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Carrie Carlin #4
Golden Eggs and Other Deadly Things
Extortion, kidnapping, conspiracy, and murder---not crimes suburban mom, biofeedback therapist, Carrie Carlin who teaches stress-reduction, should expect to run into every day. But Carrie isn't your usual suburban mom. Over the past few years stumbling on dead bodies has become depressingly routine for her. Still, when her much adored father wins the Massachusetts lottery and his smiling face and that of his new wife, Eve, grace the front page of the Boston Globe, Carrie anticipates only good things happening.
Then Eve shows up on Carrie's Norwood, New Jersey doorstep with a chunk of Carrie's dad's winnings concealed in a money belt, payoff loot for an extortionist. She begs Carrie to help her deliver the money. Outraged, Carrie adamantly refuses. The last thing she needs is to be dragged into a potentially dangerous shady deal, particularly when Eve won't tell her what the deal is. She has a busy life, she explains--a client roster that includes ADD and ADHD kids, overeater groups, even a multiple personality, plus an ex-husband who compares her to Calamity Jane, two children, four animals and a boyfriend who's a homicide cop.
Angry and desperate, Eve appropriates Carrie's car and disappears, leading Carrie on a wild goose chase all over Manhattan. When the extortionist ends up with a bullet in his brain and his head in a bowl of soup, and Carrie discovers Eve trying to climb out a brownstone window, Carrie ends up in the proverbial soup right along with stepmom. Then Eve is arrested, a stepbrother Carrie didn't know existed shows up, and strangers connected to Eve's past begin getting murdered. When her dad arrives determined to save his lady, Carrie's fight-or-flight response goes into orbit. Finding the killer becomes an all-consuming priority as she fights to preserve her family. Her chance comes when the killer makes a disastrous mistake....
Then Eve shows up on Carrie's Norwood, New Jersey doorstep with a chunk of Carrie's dad's winnings concealed in a money belt, payoff loot for an extortionist. She begs Carrie to help her deliver the money. Outraged, Carrie adamantly refuses. The last thing she needs is to be dragged into a potentially dangerous shady deal, particularly when Eve won't tell her what the deal is. She has a busy life, she explains--a client roster that includes ADD and ADHD kids, overeater groups, even a multiple personality, plus an ex-husband who compares her to Calamity Jane, two children, four animals and a boyfriend who's a homicide cop.
Angry and desperate, Eve appropriates Carrie's car and disappears, leading Carrie on a wild goose chase all over Manhattan. When the extortionist ends up with a bullet in his brain and his head in a bowl of soup, and Carrie discovers Eve trying to climb out a brownstone window, Carrie ends up in the proverbial soup right along with stepmom. Then Eve is arrested, a stepbrother Carrie didn't know existed shows up, and strangers connected to Eve's past begin getting murdered. When her dad arrives determined to save his lady, Carrie's fight-or-flight response goes into orbit. Finding the killer becomes an all-consuming priority as she fights to preserve her family. Her chance comes when the killer makes a disastrous mistake....
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2000
32 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Tesler
7 books29 followersNancy Tesler started as an actor, progressed to writing screen and stage plays, and then, inspired by the overwhelming urge to do someone in, moved on to writing mysteries about the murderously wacky world of divorce.
Nancy Tesler was born and raised in Worcester, Mass., and moved with her family to New York City when she was eighteen. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a major in drama, she toured France with a production of "Born Yesterday."
She acted in films, television and off-Broadway theater until the birth of her first child. She then began writing for the stage, television and the financial community. In the early 1990s she became certified as a biofeedback clinician and works with adults having pain or stress-related conditions and children with attention deficit disorders.
Pink Balloons and Other Deadly Things introduced Carrie Carlin, biofeedback clinician and almost-divorced mom, whose already stressful life becomes nightmarish when her soon-to-be-ex's intended turns up dead, with Carrie topping the suspect list. Carrie's fifth adventure, Slippery Slopes & Other Deadly Things, was published in April 2003 by Perseverance Press/John Daniel & Co.
Nancy Tesler was born and raised in Worcester, Mass., and moved with her family to New York City when she was eighteen. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a major in drama, she toured France with a production of "Born Yesterday."
She acted in films, television and off-Broadway theater until the birth of her first child. She then began writing for the stage, television and the financial community. In the early 1990s she became certified as a biofeedback clinician and works with adults having pain or stress-related conditions and children with attention deficit disorders.
Pink Balloons and Other Deadly Things introduced Carrie Carlin, biofeedback clinician and almost-divorced mom, whose already stressful life becomes nightmarish when her soon-to-be-ex's intended turns up dead, with Carrie topping the suspect list. Carrie's fifth adventure, Slippery Slopes & Other Deadly Things, was published in April 2003 by Perseverance Press/John Daniel & Co.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 6, 2016
The writing was fine, but the plot predictable if scattered. Characters were okay, but cop boyfriend was one dimensional.
August 30, 2013
Good book, good series! They mysteries are fun to read. The main character Carrie is funny at times as to how she views things and get herself at the wrong place at the wrong time - but still manages to find something important to the case.
This is my favorite out of the whole series!
This is my favorite out of the whole series!
August 17, 2013
Carrie Carlin is at it once again, trying to help her step mom from being charged with murder. Carrie's father has won the lottery in his home town. His wife Eve, has secrets and wants Carrie's with delivering extortion money. When Eve's son Jamie turns up to reunite with his mother, people start turning up dead. The past catches up with Eve and reality sets in when Carrie's father falls ill and almost dies.
You can figure out who is the killer is early on and you can figure out the lottery prize is involved. But, if you read the other books,you know Carrie needs to be rescued by Ted before all the truths can be told. Its a quick read, gets a bit long winded before it picks up again.
You can figure out who is the killer is early on and you can figure out the lottery prize is involved. But, if you read the other books,you know Carrie needs to be rescued by Ted before all the truths can be told. Its a quick read, gets a bit long winded before it picks up again.
October 29, 2021
Fantastic read
This book kept me turning page as far into the night. The characters were believable it had me fooled almost until the last moment. I had it figured out a few pages from the end but not completely. Really good and I will look for more of her work.
This book kept me turning page as far into the night. The characters were believable it had me fooled almost until the last moment. I had it figured out a few pages from the end but not completely. Really good and I will look for more of her work.
March 8, 2015
Carrie Carlin as a bio-feedback specialist is a nice change from most of the female sleuths I've been reading. I enjoyed following her adventure with her less-than-favored-step-mom with a secret past, and her dad who has won the lottery. Interesting combination, along with her attachment to police detective Ted who (thank goodness) doesn't ruin the story by asking for her assistance to solve crime. She winds up in the midst of things because the problems are attached to her family. Believable, fun, and glad I kept reading even after I figured out the mystery.
May 20, 2013
This started out well, with sympathetic characters, and I was expecting a pleasant evening's entertainment. But it quickly deteriorated into incredibly implausible events and clichés (sounds contradictory, but it isn't). I'm glad this was a kindle lending library selection, and I didn't spend any money on it.
January 10, 2014
My exact rating is 2.5 stars. I've read several in the series now and this one was sloppier than the earlier ones. Quote issues all over (missing or extra). Timing issue in bookstore scene contradicted later. Solution too obvious.
January 28, 2014
It took me awhile to get invested in the characters, but once I did, I enjoyed the story. The repeated scene where Carrie comes home to strangers in her house does seem to be overdone. The character of Carrie was rather annoying at times and unlikeable at others.
February 2, 2015
Carrie Carlin (a biofeedback therapist) is visited by her father's wife Eve. Next come news of beatings, child kidnapping, and murder. Eve asks Carrie to pay off an extortionist but when she refuses Eve steals her car and Carrie gives chase.Leading to the finding of a dead body.
March 1, 2017
"No personal publicity" would be a very good rule for winners of lotteries - some pretty scuzzy things pop out of one's past.
August 20, 2013
Carrie Carlin is involved with dead bodies again! This time, the body involved is found by her step-mother and leads to another entertaining, delightful, murder mystery.
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September 9, 2013
3.5 stars. bit slow the last part.
September 14, 2013
it was Ok but ...??
August 16, 2013
loved the book. look forward to reading more by this author.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews