What do you think?
Rate this book
Amber Reed Mystery #4
Past Perfect Lib/E
One soap star death is a tragedy, but three all in the same week, that’s a case for the CCIA – otherwise known as the Celebrity Crimes Investigation Agency.
Amber Reed, the agency's newest support officer, is sleuthing again! This time she's sent to Vancouver, Canada’s answer to Hollywood, where soap opera North Shores is filmed. She needs to track down who is targeting and killing the show’s stars – and fast.
Alongside her, making up the rest of the CCIA team for this high profile case, are man-eater and troublemaker Martha, agency bad boy Dan and Amber’s kind-of-ex-boyfriend, special agent Charlie.
Can they catch the killer before another star is murdered? Will Charlie and Amber kiss and make up or is it over between them, this time for good? Will sworn enemies Charlie and Dan manage to resist gunning for each other?
The team need to find a way to set aside their differences and focus on the investigation because this time there’s not just one murder case to solve but three!
Amber Reed, the agency's newest support officer, is sleuthing again! This time she's sent to Vancouver, Canada’s answer to Hollywood, where soap opera North Shores is filmed. She needs to track down who is targeting and killing the show’s stars – and fast.
Alongside her, making up the rest of the CCIA team for this high profile case, are man-eater and troublemaker Martha, agency bad boy Dan and Amber’s kind-of-ex-boyfriend, special agent Charlie.
Can they catch the killer before another star is murdered? Will Charlie and Amber kiss and make up or is it over between them, this time for good? Will sworn enemies Charlie and Dan manage to resist gunning for each other?
The team need to find a way to set aside their differences and focus on the investigation because this time there’s not just one murder case to solve but three!
Audio CD
Published July 18, 2018
305 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
About the author
Zanna Mackenzie
40 books153 followersZanna Mackenzie lives in the UK with her husband, 3 dogs, a vegetable patch that’s home to far too many weeds and an ever expanding library of books waiting to be read.
Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!
Formerly a travel agent and therapist (she has qualifications in clinical aromatherapy, crystal healing, naturopathic nutrition and herbalism) she loves walking the dogs and gardening – that’s when she’s not writing or reading!
Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!
Formerly a travel agent and therapist (she has qualifications in clinical aromatherapy, crystal healing, naturopathic nutrition and herbalism) she loves walking the dogs and gardening – that’s when she’s not writing or reading!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 8, 2020
A light, quick mystery/romance. While I don't mind romance in my cozy mysteries, the mc in this one spent a little too much worrying whether they were on again or not. It kept taking me away from the mystery. A 3.5* from me.
May 9, 2017
The mystery in this book of the series was good. Amber's self-esteem/trust issues are annoying. Martha is deliciously evil, but I'm hesitant to read the next in this series as Amber seems to be the master of her own self-fulfilling prophecy. Her problems are entirely of her own making and she is starting to get really whiny.
February 1, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed this book.
This was a hilarious mystery book. I loved Amber. I definitely will be reading the next book in the series.
This was a hilarious mystery book. I loved Amber. I definitely will be reading the next book in the series.
June 28, 2023
Good mystery. This is the first book I have read in this series, so the characters were all new to me. So it surprises me that members of the CCIA team don't work better together. I was surprised at the number of difficulties in their relationships, but maybe that should be expected when they are working in such a high-stress job, which in this case is to solve the murders of three individuals who were working on a TV series.
It was interesting the way the investigation kept going in so many different directions, uncovering relationships among the participants in the production of the show and others who had connection to participants and the victims, and also new crimes. I was pleasantly surprised when Amber ended up taking the lead (unofficially, of course) and essentially solved the mystery. I only wish the book had ended with a solution to her personal relationship problems, but I guess that's the reason this is one book in a series. I.E., to be continued.
