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High Heels #1
Spying in High Heels
L.A. shoe designer, Maddie Springer, lives her life by three rules: Fashion. Fashion. Fashion. But when she stumbles upon the work of a brutal killer, her life takes an unexpected turn from Manolos to murder. And things only get worse when her boyfriend disappears - along with $20 million in embezzled funds - and her every move is suddenly under scrutiny by the LAPD's sexiest cop. With the help of her post-menopausal bridezilla of a mother, a 300 pound psychic and one seriously oversexed best friend, Maddie finds herself stepping out of her stilettos and onto the trail of a murderer. But can she catch a killer before the killer catches up to her...
250 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2006
1618 people are currently reading
10779 people want to read
About the author
Gemma Halliday
95 books1,892 followersGemma had a hard time figuring out what she wanted to be when she grew up. She worked as a film and television actress, a teddy bear importer, a department store administrator, a preschool teacher, a temporary tattoo artist, and a 900 number psychic, before finally selling her first book, Spying in High Heels, in 2005 and deciding to be a writer.
Since then, Gemma has written several mystery novels and been the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Reader's Choice award and three RITA nominations. Her books have hit both the USA Today and the New York Times Bestseller lists.
Gemma now makes her home in the San Francisco Bay area where she is hard at work on her next book.
Since then, Gemma has written several mystery novels and been the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Reader's Choice award and three RITA nominations. Her books have hit both the USA Today and the New York Times Bestseller lists.
Gemma now makes her home in the San Francisco Bay area where she is hard at work on her next book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,382 reviews
September 3, 2011
I would expect better writing and command of the English language from someone who has been the "recipient of numerous awards" (according to her website). There were times I had to stop and re-read a sentence to make sense of it, due to lack of punctuation. I had to stop counting the dangling participles and incomplete sentences, which were very distracting.
Aside from the language and writing errors, this book is a light beach read at best. By the time I hit the halfway mark in the book, I really didn't care much about the characters, the end of the story was predictable and it was the literary equivalent of eating a couple bowls of cotton candy. Not that I expected it to be much else, but don't get this book thinking there will be red herrings or twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Many words are spent detailing driving the Los Angeles freeways, which seems to have little, if anything, to do with moving the story forward. I live in Los Angeles and not only are the freeways not that interesting, on a normal day you'd find it impossible to get from point A to point B as fast as this character does.
In general, this book is a messy fluff piece and I've deleted any subsequent books by this author from my Nook sample reading list.
Aside from the language and writing errors, this book is a light beach read at best. By the time I hit the halfway mark in the book, I really didn't care much about the characters, the end of the story was predictable and it was the literary equivalent of eating a couple bowls of cotton candy. Not that I expected it to be much else, but don't get this book thinking there will be red herrings or twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Many words are spent detailing driving the Los Angeles freeways, which seems to have little, if anything, to do with moving the story forward. I live in Los Angeles and not only are the freeways not that interesting, on a normal day you'd find it impossible to get from point A to point B as fast as this character does.
In general, this book is a messy fluff piece and I've deleted any subsequent books by this author from my Nook sample reading list.
April 5, 2022
I gave up at Page 223.
May 16, 2022
L.A. shoe designer, Maddie Springer, lives her life by three rules: Fashion. Fashion. Fashion. But when she stumbles on the work of a brutal killer, her life takes on an unexpected turn from Manolos to murder.
Although there is five books in the edition that I have, I have only read the first book, Spying In High Heels. Unfortunately this book was not for me, so I won't be reading any more of the books. Unfortunately, we can't like them all.
#FreeKindleBook
Although there is five books in the edition that I have, I have only read the first book, Spying In High Heels. Unfortunately this book was not for me, so I won't be reading any more of the books. Unfortunately, we can't like them all.
#FreeKindleBook
May 6, 2021
Reading the Goodreads reviews of this book, it's clear that this sort of humor isn't for everyone--but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would going in, so a solid 3.5 stars automatically rounded up. For me there's enough sincerity in the first-person narrator's character to make her humor work.
Not only does Maddie love fashionable clothes (which she can't really afford) in the same way that other people love cars or horses, but she's smart and creative enough to do well in a school of fashion design, hoping to make it a career in a field where it's hard to land a job. Right now, at age 29 I think, she's working from home designing high-end shoes for very little children when several things happen almost at the same time. As she puts it,
The title is a little misleading, because I thought the heroine would be some kind of spy. Actually, it has to do with Maddie showing up at crime scenes:
And how about the plot device that makes so many of us shudder--the Triangle? Detective Ramirez gets to be the straight man in the comedy--he's a professional, reliable, no-nonsense guy who clearly develops a fondness for Maddie and is glad when he can move her from suspect to innocent witness. There are some delightfully funny scenes, especially with Ramirez's very big family, and you know Maddie will eventually have to Make a Choice.
Comedy comes also from Maddie's interactions with her oversexed best friend Dana, who loves adventure and gets Maddie to dress like her (i.e., like a hooker) to follow a lead to a sleazy motel, after which Maddie goes through all sorts of situations before she gets a chance to change her clothes. See? Even clothing obsessions can be funny!
And as more victims are discovered Maddie tells us
But the climax made me laugh out loud, and the identity of the culprit was a surprise to me and Maddie both (remember, she's billed as a spy, not a detective!). For me, this was fun to read from beginning to end. If the samples I quoted above don't put you off, it might be fun for you too.
Not only does Maddie love fashionable clothes (which she can't really afford) in the same way that other people love cars or horses, but she's smart and creative enough to do well in a school of fashion design, hoping to make it a career in a field where it's hard to land a job. Right now, at age 29 I think, she's working from home designing high-end shoes for very little children when several things happen almost at the same time. As she puts it,
I felt like my life had suddenly become an episode of Law & Order: Special Blonde's Unit. This week our fashionable, but oh-so-impractically dressed blonde stumbles onto a dead body while searching for her embezzling boyfriend who flew the coop as Maddie's monthly visitor refuses to make an appearance.Maddie's lawyer boyfriend Richard vanishes abruptly, twenty million dollars that his client Devon Greenway embezzled from his company--doubtless with Richard's knowledge--also disappear, and Greenway's wife is murdered. Is Richard dead too, or is he a fugitive like Mr. Greenway? Maddie wouldn't be quite so frantic to find Richard if she hadn't just discovered her period is late, and her terror of pregnancy makes her botch test after test for a touch of slapstick along the way.
Not to mention the hunky lead of the series, Detective Jack Ramirez. He was danger with a capital "D."
The title is a little misleading, because I thought the heroine would be some kind of spy. Actually, it has to do with Maddie showing up at crime scenes:
I was being proactive. Yes, proactive. That sounded so much better than "interfering in an investigation." Besides, if I just stayed in the car I wasn't really interfering at all. Just spying.Naturally, it becomes clearer and clearer that her boyfriend is not only in trouble but is not at all as he seems; Maddie is increasingly troubled by this but still has real feelings for him, and that carries much of the story. A romance gone wrong? Stay tuned and find out.
And how about the plot device that makes so many of us shudder--the Triangle? Detective Ramirez gets to be the straight man in the comedy--he's a professional, reliable, no-nonsense guy who clearly develops a fondness for Maddie and is glad when he can move her from suspect to innocent witness. There are some delightfully funny scenes, especially with Ramirez's very big family, and you know Maddie will eventually have to Make a Choice.
Comedy comes also from Maddie's interactions with her oversexed best friend Dana, who loves adventure and gets Maddie to dress like her (i.e., like a hooker) to follow a lead to a sleazy motel, after which Maddie goes through all sorts of situations before she gets a chance to change her clothes. See? Even clothing obsessions can be funny!
And as more victims are discovered Maddie tells us
It was unnerving to think of someone being here and then suddenly not being here. Like at any moment I could not be here. Again I had the creepy feeling of being the dimwitted blonde in the horror movie who the entire audience knows will end up getting chased across the lawn in her underwear by the ax murderer at the end of act two.The scenes with Jasmine, the forbidding receptionist at the law offices, were quite well drawn but got a bit tedious after a while as a running joke. And other secondary characters, like the motel keeper or Dana's roommate No Neck, stayed as caricatures.
But the climax made me laugh out loud, and the identity of the culprit was a surprise to me and Maddie both (remember, she's billed as a spy, not a detective!). For me, this was fun to read from beginning to end. If the samples I quoted above don't put you off, it might be fun for you too.
December 23, 2011
Better than I thought it would be. The only thing I found is that being written in first person, the entire book is in valley girl speak, and the fashion angst (duh read the title) got to be a bit much. "This book is so not cranky old man." But in the author's defense I don't think that I would fall in her target demographic. Despite being permanently caught in a 90201 wannabe status, Maddie, the protagonist, does have a vein of morality and is a very smart young woman. Not normally my type read, some how I found this on my Kindle and got sucked into it. It was Kindle freebie back in September.
Amazon has the first 5 books of the High Heels series in a "boxed set" for Kindle for $9.99 which works out to half the individual price.
EDIT 12/22/11 The Kindle Daily Deal has the boxed set of 5 books for $1.99...Hurry only 3 hours left
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html...
Amazon has the first 5 books of the High Heels series in a "boxed set" for Kindle for $9.99 which works out to half the individual price.
EDIT 12/22/11 The Kindle Daily Deal has the boxed set of 5 books for $1.99...Hurry only 3 hours left
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html...
December 27, 2011
3.5 stars
What I didn't like: First, all the endless details about what everyone is wearing every second of the day. Bor-ring. Second, the heroine spends the first half of the book unwilling to take an EPT test to know if she's pregnant or not (it starts to be funny in the second half of the book when she finally has the balls but keeps screwing up the test).
What I did like: The author's voice. That's what kept me reading. She's funny as a crutch. (I mean that in the best possible way.) And Ramirez. He's one hot cop. Loved his family, too.
What I didn't like: First, all the endless details about what everyone is wearing every second of the day. Bor-ring. Second, the heroine spends the first half of the book unwilling to take an EPT test to know if she's pregnant or not (it starts to be funny in the second half of the book when she finally has the balls but keeps screwing up the test).
What I did like: The author's voice. That's what kept me reading. She's funny as a crutch. (I mean that in the best possible way.) And Ramirez. He's one hot cop. Loved his family, too.
December 9, 2011
Although the heroine was at times very annoying and a complete ditz (gee, I'm getting shot at while pretending to be a hooker at a sleezy motel where to went to confront a murderer. But by all means let's see how much more danger I can get myself in to rather than just facing having to pee on a stick!), I still found myself enjoying this book. It was equal parts exasperating and hilarious. And after finishing it, I find myself strangely wanting to pick up the next book in the series just to see what kind of mess she'll get herself in to next time.
October 15, 2011
Ok so this book was on my TBR shelf and was recommended to me as part of a book club. I got the book for free from Amazon and when I downloaded it, I didn't have high expectations for it but, when someone actually recommended it, I thought I would give it a fair chance. Welllllll....I did try to like it. The books opens with Maddie, the main character and shoe designer, going to meet her lawyer boyfriend. He cancels on her for lunch and then doesn't show up later. He disappears, a murder takes place,and Maddie decides she is on the case. So here we go following Maddie around as she and her friend try to be detectives. Along the way she meets the sexy cop, Ramirez, so they start the usual banter of "I want to help you be a policeman" and "No, you need to stay home. This is a dangerous situation." This plotline is so thin that I can't say much more about the story without telling it all. The story felt like I was listening to a teenager talk on and on and on....and you get it right? There was also a whole lot of eating fast food and driving around L.A. I may not live in L.A. but I can't imagine their highways and Taco Bells as being any more exciting than mine. I know I am out of the target range for the audience of this book so I feel like its kinda unfair of me to even review it. Did I like it? No. But someone younger may. That is why I stretched it to a 2 star review of the story.
The actual writing cannot be ignored no matter the target. Its hard to believe the author has won awards for her writing because this was very flawed. Maybe it was produced in Kindle format without any editing. The chronology of the story was all over the place. Today is a weekday and the next day is Saturday but then she is calling someone on a work day?? I am not even sure how many days this story took place over. Maybe the author thought such details don't matter? I'm not sure. There were punctuation marks all over the place and the writing was just a mess. I made my 7th grade students write better structured sentences than were in this story. So the actual writing gets a 1 star. Someone could have edited the thing.
So you can make the decision to read this on your own. It was a freebie and I guess I got what I paid for. This story wasn't for me. I found myself skimming parts just to finish. The writing is bad and the story was thin. I think it reads as a bad YA novel trying on high heels.
The actual writing cannot be ignored no matter the target. Its hard to believe the author has won awards for her writing because this was very flawed. Maybe it was produced in Kindle format without any editing. The chronology of the story was all over the place. Today is a weekday and the next day is Saturday but then she is calling someone on a work day?? I am not even sure how many days this story took place over. Maybe the author thought such details don't matter? I'm not sure. There were punctuation marks all over the place and the writing was just a mess. I made my 7th grade students write better structured sentences than were in this story. So the actual writing gets a 1 star. Someone could have edited the thing.
So you can make the decision to read this on your own. It was a freebie and I guess I got what I paid for. This story wasn't for me. I found myself skimming parts just to finish. The writing is bad and the story was thin. I think it reads as a bad YA novel trying on high heels.
April 17, 2012
Some days, you just need an escape and light reading that doesn't require you to devote too many brain cells to the story, and this would be the book for you.
It's not very well-written with many grammatical errors and typos and many of the situations aren't true to life, but it was funny and cute on a day that called for funny and cute. Much of what I read are dark, supernatural, or thrillers so this was a nice break.
It wasn't an edge of your seat, can't wait until the end thriller, but it did surprise me in the end as I'd only considered the killer once or twice and settled on someone else as the suspect. Like everyone else, the pregnancy test situation was truly ridiculous, but oh, so funny at the same time. I did quite enjoy the budding relationship with Ramirez.
I was somewhat irritated by the 20-something (nearing 30) females who seemed to act more like teenagers than adults, and the many, many references to the 80's/early 90's when the 20-somethings would have been very small children. I often felt like I was reading a book written 20 years ago that was simply updated with a few references to 21st century technology.
I got it for free on Kindle so I wasn't expecting much, but it was better than expected and the next time that I need a light, fluffy read, I might just continue the series, if only for Ramirez.
It's not very well-written with many grammatical errors and typos and many of the situations aren't true to life, but it was funny and cute on a day that called for funny and cute. Much of what I read are dark, supernatural, or thrillers so this was a nice break.
It wasn't an edge of your seat, can't wait until the end thriller, but it did surprise me in the end as I'd only considered the killer once or twice and settled on someone else as the suspect. Like everyone else, the pregnancy test situation was truly ridiculous, but oh, so funny at the same time. I did quite enjoy the budding relationship with Ramirez.
I was somewhat irritated by the 20-something (nearing 30) females who seemed to act more like teenagers than adults, and the many, many references to the 80's/early 90's when the 20-somethings would have been very small children. I often felt like I was reading a book written 20 years ago that was simply updated with a few references to 21st century technology.
I got it for free on Kindle so I wasn't expecting much, but it was better than expected and the next time that I need a light, fluffy read, I might just continue the series, if only for Ramirez.
April 6, 2013
I got this book for free on my iPad and, since I'm a sucker for chicklit and spies, I decided to give it a try.
Overall, the story is cute. Maddie is a fun main character. She portrays the usual "dumb blonde" stereotype, but in a similar, lovable way as Reese Witherspoon did in Legally Blonde. At times, her inability to think things through comes across as annoying and at times unbelievable, but I really wasn't expecting a realistic murder mystery when I started reading. The characters are all different and quirky. Of course, Ramirez is my favorite. I love strong male characters and Ramirez is willing to do anything to protect Maddie. I hated Richard. He is just the total opposite of Ramirez and a huge wimp.
The mystery, like the writing style, isn't the best. It didn't leave me turning the pages. It is actually predictable. I had the suspect before I reached the book's halfway point. But I kept reading, hoping for a twist. Sadly, none ever came and my suspect ended up being the killer.
If you are a die-hard mystery reader, this probably isn't your book. The romance actually made me turn the pages more than the mystery. But if you are one who doesn't care about grammar and style and are simply looking for a quick and easy read with a somewhat steamy romance, then this is definitely your book.
