High Heels and Holidays

Maggie Kelly Mystery #5

by Kasey Michaels

Spending their first Christmas together, mystery author Maggie Kelly and Alexandre, Viscount Saint Just, find their holiday bliss shattered by death threats from a deranged fan who is targeting the authors, including Maggie, who contributed to a horrible mystery collection. Reprint.

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Christmas, Chick Lit, Humor, Contemporary, Fiction

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Kasey Michaels is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 100 books (she doesn't count them). Kasey has received three coveted Starred Reviews from Publishers Weekly, two for the historical romances, THE SECRETS OF THE HEART and THE BUTLER DID IT, and a third for contemporary romance LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY (that shows diversity, you see). She is a recipient of the RITA, a Waldenbooks and Bookrak Bestseller award, and many awards from Romantic Times magazine, including a Career Achievement award for her Regency era historical romances. She is an Honor Roll author in Romance Writers of America, Inc. (RWA)

Kasey has appeared on the TODAY show, and was the subject of a Lifetime Cable TV show "A Better Way," in conjunction with Good Housekeeping magazine, a program devoted to women and how they have achieved career success in the midst of motherhood (short version: "with great difficulty").

A highly praised nonfiction book, written as Kathryn Seidick, "...OR YOU CAN LET HIM GO," details the story of Kasey and her family during the time of her eldest son's first kidney transplant.

Kasey has written Regency romances, Regency historicals, category books including novellas and continuities and a few series "launch" books, and single title contemporaries. She has coped with time travel, ghosts, trilogies, the dark side, the very light side, and just about everything in between. Hers is also the twisted mind behind her ongoing Maggie Kelly mystery series starring a former romance writer turned historical mystery writer whose gorgeous hunk of a fictional hero shows up, live and in color, in her Manhattan living room – to melt her knees, to help her solve murders, and to leave the top off her toothpaste. And, says Kasey, she's just getting started!

Series:
* His Chariot Awaits
* Lion On the Prowl
* Crown Family
* London Friends
* Chandlers Request
* The Trehan Brothers
* Maggie Kelly Mystery
* Romney Marsh
* Sunshine Girls

Reviews

[Paraphrodite · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

Maggie and her fellow authors received dead rats and nasty poems in the mail and then a couple of the authors were murdered and of course, Alex is on the case. However, for some reason, I had a bit more trouble getting into this one.

But maybe it's because Maggie and Alex finally did the deed! And it was a bit anti-climatic? Not really sure. I really enjoyed Alex's meeting with the mob boss though, I thought that was quite hilarious and so Alex.

So on to the last installment...

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh it was fine. Maggie is a bit much.

[Elena · Rating 1 out of 5]

This review is just me recounting the events of what happened in the book so I can I remember what I've read.

I suggest not reading this if you don't want to know all the details I'm recounting.

Okay, so wow, we've got a lot to unpack here. 1st off, I'm coming into reading this in blind & in the middle of an ongoing mystery series. But I wanted to read this one because it's a holiday book. I figured I'd be able to catch on quickly enough, but I wasn't expecting that to say the least. Thank God for the prologue.

Okay, we've got a few startling characters to go over here. Hopefully, I get them all. We got Margaret (Maggie) whose an regency romance author, who recently finally made it to the bestseller list. & then we have her regency characters....who came to life...yeah, it's odd...her imaginary friends, turned into characters for her books poofed into existence...& now they tag along as she writes/solves crimes?

Regency characters: Socks, Saint Just, & Alexander Sterling....Saint Just is the "bad boy" version of Maggie while Alexander Sterling is "good boy" version of Maggie/Maggie's regency hero. I'm still a bit confused on who Socks is though.

Oh, she also has a cat named Napoleon.

She has a cop friend who likes/liked her named Steve Wendell, but she only sees him as a friend, nothing more.

Then we have Maggie's family. Apparently, her family is embarrassed of her career as a regency romance author because of all the S-E-X. Her mother is very disapproving of her & constantly insults her. She has a gold-child brother named Tate who can do no wrong in her parents eyes. And she just found out her father is having an affair from her mother over the answering machine while she also disinvited her & her regency possy to their house for Christmas - told her she needed to stay at hotel instead of their place because Tate was bringing his friends over & his needs were more important than having Maggie there. So....there's that intro....

Oh yeah, Socks, one of her regency characters discovered that Maggie was "gifted" a dead rat w/a threatening note inside...

Doesn't look good for me liking this book/series - we got an author (Francis oaks) dropping dead & apparently its piqued sterling interest.

More characters: Bernice (thought she was an agent but not - shes the publisher),Tabitha (Maggie's agent), faith (Maggie's ex friend/current writing rival), J.P - a lawyer who's pestering Bernie to publish their book, to which Maggie takes on reading because Bernie says "lawyers can't write" & she really doesn't want to read it.

This book just reminds of Shang re La

We got a Dr. Robert Lewis chalfont psychiatrist- 5yrs for nicotine addiction, then onto her family

Huh, well...that's odd. She's kissing her made up fictional regency hero...whose apparently been around w/her since puberty...I...I dont know what to make of that...is she falling for herself? Cause like, she created these characters & sure they came to life....but still...this is just odd.

