With a suspect from the "Chorus Girl" case in custody, Detective Richard Giordano and Empathy Delacroix are ready to pursue the bonds of love and friendship. Free from the restrictions of the case, their love affair becomes a full-blown relationship.
Life is relatively normal until another chorus girl turns up dead, and a new cocktail hits the Broadway scene, “Nine.” As the case progresses, it’s looking more and more like Em is somehow tied to an illegal underbelly of New York. Richard must swallow his pride, and his fears, and work with his argumentative brother, Bobby, to crack the case and protect Em.
While one killer is behind bars, the man pulling all the strings is still at large and still set on Em. Richard and Em both know what it will cost to catch a maniacal killer, but the price might be more than they are prepared to pay.
NYT Best Selling Author for the anthology Wicked After Dark!
I have been a fan of realistic fantasy all my life. The idea of alternate explanations for the mundane, fascinates me. As a woman with deep southern roots, I am not one who is quick to dismiss the otherworldly. However, the idea that our world isn't as big and foreboding as it seems, also plays heavily into my writing.
I am the author of fan favorite cliffhanger series, The Charlotte Grace Series and The Empathy Delacroix Series. I have also written a novel, The Underground.
After reading Death of a Chorus Girl I was certainly intrigued to follow the end of the story, and Don't Drink the Nine picks up right where we left off. The case is far from being solved, and when another girl turns up dead, it becomes clear that it's much more complicated than we previously thought. Em and Rich, while at the beginning of their new relationship now have much more to contend with. The investigation is continuing to unravel, and every revelation somehow seems to revolve around Empathy, which causes great stress for the man who loves her.
There are a lot of interwoven threads in this story, and at times the different twists and various story offshoots seemed to distract from the story seeing as there are quite a number. I do love layers and complexity in the story, but if it starts to interrupt the flow of the story it can be a little off-putting. Empathy is going through a lot in this book on so many fronts, but compared with the first book there is less of a focus on her work and much more on the investigation (which is a bit of a flip from the first book) as well as her relationships. There are countless complications in her budding relationship with Rich, and with everything going on there is little opportunity to see the relationship grow between the two. The few moments we do get to experience with them are refreshing, but they are seemingly brief and they do not have many chances to simply enjoy each other. It mirrors how things progress for them. Their time is stolen from them as they are attempting to solve the mystery, but a bit more of an opportunity to see them together would have been really great for me. With things being so hectic, their feelings and actions are at times a little erratic, and I just want things to get easier for them so they can actually enjoy the fruit of a new and exciting relationship! But it doesn't look as though that will happen soon for this poor pair.
The supporting characters come more into fruition here, particularly Rich's brother Bobby. I dob't quite know what to make of him, to be honest, he's likeable with that undertone of being a slightly irritable, but he's an important part of the group and I really want to see how his story progresses in the next instalment.
The ending, which I know is intended to lead into the next book, was a little abrupt for me. I don't mind a cliffhanger, and they're always going to feel a little unfinished but at the same time it should still somehow round out and feel like the end of a book rather than simply the last line of a chapter, which was how I felt when I got to that last line. Nonetheless it's a heart-pounding moment and I definitely want to know what happens next.
ARC received for review purposes. Reviewed for Owl Book Corner
The second book in the Delacroix series, featuring Empathy (Em) and Richard. Em is a choreographer for Broadway shows, and Richard is a detective for the NYPD. They first meet in book 1 (Death of a Chorus Girl) while he is working a homicide. Lust - if not love - at first sight overtook them, and book 1 ended with quite a cliffhanger of its own - but NOTHING compared to the cliffhanger this book ends in! My head is still spinning after the ending. It is a heart-pounding, infuriating, stressful ride to the end! I can tell you that the need for book 3 is a monster all its own (for me). I can't believe the spot this second book ended at! Ms. Briede weaves a tale of love, lust, deception and secrets - all the while building upon these chorus girl-related cases that seem to ultimately revolve around Em. I must admit that I did not enjoy the Bobby character or subsequent friendship that involves him and Em. I previously (from book 1) hated Tom and Fitz - which continues. Ha! Ms. Briede can evoke deep emotions with her characters! My favorite part of all is how she has managed to have my favorite character from her Charlotte Grace series (Wesley) lightly involved in this series as well! My previous (and still current) book boyfriend - Wesley, along with my new book boyfriend - Richard……*sigh* Makes me a happy girl!!! Please, do not be put off by the fact that this ends in a cliffhanger. This series is building to a cataclysmic ending and could perhaps surpass the Charlotte Grace series for spectacular reading! While I feel as though this could be a standalone, I recommend reading book 1 - Death of a Chorus Girl first, as you will know all the major players and how the relationship began between Em and Rich. Highly recommended read! Romance Readers received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The second book in the Delacroix series, featuring Empathy (Em) and Richard. Em is a choreographer for Broadway shows, and Richard is a detective for the NYPD. They first meet in book 1 (Death of a Chorus Girl) while he is working a homicide. Lust - if not love - at first sight overtook them, and book 1 ended with quite a cliffhanger of its own - but NOTHING compared to the cliffhanger this book ends in! My head is still spinning after the ending. It is a heart-pounding, infuriating, stressful ride to the end! I can tell you that the need for book 3 is a monster all its own (for me). I can't believe the spot this second book ended at! Ms. Briede weaves a tale of love, lust, deception and secrets - all the while building upon these chorus girl-related cases that seem to ultimately revolve around Em. I must admit that I did not enjoy the Bobby character or subsequent friendship that involves him and Em. I previously (from book 1) hated Tom and Fitz - which continues. Ha! Ms. Briede can evoke deep emotions with her characters! My favorite part of all is how she has managed to have my favorite character from her Charlotte Grace series (Wesley) lightly involved in this series as well! My previous (and still current) book boyfriend - Wesley, along with my new book boyfriend - Richard……*sigh* Makes me a happy girl!!! Please, do not be put off by the fact that this ends in a cliffhanger. This series is building to a cataclysmic ending and could perhaps surpass the Charlotte Grace series for spectacular reading! While I feel as though this could be a standalone, I recommend reading book 1 - Death of a Chorus Girl first, as you will know all the major players and how the relationship began between Em and Rich. Highly recommended read!
Suspense, romance, lust, anger, murder, secrets, and a cliffhanger ending that will leave you begging for more, are just the tip of the iceberg of emotions experienced in Don't Drink the Nine by PM Briede. This second installment of the Empathy Delacroix series continues to follow the story and lives of Empathy Delacroix and Richard Giordano where the first book Death of a Chorus Girl leaves off, but in this second book, the reader meets a plethora of new characters and learns more of the back story behind the individual characters involved. PM Briede weaves a storyline rich with details, so much so that the reader becomes sucked into the world of the Broadway elite. Using emotions to captivate the reader, PM Briede expertly and methodically controls the pacing of this book, making it appear more rapid when Empathy suffers from one of her "visions" being that she is an empath. The overall flow of the book is perfectly timed and doesn't lag whatsoever over unnecessary, dragged out scenes. The characters are well described, so much so that the reader can clearly imagine each one, without ever seeing their photos. The ability of a great writer is the capability to capture their reading audience from the start and maintain that attention throughout the entirety of the book. PM Briede displays this skill in spades throughout Don't Drink the Nine! Her characters are likeable and easy to relate to. Her calculated introduction of specific characters at key points in the story is spot on! I'm dying to see what she has in story for Empathy Delacroix and Richard Giordano and their friends and family members in the next installment!
Once again PM Briede delivered us an excellent book. Full of excitement, suspense, mystery, love, and secrets this book instantly grabbed my attention and kept it until the end. I just love it when a book, as this one, starts off good and exciting I only wish more books did. There are twists, turns, what in the heck just happened moments, and oh nooo please noo moments which are all fun to read about. I like how these characters are not perfect they are real. They deal with stress and drama and unhappy situations; this I admire s it is so much more real than perfect love stories with perfectly unreal characters. The ending wow just wow this author seems to like to torture us with questions ...but I love it and it definitely keeps us coming back for more of her books. PM Briede please keep writing more books in this series.
Em and Richard, the detective, again are dealing with cases from the previous book, death of a Chorus Girl. Em's good friend Sabine is amazing. She is funny, extremely supportive and just a darn great friend. Em is lucky to have her and knows it. Bobby on the other hand, ugh he is quite a character to say it mildly. I believe i dislike him very much and have possibly strangled him many times in my mind. He is also a good friend of Em's. Em is scared about these cases that seem to have followed her for awhile now. She definitely has plenty of people trying to keep her safe but is it enough? Will she be able to trust anyone? Will she follow her heart when it comes to Richard?
As you might remember, from our previous book, Death of a Chorus Girl, Empathy Delacroix is a Choreographer on Broadway. She is typically hired by Thomas Worthy, and an investor named Fitz is typically the primary backer. There was a vision, that Empathy had in the previous book, that we see happen in this one. So many things happen in this book, it is a mystery how she is not in the funny farm in a well padded room in a white coat. What is going on with these Broadway deaths, chorus girls, directors, bums, Empathy's visions? Man, this is one crazy filled moment after another with this series, and one that I truly hope to read more of in the future. I used to think one person was behind it, but now I'm questioning that and wondering if another is behind it, and if so, how? Maybe even WHO is truly behind everything that is happening. Why is it happening? Is this payback to Empathy for something? Are they trying to get her? Are they trying to drive her mad, making her quit Broadway? What is going on here? That's the real $10,000,000.00 Question.
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M.Brennan.
This sequel to Death of a Chorus Girl was excellent. I was glued to it in the little amount of time I had to read over the last little while. The characters seemed human and I found they deviated from many tropes that I find very annoying. Or they would follow them (like when couples don't always communicate and you're yelling at the book "Just tell him already! If you told him you could have avoided this entire mess!" and they continue to lie or not communicate....) and then abruptly come to their senses much earlier than other novels with the same thing would. In other words, I feel as though they were characters with flaws, and not that the relationship issues were drawn out to create unnecessary drama. I enjoyed how the detective work overtook Em's line of work. Not that I don't love dance, just that I thought at the moment it was more important. I loved the end, but not that it did end. I felt shorted, but that it would all be worth it in the end. I can't wait for the next book!
A cunning mystery and romance read! It will kep you turning the pages, until you finish, or at least need to sleep (like what happened to me).
It started off where Death of a Chorus girl ended. Empathy Delacroix is still in the middle of the whole case involving a Charles Fitzwallace. She finally meets the Giordano Mama, though under unpleasant circumstances, but they fix it with having family day at the Giordano home. She also remembers who Bobby is, and that he is a piece of the past that got buried by time.
The gang is still trying to figure out how to connect Fitz with evrything that is going on, and finally they as Em the right questions to help them.
Eventually, they figure out what Fitzwallace is up to, and now Fitz also knows that they are on to him. What is going to hsppen now? Will Fitz finally gey Em, or will the gang be able to turn things around?
This is the 2nd book in the Delacrois series. I highly recommend that you read the 1st book (Death of a Chorus Girl) first. It was a heart stopping cliff hanger and this book takes right off from there.
We were introduced and get to known Empathy, choreographer for Broadway shows and Richard, detective for the NYPD in the 1st book. They met when one of Em's girls is killed. Their attraction is immediate but they do not act on it until Em is cleared as being a suspect.
More people are being killed and it looks more and more like they are in connection somehow with Em. Richard feels that Em is in danger and pulls in his brother, Bobby to help protect her.
In the first book I felt there was more to Tom and I was glad we get to know him more in-depth in this book.
This book sucked me in right from the start, just like book 1. It does not disappoint.
This book also has a well written cliffhanger. I can't wait until the next book. The suspense is killing me!
Don't Drink the Nine is an excellent addition to The Empathy Delacroix series! I absolutely loved the first book, Death of a Chorus Girl, and was hoping that this next book would be just as good. It doesn't disappoint! I love Richard and Empathy's story and the mix of suspense, mystery, romance, and slight touch of paranormal is perfect for my varying tastes of genres. I also love that the author slips some light humor into the book. Not only does she weave a great story, but she adds little touches like that which makes the book even more memorable.
