, Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives (Simon & Schuster), is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer as a dramatic series for NBC-TV.

She is also the author of three non-fiction books: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Finding Mr. Right [Penguin/Alpha]; Marriage Confidential: 102 Honest Answers to the Questions Every Husband Wants to Ask, and Every Wife Needs to Know [Signal Press]; and Last Night I Dreamt of Cosmopolitans: A Modern Girl's Dream Dictionary [St. Martin's Press]

Before becoming a full-time novelist, Josie also worked in advertising (JWT, DDB/Needham, BBM&B) and radio (WPLO-AM, Atlanta; WZGC-FM, Atlanta).

As a journalist, Josie has interviewed Maya Angelou, Brenda Blethyn, Julian Bond, Kenneth Branagh, Jackie Collins, Costa-Gavras, Craig Ferguson, John Gray, Derek Jacobi, Debbie Reynolds, and John Woo. Her celebrity interviews and relationships trends articles have been featured in Los Angeles Times Syndicate International, Redbook, and Complete Woman, as well as AOL, Yahoo, AskMen.com, Divorce360.com, and SingleMindedWomen.com, where she serves as the Relationships Channel editor.

Josie's interviews for her podcast, Author Provocateur, and for the International Thriller Writers magazine THE BIG THRILL include such notable authors as David Baldacci, Samantha M. Bailey, C.J. Box, Allison Brennan, Lee Child, Deborah Coonts, Robert Dugoni, Barry Eisler, JT Ellison, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, Tess Gerritsen, Andrew Gross, Kristan Higgins, Jon Land, John Lescroart, John Lutz, James Rollins, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Brad Thor, and Debra Webb.

Although born and raised (a Southern expression) in and around Atlanta, Georgia, Josie is proudly one-hundred percent Puerto Rican: her father was born in Ponce, and her mother was from Humacao. Does this make Josie a Georgiarican? She thinks so, and proudly claims that title.

She now lives in San Francisco with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Cary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I still like the main characters but the plots are growing a bit overused. How many lives does Carl have for heaven sake?

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

HOnestly not my favorite so far. Failure after screw up after failure after mistake after yet another screw up. Too much. I need my wins to be engaging.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, we find Donna on the trail of the Quorom and her ex, Carl. If you've read the earlier books in the series you won't be disappointed with this one. If you're new to the series, don't worry you can jump in without feeling lost. I find the suspense of hunting down the bad guys very satisfying. The main reason I love this book, and all the others, is Donna Stone. She's dealing with the daily issues of being a mom, dealing with the neighborhood gaggle of women on top of her day job of being a spy. Not to mention the issues that come with having an ex and then compound them by the ex being a really bad guy. It all makes my life seem tame in comparison. Donna's approach and attitude towards it all is what makes this story the most fun for me. Donna is strong, smart, feisty, independent and snide. I completely relate to her. :) I also love the "tips" at the start of each chapter. All in all, it's a fun read. Once I pick it up I don't want to put it down. I'm already looking forward to #5!

[Anika · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the beginning of the book you are always in the heat of action because Donna is on a mission or something else is going on that you cannot not put down the book until you have all the details. So Carl has been captured and the trial is about to begin and there looks like there will nothing that Carl can do to get himself out of this situation. And guess who testifies for the good guys against Carl? Well of course Donna does her part to see that he does not get away with anything but she is not the woman who has been also scorned by Carl. Vantenia. Oh Carl is upset and when he makes a scene in court Donna notices Vantenia’s reaction and has guessed correctly that she is PREGNANT. Even though she guessed that Carl is the father she still had her doubts because she cannot believe that Vantenia was acting a double/triple agent seemingly working for the good guys but all the while cozy with the bad. But does Donna tell Jack that Vantenia is pregnant with Carl’s baby boy no, she wants her to break the news because she thinks Jack still has feeling for her or believes in her. But Vantenia reveals to Donna that Carl only has eyes for her and what she has for Jack is more of a gratefulness.

So we have the mission where they (Acme) have found this website that all 11 men of the Quorum are signed up to and so the mission is that every guys dream date will be Donna. Once Donna is with them her job is to find out who the other members are and their role. However, after Donna has dated two of them she wonders if she’s a bad date because both men die. The first would rather jump off the roof top building where they were having dinner than give evidence against the others and the other literally dies from eating food off of her. But Donna is not to blame, we later find out that the first was shot from a distance and fell over and off the roof and the other food was poisoned prior to putting on Donna to be eaten off. So what’s Donna to do? You’ll have to read the story to find out what happens next.

One spoiler Vantenia is killed by Carl and Donna reveals to him that he just killed his child. At first he is stunned but later in the story he tries to cast doubt that the baby wasn’t really his but implies that it was Jack’s. Note to author that part of was left up in the air because either Donna thought he just said that to cause her to doubt Jack and cause a wedge between them because she doesn’t ask Jack if he has slept with his ex since she back in life in the prior book and this one too. It made me wonder but I got no answer in this book. Hum???

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow the plot continues to intensify with each book!! I just realized that the next book won't come out until next Aug. I can't wait to see what happens next!!
I, now want to see the sleeze bag FBI man go down with Carl!!!!
Thank you Josie Brown for not only feeding my book addiction, but for making it so worth my time. What a fun way to spend the day. You have done an amazing job with your characters and your story line. I found myself wanting to jump in and land on Mr. High and Mighty FBI and make him see reason too. I sure hope he gets to eat his words.

