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Cat DeLuca Mysteries #4
Bye, Bye Love: A Cat DeLuca Mystery
Chicago's Pants On Fire Detective Agency targets liars and cheats. But PI Cat DeLuca is once again up to her smokin' skinny jeans in murder. Cat is out running in a neighborhood park when she crashes over the faceless body of Bernie Love. Bernie was the finance guy to the scary Provenza family, with whom he grew up. And friend to Cat's shady, Ferrari-wheeling-cop Uncle Joey. As she hauls out her phone, Cat is assaulted by someone with a Rolex, stun gun, and wheelbarrow. When the cops show up, the killer is gone. And so is the body. Captain Bob, a stickler for habeas corpus, blows off Cat's story. Stung by a chorus of snickers from the Ninth Precinct, home base for DeLuca men, Cat vows to make her case and goes after Rolex man. The murderer, desperate to silence the only person who can place him at the park, comes after Cat. She's quickly on a collision course with the deadliest adversary she's ever encountered―but she has the help of her beagle partner, her gun-happy assistant, an ex-spy (or two), and her outrageous, interfering Italian family. Meanwhile her hot, FBI-boyfriend seems sidelined in Vegas. In Bye, Bye, Love , K.J. Larsen delivers another nail-biting tale rife with unexpected plot twists, zany characters, fabulous food, and laugh-out-loud humor.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
13 people are currently reading
395 people want to read
About the author
K.J. Larsen
7 books76 followersSisters Kari, Julianne, and Kristen write under the pen name, K.J. Larsen.
Writing a novel together was second nature for the three sisters who created their own Nancy Drew mysteries as kids. “We live very different lives,” Kari says. “What brings us together is a voracious love of mystery, a wicked sense of humor, and the thrill of victory.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kari Larsen lives at the foothills of Mt. Rainier and loves hiking, stand-up comedy, and the Blues. She’s written a column for a local paper as well as numerous plays and children’s stories. She’s a mean baker and a bit like Cat’s crazy Mama. Her canolli will drop you to your knees.
Julianne is the youngest of the six Larsen girls and spoiled as God intended. She teaches classes in organic gardening and is a gifted artist and poet. She lives on a farm with her horses, her beagle, and more four legged children than any person with good sense. Like Cat, she prefers jeans and a sweater but she cleans up nice.
Kristen is a gifted writer, weaver and actress and has appeared in plays off off Broadway. Her eyes are green like Cat’s and she’s a shoe-in for the role in the blockbuster movie to come. She lives in the Chicago area and was recently spotted dancing in Bridgeport with Chance Savino. Kristen’s shitzu, Buster, and Cat DeLuca’s beagle, Inga, are rumored to be dating.
Writing a novel together was second nature for the three sisters who created their own Nancy Drew mysteries as kids. “We live very different lives,” Kari says. “What brings us together is a voracious love of mystery, a wicked sense of humor, and the thrill of victory.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kari Larsen lives at the foothills of Mt. Rainier and loves hiking, stand-up comedy, and the Blues. She’s written a column for a local paper as well as numerous plays and children’s stories. She’s a mean baker and a bit like Cat’s crazy Mama. Her canolli will drop you to your knees.
Julianne is the youngest of the six Larsen girls and spoiled as God intended. She teaches classes in organic gardening and is a gifted artist and poet. She lives on a farm with her horses, her beagle, and more four legged children than any person with good sense. Like Cat, she prefers jeans and a sweater but she cleans up nice.
Kristen is a gifted writer, weaver and actress and has appeared in plays off off Broadway. Her eyes are green like Cat’s and she’s a shoe-in for the role in the blockbuster movie to come. She lives in the Chicago area and was recently spotted dancing in Bridgeport with Chance Savino. Kristen’s shitzu, Buster, and Cat DeLuca’s beagle, Inga, are rumored to be dating.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 27, 2016
Private Investigator Cat DeLuca is owner/operator of Pants On Fire Detective Agency. Or hootchie stalker, as her Mama calls her.
While out on her daily run with Inga, her 4-pawed partner, she literally stumbles over a dead body. She does what any good PI would do .... corrupt the entire crime scene and turn the body over to get at a wallet ... which by the way identifies the victim as Bernie Love. When she turns around there is a man pointing a taser at her. When she comes to, the body is missing.
She and the Police Chief don't exactly see eye to eye on anything, in fact, he would like a reason to arrest her. So first she reports a murder victim and then she reports a missing body.
The entire DeLuca family is filled with cops and crooks. They are a tight knit family and if you mess with one, you mess with all of them. Her sister, from another planet, is a baby-maker and Mama is always after Cat to marry her smoking hot FBI boyfriend and start making grandbabies for her. Mama is really close friends with the parish priest and has him on speed dial .. just in case.
The mysteries are action-packed with Cat constantly stirring up trouble or getting in the way or creating more mayhem. But it's all done with tongue-in-cheek humor.
I have never enjoyed a series as much as I have enjoyed this one. This can be read as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend you start at the beginning ... you won't be sorry.
5 stars for the author / 5 stars for the series / 5 stars for Bye Bye Love
While out on her daily run with Inga, her 4-pawed partner, she literally stumbles over a dead body. She does what any good PI would do .... corrupt the entire crime scene and turn the body over to get at a wallet ... which by the way identifies the victim as Bernie Love. When she turns around there is a man pointing a taser at her. When she comes to, the body is missing.
She and the Police Chief don't exactly see eye to eye on anything, in fact, he would like a reason to arrest her. So first she reports a murder victim and then she reports a missing body.
The entire DeLuca family is filled with cops and crooks. They are a tight knit family and if you mess with one, you mess with all of them. Her sister, from another planet, is a baby-maker and Mama is always after Cat to marry her smoking hot FBI boyfriend and start making grandbabies for her. Mama is really close friends with the parish priest and has him on speed dial .. just in case.
The mysteries are action-packed with Cat constantly stirring up trouble or getting in the way or creating more mayhem. But it's all done with tongue-in-cheek humor.
I have never enjoyed a series as much as I have enjoyed this one. This can be read as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend you start at the beginning ... you won't be sorry.
5 stars for the author / 5 stars for the series / 5 stars for Bye Bye Love
July 14, 2015
A very fast paced rollicking mystery about a series of murders that occur in Chicago. Private detective Cat DeLuca from Pants on Fire Detective Agency is on the job. She is a fiction original and is great with the witty one liners. In fact, that is the strength of the book - it is almost totally dialogue driven without a whole lot of description. This means you can read the book at warp speed. I am a believer in this series and will be reading the others. For people who enjoy heroines with personality,
February 8, 2022
Another Cat DeLuca mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed. #4 in the series.
Audio recording.
Audio recording.
March 7, 2015
This was a very enjoyable, what I would term 'light', mystery featuring a woman, Cat DeLuca, from a large Chicago Italian family who runs her own detective agency, Pants on Fire. Her partner is her dog, Inga. The book is full of humor and funny, lifelike characters. Cat's family has a lot of cops and former cops who sometimes help her, willingly or reluctantly, with her cases. Usually the cases involve spying on cheating spouses, but in this book, Cat stumbles, literally, upon a dead body that may be connected somehow to one of her relatives. She is determined to find out who it is and what has happened.
This is the 4th book in the Cat DeLuca mystery series. K.J. Larsen is actually 3 sisters who must have great fun writing these books. I intend to read the rest of the books as soon as I can.
This is the 4th book in the Cat DeLuca mystery series. K.J. Larsen is actually 3 sisters who must have great fun writing these books. I intend to read the rest of the books as soon as I can.
June 8, 2015
This is the fourth book in a series and even thought I have not read any of the rest of the series I was able to read this one just fine. The story was full of some good characters that I had fun getting to know. This book was a little more harsh than the cozy mysteries so if you expecting something mild than you will be disappointed. It was a very fast book to read and kept your attention right up until the end of the story. The author did a good job of keeping you guessing and to me that makes a good mystery. Cat was my favorite character in the book and I liked how she went after what she wanted and she was good PI. I loved the name of her company as well. The author did a good job with her descriptions in this book. You could almost taste the great Italian food, feel as if you were a part of the family and laugh along with them. All in all a good book.
