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PI Cassie Cruise #1
Lane Changes
Cassie Cruise wants her life back as a kick-ass P.I. Trouble is, she has zero credibility since bungling a case on reality TV. After a public tantrum, she slinks off to bury her head in the sandy beaches of Southwest Florida. Just as she starts over as the owner of The Big Prick Tattoo Shop, a body is discovered in the trunk of her burning car. Cassie's aware there are those who'd get in line for their turn to torch her car. But murder? You don't have to like her, but you damn well better respect her. And get out of her way—this is one case she intends to solve, with or without an audience.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 20, 2014
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February 17, 2015I have to be honest and say that I did not care for this book. I am a huge mystery fan and when I read the synopsis I thought that this would be an instant hit, however, it was the complete opposite. I had many problems with this book, starting with the main character. Cassie, to me, is very unlikeable. Instead of coming off tough and in charge, Cassie’s character is mean, judgmental, abrupt, rude, and selfish. As the main character and narrator, one has to have some redeeming qualities to endear them to the reader, none of which were exhibited until the very end when a friend’s illness was revealed.
Another issue I have with this book is that it is the first in the series, yet we are dropped into her life and given very little back story into our character and her friends. As a reader I often felt lost, confused, and a bit angry at the lack of information. We are teased with bits of why she moved and snippets of her family’s dynamics, but they are introduced too far into the story for my taste, leaving me very frustrated. Cassie’s fiancé, Vince, is mentioned multiple times throughout the story, but hardly even exhibited in it. We have no clue how long they have been together, when they met, whether he followed her from Michigan to Florida or met her in Florida; essentially there is no substance to their relationship. When he is constantly attending to Cassie’s neighbor’s needs instead of her own, we as a reader have no standard on which to judge him or view him. Is he a cad cheating on her? Or is he a very helpful person and this behavior is typical? Instead Vince feels as if he is just a prop for Cassie and not a real character. The same goes for Cassie’s best friend Janice, who is given more involvement, but the same lack of history, personality, and chemistry.
The mystery itself was a bit strange as well. It starts with the burning car and charred body, but has very little to do with it. Cassie is hardly questioned at all about the event and we never hear of the police making any headway into solving it. In fact, Cassie does not even really look into the burning car. Instead the mystery is mostly about the neighbor; Cassie’s search for the biological father and her looking into the strange personality changes. I will say that the mystery surrounding her neighbor was interesting and written in a captivating way.
Another issue I have with this book is that it is the first in the series, yet we are dropped into her life and given very little back story into our character and her friends. As a reader I often felt lost, confused, and a bit angry at the lack of information. We are teased with bits of why she moved and snippets of her family’s dynamics, but they are introduced too far into the story for my taste, leaving me very frustrated. Cassie’s fiancé, Vince, is mentioned multiple times throughout the story, but hardly even exhibited in it. We have no clue how long they have been together, when they met, whether he followed her from Michigan to Florida or met her in Florida; essentially there is no substance to their relationship. When he is constantly attending to Cassie’s neighbor’s needs instead of her own, we as a reader have no standard on which to judge him or view him. Is he a cad cheating on her? Or is he a very helpful person and this behavior is typical? Instead Vince feels as if he is just a prop for Cassie and not a real character. The same goes for Cassie’s best friend Janice, who is given more involvement, but the same lack of history, personality, and chemistry.
The mystery itself was a bit strange as well. It starts with the burning car and charred body, but has very little to do with it. Cassie is hardly questioned at all about the event and we never hear of the police making any headway into solving it. In fact, Cassie does not even really look into the burning car. Instead the mystery is mostly about the neighbor; Cassie’s search for the biological father and her looking into the strange personality changes. I will say that the mystery surrounding her neighbor was interesting and written in a captivating way.
