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How Not To Commit Murder
Going straight is never easy – especially when you're blackmailed into murder.
“What a clever story with a wonderful balance of mystery and suspense and light-hearted comedy and fun.” A Life Through Books
Career conman Reuben Littlejohn is determined to go straight this time after his release from prison, with the help of his new wife.
But he hadn't counted on stumbling across a plot to kill his parole officer Lucy, with whom he is madly in lust. Or being blackmailed into becoming an accomplice to her murder.
Never have his skills in lying and cheating been so vital! Can he save his own life as well as Lucy’s?
If you like Donald Westlake and Colin Bateman, you’ll love this book with its artful blend of comedy and crime and flawed but engaging characters.
“There is a great balance between the Crime/Mystery part of it and the Comedy. I found myself guessing the whole way through, and being wrong quite a bit, while laughing out loud.” Texas Book Nook.
This book is available as an e-book or in print.
526 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2013
17 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Robin Storey
8 books21 followersAfter many years as a freelance writer, I'm now hooked on fiction writing and love being an indie author. I live on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia - beautiful one day, perfect the next - where we complain if the temperature drops to below 14 degrees Centigrade.
I'd love you to come and visit me on my blog http://storey-lines.com/ and if you subscribe to my readers' group (there's a form on the home page) you'll receive a FREE e-book of my comedy crime novel How Not To Commit Murder.
I love connecting with readers and other writers, so come on over to my Facebook page and say Hi. https://www.facebook.com/RobinStoreyw...
My other books are romantic comedy Perfect Sex, an e-book of four short comedy/mystery stories Comedy Shorts, noir romance novella An Affair With Danger, memoir Making The Breast Of It - Breast Cancer Stories of Humour and Joy and suspense-noir A Time For Penance.
If you'd like to find out more about these books, you can to go my Amazon Author page http://www.amazon.com/Robin-Storey/e/... or my website. http://storey-lines.com/my-novels/
As you can see, I love writing in a variety of genres. After writing An Affair With Danger, I realised how much I enjoy writing edgy, suspenseful stories with flawed characters who are often the underdogs and frequently don't act like heroes.
My latest novel A Time For Penance, published in May 2017, is about a woman who travels 20 years back in time to undo a murder she committed.
I'm a certified book nerd (too many books, not enough time!) and am a useful team member on quiz nights for the literary questions - but not much else. When I'm not writing or reading, I enjoy hiking and chilling out at the beach, which is five minutes drive from my home.
My partner and I walked the full Camino Frances pilgrimage across northern Spain in September 2016. It was a life-changing experience which will satisfy my appetite for adventure for a long time.
Although I have attended many workshops and seminars over the years on various aspects of creative writing, the one thing that I believe has been of the most value to me in my writing is reading a wide variety of books. As well as a good writing critique partner who'll give you honest feedback, which I'm also lucky enough to have.
I'd love you to come and visit me on my blog http://storey-lines.com/ and if you subscribe to my readers' group (there's a form on the home page) you'll receive a FREE e-book of my comedy crime novel How Not To Commit Murder.
I love connecting with readers and other writers, so come on over to my Facebook page and say Hi. https://www.facebook.com/RobinStoreyw...
My other books are romantic comedy Perfect Sex, an e-book of four short comedy/mystery stories Comedy Shorts, noir romance novella An Affair With Danger, memoir Making The Breast Of It - Breast Cancer Stories of Humour and Joy and suspense-noir A Time For Penance.
If you'd like to find out more about these books, you can to go my Amazon Author page http://www.amazon.com/Robin-Storey/e/... or my website. http://storey-lines.com/my-novels/
As you can see, I love writing in a variety of genres. After writing An Affair With Danger, I realised how much I enjoy writing edgy, suspenseful stories with flawed characters who are often the underdogs and frequently don't act like heroes.
My latest novel A Time For Penance, published in May 2017, is about a woman who travels 20 years back in time to undo a murder she committed.
I'm a certified book nerd (too many books, not enough time!) and am a useful team member on quiz nights for the literary questions - but not much else. When I'm not writing or reading, I enjoy hiking and chilling out at the beach, which is five minutes drive from my home.
My partner and I walked the full Camino Frances pilgrimage across northern Spain in September 2016. It was a life-changing experience which will satisfy my appetite for adventure for a long time.
Although I have attended many workshops and seminars over the years on various aspects of creative writing, the one thing that I believe has been of the most value to me in my writing is reading a wide variety of books. As well as a good writing critique partner who'll give you honest feedback, which I'm also lucky enough to have.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 1, 2022
I liked it so much excitement but there were errors about Alec and Alex, same person but for some reason the author was using Alex instead. besides that, I like it.
October 3, 2013
I didn't really mean to do it....Ahhhh how I love Reuben!
I have never been a big fan of crime novels, but this one blends just the right amount of comedy with the right about of crime.
Reuben is a WONDERFUL character. Seeing his struggles big and small was an enjoyment.
However, Frank is evil! I guess you can't reform them all right.
It's up to Reuben.....can he prevent a murder or is it pointless?
This story keeps you guessing to the very end.
Very well written and paced great.
Totally recommending!
I have never been a big fan of crime novels, but this one blends just the right amount of comedy with the right about of crime.
Reuben is a WONDERFUL character. Seeing his struggles big and small was an enjoyment.
However, Frank is evil! I guess you can't reform them all right.
It's up to Reuben.....can he prevent a murder or is it pointless?
This story keeps you guessing to the very end.
Very well written and paced great.
Totally recommending!
September 16, 2017
How Not to Commit Murder - a review by Rosemary Kenny
It's often said the path to true love is seldom straight - never more true than in Reuben Littlejohn's case!
Ex-criminal and white collar conman Reuben is married to Carlene, a demanding, (but rich) woman who doesn't trust him when he's modelling swimming trunks - with busty beach-babes to ogle - or staying out til all hours, supposedly providing a shoulder to cry on for his (imaginary), friend Finn, when actually being embroiled in a plot to murder Lucy his parole officer, whom he's got the hots for.
Will Reuben get back on the straight and narrow and free himself from the clutches of murderous 'Mr Big', Frank, without alerting Carlene that he's slipping easily back into wicked ways and be able to save Lucy - you'll have to read Robin Storey's amusing will-he-won't-he novel to find out!
It's often said the path to true love is seldom straight - never more true than in Reuben Littlejohn's case!
Ex-criminal and white collar conman Reuben is married to Carlene, a demanding, (but rich) woman who doesn't trust him when he's modelling swimming trunks - with busty beach-babes to ogle - or staying out til all hours, supposedly providing a shoulder to cry on for his (imaginary), friend Finn, when actually being embroiled in a plot to murder Lucy his parole officer, whom he's got the hots for.
Will Reuben get back on the straight and narrow and free himself from the clutches of murderous 'Mr Big', Frank, without alerting Carlene that he's slipping easily back into wicked ways and be able to save Lucy - you'll have to read Robin Storey's amusing will-he-won't-he novel to find out!
October 21, 2017
If there was ever such a thing as a well-meaning criminal, then Reuben, the central character, is just that. The problem is other people don't get hit good intentions at all.
After coming out of prison and marrying his prison visitor who is able to provide for him, one of his former fellow inmates, Frank, catches up with him and he is blackmailed into becoming involved in a plot to kill his parole officer Lucy. Given little choice but to comply, Ruben has to go more than the extra mile to ensure that his parole officer remains unharmed, yet at the same time be seen by Frank to be fully co-operating.
It's a perfect blend of comedy arising from a complex situation. Reuben has no boundaries to what he will do, in this desperate situation.
A charming book that warmed my heart.
After coming out of prison and marrying his prison visitor who is able to provide for him, one of his former fellow inmates, Frank, catches up with him and he is blackmailed into becoming involved in a plot to kill his parole officer Lucy. Given little choice but to comply, Ruben has to go more than the extra mile to ensure that his parole officer remains unharmed, yet at the same time be seen by Frank to be fully co-operating.
It's a perfect blend of comedy arising from a complex situation. Reuben has no boundaries to what he will do, in this desperate situation.
A charming book that warmed my heart.
September 28, 2017
Marty Langenbergon September 18, 2017
I liked this book a lot. For me, it was never in doubt how this would end, but that's okay. The way that we get to the end is what's important and there were enough twists and turns to keep me keen. Well done! BUT, I'm convinced that humour is like beauty - it's in the eye of the beholder, or in this case, the reader. Obviously, not my kind of humour. Again, that's okay. It's a darn good yarn.
I liked this book a lot. For me, it was never in doubt how this would end, but that's okay. The way that we get to the end is what's important and there were enough twists and turns to keep me keen. Well done! BUT, I'm convinced that humour is like beauty - it's in the eye of the beholder, or in this case, the reader. Obviously, not my kind of humour. Again, that's okay. It's a darn good yarn.
May 3, 2019
This books’ main character Reuben is someone I alternately thought was a “pig”, a sort of a Ziggy character with the black cloud following him, a diamond in the rough, and a guy with a good heart. The author made me root for him.
The book also had a ton of humor! I laughed a lot. The story was complex and well written. It was also well edited. I would recommend it.
The book also had a ton of humor! I laughed a lot. The story was complex and well written. It was also well edited. I would recommend it.
July 19, 2018
This wasn't my favourite book but I did like it. It had some interesting parts but seemed to drag in a lot of places. I don't know what I would do to make me like it more but I have read other books by this author that I liked better, but I did like the story idea.
March 12, 2017
Not kindle unlimited, sorta funny sorta not so a touch over okay
Comedy Shorts - Humorous Fiction Short Stories
How Not To Commit Murder - comedy crime - humorous mystery
Comedy Shorts - Humorous Fiction Short Stories
How Not To Commit Murder - comedy crime - humorous mystery
October 5, 2017
Fun, online read. A bit drawn out, but I enjoyed the main character.
August 25, 2014
im not a huge murder mystery fan but I am glad I read this one. I loved the comidic timming. The book has a great flow but lagged some much needed details I was dying to know. 3.5*
July 5, 2015
A gentle amble through the hiccups and trials of someone trying to be good and prevent harm but going about it in all the wrong ways.
July 20, 2015
good story ,,nice and light ..
March 22, 2016
Great crime comedy - after leaving prison and trying to go straight, Reuben gets pulled back in to the criminal world.
April 25, 2017
This suspense will keep you page turning as you follow Rueben who tries to go straight after being released from prison. The system keeps trying to ensnarl him. It's a fun real and well written. If you like suspense stories, you will like this book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews