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Mad for Mod Mystery #12
The Glass Bottom Hoax: A Madison Night Mystery
Cruising Caprice!
Madison Night has a reputation for excellence in mid-century modern decorating, but when a covert opportunity to expose a crime ring on a cruise ship comes her way, she goes undercover. The job will test her acting skills as much as her investigative she’s booked as a Doris Day impersonator and police captain Tex Allen is posing as her manager husband. But roleplay and reality blur when the body of the entertainment director is found on the lido deck sometime between shuffleboard and sunset.
The purser was Madison’s lone contact on the cruise ship, which leaves her adrift. Catching crooked employees is one thing, but exposing a murderer in the middle of the ocean is another. It’s bad enough that she’s expected to sing for her supper; her convenient cover story puts her in the center of danger. With a very fake husband and a very real crisis, Madison has to dive deep for answers before the tides turn against her.
Can Madison keep her head above water, or will this case send her overboard?
Madison Night has a reputation for excellence in mid-century modern decorating, but when a covert opportunity to expose a crime ring on a cruise ship comes her way, she goes undercover. The job will test her acting skills as much as her investigative she’s booked as a Doris Day impersonator and police captain Tex Allen is posing as her manager husband. But roleplay and reality blur when the body of the entertainment director is found on the lido deck sometime between shuffleboard and sunset.
The purser was Madison’s lone contact on the cruise ship, which leaves her adrift. Catching crooked employees is one thing, but exposing a murderer in the middle of the ocean is another. It’s bad enough that she’s expected to sing for her supper; her convenient cover story puts her in the center of danger. With a very fake husband and a very real crisis, Madison has to dive deep for answers before the tides turn against her.
Can Madison keep her head above water, or will this case send her overboard?
- GenresMysteryCozy Mystery
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2024
About the author
Diane Vallere
86 books1,022 followersI use Goodreads to track my reading and TBR list. For that reason, my rating scale is less important. I don't force myself to finish books, and I don't rate books I DNF. Each year I choose my own BOTY from my have-read list.
AUTHOR BIO: Diane Vallere is the national bestselling author of several mystery series. She edited the Agatha Award-winning essay collection Promophobia: Taking the Mystery out of Promoting Crime Fiction. Diane majored in art history at the College of William and Mary and worked in luxury retailing before reigniting her love of fiction. She currently lives in Pennsylvania. Find out more at: www.dianevallere.com.
Amazon: http://bit.ly/DianeVallere
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3aVXczm
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2RfiyAE
AUTHOR BIO: Diane Vallere is the national bestselling author of several mystery series. She edited the Agatha Award-winning essay collection Promophobia: Taking the Mystery out of Promoting Crime Fiction. Diane majored in art history at the College of William and Mary and worked in luxury retailing before reigniting her love of fiction. She currently lives in Pennsylvania. Find out more at: www.dianevallere.com.
Amazon: http://bit.ly/DianeVallere
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3aVXczm
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2RfiyAE
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 25, 2024
Madison Night is going undercover on a cruise ship. She’s pretending to be a Doris Day impersonator, and her boyfriend, police captain Tex Allen, is going along as her manager. In reality, the two are supposed to be looking into some recent burglaries on board the ship. But they’ve hardly left on the trip before Madison finds a dead body. Have the stakes just been raised?
It was fun to go on this cruise with Madison and Tex. Naturally, we didn’t see as much of the regular characters, but the new characters did help fill in the gaps. Plus, we got to see some growth in Madison and Tex and their relationship. The plot starts strongly. I felt like part of it was a bit of a stretch, but it still mostly worked for me. Likewise, one of the Easter eggs for Doris Day fans was a stretch, but there are some other fun ones. Really, fun is the overall word for this entry in the series. If you are already a fan, you’ll want to book passage on this entry soon.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
It was fun to go on this cruise with Madison and Tex. Naturally, we didn’t see as much of the regular characters, but the new characters did help fill in the gaps. Plus, we got to see some growth in Madison and Tex and their relationship. The plot starts strongly. I felt like part of it was a bit of a stretch, but it still mostly worked for me. Likewise, one of the Easter eggs for Doris Day fans was a stretch, but there are some other fun ones. Really, fun is the overall word for this entry in the series. If you are already a fan, you’ll want to book passage on this entry soon.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
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September 24, 2024Madison Night is back in THE GLASS BOTTOM HOAX! Hop on the cruise ship, snag yourself a complimentary glass of champagne and some shrimp cocktail, and enjoy this latest Madison Night Mystery!
September 24, 2024
DON’T CRUISE ON THIS BOAT!
Author Diane Vallere writes several different series, but my favorite is the Madison Night Mystery Series. What I like most about Vallere’s writing is that you never know what to expect next, and it is always full of moments of hilarity! Vallere has based this series on the main character, Madison Night, who resembles Doris Day. Night capitalizes on her look and establishes a successful mid-century modern decorating business. Night is also dating police Captain Tex Allen. Tex’s ex has hired them to go undercover on a cruise ship where Night will act as a Doris Day impersonator, and he will be her manager to bust a crime ring. Sounds easy enough. It would be if: 1) Tex’s ex gave him all the info they need, 2) Tex and Night’s only contact on the ship dies as soon as they meet him, 3) Tex and Night are booked in the wrong room and have to move, 4)Tex and Night can trust no one on the ship and Night even begins to doubt if Tex is on her side and has told her everything. Night does more than her share of the sleuthing as she finds background info on cruise ship employees and passengers and draws her own conclusions without waiting for Tex. Together, they can catch the thief by retrieving their stash of goods. This book is another delightful and entertaining offering by this author.
Author Diane Vallere writes several different series, but my favorite is the Madison Night Mystery Series. What I like most about Vallere’s writing is that you never know what to expect next, and it is always full of moments of hilarity! Vallere has based this series on the main character, Madison Night, who resembles Doris Day. Night capitalizes on her look and establishes a successful mid-century modern decorating business. Night is also dating police Captain Tex Allen. Tex’s ex has hired them to go undercover on a cruise ship where Night will act as a Doris Day impersonator, and he will be her manager to bust a crime ring. Sounds easy enough. It would be if: 1) Tex’s ex gave him all the info they need, 2) Tex and Night’s only contact on the ship dies as soon as they meet him, 3) Tex and Night are booked in the wrong room and have to move, 4)Tex and Night can trust no one on the ship and Night even begins to doubt if Tex is on her side and has told her everything. Night does more than her share of the sleuthing as she finds background info on cruise ship employees and passengers and draws her own conclusions without waiting for Tex. Together, they can catch the thief by retrieving their stash of goods. This book is another delightful and entertaining offering by this author.
September 19, 2024
Cruise Ship Shenanigans - Another Great Madison Knight Mystery
This is one of my favorite series by Ms. Vallere, and I was excited to be part of the Advance Reader team for the latest installment. This story finds Madison and Tex aboard a cruise ship working undercover and of course hilarity and murder ensue. I really enjoyed the story and highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great mystery with a spunky, independent female main character. This is book 12 in the series, so if you are looking to binge read I highly recommend starting with book one. Better yet, start with the prequel! I received a free copy of the book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
September 25, 2024
This is a terrific addition to this great series. Madison embarks on a high seas adventure that soon finds her involved in mischief and mayhem. There is something for everyone to enjoy within the pages of this story, it is well worth reading.
September 14, 2024
I do so love Madison Night. It is like hugging an old friend every time I start one of her books. She is introspective in this one, really stepping back and looking at the life she has created for herself and deciding what she wants out of it. The story takes place on a cruise with a surprising visit to a beach, which makes it a perfect end-of-summer book. Like any true Madison Night book, it has murder, intrigue, mod fashions, wonderful Doris Day references, a touch of romance, and mid-century modern decor. Absolutely recommend!!
September 24, 2024
Author Diane Vallere is one of a kind, and so are all her leading ladies in her many popular book series. Case in point is Madison Night of the Madison Night Mysteries. She definitely marches to the beat of a different drummer. Over the course of the series, Madison has matured, settled down a bit, taken a close look at her life, life goals and relationships, and while hasn’t moved all the way to “cautious” has at least moved a bit off “reckless.” Her relationship with Tex has also matured, grown, settled down a bit yet still can be as confusing as ever. They always seem just on the verge of going to another level, but then somehow we come to believe they’ve figured the level thing out and they are just where they need to be.
I am so impressed with and get so caught up in Madison’s knowledge of mid-century style and decorating skill that I sometimes temporarily forget she is a total Doris Day look-alike, right down to the hair, freckles and clothes. That’s what gets her and Tex onboard the oldies cruise: they’re going undercover to try and discover who has been stealing from passengers. Madison will perform as a Doris Day impersonator (Singing? Wow, that will be a new challenge.) and Tex will be her manager husband. Or the man she’s cheating on her husband with? Or a Russian astronaut? They’ve barely boarded the ship before the entertainment director is murdered – and he’s the only one on board who knew their real identities. But is that true? It’s chaos at once. So many roles to play and keep track of, so many possible suspects, and so many murder attempts. And she still has to sing!
The more Madison and Tex investigate the more they start to believe this isn’t really about theft but something more sinister. The fast pace of this well-plotted adventure is exciting. The deep dive into their personal relationship is satisfying. The revelation of a lot of the “real” Doris Day’s history is informative. The number of potential murderers and near-miss accidents is unsettling. Little details like naming the cover band for the Rolling Stones the – wait for it – Tossed Pebbles is funny. And through it all Madison is her usual independent, loyal, take-chance, stubborn, fearless, entertaining self. Old favorite characters from previous books pop up, but Tex and Madison close together almost all the time is a nice change. Seeing them just a little swoony is great.
The Glass Bottom Hoax is a welcome addition to the series. Madison changes just enough to remain interesting, but she’s always her true, wonderful self at heart. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can’t wait to see what is in store for Madison next, or for that matter, any of the fascinating characters Vallere writes about in her other series. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
I am so impressed with and get so caught up in Madison’s knowledge of mid-century style and decorating skill that I sometimes temporarily forget she is a total Doris Day look-alike, right down to the hair, freckles and clothes. That’s what gets her and Tex onboard the oldies cruise: they’re going undercover to try and discover who has been stealing from passengers. Madison will perform as a Doris Day impersonator (Singing? Wow, that will be a new challenge.) and Tex will be her manager husband. Or the man she’s cheating on her husband with? Or a Russian astronaut? They’ve barely boarded the ship before the entertainment director is murdered – and he’s the only one on board who knew their real identities. But is that true? It’s chaos at once. So many roles to play and keep track of, so many possible suspects, and so many murder attempts. And she still has to sing!
The more Madison and Tex investigate the more they start to believe this isn’t really about theft but something more sinister. The fast pace of this well-plotted adventure is exciting. The deep dive into their personal relationship is satisfying. The revelation of a lot of the “real” Doris Day’s history is informative. The number of potential murderers and near-miss accidents is unsettling. Little details like naming the cover band for the Rolling Stones the – wait for it – Tossed Pebbles is funny. And through it all Madison is her usual independent, loyal, take-chance, stubborn, fearless, entertaining self. Old favorite characters from previous books pop up, but Tex and Madison close together almost all the time is a nice change. Seeing them just a little swoony is great.
The Glass Bottom Hoax is a welcome addition to the series. Madison changes just enough to remain interesting, but she’s always her true, wonderful self at heart. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can’t wait to see what is in store for Madison next, or for that matter, any of the fascinating characters Vallere writes about in her other series. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
October 9, 2024
The Glass Bottom Hoax is another exciting installment in Vallere's Madison Night cozy mystery series. I always look forward to new installments in this series, and this book definitely didn't disappoint. Madison and Tex are asked to go undercover on a cruise ship by Donna Nast of all people. They are supposed to uncover a theft but find a dead body instead. Solving this murder mystery will involve undercover work including Madison impersonating Doris Day.
Vallere sets up an entertaining read that captures the reader's interest from the beginning. I liked seeing how far Madison and Tex have come in their relationship. Having them work together is such a treat. Plus I always enjoy seeing Donna back as well. The book's mystery is well done full of enough twists and turns. Overall The Glass Bottom Hoax proved to be a great read that I would most definitely recommend. I look forward to reading Madison's next adventure.
Received a copy of The Glass Bottom Hoax from the author.
Vallere sets up an entertaining read that captures the reader's interest from the beginning. I liked seeing how far Madison and Tex have come in their relationship. Having them work together is such a treat. Plus I always enjoy seeing Donna back as well. The book's mystery is well done full of enough twists and turns. Overall The Glass Bottom Hoax proved to be a great read that I would most definitely recommend. I look forward to reading Madison's next adventure.
Received a copy of The Glass Bottom Hoax from the author.
September 25, 2024
Madison and Tex, her boyfriend and police captain are asked by their friend Donna Nast the owner of Big Bro Security to go undercover on an oldies cruise to uncover a crime ring on the ship. Since Madison is a Doris Day clone, it is the perfect cover with Tex pretending to be her husband manager. The only one on the cruise who knew their true identities, and almost from the get-go, he was found murdered. With Madison having to show some good acting skills while investigating not only the crime ring but the murder as well. Is it related? With so many potential suspects, can she and Tex find the answers they face the dangers themselves? Can Madison and Tex solve the murder and crime aboard the cruise? In this book, Madison and Tex's relationship seems to grow a little more. This is a great addition to the Madison Night series and I can't wait for more! I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
September 7, 2024
What a terrific addition to this fun series! Madison and Tex go on a cruise to do undercover work for none other than their friend "Nasty"(Donna Nast) the owner of Big Bro Security. When everything that could go wrong does, it's up to Madison and Tex to figure things out. With murder, double identities, too many suspects, an unexpected wedding, and an inexperienced Doris Day impersonator, confusion reigns.
A chance to see familiar characters out of their element is too good to pass up. The cruise ship characters are like chameleons and keep the reader guessing. But it turns out you can put a decorator who specializes in mid-century modern and a police captain in disguise, but you can't change how they act! Delightful fun from start to finish.
A chance to see familiar characters out of their element is too good to pass up. The cruise ship characters are like chameleons and keep the reader guessing. But it turns out you can put a decorator who specializes in mid-century modern and a police captain in disguise, but you can't change how they act! Delightful fun from start to finish.
September 25, 2024
Madison Night is an interesting main character. She looks like and loves Doris Day. She even dresses like her and has based her business on her love of everything set in this time period. This unique characteristic makes her the perfect person to go undercover as a Doris Day impersonator on a nostalgia cruise built around 1966. Of course Tex goes along posing as her manager. They think they are there to uncover a theft ring, but when Madison finds a body after the boat has left shore she and Tex are on their own. This was such a fun story and I loved seeing Madison and Tex in a different setting with new challenges while trying to solve the mystery.
I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 3, 2026
Great fun as Madison and Tex go undercover on a cruise ship where they find there are a lot more crimes than they expected, including a murder. Nothing is quite what it seems on that ship, including the time and especially the people. Madison as Doris Day isn't the only impersonator.
A more subtle theme of this story is the state of the Tex and Madison's relationship, with some very sweet and insightful scenes between them. They have come a long way since their first meeting and it is interesting to see it develop further into a unique partnership that works for both of them. Madison is a wonderful character with great depth which the author portrays well and develops with care. Their possible marriage at the end was certainly a surprise. And the climatic scene with Tex was a hoot!
A more subtle theme of this story is the state of the Tex and Madison's relationship, with some very sweet and insightful scenes between them. They have come a long way since their first meeting and it is interesting to see it develop further into a unique partnership that works for both of them. Madison is a wonderful character with great depth which the author portrays well and develops with care. Their possible marriage at the end was certainly a surprise. And the climatic scene with Tex was a hoot!
September 23, 2024
I enjoyed this book. I haven't read any of this series before but I like this author so I wanted to try this book. The author does a good job of getting the back stories on the characters into this story so I could feel like I knew them. I really liked that they are middle-aged.
I didn't really know who the murderer was. And I learned that laws about crimes that take place on a cruise ship differ a bit from the laws about the crimes on land.
I liked that Madison gives insight into how she gets her Doris Day wardrobe.
I would like to read more of this series.
I didn't really know who the murderer was. And I learned that laws about crimes that take place on a cruise ship differ a bit from the laws about the crimes on land.
I liked that Madison gives insight into how she gets her Doris Day wardrobe.
I would like to read more of this series.
December 18, 2024
I just finished the newest Madison Night book. Nasty wants Madison and Tex to pose as a married couple to investigate a cruise ship that has had property stolen from a previous cruise. Madison is supposed to be a Doris Day impersonator which would allow them access to the crew and the passengers. There were quit a few chuckles along the way. But the story was well written with a few twists in the plot which had my mind whirling. I totally enjoy reading about Madison and her crazy, chaotic life. I can’t wait to read the next one. Well done!
May 23, 2025
Another great addition to this marvelous series! This time Madison and Tex are off on a cruise to catch a thief. Unfortunately, the only person on the ship who knows why they are really there is murdered almost as soon as they’re on board. Believable characters, a nice twisty plot, and many laughs make this one a fun read. Highly recommended! I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.
September 18, 2024
Everyone Has A Secret
This book is part of a fun, cozy mystery series. The story is clean with no foul language, no bedroom scenes, no gore, and little violence. Our main character and her boyfriend are hired to find a thief aboard a cruise ship. Things go wrong just as they're leaving port and they never get cleared up. There is lots of humor to offset the crime. I love this series because it is so lightweight and still a very good mystery.
This book is part of a fun, cozy mystery series. The story is clean with no foul language, no bedroom scenes, no gore, and little violence. Our main character and her boyfriend are hired to find a thief aboard a cruise ship. Things go wrong just as they're leaving port and they never get cleared up. There is lots of humor to offset the crime. I love this series because it is so lightweight and still a very good mystery.
September 25, 2024
Delightful entertainment. A mystery cruise full of suspects and a wide variety of characters. Some fun surprises. Doris Day fan or not, Madison Night is still a charming protagonist. Thanks to the author for providing a copy. My review is voluntary.
April 16, 2025
This wasn’t my favorite book of the series but it was enjoyable to see Madison and Tex pretending to be a married couple. The mystery itself was boring but the cruise ship setting puts me in a summer mood.
November 5, 2024
I look forward to these breezy mysteries every year. The cruise ship setting was diverting.
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January 15, 2025Every installment of this series has been good, and this one is no exception. Putting Madison and Tex on a cruise ship shakes things up in a fun way.
January 3, 2026
It is always fun to spend some time eith Madison! I enjoyed the cruise ship setting and Maduson and Tex going undercover. A fun read that keeps you guessing who done it.
January 4, 2025
In this twelfth installment, Madison and Tex go undercover on a cruise ship as a Doris Day impersonator and her manager husband in order to find thieving employees. However, things go haywire quickly when their only contact aboard ship is murdered.
This is another light, fun outing for one of my favorite characters. I sympathized with Madison because she wanted to redecorate the ship so badly, and I found myself being every bit as lost as she as she tried to find her way around the ship.
This is another light, fun outing for one of my favorite characters. I sympathized with Madison because she wanted to redecorate the ship so badly, and I found myself being every bit as lost as she as she tried to find her way around the ship.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews