Poisoned Tarts

A Savannah Reid Mystery #13

by G.A. McKevett

What happens when too rich and too thin becomes too deadly?

Voluptuous P.I. Savannah Reid is about to find out as she delves into the disappearance of a celebrity hanger - on that soon leads to something more sinister. As Halloween draws near, Savannah will have to learn a killer's deadly 'tricks' before someone else is 'treated' to murder.... Halloween in Southern California just doesn't have the frosty bite Savannah's used to, although her latest job promises chills aplenty.

The Skeleton Key Three, a celebutante clique so named by the media because of their super-skinny figures and fat trust funds, are in the spotlight again - but this time, it's for something more than partying. It seems the one member of the Three who was neither wealthy nor particularly svelte hasn't been heard from in days.

The missing girl's name is Daisy O'Neil, and by all accounts, she had little in common with her so-called friends Tiffy, Kiki, and Bunny. Chubby, smart, and less-than-privileged, Daisy's role in the Three seems to have been primarily to be the victim of their vicious jibes and pranks.

When Savannah learns that Tiffy's acting aspirations were threatened by Daisy's genuine talent, the poor little rich girl begins to look big-time guilty. But just when Savannah thinks she has it all figured out - except where the body is stashed - the vibe surrounding the Skeleton Key Three changes from vacuous and suspicious to downright murderous. As preparations are being made for a monster Halloween party, to be held on the Dante compound, the patriarch himself is spotted dressed as Dracula, laid out in his coffin, complete with a real stake through his no-longer-beating heart.

Now, with the party seriously pooped and the tabloids on a tear, Savannah will have to put her Halloween candy on the shelf until she's deserving of a reward. And that means finding a killer - fast - before more Hollywood money becomes buried treasure....

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Halloween

292 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Since publication of her first novel in 1986, Sonja Massie has authored over sixty published works, including the highly popular and critically acclaimed SAVANNAH REID MYSTERIES under the pseudonym G. A. McKevett.

Sonja's novels range from Irish historicals to contemporary thrillers. Her earthy humor and fast-paced plots delight her fans, while critics applaud her offbeat characterizations and incisive observations on human nature.

Irish by ancestry, Sonja has authored two non-fiction books on the history of Ireland: THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO IRISH HISTORY AND CULTURE and IRISH PRIDE: 101 REASONS TO BE PROUD YOU'RE IRISH. Both books impart detailed knowledge of the complex and controversial Irish story with a light hand and plenty of humor. Her Irish novels include: DREAM CARVER, CAROUSEL, DAUGHTER OF IRELAND and the bestselling FAR AND AWAY - the novelization of the Ron Howard movie starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.

On nationwide tours, Sonja lectures to published and "pre-published" authors in her workshop, "The Novel Approach," a seminar which covers such topics as: story structure, characterization, plotting, pacing, and marketing manuscripts.

Sonja has taught numerous courses at university and adult continuing education facilities including: general fiction, historical research, and mystery writing. She was managing editor at "Single Living" magazine and has functioned as a manuscript doctor and storyline editor for major publishers. Earlier in her career, she was a prolific ghostwriter, authoring both fictional and non-fictional books for celebrities and professionals.

Having lived in Los Angeles, Toronto, and County Kerry, Ireland, she now resides in New York.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series, I’ve read all of them, I just didn’t put them on here at the time !

[Susanchitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheesy but fun. Kind of like a Hallmark mystery movie with an edge to it. The characters were great and there were twists and turns to the mystery and murder that kept me guessing. Not great literature but great for when you just want something easy and light.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Sometimes justice really is done. I loved who got arrested at the end of this book because these people needed it. The story was good with lots of twists and turns and of course I enjoyed the characters.

[Jann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book. Love the main character Savannah Reid. She is a middle aged women a little overweight, a little sarcastic, loves to cook and take care of people. A lot like me.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read - feeding my hunger for a good mystery.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one started out as a pretty funny story😆 with Savannah taking down that guy at the grocery store but ended with me crying my eyes out😭. These "mean girls" took things waaay to far and then expecting the police to let them go like nothing happened at all, I was seeing RED😠. I really like getting emotionally involved with a book and this one did the trick 😉.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite in the series. I missed Tammy in this one.
The 'big clue' in the story annoyed me. I don't want to give anything away, but that is not how library computers work. At least they don't in our system, and thank goodness for that!

[D. Wickles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun mystery with Savannah and her gang with a visit from Granny Reid.

[Teresa mcgaha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure why I abandoned this series, but I have read 4 in the last month. Kinda easy when I have on my e reader and a hard copy


This time a girl goes missing and the Hollywood elite seem to be at the center of it. The skeleton key as they are called ( considering the age of this book, might be a reference to a famous family that was up and coming at the time)

While this was going on, another murder happens at the estate of the brattiest one. This is when secrets coming flying out of the woodwork.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another mystery solved when the father of a rich Tiffany Dante is killed during the set up of the Halloween party of the year. A sometimes friend is missing and then Savannah and Dirk must find her and solve the mysterious death of Tiffany's father before the Halloween party can commence.
Great lead up to the clues and solving the mystery. Gran is visiting again and watching Tammy find clues through the computer. I love this series and the twists and turns of these mysteries.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad that it had a happy ending. Although, it was written in 2008, what happened to Daisy is as relevant now as it was back then. Bullying is a major problem that people shouldn't overlook because the perpetrators are rich and feel entitled since no one has ever taught them boundaries or a sense of morality and decency. Hopefully, this will go toward alleviating some of the guilt that Savannah felt over not finding Maggie in time. A wonderful read that I will be reading again.

[Karen Ditsch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tend to like this series but this one was way too much like a South Park episode where Cartman kidnaps Butters so he can go to Casa Bonita. I did despise the suspects which I think the author wanted so that's a plus for her. Not my favorite of the series.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

i did borrow this from my local library leaning program, and i have read others from G.A. McKevett and i will continue to so in the future. love these books covers. what fun!! i wonder if this would be considered a "cozy mystery"??

[Katharine Coggeshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy McKevett and her Savannah Reid series. This was not my favorite in the series as it had a bit of a young Hollywood feel to it that made you think of Paris Hilton and her era of misbehavior. It was still fun to read and followed her famous recipe for storytelling. The series is worth reading.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and quick read, even if a little corny.

[Susan Moxley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page turner with lots of twists and turns and lots of mystery and action to the very end. It will keep you guessing.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be one of the best in the series.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another hit!

This series is great because the characters are so alive. Savannah and Firm's relationship continues to grow. Also the other relationships meld so nicely

[L.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of interesting twists, turned out very different from what I was expecting!

[Alicia Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Savannah Reid my favorite PI.

I liked the suspense read this whole on vacay. Laid back but good wholesome reading, really looking forward to next book in the series.

[Louise King · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best one yet!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just didn’t enjoy this one. Most of the regulars too limited in their appearances. Didn’t have any interest in the main characters.

[Deborah Weston · Rating 3 out of 5]

This installment of Savannah Reid series was slower and little boring at times. Justice is served in the end, but takes too long to get there.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really fun read but little disappointed by ending

[Maria L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will definitely be trying to find more of this series

[Cathie Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Quite entertaining. Humorous. Love Granny! Hope she appears in more books. She's great. Lots of suspense, twists and turns. Characters are great. Hard to put down. Highly recommend.

[ChrisGA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good solid,clean mystery

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

The meat of the story is great. This is a lot more like a murder mystery, the kind McKevett has been layering with the characterizations. So why the 3 outta 5 stars? The story felt rushed in some ways and incomplete. For example, the use of CSI director Eileen is the same flat note that she always gets. There's no growth in the books, no matter the order of reading. The same goes for coroner Dr. Jennifer Liu. These are strong women, the foundation of the series, and yet totally underutitlized in this story.

Following the missing report of a teen who hangs out with a Paris Hilton kind of crowd, Savannah and Dirk start to look for clues. In the end, though, it feels more like a romance than their usual connection. Even the murder part of the mystery gets a little muddled. If the original story on the kidnapping had been the only mystery, the book would have been much stronger.

As it turned out, the story suffered with too many clues and repeated thoughts. Pity. I would have loved to see them really looking for Daisy without all the distraction and solidifying their friendship and partnership. Discussing their past, really discussing it. It'd be nice to see them beyond her P.I., when she was new on the force and scrappy. How that worked against Dirk's general gruffness. This was the perfect case.

[LInda L · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my second Savannah Reid, and while it was cute and funny and kind of interesting, it was not nearly as good as KILLER REUNION, which was my previous read. It seems that nothing romantic has yet developed between Dirk and Savannah, but they work well together. As do Tammy and Gran. I thought there was a bit too much of Gran in this one, especially since they were in CA. Yes, I do know she was visiting. The story line was totally improbable, but it is a novel and it is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek. The three girls were so warped, so unlovable, so really awful that I could not wait for them to be caught. Again -- unlikely story, and also predictable, but -- IT'S A NOVEL.

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...

1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.

2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.

3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.

4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.

5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.