March 6, 2015
this was a very interesting book . I loved he concept of a woman being the PI and that she is a woman who has a personality as well as issues that she is trying to solve.
the idea of the book is a murder and the body disappears. what I like is that the cops don't believe her and she spends as much time trying to annoy the captain as she does trying to solve the case.
the characters were very entertaining and I loved the fact that they also put day to day items in this story like pets.
a very good read one that I won't soon forget. thank you to the author of this book for making it easy to read and having an interesting olot
the idea of the book is a murder and the body disappears. what I like is that the cops don't believe her and she spends as much time trying to annoy the captain as she does trying to solve the case.
the characters were very entertaining and I loved the fact that they also put day to day items in this story like pets.
a very good read one that I won't soon forget. thank you to the author of this book for making it easy to read and having an interesting olot
March 26, 2024
I wish they wrote more books. I love their style of writing and the stories they come up with.
June 2, 2015
Love the Cat DeLuca mysteries!
August 31, 2024
a lot of talk
A good plot, but I have never read a “who-done-it,” where the characters talk so much, and at the same time, seem so stereotyped, most as 2nd generation Italians. If you enjoy the gabbing you’ll enjoy the book. Note: this is my first encounter with.a Cat DeLuca Mystery.
A good plot, but I have never read a “who-done-it,” where the characters talk so much, and at the same time, seem so stereotyped, most as 2nd generation Italians. If you enjoy the gabbing you’ll enjoy the book. Note: this is my first encounter with.a Cat DeLuca Mystery.
May 20, 2017
This is a fun, light read to pass the time. :)
November 26, 2017
Predictable, but as cozy mysteries go, a good enough read. I listened to the audio version. While the reader was good, her voice does not match my picture of Cat DeLuca.
March 9, 2021
These books are a bit far out (think Janet Evanovich in Chicago) but I like them anyway.
Read
April 14, 2021Slow. I gave up on it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2021
These books are a lot of fun. Being from Chicagoland, (and Catholic) I can relate to the characters.
March 15, 2018
Great and funny mystery book.
August 30, 2021
I loved this book, I was skeptical at first and was able to guess some things half way through but I loved how it had so many details.
May 9, 2015
PI Cat DeLuca has a habit of annoying the police while in pursuit of cheating spouses. She owns the Pants On Fire Detective Agency that is known for catching lying, cheating spouses. Cat seems to stumble into trouble and over dead bodies routinely. Lucky for her she has a long family history of Chicago cops to help her even when she doesn’t think she needs it.
After a particularly hairy stakeout situation, Cat decides to unwind with a run. Even though it is late, she feels safe running in the park with her partner Inga – who happens to be a beagle. Cat literally lands face first on a dead body. The only problem is the bad guy is still around and zaps her before she can get her tazer out. By the time she is able to call the police the body is missing.
Even though her father is an ex-cop, her brother is a current cop and her uncle is quite probably a dirty cop, Captain Bob of the Chicago police department doesn’t believe Cat. He makes the big mistake of letting Cat know how little he thinks of her detective skills. She vows to find the killer herself and hopefully the body that went missing and made her the laughing stock of the Ninth Precinct. Lucky – or unlucky for her – she saw the guy she thinks is the killer. But of course that means he saw her also. Now she is hunting for the killer, looking for the corpse and trying not to get killed herself.
Zany circumstances force her into predicaments that include going to a biker bar, being ambushed by a mobster and into dead people’s homes to search for clues. Her assistant Cleo tends to make things worse, but her heart is in the right place even though she often ends up in the wrong place.
While all of this is going on, her pushy mother keeps trying to guilt her into marriage and starting a family. To complicate matters more, her boyfriend’s parents are coming in to meet her parents. It is planned to be one happy family dinner. The question is how will ex-hippy vegetarians get along with meat loving Italians? Cat can see the impending train wreck and tries everything she can think of to not be on board when it happens, but nothing works. She is going to have to have dinner and hopefully make it through the evening without losing her boyfriend in the process.
This is K.J. Larsen’s forth book in the Cat DeLuca Mystery series. It read great as a stand-alone novel, just enough background info to let people new to the series get up-to-date, but not so much as to become repetitious to readers of the series. This witty read kept me laughing with one-liners and outlandish situations that could actually happen if a PI had bad luck and crazy friends, foes and family.
K.J. is actually three sisters, Kari, Julianne and Kristen Larsen. This award winning trio writes under one name and if you didn’t know it was more than one person, you could not guess by the writing. The sisters brilliantly combine their efforts to create a fun series with quirky characters both human and animal.
