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Cyd Redondo #4
Cheap Trills: A Cyd Redondo Mystery 4
LEFTY WINNER BEST HUMOROUS MYSTERY OF 2023
“ Cheap Trills is strikingly original, brightly inventive, masterfully plotted, and truly hilarious.” —Stephen Mack Jones, author of the award-winning August Snow thriller novels
After her mother sneaks off on an Eat, Pray, Love tour to Bali that goes horribly wrong, travel agent Cyd Redondo must outwit a ring of songbird smugglers and take on a killer, all while trying to keep three orphaned, endangered Bali Starling chicks alive in her purse.
It’s 2007 and Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, has Eat, Pray, Love fever. Every book club in town is devouring the bestseller and all of Cyd’s senior citizen clients are dying to head to exotic Bali. But the travel agent in Cyd only sees its dangers—three active volcanos, six venomous snake species, no wheelchair ramps, about fifteen possible tropical diseases, and the death penalty for smugglers.
So she’s hurt and furious, but also terrified, when her mother, Bridget, sneaks off with two friends on a Bali tour booked by Cyd’s archnemesis, Peggy Newsome. Of course, Bridget and her friends wind up stranded and smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation. Now Cyd must navigate Balinese culture, battle songbird smugglers and thieving monkeys, commandeer a funicular railway, infiltrate an underground Tupperware network, and find the real killer, all while trying to keep three hungry, endangered Bali Starling chicks alive in her purse . . .
Praise for the Cyd Redondo
“Instant escape, instant entertainment, and diabolically clever. I would follow the fab Cyd Redondo anywhere.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author
“Cyd puts the fun in funicular! Sparkling, witty, delightful.” —Lou Diamond Phillips, actor, director and author of the bestseller The Soldier of Indira
“Bali High! Thomas’s tight, clever, and witty writing has never been better!” —Matt Coyle, award-winning author of the bestselling Rick Cahill series
“Thomas has created a sidesplittingly hilarious heroine without rival.” —James L’Etoile, award-winning author of Dead Drop and the Detective Emily Hunter series
“I love, love, love this book . . . screwball comedy mystery at its best.” — Dru’s Book Musings
“Wendall Thomas is a magician, somehow imbuing the very serious subject of exotic bird poaching with humor, intrigue, exoticism and romance . . . the mystic island of Bali comes alive in the lively, intricately researched, and thoroughly entertaining mystery.” —Baron R. Birtcher, LA Times bestseller and award-winning author of Reckoning and Fistful of Rain
About the
Wendall Thomas’s first Cyd Redondo novel, Lost Luggage, was a Macavity and Lefty finalist for Best Debut Mystery; the second, Drowned Under , received an Anthony nomination for Best Paperback Original, and both Drowned Under and Fogged Off were Lefty finalists for Best Humorous Mystery. Her short fiction appears in the crime anthologies Ladies Night , Last Resort , Murder-a-Go-Go’s , and Crime Under the Sun . She also teaches in the Graduate Film School at UCLA and lectures internationally on screenwriting.
“ Cheap Trills is strikingly original, brightly inventive, masterfully plotted, and truly hilarious.” —Stephen Mack Jones, author of the award-winning August Snow thriller novels
After her mother sneaks off on an Eat, Pray, Love tour to Bali that goes horribly wrong, travel agent Cyd Redondo must outwit a ring of songbird smugglers and take on a killer, all while trying to keep three orphaned, endangered Bali Starling chicks alive in her purse.
It’s 2007 and Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, has Eat, Pray, Love fever. Every book club in town is devouring the bestseller and all of Cyd’s senior citizen clients are dying to head to exotic Bali. But the travel agent in Cyd only sees its dangers—three active volcanos, six venomous snake species, no wheelchair ramps, about fifteen possible tropical diseases, and the death penalty for smugglers.
So she’s hurt and furious, but also terrified, when her mother, Bridget, sneaks off with two friends on a Bali tour booked by Cyd’s archnemesis, Peggy Newsome. Of course, Bridget and her friends wind up stranded and smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation. Now Cyd must navigate Balinese culture, battle songbird smugglers and thieving monkeys, commandeer a funicular railway, infiltrate an underground Tupperware network, and find the real killer, all while trying to keep three hungry, endangered Bali Starling chicks alive in her purse . . .
Praise for the Cyd Redondo
“Instant escape, instant entertainment, and diabolically clever. I would follow the fab Cyd Redondo anywhere.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author
“Cyd puts the fun in funicular! Sparkling, witty, delightful.” —Lou Diamond Phillips, actor, director and author of the bestseller The Soldier of Indira
“Bali High! Thomas’s tight, clever, and witty writing has never been better!” —Matt Coyle, award-winning author of the bestselling Rick Cahill series
“Thomas has created a sidesplittingly hilarious heroine without rival.” —James L’Etoile, award-winning author of Dead Drop and the Detective Emily Hunter series
“I love, love, love this book . . . screwball comedy mystery at its best.” — Dru’s Book Musings
“Wendall Thomas is a magician, somehow imbuing the very serious subject of exotic bird poaching with humor, intrigue, exoticism and romance . . . the mystic island of Bali comes alive in the lively, intricately researched, and thoroughly entertaining mystery.” —Baron R. Birtcher, LA Times bestseller and award-winning author of Reckoning and Fistful of Rain
About the
Wendall Thomas’s first Cyd Redondo novel, Lost Luggage, was a Macavity and Lefty finalist for Best Debut Mystery; the second, Drowned Under , received an Anthony nomination for Best Paperback Original, and both Drowned Under and Fogged Off were Lefty finalists for Best Humorous Mystery. Her short fiction appears in the crime anthologies Ladies Night , Last Resort , Murder-a-Go-Go’s , and Crime Under the Sun . She also teaches in the Graduate Film School at UCLA and lectures internationally on screenwriting.
223 pages, Paperback
Published October 30, 2023
7 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Wendall Thomas
6 books45 followersWendall Thomas has worked as a film and television writer—including stints on PBS’s Wishbone and A&E Biography— teaches in the Graduate Film School at UCLA, and lectures internationally on screenwriting. Her most recent Cyd Redondo novel, Cheap Trills, just won the Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery of 2023. Lost Luggage, was nominated for the Lefty and Macavity Awards for Best Debut Mystery, her second, Drowned Under was nominated for an Anthony and Lefty award for Best Paperback Original and Best Humorous Mystery of 2019, and the third, Fogged Off was nominated for the Best Humorous Lefty for 2021. Her short fiction appears in Ladies Night, Last Resort, Murder-A-Go-Go’s, Crime Under the Sun, and the upcoming Hollywood Kills. She also contributes to the international mystery blog Murder is Everywhere.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 16, 2023
The opening sentence “Eat, pray, barf” signals the spunk and snark of Ms. Thomas’s book. Then, further on the first page, there’s this paragraph:
“So, I could understand the attraction. If someone was forty, sporty, and had alimony to burn, Bali made sense. And it was a nice change to have a few clients who were more interested in massages than Metamucil. I kept the fact I considered them book club delusional to myself.”
Yes, the author knows how to turn a phrase and this book’s action scampers. Her zany imagination and multi-layered plot grabbed me by the throat and never let go. It’s as chock full of cultural references as the protagonist’s Balenciaga bag’s haul of handy stuff. Even Tupperware lore is woven into the narrative.
There’s not merely action on every page, but in every other paragraph, with more twists than Cyd’s humidity-curled hair. I found that I needed to limit my reading to ten pages at a time and keep a character chart.
I greatly admire Ms. Thomas’ descriptive prowess. Here are examples I lifted to give you a preview:
“My tiny attic window was like an exclamation point at the top, a sad domicile in the family brick house worthy of Harry Potter’s under-the-stairs abode."
“In Bali, the air was pure Mounds Bar.”
Because the protagonist, Cyd Redondo, is a travel agent, I’d particularly recommend this book for a lengthy plane ride to travel abroad. How to navigate – and survive – long-distance travel and then fall in love with a cause is Ms. Thomas’ forte. A phrase that you’ll never forget: “Extinction is the mother of invention,”
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“So, I could understand the attraction. If someone was forty, sporty, and had alimony to burn, Bali made sense. And it was a nice change to have a few clients who were more interested in massages than Metamucil. I kept the fact I considered them book club delusional to myself.”
Yes, the author knows how to turn a phrase and this book’s action scampers. Her zany imagination and multi-layered plot grabbed me by the throat and never let go. It’s as chock full of cultural references as the protagonist’s Balenciaga bag’s haul of handy stuff. Even Tupperware lore is woven into the narrative.
