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Closet Sleuth #2
Almost True Confessions: Closet Sleuth Spills All
This comic mystery set in the elite zip codes of Manhattan will leave you breathless . . . literally.
What could be more fun for a freelance copy editor than working on a juicy tell-all about one of Manhattan's most enigmatic society doyennes? But when Miranda "Rannie" Bookman arrives at Ret Sullivan's tony Upper East Side apartment, she finds more than the final draft of the reclusive author's manuscript waiting for her—there's also the half-naked body of Ret herself, tied to her bed and strangled with an Hermès scarf.
Was this merely a case, as the police believe, of rough sex that got a little too rough? Or was Ret murdered because someone wanted to make absolutely sure she didn't meet her deadline? Once again, Rannie must prove that her mind is just as sharp as her Col-Erase blue pencils—or risk getting rubbed out too.
What could be more fun for a freelance copy editor than working on a juicy tell-all about one of Manhattan's most enigmatic society doyennes? But when Miranda "Rannie" Bookman arrives at Ret Sullivan's tony Upper East Side apartment, she finds more than the final draft of the reclusive author's manuscript waiting for her—there's also the half-naked body of Ret herself, tied to her bed and strangled with an Hermès scarf.
Was this merely a case, as the police believe, of rough sex that got a little too rough? Or was Ret murdered because someone wanted to make absolutely sure she didn't meet her deadline? Once again, Rannie must prove that her mind is just as sharp as her Col-Erase blue pencils—or risk getting rubbed out too.
314 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
23 people are currently reading
620 people want to read
About the author
Jane O'Connor
281 books355 followersSince the publication of Fancy Nancy, Jane O'Connor's closet now boasts so many boas, tiaras, and sparkly ensembles that sometimes friends do not recognize her on the street. She still resides (that's a fancy word for lives) in New York City with her family and their canine companion, Arrow. --from the publisher's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
February 20, 2014
A fun murder mystery. The heroine Rannie is a mess, but an endearing one. Had to smile at the Fancy Nancy mention since author Jane O'Connor writes that series as well. Hope she writes a third Closet Sleuth mystery.
October 7, 2013
An amateur sleuth with a knack for spotting grammatical errors? It might sound strange, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading about copy editor Miranda "Rannie" Bookman and her adventures in Almost True Confessions by Jane O'Connor.
This is the second in a series, but I don't think you need to read the first book to understand this one. Why did I enjoy the book? As a former newspaper copy editor and as someone trying to get into book publishing, I totally get her humor. If I see a mistake in a newspaper article or book, I just want to fix it. I'm sure I've made plenty of grammar mistakes on this blog, but I do my best to limit them. In the book, Rannie cringes at the sight or sound of improper grammar. All I could do was laugh. Like all copy editors, she has her quirks. She only works with a certain kind of pencil. She also has a deep addiction to peanut butter and jelly!!
Read the rest of my review at: http://www.asiturnthepages.blogspot.c...
This is the second in a series, but I don't think you need to read the first book to understand this one. Why did I enjoy the book? As a former newspaper copy editor and as someone trying to get into book publishing, I totally get her humor. If I see a mistake in a newspaper article or book, I just want to fix it. I'm sure I've made plenty of grammar mistakes on this blog, but I do my best to limit them. In the book, Rannie cringes at the sight or sound of improper grammar. All I could do was laugh. Like all copy editors, she has her quirks. She only works with a certain kind of pencil. She also has a deep addiction to peanut butter and jelly!!
Read the rest of my review at: http://www.asiturnthepages.blogspot.c...
June 21, 2024
I'll admit that I had mixed feelings about this one. As a mystery, this one was intriguing and a lot of fun to read. The heroine, Rannie, is a bit of train wreck, but she's a clever and endearing one. As she works to solve the mystery of who killed a reclusive (and infamous) writer, readers are treated to a trip to New York high society and the publishing world. I found the mystery and the details both entertaining.