January 22, 2015
Danita's Thoughts: For a fun mystery with just enough clues this is the right book for you. This is a great story and a good start for new author S.L. Ellis. I'd be interested to see how the series progresses. Cassie's character is brash but fun to read. You have your character to hate Loretta aka Tillie and you have the Del, the detective who helps Cassie feel vindicated and he does the right thing who is also a mama's boy but someone you can't help but love. Then you have the boyfriend who should be supportive but isn't and then there is her best friend Lane who's personality changes at the drop of a hat hence the title 'Lane Changes'. Then of course you have to have the family drama in the case it's her mom with the issues and the love hate relationship. Overall the book has all the right elements to keep you turning the page and wanting to know what comes next. Overall I enjoyed the story and the book.
Grade: A
Sarah's Thoughts: Thoughts: Well, honestly I was not a fan of the main character, and it was just an okay read for me. I didn’t find Cassie anywhere near a ‘kick-ass’ P.I. that she is supposed to come across as….if anything I found her a bit scatterbrained, annoying, and not tough at all. I didn’t really like Cassie that much at all really, and that is a crucial factor for me in these kinds of books. Additionally, there were also so many sub-plots and side stories going on that it just disrupted the flow of the story overall for me and made it difficult to get through the book.
The saving grace? The mystery aspect of it was what really kept it going, and that is what really held it together for me and kept me reading. Having to know the ‘who done it?’ of it all drove me crazy, and that part of it was more evenly paced throughout the book - never giving too much away, always giving you enough to just manage to keep you guessing. All in all, an enjoyable ‘who dun’ it’ mystery.
Rate: C
Grade: A
Sarah's Thoughts: Thoughts: Well, honestly I was not a fan of the main character, and it was just an okay read for me. I didn’t find Cassie anywhere near a ‘kick-ass’ P.I. that she is supposed to come across as….if anything I found her a bit scatterbrained, annoying, and not tough at all. I didn’t really like Cassie that much at all really, and that is a crucial factor for me in these kinds of books. Additionally, there were also so many sub-plots and side stories going on that it just disrupted the flow of the story overall for me and made it difficult to get through the book.
The saving grace? The mystery aspect of it was what really kept it going, and that is what really held it together for me and kept me reading. Having to know the ‘who done it?’ of it all drove me crazy, and that part of it was more evenly paced throughout the book - never giving too much away, always giving you enough to just manage to keep you guessing. All in all, an enjoyable ‘who dun’ it’ mystery.
Rate: C
January 16, 2015
This is the story of the brash Cassie trying to get herself together in a new state after being embarassed on TV. Suddenly she is placed in the role of PI again when her car is torched and a body is found in the trunk. The story at times is fun and other times serious. Mainly fun as the main character who is definitely not a people person drives herself to figure out her neighbor, mess up her personal life and solve the mystery of who torched her car.
At times Cassie will irritate you. Once something gets under her skin she will not let it go. This frustrates her boyfriend who at times is wonderful but the topic of Lane is when he is a doof and nonsupportive. Than you have Janice who is funny and helps bring a lightness to the story. The story though is Lane. How Lane has changes personalities and who she is. Cassie goes on a quest to figure this girl out because she has a gut feeling that she has something to do with her car.
Each character is unique in their own way. Some will have you growl like Loretta (Tillie), some are douchy but also a mama's boy (Del), the detective who makes Cassie feel validated is nice and does the right thing, Cassie who is brash and intrusive as well but it makes you like her, Cassie's boyfriend who is sweet but when Cassie needs him to be supportive he isn't, Janice who is fun and lighthearted and a bit of a gossip, and Lane who just will have you head spin with all the changes in her personality. As you learn her past you see what she was and what she has endured in her life. Her mom was a piece of work.
A fun mystery that will have you smile and sit back and enjoy as you read about the brash Cassie and her new case.
At times Cassie will irritate you. Once something gets under her skin she will not let it go. This frustrates her boyfriend who at times is wonderful but the topic of Lane is when he is a doof and nonsupportive. Than you have Janice who is funny and helps bring a lightness to the story. The story though is Lane. How Lane has changes personalities and who she is. Cassie goes on a quest to figure this girl out because she has a gut feeling that she has something to do with her car.
