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A Death in Vegas
In A Death in Vegas, the president of BenBugs, a company that specializes in beneficial bugs for organic gardening, discovers a young woman dead in his Las Vegas hotel suite. She had worked as a sexy lady bug at his convention booth—and he had nothing to do with her death.
While that’s being investigated, the FBI raids his booth on a money-laundering scam that he knows nothing about, either.
Soon, the coroner doesn’t have good news. The police and FBI are against him—and his wife cannot be found. He flees to find the answers.
While that’s being investigated, the FBI raids his booth on a money-laundering scam that he knows nothing about, either.
Soon, the coroner doesn’t have good news. The police and FBI are against him—and his wife cannot be found. He flees to find the answers.
174 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2014
1 person is currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Meeks
27 books80 followersChristopher Meeks first published short stories in such literary journals as Rosebud, The Clackamas Literary Review, The Santa Barbara Review, The Southern California Anthology, and The Gander Review. His stories are now available in two collections, The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea and Months and Seasons. He has four novels: The Brightest Moon of the Century, a story that Marc Schuster of Small Press Reviews describes as "a great and truly humane novel in the tradition of Charles Dickens and John Irving," his comic novel, Love At Absolute Zero. In addition, he has published two acclaimed crime books, Blood Drama and A Death in Vegas.
He began as a playwright and has had three plays produced. Who Lives? A Drama is published.
He began as a playwright and has had three plays produced. Who Lives? A Drama is published.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 28, 2020
When this story began I honestly didn't think I would finish it. Even though it began with a murder it involved something just this side of infidelity. Not a fan of that in my heroes. But the story progresses to get more and more interesting. So If you decide to read this be patient, it picks up and earns it's stars.
November 18, 2019
“Who does just good things?”
Imagine a Humphrey Bogart's character without the knowledge and experience of a detective. This is, in my view, our “culprit” Patton Burch (“[...] as in tree.” / “With a U, not an I”): an average man with an ordinary successful life who, pushed by the police prejudice, transforms himself into an amateur but tenacious detective.
“I’m not a cop or a private eye, true—doesn’t mean I’m not doing the right thing."
The plot, well built, plays with the innocence and guilt of the “culprit”, of the police and of all other persons who we’ll meet. As a good mystery should have, the storyline is peppered with clues, valid or red herrings. Even the (almost) “cliches” and bits of... humor have their role. All together will make you curious and wonder who did it. There are some shadows even in the spotlight.
Next to the very well executed visual presentation, a sprinkle of romantic insecurities, the story has a melodicity that pulls you in the middle of the events. You have only one chance: be there, shoulder to shoulder with Patton, protagonists in a classical but at the same time an original noir movie.
The rhythm increases whilst the information is discovered. As the deadline approaches, so the pace becomes more alert, the danger becomes present and palpable and the climax crushes upon the main character(s).
“Promise me we’ll have a nice boring life after this, okay?”
Mystery novel lover or not, just relax, take a seat in your preferred spot and start reading A Death in Vegas. Both the “detective reader” and the “spectator reader” will be satisfied. Even written at the third person, the protagonist’s voice will capture your attention and, most likely, it will make you enjoy the story.
In the end, I just hope that Mr. Meeks (and Mrs. Lorraine Curry) is mistaken and solving murders will not become one of Patton’s habits (especially those of which is accused of himself).
http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.com/201...
Imagine a Humphrey Bogart's character without the knowledge and experience of a detective. This is, in my view, our “culprit” Patton Burch (“[...] as in tree.” / “With a U, not an I”): an average man with an ordinary successful life who, pushed by the police prejudice, transforms himself into an amateur but tenacious detective.
“I’m not a cop or a private eye, true—doesn’t mean I’m not doing the right thing."
The plot, well built, plays with the innocence and guilt of the “culprit”, of the police and of all other persons who we’ll meet. As a good mystery should have, the storyline is peppered with clues, valid or red herrings. Even the (almost) “cliches” and bits of... humor have their role. All together will make you curious and wonder who did it. There are some shadows even in the spotlight.
Next to the very well executed visual presentation, a sprinkle of romantic insecurities, the story has a melodicity that pulls you in the middle of the events. You have only one chance: be there, shoulder to shoulder with Patton, protagonists in a classical but at the same time an original noir movie.
The rhythm increases whilst the information is discovered. As the deadline approaches, so the pace becomes more alert, the danger becomes present and palpable and the climax crushes upon the main character(s).
“Promise me we’ll have a nice boring life after this, okay?”
Mystery novel lover or not, just relax, take a seat in your preferred spot and start reading A Death in Vegas. Both the “detective reader” and the “spectator reader” will be satisfied. Even written at the third person, the protagonist’s voice will capture your attention and, most likely, it will make you enjoy the story.
In the end, I just hope that Mr. Meeks (and Mrs. Lorraine Curry) is mistaken and solving murders will not become one of Patton’s habits (especially those of which is accused of himself).
http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.com/201...
September 8, 2014
I loved, loved, and loved A Death in Vegas by Christopher Meeks. It is a standalone mystery but it could easily be the start of a series. Patton Burch, like the tree except spelled with a u instead of an i) is the president of BenBugs, a company that sells beneficial bugs to gardeners. That they don’t have to use sprays. Patton is at a business convention in Las Vegas. He hired a smart, sexy and engaging model named Chatterley to pose as a bug at his booth. She meets him for dinner with her friend. She seems to be worried about someone pursuing her and she ends up in his room. Her asthma very bad so she has to use her inhaler. And she lays down to get some rest and Patton takes the other side of the bed when she doesn’t wake up. In the morning, he finds her in the other room of the suite by the air conditioner, dead. He contacts the police but since he was the last one to see her, the police take it for granted that he is the killer and he had slept with her. Not true.
From then on, Patton Burch falls down a rabbit hole of problems. Will his wife believe that he did not have sex with the model? How will he convince the police that he is not the murderer? He later learns that his wife is in a big mess too. He has to investigate to save himself but every corner that he turns things get worse for him. As the clues are collected, he sinks deeper into trouble with the police and the real killer. But as these events happen, you are rolling with laughter! Christopher Meeks has a unique talent for turning the grim into pure comedy. He must have researched the places. I recognized the traits of Las Vegas, and LA from my own memories. I learned about changes in Las Vegas since I was last there and also learned about the wine county. Patton Burch knows that he needs to track down Chatterley’s previous life in the wine country and learn all he can about her in order to find the murderer. His grand chase is one to remember and enjoy.
I highly recommend this comedic mystery to all mystery lovers.
I received this Advanced Reading Copy from Partners in Crime in exchange for an honest review. That fact in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in this review.
From then on, Patton Burch falls down a rabbit hole of problems. Will his wife believe that he did not have sex with the model? How will he convince the police that he is not the murderer? He later learns that his wife is in a big mess too. He has to investigate to save himself but every corner that he turns things get worse for him. As the clues are collected, he sinks deeper into trouble with the police and the real killer. But as these events happen, you are rolling with laughter! Christopher Meeks has a unique talent for turning the grim into pure comedy. He must have researched the places. I recognized the traits of Las Vegas, and LA from my own memories. I learned about changes in Las Vegas since I was last there and also learned about the wine county. Patton Burch knows that he needs to track down Chatterley’s previous life in the wine country and learn all he can about her in order to find the murderer. His grand chase is one to remember and enjoy.
I highly recommend this comedic mystery to all mystery lovers.
I received this Advanced Reading Copy from Partners in Crime in exchange for an honest review. That fact in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in this review.
September 23, 2020
The story wasn’t a bad mystery, it just didn’t grab me as thrilling to listen to. Nor did I find it humorous or fun for a relevant quick read.
Listening to the AUDIO version, I didn’t mind the narrator’s voice. It was pleasant and easy enough to understand, and he read with good modulation. However, the repetitive vulgarities used in the story, were often very pronounced and proved to be offensive to my listening experience.
Sorry to say, neither the story content nor listening experience were very enjoyable for me.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Audio version in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are solely my own.
Listening to the AUDIO version, I didn’t mind the narrator’s voice. It was pleasant and easy enough to understand, and he read with good modulation. However, the repetitive vulgarities used in the story, were often very pronounced and proved to be offensive to my listening experience.
Sorry to say, neither the story content nor listening experience were very enjoyable for me.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Audio version in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are solely my own.
October 2, 2014
I love the cover and title for A Death In Vegas by Christopher Meeks. It foreshadows this intriguing mystery as Patton stumbles, fumbles and gropes his way through the investigation of the murder of Samantha (Chatterley), looking for his own answers.
How does a bug guy at a convention end up waking in the morning to find a dead girl in his hotel room? The premise is pretty cliché, but the way Patton conducts his own investigation is not. You will want to read A Death In Vegas to find out.
He could feel it, his life was about to change.
That’s putting it mildly. Uh oh. I’m sure this can’t be good. Christopher throws a great twist my way and I find I am only partially right.
My first thought is: Patton Burch deserves the bad I know is coming his way. Will Chris be able to change my mind? In one word, yes.
Patton is a naïve guy that happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He does some pretty dumb things and digs the hole he is in deeper and deeper. One thing leads to another and another.
Who knows what would have happened if Patton didn’t take the path he did. I liked being along for the ride, as Patton follows the trail of clues. He reminds me of the bumbling Columbo, only Patton is not acting.
Sometimes people cannot count on the police to get the correct answer. The authorities can be quick to settle for the easier and more obvious solution to the crime.
A Death In Vegas was a fun mystery and easy to read. I read it in a couple of hours. As I strolled through Vegas with Patton, I recognized the streets and casino hotels. I have never been to the wine country of California, but did enjoy seeing it through Patton’s eyes. The multiple storylines kept me on my toes as I read on trying to figure out who is good and who is bad.
I liked learning about using beneficial bugs for organic gardeners instead of poisons and pesticides.
I recieved a copy of A Death In Vegas in return for an honest and unbiased review.
How does a bug guy at a convention end up waking in the morning to find a dead girl in his hotel room? The premise is pretty cliché, but the way Patton conducts his own investigation is not. You will want to read A Death In Vegas to find out.
He could feel it, his life was about to change.
That’s putting it mildly. Uh oh. I’m sure this can’t be good. Christopher throws a great twist my way and I find I am only partially right.
My first thought is: Patton Burch deserves the bad I know is coming his way. Will Chris be able to change my mind? In one word, yes.
Patton is a naïve guy that happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He does some pretty dumb things and digs the hole he is in deeper and deeper. One thing leads to another and another.
Who knows what would have happened if Patton didn’t take the path he did. I liked being along for the ride, as Patton follows the trail of clues. He reminds me of the bumbling Columbo, only Patton is not acting.
Sometimes people cannot count on the police to get the correct answer. The authorities can be quick to settle for the easier and more obvious solution to the crime.
A Death In Vegas was a fun mystery and easy to read. I read it in a couple of hours. As I strolled through Vegas with Patton, I recognized the streets and casino hotels. I have never been to the wine country of California, but did enjoy seeing it through Patton’s eyes. The multiple storylines kept me on my toes as I read on trying to figure out who is good and who is bad.
I liked learning about using beneficial bugs for organic gardeners instead of poisons and pesticides.
I recieved a copy of A Death In Vegas in return for an honest and unbiased review.
October 28, 2014
*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for and honest review.
Patton Burch, owner of BenBugs, is at a Lawn and Garden convention in Vegas when he wakes up to find the woman playing a ladybug at his booth dead in his hotel room. Even though nothing happened between him and the beautiful Chatterley, now that she’s dead, in his room, everyone’s going to think he was banging the ladybug. And that includes his wife. Oh, dear. But that’s not the end of his troubles. When forensics determine Chatterley was murdered he becomes Suspect Number One. And then the FBI descends on his convention booth accusing his company of money laundering. He’s an ordinary boring guy. How is all of this happening to him? When it looks like the Vegas police have him tried and convicted of a murder he didn’t commit before they even arrest him, he feels it’s up to him to prove his innocence by following the clues of Chatterley’s life. Not an easy task since she’s changed her name and was either running from something or someone or she’s hiding something. But he’s watched lots of crime shows on television. He’s got this handled. Right?