There’s not merely action on every page, but in every other paragraph, with more twists than Cyd’s humidity-curled hair. I found that I needed to limit my reading to ten pages at a time and keep a character chart.
I greatly admire Ms. Thomas’ descriptive prowess. Here are examples I lifted to give you a preview:
“My tiny attic window was like an exclamation point at the top, a sad domicile in the family brick house worthy of Harry Potter’s under-the-stairs abode."
“In Bali, the air was pure Mounds Bar.”
Because the protagonist, Cyd Redondo, is a travel agent, I’d particularly recommend this book for a lengthy plane ride to travel abroad. How to navigate – and survive – long-distance travel and then fall in love with a cause is Ms. Thomas’ forte. A phrase that you’ll never forget: “Extinction is the mother of invention,”
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2023
Brooklyn travel agent Cyd Redondo is off rescuing her mother from many things. There's the lovely man she met who got murdered, drug smugglers, smugglers of endangered Bali bird species, and an unscrupulous rival with a competing travel agency. The author's attention to detail shows meticulous research into the plight of endangered songbirds being smuggled by a network of villains. Cyd is a hoot, but the relatives and acquaintances are positively wacky.
Underground Tupperware network?!
Absolutely LOVED it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Beyond The Page Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!!
Underground Tupperware network?!
Absolutely LOVED it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Beyond The Page Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!!
October 15, 2023
I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this book. It seemed to move slowly...then move at light speed. I went back to read a few pages before the jump to light speed...just so I knew I wasn't missing anything.
I'm a first time reader of this author, so perhaps if I had read any of the titles prior to this one, I might have had a bit more understanding of the writing style. It was a cute story that jumped around Bali a lot! I've never been to Bali, so I don't know if you can summon a helicopter when you need it or if you can get fabulous hotel reservations at a moments notice or not. Perhaps this is a travel agents prerogative!
Since this is a cozy mystery/thriller...after the first couple of chapters...I just read the rest of the book for fun. Suspending all normal expectations and just went with the story. As I said before, it was cute, it was fun, the banter was quite witty, and I did enjoy the ending.
3.5 stars from me, rounding up to 4 since it was fun to just go with the storyline...and Cyd's paranoia about her ability to keep some endangered hatchlings alive was fabulous.
I'm a first time reader of this author, so perhaps if I had read any of the titles prior to this one, I might have had a bit more understanding of the writing style. It was a cute story that jumped around Bali a lot! I've never been to Bali, so I don't know if you can summon a helicopter when you need it or if you can get fabulous hotel reservations at a moments notice or not. Perhaps this is a travel agents prerogative!
Since this is a cozy mystery/thriller...after the first couple of chapters...I just read the rest of the book for fun. Suspending all normal expectations and just went with the story. As I said before, it was cute, it was fun, the banter was quite witty, and I did enjoy the ending.
3.5 stars from me, rounding up to 4 since it was fun to just go with the storyline...and Cyd's paranoia about her ability to keep some endangered hatchlings alive was fabulous.
October 26, 2023
If you want to be transported to Bali, book a trip through Redondo Travel and find yourself enjoying the landscape, wildlife, customs, and culture of this marvelous place in Wendall Thomas's Cheap Trills. What Cyd Redondo doesn't know about booking the perfect trips for her clients isn't worth knowing, and if her agency were real, she'd definitely have all my business.
Being broiled alive in a brutal (and seemingly endless) Phoenix summer, I loved sinking into the pages of this book and losing myself in the descriptions of Balinese scenery and wildlife. Speaking of wildlife, it always plays an important role in any Cyd Redondo mystery, and in Cheap Trills, I learned about smuggling songbirds and the fight to protect the endangered Bali Starling. But-- as much as I love learning about wildlife and the customs of other countries-- I wouldn't be a diehard fan of this series if it weren't for Cyd Redondo herself. Cyd is extraordinary, from her knowledge and contacts in the travel business to her smart-alecky view of the world to her ability to kickbox in stilettos to her passionate endeavors to save wildlife. She has a Balenciaga bag that MacGyver would give his right arm for, and one of the highlights of Cheap Trills is discovering that Balinese women also know the importance of a good set of Tupperware.
Cyd Redondo is so very easy to laugh with and to love. I would willingly follow her anywhere. I could even be of assistance in a future adventure. You see, Cyd doesn't have a good relationship with bats, and it just so happens that I was the bat wrangler at a previous place of employment. Think about it, Cyd. I could really help you out!
As you can see, I've fallen head over heels for Cyd and her adventures. If you love mysteries with strong female leads that are light-hearted, visual feasts, let me steer you straight to Redondo Travel. You're going to love Cyd.
(Review copy courtesy of Net Galley and the author)
Being broiled alive in a brutal (and seemingly endless) Phoenix summer, I loved sinking into the pages of this book and losing myself in the descriptions of Balinese scenery and wildlife. Speaking of wildlife, it always plays an important role in any Cyd Redondo mystery, and in Cheap Trills, I learned about smuggling songbirds and the fight to protect the endangered Bali Starling. But-- as much as I love learning about wildlife and the customs of other countries-- I wouldn't be a diehard fan of this series if it weren't for Cyd Redondo herself. Cyd is extraordinary, from her knowledge and contacts in the travel business to her smart-alecky view of the world to her ability to kickbox in stilettos to her passionate endeavors to save wildlife. She has a Balenciaga bag that MacGyver would give his right arm for, and one of the highlights of Cheap Trills is discovering that Balinese women also know the importance of a good set of Tupperware.
Cyd Redondo is so very easy to laugh with and to love. I would willingly follow her anywhere. I could even be of assistance in a future adventure. You see, Cyd doesn't have a good relationship with bats, and it just so happens that I was the bat wrangler at a previous place of employment. Think about it, Cyd. I could really help you out!
As you can see, I've fallen head over heels for Cyd and her adventures. If you love mysteries with strong female leads that are light-hearted, visual feasts, let me steer you straight to Redondo Travel. You're going to love Cyd.
(Review copy courtesy of Net Galley and the author)
July 30, 2024
What a delightful romp on the whole Eat Pray Love theme. This is the latest in Wendall Thomas’s Cyd Redondo series and each book gets better. Cyd runs a travel business and is dedicated to saving endangered animals. She is unlucky in love. constantly blundering, and frequently has to rescue her careless family and friends. When her mother secretly takes a trip to Bali and gets in trouble, Cyd must go there to rescue her. Thomas is very clever and has given Cyd a sympathetic voice that is both flawed and hilarious. She had me laughing out loud. If you like Janet Evanovich’s characters, you’ll love Cyd Redondo and her quirky adventures.
October 16, 2023
Cyd Redondo is a travel agent with a McGuyver skill set, which comes in handy on an emergency trip to Bali because her mother is part of a murder investigation. Cyd finds herself not only tasked with solving the murder but becomes involved in solving a Bali songbird smuggling ring. The book moves at a fast pace, with plenty of viable suspects.
This book wasn’t for me. The characters didn’t hold my interest, and I found myself skimming through my copy. Even though this author’s writing style isn’t a fit for me, it may be for you. If this book appeals to you, give it a try.
This book wasn’t for me. The characters didn’t hold my interest, and I found myself skimming through my copy. Even though this author’s writing style isn’t a fit for me, it may be for you. If this book appeals to you, give it a try.
August 28, 2023
Book four to Wendall Thomas' "Cyd Redondo" series, "Cheap Trills" is what you get when you mix Indiana Jones, Barbie, cozy mysteries and a marketing minded travel agent. I don't know how Cyd could do all that she did in stilettos or a heel of any type, skirts and thongs (yes, this gets mentioned a few times). There was also so much going on that your guess for bad guy may be right but you may not have their crime correct.
September 5, 2023
When travel agent Cyd Redondo’s mother and two of her friends sneak off to Bali, not realizing that they don’t actually have reservations, Cyd steps in to save their trip. She’s not expecting to tangle with smugglers and gunmen.
This slightly madcap mystery is a fun read and a perfect mystery for armchair travelers. Although the book does stand alone, I’d recommend reading the earlier books first.
This slightly madcap mystery is a fun read and a perfect mystery for armchair travelers. Although the book does stand alone, I’d recommend reading the earlier books first.
January 27, 2024
Be Sure to Set Aside Clear Time!!
If you want to spend your whole day reading a fun book... Wendall Thomas's "Cheap Trills" is the way to do it. I'm a sucker for good humor and good writing. But I didn't think I'd be suckered into dropping all my other responsibilities and reading this 'frickin' (as the protagaonist Cyd Redondo would say) book in under 24 hours (including sleep time).