Overall, the story is cute. Maddie is a fun main character. She portrays the usual "dumb blonde" stereotype, but in a similar, lovable way as Reese Witherspoon did in Legally Blonde. At times, her inability to think things through comes across as annoying and at times unbelievable, but I really wasn't expecting a realistic murder mystery when I started reading. The characters are all different and quirky. Of course, Ramirez is my favorite. I love strong male characters and Ramirez is willing to do anything to protect Maddie. I hated Richard. He is just the total opposite of Ramirez and a huge wimp.
The mystery, like the writing style, isn't the best. It didn't leave me turning the pages. It is actually predictable. I had the suspect before I reached the book's halfway point. But I kept reading, hoping for a twist. Sadly, none ever came and my suspect ended up being the killer.
If you are a die-hard mystery reader, this probably isn't your book. The romance actually made me turn the pages more than the mystery. But if you are one who doesn't care about grammar and style and are simply looking for a quick and easy read with a somewhat steamy romance, then this is definitely your book.
April 13, 2020
My thoughts going into this book we’re very much along the lines of wanting a bit of much needed light hearted entertainment. I certainly got that as well as a surprise of a pretty intriguing mystery that I didn’t guess until the end. Packing laugh out loud humour as well as a good bit of suspense, this was so much better than any of my expectations.
We begin the story being introduced to fashionista and LA resident, Maddie Springer. In first person we are shown a glimpse of her life as a children’s shoe designer, her best friend gym fanatic/actress, her preparations for her (*slightly* eccentric) mother’s wedding, and her distracted lawyer boyfriend. Within the first chapter of the book (gotta love a fast mover of a story) he is missing and soon his contacts start showing up dead. Because Maddie is a) wondering if she’s pregnant b) curious c) desperate d) just plain crazy, she decides it’s a good plan to do her own spot of investigative work to find out what is going on. Much to the frustration and amusement of the detective on the case.
While not a book to be taken too seriously or taken apart in great depth, this is a fantastic book for exactly what it is designed to be. A light and humorous take on a crime/mystery novel that takes the reader from eye rolling to laughter to intrigue and back again. Will definitely be reading the others in the series.
We begin the story being introduced to fashionista and LA resident, Maddie Springer. In first person we are shown a glimpse of her life as a children’s shoe designer, her best friend gym fanatic/actress, her preparations for her (*slightly* eccentric) mother’s wedding, and her distracted lawyer boyfriend. Within the first chapter of the book (gotta love a fast mover of a story) he is missing and soon his contacts start showing up dead. Because Maddie is a) wondering if she’s pregnant b) curious c) desperate d) just plain crazy, she decides it’s a good plan to do her own spot of investigative work to find out what is going on. Much to the frustration and amusement of the detective on the case.
While not a book to be taken too seriously or taken apart in great depth, this is a fantastic book for exactly what it is designed to be. A light and humorous take on a crime/mystery novel that takes the reader from eye rolling to laughter to intrigue and back again. Will definitely be reading the others in the series.
January 21, 2012
DNF
I made it halfway through and couldn't take any more. What was entertaining behavior from the teenage heroine of Deadly Cool was unbearably annoying in the adult heroine of this novel.
Also, if you've read Deadly Cool (which I have, and which is the reason I picked this one up) the story is almost exactly the same -- I had a little mental checklist going:
* vacuous but charming heroine who has a hard time facing reality and a fondness for junk food matched only by her disinterest in exercise
* boyfriend on the run from the police for a crime the heroine is convinced he didn't commit, despite....
* condom wrapper belonging to the boyfriend found by the heroine in a location it shouldn't be if he'd used it with her
* quirky best friend who tries to convince the heroine that there may be a valid reason for said extraneous condom wrapper
* hot bodied potential new love interest for the heroine who's involved in the investigation
There's more, but I don't feel like going on. I'm actually so disappointed by this that I'm probably not going to pick up the next book in the Deadly Cool series, which I had been looking forward to.
I made it halfway through and couldn't take any more. What was entertaining behavior from the teenage heroine of Deadly Cool was unbearably annoying in the adult heroine of this novel.
Also, if you've read Deadly Cool (which I have, and which is the reason I picked this one up) the story is almost exactly the same -- I had a little mental checklist going:
* vacuous but charming heroine who has a hard time facing reality and a fondness for junk food matched only by her disinterest in exercise
* boyfriend on the run from the police for a crime the heroine is convinced he didn't commit, despite....
* condom wrapper belonging to the boyfriend found by the heroine in a location it shouldn't be if he'd used it with her
* quirky best friend who tries to convince the heroine that there may be a valid reason for said extraneous condom wrapper
* hot bodied potential new love interest for the heroine who's involved in the investigation
There's more, but I don't feel like going on. I'm actually so disappointed by this that I'm probably not going to pick up the next book in the Deadly Cool series, which I had been looking forward to.
January 12, 2011
A fluff book, brain candy, vacation read - call it what you will, I had a good time reading this book today, courtesy of Ellie's impromptu (to me) Read-a-thon. Like a blonder, California-er version of Stephanie Plum, Maddie Springer could be your typical girly-girl shoe designer with the handsome lawyer boyfriend and wacky best friend. Only her boyfriend disappers, she finds a couple of dead bodies and a hunky LAPD cop comes in asking questions and makes her re-think how wonderful her relationship with Lawyer Boy really was.
Typical antics, fairly easy to spot who the killer was, cute one-liners. A good start to a fun little series. I'm certainly in a place in my life where some mindless reading is in order and this fit the bill perfectly in my feeling-better-but-still-crappy pajama day today. I've got the second book in the series on hold at the library, and I look forward to checking out of my life and into Maddie's in a few days. 3 stars.
Typical antics, fairly easy to spot who the killer was, cute one-liners. A good start to a fun little series. I'm certainly in a place in my life where some mindless reading is in order and this fit the bill perfectly in my feeling-better-but-still-crappy pajama day today. I've got the second book in the series on hold at the library, and I look forward to checking out of my life and into Maddie's in a few days. 3 stars.
December 26, 2008
This would be another chick-lit meets murder mystery except the main character, Maddie Springer, is so much fun. She's a fashionista and an upscale kids shoe designer. Her boyfriend disappears at the same time she's worried about whether she's pregnant or not. In addition, her lawyer boyfriend's client is caught cheating and embezzling millions and everyone assumes he did it. Maddie can't help but investigate, while attempting to dress what she thinks the part should look like. At one point she dubs her life as "Law and Order: Special Blondes Unit," as she keeps running into the [hot and sexy] cop on the case. At the same time, she's aided [or not] by an odd set of friends and family.
Funny, quirky, and a very enjoyable read for a quiet holiday.
Funny, quirky, and a very enjoyable read for a quiet holiday.
November 6, 2015
In a lot of ways Spying in high heels probably doesn't deserve the full five stars, but I loved it. The story was good, Maddie was fun and for me it all just worked. It was a very easy read.
I will undoubtedly be reading more of the series in the very near future :)
Me and this book had chemistry and I love when that happens.
I will undoubtedly be reading more of the series in the very near future :)
Me and this book had chemistry and I love when that happens.
September 5, 2013
A fun read with a good plot. Nothing new & exciting but fun.
Author of The Jessica Hart Series
JennBrink.com
Author of The Jessica Hart Series
JennBrink.com
February 20, 2023
#1 in the High Heels mystery series
This was an unexpectedly fun first in series. I don't know how I ended up with it on my Kindle, but I finally got around to reading it and enjoyed it very much. Maddie is a great MC. She is funny but strong and intelligent. Sure, she meddles where she shouldn't into the murder investigation, but she explains that and just feels compelled to help. She doesn't do anything that seems, on the surface, to be terribly dangerous, but it oftens turns out to be more than she bargained for. Ramirez is the sexy police officer on the case, but she still has feelings for Richard, her lawyer boyfriend who is somehow mixed up in this case and she needs to know how and wants to clear his name. Secondary characters of Dana (the best friend actress wannabe with high energy), her mother (just about to marry her high-end hair stylist), and Fernando (her mother's fiance, who is actually Ralph) add lots of humor and plenty of fun to the mix. I will definitely look for more from this new-to-me author.
This was an unexpectedly fun first in series. I don't know how I ended up with it on my Kindle, but I finally got around to reading it and enjoyed it very much. Maddie is a great MC. She is funny but strong and intelligent. Sure, she meddles where she shouldn't into the murder investigation, but she explains that and just feels compelled to help. She doesn't do anything that seems, on the surface, to be terribly dangerous, but it oftens turns out to be more than she bargained for. Ramirez is the sexy police officer on the case, but she still has feelings for Richard, her lawyer boyfriend who is somehow mixed up in this case and she needs to know how and wants to clear his name. Secondary characters of Dana (the best friend actress wannabe with high energy), her mother (just about to marry her high-end hair stylist), and Fernando (her mother's fiance, who is actually Ralph) add lots of humor and plenty of fun to the mix. I will definitely look for more from this new-to-me author.
September 3, 2020
A dumb mystery about an even dumber main character. It was a little amusing, but more cringe worthy than funny. The worst part was that the main conflict was whether or not Maddie was pregnant (it felt more important than the actual mystery) but there's only so long you can stretch that out. The story opened with her period being late, and the story takes place over a whole week and you don't find out if she's pregnant until the very end...
I also hated how she was late to everything and I never understood why Ramirez liked her.
I also hated how she was late to everything and I never understood why Ramirez liked her.
October 15, 2023
Reread October, 2023. It was a fun, and a really nice distracting read.
------
Loved this as much ad her YA series! Going to definitely read the next one! (It's a good mix of silly fun and mystery)
Pros (Sorry being lazy today).
~ Humour - Halliday's works always have a lot of humour and that's what wins me over all the time, and why I had to read this whole thing in one short last night and not sleep until 3am (I started late lol).
~ Romance - I usually really despise a romance focussed plot and hence I will only read romance only every once in a while for a change, but halliday mixes it in well! I love that you get portions where Maddie thinks about Ramirez and then other portions where she's totally focussed on the task at hand.
~ Writing style - not boring dense writing that makes you think twice about what's writing. They style here is like a conversational, thought driven style. Imagine the way you think. That's how it's written.
~ Mystery - for this book I had my suspicions from the start and damn I had three times more suspicions at the end, but seriously when I thought I was right, I'm yanked back to my other suspicious person, and then I'm told I was right. I love Halliday's mysteries. If I want to think about the plausibility....probably not right now.
~ Light & Fluffy - If you love humour in like true romcom (I will even go as far as to compare it to the movie adaptation of Confessions of a Shopaholic (haven't read the book yet)) style, then you will probably enjoy this. I really love my romances to be more humourous than serious--I really hate it when it's so serious.
~ I will definitely be reading the second book because well, right now, I could definitely do with a light and fluffy pick me up (on my book self from the library right now I have 3 horror/thrillers, 3 YA contemporary with what seem like really serious overtones, and 1 action novel which looks like it'll have a heavy tone too) that makes me laugh rather than throws me into something deep.
Cons (There are alwaysssssss cons).
~ Maddie can be annoying if the book didn't make up for it in humour.
~ She was wayyyyyyyy too reckless, and if I was imagining this in humourous romcom style (the kinds that I like!--the ones where two people are just coincidentally thrown together and go throw a whole bunch of contrived obstacles and eventually get together (I'm so aware that it's contrived but usually when it's done well it's really enjoyable for me, because well, I love a good silly stupid laugh lol), it's really very unbelievable-what Maddie does. But still, it wasn't that bad.
~ Maddie still did not finish her daytime job by the end of the book...it was the only tie that wasn't tied that irritated me (but it's so small I forgive it).
Overall -- I want to read the sequel!
------
Loved this as much ad her YA series! Going to definitely read the next one! (It's a good mix of silly fun and mystery)
Pros (Sorry being lazy today).
~ Humour - Halliday's works always have a lot of humour and that's what wins me over all the time, and why I had to read this whole thing in one short last night and not sleep until 3am (I started late lol).
~ Romance - I usually really despise a romance focussed plot and hence I will only read romance only every once in a while for a change, but halliday mixes it in well! I love that you get portions where Maddie thinks about Ramirez and then other portions where she's totally focussed on the task at hand.
~ Writing style - not boring dense writing that makes you think twice about what's writing. They style here is like a conversational, thought driven style. Imagine the way you think. That's how it's written.
~ Mystery - for this book I had my suspicions from the start and damn I had three times more suspicions at the end, but seriously when I thought I was right, I'm yanked back to my other suspicious person, and then I'm told I was right. I love Halliday's mysteries. If I want to think about the plausibility....probably not right now.
~ Light & Fluffy - If you love humour in like true romcom (I will even go as far as to compare it to the movie adaptation of Confessions of a Shopaholic (haven't read the book yet)) style, then you will probably enjoy this. I really love my romances to be more humourous than serious--I really hate it when it's so serious.
~ I will definitely be reading the second book because well, right now, I could definitely do with a light and fluffy pick me up (on my book self from the library right now I have 3 horror/thrillers, 3 YA contemporary with what seem like really serious overtones, and 1 action novel which looks like it'll have a heavy tone too) that makes me laugh rather than throws me into something deep.
Cons (There are alwaysssssss cons).
~ Maddie can be annoying if the book didn't make up for it in humour.
~ She was wayyyyyyyy too reckless, and if I was imagining this in humourous romcom style (the kinds that I like!--the ones where two people are just coincidentally thrown together and go throw a whole bunch of contrived obstacles and eventually get together (I'm so aware that it's contrived but usually when it's done well it's really enjoyable for me, because well, I love a good silly stupid laugh lol), it's really very unbelievable-what Maddie does. But still, it wasn't that bad.
~ Maddie still did not finish her daytime job by the end of the book...it was the only tie that wasn't tied that irritated me (but it's so small I forgive it).
Overall -- I want to read the sequel!
September 19, 2020
I enjoyed every one of Gemma Halliday's "high heels" books. Think it is time to read them all again!
October 22, 2016
Find this review, plus more, on my blog: Booklikes OR Blogger
Basic Info
Format: Kindle
Pages/Length: n/a
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Reason For Reading: Challenge
At A Glance
Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: Slight Triangle.
Cliff Hanger: No
Triggers: n/a
Rating: 3.5 stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 5
Plot: 7
Characters: 7
World Building: 6
Flow: 7
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 7
Ending: 7
Total: 7
In Depth
Best Part: Hooker talk!
Worst Part: Pointless actives
Thoughts Had: Nice start
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: Yes
Recommending: Yes
Short Review: Cozy mystery for the win. I get in slumps and these things really help me out. We do have a slight love triangle between Richard and the hot cop! But it isn't too focused on. We have a fun best friend, who is an actress and helps with "undercover" work. I do like the MC, she is a bit of a wimp up front but gets better as we go on, like in the end when she really stands up for herself! The whole avoiding the preggo test thing had me laughing thou, how do you break a test twice!? There was some stuff that as too much for me, like her mom's wedding, what was the point?! Good cozy mystery
Misc.
Book Boyfriend: Detective ;)
Best Friend Material: Dana!
August 16, 2012
I learned about this series through the DailyCheapReads web site and although I didn't need to add any more books to my Kindle, I enjoy quick light-hearted mysteries (ala Stephanie Plum, Kinsey Milhone, etc.) and thought I'd give this a try. I checked the "Stop You're Killing Me" website to learn a little more about the series and the author and saw that "Spying" is the first in the High Heels series so I went ahead and clicked through.
While the story can stretch the imagination and one occasionally has to suspend belief, it's an enjoyable read (especially for the price!) --- Since I clicked through on the boxed set when I finished "Spying", I'm hoping the characters are a bit more developed in future books. I do wish the author and been a little more accurate in writing about Maddie's adventures traversing the roads and freeways in and around LA. The little information I do have from my visits there made it a little disconcerting. It's funny how easy it seems to be to forgive that in a TV series or film, but that in reading it can disturb the flow . . . I continue reading the words while my brain is trying to make sense of the fact that the two freeways she has intersecting do not.
If you enjoy Evanovich, Grafton, et al., you will certainly enjoy Halliday's High Heels series. I'll also be checking out the Hollywood Headlines series . . . However, I have plenty on my Kindle to keep me busy for awhile.