Each character is unique in their own way. Some will have you growl like Loretta (Tillie), some are douchy but also a mama's boy (Del), the detective who makes Cassie feel validated is nice and does the right thing, Cassie who is brash and intrusive as well but it makes you like her, Cassie's boyfriend who is sweet but when Cassie needs him to be supportive he isn't, Janice who is fun and lighthearted and a bit of a gossip, and Lane who just will have you head spin with all the changes in her personality. As you learn her past you see what she was and what she has endured in her life. Her mom was a piece of work.
A fun mystery that will have you smile and sit back and enjoy as you read about the brash Cassie and her new case.
January 5, 2015
Cassie is a woman who is now living in Florida, owns a tattoo shop and has few friends. She has been hiding ever since her life as a PI went to hell due to messing up on a case on her reality show. Cassie has been living a quiet life working at the shop, spending time with her friend and her fiancee.
Things went to hell for her when her car went up in flames in her driveway and then there was a body found in the trunk of her car. Needless to say, this doesn't help her settle in and live a calm life. Cassie is trying to help figure out who is the body in the trunk of her car and why someone did this to her.
Her neighbor Lane asks her to look into finding her father. However, something seems off to Cassie .... Lane seems to be changing personalities. Will Cassie be able to figure out why someone burned her car and stuffed a body in the trunk? Will Cassie be able to help her neighbor with finding her father? Will Cassie be able to figure out what is going on with her neighbor and why she seems to be changing?
If you like mystery novels that have a great family around the main character, pick this one up. It reminds me a lot of the Stephanie Plum Novels.
Things went to hell for her when her car went up in flames in her driveway and then there was a body found in the trunk of her car. Needless to say, this doesn't help her settle in and live a calm life. Cassie is trying to help figure out who is the body in the trunk of her car and why someone did this to her.
Her neighbor Lane asks her to look into finding her father. However, something seems off to Cassie .... Lane seems to be changing personalities. Will Cassie be able to figure out why someone burned her car and stuffed a body in the trunk? Will Cassie be able to help her neighbor with finding her father? Will Cassie be able to figure out what is going on with her neighbor and why she seems to be changing?
If you like mystery novels that have a great family around the main character, pick this one up. It reminds me a lot of the Stephanie Plum Novels.
January 5, 2015
Cassie is a woman who is now living in Florida, owns a tattoo shop and has few friends. She has been hiding ever since her life as a PI went to hell due to messing up on a case on her reality show. Cassie has been living a quiet life working at the shop, spending time with her friend and her fiancee.
Things went to hell for her when her car went up in flames in her driveway and then there was a body found in the trunk of her car. Needless to say, this doesn't help her settle in and live a calm life. Cassie is trying to help figure out who is the body in the trunk of her car and why someone did this to her.
Her neighbor Lane asks her to look into finding her father. However, something seems off to Cassie .... Lane seems to be changing personalities. Will Cassie be able to figure out why someone burned her car and stuffed a body in the trunk? Will Cassie be able to help her neighbor with finding her father? Will Cassie be able to figure out what is going on with her neighbor and why she seems to be changing?
If you like mystery novels that have a great family around the main character, pick this one up. It reminds me a lot of the Stephanie Plum Novels.
Things went to hell for her when her car went up in flames in her driveway and then there was a body found in the trunk of her car. Needless to say, this doesn't help her settle in and live a calm life. Cassie is trying to help figure out who is the body in the trunk of her car and why someone did this to her.
Her neighbor Lane asks her to look into finding her father. However, something seems off to Cassie .... Lane seems to be changing personalities. Will Cassie be able to figure out why someone burned her car and stuffed a body in the trunk? Will Cassie be able to help her neighbor with finding her father? Will Cassie be able to figure out what is going on with her neighbor and why she seems to be changing?
If you like mystery novels that have a great family around the main character, pick this one up. It reminds me a lot of the Stephanie Plum Novels.
January 3, 2015
Lane Changes is the first book in a brand new series by emerging author S.L. Ellis. Refreshing and a a new genre for me to explore this book offers an escape from life to get inside Cassie Cruise's head and her antics at trying to repair her reputation and a private investigator.