It was interesting the way the investigation kept going in so many different directions, uncovering relationships among the participants in the production of the show and others who had connection to participants and the victims, and also new crimes. I was pleasantly surprised when Amber ended up taking the lead (unofficially, of course) and essentially solved the mystery. I only wish the book had ended with a solution to her personal relationship problems, but I guess that's the reason this is one book in a series. I.E., to be continued.
April 15, 2020
An unrealistic but fun to read story!
This story has four secret agents and one support officer making up the CCIA Team assigned to a high-profile celebrity case in Canada. What I find humorous in this story is the antics of the four special agents and one support officer team sent from CCIA to solve this mystery. They are so preoccupied with their personal feelings and agendas that it is interfering with their professional performance. There is not a love triangle going on here, it is an all-out love square between four of the five. There is no guessing what any of them will do next. One thing is for sure though, Amber needs to get over her trust issues!
As with the earlier books in this series, this story is a clean, fun, and easy read. Even though this tale is less than believable, it is a more than entertaining story of murder and romantic mayhem.
This story has four secret agents and one support officer making up the CCIA Team assigned to a high-profile celebrity case in Canada. What I find humorous in this story is the antics of the four special agents and one support officer team sent from CCIA to solve this mystery. They are so preoccupied with their personal feelings and agendas that it is interfering with their professional performance. There is not a love triangle going on here, it is an all-out love square between four of the five. There is no guessing what any of them will do next. One thing is for sure though, Amber needs to get over her trust issues!
As with the earlier books in this series, this story is a clean, fun, and easy read. Even though this tale is less than believable, it is a more than entertaining story of murder and romantic mayhem.
March 3, 2022
I really like the premise of this book series, and the adventures are very fun.
However, the author could really benefit from a/some beta reader(s). There are quite a few grammatical errors, but the glaring mistake that made me drop the book to three stars and write this review was the lack of continuity. As a beta reader myself, I caught it right away. I had just finished the last book, in which Martha was involved with a man named Jonah. But in this book the man's (and yes, it was the same man) name had suddenly changed to Liam. A decent beta reader would have caught this.
I do enjoy the books' storylines and premise though. I also hope that Amber will stop being such a terrible agent/idiot and stop thinking only about her love life. Hopefully.
And hopefully more stars from me for the next book in the series!
However, the author could really benefit from a/some beta reader(s). There are quite a few grammatical errors, but the glaring mistake that made me drop the book to three stars and write this review was the lack of continuity. As a beta reader myself, I caught it right away. I had just finished the last book, in which Martha was involved with a man named Jonah. But in this book the man's (and yes, it was the same man) name had suddenly changed to Liam. A decent beta reader would have caught this.
I do enjoy the books' storylines and premise though. I also hope that Amber will stop being such a terrible agent/idiot and stop thinking only about her love life. Hopefully.
And hopefully more stars from me for the next book in the series!
March 1, 2023
Is the past really perfect?
Does Amber have enough in her past that's really perfect? She is so intuitive and so good at her job that you hope her future will be as good as her past, if not better. This is a good story for anyone wanting an interesting, clean, easy to read detective book. I'm going to catch up on her background by reading the previous books now. Good reads!
Does Amber have enough in her past that's really perfect? She is so intuitive and so good at her job that you hope her future will be as good as her past, if not better. This is a good story for anyone wanting an interesting, clean, easy to read detective book. I'm going to catch up on her background by reading the previous books now. Good reads!
January 25, 2019
Not liking the main girl
The plot of the story was good, but I am not liking the characters. The main character needs to chill. She is trained and she is breaking her training. She does need to be talked to by the commander.
The plot of the story was good, but I am not liking the characters. The main character needs to chill. She is trained and she is breaking her training. She does need to be talked to by the commander.
July 11, 2019
Nice story. Kinda whiny but the mystery was good. Once again though it feels like the ending was pulled out of a hat to just end the book and move forward. I guess I just don't like not being able to solve the mystery on my own, before the end.