However, Rannie's romantic life with ex-cop Tim just didn't do it for me. On the one hand, he does do a good job of pointing out unsafe ideas to Rannie. However, he's overbearing and at times manipulative in ways that made me uncomfortable as a reader. If Rannie was a real life friend of mine, I'd be cautioning her about this guy. There are a few scenes where Tim deliver ultimatums or orders Rannie around in ways that made me feel he just didn't respect her. And I didn't find that terribly romantic.
However, Rannie's romantic life with ex-cop Tim just didn't do it for me. On the one hand, he does do a good job of pointing out unsafe ideas to Rannie. However, he's overbearing and at times manipulative in ways that made me uncomfortable as a reader. If Rannie was a real life friend of mine, I'd be cautioning her about this guy. There are a few scenes where Tim deliver ultimatums or orders Rannie around in ways that made me feel he just didn't respect her. And I didn't find that terribly romantic.
August 17, 2025
The book was a fun read. It’s been a long time since I read the first book on Rannie and her editing/crime solving skills. The book doesn’t really have to be read right after book 1. Enough is explained to give context.
I enjoyed watching Rannie’s parenting style as a single mom. You don’t hear much about her daughter in this book, but Nate and Olivia (his girlfriend) play important roles. Tim - great investigator and bar owner. I like his background and how black and white he is about doing right and staying sober.
That this author wrote the Fancy Nancy books makes me like her works more. I love people who are obsessed with English and grammar like I am. She is a great editor. I would have liked to hear about her getting paid for the job though, in the end. Also, the police force should hire her. She’s good and doesn’t seem suspicious.
Art forging - just read a whole book about that. It’s fascinating how people get away with it, and then it makes the art more valuable.
I enjoyed watching Rannie’s parenting style as a single mom. You don’t hear much about her daughter in this book, but Nate and Olivia (his girlfriend) play important roles. Tim - great investigator and bar owner. I like his background and how black and white he is about doing right and staying sober.
That this author wrote the Fancy Nancy books makes me like her works more. I love people who are obsessed with English and grammar like I am. She is a great editor. I would have liked to hear about her getting paid for the job though, in the end. Also, the police force should hire her. She’s good and doesn’t seem suspicious.
Art forging - just read a whole book about that. It’s fascinating how people get away with it, and then it makes the art more valuable.
December 5, 2019
On my TBR list since 2013, I pulled it down and read it finally.
She was a popular writer of children's books but when I saw she'd written this, thought I read it.
Easy read.
Entertaining; about a copy editor sleuth.
She was a popular writer of children's books but when I saw she'd written this, thought I read it.
Easy read.
Entertaining; about a copy editor sleuth.
April 21, 2021
It was ok. A little slow moving for me and not enough to really keep me interested. The best part of the book was the very beginning and the last 10 pages when it all comes together. Hard to get through the rest.
December 10, 2021
I enjoyed reading this book as it was something different from my normal historical fiction picks. It's about a free lance copy editor who likes to solve mysteries (murders). It is funny and I enjoyed the grammatical corrections the main character would make. A quick, fun read.
February 25, 2023
This book was a bit all over the place so it made it hard to follow at times. Not a huge fan of the writing in general. It took a while for me to get into it and at some points I was hooked, but not enough to have really enjoyed the book. Ending was disappointing.
January 9, 2018
Very disappointing follow up to "Dangerous Admissions," which showed a lot of potential.
October 25, 2017
Light, entertaining, funny - a great summer read.
August 12, 2018
This was a good beach book.
May 14, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up and so good for a cozy! Not my favorite genre but this was fun.
October 13, 2021
This was just an Ok read for me. If you need something you don't really have to pay attention to, this is it.
January 2, 2022
didn't finish, but the first 40 or so pages were intriguing.
May 25, 2022
This is a nice, easy to read book with an unexpected finish
September 30, 2023
A library find.
Contains a few unnecessary cuss words.
Contains a few unnecessary cuss words.