This is one engaging story. Patton is an interesting guy even if he acts goofy sometimes. Following him around as he tries to discover about Chatterley is quite entertaining. The mystery is twisty, the characters are well-developed and the story is sprinkled with humor. Plus, I love his occupation. Are there really companies out there like that? If not, why not?! Of course, it might be a tad hard to keep bugs contained in your yard to do their job. Wide open spaces, doncha know. Still…interesting idea.
All-in-all an entertaining humorous mystery that will have you smiling while you try to figure out who the killer is.
Patton Burch, owner of BenBugs, is at a Lawn and Garden convention in Vegas when he wakes up to find the woman playing a ladybug at his booth dead in his hotel room. Even though nothing happened between him and the beautiful Chatterley, now that she’s dead, in his room, everyone’s going to think he was banging the ladybug. And that includes his wife. Oh, dear. But that’s not the end of his troubles. When forensics determine Chatterley was murdered he becomes Suspect Number One. And then the FBI descends on his convention booth accusing his company of money laundering. He’s an ordinary boring guy. How is all of this happening to him? When it looks like the Vegas police have him tried and convicted of a murder he didn’t commit before they even arrest him, he feels it’s up to him to prove his innocence by following the clues of Chatterley’s life. Not an easy task since she’s changed her name and was either running from something or someone or she’s hiding something. But he’s watched lots of crime shows on television. He’s got this handled. Right?
This is one engaging story. Patton is an interesting guy even if he acts goofy sometimes. Following him around as he tries to discover about Chatterley is quite entertaining. The mystery is twisty, the characters are well-developed and the story is sprinkled with humor. Plus, I love his occupation. Are there really companies out there like that? If not, why not?! Of course, it might be a tad hard to keep bugs contained in your yard to do their job. Wide open spaces, doncha know. Still…interesting idea.
All-in-all an entertaining humorous mystery that will have you smiling while you try to figure out who the killer is.
September 26, 2014
I was so excited to hear that Christopher Meeks wrote another book! I leaped at the chance to review it. As a fan of his work, I am thankful that he is able to publish new works in a timely fashion!
Meeks is a prolific writer across genres of short stories, literary fiction, and more recently, crime mysteries. This time he is back with his second crime mystery. Is it as good as the first, 'Blood Drama'?
It is no secret that I have not been a big fan of mystery books however, with 'Blood Drama', Christopher Meeks won me over. With his writing, I discovered that mysteries can also be literary and with his brand of quirky characters and pop culture throughout all of his books, there is much to love!
In 'A Death In Vegas' the president of Ben Bugs, Patton Burch is in Las Vegas at a convention promoting beneficial bugs for organic gardening. He has a young woman there dressed up as a lady bug. Her name is Chatterley and is a model hired by Patton's wife Tess.
How does Chatterley end up in Patton's hotel room, butt naked and dead? Who killed her? Patton certainly didn't.
With Christopher Meeks trademark tongue in cheek humor and quirky characters we find out the answers by following the on the run antics of Patton.
Just to say I enjoyed 'A Death In Vegas' is an understatement, I loved it! I can't recommend this book enough. 'A Death In Vegas' would make an excellent gift to any mystery lover, male or female! Christopher Meeks hit a home run again!
Meeks is a prolific writer across genres of short stories, literary fiction, and more recently, crime mysteries. This time he is back with his second crime mystery. Is it as good as the first, 'Blood Drama'?
It is no secret that I have not been a big fan of mystery books however, with 'Blood Drama', Christopher Meeks won me over. With his writing, I discovered that mysteries can also be literary and with his brand of quirky characters and pop culture throughout all of his books, there is much to love!
In 'A Death In Vegas' the president of Ben Bugs, Patton Burch is in Las Vegas at a convention promoting beneficial bugs for organic gardening. He has a young woman there dressed up as a lady bug. Her name is Chatterley and is a model hired by Patton's wife Tess.
How does Chatterley end up in Patton's hotel room, butt naked and dead? Who killed her? Patton certainly didn't.
With Christopher Meeks trademark tongue in cheek humor and quirky characters we find out the answers by following the on the run antics of Patton.
Just to say I enjoyed 'A Death In Vegas' is an understatement, I loved it! I can't recommend this book enough. 'A Death In Vegas' would make an excellent gift to any mystery lover, male or female! Christopher Meeks hit a home run again!
October 13, 2014
With his wife missing; in his somewhat shaky marriage, he is now on a quest to find out what happened to the girl in his room. Is her name really Chatterley? Why was she frightened the night before her death? Was her death due to her asthma? Or was she possibly murdered. All Patton knows is he didn’t kill her and now has to figure out who did.
Patton is easy to like right from the start. I felt myself feeling sorry for him. In a sense I started routing for him with all of his luck not going his way. I found this mystery to not only be a mystery but a mystery dosed with a bit of comedy and a love story.
Patton is easy to like right from the start. I felt myself feeling sorry for him. In a sense I started routing for him with all of his luck not going his way. I found this mystery to not only be a mystery but a mystery dosed with a bit of comedy and a love story.
August 16, 2020
I don't really care much about book covers but this one did grab me its fab!!!
A fairly short murder mystery that I listened to enjoyably narrated by Bill Perry.
When the model Patton's company hired turns up dead in Vegas his determination to find the truth is littered with poor decisions and a trail that he can't stop following.
It's not the most intriguing mystery but it has got a good pace.
Many thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a copy.
A fairly short murder mystery that I listened to enjoyably narrated by Bill Perry.
When the model Patton's company hired turns up dead in Vegas his determination to find the truth is littered with poor decisions and a trail that he can't stop following.
It's not the most intriguing mystery but it has got a good pace.
Many thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a copy.
