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Maggie Kean Misadventures #1
Artful Dodger
Take one funny, wise-cracking artist, one gorgeous, sexy detective, throw in a grizzly murder, a little amateur sleuthing, and you have the makings of a wild, romantic, misadventure.
Art teacher and sculptor Maggie Kean thought she was having a rotten day, burning her toast, stubbing her toe, and all before eight in the morning. Things just couldn't get any worse. At least, until the dead body clogs up her toilet. To make matters worse, Maggie becomes the prime suspect. Now all she has to do is evade the police, clear her name, trap a killer...and deal with one mouth-watering, hunky detective who drives her crazy while making her hormones do the happy dance.
Art teacher and sculptor Maggie Kean thought she was having a rotten day, burning her toast, stubbing her toe, and all before eight in the morning. Things just couldn't get any worse. At least, until the dead body clogs up her toilet. To make matters worse, Maggie becomes the prime suspect. Now all she has to do is evade the police, clear her name, trap a killer...and deal with one mouth-watering, hunky detective who drives her crazy while making her hormones do the happy dance.
212 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2001
123 people are currently reading
1065 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
September 10, 2013
Mystery, drama, romance, humor and art… and a gorgeous Italian cop. What else do you need from a brilliantly-written book?
Maggie Kean's solitude has been momentarily disturbed when her next-door neighbor’s body was found on her backyard. Everybody’s a suspect… including her.
It’s a clever read because it keeps you guessing who’s the real suspect. There are the obvious suspects… some evidence may lead to more conspiracy… and at some point you may ask yourself, "maybe it's not murder..?". You will be taken along with Maggie’s journey as she digs deeper into finding out the truth. If only that one hot Italian cop doesn’t always distract her consciousness.
What makes Maggie adorable is her being the ordinary girl-next-door. With her artsy vibe, loose-fitting shirts or pants, her acerbic wit or wise-ass quips – you will fall in love with her dorkiness, along with her ridiculous sense of humor.
I also love how Ms. Davis has captivatingly written the romance between the two lead characters. The progression of their attraction with each other is awkward, funny and quite natural. You could really feel the intensity of their feelings for each other. It also shows that a good relationship starts with friendship and respect.
And I had fun with the cop's Italian family which fondly reminds me of an equally close-knit, traditional (Filipino) family that we have in our country. :-) I love this book and I look forward to reading other books by Ms. Davis.
November 9, 2017
Maggie Kean was having the time of her life. Burnt toast, stubbed toe and a dead body. Plus Mr. Nostrils treating her as a suspect in the untimely death of Elizabeth, her neighbor, friend and mentor.
Then came the ruggedly handsome and Italian detective, Sam Villari. Obviously smitten with her, Maggie did her best to dodge the officer’s questions, especially when she started her own little investigation. Who could have put poor Elizabeth in the septic tank, of all places? Who could have done it? And why?
The artfully talented Maggie Kean wasn't one to rest when there's a dead body just a few meters away from her house. A stylish lady in her own right, she had been enamored by her kind neighbor but also caught the attention of the hot Italian detective investigating the body at the septic tank. You just can't help but root for her whenever she stuck her nose to the murder mystery.
Nageeba Davis' writing is superb and very entertaining, leaving the reader reeling with laughing endless and bright eyed. Maggie Kean is such a delight to read. The story is fast paced, with interesting twisting plot lines, and never-ending loads of fun and hilarious. Add the irresistible Italian on the mix, and you got a cozy mystery winner! Now, if I could just meet Sam Villari in person!
I can't wait to see what kind of trouble and misadventures Maggie Kean gets herself into next!
Then came the ruggedly handsome and Italian detective, Sam Villari. Obviously smitten with her, Maggie did her best to dodge the officer’s questions, especially when she started her own little investigation. Who could have put poor Elizabeth in the septic tank, of all places? Who could have done it? And why?
The artfully talented Maggie Kean wasn't one to rest when there's a dead body just a few meters away from her house. A stylish lady in her own right, she had been enamored by her kind neighbor but also caught the attention of the hot Italian detective investigating the body at the septic tank. You just can't help but root for her whenever she stuck her nose to the murder mystery.
Nageeba Davis' writing is superb and very entertaining, leaving the reader reeling with laughing endless and bright eyed. Maggie Kean is such a delight to read. The story is fast paced, with interesting twisting plot lines, and never-ending loads of fun and hilarious. Add the irresistible Italian on the mix, and you got a cozy mystery winner! Now, if I could just meet Sam Villari in person!
I can't wait to see what kind of trouble and misadventures Maggie Kean gets herself into next!
July 6, 2013
I really enjoyed this book – it is a fun, lighthearted read and I was really sorry when it ended. It has the perfect balance of mystery, romance and humor, which is exactly what I was hoping it would be.
The main character, Maggie, is a struggling artist who has no idea, or no interest in fashion and does not care a hoot about what anyone has to say about it. She is a straight talker, and has real trouble keeping her thoughts to herself and keeping out of trouble. It must be quite something to be on the receiving end of her spontaneous outbursts as Sam Villari, the detective in charge of the murder inquiry, certainly found out. The verbal sparring sessions between the two of them had me laughing out loud at times. There were a few instances in the story when I wanted to shake Maggie – she seemed to have a death wish, by either chasing leads to find the killer without thinking of her own safety, or horror of horrors, eating food well past its sell-by date.
I love the writing style – it flowed well and moved fast, without overburdening the reader with all the little details, and that is something I really like – the small details have their place in certain books, but this book did well without it.
A really good read. I look forward to reading more from Nageeba Davis.
The main character, Maggie, is a struggling artist who has no idea, or no interest in fashion and does not care a hoot about what anyone has to say about it. She is a straight talker, and has real trouble keeping her thoughts to herself and keeping out of trouble. It must be quite something to be on the receiving end of her spontaneous outbursts as Sam Villari, the detective in charge of the murder inquiry, certainly found out. The verbal sparring sessions between the two of them had me laughing out loud at times. There were a few instances in the story when I wanted to shake Maggie – she seemed to have a death wish, by either chasing leads to find the killer without thinking of her own safety, or horror of horrors, eating food well past its sell-by date.
I love the writing style – it flowed well and moved fast, without overburdening the reader with all the little details, and that is something I really like – the small details have their place in certain books, but this book did well without it.