July 5, 2024
Too many sex scenes for a murder mystery ):
September 4, 2017
I'm still trying to figure this one out. The author has written a wildly popular series of children's books and it shows - a lot of names, etc. feel very childish. And while there was some good depth to the mystery, some things felt really rushed and others felt shoe-horned in, like the scene was added to make the books longer. I'll read the first in the series but I won't seek out any new ones.
May 9, 2014
This bit of marshmallow fluff masquerading as a book would be just the ticket if one were spending a lazy day at the beach. While I wasn't at the beach, I did find it a pleasant diversion for a couple of days, and quite a departure from my usual reading material.
Our "heroine" is Miranda Bookman, freelance copy editor for various New York publishing houses. She's freelance because she got fired from Simon and Schuster for an egregious mistake. One which was allegedly actually committed by an underling but she took the fall for it.
The first thing you need to know about Miranda is that no one calls her that. She's "Rannie." Several of the women characters have cutesy nicknames. That's one thing they have in common. Another is that all the good gals are tiny - 5'2" or shorter and size 0 to 4. Anything larger is considered fat, the one mortal sin for a woman.
Rannie is a divorcee with two almost grown-up children, one in college and the other soon to be. She is in her mid-forties and is cursed/blessed with a natural inquisitiveness that frequently gets her into trouble. She is a natural born puzzle solver, so when she goes to the apartment of reclusive author Ret (actually Margaret) Sullivan to pick up a manuscript she is supposed to edit and finds the writer tied up in bed and strangled with a Hermes scarf, of course, she has to get involved in solving the murder.
But that isn't nearly the end of it. Shortly thereafter, an editor at Simon and Schuster, the one who gave Rannie the editing job, is attacked and killed while she is on her morning run. Surely there must be a connection.
Finally, the capper - another editor at an independent publishing house "commits suicide" by slitting his wrists, but Rannie knows the man and knows there is no one less likely to have killed himself. And he had published a biography (which actually turned out to be an autobiography) of the murdered author. The three deaths have to be related and this death must be murder, too.
What is at the bottom of all these violent deaths? Will the police be able to identify the murderer and bring him or her to justice? Or, more to the point, will Rannie be able to discover the answer to the puzzle surrounding the deaths before she becomes the fourth victim?
The characters in this novel are essentially Ken and Barbie dolls. They exist for dress-up and fantasy play. I can't really believe in any of them. Still, if you require something to briefly occupy your mind without really engaging your emotions or your intellect, marshmallow fluff books are not necessarily such a bad thing. After all, we can't read Proust and Joyce all the time.
Our "heroine" is Miranda Bookman, freelance copy editor for various New York publishing houses. She's freelance because she got fired from Simon and Schuster for an egregious mistake. One which was allegedly actually committed by an underling but she took the fall for it.
The first thing you need to know about Miranda is that no one calls her that. She's "Rannie." Several of the women characters have cutesy nicknames. That's one thing they have in common. Another is that all the good gals are tiny - 5'2" or shorter and size 0 to 4. Anything larger is considered fat, the one mortal sin for a woman.
Rannie is a divorcee with two almost grown-up children, one in college and the other soon to be. She is in her mid-forties and is cursed/blessed with a natural inquisitiveness that frequently gets her into trouble. She is a natural born puzzle solver, so when she goes to the apartment of reclusive author Ret (actually Margaret) Sullivan to pick up a manuscript she is supposed to edit and finds the writer tied up in bed and strangled with a Hermes scarf, of course, she has to get involved in solving the murder.
But that isn't nearly the end of it. Shortly thereafter, an editor at Simon and Schuster, the one who gave Rannie the editing job, is attacked and killed while she is on her morning run. Surely there must be a connection.
Finally, the capper - another editor at an independent publishing house "commits suicide" by slitting his wrists, but Rannie knows the man and knows there is no one less likely to have killed himself. And he had published a biography (which actually turned out to be an autobiography) of the murdered author. The three deaths have to be related and this death must be murder, too.