After throwing the mother of all tantrum's Cassie's reputation has taken a nosedive as a private investigator. Packing her bags and moving to the sunny neighborhood geriatric community of Florida she knows that nothing could possible get any worse.
But when Cassie is hired once again her life takes on a new turn filled with danger, mystery, and a woman who doesn't know when to stop being nosy. A thrill from the first page, readers will fall in love with Cassie who isn't your run of the mill lead female character but offers rather a more realistic character.
Overall I thought this was a wonderful book and I recommend it for anyone looking to read something new and refreshing!
4 out of 5 STARS!
After throwing the mother of all tantrum's Cassie's reputation has taken a nosedive as a private investigator. Packing her bags and moving to the sunny neighborhood geriatric community of Florida she knows that nothing could possible get any worse.
But when Cassie is hired once again her life takes on a new turn filled with danger, mystery, and a woman who doesn't know when to stop being nosy. A thrill from the first page, readers will fall in love with Cassie who isn't your run of the mill lead female character but offers rather a more realistic character.
Overall I thought this was a wonderful book and I recommend it for anyone looking to read something new and refreshing!
4 out of 5 STARS!
January 9, 2015
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Cassie Cruise is a take no nonsense kind of girl. She will also put herself into your business, make her opinion known, tell just like it is whether you want to know or not. Her personality is overpowering with a lot of spunk and pizzazz behind her. God that woman made me laugh. She is a strong woman, with a sixth sense when it comes to people. I hope when I am 49 I’ve got the energy and charisma that Cassie Cruise has!
Lane Changes was a welcome surprise to my reading pallet. S.L. Ellis really pulled her headers in with captivating and funny characters, fast-paced story that kept you guessing and lots of action to keep the pages turning. For a mystery I laughed a lot. A great start to a new series.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher/author for an honest review. Receiving a complimentary copy of this title does not affect the outcome of this review.
Cassie Cruise is a take no nonsense kind of girl. She will also put herself into your business, make her opinion known, tell just like it is whether you want to know or not. Her personality is overpowering with a lot of spunk and pizzazz behind her. God that woman made me laugh. She is a strong woman, with a sixth sense when it comes to people. I hope when I am 49 I’ve got the energy and charisma that Cassie Cruise has!
Lane Changes was a welcome surprise to my reading pallet. S.L. Ellis really pulled her headers in with captivating and funny characters, fast-paced story that kept you guessing and lots of action to keep the pages turning. For a mystery I laughed a lot. A great start to a new series.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher/author for an honest review. Receiving a complimentary copy of this title does not affect the outcome of this review.
January 22, 2015
Great New Series!
This is a great start to a new series. This is the first book in the PI Cassie Cruise Series by SL Ellis. Cassie Cruise was a kick ass Private Investigator that was until she messed up a case on a reality TV case. Now she is trying to lay low and starting over as the owner of The Big Prick Tattoo Shop. Things go to hell very fast when someone blows her car up with a body in it. Cassie is determined to solve the case and get to being a PI. The characters in this book are enjoyable, and will have you laughing out loud. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
This is a great start to a new series. This is the first book in the PI Cassie Cruise Series by SL Ellis. Cassie Cruise was a kick ass Private Investigator that was until she messed up a case on a reality TV case. Now she is trying to lay low and starting over as the owner of The Big Prick Tattoo Shop. Things go to hell very fast when someone blows her car up with a body in it. Cassie is determined to solve the case and get to being a PI. The characters in this book are enjoyable, and will have you laughing out loud. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
May 1, 2015
First, I want to start off with I know how hard it is to publish a book, get readers and then get those readers to review. Second, the mystery is interesting and had me guessing, which I absolutely love. However, the main drawback is the main character, Cassie. There's no easy way to say this - she is such a witch (with a "b.") Cassie is exactly the type of person I can not stand! Quick to judge, quick-tempered, getting in everyone's way, a sense of entitlement, and kind of reminds me of a sociopath. I want to like the protagonist and not feel like I want to throw her off a cliff. Unless Cassie gets some major therapy between this book and the next one and undergoes a massive personality change, I'll take a pass.