A really good read. I look forward to reading more from Nageeba Davis.
November 7, 2017
Mystery certainly surrounds this wonderful story of the artfully talented Maggie Kean and her seemingly unending mis-adventures. I loved how she was characterized in this book. She doesn't have to wear Chanel or Armani or Manolos just to get the attention of sexy Detective. Her wardrobe is the exact anti-thesis of her craft. She's feisty, uncontrollable, bubbly, and yes, sweet. She treated and loved her neighbor like her mom, so she was devastated when Elizabeth died. Put yourself in her shoes, wouldn't you want to know who did the heinous crime?
I loved the author's take on the mystery & comedic side of the story. I laughed a lot while reading Maggie's mis-adventures. Nageeba Davis is a gem!
I see some Stephanie Plum's spirit in Maggie, and I also detect Nora Roberts in the detective, Sam Villari's life. Nora Roberts always melts my heart when I read stories about close-knit & sometimes boisterous family gatherings. Nageeba Davis nailed it with her Italian family dinner. For sure I am going to read the next installment on Maggie's life.
I loved the author's take on the mystery & comedic side of the story. I laughed a lot while reading Maggie's mis-adventures. Nageeba Davis is a gem!
I see some Stephanie Plum's spirit in Maggie, and I also detect Nora Roberts in the detective, Sam Villari's life. Nora Roberts always melts my heart when I read stories about close-knit & sometimes boisterous family gatherings. Nageeba Davis nailed it with her Italian family dinner. For sure I am going to read the next installment on Maggie's life.
July 15, 2014
Artful Dodger is a quick fun read that introduces an interesting new heroine. Maggie Kean is an aspiring sculptor living next door to a rich and influential woman who wants to help her with her art. Finding that same woman floating in her septic system turns Maggie’s world upside down. Meeting the handsome Italian detective running the case throws even more kinks into Maggie’s life. This is a cozy romantic mystery that makes you want to curl up on the couch with a favorite beverage and hope no one interrupts you.
I think this is the beginning of what could be a great series. These characters, Maggie, her best friend Lisa, Sam Vallari and his very Italian mom and dad, all seem like characters that could have excellent development. I love the setting in the Colorado Rockies.
This book is fun, light reading. I was fortunate enough to get this book while it was free on Amazon but it would definitely be worth the regular price of $3.99 and I’m sure I’ll be happy to pay for the others in the series.
I think this is the beginning of what could be a great series. These characters, Maggie, her best friend Lisa, Sam Vallari and his very Italian mom and dad, all seem like characters that could have excellent development. I love the setting in the Colorado Rockies.
This book is fun, light reading. I was fortunate enough to get this book while it was free on Amazon but it would definitely be worth the regular price of $3.99 and I’m sure I’ll be happy to pay for the others in the series.
September 2, 2013
Maggie Kean mis-adventures indeed! I usually buy book one of a series just to see if it is one I'd like to continue. That's a big YES! Maggie is a character with whom I would just like to hang out. I'd be laughing all the time. Good read.
May 29, 2013
I enjoyed this mystery. It kept me guessing until the end and the characters were great.
November 6, 2013
Okay mystery. I wasn't really impressed.
March 26, 2015
I "bought" a copy of Artful Dodger by Nageeba Davis from Amazon.com.au and this is just my honest opinion on it.
Maggie Kean is an artist and she teaches art at the elementary school nearby. Yet, one morning, she comes across a dead body. It turns out that it was one of her neighbours, an Elizabeth Boyer who had taken a great interest in Maggie's work. Soon enough, there are police and Maggie finds she's a suspect in the murder.
The characters are very poorly written. The author relies on very stereotypical character types to run the story. Quite simply, we're meant to hate the Boyer grandchildren because the author tells us that they're trust fund babies and spend a lot of money on cloths. We're meant to like and sympathise with Maggie just because she's the protagonist, and despite the fact that she's pretty nasty to everyone she meets- including her supposed love interest. We're meant to think that Villari and Maggie will be a good couple together; just because they met and flirt a few times, despite that he's trying to conduct an investigation where Maggie is a suspect and he's being completely inappropriate towards her. As for the other characters... Lisa is pretty cliché as well. Her introduction to the novel was a complete surprise, too. She just appears one chapter and she's apparently Maggie's best friend, yet the girl never mentioned her before and barely thinks about her in other portions. Quite simply, Lisa is the stereotype that constantly thinks about sex and encourages Maggie into the relationship with Villari just because she thinks it would be a good thing. Villari's family are stereotypical in that they're just the view of Italians that the author has set their mind on; that every Italian has a big family with a mother who only makes pasta all day and each night they have feasts of food.
I'll start my character introductions with Maggie. She's a tomboy and artist. Which is odd because Detective Villari makes a comment that she doesn't look like an artist...? Everyone can be an artist and there's no real defined "look" to one, so that part just seems ridiculous. The author was essentially trying to make a point that Maggie wears baggy clothes. My first thought of Maggie is that she's pretty disrespectful. To everyone she meets. She's mocking and judgement of every single person she comes across. Later on, she begins a mini investigation of her own. Yet, she has no real reason to do so. She is resentful that Detective Villari suspects her of anything (despite that it is just his job) and it's ironic because she then gives him more reason to suspect her by beginning her own investigation. Mind you, she seems like she's pretty bad at it. Essentially, she just steals an appointment book from the victim and then goes to harass some poor woman, even trying to force herself into the lady's house. Which is weird because later on, that lady makes a comment that Maggie is "easy to love", which makes no sense because she tried to force herself into your home...?
As for the grandchildren of the victim, Cassandra and Preston Boyer... I felt like Maggie's introduction of Preston Boyer was ridiculous, especially her claiming that hates her almost as much as if she had caused his parents' death. She's pretty negative towards him and labelling him as if he's a really bad person, just because she doesn't know or understand him. Claims he has few friends and that everyone dislikes him, but she wouldn't know because she tries to avoid him at every twist and turn. I can certainly understand his feelings of the situation when he turned up at the scene. Picture this: he essentially finds out that his grandmother has been murdered, yet when he comes to the scene, he sees a detective lazily flirting with a woman. I would be terribly upset as well. Not to mention, the detective isn't the least bit concerned about Preston's feelings, he instead belittles him and tells him to get out of the way. So rude. I know it's already chapter two, but I'm pretty horrified at these disrespectful characters. Maggie just seems like such a horrible person and Villari is pretty nasty as well. Not only that, but when Cassandra Boyer turns up, Maggie is equally as rude to her as she had been to Preston. I can see that it's meant to be seen as two ignorant, "trust fund" grandchildren of a deceased woman and that the author wants us to hate them. Yet, I just don't really see the whole point. Maggie is being really unfair to the both of them. Her behaviour is just beyond rude. These people have had their grandmother murdered, but Maggie just can't seem to find two seconds of her time to be nice to them. I can understand their behaviour, but Maggie just seems like a hateful, rude and thoroughly unlikeable person. I can't understand her personality or motives at all.
There's just something about Maggie always trying to get attention that bothers me. In the reading of the will, she keeps on making snide remarks to everyone, trying to insult both Boyers and mock the detective as well. Yet, when the actual reading of the will begins, she just completely ignores the lawyer. Later on, she keeps on forcing herself into others' business and then complaining about them as if they're annoying her. Every time someone comes to talk to her, she just fobs them off as if she hasn't got the time. She disregards the comments others make and deliberately tries to offend people. When she and Villari are having dinner, he questions her some more and she mockingly lists all the ways she might have killed Elizabeth. I found this behaviour to be truly disgusting. Elizabeth was meant to be her friend and here is Maggie, having a laugh at her death. It's not the only time, either. Maggie is full of sarcasm and is often making poor jokes about the lady's death. It's hard to believe that they were friends because it's obvious to me that Maggie didn't give a damn about her. After the will had been read, the lawyer had given her a handwritten letter from Elizabeth and she just leaves it lying around. As Villari points out, she's essentially been using it as a coaster. It's thoroughly obvious to me that she just doesn't give a damn about anyone but herself. I don't understand why Elizabeth had so much love for her. It's just bad writing that the author makes it out as if Maggie is loved by everyone, yet in reality she is a pretty nasty person to every single person.
Moving on to Sam Villari, one of the detectives on the case. To me he is quite the type of character who must have seemed like a good idea at the time of the author writing the book, but was not a very good idea in the long run. I can understand his turning up to various scenes as a detective and that he's just investigating the case. However, the way he talks to her is just so unprofessional. He even starts turning up at random points in time just to take care of her. He turns up at her house at odd times and he seems thoroughly creepy, the way he follows her around. Also, if I were her, I would wonder what kind of a police officer he is; does he do this type of thing with all of his suspects? He kisses her, despite her being a major suspect in an ongoing murder investigation who had just stolen (the night before) a major piece of evidence from the victim's home. (I'd like to point out that any decent officer would have already had that diary in evidence.) He invites her to dinner at his parents' home and even sleeps with her. Despite the fact that she's a suspect. He says that she isn't, but she should be. He can't properly rule her out of the investigation, so she's still a suspect. I can't understand his behaviour. If I were his boss, I'd have him fired for inappropriate conduct. Even if Villari doesn't consider her a suspect, she still is a witness. Maggie was also beyond rude to him about his heritage. She claims that one Italian husband was enough to ruin Italians for her. Because of that, she makes fun of his family and behaviour. I just found it to be somewhat discriminatory... After all, what's wrong with him being Italian?
I'll just leave the character complaints there for now, and discuss the plot. Overall, it was somewhat lame. There's a mystery, yes, but it's essentially just figuring out who killed Elizabeth Boyer. Apart from that, there's no real investigation, other than Maggie's poorly done interview of one lady from the appointment book. The author doesn't present many clues and it's not really possible for us, as a reader, to solve it beyond basic assumptions. Maggie is made to look smart at the end, just because she figured it out, when really anyone in the plot could have if they'd bother to take note of shoes and coffee drinking. The mystery aspect was somewhat poorly written in that sense, but also in the fact that I have no sympathy for any of the characters. It became obvious to me that I had absolutely no interest in finding out who killed Elizabeth, or why. Mind you, the 'why' was obvious all along. Beyond the mystery, the writing was pretty bad. The author just can't get their story straight. Maggie is an art teacher and art enthusiast, yet she never goes to work and when she does sit herself down in front of a block of clay, she has absolutely no passion. She never knows what she wants to sculpt and it is quite obvious that she doesn't even want to; she's forcing herself to sit there and she has absolutely no love for the art. Another part of the writing style is that there are huge portions just dedicated to Maggie's feelings. Yet, they just drone on and on. One or two paragraphs might be interesting, but it's just sheer madness in what the author does, having at least a third of the entirety of the book focused on the woman's very repetitive feelings.
Overall, the book was just terrible. It seems like the author is unimaginative with their characters and they lack a lot of creativity with the overall plot as well. There's little mystery as to who had committed the crime and there are no proper clues presented, in any case. The author chooses to focus all of our attention on some awful relationship with a hateful person and a creepy detective who's meant to be investigating the crime. It was all just so badly done. I can't find any reason to rate it higher than one star.
Maggie Kean is an artist and she teaches art at the elementary school nearby. Yet, one morning, she comes across a dead body. It turns out that it was one of her neighbours, an Elizabeth Boyer who had taken a great interest in Maggie's work. Soon enough, there are police and Maggie finds she's a suspect in the murder.
The characters are very poorly written. The author relies on very stereotypical character types to run the story. Quite simply, we're meant to hate the Boyer grandchildren because the author tells us that they're trust fund babies and spend a lot of money on cloths. We're meant to like and sympathise with Maggie just because she's the protagonist, and despite the fact that she's pretty nasty to everyone she meets- including her supposed love interest. We're meant to think that Villari and Maggie will be a good couple together; just because they met and flirt a few times, despite that he's trying to conduct an investigation where Maggie is a suspect and he's being completely inappropriate towards her. As for the other characters... Lisa is pretty cliché as well. Her introduction to the novel was a complete surprise, too. She just appears one chapter and she's apparently Maggie's best friend, yet the girl never mentioned her before and barely thinks about her in other portions. Quite simply, Lisa is the stereotype that constantly thinks about sex and encourages Maggie into the relationship with Villari just because she thinks it would be a good thing. Villari's family are stereotypical in that they're just the view of Italians that the author has set their mind on; that every Italian has a big family with a mother who only makes pasta all day and each night they have feasts of food.
I'll start my character introductions with Maggie. She's a tomboy and artist. Which is odd because Detective Villari makes a comment that she doesn't look like an artist...? Everyone can be an artist and there's no real defined "look" to one, so that part just seems ridiculous. The author was essentially trying to make a point that Maggie wears baggy clothes. My first thought of Maggie is that she's pretty disrespectful. To everyone she meets. She's mocking and judgement of every single person she comes across. Later on, she begins a mini investigation of her own. Yet, she has no real reason to do so. She is resentful that Detective Villari suspects her of anything (despite that it is just his job) and it's ironic because she then gives him more reason to suspect her by beginning her own investigation. Mind you, she seems like she's pretty bad at it. Essentially, she just steals an appointment book from the victim and then goes to harass some poor woman, even trying to force herself into the lady's house. Which is weird because later on, that lady makes a comment that Maggie is "easy to love", which makes no sense because she tried to force herself into your home...?
As for the grandchildren of the victim, Cassandra and Preston Boyer... I felt like Maggie's introduction of Preston Boyer was ridiculous, especially her claiming that hates her almost as much as if she had caused his parents' death. She's pretty negative towards him and labelling him as if he's a really bad person, just because she doesn't know or understand him. Claims he has few friends and that everyone dislikes him, but she wouldn't know because she tries to avoid him at every twist and turn. I can certainly understand his feelings of the situation when he turned up at the scene. Picture this: he essentially finds out that his grandmother has been murdered, yet when he comes to the scene, he sees a detective lazily flirting with a woman. I would be terribly upset as well. Not to mention, the detective isn't the least bit concerned about Preston's feelings, he instead belittles him and tells him to get out of the way. So rude. I know it's already chapter two, but I'm pretty horrified at these disrespectful characters. Maggie just seems like such a horrible person and Villari is pretty nasty as well. Not only that, but when Cassandra Boyer turns up, Maggie is equally as rude to her as she had been to Preston. I can see that it's meant to be seen as two ignorant, "trust fund" grandchildren of a deceased woman and that the author wants us to hate them. Yet, I just don't really see the whole point. Maggie is being really unfair to the both of them. Her behaviour is just beyond rude. These people have had their grandmother murdered, but Maggie just can't seem to find two seconds of her time to be nice to them. I can understand their behaviour, but Maggie just seems like a hateful, rude and thoroughly unlikeable person. I can't understand her personality or motives at all.
There's just something about Maggie always trying to get attention that bothers me. In the reading of the will, she keeps on making snide remarks to everyone, trying to insult both Boyers and mock the detective as well. Yet, when the actual reading of the will begins, she just completely ignores the lawyer. Later on, she keeps on forcing herself into others' business and then complaining about them as if they're annoying her. Every time someone comes to talk to her, she just fobs them off as if she hasn't got the time. She disregards the comments others make and deliberately tries to offend people. When she and Villari are having dinner, he questions her some more and she mockingly lists all the ways she might have killed Elizabeth. I found this behaviour to be truly disgusting. Elizabeth was meant to be her friend and here is Maggie, having a laugh at her death. It's not the only time, either. Maggie is full of sarcasm and is often making poor jokes about the lady's death. It's hard to believe that they were friends because it's obvious to me that Maggie didn't give a damn about her. After the will had been read, the lawyer had given her a handwritten letter from Elizabeth and she just leaves it lying around. As Villari points out, she's essentially been using it as a coaster. It's thoroughly obvious to me that she just doesn't give a damn about anyone but herself. I don't understand why Elizabeth had so much love for her. It's just bad writing that the author makes it out as if Maggie is loved by everyone, yet in reality she is a pretty nasty person to every single person.
Moving on to Sam Villari, one of the detectives on the case. To me he is quite the type of character who must have seemed like a good idea at the time of the author writing the book, but was not a very good idea in the long run. I can understand his turning up to various scenes as a detective and that he's just investigating the case. However, the way he talks to her is just so unprofessional. He even starts turning up at random points in time just to take care of her. He turns up at her house at odd times and he seems thoroughly creepy, the way he follows her around. Also, if I were her, I would wonder what kind of a police officer he is; does he do this type of thing with all of his suspects? He kisses her, despite her being a major suspect in an ongoing murder investigation who had just stolen (the night before) a major piece of evidence from the victim's home. (I'd like to point out that any decent officer would have already had that diary in evidence.) He invites her to dinner at his parents' home and even sleeps with her. Despite the fact that she's a suspect. He says that she isn't, but she should be. He can't properly rule her out of the investigation, so she's still a suspect. I can't understand his behaviour. If I were his boss, I'd have him fired for inappropriate conduct. Even if Villari doesn't consider her a suspect, she still is a witness. Maggie was also beyond rude to him about his heritage. She claims that one Italian husband was enough to ruin Italians for her. Because of that, she makes fun of his family and behaviour. I just found it to be somewhat discriminatory... After all, what's wrong with him being Italian?
I'll just leave the character complaints there for now, and discuss the plot. Overall, it was somewhat lame. There's a mystery, yes, but it's essentially just figuring out who killed Elizabeth Boyer. Apart from that, there's no real investigation, other than Maggie's poorly done interview of one lady from the appointment book. The author doesn't present many clues and it's not really possible for us, as a reader, to solve it beyond basic assumptions. Maggie is made to look smart at the end, just because she figured it out, when really anyone in the plot could have if they'd bother to take note of shoes and coffee drinking. The mystery aspect was somewhat poorly written in that sense, but also in the fact that I have no sympathy for any of the characters. It became obvious to me that I had absolutely no interest in finding out who killed Elizabeth, or why. Mind you, the 'why' was obvious all along. Beyond the mystery, the writing was pretty bad. The author just can't get their story straight. Maggie is an art teacher and art enthusiast, yet she never goes to work and when she does sit herself down in front of a block of clay, she has absolutely no passion. She never knows what she wants to sculpt and it is quite obvious that she doesn't even want to; she's forcing herself to sit there and she has absolutely no love for the art. Another part of the writing style is that there are huge portions just dedicated to Maggie's feelings. Yet, they just drone on and on. One or two paragraphs might be interesting, but it's just sheer madness in what the author does, having at least a third of the entirety of the book focused on the woman's very repetitive feelings.
Overall, the book was just terrible. It seems like the author is unimaginative with their characters and they lack a lot of creativity with the overall plot as well. There's little mystery as to who had committed the crime and there are no proper clues presented, in any case. The author chooses to focus all of our attention on some awful relationship with a hateful person and a creepy detective who's meant to be investigating the crime. It was all just so badly done. I can't find any reason to rate it higher than one star.
May 29, 2020
If you’re day couldn’t get any worse, try finding a dead body to clinch the deal. That’s how it started for Maggie Kean. A dead woman was swimming in her sewage tank. But it wasn’t just any old lady—it was her meddlesome neighbor. Sure, she was annoying at times, but she meant well to Maggie. If only she didn’t have jerks for grandkids. Everyone in the community is a suspect, even her, especially after being named official handler of her $10 million dollar estate, making her suspect #1 with a motive. Of course, the worst part of it was being stuck with those spoiled, greedy grandkids. Oh no, not happening. Maggie needed to solve this case and fast.
Maggie is witty, sarcastic, and fun! I liked her style—simple, sensible, comfortable, and funny—and she had a real nose for sleuthing. Could a bad cop be involved?
A good, little mystery!
Maggie is witty, sarcastic, and fun! I liked her style—simple, sensible, comfortable, and funny—and she had a real nose for sleuthing. Could a bad cop be involved?
A good, little mystery!
July 1, 2019
Really Good
I just really enjoyed this book. Maggie is a teacher and does sculpting on the side. When her neighbor and dear friend is murdered, her life gets turned upside down. Since the body was found in her property, she is a suspect. The surprise in the will adds to the suspicion. The cop on the case is practically attached to her,, the friend's greedy, obnoxious grandchildren are hounding her. Good story with a few surprises.
I just really enjoyed this book. Maggie is a teacher and does sculpting on the side. When her neighbor and dear friend is murdered, her life gets turned upside down. Since the body was found in her property, she is a suspect. The surprise in the will adds to the suspicion. The cop on the case is practically attached to her,, the friend's greedy, obnoxious grandchildren are hounding her. Good story with a few surprises.
August 11, 2022
This book was a delightful cozy mystery located outside of Colorado Springs, CO. I enjoyed the interaction between the two main characters - Maggie Kean, a full-time art teacher and part-time sculptor and Sam Villari, a police detective - and the supporting cast of characters.
I'm a voracious reader and I often find that first books in a series can be a bit clumsy with occasional gaps in logic or not well-developed characters. I didn't find that to be the case in this book.
I've begun the 2nd book in the series, Artistic License, and I'm enjoying it.
It's too bad that there are only 3 books in this series - in fact only 3 books by this author - with the last one written 9 years ago.
I wonder what happened to Nageeba Davis?
I'm a voracious reader and I often find that first books in a series can be a bit clumsy with occasional gaps in logic or not well-developed characters. I didn't find that to be the case in this book.
I've begun the 2nd book in the series, Artistic License, and I'm enjoying it.
It's too bad that there are only 3 books in this series - in fact only 3 books by this author - with the last one written 9 years ago.
I wonder what happened to Nageeba Davis?
May 31, 2020
Around the Year (ATY) Prompt 25. A book related to the arts
I originally got this book because of its Colorado Springs setting, but that turned out to be almost invisible. A pretty good cozy mystery, but I really didn't like the speed of the heroine's new relationship or that she came pretty close to TSTL status several times.
I originally got this book because of its Colorado Springs setting, but that turned out to be almost invisible. A pretty good cozy mystery, but I really didn't like the speed of the heroine's new relationship or that she came pretty close to TSTL status several times.
October 3, 2017
Good book
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
November 24, 2018
Fun easy read
Fun easy read. Fast paced that makes you want to keep reading and not put the book down. Weekend read.
Fun easy read. Fast paced that makes you want to keep reading and not put the book down. Weekend read.
June 29, 2020
Fun read
I enjoyed this murder mystery. The characters were well presented and the whodunnit parts were a mystery until the end.
I enjoyed this murder mystery. The characters were well presented and the whodunnit parts were a mystery until the end.
July 3, 2013
Artful Dodger – Nageeba Davis – 3 stars
A Kindle “Freebie”
While other readers apparently really loved this book, I must confess to a somewhat less ebullient attitude toward the book. As with many other reviewers, I would greatly wish for a half-star in order to give the book 3 ½ stars, but as that is not the case, I must sadly drop a full star. Once I state my case, you will either agree or disagree. As always, everyone’s tastes are different.
What I liked about the book is the mystery itself. Well written and smart, the mystery itself, involving the murder of the main character’s neighbor and close friend, was plotted meticulously and was highly believable. The denouement itself was heart-rending, and, had the book been based solely upon the mystery itself, would have been a five-star read.
The crippling aspect of the book, to me, was the character development. For all that I desperately wanted to like the main character and the relationships in the book, I simply couldn’t. Don’t get me wrong – many aspects of Maggie were admirable. She is strong and funny in many ways. However, her anger and attitude were over-the-top for a woman with her background. OK, maybe women all have ‘daddy issues’. However, Maggie’s issues wind up forcing me to see her as a spoiled, self-centered mess with very few truly good characteristics other than an admittedly hard-fought love for her neighbor. Honestly, I would have loved for her neighbor to have hung around and someone else to have been killed – Elizabeth is one feisty, fascinating character I would have loved to have followed.
As for the love interest, Villari, he is well written to a point, but his immediate attraction to this character is somewhat unbelievable given the way the heroine is written. Maggie is angry and aggressive, and seems to glory in the fact that she is a total psychological mess who, while dreaming of being an accomplished artist, can’t be bothered to finish anything she starts. Add in her inability to show even a modicum of care for her own well being (the whole eating the green lunch meat thing because you can’t be bothered to occasionally drop by the market just turned my stomach) and the idea of a well-pulled-together male lead falling for her is beyond believable. As much as we all might long for the hunky hero to fall for the plain-Jane, this one was just a little too over-the-top unbelievable to me.