November 25, 2019
Patton Burch is the owner of BenBugs, a company that provides bugs for organic gardeners to use instead of chemicals. He is at a lawn and garden show in Las Vegas. With the insistence of his wife, he has hired a young, beautiful girl, Chatterly, to be a sexy ladybug at his booth. After the first day and a strange series of circumstances he runs into Chatterly after the show and has dinner with her. This leads to her spending the night in his hotel room, innocently, and him finding her dead the next morning.
Everyone quickly thinks he was sleeping with Chatterly and the police think that means he killed her. Things go from bad to worse when his wife disappears to a breath of fresh air and the new investors are using BenBugs to launder money, which the FBI quickly think Patton is involved with. Patton knows that everyone thinks he did the laundering and the murder so he decides to step up and find out the truth to why Chatterly changed her name and why she was afraid. Besides, what could go wrong?
At first I admit that I kind of felt bad for Patton, he seemed like such a bumbling fool and I was impressed by how far that he had gotten. But he has a good heart and does want to help Chatterly even if he has secretly other desires. When he starts looking into Chatterly and the rest of the mystery he stumbled around like a drunkard. It’s hard to image that he was going to really solve the case or get himself into more trouble.
Over all I really enjoyed this book. Bill Perry does a wonderful job drawing you into the story and keeping you on the edge of your seat. If you like thrillers I recommend check out this book. I was a great read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to listen to and share this book.
Everyone quickly thinks he was sleeping with Chatterly and the police think that means he killed her. Things go from bad to worse when his wife disappears to a breath of fresh air and the new investors are using BenBugs to launder money, which the FBI quickly think Patton is involved with. Patton knows that everyone thinks he did the laundering and the murder so he decides to step up and find out the truth to why Chatterly changed her name and why she was afraid. Besides, what could go wrong?
At first I admit that I kind of felt bad for Patton, he seemed like such a bumbling fool and I was impressed by how far that he had gotten. But he has a good heart and does want to help Chatterly even if he has secretly other desires. When he starts looking into Chatterly and the rest of the mystery he stumbled around like a drunkard. It’s hard to image that he was going to really solve the case or get himself into more trouble.
Over all I really enjoyed this book. Bill Perry does a wonderful job drawing you into the story and keeping you on the edge of your seat. If you like thrillers I recommend check out this book. I was a great read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to listen to and share this book.
November 4, 2019
I didn't intend to read this book in a single day, I swear it was an accident! I just sat down thinking I would read the first few chapters and before I knew it, well, let's just say I was roped in.
I'm a big fan of anything mystery-related. I love whodunits, detective shows, true crime, all of it. So, when I tell you I've never read a mystery novel quite like this before, that should really mean something.
The premise is as follows: Patton Burch is the head of a beneficial bugs company (the kind of bugs that they use to promote healthy and organic growth in gardens) who heads out to a garden show in Las Vegas in order to sell his product to buyers. His wife convinces him to hire a young, beautiful model to dress up in a sexy ladybug costume and stand around at his booth to basically just drawn in men like a moth to a...well, you get the picture.
The model, Chatterley, turns out to actually be pretty interesting (as well as just pretty) and she and Patton hit it off together. She innocently spends the night in his hotel room and the next morning when he wakes up, he finds her dead in the bathroom.
Thus, the “death” in 'Death in Vegas.'
Of course, Patton is an instant suspect to the police who assume that he was having an affair with Chatterley among all sorts of other untoward and ungentlemanly things.
Of course, nothing actually happened between Patton and Chatterley but the police don't want to believe that. Suffice it to say this is a twisty one that ended up being resolved in a way that I never expected from the beginning.
Wish I could give this more stars but for now I will have to stick with 5!
August 15, 2014
A Death in Vegas by Christopher Meeks is a highly recommended crime novel in which a murder suspect becomes the investigator.
Patton Burch is attending the lawn and garden show in Vegas representing BenBugs, a company he owns that specializes in beneficial bugs for organic gardeners. He has hired a model, who calls herself Chatterly Langstrump, as a sexy lady-bug girl for his booth, hoping to attract business. It seems to be working, so when Patton sort of bumbles into Chatterly at a restuarant after that first day, they end up having dinner together... and end up back in his room when Chatterly is having an asthma attack and needs to lay down. The next morning, after nothing untoward happened the night before, Patton wakes up and discovers Chatterly is dead. Naturally, even when it looks like she died from an asthma attack, Patton is the main suspect.
Patton is sure that the police aren't really working on investigating who Chatterly really is, why she is using an alias, and who wants to kill her, so he goes rogue, after contacting his lawyer, and tries to run his own investigation to discover the answers. At the same time, when Patton tries to explain the situation to his wife, she doesn't believe nothing happened with the bug girl, so she takes off. The trouble multiplies when Patton discovers that the new financier for BenBugs that his wife has made an arrangement with has actually involved them in a money laundering scheme being investigated by the FBI. Hopefully he can find his wife and figure out the financing scheme too, while he's trying to discover Chatterly's identity and who killed her.
You can always count on Christopher Meeks for a well written novel; this time Meeks excells at bringing almost a farcical edge to the humor in A Death in Vegas. The comicality makes this crime novel feel more like a madcap adventure in an old comedy movie with Cary Grant, like Bringing up Baby, or The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer. Patton is managing to investigate the murder and he is getting answers, but even when the action is getting tense, there is an element of humor right beneath the surface. Yes, this is a murder mystery, but you will find yourself laughing or smiling your way through this novel. (Actually, once you discover the bug girl is going by the alias of Chatterly Langstrump, you should realize that humor will have a large role in this novel.)
While I did enjoy this latest by Meeks, I must admit that Blood Drama is still my favorite book by Christopher Meeks - to date.
Thanks to Christopher Meeks for providing my review copy.
Patton Burch is attending the lawn and garden show in Vegas representing BenBugs, a company he owns that specializes in beneficial bugs for organic gardeners. He has hired a model, who calls herself Chatterly Langstrump, as a sexy lady-bug girl for his booth, hoping to attract business. It seems to be working, so when Patton sort of bumbles into Chatterly at a restuarant after that first day, they end up having dinner together... and end up back in his room when Chatterly is having an asthma attack and needs to lay down. The next morning, after nothing untoward happened the night before, Patton wakes up and discovers Chatterly is dead. Naturally, even when it looks like she died from an asthma attack, Patton is the main suspect.
Patton is sure that the police aren't really working on investigating who Chatterly really is, why she is using an alias, and who wants to kill her, so he goes rogue, after contacting his lawyer, and tries to run his own investigation to discover the answers. At the same time, when Patton tries to explain the situation to his wife, she doesn't believe nothing happened with the bug girl, so she takes off. The trouble multiplies when Patton discovers that the new financier for BenBugs that his wife has made an arrangement with has actually involved them in a money laundering scheme being investigated by the FBI. Hopefully he can find his wife and figure out the financing scheme too, while he's trying to discover Chatterly's identity and who killed her.
You can always count on Christopher Meeks for a well written novel; this time Meeks excells at bringing almost a farcical edge to the humor in A Death in Vegas. The comicality makes this crime novel feel more like a madcap adventure in an old comedy movie with Cary Grant, like Bringing up Baby, or The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer. Patton is managing to investigate the murder and he is getting answers, but even when the action is getting tense, there is an element of humor right beneath the surface. Yes, this is a murder mystery, but you will find yourself laughing or smiling your way through this novel. (Actually, once you discover the bug girl is going by the alias of Chatterly Langstrump, you should realize that humor will have a large role in this novel.)
While I did enjoy this latest by Meeks, I must admit that Blood Drama is still my favorite book by Christopher Meeks - to date.
Thanks to Christopher Meeks for providing my review copy.
January 4, 2015
`I didn't sleep with her. I'm not my dad.'
Having read and reviewed every book and play written by the gifted Christopher Meeks it was with some trepidation to pick up a novel with a title BLOOD DRAMA packaged by a cover that suggested he'd joined the au courant genre of spy and murder and intrigue army of writers, forsaking his own quirky and deliciously entertaining usual topics of onstage interpersonal relationship scenarios of his previous books. Had he sold out to the bigger market of bestseller yet rapidly transient airport books? Happily, after getting attached to his satisfyingly rather strange hero in the first chapter and the fear that he had abandoned his signature warmth and tasteful dissection of ordinary people, the pages practically turned themselves. And now in DEATH IN VEGAS he reaffirms the fact that he can take the most quirky combinations of crime and humor and mold them with his magic pen into a novel that simply defies criticism.
Quick synopsis: `The president of BenBugs, a company that specializes in beneficial bugs for organic gardening, discovers a young woman dead in his Las Vegas hotel suite. She had worked as a sexy lady bug at his convention booth -- and he had nothing to do with her death. While that's being investigated, the FBI raids his booth on a money-laundering scam that he knows nothing about, either. Soon, the coroner doesn't have good news, either. Who has set him up? Why? With the police and FBI are against him, and his wife missing, he flees to find answers and his wife.' Now where did Chris dig up this idea? Perhaps a very bad night in Las Vegas (not hard to have), but wherever the idea came form he makes it work like few others could.
Meeks has the gift to mold characters with such extensive backstories that after only a few pages as each new character is introduced they become part of the surround-sound family into whose story we have wandered. Meeks is a thorough-going Pro!
Having read and reviewed every book and play written by the gifted Christopher Meeks it was with some trepidation to pick up a novel with a title BLOOD DRAMA packaged by a cover that suggested he'd joined the au courant genre of spy and murder and intrigue army of writers, forsaking his own quirky and deliciously entertaining usual topics of onstage interpersonal relationship scenarios of his previous books. Had he sold out to the bigger market of bestseller yet rapidly transient airport books? Happily, after getting attached to his satisfyingly rather strange hero in the first chapter and the fear that he had abandoned his signature warmth and tasteful dissection of ordinary people, the pages practically turned themselves. And now in DEATH IN VEGAS he reaffirms the fact that he can take the most quirky combinations of crime and humor and mold them with his magic pen into a novel that simply defies criticism.
Quick synopsis: `The president of BenBugs, a company that specializes in beneficial bugs for organic gardening, discovers a young woman dead in his Las Vegas hotel suite. She had worked as a sexy lady bug at his convention booth -- and he had nothing to do with her death. While that's being investigated, the FBI raids his booth on a money-laundering scam that he knows nothing about, either. Soon, the coroner doesn't have good news, either. Who has set him up? Why? With the police and FBI are against him, and his wife missing, he flees to find answers and his wife.' Now where did Chris dig up this idea? Perhaps a very bad night in Las Vegas (not hard to have), but wherever the idea came form he makes it work like few others could.
Meeks has the gift to mold characters with such extensive backstories that after only a few pages as each new character is introduced they become part of the surround-sound family into whose story we have wandered. Meeks is a thorough-going Pro!
October 5, 2014
I received an Advance Reader's Copy for an honest review.
I have always liked mystery/suspense novels but I enjoyed this one even more than usual. Christoper Meeks' writing is just what I like: he tells a good story and he gets right to the point. You have to read every word or you'll miss something important.
The main character, Patton Burch, is a regular nice guy with a big heart in a stagnant marriage. When he's accused of murder by the police and cheating by his wife, he sets out to find out the truth. Suddenly, this bug man has to become a super sleuth. He made me a nervous wreck!
A Death in Vegas is a fast read full of mystery and suspense. It has a few twists which is always fun. I highly recommend it.
I have always liked mystery/suspense novels but I enjoyed this one even more than usual. Christoper Meeks' writing is just what I like: he tells a good story and he gets right to the point. You have to read every word or you'll miss something important.
The main character, Patton Burch, is a regular nice guy with a big heart in a stagnant marriage. When he's accused of murder by the police and cheating by his wife, he sets out to find out the truth. Suddenly, this bug man has to become a super sleuth. He made me a nervous wreck!
A Death in Vegas is a fast read full of mystery and suspense. It has a few twists which is always fun. I highly recommend it.
January 29, 2015
A fantastic whodunit!
I really like Patton. He's the character that gets the job done. If it wasn't for Patton, there'd really be no story. He is literally both the cause and effect.
Reading along trying to piece together the story was fun. I thought I had it a couple of times, only to find I was dead wrong. I'm quite impressed with the mind-bending ending. I expected it once, then was thrown way off, so when things really did happen I was in aw and thrilled.
Great writing for such a small story, especially to have the impact that it did. Mystery lovers will devour this one in a couple of hours, tops!
I really like Patton. He's the character that gets the job done. If it wasn't for Patton, there'd really be no story. He is literally both the cause and effect.
Reading along trying to piece together the story was fun. I thought I had it a couple of times, only to find I was dead wrong. I'm quite impressed with the mind-bending ending. I expected it once, then was thrown way off, so when things really did happen I was in aw and thrilled.
Great writing for such a small story, especially to have the impact that it did. Mystery lovers will devour this one in a couple of hours, tops!
April 21, 2020
You can’t go wrong by starting off with a dead body! Right from the start, the story had my attention. Patton Burch of BenBugs wasn’t expecting to find his coworker Chatterley dead on the floor of his hotel room. Of course, it does look suspicious but Chatterley did have asthma, so the police aren’t too excited at first. But then Patton makes things worse by bumbling into an investigation of his own, curious about what Chatterley had in her car, and since he happens to have her keys… well, why not look, right?
At this point in the story, I thought maybe we were wandering into a comedic murder mystery because Patton really is just bumbling his way through this plot. He doesn’t have a clear idea of what he’s looking for or where to go, and he refuses to listen to the advice of anyone (friend, lawyer, mom, wife, police, etc.). However, this story stayed on this this side of serious and it wasn’t intended as a humorous piece.
Everyone suspects Patton of sleeping with Chatterley since she was found naked and dead in his hotel room. Patton and us readers know right from the start that he didn’t sleep with her but we also know that he wasn’t exactly against the idea if it were to come up, if she initiated it, etc. So I didn’t have much sympathy for Patton when he defended his chastity and no one believed him.
The ladies were mostly sex objects or romantic interests. His wife Tess is supposedly this awesome business woman but we pretty much only see her during sexy times or lover’s quarrels. Chatterley was a sexy model and a flirt before she died. That’s carried on for other ladies like Chatterley’s friend, a winery assistant, the young flirtatious ladies in bikinis, etc. Him mom isn’t sexy or a romantic interest but her relationship with her now-deceased husband and his own infidelities comes up a few times. Basically, the ladies are under utilized in this story.
There were several times in this plot where info miraculously appears for Patton to follow a lead and you can do that once or twice but it happened so often that I no longer had confidence in Patton’s detective skills. The plot was having to do all the heavy lifting by constantly dropping bread crumbs.
The mob tie in was a surprise and it did give the ending some drama, which I liked. While Patton and Tess do reconcile, I felt like they hadn’t really worked anything out. So I expect more choppy waters for them in the future when they’ve calmed down from having their lives in jeopardy. The book could probably use another edit. There were little things like is Patton driving a van or a truck? Sometimes it switched within the scene, even from sentence to sentence. So little things like that could use some polishing. All around, it was OK. 3/5 stars.
The Narration: Bill Perry has a good voice for Patton. He does a good job of capturing Patton’s near-constant surprise and confusion as well as his absolute need to stay on the case and out of jail. While Perry didn’t have a wide range of character voices, he did have a few and that worked for most of the book as several characters never interact with each other. Sometimes his female characters sounded feminine and sometimes they didn’t The recording quality isn’t all the great. There are several bits where the volume changes. You can tell that several sentences throughout the story were re-recorded. Also there’s a few sections where the recording has a cavernous sound to it. All together, 3/5 stars.
At this point in the story, I thought maybe we were wandering into a comedic murder mystery because Patton really is just bumbling his way through this plot. He doesn’t have a clear idea of what he’s looking for or where to go, and he refuses to listen to the advice of anyone (friend, lawyer, mom, wife, police, etc.). However, this story stayed on this this side of serious and it wasn’t intended as a humorous piece.
Everyone suspects Patton of sleeping with Chatterley since she was found naked and dead in his hotel room. Patton and us readers know right from the start that he didn’t sleep with her but we also know that he wasn’t exactly against the idea if it were to come up, if she initiated it, etc. So I didn’t have much sympathy for Patton when he defended his chastity and no one believed him.
The ladies were mostly sex objects or romantic interests. His wife Tess is supposedly this awesome business woman but we pretty much only see her during sexy times or lover’s quarrels. Chatterley was a sexy model and a flirt before she died. That’s carried on for other ladies like Chatterley’s friend, a winery assistant, the young flirtatious ladies in bikinis, etc. Him mom isn’t sexy or a romantic interest but her relationship with her now-deceased husband and his own infidelities comes up a few times. Basically, the ladies are under utilized in this story.
There were several times in this plot where info miraculously appears for Patton to follow a lead and you can do that once or twice but it happened so often that I no longer had confidence in Patton’s detective skills. The plot was having to do all the heavy lifting by constantly dropping bread crumbs.
The mob tie in was a surprise and it did give the ending some drama, which I liked. While Patton and Tess do reconcile, I felt like they hadn’t really worked anything out. So I expect more choppy waters for them in the future when they’ve calmed down from having their lives in jeopardy. The book could probably use another edit. There were little things like is Patton driving a van or a truck? Sometimes it switched within the scene, even from sentence to sentence. So little things like that could use some polishing. All around, it was OK. 3/5 stars.
The Narration: Bill Perry has a good voice for Patton. He does a good job of capturing Patton’s near-constant surprise and confusion as well as his absolute need to stay on the case and out of jail. While Perry didn’t have a wide range of character voices, he did have a few and that worked for most of the book as several characters never interact with each other. Sometimes his female characters sounded feminine and sometimes they didn’t The recording quality isn’t all the great. There are several bits where the volume changes. You can tell that several sentences throughout the story were re-recorded. Also there’s a few sections where the recording has a cavernous sound to it. All together, 3/5 stars.
November 25, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this shorter story which I initially had as an audio book, then I decided I enjoyed it so much I bought a hard copy! The story centres around a businessman called Patton Burch who runs a company called BenBugs, beneficial bugs where various types of insects are sold to organic gardeners to make an environmentally friendly alternative to pesticides. He has a stall at a Lawn & Garden convention in Las Vegas, and along with his loyal staff, he has hired the services of an actress/model called Chatterley who has dressed up as a ladybug and is attracting a great deal of attention for the company. It was his wife Tess’s idea that “sex sells” and it was a great one too. Patton sees nothing wrong in looking after Chatterley when he finds her a bit upset later that night but he certainly doesn’t bargain on waking in his hotel room the next morning to find the girl naked and dead, crouched in front of the air conditioning unit! Like a good citizen he immediately calls for help but soon finds himself the subject of a police investigation into her death. Meanwhile the FBI are also on his trail after Tess took what turned out to be a dodgy money-laundering loan. When Tess goes missing, the only way he can see out of all this is to turn detective and clear his name. It’s a great murder mystery story with lots of humour thrown in and I laughed through much of it. Patton is altogether helpless, hapless and hopeless, but he is a lovely warm and endearing character that I immediately liked, and it was completely natural to sympathise with Patton and all his comedic bad luck. He is also pretty sharp too, and eventually gets to the truth, albeit with a few hilarious setbacks along the way. The choice of narrator was great. People don’t always realise how hard it is for male narrators to "do" the female characters and this guy did a good job! This might be a shorter book but it was well paced, never felt rushed and was very entertaining. Perfect for anyone who likes their murder with a chuckle or two! 5*
November 7, 2016
Patton Burch, in Las Vegas at a convention where he and his staff are manning a booth for his beneficial bugs company, has serendipity go all to hell when he has dinner the first night, and sees his ladybug model in serious discourse with another young woman. Following a lapse in judgment at a taxi, Patton finds himself with the ladybug, who goes by the name Chatterly, in his room. She complains of feeling ill, apparently asthma-related and falls asleep atop the bed of the married Burch. In the morning... well, read it and see. This is my third turn with Meeks and I'm delighted that two more await. This turns into a story that could well be the adult version of A Series of Unfortunate Events. There are cops, FBI , bad guys, Burch's wife Tess, his mom, and an attorney, so things get sticky and ugly for Burch. I have more than a passing knowledge of the three settings, Vegas, San Francisco and the country north of it, and Los Angeles, but I don't think that's necessary to make fine images from Meeks' writing. Burch and Tess are terrific playing off one another. My small complaints are that this is a mystery to enjoy for the ride because the facts don't make the solution clear until Burch works it out with what seem to be too many correct guesses. Some loose ends don't get tied up, such as Chatterly's inhaler and its history. There is also the miniscule niggle of a kind of funny misspelled word (Eeked?) This brings in elements of novel, mystery, and romance, to go with tidbits of ecological bug use and wine. An odd assortment, maybe, but Meeks makes it work smoothly. His language includes some creative and clever figurative language use. Definitely worth reading.
September 20, 2019
Christopher Meeks - A Death in Vegas - Reviewed 9/19/19
Sexy young model, murder, money laundering, mob ties, and wine how does it all fit?????
Patton Burch, hired a beautiful young woman to bring in sales at a convention in Vegas because his wife said it would work. The next thing he knows, he wakes up and she is dead in his room, just because he was a good guy and he felt she needed help. He is charged with murder. Then the FBI raids his booth at the convention because they think he is laundering money and his wife is missing. He is forced to start his search for the killer because he has no choice! It’s either that or jail…. And he is sure that no one would help him because no one is listening!!!!!
What did I like? This is one of the most twisted murder mystery books that I have read in a while. It starts in Vegas and ends up in San Francisco and the grape country with twists and turns and then back on its self. I kept thinking that I had figured out who killed Samatha but then it was off on another road. The ending blew me away!
What will you like? Excellent writing, through research, and awesome characters! You will love the incredible way the author takes you through the amazing search for the killer and the problems with Patton’s wife. There is an underlying message to the reader in learning how to cope with married life, I loved it! An excellent read that will have you on the edge of your seat and some really great humorous spots also. I had trouble putting this book down to feed my cats, but they were louder than the book!!! LOL
Sexy young model, murder, money laundering, mob ties, and wine how does it all fit?????
Patton Burch, hired a beautiful young woman to bring in sales at a convention in Vegas because his wife said it would work. The next thing he knows, he wakes up and she is dead in his room, just because he was a good guy and he felt she needed help. He is charged with murder. Then the FBI raids his booth at the convention because they think he is laundering money and his wife is missing. He is forced to start his search for the killer because he has no choice! It’s either that or jail…. And he is sure that no one would help him because no one is listening!!!!!
What did I like? This is one of the most twisted murder mystery books that I have read in a while. It starts in Vegas and ends up in San Francisco and the grape country with twists and turns and then back on its self. I kept thinking that I had figured out who killed Samatha but then it was off on another road. The ending blew me away!
What will you like? Excellent writing, through research, and awesome characters! You will love the incredible way the author takes you through the amazing search for the killer and the problems with Patton’s wife. There is an underlying message to the reader in learning how to cope with married life, I loved it! An excellent read that will have you on the edge of your seat and some really great humorous spots also. I had trouble putting this book down to feed my cats, but they were louder than the book!!! LOL
October 22, 2019
Patton Burch isn't having the best time of his life. Having done nothing wrong except hiring a beautiful sales assistant for his business at a Vegas convention, he is now slapped with charges of murdering her. To make things worse, the FBI raids his booth in the convention and suspect him money-laundering. And to topple the fate against him, his wife goes missing. But Burch isn't a despairing protagonist. He takes this into his hands and sets about solving the mysteries one after another, finally uncovering the shocking truth of who the murderer had been.
This was a super-witty, super-engaging mystery. With umpteen twists in the plot and a speedy pace, one wouldn't want to put the book down until they've finished it. I loved the hilarity that Meeks had thrown liberally all across. I'm so glad I got to read and relish this superb piece. This was one of the first audiobooks that I tried and I totally loved the experience.