June 4, 2015
This book has all the right elements to keep you turning the page and wanting to know what comes next. The mystery aspect was evenly paced throughout the book. Ms. Ellis didn’t give too much away, but managed to give just enough to keep you guessing. The storyline was good, but there was wasn’t much character development. I found it frustrating that little, if any, background and relationship information was forthcoming about the main characters at the beginning of the book. I was disappointed that we didn’t find out what happened to Lane and that Cassie’s love life was unresolved. I'm interested in seeing how this series progresses and hope there will be more books in this series.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2014
I enjoyed this book - the plot and characters drew me in quickly and kept me engaged. I loved Cassie and her snarky sense of humor - she is a flawed character with lots of problems, but you can't help but love her and root for her.
The reason for 4 stars instead of five is that the last part of the book seemed to "get lost in the weeds" - a complex plot with lots of details that just didn't flow as well as it could have. Despite this, this is a wonderful book and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a complementary ARC in exchange for and honest review.
The reason for 4 stars instead of five is that the last part of the book seemed to "get lost in the weeds" - a complex plot with lots of details that just didn't flow as well as it could have. Despite this, this is a wonderful book and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a complementary ARC in exchange for and honest review.
January 4, 2015
*** obsessed by books arc given for an honest review ***
Its about a woman who loves to get in peoples business, she loves it but I mean she is PI so its in her blood.
Cassie has put her PI job in jeopardy by throwing a fit on reality tv.
with her tale between her legs Cassie travels to Florida to start over as a owner of a tattoo shop, when a murder happens that's to close for comfort. She is determine to solve the case and fix the mess she put her name in. I really enjoyed this book it was a refreshing change.
Its about a woman who loves to get in peoples business, she loves it but I mean she is PI so its in her blood.
Cassie has put her PI job in jeopardy by throwing a fit on reality tv.
with her tale between her legs Cassie travels to Florida to start over as a owner of a tattoo shop, when a murder happens that's to close for comfort. She is determine to solve the case and fix the mess she put her name in. I really enjoyed this book it was a refreshing change.
September 15, 2015
Lane Changes is the first book in the Cassie Cruise mystery series. Cassiewasa fantastic kick butt P.I that is until she messed up on a case on a Reality T.V show. Now she has moved to Florida to start over as the owner of the Big Prick Tattoo parlor. Things go to hell fast when someone puts a dead body in the trunk of her car and than blows the car up. Cassie is determined to solve this case and get back to her real job as a P.I . A fun read .I loved the Cassie character she is a take charge quick tempered Women.
March 19, 2015
I really liked Cassie!! She is pretty funny!! I really liked that she is a strong female character! She gets in your business and doesn't take any crap from anyone... that's refreshing to see! She has her own story as well, but this book seems to have a couple of stories going on at the same time.. it's like watching a soap opera..lol
It's a very good first book, and I look forward to reading more from S.L. Ellis..
It's a very good first book, and I look forward to reading more from S.L. Ellis..
January 3, 2015
I really liked Cassie!! She is pretty funny!! I really liked that she is a strong female character! She gets in your business and doesn't take any crap from anyone... that's refreshing to see! She has her own story as well, but this book seems to have a couple of stories going on at the same time.. it's like watching a soap opera..lol
It's a very good first book, and I look forward to reading more from S.L. Ellis..
It's a very good first book, and I look forward to reading more from S.L. Ellis..
June 20, 2015
An interesting mystery. Cassie Cruise is a private investigator who has a case fall into her lap after a burned up body is found in the trunk of her car. In order to solve this mystery she has to untangle a series of webs surrounding her neighbor Lane and part of Lane's family. Along for the ride is Cassie boyfriend, Vince and her crazy friend Janice.