Overall, I wanted to love the book a lot more than I did. I originally started the book as a light read between much deeper, more powerful books that I am doing for the authors as R4R. It had great potential, but in the end Maggie herself drug the whole book down until I simply finished it to find out ‘who-dun’-it’. At least I wasn’t disappointed by that particular outcome.
A Kindle “Freebie”
While other readers apparently really loved this book, I must confess to a somewhat less ebullient attitude toward the book. As with many other reviewers, I would greatly wish for a half-star in order to give the book 3 ½ stars, but as that is not the case, I must sadly drop a full star. Once I state my case, you will either agree or disagree. As always, everyone’s tastes are different.
What I liked about the book is the mystery itself. Well written and smart, the mystery itself, involving the murder of the main character’s neighbor and close friend, was plotted meticulously and was highly believable. The denouement itself was heart-rending, and, had the book been based solely upon the mystery itself, would have been a five-star read.
The crippling aspect of the book, to me, was the character development. For all that I desperately wanted to like the main character and the relationships in the book, I simply couldn’t. Don’t get me wrong – many aspects of Maggie were admirable. She is strong and funny in many ways. However, her anger and attitude were over-the-top for a woman with her background. OK, maybe women all have ‘daddy issues’. However, Maggie’s issues wind up forcing me to see her as a spoiled, self-centered mess with very few truly good characteristics other than an admittedly hard-fought love for her neighbor. Honestly, I would have loved for her neighbor to have hung around and someone else to have been killed – Elizabeth is one feisty, fascinating character I would have loved to have followed.
As for the love interest, Villari, he is well written to a point, but his immediate attraction to this character is somewhat unbelievable given the way the heroine is written. Maggie is angry and aggressive, and seems to glory in the fact that she is a total psychological mess who, while dreaming of being an accomplished artist, can’t be bothered to finish anything she starts. Add in her inability to show even a modicum of care for her own well being (the whole eating the green lunch meat thing because you can’t be bothered to occasionally drop by the market just turned my stomach) and the idea of a well-pulled-together male lead falling for her is beyond believable. As much as we all might long for the hunky hero to fall for the plain-Jane, this one was just a little too over-the-top unbelievable to me.
Overall, I wanted to love the book a lot more than I did. I originally started the book as a light read between much deeper, more powerful books that I am doing for the authors as R4R. It had great potential, but in the end Maggie herself drug the whole book down until I simply finished it to find out ‘who-dun’-it’. At least I wasn’t disappointed by that particular outcome.
March 1, 2012
I was walking past the neighborhood thrift store when I saw they had books on sale for 2/$1. 50 cents for a book is a pretty good deal, but usually these books are the bottom of the barrel, so it's hard to find something worth reading. I was lucky enough to find a copy of Gilead, but there was still one more book I had to get for the 2/$1 deal. This just so happened to be the book that was the best of the choices.
I might not be an expert of the mystery genre, but I've read my fair share of amateur-sleuth novels, and have usually enjoyed them. This one, however, was a lot slower to start.
I think the number one problem with me liking the book was how unlikable the main character Maggie Kean is. Let's just say that she is incredibly defensive. She can't take any sort of criticism, she won't let anyone in on her life automatically declaring that it's none of their business, and if you ask her a simple question, she gets all hot and bothered and is likely to either throw something at you or if there is a door between the two of you have that slammed in your face. I suppose this can be somewhat funny, but to be honest I only laughed a few times in the novel. I was more likely to be peeved that she would get all bent out of shape over people, when she should just learn to not let things bother her so much. I'm sure some might say, "Wait a second! Her neighbor was just murdered! You would be high-strung and emotional too!" Perhaps, but my impression of Maggie is that all of her anger and fire is not limited to her neighbor's death. I get the impression that she is like this no matter what.
My other issue is the romance between her and Detective Villari. It seemed implausible that a detective would start to get all kinky with the main lead of the crime. Couldn't he lose his job for that? Besides that, there is not much else to say.
A Dying Art is a moderately amusing book, which I would have given only 2 stars, but after page 200, the book becomes really interesting. This is the part we really get a taste of the story and the clues to solving the murder. All in all, the ending is actually pretty good.
Would I read it again? Probably not. Would I recommend it to anyone? Only if they really had nothing else to read. There are plenty of other good mystery novelists out there. However, if you are interested in reading the debut novel of a budding author, I'd say give A Dying Art a shot. It's a quick read of only 267 pages, and who knows, you might like it enough you'd give Nageeba Davis's second novel a shot. Although, concerning the sequel, I think this reader will have to pass.
I might not be an expert of the mystery genre, but I've read my fair share of amateur-sleuth novels, and have usually enjoyed them. This one, however, was a lot slower to start.
I think the number one problem with me liking the book was how unlikable the main character Maggie Kean is. Let's just say that she is incredibly defensive. She can't take any sort of criticism, she won't let anyone in on her life automatically declaring that it's none of their business, and if you ask her a simple question, she gets all hot and bothered and is likely to either throw something at you or if there is a door between the two of you have that slammed in your face. I suppose this can be somewhat funny, but to be honest I only laughed a few times in the novel. I was more likely to be peeved that she would get all bent out of shape over people, when she should just learn to not let things bother her so much. I'm sure some might say, "Wait a second! Her neighbor was just murdered! You would be high-strung and emotional too!" Perhaps, but my impression of Maggie is that all of her anger and fire is not limited to her neighbor's death. I get the impression that she is like this no matter what.
My other issue is the romance between her and Detective Villari. It seemed implausible that a detective would start to get all kinky with the main lead of the crime. Couldn't he lose his job for that? Besides that, there is not much else to say.
A Dying Art is a moderately amusing book, which I would have given only 2 stars, but after page 200, the book becomes really interesting. This is the part we really get a taste of the story and the clues to solving the murder. All in all, the ending is actually pretty good.
Would I read it again? Probably not. Would I recommend it to anyone? Only if they really had nothing else to read. There are plenty of other good mystery novelists out there. However, if you are interested in reading the debut novel of a budding author, I'd say give A Dying Art a shot. It's a quick read of only 267 pages, and who knows, you might like it enough you'd give Nageeba Davis's second novel a shot. Although, concerning the sequel, I think this reader will have to pass.
April 25, 2014
Maggie Kean is an art teacher and sculptor who can’t cook even toast without burning it. To make matters worse she stumbles upon a dead body all before 8am. After giving her statement over and over again to the police Maggie learns she is the prime suspect. To clear her name Maggie starts her own investigation only find herself falling for the sexy detective, finding an illegitimate child and trying to avoid two spoiled brats all before lunch.
I am sent a list of free amazon books each week and this week Artful Dodger was on the list and I thought it sounded cute. Little did I know I would find myself laughing out loud, totally rooting for Maggie as she tries to help the police find the person who murdered her dear friend.
The Artful Dodgers is an easy fun mystery with the right amount of dark and light humor to make it an enjoyable read.
Nageeba writes wonderful scenes with verbal sparring between the hero and heroine that will have the reader laughing. Nageeba created a strong female heroine who doesn’t back down from a fight and will fight for what she knows is right. Did Nageeba create an original character? No but what she created was two very fun and memorable characters who had me laughing. It’s a wonderful summer pool read with the right amount of mystery and romance. Do I plan to read the next in the series? Yes. I could recommend this book to almost anything since there was very little languages and no sex scenes.
I am sent a list of free amazon books each week and this week Artful Dodger was on the list and I thought it sounded cute. Little did I know I would find myself laughing out loud, totally rooting for Maggie as she tries to help the police find the person who murdered her dear friend.
The Artful Dodgers is an easy fun mystery with the right amount of dark and light humor to make it an enjoyable read.
Nageeba writes wonderful scenes with verbal sparring between the hero and heroine that will have the reader laughing. Nageeba created a strong female heroine who doesn’t back down from a fight and will fight for what she knows is right. Did Nageeba create an original character? No but what she created was two very fun and memorable characters who had me laughing. It’s a wonderful summer pool read with the right amount of mystery and romance. Do I plan to read the next in the series? Yes. I could recommend this book to almost anything since there was very little languages and no sex scenes.
July 26, 2022
Maggie Kean is already having a bad day when the body of her friend and neighbour, Elizabeth Boyer is found in her septic tank. But from there, it gets much, much worse.
Although on the surface, this appears to be a simple cozy mystery, I would say it's closer to the crime fiction side of things than the cozy. Maggie Kean is your typical cozy mystery heroine, with her shapeless outfits, her impetuous nature and her snarky comments but the actual motives for the murder are definitely not very cozy. Still, it's more cozy than not.
I liked Maggie, she was rather funny, even if she had very little sense. The banter between her and the rest of the characters was enjoyable, although I would've liked to see more of the best friend, Lisa. The love interest Sam Villari was alright. I didn't love the romance, but that's more on me - I'm just a bit sick of romance and instalove at the moment. Their relationship develops about as you'd expect - crazy fast with lots of chemistry so depends what you like.
The mystery was well plotted and had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. I didn't predict the guilty party so I was happy. It was an enjoyable read and I liked it enough that I'll likely pick up the other books in the series at some point. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
Although on the surface, this appears to be a simple cozy mystery, I would say it's closer to the crime fiction side of things than the cozy. Maggie Kean is your typical cozy mystery heroine, with her shapeless outfits, her impetuous nature and her snarky comments but the actual motives for the murder are definitely not very cozy. Still, it's more cozy than not.
I liked Maggie, she was rather funny, even if she had very little sense. The banter between her and the rest of the characters was enjoyable, although I would've liked to see more of the best friend, Lisa. The love interest Sam Villari was alright. I didn't love the romance, but that's more on me - I'm just a bit sick of romance and instalove at the moment. Their relationship develops about as you'd expect - crazy fast with lots of chemistry so depends what you like.
The mystery was well plotted and had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. I didn't predict the guilty party so I was happy. It was an enjoyable read and I liked it enough that I'll likely pick up the other books in the series at some point. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
December 27, 2014
A hidden book found in a New York thrift shop, this book did not have high expectations to fill. I regret starting this book and then putting it off for one or two years, as it was quite enjoyable from the middle onwards. As a young reader, I may be wrong, but I've found that this book is one of the few that does not allow romance to completely take over the plot, but added in amongst the mystery in small doses. The romance between Villari and Keen does seem slightly unbelievable and sudden, but I suppose I could look over that.
Nearning the middle, the book's slow pace picks up, and things get interesting. I quite liked the book to the point that it is currently nearing two am, and I have forged on to complete the book a day after I restarted it when it was 10% complete.
I think the only reason I picked this book up was because I was bored. It's the end of the year, and I wanted to squeeze in one or two more books before 2015. It was a nice, quick read - once I got past the beginning- with a slightly choppy transition from the middle to end, but I recommend it if one simply had nothing serious to read.
Nearning the middle, the book's slow pace picks up, and things get interesting. I quite liked the book to the point that it is currently nearing two am, and I have forged on to complete the book a day after I restarted it when it was 10% complete.
I think the only reason I picked this book up was because I was bored. It's the end of the year, and I wanted to squeeze in one or two more books before 2015. It was a nice, quick read - once I got past the beginning- with a slightly choppy transition from the middle to end, but I recommend it if one simply had nothing serious to read.
January 7, 2014
Protagonist: 6/10
Secondary Characters: 6/10
Mystery: 8/10
Humor: 5/10
Pace: 6/10
A nice, quick, cozy mystery with a light romance tossed in. Overall, I liked it. The mystery kept me guessing right up to the end. The romance was a nice touch. Actually, the romance was my favorite parts of the book. I absolutely lusted after Villari. Ahem… anyway, the writing was good and kept me turning the pages. But there were times when the pace was sluggish for me.
I also didn't really care for Maggie. Her sarcasm in the beginning of the story in the face of her, supposed, friends murder was tacky and disrespectful. You have to be one cold-hearted b!tch to make fun of a murdered woman you claimed to care for like a mother the day after she turns up dead on your property. That tainted her image for me for the remainder of the book. Only reason I kept reading was because of Villari. I doubt I'll read the rest of the series.
Secondary Characters: 6/10
Mystery: 8/10
Humor: 5/10
Pace: 6/10
A nice, quick, cozy mystery with a light romance tossed in. Overall, I liked it. The mystery kept me guessing right up to the end. The romance was a nice touch. Actually, the romance was my favorite parts of the book. I absolutely lusted after Villari. Ahem… anyway, the writing was good and kept me turning the pages. But there were times when the pace was sluggish for me.
I also didn't really care for Maggie. Her sarcasm in the beginning of the story in the face of her, supposed, friends murder was tacky and disrespectful. You have to be one cold-hearted b!tch to make fun of a murdered woman you claimed to care for like a mother the day after she turns up dead on your property. That tainted her image for me for the remainder of the book. Only reason I kept reading was because of Villari. I doubt I'll read the rest of the series.
December 12, 2013
3.5 stars
I liked MOST of this book. Davis has an excellent writing style which made for a smooth and (mostly) enjoyable read. The characters were a lot of fun and even though the dearly departed neighbor wasn't in the present, the reader can still learn a lot about her through Maggie's flashbacks and memories. Davis also did a great job throwing multiple suspects in to the mix and had me guessing until the big reveal at the end. The only part I didn't really care for was some of Maggie's personality and how she sparred with Sam. I understand that sets up the "romantic tension," but it also got annoying. She was stubborn to the point where it was just old. She also played the "I'll dress like a slob" angle a bit too much as well and it got to the point where Maggie just needs to go buy some decent-fitting clothes! However, other than those two "quirks" this was an enjoyable read. I'll most likely continue the series (if the other books are free, especially!)
I liked MOST of this book. Davis has an excellent writing style which made for a smooth and (mostly) enjoyable read. The characters were a lot of fun and even though the dearly departed neighbor wasn't in the present, the reader can still learn a lot about her through Maggie's flashbacks and memories. Davis also did a great job throwing multiple suspects in to the mix and had me guessing until the big reveal at the end. The only part I didn't really care for was some of Maggie's personality and how she sparred with Sam. I understand that sets up the "romantic tension," but it also got annoying. She was stubborn to the point where it was just old. She also played the "I'll dress like a slob" angle a bit too much as well and it got to the point where Maggie just needs to go buy some decent-fitting clothes! However, other than those two "quirks" this was an enjoyable read. I'll most likely continue the series (if the other books are free, especially!)
July 6, 2021
Colorado
I liked the main character's occupation, art teacher, sculptor, that was the primary reason I picked up this book. Art did not play much of a role in the mystery though which was somewhat of a disappointment.
I thought that the mystery was interesting but the story seemed to quickly become more of a romance than a mystery once the handsome detective came on the scene which happened earlly on.
I really had a hard time believing their relationship - not realistic at all in my opinion.
Maggie Kean is tough to like, jumps to conclusions, and immediately gets touchy any time someone questions or criticizes her. Maybe she'll develop and in the next book in the series. We'll see.
I liked the main character's occupation, art teacher, sculptor, that was the primary reason I picked up this book. Art did not play much of a role in the mystery though which was somewhat of a disappointment.
I thought that the mystery was interesting but the story seemed to quickly become more of a romance than a mystery once the handsome detective came on the scene which happened earlly on.
I really had a hard time believing their relationship - not realistic at all in my opinion.
Maggie Kean is tough to like, jumps to conclusions, and immediately gets touchy any time someone questions or criticizes her. Maybe she'll develop and in the next book in the series. We'll see.
July 30, 2013
Pretty good book, this was actually the first book I read on my kindle. I wasn't sure I was going to like going from paperback to digital so I picked something easy. I'd read more of Maggie's mis-adventures. And I wasn't too thrown off by the change in format, I actually kinda liked being able to make the print bigger. I didn't like that I couldn't sit in the waves on the beach with it, but that's OK because I found other places to read it. As for the book and story, it was an easy read and I'd recommend it to people who like that 1/2 cross between murder/romance. Not a Stephanie Plum, but good in it's own right.
September 1, 2013
Read this one for free through the Kindle Prime program. Sometimes those are hit and miss. But I liked this one quite a bit.
The story opens with the recent discovery of the neighbors body in the septic tank of our heroine. And yes this is a cozy mystery. While she is the required amateur sleuth, she doesn't necessarily "go investigating." She does talk to a person or two and things kind of reshuffle in her head. This feels more realistic to me from an amateur mainly because this is how I tend to problem solve.
It's pretty light and fun. I am going to get the next one in the series to read. So I guess that's a recommendation.
The story opens with the recent discovery of the neighbors body in the septic tank of our heroine. And yes this is a cozy mystery. While she is the required amateur sleuth, she doesn't necessarily "go investigating." She does talk to a person or two and things kind of reshuffle in her head. This feels more realistic to me from an amateur mainly because this is how I tend to problem solve.
It's pretty light and fun. I am going to get the next one in the series to read. So I guess that's a recommendation.
April 25, 2015
Finding your neighbor in your septic tank is not the best way to start a day. Having to deal with the relatives and the secrets of any family but your own is way past neighborly. In this story Maggie Kean is dragged into an investigation of the death of her neighbor and it makes her look at her own life, her feelings for the cranky old lady who died, and the hot detective who seems to think she's the killer.
A good puzzle to solve.
I recommend this to anyone who likes to hear about dysfunctional families and hidden secrets.
A good puzzle to solve.
I recommend this to anyone who likes to hear about dysfunctional families and hidden secrets.
February 26, 2015
Maggie was a lovably realistic character with a nosy streak perfectly designed for mystery solving. When her neighbor suddenly appears floating in her septic tank Maggie must find out who dunnit or remain the main suspect herself. Throw in a sometimes sultry, sometimes irritating detective and you've got a fun filled mystery with a little romance on the side. I'm checking out the next one now!
August 13, 2016
I enjoyed this book - I believe it was one of the author's first. Different plot after the unstylish main character/teacher/aspiring sculptor is dragged into the mystery after her wealthy neighbor's body is found in her septic system. And of course there's a bit of a romantic thing going on...
Book wasn't perfect, but it was a very nice way to spend some hours. Will put the next in the series in my 'want to read' list.
Book wasn't perfect, but it was a very nice way to spend some hours. Will put the next in the series in my 'want to read' list.
February 15, 2016
This is a twist on the boy meets girl theme with the push and pull that I like in a romance novel. I also liked the main character's fiery temperament as well as her quirky sense of fashion. This is not the typical gorgeous fashionplate meets hunky billionaire story; it's more of an average Jane meets hunky, yet not rich Joe while solving a murder story. I enjoyed it very much and highly recommend it.
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