Murder is a Family Business

The Alvarez Family #1

by Heather Haven

Just because a man cheats on his wife and makes Danny DeVito look tall, dark and handsome, is that any reason to kill him? The reluctant and quirky PI, Lee Alvarez doesn't think so. But the 34-year old Latina, WASP and 100% detective has her work cut out for her when the man is murdered on her watch. Of all the nerve.

Set in the present, Murder is a Family Business is the first in a series of humorous mysteries revolving around Lee Alvarez, and rest of the Alvarez Family, detectives all. Seemingly light and frothy on the surface, the novel nevertheless explores familial love, the good, the bad and the annoying.

Completing the family is Lee's Never-Had-A-Bad-Hair-Day aristocratic mother, Lila; computer genius brother, Richard; beloved uncle "Tio;" and her energetic orange and white cat, Tugger. When this group is not solving murders, they run Discretionary Inquiries, a successful Silicon Valley agency that normally deals with the theft of computer software. The love, humor and camaraderie shared within this family are what set this series apart from others.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Ebooks, Fiction, Humor, Cozy, Chick Lit

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 3, 2011

About the author

In her varied career, Heather has written short stories, novels, comedy acts, television treatments, ad copy, commercials, and had two one-act plays well-received in Manhattan. Once she even ghostwrote a book on how to run an employment agency. She was unemployed at the time. Heather’s first paying job was writing a love story for Moments of Love, published by Bantam Books. But it was her stint at New York City’s No Soap Radio - where she wrote comedic ad copy – that helped develop her long-time love affair with comedy.
She is the acclaimed author of the award winning humorous California PI mystery series, The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries, which includes Murder is a Family Business, A Wedding to Die For, and Death Runs in the Family, available at Amazon.com and selected bookstores.
Her recent endeavor is the Persephone Cole Vintage Mystery Series, taking place in New York City, circa 1940. Ever wonder how Sam Spade or Phillip Marlow might act if they were a woman? Meet Persephone ‘Percy’ Cole. The first of the series includes The Dagger Before Me and the second, Iced Diamonds.
A stand-alone mystery noir, Death of a Clown, made its debut March 1st, published by The Wives of Bath Press.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liana Alvarez, private investigator for the family owned and run company Discretionary Inquiries, was wet, cold and miserable. She was in the storm without shelter while she was staking out the warehouse – her mother and head of DI, Lila, had specifically requested Lee do this stake out even though the company normally handled software issues. The person she was to keep an eye out for was the husband of Lila’s long-time friend and she wanted it kept quiet. But when Lee discovered the body of her person of interest, her shock was immense…

Richard, Lee’s brother and the computer genius of the company was involved in the search for clues – Lee’s curious nature meant she couldn’t leave it to the police and Richard had everything he needed at his fingertips. The new kitten which Lee had named Tugger was being cared for during Lee’s working days by her favourite person, Tio who had just moved to be with the family after losing his wife. But that curious nature of Lee’s was headed toward catastrophe – the danger she had no idea she was heading into was just around the corner.

There was much more to this murder than the Alvarez family realised – would they be safe? Or would there be more bodies on the horizon?

Murder is a Family Business by Heather Haven is the first in The Alvarez Family Murder Mystery Series and it was great! With laugh out loud moments, it was a highly entertaining read which was fast paced while I tried to figure out who the “baddie” was. Family love and loyalty was the dominant feature in this novel and it’s one I recommend highly. I love the cover as well :)

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've slowly managed to collect most (if not all) the books in the The Alvarez Family Murder Mystery Series as they pop up as Kindle freebies so I figured it was about time I actually read one of them.
And...it was okay.
There is a lot of potential here. The main character is a 34-year-old Latina who owns part of a business and usually solves white collar crime. Strong family dynamics, cute kitten, and a potentially sexy love interest all check the boxes for a good cozy mystery series.
It is just...none of them fit smoothly together. Scenes feel disjointed. At the 30% mark our heroine suddenly announces she's got a closet full of designer clothes and we're thrown into a litany of how rich she is and how she casually donates name brands to women's shelters. The next scene involves her at work and the reader is plunged into an oddly detailed account of how she listens to voice messages, responds to e-mails, and schedules lunch with her mother. (Though we never actually see her DO work.) She spends about as much time (if not more) trying to figure out what to name the stray cat she picked up as she does trying to solve the murder. None of the details actually push the murder plot very far and all the random tangents left me bored. We literally get a play by play every time she buys a new toy for her cat, or calls her uncle, or thinks about buying new shoes. I think the details are supposed to humanize the heroine, but it mostly made her come across as a vaguely irritating snob who only buys her jewelry hand-made in Mexico.
The murderer is painfully obvious immediately and nothing really changes. The only interesting twist involves the love interest...and we all know Cozy Mystery Love Interests May Be Misunderstood But Never Evil.

At any rate, I might give the sequel a chance to win my heart because this is rough enough that I could see the author improving with time. But unless things drastically improve, I'll also probably pass if I see another freebie come up in the series.

[P. Zoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Alvarez family is involved in Discretionary Investigations, but definitely not of the nature Mrs. Wyler has hired them for. She suspects her husband is having an affair and sets them on his trail. They are only doing this because she is a family friend. But what begins as an investigation of a gallivanting husband turns into a life threatening adventure for Liana where murder, human trafficking, greed and obsessions are revealed as we try to find out who committed the ultimate crime of killing Mr. Portor Wyler.

The story is well written and interesting. I got lost in descriptions in some places where I felt the pace had slackened. But overall, I liked the way the writer kept me busy wondering who could have killed the man and the exposition of the culprit right at the end was a clever twist. I would recommend the book to all lovers of mystery, investigations and excellent writing.

[Lin Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever a kitty graces the cover of a book, I am drawn like metal shavings to a magnet. Would, I found myself wondering, the story peak with the cover?

No, actually it is a high octane ride for Lee Alvarez. Sent by her upper-crusty Mom and CEO of their family's Detective agency to...gulp...spy on a cheating hubby...in the middle of virtually nowhere...Sorry I know there are those among us who don't think an abandoned warehouse is nowhere, but not me...she is so not happy.

Her happy'o'meter sinks even lower when instinct tells her she needs to check on the level of inaction going on when the car of her watchee is still there.

Murder. Right under her attentive...okay, from a distance, eye? No way was she going to let this go.

Murder Is a Family Business is one of those books you want to end so you can find out whodunnit, but once it's done can't help wanting more.

Luckily this is book ONE of a series and Book two is now out and I am just itching to have a free evening to immerse myself in the amazing world of Lee and her newly acquired fellow sleuth and purring side-kick Tugger.

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a lot to like about this story. You got a 34 year old strong Latina woman, Lee Alvarez with a closet full of designer clothes, a classic car, and a kitten named Tugger (cause he tugs on your heartstrings.) Plus, this chick is a P.I. and part owner of an elite investigative company that specializes in computer and technology and theft and.. stuff. That stuff rarely includes stake outs on cheating husbands, but because of a special request from a friend of the family, Lee finds herself on one and the cheating husband being spied upon winds up dead. No, she didn't do it..

But events that follow have others thinking she did.. To read full review, please click the link:

http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2011/...

[Scot · Rating 2 out of 5]

A light quick read targeting female readers who want to indulge fantasies of being rich enough to keep $10,000 in your trunk just in case you need it as well as rescuing stray kittens and also like to read a lot of details about shopping or fashion selections. I read it for the Bay area setting. Characters' conversations aren't always realistic and characters tend to be shallow stereotypes--doting uncle, no-nonsense businesswoman mom, computer nerd brother. The heroine is supposed to be a quirky because she is half hot blooded Latina and half old money aristocracy from San Francisco. She lives and works in Palo Alto.

[Andrea Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ending of the book got me in the feels 💖.... I liked the path of the story.... I don't want to give stuff away but a major incident told the way it was was a nice surprise for me. Not something I've seen elsewhere.... there was a LOT in this book though. Sooooo many details that seemed irrelevant through the book (maybe not throughout the series but idk). It was an ok book for me.

[Joy Stricklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable

Really enjoyed the book. “Lee” was a fun character that I wanted to warn about her decisions before she took action.

[The Project · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know that I would really call Murder is a Family Business a romance. It’s really more of a detective story, but that certainly didn’t stop it from being fabulous. I’m actually pretty excited to read the next couple of books in the series (book two is due in May and book three is in the process of being written).

This was a nice change from all of the romance I’ve been reading lately. I fell in love with this book within the first few pages. Family plays a huge part in the plot, and what a family it is. Maybe that’s why I liked it so much – the characters are very reminiscent of my own family, at least personality wise.

So here’s the gist of the story: the Alvarez family runs a private detective agency, focusing on crimes of software piracy. They are asked by a family friend to investigate her husband, and so they branch out from their typical case load. The story is told from the point of view of Lee, the Alvarez daughter, who has a tendency to jump into things without necessarily thinking of the consequences. Her internal monologues are like something straight out of an episode of Gilmore Girls (one of my favorite shows ever, so please, take that as a compliment). Even at the more serious moments in the book, Lee would think something that would have me laughing.

Like I said, the Alvarez family makes up the cast of characters. There’s Lila, the 100% WASP, would fit in perfectly on a New England estate, mother, who somehow manages to maintain her composure, hairstyle, and keep her pearls in place even in the face of danger. Then there’s Richard, the slightly eccentric computer genius, who would probably live in his mother’s basement if he didn’t have a trust fund. And finally there’s the lovable uncle, Tio Mateo. Throw in an overprotective police detective, a few illegal Chinese immigrants, a colorful diner waitress, and a girl whose taste in hats makes Lady Gaga’s fashion choices seem mainstream, and you’ve got yourself quite the adventure.

For me, this was a great book. The writing was clever and I couldn’t stop laughing. This is the perfect beach book. And I’m actually pretty excited that the second book in the series comes out just as I’m planning to head to the beach in May. I can’t wait to see the antics of the Alvarez family continue.

--Laura, The One Hundred Romances Project

[Lonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a step above a cozy mystery, with more action then you usually get in those books. It was sharp and funny, and I really enjoyed it. Can’t wait to see what the Alvarez family is drawn into next time!

[bex · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fact that the title is capitalized wrong does not get this book off to a good start. Other than that it is somewhat better edited than the other book in the series that I read and doesn't have the fatal flaw. But I just didn't like it all that much. It doesn't have that mystery feel to it despite having the dead body. The main character acts like an idiot on more than one occasion and I really didn't like her very much. For all her claims not to care about the fancy clothes, she seems far too obsessed with the clothing details and uses terminology that doesn't match the attempted characterization. I also found the solution ridiculously obvious and much of her "detection" was coincidence.

And what was Grace doing at the warehouse the day after the murder when no one else was there? It makes no sense really. The author needed her there so she could be detected, but there is no logical reason for her presence!

[J. Ewbank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book by Haven is a pleasant read. The heroine is someone you would really like to know because her life is so interesting. Plot and characters come together nicely in this book. Enjoy.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" "Wesley's Wars" and "To Whom It May Concern"

[Tulay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my kind of mystery.

Murder, how rich they are and lots of Spanish. Funny, some parts tense. Relationship between mother and daughter written well, most people will relate to it.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

A family PI business that specialises in tech crime and security started by the MC's ex police detective father (deceased) and built around her computer genius brother. Only the MC gets mixed up in a murder while doing a favour for her mother (& company head) when tailing her mother's friends hubby to see if he is cheating. Sounded exactly like my kind of story but unfortunately I liked the idea better than the execution. Mostly because I found MC Liana (Lee) annoying. Sure she is a PI, but she has no experience at this type of crime. THe police, including her godfather Frank are competent and on the case so she has no reason to go poking around but she does anyway almost getting herself killed, on more than one occaison. THere are many times when she came across info that if she just passed on to the police, the crime would still have been solved and her life and later her and someone else she put in danger wouldn't have been in trouble at all. I guess the killer as soon as the clue was dropped. Best part of the story was the kitten Tugger. I wouldn't read on except that I bought a box set of books 1-6 so I may see if it Lee learns anything in the next book.

[Donna Schwartz · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a generic cozy mystery

I did not finish this book because the main character's mother is emotionally abusive and I just couldn't keep reading the guilt trips and chastisement. At one point, the main character is lying in a hospital bed and gets told she needs to dress up and hide her bandages because they're hideous. She was also called a spoiled brat for wanting company while recovering in the hospital. The mother runs their agency and apparently will fire people for not wearing designer clothes or accessorizing properly, which sounds like a nightmare, but is presented like a lighthearted quirk.

If you don't have trauma regarding manipulative mothers, it's a fine, generic cozy mystery. I wish I had been able to finish it so I could read more about Tugger and the potential love interest.

I saw another review that mentioned how this book drags because of how long descriptions are. Absolutely true. There's even pedantic disagreements about grammar. (Surprisingly, not from the mother, unless she started after 75%, which is where I gave up.)

[Ivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liana Alvarez is in the family business of Private Investigators. But most of the time she is doing her investigating on a computer, not in person. This time an old friend of the family asks that her husband be followed because she thinks he is cheating on her.

Thus, starts what turns out to be a very different kind of investigation. It was a bit slow to start but turned into a very interesting and adventurous book. You would think following a straying husband would be very boring but instead it turns into a life-or-death situation for Liana. She just can't let go of the fact that the husband was killed on her watch. She has to figure out who did it. With all the twists and turns this book turns into a real page turner. I ended up reading till midnight to finish so I would know who killer was.

[Trudi Jorda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit I enjoyed this book! I loved the family aspect of it. A mother and her two adult children, the son is an amazing computer geek and the daughter is a private detective who tends to fall face first into a case but eventually comes up with the right answer. In this case she was beaten up and almost killed, hospitalized due to having lacerations and contusions to her head causing her to wind up in a coma but was rescued by her very prim and very proper mother who came charging to her rescue. There is a whole cast of lovable characters and a lot of misdirection until the case is finally solved!

[Corina · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I did enjoy this book, the second in this series that I've read, some things pop it at me. First, she spends too much time describing mundane things. Second, she doesn't use her settings like she could have. Being set in Palo Alto and San Francisco, she could have used the Stanford campus and specific sites in SF. When she does use them, she glasses over them to the point that they seem as unnatural as the Spanish she uses. Yeah, that's the third thing -- the Spanish is very unnatural even using the wrong gender articles and nouns. I say this as a Spanish speaking Latina who attended Stanford and lived the first 22 years of her life in the Bay Area!

[Diane Wachter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Alvarez Family Murder Mystery Series, Bk 1, EBK-M, Kindle, @ 2005, Read 7/28/24. Fiction, Cozy Mystery. Discretionary Inquiries is a successful Silicon Valley Agency that normally deals with the theft of computer software, but owners: Lila (mother), Liana (daughter), and Richard (son), are doing a favor for an old family friend of Lila's, who asked that they follow her suspected filandering husband. After Liana follows him, she momentarily loses track of him, and discovers his lifeless body in the parking lot. She insists on discovering the murderer, but falls into much more danger than anticipated.
3☆'s = Good.

[Dictionary101 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not Sue Grafton and Kinsey Mahone, but...

"Lee" and her family own and operate DI a software crime detective agency. This time the crime is murder because Lee had the misfortune of discovering the murdered body of her mother's friend.

The story telling is good, characters and believable...or plausible, and the pace is good. If you like Grafton/Milhone, I think you'll like this.

If formatting errors annoy you, skip it. It appears to have been set up with widow/orphan control. Paragraphs do not run across pages causing lots of whitespace and gaps in text. I nearly quit, several times, but the story intrigued me.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars
Mildly entertaining read of a wealthy family in the PI business. This book focuses on the eldest, Liana. Lee tries to act like she's down-to-earth but knows fashion and repeatedly grieves for a pair of ruined boots. That doesn't mean she or the others aren't likeable ... they just aren't characters that immediately grab your attention but might over time. I figured out the culprit as soon as the snippet of evidence was introduced so am surprised it took Lee as long as it did for everything to click. Hopefully she will get better as the series progresses.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Super storv from the bay area

Any story with the cat in it will tuck in my heart strings in this 1 certainly did I grew up in the east bay and temperature suppose kind of the stomping around sometimes who had to alameda lot, Who is fun growing up in California I haven't been back in so will years and have no will to but I enjoyed the story because it was easy to read it didn't take too much thing mine and I just love the way she wrote and the way she fell in love with tucker it was a great book thank you

[Jen Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn't horrible... it just wasn't good either. There was too much about clothing, being rich, etc for my taste. That could have been toned down a lot and still could have made its point. The story line itself was too far fetched and didn't make much sense. I wasn't a fan of the characters. I guess the only thing that I liked was that it kept my interest long enough to finish it, and it was an easy read. I'll skip the rest of the series.

[Anne Egbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually received the first 7 books in this series for free from The Fussy Librarian. Just finished the first book and am now on to the second adventure. This book was a fun, not too serious and heavy story about a family run agency to investigate cyber crimes, but the daughter, Lee and her friends and family found themselves in the midst of a murder, with Lee a suspect. Some humor, some romance. Just a nice way to spend hot summer days.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable. Generally the first book in a cozy mystery series serves as a weak-plotted introduction to the characters. This book jumped right in with a well-plotted mystery and a family that is interesting and likable enough to make me want more. I’m glad I pulled this one out of my virtual TBR pile.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

This book has many lighthearted sections as well as a involved murder mystery or actually multiple mysteries and murders. Also, there is the rescue of a yellow and white kitten that tugs at heartstrings with its antics. Enjoy this well written story with its likeable characters.

[Mina Wender · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would spend time elsewhere

It takes talent to write a book and I give credit for that. The book is a pleasant read but the plot is very thin and most of the book is filler. I did not find the characters interesting or endearing.

[Jean Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this story and the characters, especially the kitten Tigger. Although I thought I had figured out who the killer was early on, I wasn't totally sure until close to the end. Now I want to read #2 in the series.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a man is killed during a stakeout she's doing for a friend of her mother, Lee feels responsible. And, then the police put her on the suspects list. So, she investigates but what she discovers is more confusing. I enjoyed this book and will be reading the rest of the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a fun first in series. I really liked all the characters and the plot was good. The budding romance was not in your face, and while I figured out who dun it, it was well executed. Will continue this fun series.