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2014
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review. This author is new to me. I started this book and didn't put it down until the end. The story line really draws you in. Very well written. Cassie is a wonderful character. No spoilers from me, I want everyone to read and enjoy.
January 4, 2015
**Obsessed by books ARC given for honest review**
This book was a breathe of fresh air, not my normal read but I loved it dearly. Can not wait for more
This book was a breathe of fresh air, not my normal read but I loved it dearly. Can not wait for more
March 19, 2015
really enjoyed cassie's story and all the characters,will pass book along
March 8, 2015
Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes
This book is a little outside my normal genre because I don't generally read detective novels or mysteries. It was perhaps hard for me to get attached to the main character which perhaps is more common in this genre because the action can take priority over the intricacies of the relationships? The warmth I usually expect out of a leading lady was definitely lacking so I found myself fixating instead on the details of the case that landed on her doorstep. (Her car is set on fire in front of her house and a body is discovered in the trunk so it would be hard to ignore such a thing!)
I found the suspicious behavior of the neighbour a bit obvious and, without her history as a PI, Cassie probably wouldn't have gotten so deeply involved in the case. There was some implication that she was concerned about Lane's changed personality, which I took as slightly interfering and not really grounds for the amount of snooping that followed. She obviously couldn't help herself!
I was in the dark for most of the novel, in terms of the investigation and in terms of who Cassie was. It felt like this was a sequel to something and that I'd missed the back story. Her fiance seemed to only be around half the time and their relationship was only superficially put into the story, I'm not sure why as this may have given us more clues about Cassie herself.
At the end I was left with only half the answers I was seeking and more than a little frustrated. While the body was identified and the killer revealed I still wasn't really clear on the motive or how the murder took place. The relationships of the victim and murderer were so complicated it was difficult to follow who was trying to get who...
If I'd felt more of an affinity for Cassie then Lane Changes would likely have received a higher rating because I could have been cheering for her, instead I just wanted to get to the end to see how it turned out. I think there's probably something endearing about Cassie- I just wish I'd felt it accross the pages, I needed just a little bit more to hold on to.
Thank you to Rock Star Lit for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
This book is a little outside my normal genre because I don't generally read detective novels or mysteries. It was perhaps hard for me to get attached to the main character which perhaps is more common in this genre because the action can take priority over the intricacies of the relationships? The warmth I usually expect out of a leading lady was definitely lacking so I found myself fixating instead on the details of the case that landed on her doorstep. (Her car is set on fire in front of her house and a body is discovered in the trunk so it would be hard to ignore such a thing!)
I found the suspicious behavior of the neighbour a bit obvious and, without her history as a PI, Cassie probably wouldn't have gotten so deeply involved in the case. There was some implication that she was concerned about Lane's changed personality, which I took as slightly interfering and not really grounds for the amount of snooping that followed. She obviously couldn't help herself!
I was in the dark for most of the novel, in terms of the investigation and in terms of who Cassie was. It felt like this was a sequel to something and that I'd missed the back story. Her fiance seemed to only be around half the time and their relationship was only superficially put into the story, I'm not sure why as this may have given us more clues about Cassie herself.
At the end I was left with only half the answers I was seeking and more than a little frustrated. While the body was identified and the killer revealed I still wasn't really clear on the motive or how the murder took place. The relationships of the victim and murderer were so complicated it was difficult to follow who was trying to get who...
If I'd felt more of an affinity for Cassie then Lane Changes would likely have received a higher rating because I could have been cheering for her, instead I just wanted to get to the end to see how it turned out. I think there's probably something endearing about Cassie- I just wish I'd felt it accross the pages, I needed just a little bit more to hold on to.
Thank you to Rock Star Lit for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
February 24, 2015
Originally at The Fictional Reader
2.5/5
I was really hoping to love this one! I tend to like mystery books, especially if it’s told through the perspective of a female P.I./bounty hunter/investigator. They tend to be funny and highly enjoyable. Unfortunately, I didn’t really like this one.