July 2, 2020
Fast paced chaos
This is more of a “Why you shouldn’t get involved with a coworker” romance. The murder mystery seems secondary to that life lesson. I read it through in two sittings.
This is more of a “Why you shouldn’t get involved with a coworker” romance. The murder mystery seems secondary to that life lesson. I read it through in two sittings.
January 20, 2022
Great thriller
This book kept you on your toes until the end. Lots of suspense and intrigue. A good love story gone bad. Loved the main character Amber. Can't wait to read the next book and see what happens.
This book kept you on your toes until the end. Lots of suspense and intrigue. A good love story gone bad. Loved the main character Amber. Can't wait to read the next book and see what happens.
August 22, 2023
I HATE romantic triangles.
Ms. Mackenzie has turned up the romance and emotional turmoil so much it completely distracts from the mystery.
Once again, these are supposed to be cozy MYSTERIES, NOT women's fiction.
I'm now done with this series and probably the author also.
Ms. Mackenzie has turned up the romance and emotional turmoil so much it completely distracts from the mystery.
Once again, these are supposed to be cozy MYSTERIES, NOT women's fiction.
I'm now done with this series and probably the author also.
November 12, 2023
Plot was good. Getting a bit tired of Amber's insecurities. I would definitely not call this a stand alone read as I find this series rather jumps in right where the last one ended and they end with somewhat of a cliffhanger. I have gotten this far in the series and will keep reading.
January 21, 2019
Nice start of series and I’m hoping fo more and better next time as the end of plot suggests. Interesting and enjoyable time passer. Recommended.
February 11, 2019
Another great entry in the Amber Reed series, looking forward to the next one to see what happens between Amber/Charlie/Dan/Martha.......
February 18, 2019
Good
This is a series that brings one young woman from England to a job that investigates crime that involves movie staes.
This is a series that brings one young woman from England to a job that investigates crime that involves movie staes.
June 24, 2019
Excellent, interesting and entertaining
October 30, 2019
CCIA agent story!
Storyline about CCIA agents who are hired to find the murderer of three people that are in a show. A lot of action, but more up and down romance being told.
Storyline about CCIA agents who are hired to find the murderer of three people that are in a show. A lot of action, but more up and down romance being told.
June 29, 2021
This one was better than the last.
October 28, 2021
The CCIA is on the ball, isn’t it??? Or, are they??? At least Amber is!!!! Never borrow someone elses car!!! I enjoyed the story and recommend the book.
January 17, 2022
Only pity . . . The story needs an eagle-eyed proofreader to raise it to 4*
July 24, 2022
On a break?
The cases keep coming, Charlie & Amber are working together again. Can they solve a case & save their relationship?
The cases keep coming, Charlie & Amber are working together again. Can they solve a case & save their relationship?
August 7, 2022
STILL
I still dislike the spelling and grammar errors! Plot fair! Amber is such a whiner though. I hope she gets some self esteem and trusts Charlie. Dan is not for her!
I still dislike the spelling and grammar errors! Plot fair! Amber is such a whiner though. I hope she gets some self esteem and trusts Charlie. Dan is not for her!
February 22, 2023
This was a fun read. Between trying to find the murderer and trust issues will they ever find out who did it. Romance is in the air or lack of but at what cost to the investigation.
October 1, 2024
Why amber just keeps whining and whining and author, why not put ur energy into writing a proper and fun mystery???!!!!
May 17, 2019
Three murders, 4 agents
Three members of the cast of a soap opera are murdered with a few days. It is high-profile so 4 people are assigned. Tensions run high because of the pressure to solve it quickly and the emotional fallout from the last case.
Three members of the cast of a soap opera are murdered with a few days. It is high-profile so 4 people are assigned. Tensions run high because of the pressure to solve it quickly and the emotional fallout from the last case.
April 9, 2017
I have so far read all the Amber Reed books, She is a bit annoying with her trust issues, but otherwise I found them fnnny, enjoyable and well written can't wait for your next book.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews