Come Hell or Highball

Discreet Retrieval Agency #1

by Maia Chance

In this Prohibition-era caper, society matron Lola Woodby agrees to recover a stolen film reel for its rightful owner, but before she can retrieve it, the man in possession of the reel is killed

30-year-old society matron Lola Woodby has survived her loveless marriage with an unholy mixture of highballs, detective novels, and chocolate layer cake, until her husband dies suddenly, leaving her his fortune…or so Lola thought. As it turns out, all she inherits from Alfie is a big pile of debt. Pretty soon, Lola and her stalwart Swedish cook, Berta, are reduced to hiding out in the secret love nest Alfie kept in New York City. But when rent comes due, Lola and Berta have no choice but to accept an offer made by one of Alfie’s girls-on-the-side at his funeral: in exchange for a handsome sum of money, the girl wants Lola to retrieve a mysterious reel of film for her. It sounds like an easy enough way to earn the rent money. But Lola and Berta realize they’re in way over their heads when, before they can retrieve it, the man currently in possession of the film reel is murdered, and the reel disappears. On a quest to retrieve the reel and solve the murder before the killer comes after them next, Lola and Berta find themselves navigating one wacky situation after another in high style and low company.

Charming, witty, often laugh-out-loud funny, Maia Chance's Come Hell or Highball introduces a sparkling new voice in crime fiction.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery, Mystery Thriller

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2015

Reviews

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another mystery series to fall in love with! Set in prohibition era New York City, which I found to be the perfect setting. I loved the characters, especially Berta! She absolutely cracked me up:) There were several scenes in which they left me smiling. This book was simply the bee's knees and I can't wait for the next one in the series!!

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new quirky, colorful detective heroine emerges in this Roaring 20's cozy mystery that dazzles the reader with high society, gangsters, and Prohibition era murder, and mayhem.

Lola Woodby, her side-kick Swedish cook Berta, and a questionable gumshoe detective take on the mob, filmstars, and Lola's family with the last group being the ones she avoided the most.

The tone of the book is light and Lola is on the daffy side so this one felt more cozy mystery than hardcore historical mystery. It had a nice flavoring of the era though it didn't dig too deep. Lola is middle-aged, average-figured and a new widow though it was a relief to get away from her womanizing louse of a husband even if she is now penniless and must find a way to earn a living. She has no idea what she is doing half the time letting her emotions and odd starts lead her through the case. She's more lucky than good, but it was fun to see her sneaking about and nosing out the clues one by one.

There's a fun cast of quirky characters surrounding Lola that added a good layer to the story. I felt sorry for Lola stuck with her snooty family, but because they were so stuffy, they were hilarious. Lola's amateur detecting partner, Berta is a great foil as is Ralph Oliver the private eye who is always around and interested in Lola as more than his assignment and tries to teach her something about the art of detecting. The other society people out on Long Island, the film folks and the gangsters were the color and did a great job providing the excitement. And my favorite? Well that was Hibbers the butler who notices everything, supports Lola, and concocts a mean highball.

The mystery was somewhat trickier than I thought. It started with a gal willing to hire Lola to get a film canister back and then people started dying as more motives and suspects came into the picture. I figured out some of the sneaking around and secrets, but I didn't figure out the actual murders before the end. I would have never worked that out and was a tad disappointed, but I can see how it sort of tied in with the direction I was going for the solution.

In the end, I was well-pleased with the first in a new to me series by an author I hadn't read previously. I enjoyed the humorous tones, the 20's setting, and the characters. There was excitement and escapades that made it a tad more exciting than the usual arm-chair whodunnit.

[Olive Fellows (abookolive) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan of this one, unfortunately. The prohibition-era setting didn't feel at all authentic and the main character CONSTANTLY talking about her weight in a negative way was intensely aggravating. More thoughts on Booktube: https://youtu.be/Z9HJYZx6p2o

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Come Hell or Highball is the story of Lola Woodby, a new widow who soon finds out her dissolute husband left her nothing but debt. Not wanting to move back in with her parents, Lola and her cook, Berta, accept an offer from a showgirl to track down a missing film reel.


I requested an ARC of this book because it looked like a light-hearted comedic story set in the Jazz Age. I barely started it when I knew I made a mistake, but I toughed it out for as long as I could stand it. At about 60% (after mostly skimming), I called it quits. I was desperately hoping for something akin to Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (a fabulous Australian TV show available on Netflix). On the surface, the premise was interesting. I love stories of bold women who say to hell with what society expects. But Lola and the other characters lacked depth and did not lift off the page in any way. The setting was not historically accurate in any way. Now I wasn’t expecting true depth and literary prowess, but this story wasn’t engaging in the least. Finally, I broke one of my cardinal rules about reading and jumped to the end to see if it was somewhat intriguing, but it wasn’t.

Disclosure: I received a free ARC via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[Judy Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this first novel in the Discreet Retrieval Agency books. Lola Woodby had just barely gotten her very unexpectedly deceased husband into the grave before she was approached about taking on a 'retrieval' job for a woman who looked very much like the type her deceased husband would have gladly done a bit of philandering with. Naturally Lola turned her down, but then the nasty shocks started coming one after the other beginning with finding the name plate of her estate changed when she returned from the cemetery. What's going on? Long story cut short, Lola is chucked out of house and home, stony broke with nothing but her Duesenberg Model A, some suitcases and hat boxes, and her cook turned side-kick Berta Lundgren. Not that Lola wants a side-kick but Berta won't let Lola out of her sights until she's paid her back wages.

This is a fun, frolicking read with a saucy heroine helped along by the common sense Berta. Get ready for silent pictures (so it doesn't matter if the gorgeous leading man squeaks like a mouse when he talks), gangsters selling bootleg liquor, Auntie Arbuckle's Secret Pork and Beans recipe and a private eye who turns up just when the ladies find themselves in trouble -- which would be practically all the time.

Okay, so the story has plot holes of both small and ginormous proportions. In this case I was enjoying the story so much I just decided to overlook them all. The time period feels right, the characters are all pretty much over-the-top and the mystery was a little bit light weight, but it was just plain fun to read!

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley.

[Kelley · Rating 1 out of 5]

As another reviewer mentioned, I picked up this book hoping it would be something like Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, but I was left sorely disappointed. The author did not take advantage of the time frame in which the book is supposed to be placed and left me feeling like the characters were running around just playing dress-up. I think she thought using the word "motoring" constantly would help...it did not. The characters were all very one-dimensional, and I wasn't halfway through the book before I realized that I didn't really care about the mystery or the characters at all. I kept reading in hopes of it getting better, but it didn't. The connection between Lola and Ralph wasn't there, and the jokes about Lola being "plump" got old. There were glimmers of hope and Berta had her moments, but i still felt like the author was sitting there thinking, "Oh, time for another funny moment. Let's toss in Berta." As I sit here and reflect, I think the book would have been better off with Berta and Cedric going off on adventures.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick, entertaining mystery with a fun Twenties feel. You have to love Lola - recently widowed society gal with a penchant for chocolate, highballs, and detective novels - and her Swedish cook-turned-sidekick Berta. Throw in Lola's cute Pomeranian, dashing if threadbare PI Ralph Oliver, Temperance-minded brother-in-law, the society set, silver screen stars, and gangsters, and you have quite an entertaining cast. It also has a great period feel, with speakeasies, classic cars, the aforementioned movie angle, mentions of the Great War, cloche hats, and more. The mystery is also pretty solid, there's even a helping of exciting action, and the means by which Lola and Berta end up involved is a strangely plausible setup for their Discreet Retrieval Agency, which will presumably lead to future installments of their antics. All in all, a good series opener. Looking forward to more.

[Anna Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Set during one of my absolute favorite eras in American history, it stars a 31 year old, full figured society wife - well, former society wife! Her scoundrel husband just died and left her broke. On a "retrieval" mission with her Swedish cook Berta, it's one screwball situation after another in pursuit of a mysterious film reel for one of her husband's chorus girl mistresses. There's also a hunky private detective on her tail, hired to look into her dead husband - or so he says! A highly memorable cast of characters and a decidedly fun read. I deducted a star for the sometimes exceedingly TSTL moments of the heroine Lola, and the rather abrupt ending.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cracking, hilarious mystery with two charming if prickly protagonists romping their way through 1920s New York trailed by an assortment of gangsters, private detectives, unbearable relations and chorus girls. Loved it and can't wait for more!

[Amy]

Nothing necessarily wrong with this one but overall I found it boring and unoriginal. What a disappointment! Still, not going to waste my time.

[Siusan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious murder mystery set in flapper days of New York.

[Donna Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not profound. It will not influence any major life decisions. Reading should be fun, and this book was a pure pleasure! I laughed and gasped my way through this story of a down-on-her-luck woman and her wonderful cast of friends and enemies. There’s a mystery afoot, and Lola will solve it between highballs, chocolates, and stolen kisses. Her cook-turned-friend Berta is the best of sidekicks, and Ralph makes a wonderful romantic interest. This book contains everything you need for the kind of book you want to read in the tub with a glass of champagne. Not to mention it’s set in the 1920’s. Give me more!

[Laura Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Can't wait for next in the series. Lola is just widowed and left for broke. She and her cook decide to open an agency that "finds things". Funny, fast paced. I laughed out loud.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and read it in one sitting. Charming and can't wait to read more from this author!

My Rating: 5 stars

[Debbie Robson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always thought that Kerry Greenwood the author of all the countless Phryne Fisher mysteries should have started her novels earlier in the decade. After all, the 1920s is one of the most fascinating and fun decades, particularly for women and as a writer you want to make the most of it.
Well Maia Chance the author of Come Hell or High Water has done just that. The novel opens in May 1923 when society matron Lola Woodby’s husband dies leaving her, as it turns out, a pile of debt. Very early on you find out what Lola thinks of her late husband as she speculates on his death: “Mightn’t one of Alfie’s gin-and-jazz club cronies longed to whack him over cards, girls or dinner reservations at Philippe’s?”
As the blurb on the back says, “Intrepid Lola Woodby will lead you on a thrilling adventure as she tries to solve a murder with the help of her Swedish cook and a very private investigator while dodging bill collectors and well meaning family members.” There’s a small dog too called Cedric.
But don’t be fooled by the blurb. Come Hell or Highball might be lighthearted but underneath is a very skilled historical novelist who knows her research. She definitely brings the 1920s alive and I particularly enjoyed the main character’s point of view - her observations and quips add a lot to the novel. And Chance’s scene setting is very adept. Here are examples of all three in just once short scene.
“As I predicted, as soon as our golfing party motored out of the Dune House gates, two reporters who’d been waiting in their jalopies revved their engines and followed us.
Auntie Clara hadn’t been invited. Not that I could picture her with a putting iron. But it troubled me that there was some batty old dame stowed away in the house. It was rather Jane Eyre.
Hare’s Hollow Country Club was a few miles up the highway. It was gated, of course, so the reporters who’d followed us were turned away by the two uniformed gatekeepers. But I had a feeling the reporters would find a way in.
We motored past the edge of the golf course, with its velvet turf and oak trees, to the clubhouse. The clubhouse sprawled on a bluff, its large windows and wraparound white porches overlooking the sea. A flag whipped atop the cupola, and a row of expensive motorcars squatted like shiny black beetles outside.”
Are you there with Lola? She’s about to sniff out the scoundrels. This novel is a lot of fun and I’m really looking forward to the next instalment.

[Jessica Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Come Hell or Highball is a fun, light read full of sass, banter, and hi-jinx. The story follows Lola Woodby and her Swedish cook turned side kick Berta. After Lola's loveless marriage ends with her scummy husband's untimely death, Lola finds herself broke and kicked out of her home. With little choices and even less money, Lola and Berta hole up in her late husbands "love nest" apartment in New York. Not wanting to move back with her (awful) family, (seriously, you'll hate them) Lola accepts an odd request from one of her late husband's "extra curricular" flings to retrieve a film reel that was stolen from her. When the owner of the reel is murdered and the reel gone missing, Lola, her loyal Pomeranian Cedric, and Berta are swept up in solving the murders before they're pinned on Lola. All the while, they begrudgingly team up with an attractive Irish private detective who Lola can't help but fall for.

All in all this was a fun read. Somewhere around the middle the plot became a little wishy washy and convoluted. Not to mention the constant negative jabs and comments about Lola's figure became old and a bit of an annoyance. But honestly, I found the characters so lovable and charming that I found myself overlooking the flaws and just enjoyed reading the story. The ending was a bit outrageous and the motive of the whole mystery was a little difficult to follow but it was entertaining. Berta was by far my favorite character. I read another review that said the book would have been more interesting if Berta and Cedric had run off to have adventures and I probably would have enjoyed that more as I found Berta to outshine Lola by a huge margin. But that doesn't take away from the fact that I enjoyed reading this book. I will definitely pick up the sequel and jump back in to the Discreet Retrieval Agency when I need another fun, quick read

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting start to a new series! The style and setting are a complete contrast from Snow White Red Handed, the first of Maia Chance's other series, and as with Deanna Raybourn's switch from Lady Julia to the roaring 20's, you can feel the enthusiasm that the author has for the era and the creative buzz it gives her. The story is fast-paced with many twists - the relatively large cast of suspects makes the conclusion a bit sudden and slightly muddled, but that is easily outweighed by the fun of the journey of getting there. Lola and Bertha make a great team, and I look forward to learning more about Bertha's past and talents in future installments - this one is firmly Lola's show. If you are a fan of the classic 20's detective stories but wish the heronies had a more modern sense of self-reliance (and appreciation for cinnamon rolls), you will love this one!

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did.. Perhaps you'll enjoy it more.. I was attracted to it because I thought that a book set in the 1920's would be interesting and the plot sounded good. But for me, the story just languished, the dialog was forced, and the characters didn't develop well. Perhaps the next book in the series will be better. I may give it a try since it is available at my library.

[Kate Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
This was a delightful gem of a book not so much as a twisting mystery with a few red herrings but rather for it witty dialogue. There's the food loving widow of a philandering husband and her trusty cook on the case and it's Prohibition time. Gangsters, wealthy 5th Avenue matrons and speakeasies abound. At the heart of the story is the film industry and all the usual characters one can imagine. Cute start to this series.

[Nancy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first in an exciting new mystery series, this book is a refreshing read. Set in the Prohibition Era, it tells the story of thirty-one year-old Lola, whose husband has died and left her surpringly penniless. Instead of dutifully returning to her parents' home and having to deal with her more than domineering mother, obnoxioius sister, and manipulative and hateful brother-in-law. Instead she chooses to use her late husband's illicit love nest in New York City to team up with her former cook and start a detective, or as they call it, a 'retrieval' agency. Lots of twists and turns make this a page-turner and a delightful read.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got an advanced copy of Maia Chance’s Come Hell or Highball through Netgalley and found it a silly good time. Set in the early 1920’s, this novel is the first in a series (or so I predict) and is the origin story of Lola Woodby, Private Investigator.

As the novel begins, Lola Woodby is a newly widowed society dame, about to find out many unpleasant things about her husband, Alfie. Lola already knew he was a gambler, a drinker, and a womanizer, but what she didn’t know and finds out in the opening chapters is that he has left her not just penniless but deep in debt. Lola arrives home from the funeral to find Alfie’s insufferable brother, Chisholm, already making himself at home in her house and getting ready to toss her out in the street. The family lawyer sadly informs her that Chisholm is perfectly in the rights to evict her and that her other residence, a Park Avenue apartment, must be sold immediately to pay off her husband’s debts.

Luckily, Lola knows her husband kept another place, a love nest, off the books, and she sets off to stay there, accompanied by her Pomeranian, Cedric, and her Swedish cook, Berta Lundgren, who insists on coming with her. Though Lola came from humble origins in the Midwest, she has become used to the high life and wonders how she will support herself, let alone her dog and cook. How Lola stumbles onto a possible money making task and where this job takes her (and Berta) involves movie producers, starlets, gangsters, and a handsome PI named Ralph Oliver. It also involves a lot of 1920’s dialogue with phrases like “oodles of bucks” and “scrummy gathering” and “absolutely the elephant’s elbow.”

Though worlds and years away from Stephanie Plum’s New Jersey, this novel has the same feel. There is much made of Lola’s full-figure and love of chocolate and a stiff drink but Lola is also a smart observer of the world around her. She was pushed into marriage by her family at 19 and though her husband’s death upends her world, it also offers her a new form of freedom—if she can stay alive long enough to enjoy it. There is lots of witty banter here and the relationship between Berta and Lola is worth the price of admission. Sometimes, Chance seems to be trying just a bit too hard but overall, this novel had a good mix of humor, high jinks, and highballs.

[Russell Emlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay book wrecked by a BS "plot twist" at the end.

The writing was readable, if a little choppy for my taste. It was clearly a book to be read, rather than read aloud, as I was doing; the punchy short sentences read better visually than they can be delivered. The plot was well-done, and the period setting was clearly researched and cleverly used. The main character was mostly likeable, though there were a couple times I wanted to shake her, and her Swedish cook sidekick stole the show. This would have been a solid 3.5-4 star book. But.

***Spoilers (though I'm not sure why)***

One of the big plot twists at the climax involves the revelation of a queer love-interest between two of the baddies that was almost as wholly unnecessary as it was unsupported by any prior evidence in the book. For one, it's not fair play in a mystery to not give clues about that sort of thing. But mainly, it added nothing to the plot, it felt tacked on thoughtlessly, and it was yet another fucking example of Evil Gays that I really didn't need. Docked a star for that, for unsporting behavior in not laying clues, and for lazy use of a tired, homophobic trope. This queer reader had been planning to pick up the next one, but now I have serious reservations. I can see people like me getting treated poorly in real life all the time. I don't need more of it in my escapist fiction. Especially without any warning.

[Annmarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly entertaining, light hearted mystery set in the 1920s amidst society parties, speak-easies and silent movie film stars and producers. Irrepressible Lola, a 30-something society matron fueled by highballs and cinnamon rolls, and her Swedish cook Berta begin a bit of detective work in high society to earn cash after her philandering husband dies unexpectedly and she finds she's "on the nut" (broke). They quickly find themselves evading murderers, gangsters, and wondering whether confiding in a handsome and mysterious Irish detective is the best decision they've made.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy mysteries need engaging detectives. How about Lola, a rather plump flapper widow and Berta, her Swedish cook--a cook who stays with Lola after she's booted from her home by her brother-in-law since dearly departed hubby blew their fortune on...well I won't give it all away. Enjoy the determination of two women looking for a way to stay independent (or at least not beholden to horrid relatives) and to use talents they're not sure they have. All in all, a fun read. I look forward to the next one.

Thanks, NetGalley, for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Deborah Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I empathized with the main character and her love of sweets, issues with girdles, looks from others at her waistline, and poor choice in husbands. I laughed at all her escapades, the ridiculousness of her apartment, and interactions with her cook. I was surprised when the killer was revealed and when the private detective's employer was revealed - I hadn't guessed either one correctly. I loved the 1920's setting, Cedric, and all the cocktails. This book was a lot of fun!

#abookfeaturinganamateurdetective

[Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I won this book as an ARC.

This was an enjoyable first book in a new series by Maia Chance. I like the main characters of Lola and Ralph, and am interested in reading more in the series to see where their story takes them, as individuals, and as a couple. But, the mystery was very convoluted to follow; I am still not sure what the motive was about. Overall, this is a solid start to Chance. And I will read the next in the series.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

You have gangsters, you have a who dun it, you have a sassy sidekick that isn’t your typical sidekick, and you have Lola Woodby, a recently widowed woman who needs to make ends meet because her husband spent ALL the money. Maia Chance delivers a truly fun book with Come Hell or Highball. Loved the Anita Loos quote at the beginning, loved the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes reference, and honestly just had a good time reading the book.

[Brigitta Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book. It offered lots of chuckles and entertaining characters.
The book is written with plenty of fun colorful language. My favorite is Tomato. I had to
laugh each time I read it. This is book one of the series. I enjoyed it so much, I went
on a hunt for book 2. I didn't find it, so I will grab a copy when it's available.

[Stephany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun first book in a cozy mystery series set in Prohibition New York City. Wonderful characters, bubbly plot, and a lot of lols. Instead of stars I'd like to give this one 5 glasses of champers!

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is my first five star rating. Maia Chance wrote a wonderful story set during prohibition. The ending was a shocker, I had picked the wrong murder. Can't wait to read the next book.