All the good things that Wendall taught us at the Southern California Writers Association January meeting were there. She made excellent used of objects, events, and words across the many sequences to make this book a page-turner. Now all I need to do is buy her previous Cyd Redondo novels--but only when I have clear time available. :)
If you want to spend your whole day reading a fun book... Wendall Thomas's "Cheap Trills" is the way to do it. I'm a sucker for good humor and good writing. But I didn't think I'd be suckered into dropping all my other responsibilities and reading this 'frickin' (as the protagaonist Cyd Redondo would say) book in under 24 hours (including sleep time).
All the good things that Wendall taught us at the Southern California Writers Association January meeting were there. She made excellent used of objects, events, and words across the many sequences to make this book a page-turner. Now all I need to do is buy her previous Cyd Redondo novels--but only when I have clear time available. :)
October 30, 2023
If you've never been or don't expect to ever go to Bali, this is the mystery for you!
Wendall Thomas brilliantly brings Bali to life in her hilarious mystery Cheap Trills. There is so much entertainment entwined with rich description of the settings and factual information about the area's bird population that this book is more than a fun mystery; it is informative as well.
Well-written and fun to read, with a touch of romance and heaping helping of intrigue, Cheap Trills is definitely one to put on your TBR shelf.
Although it can stand on its own, I do think that the book would be better enjoyed after having read the first three in the series.
I'm glad to have received an ARC of #CheapTrills from #NetGalley.
Wendall Thomas brilliantly brings Bali to life in her hilarious mystery Cheap Trills. There is so much entertainment entwined with rich description of the settings and factual information about the area's bird population that this book is more than a fun mystery; it is informative as well.
Well-written and fun to read, with a touch of romance and heaping helping of intrigue, Cheap Trills is definitely one to put on your TBR shelf.
Although it can stand on its own, I do think that the book would be better enjoyed after having read the first three in the series.
I'm glad to have received an ARC of #CheapTrills from #NetGalley.
November 5, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and publisher. This is the first book I’ve read from this author. The title is what got me curious and then after starting to read I was hooked. I’m going to look for the her first 3 books of this series.
January 5, 2024
Cheap Thrills
Never disappointed by her stories, get so bright in you feel you're the main character. Book 3 is just as awesome as books 1 and 2 or should I say supburb.
Never disappointed by her stories, get so bright in you feel you're the main character. Book 3 is just as awesome as books 1 and 2 or should I say supburb.
December 29, 2023
If you love stories set in exotic locales, you’ll enjoy Cheap Trills by Wendall Thomas. In the wake of Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2007 bestseller, Eat, Pray, Love, visits to Bali became the rage. The protagonist, travel agent Cyd Redondo, who caters to senior vacationers, warns her clients about the hazards of traveling to Indonesia. Not only is the journey long, involving multiple plane changes on air carriers with questionable safety records, the destination is fraught with dangers such as active volcanoes, venomous snakes, crooked cops, kidnappers, pickpockets, and the risk of the death penalty for possession of drugs, endangered animals, or large amounts of cash. And no ADA dictating that establishments make accommodations for disabled guests.
Nevertheless, her own mother (Bridget) and two of her friends defy Cyd’s advice and book a trip to Bali with her archrival, Peggy Newsome.
Right away, things go wrong for the trio. Not only do they experience flight delays, missed connections, and lost luggage, but Peggy confirmed their hotel room for the wrong dates, so Bridget and her friends arrive without reservations. And Bridget becomes a person of interest in the murder of a man she met on the flight. Cyd must fly to Bali to straighten everything out. Fasten your seat belts for a hilarious tale involving poaching of endangered species, treachery, and a touch of romance.
Cyd is a colorful character, with fiery red hair (made bigger in Bali’s humidity) which apparently strikes fear in the hearts of the natives, who regard redheads as demons. She can run in stilettos and refuses to let her Balenciaga out of her sight; that bottomless bag of tricks is filled with MacGyver-like tools that she pulls out at the appropriate time to extract her from tight situations.
Wendall Thomas did a superb job with the setting. I visited Bali once as a cruise ship stop, but she took me much deeper. I could tell she’d done extensive research on the culture, flora, and fauna, but she weaves it into the plot seamlessly; I never felt like I was getting an info dump.
Cheap Trills is the fourth book in a series. Although it worked fine as a stand-alone, there are a lot of references to past adventures, and many of the characters who pop in have a history with Cyd and company. I suspect reading the books in order would enrich my appreciation for this one. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed it without the additional backstory.
Highly recommended!
Nevertheless, her own mother (Bridget) and two of her friends defy Cyd’s advice and book a trip to Bali with her archrival, Peggy Newsome.
Right away, things go wrong for the trio. Not only do they experience flight delays, missed connections, and lost luggage, but Peggy confirmed their hotel room for the wrong dates, so Bridget and her friends arrive without reservations. And Bridget becomes a person of interest in the murder of a man she met on the flight. Cyd must fly to Bali to straighten everything out. Fasten your seat belts for a hilarious tale involving poaching of endangered species, treachery, and a touch of romance.
Cyd is a colorful character, with fiery red hair (made bigger in Bali’s humidity) which apparently strikes fear in the hearts of the natives, who regard redheads as demons. She can run in stilettos and refuses to let her Balenciaga out of her sight; that bottomless bag of tricks is filled with MacGyver-like tools that she pulls out at the appropriate time to extract her from tight situations.
Wendall Thomas did a superb job with the setting. I visited Bali once as a cruise ship stop, but she took me much deeper. I could tell she’d done extensive research on the culture, flora, and fauna, but she weaves it into the plot seamlessly; I never felt like I was getting an info dump.
Cheap Trills is the fourth book in a series. Although it worked fine as a stand-alone, there are a lot of references to past adventures, and many of the characters who pop in have a history with Cyd and company. I suspect reading the books in order would enrich my appreciation for this one. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed it without the additional backstory.
Highly recommended!
August 4, 2023
CHEAP TRILLS is the fourth book in the Cyd Redondo Mysteries by Wendall Thomas. This is one of those series where the new release immediately lands on the top of my TBR pile! With humor galore, protagonist Cyd Redondo, a MacGyver-esq, Balenciaga purse toting, Brooklyn travel agent, travels to Bali. Her mission is to rescue her clueless mother and senior friends who are in search of their own Eat, Pray, Love experience. Cyd has a knack for finding trouble… or perhaps it’s trouble that has a way of always finding her. But with her packed Balenciaga purse, Cyd always has the right tool (and Tupperware) for getting herself out of trouble. The reader is taken on a wild ride through the country of Bali with zany characters and laugh-out-loud situations. Amidst all that, Ms. Thomas manages to portray the all too real plight of endangered songbirds being smuggled by a network of unscrupulous people. Her attention to detail speaks of meticulous research, which adds greatly to the storyline. If you enjoy a humorous read with an exotic setting while tracking down the bad guys, I highly recommend Cheap Trills!
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 29, 2023
This is the fourth book in the series but the first book I have read from this new to me author.
I enjoyed this adventure mystery. Cyd is a travel agent with a mother that books a trip with friends to Bali through her archnemesis, Peggy Newsome. In all fairness, Cyd’s mother, Bridgette “won” the trip.
Just as Cyd had feared, it all goes south. Peggy or her agency has failed to dot the “I s” and cross the “t s” and strands the three women in Indonesia. Cyd steps in and gets them rebooked on another, safer airline. She reaches out to a contact in Bali to get them rooms.
The rest of the story is just as chaotic and Cyd arrives to solve the mystery, help clear her mother, and save some baby starlings.
I found it amazing that Cyd could do it all in stilettos and a tube skirt. Just suspend reality and go with the flow. It’s a great escape.
I learned a lot about animal/bird trafficking.
This is a standalone story. I was given an e-copy by Netgalley and am not required to leave a positive review.
I enjoyed this adventure mystery. Cyd is a travel agent with a mother that books a trip with friends to Bali through her archnemesis, Peggy Newsome. In all fairness, Cyd’s mother, Bridgette “won” the trip.
Just as Cyd had feared, it all goes south. Peggy or her agency has failed to dot the “I s” and cross the “t s” and strands the three women in Indonesia. Cyd steps in and gets them rebooked on another, safer airline. She reaches out to a contact in Bali to get them rooms.
The rest of the story is just as chaotic and Cyd arrives to solve the mystery, help clear her mother, and save some baby starlings.
I found it amazing that Cyd could do it all in stilettos and a tube skirt. Just suspend reality and go with the flow. It’s a great escape.
I learned a lot about animal/bird trafficking.
This is a standalone story. I was given an e-copy by Netgalley and am not required to leave a positive review.
September 8, 2023
This is the first one I have read in this series and I’m wondering why I haven’t seen it before now. With a trip to Gali on the agenda, Cyd never expected her mother to head into a lion’s den…in that there are so many things going not here that she would NEVER have recommended it for her Mother. But in order to keep her mother and her friends from trouble, things go really crazy.
This one is fun, quirky and really engaging! I am so into this that I’m up for the first three in the series before the next one is released!
This one is fun, quirky and really engaging! I am so into this that I’m up for the first three in the series before the next one is released!
October 3, 2023
Take a trip to Bali. It will be quite an experience. The adventures of Cyd Redondo are amusing, unlikely, and quirky. The critters she is involved with this time are birds, hence the trills. Autocorrect kept insisting I was searching for Cheap Trolls. Lots of laughs and wackiness. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
October 27, 2023
Wendall Thomas never fails to please with her Cyd Redondo series, and this newest of the bunch is another laugh-out-loud treat. From its starting send-up of Eat, Pray, Love, to Cyd’s mad dash to rescue her mother who’s been stranded in Bali, to more hilarious escapades involving Cyd’s deep-as-Mary Poppins’-carpet-bag Balenciaga purse, CHEAP TRILLS will keep you entertained to the very end.
March 9, 2024
A wacky overseas trip starts wrong when Cyd Redondo's mother Bridget & her 2 friends go on a Bali tour booked by Cyd’s archnemesis, Peggy Newsome. Peggy is AWOL so Cyd must fix their itinerary & goes there in person to figure out what is going on. While battling the humidity, Cyd encounters gorgeous resort settings, stumbles upon songbird smugglers & has the challenge of keeping 3 newly hatched endangered Bali Starling chicks alive in her Tupperware container.
This was another hilarious, zany, action-packed misadventure for Cyd.
I received a digital ARC from Netgalley & Beyond the Page Publishing. All opinions are my own.
This was another hilarious, zany, action-packed misadventure for Cyd.
I received a digital ARC from Netgalley & Beyond the Page Publishing. All opinions are my own.
April 10, 2024
Only our heroine Cyd Redondo could go on a trip to Bali , face smugglers , rescue her mom and help dave baby birds. Great adventure
March 1, 2025
My rating = 3.75! Way too many chases, kidnappings & escapes - Book was suppose to be a cozy mystery, but turned into a suspense thriller!
October 11, 2023
Cheap Trills, with more antics from the irrepressible “Cyd Redondo, Redondo Travel,” is a delight, and Wendall Thomas’s persistent wit is intoxicating. If you’re up for a fun read and ride-along on a zany adventure in Bali, this book won’t disappoint. It’s a joy from start to finish.
December 31, 2023
It’s 2007, and Eat, Pray, Love is all the rage. Cyd Redondo’s clients at her travel agency are all looking for trips to Bali, inspired by the book. However, Cyd is shocked when she discovers her mother is on such a trip, a trip she won from Cyd’s rival travel agent. An incompetent travel agent. So Cyd races to Bali to help her mother. What will she find when she gets there?
I’ve enjoyed the earlier books in the series, but this one wasn’t a good. I was expecting the updates on family and set up of the trip, but even once Cyd reached Bali, the pacing was off. The usual mix of travelogue, screwball comedy, and mystery was skewed. Once the mystery really did kick in, we were off and running with lots of twists and a satisfying ending. We did get some great character growth. And I laughed plenty. Fans of the series will still find things to enjoy, but I wish the plot had been stronger.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I’ve enjoyed the earlier books in the series, but this one wasn’t a good. I was expecting the updates on family and set up of the trip, but even once Cyd reached Bali, the pacing was off. The usual mix of travelogue, screwball comedy, and mystery was skewed. Once the mystery really did kick in, we were off and running with lots of twists and a satisfying ending. We did get some great character growth. And I laughed plenty. Fans of the series will still find things to enjoy, but I wish the plot had been stronger.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
March 1, 2024
Another delightful Cyd Redondo mystery set in Bali with lots of crazy characters, fun plot lines, and of course...Tupperware! Cyd is busy trying to keep her mom out of trouble while she deals with an endangered bird, the Bali starling. Bali has many unusual customs & traditions that help keep the humor a bit off center, including underground Tupperware parties!!
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