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Bailey Weggins Mystery #4
Over Her Dead Body
New York Times bestselling author and Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Kate White knows firsthand that the magazine business is murder. Now she’s brought back her smart and gutsy crime writer Bailey Weggins, for a case set against the glossy pages of a celebrity rag, where somebody is about to give Bailey’s new boss a lethal deadline.
Talk about rapid turnover—in a matter of days Bailey Weggins gets axed from one New York magazine and hired by another. Her new job at Buzz, a weekly filled with sizzling gossip, has Bailey covering celebrity crime, including the starlet who got caught stuffing Fendi purses down her pants and the aging hunk who shot his lover with a Magnum.
Bailey doesn’t have to look far for her next story: She finds her boss, Mona Hodges, gasping her last breath after being bludgeoned with a blunt object. A raging tyrant, Mona made Buzz a top ‘zine but racked up an impressive enemies list along the way. Everyone from a chubby singer she dubbed “Fat Chance” to a mail guy she once reamed out would be glad to see Mona six feet under. And Bailey intends to get the scoop on whodunit even though one of her closest friends is at the top of the suspects list.
With her strappy sandals in one hand and her cell phone in the other, Bailey’s out hunting for clues everywhere from the mean streets of Brooklyn’s Little Odessa to a posh company picnic in the Hamptons. In just about a New York minute, she’s got a crush on a sexy filmmaker—and some scary insight into her boss’s murder. The first can give her the hot summer fling she’s itching to have. The second can get her killed…
Talk about rapid turnover—in a matter of days Bailey Weggins gets axed from one New York magazine and hired by another. Her new job at Buzz, a weekly filled with sizzling gossip, has Bailey covering celebrity crime, including the starlet who got caught stuffing Fendi purses down her pants and the aging hunk who shot his lover with a Magnum.
Bailey doesn’t have to look far for her next story: She finds her boss, Mona Hodges, gasping her last breath after being bludgeoned with a blunt object. A raging tyrant, Mona made Buzz a top ‘zine but racked up an impressive enemies list along the way. Everyone from a chubby singer she dubbed “Fat Chance” to a mail guy she once reamed out would be glad to see Mona six feet under. And Bailey intends to get the scoop on whodunit even though one of her closest friends is at the top of the suspects list.
With her strappy sandals in one hand and her cell phone in the other, Bailey’s out hunting for clues everywhere from the mean streets of Brooklyn’s Little Odessa to a posh company picnic in the Hamptons. In just about a New York minute, she’s got a crush on a sexy filmmaker—and some scary insight into her boss’s murder. The first can give her the hot summer fling she’s itching to have. The second can get her killed…
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
93 people are currently reading
1630 people want to read
About the author
Kate White
53 books2,821 followersKate White is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nineteen novels of suspense: eleven standalone psychological thrillers, including The Last Time She Saw Him (2024), and eight Bailey Weggins mysteries.
A former Glamour magazine Top Ten College Women Contest winner and cover girl, Kate had a long career in the media business, eventually running five national magazines. For fourteen years she was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. Though she loved her magazine career, she decided to leave eleven years ago to concentrate full-time on another passion: writing suspense fiction.
Kate’s first mystery, If Looks Could Kill, was a Kelly Ripa Book Club pick, a #1 bestseller on Amazon, and an instant New York Times bestseller. She has been nominated for an International Thriller Writers Award in the fiction category, and her books have been published in over 30 countries.
Kate is a frequent speaker at libraries, bookstores, and conferences, and has appeared on many television shows, including The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, Morning Joe, and CNN’s Quest Means Business.
She is also the author of several bestselling career books, including I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This and the ground-breaking Wall Street Journal bestseller, Why Good Girls Don’t Get Ahead but Gutsy Girls Do.
Kate is an avid traveler and spends each winter with her husband at their home in Uruguay. She holds an honorary doctorate of letters from her alma mater, Union College, where she gave the 2022 commencement address.
A former Glamour magazine Top Ten College Women Contest winner and cover girl, Kate had a long career in the media business, eventually running five national magazines. For fourteen years she was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. Though she loved her magazine career, she decided to leave eleven years ago to concentrate full-time on another passion: writing suspense fiction.
Kate’s first mystery, If Looks Could Kill, was a Kelly Ripa Book Club pick, a #1 bestseller on Amazon, and an instant New York Times bestseller. She has been nominated for an International Thriller Writers Award in the fiction category, and her books have been published in over 30 countries.
Kate is a frequent speaker at libraries, bookstores, and conferences, and has appeared on many television shows, including The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, Morning Joe, and CNN’s Quest Means Business.
She is also the author of several bestselling career books, including I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This and the ground-breaking Wall Street Journal bestseller, Why Good Girls Don’t Get Ahead but Gutsy Girls Do.
Kate is an avid traveler and spends each winter with her husband at their home in Uruguay. She holds an honorary doctorate of letters from her alma mater, Union College, where she gave the 2022 commencement address.
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April 28, 2019
I always love a Bailey Weggins mystery--they are fun and sassy and light as far as murder mysteries go!
Baily Weggins is a true crime writer for Gloss magazine who has a knack for stumbling across dead bodies, and puts her best modern Nancy Drew to the test when helping to solve them! In Over Her Dead Body, we see Bailey forced to consider a new career path when her friend and editor Cat informs her that she is taking Gloss in a new direction, one that includes less true crime and more feng shui. With another smart and intricate mystery, and the same loveable Bailey at the center, I found the fourth book to be just exactly the perfect getaway read this week!
About the Book
Bailey Weggins is a free-lance journalist in NYC who finds herself out of her long-term contract and seeking out a new opportunity. She finds it at a national celebrity gossip magazine where she is asked to cover celebrity crimes. Anyone who has read Bailey Weggins before knows that though she is a crime writer, celebrity magazines aren't a great fit. But, its a replacement for her previous long-term gig and she is finding her way through the seedy gossip-filled celeb world.
Bailey knows this may be a temporary stop in her career, when not long after she begins at the magazine, she stumbles across the aftermath of a murder in her own office. Bailey finds her very disliked editor-in-chief attacked late one night, while a party is raging nextdoor at the offices of their sister-magazine. Save for a cleaning woman who was also attacked, no one appears to be around the office.
Bailey calls 911, but soon finds herself wrapped up in the case herself. Her acting editor-in-chief asks her to cover the murder for the magazine. As Bailey begins to hunt down leads, she finds herself planted in the mystery as more than just a witness. Mysterious events seem to surround her. Is Bailey being followed? Or was she just at the wrong place at the wrong time?
As Bailey digs deeper, she begins to think her life may be in danger. The only way out is to find the killer before the killer finds her...
Reflection
Bailey finds herself in a time of transition in this book. She’s broken up with the man in her life, she is out of her regular job, and she is forced into carving a new path for herself forward. I admit, I remember how shocked I was to hear long-time friend and boss Cat change the direction for Gloss magazine to a direction that doesn’t include true crime writing or human interest stories. But thankfully, an opportunity arises at just the right moment at Buzz—a weekly magazine filled with all things celebrity, including celebrity crime covered by none other than the incredible Bailey Weggins!
Bailey’s new boss Mona is no picnic to work for—Bailey herself witnesses a dressing down or four, but manages to escape the wrath of Mona largely due to her background as a “respectable” writer. Still, no one is exactly devastated when Mona turns up murdered, the body discovered by none other than Bailey. I have to say that on a re-read, I was quite fascinated by Mona. Her methods were severe and frankly inappropriate, but she also seemed to be great at her job. She’s quite the figure!
Bailey also finds herself interested in someone new, and there’s actually this incredibly humorous sequence where Bailey wants to find out his name and fakes a call to the place she met him to trick it out of the receptionist. This is the Bailey I love! She is imperfectly adorable—doing something many of us would do because she saw a cute guy and couldn’t stop thinking about him! It was interesting seeing Bailey vulnerable—liking someone more than she realized, and maybe more than she was ready for, while also being insecure about the level of reciprocation from him.
This entire book is a fresh start for Bailey in a way! New career, new love interest. Bailey is at the most vulnerable in life that we have seen her, and it added a new layer to her character that really pulled me in. This Bailey is no less fierce than in the previous books, but she is also humbled by life, insecure at times, but still her gutsy-girl self that I’ve come to love! I loved when we got to see her have a particularly ballsy interaction with a difficult witness, and then hear that she was shaking a bit during it. It was so refreshingly normal and showed her true confidence in her vulnerability in a way.
I was caught AGAIN this re-read, sure that I knew who the culprit was and being wrong! I remembered bits of the ending but it tricked me again! This fun and sassy installment was just as amazing on a re-read, and I highly recommend it!
Don’t forget that we are nearing the publication of the newest Bailey Weggins novel on May 7, 2019!
Baily Weggins is a true crime writer for Gloss magazine who has a knack for stumbling across dead bodies, and puts her best modern Nancy Drew to the test when helping to solve them! In Over Her Dead Body, we see Bailey forced to consider a new career path when her friend and editor Cat informs her that she is taking Gloss in a new direction, one that includes less true crime and more feng shui. With another smart and intricate mystery, and the same loveable Bailey at the center, I found the fourth book to be just exactly the perfect getaway read this week!
About the Book
Bailey Weggins is a free-lance journalist in NYC who finds herself out of her long-term contract and seeking out a new opportunity. She finds it at a national celebrity gossip magazine where she is asked to cover celebrity crimes. Anyone who has read Bailey Weggins before knows that though she is a crime writer, celebrity magazines aren't a great fit. But, its a replacement for her previous long-term gig and she is finding her way through the seedy gossip-filled celeb world.