I highly recommend this book if you have read Death of a Chorus Girl. The last installment of this series cannot come out fast enough because I want to know what happens next so badly!
Wow! That's the only word I could come up with to summarize the entire book. This is the second book in the empathy Delacroix series. We continue with Richard and empathy story for the next few months. There is so much going on in this book that I could not put it down!! I experienced so many emotions while reading this book, and it was amazing to experience them. If you enjoyed either the first book of this series or the Charlotte Grace series, then you have to get it. This is not really a shoot-off of the Charlotte Grace series, but there are threads of connection. I only had one instance of confusion due to not reading the whole other series yet, but it didn't detract from this story at all. I hope you enjoy this one as much a reply I did ! 5 STARS!
This is an amazing continuation of the story in Death of a Chorus Girl! This is NOT the end of the story, fair warning! Friends and coworkers of Em's are still dropping like flies, and the smarmy businessman that everyone suspects, is untouchable. With one suspect in custody, and Richard still on the mend, it's going to take everyone working together to solve this one! There are a few scenes that cross over into the cast of The Charlotte Grace series, too, for fans of those books. Loved it!
Awesome second installment to the Delacroix series. Could not put this book down. Empathy and Richard along with Bobby, Sabene and all their friends are racing to find the distributor of the newest date rape drug. Nine. A new drink on the scene. Chorus girls are dying and trying to get to the truth puts all in danger..... Can't wait for the third book!
This was a great continuation of Death of a Chorus Girl. This takes you future into the lives of Em and Rich. As the case continues more death and mystery are in countered. Will the team be able to save Em from the mayhem that is surrounding her. Another great book by P.M. Briede can't wait for the next book.
I enjoyed this book immensely if you are looking for mystery, suspense and romance then this is a book for you. This is a series and you need to read Death of a Chorus Girl first. This is a fantastic series I can't wait to find out what comes next for Empathy and Richard
I floved this book. The progression of Richard and Empathy's story kept my attention. The twists and turns of this book took me on a roller-coaster ride. I can't wait for book 3 and more of my favorite character...BOBBY!!!
As expected this book was brilliant! PM Briede really knows how to suck her readers in and take them on a wild journey! I can't wait to see what comes next - needless to say by the end I was on the edge of my seat. More please <3
I had received a free copy of this book by this author. Wow this book and storyline was amazing. The characters was awesome. I had absolutely love this book by this author. I want to read more books by this author.
Richard and Empathy's budding love story picks up right where it left off. (I recommend you read Death of a Chorus Girl first.) There is murder, conspiracy, drugs and prostitution and somehow Empathy is right in the middle of it. And now her visions are expanding. We get to know the Giordano brothers better as well as Rich's family and a little more about their friends. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but this story continued to take me on a rollercoaster ride, just when I thought I had it figured out, it takes another turn. Once I started I couldn't put it down until I finished the entire book. And the ending!!!!!! Once again we are left wondering how in the world she can leave us hanging like this!? I can't wait for the next book in this series. This is definitely one of the best series I've read this year.
I loved this one just as much as the first book. Once again PM Briede sucked me into her story from page one and I didn't want to put it down till the very last page. These characters are amazing I just love them and the "villains" are the best. I know that might be weird but they really are. I love that we get to see more of the relationships between certain characters like Richard and his brother Bobby. I loved how some past events have come full circle to present day relationships. I can't rave enough about this book. The only thing I didn't like is that it ended and I have to wait for the next book lol.
Talk about a cliffy! omg!! That aside, I LOVED this book. Twists, turns, clues, mystery...heat ;) There's a little bit of everything in this book. An excellent book 2 to this series. I wasn't sure where PM Briede was going to take it, but I'm holding onto the seat of my pants at the end! Excellent writing, great character development, and the action is epic! Loved this book.
I love P.M Bried's books, I have read all of them she is one of my "go to" authors without a doubt. She writes it....... I get it no question and no reason to even read the blurb.... :) Must reads !!