My sincere thanks to Teddy Rose from Virtual Author Book Tours, the publishers White Whisker Bookd, and the author Christopher Meeks for gifting me a copy of this audiobook for an honest review.
This was a super-witty, super-engaging mystery. With umpteen twists in the plot and a speedy pace, one wouldn't want to put the book down until they've finished it. I loved the hilarity that Meeks had thrown liberally all across. I'm so glad I got to read and relish this superb piece. This was one of the first audiobooks that I tried and I totally loved the experience.
My sincere thanks to Teddy Rose from Virtual Author Book Tours, the publishers White Whisker Bookd, and the author Christopher Meeks for gifting me a copy of this audiobook for an honest review.
August 7, 2020
The story begins with Patton Burch, who is hired by a beautiful young woman to help bring in sales at a Vegas Convention. Unfortunately, he ends up waking up and she is found dead in his room. He is erroneously charged with murder. The FBI raids his booth at the convention because they suspect that he is involved in money laundering and... his wife has disappeared.
This mystery had excellent turns and twists. It start off in Vegas and ends up in San Francisco. The story ended up taking me by surprise. The author has an excellent style of writing, is thorough with his research and has created an excellent plot and wonderfully detailed characters. This is a fun read that kept me on the edge of my seat and yet still managed to convey asense of humor. I listened to this as an audiobook and felt that the voice actor, Bill Perry, did a fantastic job making this book come alive for me. I totally recommend this book for lovers of thrillers and mystery.
I would like to thank Christopher Meeks, White Whiskers Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to enjoy this audiobook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This mystery had excellent turns and twists. It start off in Vegas and ends up in San Francisco. The story ended up taking me by surprise. The author has an excellent style of writing, is thorough with his research and has created an excellent plot and wonderfully detailed characters. This is a fun read that kept me on the edge of my seat and yet still managed to convey asense of humor. I listened to this as an audiobook and felt that the voice actor, Bill Perry, did a fantastic job making this book come alive for me. I totally recommend this book for lovers of thrillers and mystery.
I would like to thank Christopher Meeks, White Whiskers Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to enjoy this audiobook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 1, 2020
A Death in Vegas is more fun whodunit than gripping murder mystery or thriller, but it did keep me entertained for a few hours. It's a pretty quick listen, about 5 or 6 hours total listening time, so it's not a big investment on time, but it is well-paced so it feels like a faster read than it actually is. Patton is a likable character, and Bill Perry's pleasant voice just works for him. Christopher Meeks is new to me, but I certainly appreciate his wit and it comes through loud and clear in this story. As I mentioned, this is a quick listen, so rather than give spoilers, I'll just say that this quick-witted mystery is an entertaining read and I'll be interested to see what this author does next.
October 8, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the review copy of this audiobook!
I enjoyed this but i did find that it audiobook had some sound changes. Not sure if that was just on my end but it would bring me out of the story. I was a fast listened. I am not sure it was the best book I read but it is a solid 3. I still recommend the read. I will look the author to see if there are other books by him and give his work other listens.
I enjoyed this but i did find that it audiobook had some sound changes. Not sure if that was just on my end but it would bring me out of the story. I was a fast listened. I am not sure it was the best book I read but it is a solid 3. I still recommend the read. I will look the author to see if there are other books by him and give his work other listens.
August 14, 2020
The story is pretty good, but is spoiled by the narrator.. I'm happy with having any nationality of narrator, but this guy's voice, when speaking for a woman sounds different and sneery.
Good story.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I listened to a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.
This is a review of the audiobook.
Good story.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I listened to a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.
This is a review of the audiobook.
August 28, 2020
*received audiobook for free from netgalley for honest review* Not horrible for a quick read but the mc was annoying and a rather crappy person lol like "nothing happened" yet he later talks about how they made out? like.... "nothing happened" but you still brought a chick back to your hotel room after hitting on her so like.. yea.
August 29, 2020
The sexy lady bug model ends up dead in his motel room. This is terrible news for anyone, much less a married man. The police think they have their man, so if he's going to be exonerated, he has to unravel the mystery himself. Cute and clever, I liked this book! The characters were interesting and the plot was unique.
January 4, 2021
The story is pretty good, but is spoiled by the narrator.. I'm happy with having any nationality of narrator, but this guy's voice, when speaking for a woman sounds different and sneery.
Good story.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I listened to a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.
Good story.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I listened to a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.
March 14, 2021
It starts off a bit on the slow side but slowly the storyline drew a person in.
A fun, light mystery story.
The narrator lets it down a bit.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to listen to this book.
A fun, light mystery story.
The narrator lets it down a bit.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to listen to this book.
December 4, 2020
With thanks to White Whisker Books and NetGalley.
Full review to follow...
Full review to follow...
August 19, 2020
When Patton Burch does a good deed he never expected it to put him on the run from both the Las Vegas police department and the FBI
Facing a long stretch in jail for a murder he didn't commit he decides that if the authorities aren't going to investigate then he will just have to do it himself.
What follows is a well written amateur detective murder mystery which has twists and turns aplenty for our hero before he finally solves the case.
I really liked the way the novel was constructed - it was entertaining, informational and went at a good pace without getting bogged down too much with unnecessary detail.
The plot was good and there are no glaring plot-holes to distract the reader.
My only criticism of the audio version is when one of the characters who is from New Zealand speaks in an accent which is a mix of Bert from Mary Poppins and Crocodile Dundee - an issue that would not be present in the book version. The Narrator is otherwise excellent
Facing a long stretch in jail for a murder he didn't commit he decides that if the authorities aren't going to investigate then he will just have to do it himself.
What follows is a well written amateur detective murder mystery which has twists and turns aplenty for our hero before he finally solves the case.
I really liked the way the novel was constructed - it was entertaining, informational and went at a good pace without getting bogged down too much with unnecessary detail.
The plot was good and there are no glaring plot-holes to distract the reader.
My only criticism of the audio version is when one of the characters who is from New Zealand speaks in an accent which is a mix of Bert from Mary Poppins and Crocodile Dundee - an issue that would not be present in the book version. The Narrator is otherwise excellent
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