We got Jeremy, Francis Oakes (the victim) neighbor . Bruce mccrae, another author, who also got a dead rat, which makes apparently 4 or 5 authors so far w/dead rats & poems (all local). Oh & Christine (Steve's new gf, who is completely normal, uncompared to Maggie who Steve tells this to Alex up in questioning him when Alex spotted him in the subway station walking w/her one evening)

They've also gone through fan mail to see if there are any more threats.

Apparently she & bunch of writers, aligned w/a one Jonathon west, created an anthology of stories yrs ago & it bombed. Seems Jonathan west got the short end of everyone else's success yrs later & now the authors are ending up dead.

Oh, & Alex & her are going ice skating, they run into Steve & Christine, they have coffee (all catching up) then Maggie gets upset when Steve tries taking over the case compleltey which is his job & keeps her out of it & Maggie gets all bent out of shape over it

Johnny west, now dead. Steve & Alex confront each other over Maggie while going through Johnny's apartment.

Oh right, also her dad is now staying w/her - her mother kicked him after confronting him about his affair to Carol, to who he apparently loves. Also, Maggie's mother had an affair 10yrs prior & apparently that's been eating at her dad since.

Looks likes she getting another roommate - faith, her ex bestie is moving in since they did indeed stablish she got a dead rat like the rest of them - oh, & her assistant Trixie quit. Along w/her chihuahua dog Brock

Alex found evidence in Johnny west apartment - a floppy Disc, w/his manuscript on it - found it in the toaster. Also, for some reason at 8am, faith is doing exercises.

Thought it was Bruce as rat boy but it's Valention gates & byron apparently - but they aren't killers apparently, nor did they send a rat to Jonathon himself - oh yeah, this is all over the manuscript Alex found in Johnny's toaster - gates & Byron feel like Maggie & the rest of the authors from that anthology ruined Johnny's life...whatever.

This again just proves how much I hate mysteries. Ugh.

Bruce is the killer, all in the name of art. Johnny was writing a new manuscript, Bruce wanted it, stole it passed it off as his own but then needed to get rid of the evidence, said evidence was Johnny & Francis since they were both working on the story together - also, Bruce ends up taking aggie hostage w/j.p. the lawyers gun (btw, j.p.earlier in the book admits to sleeping w/Bruce Ole boy - awkward), then takes Maggie drop her apartment but apparently her cat napoleon, not Wellington (the other cat) jumps on Bruce's bag & Maggie manages to get free so Steve can apprehend Bruce. The days saved by half-cocked writer who imagines up her characters into real existence & then has a real romance w/one of them (alex- regency hero debinair), & all ends well in the world...geez oh crimney.

[Kasey M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the book was good, the book was very good. In this particular novel, though, I felt Michaels spent too much time telling the story of her characters and not enough time actually solving the mystery at hand. At the end of the book, everything jus sort of seemed to fall into place without much work from the characters. While it was a good read... it simply could have been better.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

With this series it's important that you've read the previous books, otherwise there are story lines that won't make sense.
That being said, this one was a bit more difficult to finish than the others. It was entertaining, but I'm getting really annoyed with Maggie and her inability to defend herself against her horrid mother or even, ugh, her psychologist.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't quite wrap my head around a dream man that she created and who has come to life in her world. He can't die unless she writes it into a book...it's too much for me to grasp. I'm continuing on my Christmas book quest.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Still clever and funny but maybe getting a little in a rut. Still a fun way to spend an afternoon.

[Sara Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Witty and humorous. Picked it up thinking it was an actual holiday related book. It’s not. At all. Quick and humorous. I felt like I was binge watching a Netflix drama. To me there wasn’t enough mystery to the story because there weren’t enough events happening around it during the book. This book had more character development than anything. I did like the characters but it was the first book I’ve read in the series. Maybe I’d appreciate the character development more if I had read the previous books? One thing I didn’t like was how the story line on Maggie’s parents played out. It seemed to be important and Intriguing but then just dropped off out of nowhere and was wrapped up in a sentence in the end.

[Quinn Fforde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the entire series, I think that this one has the best mystery setup. I don't see how you could spot it early. I enjoyed rereading it and hunting for clues while knowing who the killer was. It is still clever even when you know what's coming.
Also, Alex gets some great character development in this one. Watching Alex and Maggie try to figure out how to negotiate these changes is thought-provoking and particularly original. And Sterling dressed as Santa is so adorable!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I bought the paperback years ago, and I was pleased to have an ebook copy, too. Rereading Maggie and Alex is always fun!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is entertaining, suspenseful, intriguing and amusing. I love how Alex came to be, it's brilliant. Alex is a perfect "gentleman" hero of the past. He's gallant, charming and protective. Maggie is a bit of a scattering brain, but she's smart and interesting. The storyline is engrossing most of the time, but at times it does drags a bit. It doesn't take away from the story as a whole, it just slows you down a little from getting to the next good part.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having not read the previous stories in this series, I find it more of a love hate relationship. Took too long to get into the meat of the mystery, plus Maggie is annoying.

[Cindyanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed it immensely; definitely want to read the rest of the books in this series.

[Wench · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually finished this a few days ago. The Mystery is much better in this one. Also, *fans self*

[D.L. · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF- I couldn't get past the first chapter of this. It begins with our heroine, Maggie, writing in her journal about all the things that are going on in her life, mainly her boyfriend who is a fictional romance hero come to life. I think its a cool concept, but I never got past that first chapter to find out. She keeps referring to the journal as "Fred" (at least I think that's what was going on). For quite a while I couldn't figure out who Fred was- was he another character, a figment of her imagination, or was I supposed to be Fred? I might have been able to push myself more and gotten into the book after a chapter or two more, but it seemed like too much effort. This is the fifth in the Maggie Kelly Mystery series, so Maggie and her not-so-fictional boyfriend Alexandre would probably have made a lot more sense if I had started at the beginning.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie Kelly is a romance novelist who believes she is going crazy. Very bad things have been happening around Maggie ever since her fictional character, Alexandre Viscount Saint Just, came to life. Her every wish is his command. In this book, all of the contributing authors of a book entitled, 'No Secret Anymore,' have received dead rats in the mail, along with awful poetic messages, Maggie included. Two of the contributing authors end up dead, apparently from suicide. I really liked this book. It was an enjoyably funny, light, quick read. I will read more of the Maggie Kelly series, "cozy" mysteries with a bit of romance.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truthfully, I wanted to stop reading numerous times. I’m giving it a 3 because there were some really funny parts (mostly in the dialogue) and the basic concept of a murder mystery was good in addition to the little allusion about the Santa’s 4 Silver. What annoyed me was the Alex / St Just (Mr. Perfect) character and his realism or not. Since Maggie was being seen by a psychologist I’m really not sure if he was real or one of her imaginary friends – that whole thing was just a little to weird for me.


Won’t go out of my way to read any more Maggie Kelly mysteries.

[Bernadette Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come along for the ride as Maggie Kelley and Alexander Saint Just use their detective skills to discover the murderer of two not-so-famous authors a couple of weeks before Christmas. It soon appears that there are two different culprits at work, because the handwritten notes packed with dead rats mailed to ten authors in Manhattan appear to be written by one person and the murders done by someone else. Will Maggie and St. Just be able to find the killer before a third author is killed?

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for a review; all opinions are my own.

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

They are finally getting together!
Yes, I am talking about Maggie and St. Just. I love the Maggie books and was hoping for a love-filled Christmas. Of course, knowing Kasey Michaels I just knew there would be a nice mystery in it as well. And it's a great one! Who doesn't love dead rats and writers? Believe me once you start reading the book you don't want to put it down. So, go for it! Have some fun! Watch our heroes solve the mysteries and slowly get closer to each other.

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

They are finally getting together!
Yes, I am talking about Maggie and St. Just. I love the Maggie books and was hoping for a love-filled Christmas. Of course, knowing Kasey Michaels I just knew there would be a nice mystery in it as well. And it's a great one! Who doesn't love dead rats and writers? Believe me once you start reading the book you don't want to put it down. So, go for it! Have some fun! Watch our heroes solve the mysteries and slowly get closer to each other.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bah-humbug! I picked up this book three times and just couldn't get in to it. I really wanted to like it because I liked the title and it was a romance mystery; what's not to like, but I couldn't get in to the characters. Maybe it was because it is number 5 in a series; didn't think holiday books counted in such things, but perhaps in this series it does; won't be going backwards to find out.

[Mariska · Rating 1 out of 5]

Since I always want to know how books end I wasn't expecting not being able to finish this one. After over 50 pages I still couldn't get myself to read any further. Maybe it was because it was the fifth book in the series, I didn't read the ones before this. The whole book confused me and it wasn't interesting enough to find out what it was really about.

[Katy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is why I don't randomly pick a book off the shelf at the library......or read a novel that's number five in a series I've never read. The reveal of the crime wasn't exciting and the characters were flat flat flat. Saint Just was unrealistic and Maggie was dull.

[Linda Hawk · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Saint Just series will keep you chuckling from cover to cover and this 5th story in the series gives us a whole new look at some of our favorite characters.

Well worth the read and a fun holiday story to boot.

[Debra McEathron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another of her Saint Just mysteries.I hope it is the last and will probably be the last one I read in this series anyway. They are getting boring and Maggie doesn't understand about JUST and STERLING.

[Pandora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read entire series

Rarely will a reader come across work that is fresh with new ideas, this series has that. It is funny, it is smart, it will make for a totally enjoyable evening.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Im struggling to get through this one....

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another kooky murder mystery for Maggie's Menagerie! Several storylines advanced, as well, especially in the relationship department. Funny and enjoyable.

[Karen Desmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

4

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book with Maggie and Saint Just solving another crime in NYC.

[Garden Gal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie's 5th outing and still leaving me hoping for more.

Love the wickedly lengthy sentences Michaels slips in: and they get longer.....