While the story can stretch the imagination and one occasionally has to suspend belief, it's an enjoyable read (especially for the price!) --- Since I clicked through on the boxed set when I finished "Spying", I'm hoping the characters are a bit more developed in future books. I do wish the author and been a little more accurate in writing about Maddie's adventures traversing the roads and freeways in and around LA. The little information I do have from my visits there made it a little disconcerting. It's funny how easy it seems to be to forgive that in a TV series or film, but that in reading it can disturb the flow . . . I continue reading the words while my brain is trying to make sense of the fact that the two freeways she has intersecting do not.
If you enjoy Evanovich, Grafton, et al., you will certainly enjoy Halliday's High Heels series. I'll also be checking out the Hollywood Headlines series . . . However, I have plenty on my Kindle to keep me busy for awhile.
July 26, 2013
Boy, oh boy ... how I wish I were the type of person to put down a book once started. Really, I only give this book one-quarter of a star!
The book is filled with drivel! The author constantly used words and phrases like: Eek, Yuck, D'oh, mental smack of the forehead (a favorite), I sooo don't want to be a girly girl, I so didn't need to be thinking about bad cop and his six pack abs right now, I so needed a gallon of coffee, I so wanted to be the one to find Richard, I so blah-blah-blah blah-blah! Fair warning if you read these books to be on alert for the gag reflex.
Don't get me wrong--I like this genre and very much enjoy books by Lawrence Sanders and Janet Evanovich. Those authors actually tell a fun story with substance and wit.
This book included a detailed description of EVERY drive across town in nauseating detail--then I pulled into the right lane and exited onto the 405 hoping it wouldn't be filled with the usual Valley traffic. Then I turned left on Van Nuys heading N/S/E/W/who cares. I swear that a third of the book was a description of how difficult it is to drive in L.A.
Fortunately (and unfortunately), I purchased the box set of all five books for Kindle for only $2.99 and still feel ripped off.
To quote the author ----- D'oh!
The book is filled with drivel! The author constantly used words and phrases like: Eek, Yuck, D'oh, mental smack of the forehead (a favorite), I sooo don't want to be a girly girl, I so didn't need to be thinking about bad cop and his six pack abs right now, I so needed a gallon of coffee, I so wanted to be the one to find Richard, I so blah-blah-blah blah-blah! Fair warning if you read these books to be on alert for the gag reflex.
Don't get me wrong--I like this genre and very much enjoy books by Lawrence Sanders and Janet Evanovich. Those authors actually tell a fun story with substance and wit.
This book included a detailed description of EVERY drive across town in nauseating detail--then I pulled into the right lane and exited onto the 405 hoping it wouldn't be filled with the usual Valley traffic. Then I turned left on Van Nuys heading N/S/E/W/who cares. I swear that a third of the book was a description of how difficult it is to drive in L.A.
Fortunately (and unfortunately), I purchased the box set of all five books for Kindle for only $2.99 and still feel ripped off.
To quote the author ----- D'oh!
December 12, 2011
All I can say about this one is that it was ok. Maddie, our heroine, came across as immature, spoiled, and just ditzy most of the time. I don't really understand the decision to continually put herself in danger for a man who increasingly obviously not who she thought he was. And the ridiculous experiences she had trying to take the pregnancy test (for the entire book!!!) really stretched my patience. We've all had to take them at one point or another. It just isn't that difficult.
And I was pretty surprised that everything she ate, which was a lot, came from In-N-Out or McDonald's. She was horrified at one point when her mother asked her if she had gained weight, and it never occurred to her to eat a fewer Big Macs?? She thought that the weight gain could be from pregnancy (though she wasn't sure because it took her the entire book to successfully take the test). But, pregnant or not, a steady diet of fast food does not get a main character into the kind of clothes she was constantly describing for us.
I got this for free from Amazon, and while I didn't dislike reading it, I won't be likely to get any more of this series.
And I was pretty surprised that everything she ate, which was a lot, came from In-N-Out or McDonald's. She was horrified at one point when her mother asked her if she had gained weight, and it never occurred to her to eat a fewer Big Macs?? She thought that the weight gain could be from pregnancy (though she wasn't sure because it took her the entire book to successfully take the test). But, pregnant or not, a steady diet of fast food does not get a main character into the kind of clothes she was constantly describing for us.
I got this for free from Amazon, and while I didn't dislike reading it, I won't be likely to get any more of this series.
January 1, 2013
I got this book for free probably a year ago and never bothered to read it. Now I know why it was free.
The book was poorly written. I've never seen so many grammatical errors in a book before. It drove me nuts! It was too predictable and I'm tired of the stereotypical ditzy girl who finds herself in all these problems because she's just too ditzy. I felt no sympathy for the main character, Maddie, at any point throughout the book, no matter how bad things were for her. She did it to herself.
What bugged me the most was how hard the author tried to incorporate the stereotypical LA woman. It was horrible. Mentioning EVERY freeway and every tourist attraction. It was so annoying because I'm from Los Angeles and I found it embarrassing that this is what people are going to think of the city and the people who live here. Don't let the book fool you!
I only gave the book two stars because I actually read the whole thing. So it at least somewhat kept my interest. But that could also be because it was the first book I read on my Nook so I was too excited to realize I should have stopped.
The book was poorly written. I've never seen so many grammatical errors in a book before. It drove me nuts! It was too predictable and I'm tired of the stereotypical ditzy girl who finds herself in all these problems because she's just too ditzy. I felt no sympathy for the main character, Maddie, at any point throughout the book, no matter how bad things were for her. She did it to herself.