Bailey knows this may be a temporary stop in her career, when not long after she begins at the magazine, she stumbles across the aftermath of a murder in her own office. Bailey finds her very disliked editor-in-chief attacked late one night, while a party is raging nextdoor at the offices of their sister-magazine. Save for a cleaning woman who was also attacked, no one appears to be around the office.
Bailey calls 911, but soon finds herself wrapped up in the case herself. Her acting editor-in-chief asks her to cover the murder for the magazine. As Bailey begins to hunt down leads, she finds herself planted in the mystery as more than just a witness. Mysterious events seem to surround her. Is Bailey being followed? Or was she just at the wrong place at the wrong time?
As Bailey digs deeper, she begins to think her life may be in danger. The only way out is to find the killer before the killer finds her...
Reflection
Bailey finds herself in a time of transition in this book. She’s broken up with the man in her life, she is out of her regular job, and she is forced into carving a new path for herself forward. I admit, I remember how shocked I was to hear long-time friend and boss Cat change the direction for Gloss magazine to a direction that doesn’t include true crime writing or human interest stories. But thankfully, an opportunity arises at just the right moment at Buzz—a weekly magazine filled with all things celebrity, including celebrity crime covered by none other than the incredible Bailey Weggins!
Bailey’s new boss Mona is no picnic to work for—Bailey herself witnesses a dressing down or four, but manages to escape the wrath of Mona largely due to her background as a “respectable” writer. Still, no one is exactly devastated when Mona turns up murdered, the body discovered by none other than Bailey. I have to say that on a re-read, I was quite fascinated by Mona. Her methods were severe and frankly inappropriate, but she also seemed to be great at her job. She’s quite the figure!
Bailey also finds herself interested in someone new, and there’s actually this incredibly humorous sequence where Bailey wants to find out his name and fakes a call to the place she met him to trick it out of the receptionist. This is the Bailey I love! She is imperfectly adorable—doing something many of us would do because she saw a cute guy and couldn’t stop thinking about him! It was interesting seeing Bailey vulnerable—liking someone more than she realized, and maybe more than she was ready for, while also being insecure about the level of reciprocation from him.
This entire book is a fresh start for Bailey in a way! New career, new love interest. Bailey is at the most vulnerable in life that we have seen her, and it added a new layer to her character that really pulled me in. This Bailey is no less fierce than in the previous books, but she is also humbled by life, insecure at times, but still her gutsy-girl self that I’ve come to love! I loved when we got to see her have a particularly ballsy interaction with a difficult witness, and then hear that she was shaking a bit during it. It was so refreshingly normal and showed her true confidence in her vulnerability in a way.
I was caught AGAIN this re-read, sure that I knew who the culprit was and being wrong! I remembered bits of the ending but it tricked me again! This fun and sassy installment was just as amazing on a re-read, and I highly recommend it!
Don’t forget that we are nearing the publication of the newest Bailey Weggins novel on May 7, 2019!
July 30, 2011
around page 275 of this "novel" (and i use that term generously, out of love), i had an epiphany. these books are terrible. i mean, like really, really bad. the writing at times is stilted, the plots convoluted, the characters whorish and cardboardy. and you know what? i love them. i do. i love them for their trashiness, for their refusal to be anything other than what they are, for being my newest smut-lit crush.
yes, i just coined that genre.
bailey is back, this time with a new job!!! she works for BUZZ, not GLOSS. whatever. turns out her new editor is a total she-satan and makes miranda priestly look all warm and fuzzy. or something. here, the dead bodies are predictable, you know the bitchboss has to go. the first line warns the reader that things aren't what they seem. and they aren't. but, if you follow your gut, once more you'll probably figure out the killer before bailey does.
here's what i don't get. bailey says things like "i'm going to turn over some rocks and see what icky things pop out" but then when the icky things pop out, she acts like it's the last thing she wanted. also, if she uses the word "soupcon" one more time, i might have to commit a murder of my own.
figuratively.
the saddest part is that the next book is the last in the series for now and i'll have to find something else to fill the gaping hole that bailey will leave in my reading schedule.
p.s. beau regan is the worst name EVER.
sigh.
yes, i just coined that genre.
bailey is back, this time with a new job!!! she works for BUZZ, not GLOSS. whatever. turns out her new editor is a total she-satan and makes miranda priestly look all warm and fuzzy. or something. here, the dead bodies are predictable, you know the bitchboss has to go. the first line warns the reader that things aren't what they seem. and they aren't. but, if you follow your gut, once more you'll probably figure out the killer before bailey does.
here's what i don't get. bailey says things like "i'm going to turn over some rocks and see what icky things pop out" but then when the icky things pop out, she acts like it's the last thing she wanted. also, if she uses the word "soupcon" one more time, i might have to commit a murder of my own.
figuratively.
the saddest part is that the next book is the last in the series for now and i'll have to find something else to fill the gaping hole that bailey will leave in my reading schedule.
p.s. beau regan is the worst name EVER.
sigh.
March 9, 2021
Man does it feel good to be back in the world of Bailey Weggins! I have very slowly been working my way through this series, and now I have finally finished Over Her Dead Body by Kate White. This book made me crave wine as much as the first three did, and it is told with White's signature style and wit. Bailey is one of my favorite female characters of all time, and I wouldn't mind if the series never ends. This time she is looking for a summer fling, as well as investigating (and reporting on) her new boss's murder. There is plenty of mystery and intrigue along with a couple of steamy sex scenes and lots of suspense!
I decided to listen to the audiobook this time and that may have been a mistake. I don't think I have ever heard the narrator before even though she has a long list of books she has voiced. I really liked Julia Gibson's voice for Bailey and thought it's how she would sound, but there are lots of odd and long pauses as well as points where you can hear her swallowing. I have no idea if this is an issue with editing or not, but it was very distracting, and I started saying "gulp" every time she did it. Luckily for me, she doesn't narrate any of the other books in this series so hopefully, I will have better luck next time! If you go the audio route I would beware, but this was an amazing book with twists I never saw coming.
I love the journalism aspect in Over Her Dead Body, which is a theme throughout the series since, duh, Bailey is a crime writer. She always puts herself in dangerous situations and it is all part of the fun of these books. If you like novels with plucky female leads with some steam and journalism mixed in, this is the book and series for you! All the talk about wine is always a plus as well. Loved this installment to the series and I can't wait for the next one!
I decided to listen to the audiobook this time and that may have been a mistake. I don't think I have ever heard the narrator before even though she has a long list of books she has voiced. I really liked Julia Gibson's voice for Bailey and thought it's how she would sound, but there are lots of odd and long pauses as well as points where you can hear her swallowing. I have no idea if this is an issue with editing or not, but it was very distracting, and I started saying "gulp" every time she did it. Luckily for me, she doesn't narrate any of the other books in this series so hopefully, I will have better luck next time! If you go the audio route I would beware, but this was an amazing book with twists I never saw coming.
I love the journalism aspect in Over Her Dead Body, which is a theme throughout the series since, duh, Bailey is a crime writer. She always puts herself in dangerous situations and it is all part of the fun of these books. If you like novels with plucky female leads with some steam and journalism mixed in, this is the book and series for you! All the talk about wine is always a plus as well. Loved this installment to the series and I can't wait for the next one!
February 11, 2021
3.5 stars
Over Her Dead Body is the fourth book in the Bailey Weggins series.
Bailey is a crime reporter who has just transitioned from the high profile magazine, Gloss, to the semi-rag mag, Buzz. It’s a tough environment, but she’s making a few allies, and just as she’s settling in, a murder occurs and she’s right in the thick of things.
Given her position, Bailey is tasked with writing about the murder, but as any good crime reporter knows, she must do a little sleuthing of her own.
I always enjoy these mysteries, though I’d say they are more of a B-role than your modern, more realistic crime fiction. They are a bit dated and haven’t held up to the test of time as other series have. The commentary is a bit crude at times, definitely not PC, and I can’t say I care at all for Bailey’s relationship decisions or choice of companions...ever. But generally speaking, these are still solid, interesting mysteries and I like Bailey Weggins as a character.
This particular story seemed to drag more than others and felt a little long. I was always eager to pick it up, but seemed to make little progress, only making it through a couple of chapters a sitting. The reveal was also less impressive than previous mysteries. I did enjoy Over Her Dead Body, as I do all of Kate White’s stories, but it wasn’t my favorite in this series.
Over Her Dead Body is the fourth book in the Bailey Weggins series.
Bailey is a crime reporter who has just transitioned from the high profile magazine, Gloss, to the semi-rag mag, Buzz. It’s a tough environment, but she’s making a few allies, and just as she’s settling in, a murder occurs and she’s right in the thick of things.
Given her position, Bailey is tasked with writing about the murder, but as any good crime reporter knows, she must do a little sleuthing of her own.
I always enjoy these mysteries, though I’d say they are more of a B-role than your modern, more realistic crime fiction. They are a bit dated and haven’t held up to the test of time as other series have. The commentary is a bit crude at times, definitely not PC, and I can’t say I care at all for Bailey’s relationship decisions or choice of companions...ever. But generally speaking, these are still solid, interesting mysteries and I like Bailey Weggins as a character.