I’ll start by saying that the only reason I didn’t DNF this book is because I was curious about the murder. I wanted to know who did it! That aspect of the book was definitely interesting. I was convinced I knew who did it in the beginning but I DIDN’T. Took me by surprise I have to say. The investigation part -although weird and a tad creepy- was intriguing too. I got to go along with Cassie as she uncovered the mystery piece by piece.
To be honest, the reason I didn’t really like this book was the main character. I disliked Cassie so much that it actually bothered me while reading. I had to stop on several accounts just to roll my eyes or breathe deeply to calm myself. I’m just going to say it: Cassie is a bitch. And there is a difference between being bitchy sometimes and being one full-time. Cassie was the latter. She was rude and mean to absolutely everyone even the people she loves. She is judgmental and instantly has a judgement ready about someone without even bothering to get to know them. And the way she just has to stick her nose into everyone’s lives. IT DRIVES ME CRAZY. Lady, that is absolutely NONE of your business. I just couldn’t deal with it.
Also, there is no mention of Cassie’s age in the description and after I looked at the cover, I assumed she’d be in her 20s/30s. She’s not though. I think she’s in her fifties. And there is definitely nothing wrong with a main character of that age, that’s not what I’m saying. I just wasn’t expecting it and since I am 20 myself, it’s harder for me to relate to Cassie.
I am the first person to give this book a lowish rating though. I’ve seen other reviews on Goodreads and they all seemed to love this book. Maybe it’s worth giving it a go, maybe you won’t find the main character as infuriating as I did.
2.5/5
I was really hoping to love this one! I tend to like mystery books, especially if it’s told through the perspective of a female P.I./bounty hunter/investigator. They tend to be funny and highly enjoyable. Unfortunately, I didn’t really like this one.
I’ll start by saying that the only reason I didn’t DNF this book is because I was curious about the murder. I wanted to know who did it! That aspect of the book was definitely interesting. I was convinced I knew who did it in the beginning but I DIDN’T. Took me by surprise I have to say. The investigation part -although weird and a tad creepy- was intriguing too. I got to go along with Cassie as she uncovered the mystery piece by piece.
To be honest, the reason I didn’t really like this book was the main character. I disliked Cassie so much that it actually bothered me while reading. I had to stop on several accounts just to roll my eyes or breathe deeply to calm myself. I’m just going to say it: Cassie is a bitch. And there is a difference between being bitchy sometimes and being one full-time. Cassie was the latter. She was rude and mean to absolutely everyone even the people she loves. She is judgmental and instantly has a judgement ready about someone without even bothering to get to know them. And the way she just has to stick her nose into everyone’s lives. IT DRIVES ME CRAZY. Lady, that is absolutely NONE of your business. I just couldn’t deal with it.
Also, there is no mention of Cassie’s age in the description and after I looked at the cover, I assumed she’d be in her 20s/30s. She’s not though. I think she’s in her fifties. And there is definitely nothing wrong with a main character of that age, that’s not what I’m saying. I just wasn’t expecting it and since I am 20 myself, it’s harder for me to relate to Cassie.
I am the first person to give this book a lowish rating though. I’ve seen other reviews on Goodreads and they all seemed to love this book. Maybe it’s worth giving it a go, maybe you won’t find the main character as infuriating as I did.
January 11, 2015
3.5 stars!
was really excited about reading this book. It sounded exciting and fresh. I hadn't read a good mystery in a while and it seemed very noir, a genre I'd fallen in love with both reading and watching Veronica Mars. The book started off great and I was soon turning pages as fast as I could read them, but when the book finished I was left with lots of questions.
While reading the book, I started getting the feeling I was missing back story, so I thought there might be a prequel novella or novel I'd missed. I did some research and was surprised to discover that this was in fact the first book in a series. That meant the confusion I had while reading was legitimate. I also wasn't sure what was going on with some of the characters. The romance between Cassie and her fiance was negligent and at one point Cassie confessed doing something I didn't recall reading.