[Dianne Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read Novels 1 through 3 and loved them all, this is no exception. Donna must go undercover to prove her innocence in this novel. Josie Brown has a way of taking us out of our dull lives and allowing us to escape into the world of Donna, Jack and the world of espionage, intrigue and seduction.
With all the drudgery in this world, I love to escape into a book that provides me with entertainment, enjoyment and escapism. Josie is a master story teller and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful and Funny

This book didn't disappoint me at all. I loved it, think it was better than the first book of this series. It had more spy action, suspense, character development between Donna and Jack and my favorite, humor. I love to laugh out loud when reading a good book; matter of fact, I laughed quite a bit in this book. The only thing I didn't like about this book was the lack of sleep I got when reading way past my bed time. However, I am looking forward to lack of sleep when reading the next book in this series.

[Dee Haddrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really am loving this series of books!!!

This time, suspicion is thrown on Donna as to whether she is in cahoots with Carl. And all she wants to do is move on with her life with the luscious Jack. Needless to say, everything that can go wrong, does.

[liirogue · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think I'm done with the series at this point. They've all been funny, light-hearted books but this one is just too much. There's only so many "plot twists" and red herrings before it just becomes ridiculous (and no longer funny).

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tongue-in-cheek relationship advise starts every chapter.

Donna Stone finds herself under house arrest thanks to Carl setting her up on treason charges. Keeping her commitments to her children requires some extra help from Jack and Emma has to step in when their employer Acme needs Donna for an assignment in Paris.
Her hopefully soon-to-be ex-husband, Carl, continues to thwart Donna's every move.
Did Carl survive a fall from a balcony like Jack & Donna managed to do?

[Josie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear readers,
I hope you enjoy this, the fourth full-length book, in the Housewife Assassin series! As with all the books featuring my heroine, Donna Stone, life and death (and love) issues are filled with twists and turns.

Enjoy!

-- Josie Brown

[Elsie Bertram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buy it!

I'm not good at writing reviews but want you to know that this is another great book in the Housewife Assassin series. I love this book and series,great characters, great humour and excitement. Highly recommend

[Annette Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ho hum

Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, this one is ridiculous beyond the pale. Lacks good descriptions, lacking in links to the next steps in the story, and on and on, I couldn’t get half way through it I was so sick of its blatant silliness.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe I have found a new favorite author. This short story introduces a great cast of characters. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Linda Caward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getting back on track...Carl still lives, but she's back to her original criticisms and craziness. Volume 5, coming up!

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

With each book, I love jack more and more!

[Robin perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book, couldn't put it down. Love her sense of humor.

[Jeanette Conkling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't say enough about these books. It's an wonderful, enjoyable series.

[Jill James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addictive book candy. Off to get the next.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book awhile back, but I liked it a ton.
Light, fast and funny.

[Patricia Mccammon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

Trying to take down the Quorum, takes on many different jobs, but will it take Carl out along with the other bad guys

[Kate Hinton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

She always keeps her readers coming back for the fanciful continuation of her spy fantasy. Uber mom meets uber spy!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always-the housewife assassins books are so entertaining!

I can't stop reading this series! It's always fun and entertaining. Can't wait to start the next one right now.

[Christine Carroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story but getting bored with the storyline

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because the characters and situations they find themselves in so much fun and so unpredictable.
This time Donna and the Acme team are on the hunt to take down the remaining members of the quorum. Only to find Carl (Donna 's soon to be ex husband) playing havoc with there plans.

I don't think Donna's home life played a big a part in this book as they do in other books and that is what I like about the housewife assassin books, the way she has to fit in a hit between football practice and grocery shopping. Having said that I still really enjoyed it and would get it as an audio book if Josie was to record the series.

[Jessica Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hysterical installment

There was a funny pattern to this book, involving Donna's unsuccessful "honeypot" missions. I don't want to spoil anything, so I can't be more specific.

The usual cast of characters commit their usual ridiculous acts in this book. They all seem to be in on the author's joke. I chuckled the whole way through, especially at the italicized relationship tips that start each chapter I just love this series.

I am wondering how long the fake daddy charade can endure, however. Donna's kids surely would have googled their father by now, yes?

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

For light James Bond-type reading, this series is fun and full of tongue in cheek action. For a change of pace, it is easy light reading. Although I rated this low, it was thoroughly entertaining. This quirky housewife is like a fantasy some housewives may like to dream about. She is a talented remarkable black-belt that has all the tricks every woman dreams about and some handy tools of her trade to get the job done. It's a tough life for a housewife to manage being an agent and do the missions in between picking up the kids at school, showing up to ball practice, and living up to a child's expectations of what a mother is supposed to be. The trouble is that she has been informed her husband died while on a mission, but, voi...

[Jena Hess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. There wasn't any torture sex scenes. I could see how this could be the end of the book but isn't. It kept me on the end of the seat but I didn't like how the entire book was summed up in one long chapter at the end. Seems like the author was building and building, then stopped cause if she went any further then she wouldn't have any books to write. Might read the next one down the road.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're feeling blue and need a little pick-me-up, nothing does it better that a Josie Brown novel. Her books are funny, sexy and the best cheer-me-up tonic you can ask for. This one was very entertaining as were all the others I've read. Luckily for me, I have several more of her books on my e-reader, so many more hours of enjoyment lie ahead. Love this book!

[Kamylyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brown never disappoints!

Once again Donna and Jack are taking out the bad guys while living the dream. If your dreams include life in suburbia, car pools, exes, possible explosions and the fate of the free world in the palm of your hand.
Aahh, suburbia, sometimes navigating the world of international spies is easier. And less dangerous.