This particular story seemed to drag more than others and felt a little long. I was always eager to pick it up, but seemed to make little progress, only making it through a couple of chapters a sitting. The reveal was also less impressive than previous mysteries. I did enjoy Over Her Dead Body, as I do all of Kate White’s stories, but it wasn’t my favorite in this series.
February 5, 2022
I wish I'd looked at reviews of this one before I started because the one that said "skip it, it hasn't held up well" was right on the money. Not only do some of the word choices feel dated, but the entire hermaphrodite subplot is done badly and without nuance.
On top of that, the actual plot of this was very thin. In book three there were some good thriller elements and real tension, but this one just seemed like Bailey went from person to person musing about random theories until she finally came face to face with the killer.
Hopefully this is just a one off, but this installment isn't worth the time.
On top of that, the actual plot of this was very thin. In book three there were some good thriller elements and real tension, but this one just seemed like Bailey went from person to person musing about random theories until she finally came face to face with the killer.
Hopefully this is just a one off, but this installment isn't worth the time.
September 20, 2007
I picked this up for some vacation reading. I was astonished throughout the book that it actually made it to publication. It was like reading Cosmo, only it had turned into a trite detective novel. Then I got the end and found out the author is the editor of Cosmo. Ahhh... that explains so much. If you are trapped in a hotel room somewhere, I guess you could go ahead and read this. Otherwise, steer clear.
November 6, 2023
My god this was stupid. It was poorly written and offensive. The “hermaphrodite” plot was really problematic. Don’t waste your time with this.
May 18, 2014
Need a good sleuthing mystery that will keep you on your toes until the very end? This is the series to do just that with a little spice and multiple dead bodies all in the name of revenge, jealous rage and getting even. Bailey Weggins a free lance crime writer, is always finding herself in danger when she begins a story that has a dead body involved. She has the knack to find and ferret out the clues. This, of course, makes her a target even when she may not have all the clues to point a finger. Criminals and those who commit crimes in passion are known to be cagey or give more clues away than they realize. While Bailey is on the search for clues in this title she is pursued in different angles making it hard to pinpoint who killed her new boss at the magazine Buzz. Mona Hodges is not liked by many because she demands excellence, long hours and no mistakes. Anyone and everyone she works with and deals with is a suspect and Bailey needs to clear those who had less motive than others. Was Mona blackmailing her boss with money because she had a better T.V. offer? Was Mona killed by an ex-employee? Was Mona murdered because she had some Hollywood dirt on a singer? Once you begin this series, you will get a feel for the magazine world like you never expected. The behind the scenes on how a magazine is put to bed so to speak. Author Kate White is the editor in chief of Cosmopolitan magazine and an author who lives in New York. Kate's understanding of the magazine world speaks in volumes on the pages of her series. Kate won a top ten Glamour magazine women's contest in college and ended up on the cover. Her love for words and mystery led her to a writing career while climbing the professional ladder. I was blessed to have listen to her chat a few years back on writing, mysteries and in being charge of a large well known magazine. What a fascinating career! Kate has written three other novels, Hush, The Sixes, Eyes on You and several non-fiction titles based on careers and stories she has covered in the women's world... I Shouldn't Be Telling You This, is all about being successful and moving forward with your career. My love for the fourth book in her Bailey Weggins series, has me wanting the next title, Lethally Blonde. I enjoy traveling along with Bailey during her day hours, her search for the truth, her ability to write crime stories and of course her personal life that is interwoven between the pages. I dearly love her next door neighbor Landon and I'm sort of forgiving her old boss Cat, for not standing up to peer pressure and style. Gloss magazine has decided to switch gears and be more about bliss than buzz. "'Bliss?' I said, almost choking on the word. 'Are you talking about things like, uh, aromatherapy and savoring the sunrise?' 'Believe it or not, yes, Women are stressed, and they want relief from that stress. We need to create features in the magazine that help them deal with all of that. Look, Bailey, it's not my cup of tea. I think you know me well enough to know that my bullshit meter goes off the minute I hear words like 'feng shui.' but I'm fighting for my survival here.' Apparently, Cat can't seem to find the spot for a crime article or Bailey's human interest stories with the mix of all the pretty stuff . "'I need to make Gloss very visual. In some ways, pictures are the new words today. I'm not saying that we'll have only photos in Gloss, but the articles we run will be shorter and gentler.'" Doesn't sound like my cup of tea to read than either, as a magazine for women. It's the long articles, the stories I read, that grab my interest! The first book in this starts out with Cat needing Bailey to discover who poisoned the chocolates that Cat received as a gift and then gave to the nanny as a thank you present. Second book has Bailey at a country spa resort finding a dead body in the mud wrap room and book three is a wedding going wrong for the bridesmaids. So by the fourth title... Bailey has a new job working at Buzz magazine, a sizzling gossip rag which will have her covering celebrity crime versus regular high profile crime stories. Kate has the knack to keep it fresh and titillating while dishing out the wicked, suspenseful plots and whodunit crimes.
September 11, 2011
Think of this as "murder mystery light". Tastes ok, and less filling.
Bailey Weggins is our one-dimensional, bland, forgetable crime reporter/NYC tourguide/wanna-be Nancy Drew. She is determined to find the murderer of her "Devil Wears Prada"-esque boss, who may or may not have been killed by recently fired Robby Hart (um...when did he lose his gig as The Wedding Singer?).
I tried to really like this book. It had everything I thought I would like...a headstrong female who doesn't need a man, a mystery where anyone could be the murderer, and a fast paced backdrop of New York City. But despite my best efforts, I found myself skipping to the end to get it over with.
The writing style was odd and clunky, as if the author overused that annoying talking paperclip in her MS Word. "Did you mean to type ____?"
The characters were cardboard cut-outs with "Back stabbing co-worker", "flirty man-whore", and "Sneaky man with secrets" signs flashing over their heads. And the dialogue...ugh! Why oh why do writers think that people actually speak like an episode of Gilmore Girls?
Bailey Weggins is our one-dimensional, bland, forgetable crime reporter/NYC tourguide/wanna-be Nancy Drew. She is determined to find the murderer of her "Devil Wears Prada"-esque boss, who may or may not have been killed by recently fired Robby Hart (um...when did he lose his gig as The Wedding Singer?).
I tried to really like this book. It had everything I thought I would like...a headstrong female who doesn't need a man, a mystery where anyone could be the murderer, and a fast paced backdrop of New York City. But despite my best efforts, I found myself skipping to the end to get it over with.
The writing style was odd and clunky, as if the author overused that annoying talking paperclip in her MS Word. "Did you mean to type ____?"
The characters were cardboard cut-outs with "Back stabbing co-worker", "flirty man-whore", and "Sneaky man with secrets" signs flashing over their heads. And the dialogue...ugh! Why oh why do writers think that people actually speak like an episode of Gilmore Girls?
August 19, 2013
This is the fourth book in Kate White's Bailey Weggins murder mystery series, and although I enjoy all her books, this has been my favorite so far. Set in the busy office of a celebrity gossip magazine, Bailey once again finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery when her boss is bludgeoned in the head. Everyone is suspect since none of the staff, Bailey included, liked her. Kate White always keeps me guessing in her novels until the killer is revealed, but this time, I had an inkling who it had to be, and I was right, although I didn't know the motive. And, in all fairness, I found the motive a bit weak for my liking, but that won't stop me from reading the next novel in the series or any thereafter. If you enjoy a good murder mystery, with an element of romance and humor thrown in, give this series a try!
January 5, 2022
Skip it. This book has not held up over time. The plot takes place at a gossip magazine which might explain why women are called fat and sluts over and over but is that really an excuse? There’s also a “hermaphrodite” plot point that is hideous and cringe worthy. The Bailey Wiggins series isn’t bad, but you don’t need to read this one. And the author owes an apology to Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan for bad mouthing them. The whole book reminded me how hideous the tabloids were to women in the 2000’s and made me feel terrible for ever reading a tabloid magazine.
July 8, 2009
This woman doesn't know how to write a good mystery or a good story. Dumb.
May 29, 2018
Unfortunately not a winner for me. I found the writing and dialogue stilted and the characters one-dimensional and too slutty for my taste.
July 20, 2018
I usually can figure out who did it...but not here. Great characters definately going to read the other Bailey Weggins Mysteries. Love it.
July 22, 2024
Kate White introduces us to the world of tabloid reporting in a sassy titillating crime novel--Over Her Dead Body.
I could feel the slime drip off the characters that were responsible for keeping the Buzz and its rag competitors in production. While the mention of 'current' celebrities will date this book, Kate's spellbinding storytelling definitely has
staying power.
Over Her Dead Body is a fast-paced novel about the murder of the Mona Hodges, Editor in Chief of the Buzz, who had a long list of hostages in her wake, each one having good reason to hate her or perhaps kill her-with a sprinkling of romance for levity.
Even though the main character, Bailey Weggins, a celebrity crime writer, gets discombobulated many times throughout the investigation, she is clever enough to pull together the pieces of the mystery to its conclusion.
Right to the end Kate White keeps the reader guessing on who did this horrible crime.
I could feel the slime drip off the characters that were responsible for keeping the Buzz and its rag competitors in production. While the mention of 'current' celebrities will date this book, Kate's spellbinding storytelling definitely has
staying power.
Over Her Dead Body is a fast-paced novel about the murder of the Mona Hodges, Editor in Chief of the Buzz, who had a long list of hostages in her wake, each one having good reason to hate her or perhaps kill her-with a sprinkling of romance for levity.
Even though the main character, Bailey Weggins, a celebrity crime writer, gets discombobulated many times throughout the investigation, she is clever enough to pull together the pieces of the mystery to its conclusion.
Right to the end Kate White keeps the reader guessing on who did this horrible crime.
December 21, 2024
This is the third book in this series I’ve read, and I think I’ve decided I am not a fan. I really have enjoyed most of the author’s other books. But there’s something about the way the story unfolds with the main character in this series that is slow and a bit boring. Because she is a crime writer, most of the “who dunnit” comes out as a series of internal conversations with herself - rather than through interactions between the main characters. Along with everything she is drinking or eating or thinking about the hot new guy she met. In other words, it ends up being a lot of “tell don’t show,” which is the opposite of a good story. Plus, she seems to always end up doing dumb things like travel to dark places alone for a lead, even though someone has been stalking her. It’s hard to identify with her or feel much attachment to her character. On top of that, the victim was so unlikeable that you barely care if her murder is solved or not. Just glad to be done with this one.
April 13, 2018
I've read a couple of the other books in Kate White's Bailey Weggins mystery series and I always feel like these are chick-lit mysteries. The mystery is always at the center of the story, but we also get some romance, lux fashion descriptions, and female drama mixed in. Although they definitely aren't cozy mysteries, it is always a nice break from the hard core crime thrillers.
I like Bailey, she's smart and a little rebellious going off on escapades normal people wouldn't go on even though she knows they are dangerous. I think she always finds herself in crazy situations. This book also gives us our first peak at her new love interest, Beau. Is he a casual hook-up or a long-term partner...? Good story, good characters, and a good series. I'll definitely be reading more!
I like Bailey, she's smart and a little rebellious going off on escapades normal people wouldn't go on even though she knows they are dangerous. I think she always finds herself in crazy situations. This book also gives us our first peak at her new love interest, Beau. Is he a casual hook-up or a long-term partner...? Good story, good characters, and a good series. I'll definitely be reading more!
September 19, 2019
This book felt like it took me forever to read. I don't know if it's because I was so tired every time I tried to read it or because it just wasn't that compelling. I think it's longer than her 3 previous Bailey books, and it felt that way to me. And the ending was disappointing.
Meanwhile, Bailey meets the man of her dreams, Beau Regan, a documentary filmmaker, who happens to working with the guy who owns Buzz, the new magazine for which she writes (since Cat had to let her go because of taking Gloss in a "new direction."
I'll probably read the next - the first three weren't bad, this one was just too Devil Wears Prada for me.
Meanwhile, Bailey meets the man of her dreams, Beau Regan, a documentary filmmaker, who happens to working with the guy who owns Buzz, the new magazine for which she writes (since Cat had to let her go because of taking Gloss in a "new direction."
I'll probably read the next - the first three weren't bad, this one was just too Devil Wears Prada for me.
October 8, 2021
Complicated and complex story, with some potential, but the dialogue is lame and gratuitously vulgar. Perhaps that's just the way Yankees talk, especially New York City Yankees, perhaps especially New York City Yankees in the magazine business, but I found it childish and off-putting.
The alleged heroine is a reporter who takes a job with a gossip magazine -- and do such magazines continue to exist? -- and becomes an investigator into a murder very close to home.
This is number four in a series, and maybe the character Bailey Weggins is fleshed out earlier, but what is pictured here is not admirable and not even especially interesting. Not enough for me to seek out any other entries in the series.
Other, differently discerning readers might like this.
The alleged heroine is a reporter who takes a job with a gossip magazine -- and do such magazines continue to exist? -- and becomes an investigator into a murder very close to home.
This is number four in a series, and maybe the character Bailey Weggins is fleshed out earlier, but what is pictured here is not admirable and not even especially interesting. Not enough for me to seek out any other entries in the series.
Other, differently discerning readers might like this.
December 30, 2022
I think I need to take a break from these types of thrillers again. I don't know if Bailey (more like Whiney, amirite? :D) is more insufferable in the first books or it's just that I finally have had enough.
Also, have a drink everytime the word "discombobulated" is used and thank me later.
Also, have a drink everytime the word "discombobulated" is used and thank me later.
June 30, 2022
Usually when I start a new series, it is with book #1 not book #4. However, in this case, I was trying to find a cozy mystery to meet a requirement of a dead body on the cover. Not an easy thing to find in the cozy mystery genre.
The setting for this mystery is the magazine and celebrity world, not a setting I have much knowledge about but one that intrigues me. So, it was a fun read. Bailey Weggins has moved to a new magazine in order to write crime stories about celebrities. Imagine her surprise to find her new boss dead in the office one night. Of course she has to get involved because she has been given the assignment to write about the death/murder and a friend is now under suspicion.
Bailey figures, after following several leads, that she has figured out who has done the deed only to be surprised by becoming a target of the murderer.
She gets out of it...the murder is solved...and I am intrigued. I will go back and catch up on this series.
The setting for this mystery is the magazine and celebrity world, not a setting I have much knowledge about but one that intrigues me. So, it was a fun read. Bailey Weggins has moved to a new magazine in order to write crime stories about celebrities. Imagine her surprise to find her new boss dead in the office one night. Of course she has to get involved because she has been given the assignment to write about the death/murder and a friend is now under suspicion.
Bailey figures, after following several leads, that she has figured out who has done the deed only to be surprised by becoming a target of the murderer.
She gets out of it...the murder is solved...and I am intrigued. I will go back and catch up on this series.
March 29, 2018
Listened to this one on audio and the production was good. This was my first Bailey Weggins and it was light, quick and entertaining. A bit sex-in-the-city but the mystery was well done and I didn't figure it out.
One thing I did like is that Bailey, while getting into some danger, does at least have a sense of caution. So many amateur sleuths seem to get themselves blithely into peril but here Bailey mostly took clues to the police and at least thought about not walking down too many dark alleys.
I will read more in the series.
One thing I did like is that Bailey, while getting into some danger, does at least have a sense of caution. So many amateur sleuths seem to get themselves blithely into peril but here Bailey mostly took clues to the police and at least thought about not walking down too many dark alleys.
I will read more in the series.
January 4, 2021
This was another good entry in the series. As I said before I really like that there are multiple suspects to consider and these books keep you guessing until the end. In this book Bailey gets fired from her job at Gloss Magazine and is hired as a crime writer at another celebrity rag, Buzz. Her mean new boss is soon murdered and it is up to this grown up Nancy Drew to solve the crime. The author keeps things interesting by having Bailey switch jobs to Buzz Magazine. This was a quick and enjoyable read.
June 5, 2021
This book was A LOT of fun, and would make for a great summer beach or cabin read. Full disclosure, I just happen to own this book with no recollection of how I acquired it, and somehow haven't read the previous books in the series? Didn't matter. White does a great job catching you up, and it can absolutely be read as a stand-alone.
This was basically a cross between Devil Wears Prada and Nancy Drew, in the best way possible.
Finished this book last night and I already ordered the next one in the series, because now I am hooked on Bailey Weggins.
This was basically a cross between Devil Wears Prada and Nancy Drew, in the best way possible.
Finished this book last night and I already ordered the next one in the series, because now I am hooked on Bailey Weggins.
October 20, 2017
Language. The story was good but TOO LONG! The good part was I never saw the ending coming.
Bailey Weggins is a writer who was fired from Gloss and then landed a job at Buzz writing about crimes the celebrities commit. And her career starts out with a bang when her boss is murdered in her office. Who dunnit and why - as Bailey tries to find out the answers she puts her own life on the line.
Bailey Weggins is a writer who was fired from Gloss and then landed a job at Buzz writing about crimes the celebrities commit. And her career starts out with a bang when her boss is murdered in her office. Who dunnit and why - as Bailey tries to find out the answers she puts her own life on the line.
July 13, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book. It kept my interest to the very end and I never would have guessed the killer which is always a plus! Some parts seemed to drag and become repetitive when it came to her being a reporter but to be fair it made it realistic. It showed what it is really like to be a reporter. I recommend this book and am interested in ready the rest of the series.
September 29, 2021
Not the usual Bailey Weggins caliber of this series by Kate White. Disappointing chick lit with shallow characters and far too long story line. Who done it murder which should have been written without the unnecessary fillers (the twists and turns were enough to add mystery to the simple story). Bailey Weggins remains her same Nancy Drew-type character with some Sex In The City added to make her heart throb in this rather boring read.
Hope Kate White ups her game in #5 of this series.
Hope Kate White ups her game in #5 of this series.
February 29, 2024
I honestly don’t know how Kate White does it time and time again.
Baileys life does change quite a bit. I enjoy that it isn’t just about murder and mystery. It’s about her love life, work life and friendships. How New York City is and the details about people’s outfits or how they act. The books are never dull. This was such a good read
Baileys life does change quite a bit. I enjoy that it isn’t just about murder and mystery. It’s about her love life, work life and friendships. How New York City is and the details about people’s outfits or how they act. The books are never dull. This was such a good read
January 17, 2017
She Does It Again
Bailey just happens to be around when another murder is committed. As usual, there are lots of suspects and Bailey is in danger as well as is her love life. However , she still manages to solve the crime.
Bailey just happens to be around when another murder is committed. As usual, there are lots of suspects and Bailey is in danger as well as is her love life. However , she still manages to solve the crime.
January 3, 2019
This is not my favorite in this series so far. The character has an unexpected twist in their life and has a new mystery to solve with it. Odd. Some white slow at times. Not terrible. Just not great.
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