What bugged me the most was how hard the author tried to incorporate the stereotypical LA woman. It was horrible. Mentioning EVERY freeway and every tourist attraction. It was so annoying because I'm from Los Angeles and I found it embarrassing that this is what people are going to think of the city and the people who live here. Don't let the book fool you!
I only gave the book two stars because I actually read the whole thing. So it at least somewhat kept my interest. But that could also be because it was the first book I read on my Nook so I was too excited to realize I should have stopped.
March 20, 2011
I read this on my nook. It must have been either free or pretty cheap because it is not something I would buy normally, or at all in a book form. I am not much on fashion or anything so a lot of the words/brands named went above me when it came to her wardrobe.
The beginning of the story didn't really catch me and the main character, although quite a unique and clearly that character's voice, was getting on my nerves but as the story progressed and got more complicated, I found myself wanting to read on and find out the truth of the case. The obsession of Maddie and her belief that Richard couldn't possibly be guilty despite the whole situation and that she couldn't just take the pregnancy test seriously annoyed me but I suppose it was important for the story.
My favorite part of this book was the secondary characters; Dana, Mom, Detective (who really in my opinion was a secondary character despite being the love/lust interest). Much more interesting that the materialistic protagonist.
The beginning of the story didn't really catch me and the main character, although quite a unique and clearly that character's voice, was getting on my nerves but as the story progressed and got more complicated, I found myself wanting to read on and find out the truth of the case. The obsession of Maddie and her belief that Richard couldn't possibly be guilty despite the whole situation and that she couldn't just take the pregnancy test seriously annoyed me but I suppose it was important for the story.
My favorite part of this book was the secondary characters; Dana, Mom, Detective (who really in my opinion was a secondary character despite being the love/lust interest). Much more interesting that the materialistic protagonist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2013
One of the books I picked up on my new e-reader.
The book was entertaining for the most part, but it was hard getting to like the protagonist. Maddy is just too much of a ditz who, in stumbling along from accidental clue to accidental clue, seems to fulfill every dumb blonde stereotype in existence. I also don't like the book's portrayal of anyone who's not thin, blonde, or sexy.
SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT
Seriously...spoiler alert. Stop reading now if you don't want to know who did it.
LAST CHANCE
Because, seriously, by the end of the narrative, it's hardly surprising that the one who did it is the frumpy, unattractive girl. Heaven forbid one of the beautiful, well-dressed blondes did something bad.
Still, I did like the fact that Halliday features a Latino protagonist. It's nice to see someone featuring a Latino character who's NOT a gang member, former gang member, or janitor. Also, Halliday did have some genuinely funny moments. I just wish Maddy weren't so frustratingly dopey.
The book was entertaining for the most part, but it was hard getting to like the protagonist. Maddy is just too much of a ditz who, in stumbling along from accidental clue to accidental clue, seems to fulfill every dumb blonde stereotype in existence. I also don't like the book's portrayal of anyone who's not thin, blonde, or sexy.
SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT
Seriously...spoiler alert. Stop reading now if you don't want to know who did it.
LAST CHANCE
Because, seriously, by the end of the narrative, it's hardly surprising that the one who did it is the frumpy, unattractive girl. Heaven forbid one of the beautiful, well-dressed blondes did something bad.
Still, I did like the fact that Halliday features a Latino protagonist. It's nice to see someone featuring a Latino character who's NOT a gang member, former gang member, or janitor. Also, Halliday did have some genuinely funny moments. I just wish Maddy weren't so frustratingly dopey.
January 19, 2013
I read this as part of a boxed set, Vol I books 1-3 plus a short story, but I don't see it on the goodreads list.
One of my co-worker's told me about the box set, it was on sale for only 99 cents for the four stories. She had finished the first one and thought it was like the Stephanie Plum books. She was right, it did remind me of the Plum books and I liked it. I liked that the mystery was solved kind of by accident. While the main character, Maddie, was busy thinking it was someone else, the real murderer show up and a fight ensues that involves a gun of course, but also a nail file and a high heel shoe. Thus the case is solved, but it was more realistic that way since Maddie is by no means a 'sleuth'/detective, just someone with a convenient work at home job, leaving her free to tool around trying to solve the mystery. =)
I'd label this a klutzy detective mystery and add it to the Plum books, the Body Movers series and maybe the Bobbie Faye books(though Bobbie Faye isn't really 'klutzy'). Fun, quick read. =)
One of my co-worker's told me about the box set, it was on sale for only 99 cents for the four stories. She had finished the first one and thought it was like the Stephanie Plum books. She was right, it did remind me of the Plum books and I liked it. I liked that the mystery was solved kind of by accident. While the main character, Maddie, was busy thinking it was someone else, the real murderer show up and a fight ensues that involves a gun of course, but also a nail file and a high heel shoe. Thus the case is solved, but it was more realistic that way since Maddie is by no means a 'sleuth'/detective, just someone with a convenient work at home job, leaving her free to tool around trying to solve the mystery. =)
I'd label this a klutzy detective mystery and add it to the Plum books, the Body Movers series and maybe the Bobbie Faye books(though Bobbie Faye isn't really 'klutzy'). Fun, quick read. =)
October 6, 2022
Reread] This time I listened to it on audible and I enjoyed it as much as I did the 1st read. It is a lighthearted, funny mystery with a little romance.
1st review] I could not put this book down! FUNNY, FUNNY, FUNNY! I can not wait to read the rest of the series:-)
1st review] I could not put this book down! FUNNY, FUNNY, FUNNY! I can not wait to read the rest of the series:-)
August 19, 2010
Entertaining. Reminds me a little of Evanovich.
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