When it came to the cast of this mystery, I was always unsure who to trust and what was going on. I liked Cassie and her determination to find out what was going on, especially since she'd been targeted to take the fall. However the case was sort of out there and I felt little to no sympathy for anyone I read about. It seemed like everyone was hiding something. I also wanted to know more about Cassie's apparently spectacular public failure which was only alluded to and not really mentioned.
The mystery while it didn't make much sense, is what had me turning pages. I wanted to know who had died and why the body was placed in Cassie's trunk. The more I read, the less I felt I knew. Even at the end when the killer's identity was revealed, I had no idea why/how the murder had taken place. I may pick up the second book in this series, whenever it comes out, to see if I can make any more sense of the characters and what's going on in their lives.
was really excited about reading this book. It sounded exciting and fresh. I hadn't read a good mystery in a while and it seemed very noir, a genre I'd fallen in love with both reading and watching Veronica Mars. The book started off great and I was soon turning pages as fast as I could read them, but when the book finished I was left with lots of questions.
While reading the book, I started getting the feeling I was missing back story, so I thought there might be a prequel novella or novel I'd missed. I did some research and was surprised to discover that this was in fact the first book in a series. That meant the confusion I had while reading was legitimate. I also wasn't sure what was going on with some of the characters. The romance between Cassie and her fiance was negligent and at one point Cassie confessed doing something I didn't recall reading.
When it came to the cast of this mystery, I was always unsure who to trust and what was going on. I liked Cassie and her determination to find out what was going on, especially since she'd been targeted to take the fall. However the case was sort of out there and I felt little to no sympathy for anyone I read about. It seemed like everyone was hiding something. I also wanted to know more about Cassie's apparently spectacular public failure which was only alluded to and not really mentioned.
The mystery while it didn't make much sense, is what had me turning pages. I wanted to know who had died and why the body was placed in Cassie's trunk. The more I read, the less I felt I knew. Even at the end when the killer's identity was revealed, I had no idea why/how the murder had taken place. I may pick up the second book in this series, whenever it comes out, to see if I can make any more sense of the characters and what's going on in their lives.
January 18, 2015
I love women P.I.'s and strong female leads. The problem with this book is, Cassie was neither and her story was incredibly hard to follow. There were too many characters, too much going on and a very rambling plot. I was never sure whether the author was going for a serious or a slap-stick mystery. While a good premise for a novel I was disappointed in the execution.
**Thanks to NetGalley for an e-copy of this book in return for an honest review.
**Thanks to NetGalley for an e-copy of this book in return for an honest review.
March 15, 2015
Read my full review on Book Bumblings
This book wasn't bad and I can see the appeal, but it wasn't for me. I kind of sludged through it and it was kind of hard to get through. It was just kind of anticlimactic? I don't want to say boring, but kind of. Then, I hate that kind of ending in general, so when I did finish I was frustrated.
This book wasn't bad and I can see the appeal, but it wasn't for me. I kind of sludged through it and it was kind of hard to get through. It was just kind of anticlimactic? I don't want to say boring, but kind of. Then, I hate that kind of ending in general, so when I did finish I was frustrated.
April 8, 2015
I gave this book 1 star because it was really hard to follow. I felt like the authors thoughts were everywhere and I had a difficult time keepin track with what was going on. She would throw out randon thoughts that ended up having nothing to do with the story.
Also,this book was poorly edited. A couple of places I found repeat sentences. As is... Sentence 1, Sentence 2 then Sentence 1 again. It's like the editor didn't even read the book.
I would pass this book up.
Also,this book was poorly edited. A couple of places I found repeat sentences. As is... Sentence 1, Sentence 2 then Sentence 1 again. It's like the editor didn't even read the book.
I would pass this book up.
February 16, 2016
A different who-dunit. Usually you love the PI/dectective in a book - not so in this one. But the plot is really good and keeps you guessing- so many twists and turns that happen. I liked that as the story progressed we found out some about Cassie's background and what makes her the person is currently is. I will be watching out for a second book featuring Cassie Cruise.
“I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review”.
“I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review”.
December 31, 2016
Murder mystery with a twist that keeps you guessing till the end.
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