What is at the bottom of all these violent deaths? Will the police be able to identify the murderer and bring him or her to justice? Or, more to the point, will Rannie be able to discover the answer to the puzzle surrounding the deaths before she becomes the fourth victim?
The characters in this novel are essentially Ken and Barbie dolls. They exist for dress-up and fantasy play. I can't really believe in any of them. Still, if you require something to briefly occupy your mind without really engaging your emotions or your intellect, marshmallow fluff books are not necessarily such a bad thing. After all, we can't read Proust and Joyce all the time.
October 14, 2013
If ever there was a character that I wish I could be, it would be Rannie Bookman. Mostly because I love the fact she is a copy editor, even if it is freelance. Here's a full confession: when I was in high school I adored English and I really lived for grammar. I wanted to go to college to eventually work in a publishing house. I would have been a receptionist, I didn't even care. I do live Simon & Schuster (featured in this book), but Harper Collins would have been my dream, I think. I am that dork that would like to visit this building if ever I were in town on vacation. Monuments? Who cares. Show me to the publishing house! Or the library. I love libraries too. Oh yes, and book stores.
*swoon*
Anyways.
Let's talk about the book. First off, loved it. I loved how Rannie is just a normal gal, trying to get by freelancing while raising her children (only one of whom is still at home), trying to figure out her love life and whether Tim is it or not, and then oh yes, she finds dead bodies. She is unwittingly thrust into a really convoluted murder mystery where things feel connected but you can't quite figure out how or why. So Rannie does some digging and can't help but try to figure it all out. Because after all, if it is all connected- she's the next peg to knock off, so she's trying to figure it out because she dies a terrible death like Ret or the others. Yes, more people die but I cannot tell you who because that will ruin it. I swearsies.
The book is what I would call suspenseful chick lit. It's everything you want out of a chick lit, but you have the murder mystery. You also have a little romance drama, a little family drama, all rolled into one making it a book you will have a hard time putting down and you will ultimately enjoy. And I will say, did not see the ending. Didn't see it. I kind of thought two people were involved but when one died I had NO idea what was going on. Loved it. I really enjoyed this author too. For a story that could easily have been dark, enough humor was written throughout so it feels like a fun, light read.
Totally worth picking up for yourself OR for your friends as a Christmas gift. Oh you know I went there.
*swoon*
Anyways.
Let's talk about the book. First off, loved it. I loved how Rannie is just a normal gal, trying to get by freelancing while raising her children (only one of whom is still at home), trying to figure out her love life and whether Tim is it or not, and then oh yes, she finds dead bodies. She is unwittingly thrust into a really convoluted murder mystery where things feel connected but you can't quite figure out how or why. So Rannie does some digging and can't help but try to figure it all out. Because after all, if it is all connected- she's the next peg to knock off, so she's trying to figure it out because she dies a terrible death like Ret or the others. Yes, more people die but I cannot tell you who because that will ruin it. I swearsies.
The book is what I would call suspenseful chick lit. It's everything you want out of a chick lit, but you have the murder mystery. You also have a little romance drama, a little family drama, all rolled into one making it a book you will have a hard time putting down and you will ultimately enjoy. And I will say, did not see the ending. Didn't see it. I kind of thought two people were involved but when one died I had NO idea what was going on. Loved it. I really enjoyed this author too. For a story that could easily have been dark, enough humor was written throughout so it feels like a fun, light read.
Totally worth picking up for yourself OR for your friends as a Christmas gift. Oh you know I went there.
August 25, 2013
As posted on: http://bookenamored.blogspot.com/2013...
If you're looking for a fun beach read, then Jane O'Connor's latest adult novel is the book for you. She is primarily known as the author of the popular Fancy Nancy childrens' series, but has proven to be quite capable as an adult author as well. The story centers on a freelance copy editor named Rannie. She is a single mother struggling to carve out a new career for herself after making a huge mistake that cost her the job she'd held for almost a decade. She's also trying to decide where to take her relationship with a former cop who clearly wants things to be more serious between them.
Rannie is definately someone that always gets herself into trouble. The story constantly alludes to another incident that recently happened in which she could have died. The first book in the Closet Sleuth series reveals the details of that incident, but you don't need to read that book in order to enjoy this one. This story could work as a stand alone novel and I think the author is almost trying to create a grown up Nancy Drew character with Rannie. Having loved Nancy Drew as a child, I obviously gravitate toward any story that has a female sleuth as the main character.
Her latest assignment is to copy edit the most recent work of a reclusive author. When she arrives at the author's home to pick up the manuscript, Rannie stumbles upon a murder. The bodies keep piling up and the reader tags along on Rannie's race to uncover the killer. The best part of the book isn't the mystery, but rather the sense of humor that permeates every chapter in this story. I loved Rannie's quirks and her inner monologue make me smile. She is a very likable character and the story was a light, enjoyable experience. Take this book with you to the beach and enjoy a fun read.
* This review was based on an ARC copy. Almost True Confessions: Closet Sleuth Spills All (Closet Sleuth #2) will be published on October 1, 2013.
If you're looking for a fun beach read, then Jane O'Connor's latest adult novel is the book for you. She is primarily known as the author of the popular Fancy Nancy childrens' series, but has proven to be quite capable as an adult author as well. The story centers on a freelance copy editor named Rannie. She is a single mother struggling to carve out a new career for herself after making a huge mistake that cost her the job she'd held for almost a decade. She's also trying to decide where to take her relationship with a former cop who clearly wants things to be more serious between them.
Rannie is definately someone that always gets herself into trouble. The story constantly alludes to another incident that recently happened in which she could have died. The first book in the Closet Sleuth series reveals the details of that incident, but you don't need to read that book in order to enjoy this one. This story could work as a stand alone novel and I think the author is almost trying to create a grown up Nancy Drew character with Rannie. Having loved Nancy Drew as a child, I obviously gravitate toward any story that has a female sleuth as the main character.
Her latest assignment is to copy edit the most recent work of a reclusive author. When she arrives at the author's home to pick up the manuscript, Rannie stumbles upon a murder. The bodies keep piling up and the reader tags along on Rannie's race to uncover the killer. The best part of the book isn't the mystery, but rather the sense of humor that permeates every chapter in this story. I loved Rannie's quirks and her inner monologue make me smile. She is a very likable character and the story was a light, enjoyable experience. Take this book with you to the beach and enjoy a fun read.
* This review was based on an ARC copy. Almost True Confessions: Closet Sleuth Spills All (Closet Sleuth #2) will be published on October 1, 2013.
October 10, 2013
A brief prepublication review in The New York Times Book Review intrigued me sufficiently to order Almost True Confessions from Amazon. The hook for me was that the story was not only a mystery, but it features a sleuth, Miranda, who is an obsessive editor of grammar and syntax. Sounded like a great fit to me. Indeed, the book arrived last evening and I have spent today's hours cheerfully ensconced in my room reading the mystery.
The murder opening this book is discovered when Rannie (an uncommon permutation of Miranda) is picking up her latest proofing assignment. Rather than simply picking up this shrouded-in-secrecy manuscript, our sleuth arrives at the apartment only to find the author dead and posed in a grisly manner. The particular body here is that of the manuscript's author, a controversial writer of 'tell alls', who had specifically requested Miranda as her proofreader.
Miranda is relatively new as a freelancer and had worked for many years at a well respected NYC publishing house. Although reviewers appear to take delight in recounting the reason for her departure in their reviews, I think that particular story is best left to the reader. Miranda's life is also a busy one. She has a teenage boy who is in his senior year at high school and a developing (or is it disintegrating?) relationship with a widower who has a teenage boy of the same age. Add to that an aging mother-in-law and her dipsomaniac companion, her own mother, former colleagues at the publishing house as well as the new arrival of New York's finest and it is surprising to learn that Rannie has time to floss.
Nonetheless, the body count rises and Rannie finds herself obsessing over these murders. Who committed them? And why? Our sleuth's relentless curiosity serves her well as she ferrets out possible clues and suspects in Almost True Confessions. I had a fine time reading this mystery and recommend it to readers who enjoy amateur sleuths and share an obsession with proofreading. I look forward to Rannie's next outing.
November 16, 2013
Rannie Bookman, the amateur sleuth, is back for a second murder mystery in this welcome addition to Jane O'Connor's adult mystery series. Unlike the first book, which took place at a private school and delved into the lives of several of the students at the school, this book is more focused on Rannie's life. It is a better approach. Rannie is a likable sleuth, with real issues and a real life. O'Connor makes her world live -- from her dead on description of the rarified world inhabited by a certain group of grand dames of high society to her son's adventures in first love to her relationship to her ex-cop boyfriend. O'Connor makes her character seem like someone we all know.
The mystery is also an intriguing affair full of tawdry details. Rannie is hired to copy edit the final draft of Ret Sullivan's latest celebrity biography. Ret Sullivan, a Kitty Kelly like character digs dirt of celebrated individuals exposing their unknown dirty laundry. Her last book blew the cover off an noted star's sexual hi-jinks with underage girls. However, that star threw lye in Sullivan's face and forced her to live her days in disguise basically stuck inside.
Sullivan's latest book is about the life of another grand dame of society. Rannie is sent to pick up the manuscript, but finds the author slain, her body grossly positioned on her bed. Rannie does read her book and finds the story more celebratory than expose.
But she is intrigued and starts to investigate Ret's slaying especially when a former lover, and the editor of another book ghost written by Ret becomes a suspect. When Rannie's friend Ellen who hired Rannie to copy edit Ret's book is also killed while jogging, Rannie starts to devote her time to unmasking the killer. But she does so while juggling a visit from her mother, who is dating via JDate, her romance with her man, and her life with her son.
O'Connor book has a good vibe. It is definitely worth reading.
The mystery is also an intriguing affair full of tawdry details. Rannie is hired to copy edit the final draft of Ret Sullivan's latest celebrity biography. Ret Sullivan, a Kitty Kelly like character digs dirt of celebrated individuals exposing their unknown dirty laundry. Her last book blew the cover off an noted star's sexual hi-jinks with underage girls. However, that star threw lye in Sullivan's face and forced her to live her days in disguise basically stuck inside.
Sullivan's latest book is about the life of another grand dame of society. Rannie is sent to pick up the manuscript, but finds the author slain, her body grossly positioned on her bed. Rannie does read her book and finds the story more celebratory than expose.
But she is intrigued and starts to investigate Ret's slaying especially when a former lover, and the editor of another book ghost written by Ret becomes a suspect. When Rannie's friend Ellen who hired Rannie to copy edit Ret's book is also killed while jogging, Rannie starts to devote her time to unmasking the killer. But she does so while juggling a visit from her mother, who is dating via JDate, her romance with her man, and her life with her son.
O'Connor book has a good vibe. It is definitely worth reading.
November 21, 2013
I really wanted to like this book. My kids read the Fancy Nancy series, and so when I learned that the same author wrote adult novels, I wanted to check them out. Unfortunately, I felt that O'Connor's tone was uneven in this book. Most of the time, there were really light scenes and the observations were funny, but then there would be a dark situation or an explicit sex description that pulled me out of the novel.
I also had a really hard time liking Rannie, the main character. (As an aside, I also felt that most of the characters' names were unrealistic & atypical.) I think Rannie's constant quirks were supposed to make her stand out, but they started annoying me (the PB&J sandwiches, the picky grammarian inside her). I did enjoy the little French phrases that got tossed around--it reminded me of the Fancy Nancy character (there's even an allusion to the series in the novel). I also liked the way O'Connor handled her Jewishness, how terms were introduced without needing to overexplain things.
However, it felt wrong to me that Rannie didn't have an emotional reaction to some of the grittier details in the book; she seemed more intent on being an amateur sleuth than investing in the people around her. As for the mystery itself, it was okay. The culprit and motive didn't seem very believable to me even though I had figured most of it out by the end.
I also had a really hard time liking Rannie, the main character. (As an aside, I also felt that most of the characters' names were unrealistic & atypical.) I think Rannie's constant quirks were supposed to make her stand out, but they started annoying me (the PB&J sandwiches, the picky grammarian inside her). I did enjoy the little French phrases that got tossed around--it reminded me of the Fancy Nancy character (there's even an allusion to the series in the novel). I also liked the way O'Connor handled her Jewishness, how terms were introduced without needing to overexplain things.
However, it felt wrong to me that Rannie didn't have an emotional reaction to some of the grittier details in the book; she seemed more intent on being an amateur sleuth than investing in the people around her. As for the mystery itself, it was okay. The culprit and motive didn't seem very believable to me even though I had figured most of it out by the end.
September 13, 2013
Note – This review is of an uncorrected proof I got thru Goodreads’ First Reads.
It seemed somewhat of a novelty to me that the heroine of the story is a fully grown, 43 year-old woman. It also surprised me that she acts and lives like kid straight out of college. It was somewhat surreal to me how un-adult Rannie is in her actions (at least compared to every adult I know), yet it bizarrely helped me follow along more easily. How a grown woman can do some of the things she does is beyond me, but it turned out to be a trait that I found endearing.
The whole mystery aspect of the book is like a presence that lurks in the background at all times and even moves the action, but seems secondary to Rannie’s life and the situations she finds herself getting into.
The ending left me feeling a bit “wait…What? How?” in that it’s pretty abrupt. In the space of a couple of pages everything is explained pretty satisfactorily, but the actual wrap-up and fallout are so abrupt that they’re almost non-existent. A sad thing considering how the story and character really pull you in.
Overall, a good read for a lazy afternoon but no great work of fiction. I believe the reader will probably like it if they’re in the mood for something light and quick.
It seemed somewhat of a novelty to me that the heroine of the story is a fully grown, 43 year-old woman. It also surprised me that she acts and lives like kid straight out of college. It was somewhat surreal to me how un-adult Rannie is in her actions (at least compared to every adult I know), yet it bizarrely helped me follow along more easily. How a grown woman can do some of the things she does is beyond me, but it turned out to be a trait that I found endearing.
The whole mystery aspect of the book is like a presence that lurks in the background at all times and even moves the action, but seems secondary to Rannie’s life and the situations she finds herself getting into.
The ending left me feeling a bit “wait…What? How?” in that it’s pretty abrupt. In the space of a couple of pages everything is explained pretty satisfactorily, but the actual wrap-up and fallout are so abrupt that they’re almost non-existent. A sad thing considering how the story and character really pull you in.
Overall, a good read for a lazy afternoon but no great work of fiction. I believe the reader will probably like it if they’re in the mood for something light and quick.
August 15, 2013
Haven't received my copy yet, just received notice I had won. 8/15/13
Received my copy last night, will start as soon as I am done with my current read. 8/22/13
Started Friday 8/23/13 and finished Sunday 8/25/13
Rannie Bookman is a copy editor. Her friend Ellen has asked her to work on a book but things are strictly confidential. When Rannie goes to the authors apartment to pick up the manuscript, she makes a gruesome discovery; the author is dead. While police are leaning towards a rough sex gone bad scenario, Rannie starts investigating and finds herself in trouble.
This was a fun light read for a murder mystery. I liked how the characters interacted. The single mom interactions with her teen son were completely believable. I don't know the in and outs of the publishing world, but the interaction between the colleagues and ex colleagues seemed to be spot on, as did the way the police treated a "civilian sleuth". The story was fast paced enough to want to keep reading but without too much stuff shoved in to make it to heavy a read. Good book.
Received my copy last night, will start as soon as I am done with my current read. 8/22/13
Started Friday 8/23/13 and finished Sunday 8/25/13
Rannie Bookman is a copy editor. Her friend Ellen has asked her to work on a book but things are strictly confidential. When Rannie goes to the authors apartment to pick up the manuscript, she makes a gruesome discovery; the author is dead. While police are leaning towards a rough sex gone bad scenario, Rannie starts investigating and finds herself in trouble.
This was a fun light read for a murder mystery. I liked how the characters interacted. The single mom interactions with her teen son were completely believable. I don't know the in and outs of the publishing world, but the interaction between the colleagues and ex colleagues seemed to be spot on, as did the way the police treated a "civilian sleuth". The story was fast paced enough to want to keep reading but without too much stuff shoved in to make it to heavy a read. Good book.
January 14, 2016
I typically like to read series. I enjoy getting to know characters over the course of several books. I like looking forward to new releases. Over the last few years I have ended up dropping lots of book series, some through the authors' quitting and others because the series itself just got too much. This is all by saying that I really wanted to enjoy this book because it is a series! Unfortunately ...
There were parts I liked. The secondary characters - Rannie's mother and mother-in-law, her son Nate and his girlfriend - were all pleasant. I didn't really like Rannie however. For a lead character she wasn't very consistent. In one scene she seemed to be a level headed, kind person. In the next she was a goofy, child woman with no sense. And she seemed oddly unaffected by her friends getting murdered. There was no emotional connection with them or with her supposed love interest. All very uneven.
There were parts I liked. The secondary characters - Rannie's mother and mother-in-law, her son Nate and his girlfriend - were all pleasant. I didn't really like Rannie however. For a lead character she wasn't very consistent. In one scene she seemed to be a level headed, kind person. In the next she was a goofy, child woman with no sense. And she seemed oddly unaffected by her friends getting murdered. There was no emotional connection with them or with her supposed love interest. All very uneven.
May 30, 2016
I grabbed this book off the discount rack at B&N and recommended it to my book club as a fun light read. The blurb sounded really good. Book editor gets to edit a nasty tell all and finds a body instead.
Well I got the light right. The MC is terribly neurotic and she comes with a madcap family, and a jerky boyfriend. Jerky is my interpretation. He is a recovering alcoholic, ex cop with a rotten attitude.
Everyone in this book has a jerky side and that is all they are allowed to show. The premise could have been great if we had come to care about any of the characters. This is the second book in a series and the reader is lost as a lot refers back to the first.
Altogether light on plot, light on character development and light on interest. Loved the grammar corrections though.
Well I got the light right. The MC is terribly neurotic and she comes with a madcap family, and a jerky boyfriend. Jerky is my interpretation. He is a recovering alcoholic, ex cop with a rotten attitude.
Everyone in this book has a jerky side and that is all they are allowed to show. The premise could have been great if we had come to care about any of the characters. This is the second book in a series and the reader is lost as a lot refers back to the first.
Altogether light on plot, light on character development and light on interest. Loved the grammar corrections though.
November 15, 2013
Amateur sleuth stories are a tried and true formula. And this one, in the good hands of Jane O'Connor is a winner. A single Mom, Yale educated copy editor, two kids-one at home and one not, a fun Mother from Shaker Heights, ex-mother in law, ex cop boyfriend, and more and more and more, falls into a really weird murder scenario from a work involvement. Rannie (Annie with an R- as she says) is a great character. A dog chasing a bone through the high brow uptown snooty and very rich apartments of NYC and beyond. All of that with a touch of the publishing world thrown in. I think I like her so much because she makes most of her hay on her observation talents, not unbelievable deductions. A really light and lively ride.
August 30, 2013
I received Almost True Confessions as a free book from Goodreads. Rannie's job is to copyedit a book but she must promise not to tell who wrote the book or what it is about. When her friends get murdered she thinks it must have something to do with the manuscript she is reading. She contacts friends, family, ex-boyfriends with questions, and information as she tries to figure out who is committing the murders and why. She seems a bit silly, and fun when she is with her mother, or at a party. I was caught off guard when the F-bomb was used. It was totally unnecessary and took away from my enjoyment of the story. Rannie and the people she met were more than entertaining.
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