If you are a fan of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum Mysteries, you will love K.J.’s Cat DeLuca. There is a perfectly plotted mystery among the poker games and car chases. The twist at the end was masterful; I totally did not see it coming.
Bye, Bye Love is a fast paced, fun book. I especially liked all of the Chicago references since I live in the burbs and have seen many of them myself.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was not expected to return this item after my review. Copyright © 2015 Laura Hartman
After a particularly hairy stakeout situation, Cat decides to unwind with a run. Even though it is late, she feels safe running in the park with her partner Inga – who happens to be a beagle. Cat literally lands face first on a dead body. The only problem is the bad guy is still around and zaps her before she can get her tazer out. By the time she is able to call the police the body is missing.
Even though her father is an ex-cop, her brother is a current cop and her uncle is quite probably a dirty cop, Captain Bob of the Chicago police department doesn’t believe Cat. He makes the big mistake of letting Cat know how little he thinks of her detective skills. She vows to find the killer herself and hopefully the body that went missing and made her the laughing stock of the Ninth Precinct. Lucky – or unlucky for her – she saw the guy she thinks is the killer. But of course that means he saw her also. Now she is hunting for the killer, looking for the corpse and trying not to get killed herself.
Zany circumstances force her into predicaments that include going to a biker bar, being ambushed by a mobster and into dead people’s homes to search for clues. Her assistant Cleo tends to make things worse, but her heart is in the right place even though she often ends up in the wrong place.
While all of this is going on, her pushy mother keeps trying to guilt her into marriage and starting a family. To complicate matters more, her boyfriend’s parents are coming in to meet her parents. It is planned to be one happy family dinner. The question is how will ex-hippy vegetarians get along with meat loving Italians? Cat can see the impending train wreck and tries everything she can think of to not be on board when it happens, but nothing works. She is going to have to have dinner and hopefully make it through the evening without losing her boyfriend in the process.
This is K.J. Larsen’s forth book in the Cat DeLuca Mystery series. It read great as a stand-alone novel, just enough background info to let people new to the series get up-to-date, but not so much as to become repetitious to readers of the series. This witty read kept me laughing with one-liners and outlandish situations that could actually happen if a PI had bad luck and crazy friends, foes and family.
K.J. is actually three sisters, Kari, Julianne and Kristen Larsen. This award winning trio writes under one name and if you didn’t know it was more than one person, you could not guess by the writing. The sisters brilliantly combine their efforts to create a fun series with quirky characters both human and animal.
If you are a fan of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum Mysteries, you will love K.J.’s Cat DeLuca. There is a perfectly plotted mystery among the poker games and car chases. The twist at the end was masterful; I totally did not see it coming.
Bye, Bye Love is a fast paced, fun book. I especially liked all of the Chicago references since I live in the burbs and have seen many of them myself.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was not expected to return this item after my review. Copyright © 2015 Laura Hartman
April 6, 2015
Bye, Bye Love is book four in the Cat DeLuca Mysteries, a series that goes for laughs with set comic pieces and stock comic characters. The first-person narration by a hard-boiled, female, private detective plays with the protagonist's XX factor and her Italian-American family. Here is Cat introducing herself to the reader:
"My name is Cat DeLuca and I'm a Private Dick--though I prefer Jane. I don't investigate for insurance companies or work for ambulance-chasers. I won't find your high school sweetheart. But if you're in Chicagoland and you suspect your partner is stepping out, call me. I kick ass at catching cheaters."
There are vulgarities and scenes of violence, but no sex scenes. The tone throughout by the butch Cat DeLuca is snappy, snarky, and sarcastic, with some mean-spiritedness. The softest characteristic about Cat is her love for her dog, Inge the beagle.
"Inga is my partner at the Pants on Fire Detective Agency."
Our narrator, Cat, tells us about her big Italian-American family, with half the book, roughly, just about them. She also fills us in along the way on her previous major cases (books), and the authors even bring back some of the characters from the previous books, so it is best to read the books in order.
The books in the Cat DeLuca Mysteries:
Liar, Liar
Sticks and Stones
Some Like it Hot
Bye, Bye Love
Cat's love-life takes up some of the book, as she prepares to have her parents meet her future parents-in-law, which culminates in a bizarre scene, played for thrills and laughs in equal measure. There are love interests and hunks, including Cat's many hunky family members.
"Delucas have been cops or crooks since anyone can remember."
I received the book as a review-copy, but I'm still allowed to mention the things I didn't like about the book. So, here goes...
The first line of Bye, Bye Love is meant to set the tone for the story, but it grated on my Italian-speaking nerves when it used the plural cannoli for the singular cannolo.
"I was staking out the LeGrande Hotel on Asher and sucking the creamy filling out of a cannoli."
There are awkward shifts between past and present tense throughout the book. I didn't really like the jokes about anorexia, infidelity and Catholicism, nor the erroneous "copper smell of blood" (blood smells of rusty iron), nor Cat's love of using her Taser.
And the odd title bothers me, since I'm pretty sure it should be written Bye-Bye Love. The chatty dialog has lots of fragmentary sentences, but that is the norm these days, with colons and semicolons having been tossed into the bin by most writers of popular novels.
As I said above, this series aims at laughter, with as much in the book about the protagonist's love-life and family, as about the crime and mystery. The tone is chatty and smart-alecky. The characters are straight from central-casting. The humor having to do with Cat's Italian-American family and heritage is the standard sort you'd expect: food, crime, babies, mothers, family loyalty...
If you enjoy all these things, then you'll be happy to know that the three sisters who write the series are set to continue writing the books for a long while to come, and it is published by Poison Pen Press, guaranteeing quality editing and presentation for the books.
Please visit my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
"My name is Cat DeLuca and I'm a Private Dick--though I prefer Jane. I don't investigate for insurance companies or work for ambulance-chasers. I won't find your high school sweetheart. But if you're in Chicagoland and you suspect your partner is stepping out, call me. I kick ass at catching cheaters."
There are vulgarities and scenes of violence, but no sex scenes. The tone throughout by the butch Cat DeLuca is snappy, snarky, and sarcastic, with some mean-spiritedness. The softest characteristic about Cat is her love for her dog, Inge the beagle.
"Inga is my partner at the Pants on Fire Detective Agency."
Our narrator, Cat, tells us about her big Italian-American family, with half the book, roughly, just about them. She also fills us in along the way on her previous major cases (books), and the authors even bring back some of the characters from the previous books, so it is best to read the books in order.
The books in the Cat DeLuca Mysteries:
Liar, Liar
Sticks and Stones
Some Like it Hot
Bye, Bye Love
Cat's love-life takes up some of the book, as she prepares to have her parents meet her future parents-in-law, which culminates in a bizarre scene, played for thrills and laughs in equal measure. There are love interests and hunks, including Cat's many hunky family members.
"Delucas have been cops or crooks since anyone can remember."
I received the book as a review-copy, but I'm still allowed to mention the things I didn't like about the book. So, here goes...
The first line of Bye, Bye Love is meant to set the tone for the story, but it grated on my Italian-speaking nerves when it used the plural cannoli for the singular cannolo.
"I was staking out the LeGrande Hotel on Asher and sucking the creamy filling out of a cannoli."
There are awkward shifts between past and present tense throughout the book. I didn't really like the jokes about anorexia, infidelity and Catholicism, nor the erroneous "copper smell of blood" (blood smells of rusty iron), nor Cat's love of using her Taser.
And the odd title bothers me, since I'm pretty sure it should be written Bye-Bye Love. The chatty dialog has lots of fragmentary sentences, but that is the norm these days, with colons and semicolons having been tossed into the bin by most writers of popular novels.
As I said above, this series aims at laughter, with as much in the book about the protagonist's love-life and family, as about the crime and mystery. The tone is chatty and smart-alecky. The characters are straight from central-casting. The humor having to do with Cat's Italian-American family and heritage is the standard sort you'd expect: food, crime, babies, mothers, family loyalty...
If you enjoy all these things, then you'll be happy to know that the three sisters who write the series are set to continue writing the books for a long while to come, and it is published by Poison Pen Press, guaranteeing quality editing and presentation for the books.
Please visit my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
March 23, 2015
Move over Stephanie Plum, there is a new PI in town. The owner of Chicago’s Pants on Fire Detective Agency is smokin'. Cat “DeLucky” DeLuca is smart, sassy, and has enough brass to cover when things don't go as planned. This is good, because Cat is a disaster magnet, and things rarely (never) go as planned. Luckily, her crazy Italian family (all Chicago cops except for her mother and baby-machine sister) and Cleo, her gun-toting assistant, have her back.
While out running with her beagle Inga, Cat stumbles over the faceless dead body of Bernie Love, the Provenza family's financial wizard. In his pocket lies an envelope full of cash, with her Uncle Joey's name on it. Moments later, Cat is zapped by a rolex wearing thug dressed as a city employee. By the time the cops arrive, the body is long gone. No body – no investigation.
Certain of what she saw, and determined to vindicate The Pants on Fire Detective Agency, Cat starts her own investigation. Meanwhile, the murderer is anxious to silence the only witness to his crime – permanently.
Bye Bye Love is an outstanding mystery. K J Larsen is a talented writer, who knows just how to turn a phrase to maximize humor. Not only was I laughing as I read, I frequently paused to share passages with my husband. I absolutely loved Cat's zany family and friends. Each was unique and memorable, including the animal members of the cast. Cat's family members are loving and supportive, even when their help (interference) is more embarrassing than helpful. Animal loving mystery readers will relish Inga and Dixie, who both play an important role in solving the crime and saving the day. The mystery aspect of the novel is engaging, with enough red herrings to satisfy any armchair detective.
With fantastic laugh-out-loud humor, unforgettable characters, a delightful and thrilling mystery, and a snarky but loveable heroine, Bye Bye Love is a winner. If you enjoy Janet Evanovich, you will have a great time reading K J Larsen.
Bye Bye Love is the fourth Cat DeLuca mystery.
I received a copy of Bye Bye Love from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
While out running with her beagle Inga, Cat stumbles over the faceless dead body of Bernie Love, the Provenza family's financial wizard. In his pocket lies an envelope full of cash, with her Uncle Joey's name on it. Moments later, Cat is zapped by a rolex wearing thug dressed as a city employee. By the time the cops arrive, the body is long gone. No body – no investigation.
Certain of what she saw, and determined to vindicate The Pants on Fire Detective Agency, Cat starts her own investigation. Meanwhile, the murderer is anxious to silence the only witness to his crime – permanently.
Bye Bye Love is an outstanding mystery. K J Larsen is a talented writer, who knows just how to turn a phrase to maximize humor. Not only was I laughing as I read, I frequently paused to share passages with my husband. I absolutely loved Cat's zany family and friends. Each was unique and memorable, including the animal members of the cast. Cat's family members are loving and supportive, even when their help (interference) is more embarrassing than helpful. Animal loving mystery readers will relish Inga and Dixie, who both play an important role in solving the crime and saving the day. The mystery aspect of the novel is engaging, with enough red herrings to satisfy any armchair detective.
With fantastic laugh-out-loud humor, unforgettable characters, a delightful and thrilling mystery, and a snarky but loveable heroine, Bye Bye Love is a winner. If you enjoy Janet Evanovich, you will have a great time reading K J Larsen.
Bye Bye Love is the fourth Cat DeLuca mystery.
I received a copy of Bye Bye Love from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
February 4, 2016
Looking for a good beach book? You can't go far wrong with Bye, Bye Love, especially if you like funny women private investigators with a bit of an edge. And don't despair if you haven't read the first three books in the series; it won't take you all that long to get up to speed.
As with the earlier books, a lot of the pleasure for me is in the secondary characters. I do like Cat very much, particularly her snarkiness, but her cop relatives, the interactions with family "acquaintances" who happen to be on the shady side of the law, and her assistant, the hilarious Cleo Jones, make the whole story so much fun. Best of all is Inga, Cat's sleuthing partner, who just happens to be a beagle. Yes, a beagle, and a most charming one at that!
This time, Cat is running against the tide---which, actually, is not so different for her---because the body she and Inga found is missing and the cops, especially her own relatives, think the whole thing is just Cat being Cat. That means she and her cohorts have to get to the bottom of things because no one else is going to. Naturally, Cat finds herself in more than one close call.
Oh, and she has to contend with her loud, crazy eccentric Italian-American family getting ready to throw her parents' vow renewal. Just another day in the DeLuca family.
You'll come across the occasional flub, the head-scratching "wait a minute" interludes, and much of this will remind you of other popular humorous private eye series but, you know what? You'll still have a good time with Cat and the gang, I promise ;-)
Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, June 2015.
As with the earlier books, a lot of the pleasure for me is in the secondary characters. I do like Cat very much, particularly her snarkiness, but her cop relatives, the interactions with family "acquaintances" who happen to be on the shady side of the law, and her assistant, the hilarious Cleo Jones, make the whole story so much fun. Best of all is Inga, Cat's sleuthing partner, who just happens to be a beagle. Yes, a beagle, and a most charming one at that!
This time, Cat is running against the tide---which, actually, is not so different for her---because the body she and Inga found is missing and the cops, especially her own relatives, think the whole thing is just Cat being Cat. That means she and her cohorts have to get to the bottom of things because no one else is going to. Naturally, Cat finds herself in more than one close call.
Oh, and she has to contend with her loud, crazy eccentric Italian-American family getting ready to throw her parents' vow renewal. Just another day in the DeLuca family.
You'll come across the occasional flub, the head-scratching "wait a minute" interludes, and much of this will remind you of other popular humorous private eye series but, you know what? You'll still have a good time with Cat and the gang, I promise ;-)
Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, June 2015.
February 15, 2016
This charming mystery series written by three sisters under the singular author name KJ Larsen follows the exploits of Cat DeLuca and her Pants On Fire Detective Agency. Normally, DeLuca stalks, in her own words, "liars and cheats," but this time she and her faithful partner Inga (her dog) stumble across a case when Cat takes a tumble over a corpse in her local park when out for a run.
Shortly thereafter, she sees a man with a Rolex in a Parks Department uniform, makes the connection, then is promptly knocked out by the suspect. When she awakens, the corpse is gone, and the Chicago Police Department (where DeLuca is almost part of the family for her many family connections) begins to doubt her story.
She decides to solve the case on her own, but then things begin to take a dangerous turn for the worse. The man with the Rolex wants her dead for obvious reasons, and the corpse turns out to be a friend of her Uncle Joey's. Soon there are more bodies piling up, and Cat's own is very nearly one of them as she attends another hair-raising meeting, dinner between her parents and those of her boyfriend.
It's all great fun with the dysfunctional DeLucas and friends. Nearly every person in the story is great character, and the author(s) really captures the Chicago Bridgeport neighborhood (home of many of Chicago's finest) in its essence. This is a wonderfully light and well paced mystery with just enough twists to keep readers happy.
Review first appeared on ReviewingtheEvidence.com.
Shortly thereafter, she sees a man with a Rolex in a Parks Department uniform, makes the connection, then is promptly knocked out by the suspect. When she awakens, the corpse is gone, and the Chicago Police Department (where DeLuca is almost part of the family for her many family connections) begins to doubt her story.
She decides to solve the case on her own, but then things begin to take a dangerous turn for the worse. The man with the Rolex wants her dead for obvious reasons, and the corpse turns out to be a friend of her Uncle Joey's. Soon there are more bodies piling up, and Cat's own is very nearly one of them as she attends another hair-raising meeting, dinner between her parents and those of her boyfriend.
It's all great fun with the dysfunctional DeLucas and friends. Nearly every person in the story is great character, and the author(s) really captures the Chicago Bridgeport neighborhood (home of many of Chicago's finest) in its essence. This is a wonderfully light and well paced mystery with just enough twists to keep readers happy.
Review first appeared on ReviewingtheEvidence.com.
April 7, 2015
What a hoot this book was. I laughed out loud several times and smiled a lot while reading this one. There are some of the most quirkiest characters I have come upon in a long time showing up in this story. Cleo always wanting to shoot someone and cousin Tommy, dumb as a box of rocks are just two of the major ones. Loved the name of Cat's detective agency, Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire. Some of the terms the author came up wanted me to write them down so I could use them just in everyday conversation.
How Cat is able to get anything done surrounded by idiots just makes the story that much more hilariously entertaining. I have truly enjoyed the about three hours it took me to read this book. And, I just realized this was book number three in the series. This definitely did not take away any of the story and I was able to follow along without any problems. I will definitely go back and read the first three because the antics involved were downright spit your drink out your nose funny.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
How Cat is able to get anything done surrounded by idiots just makes the story that much more hilariously entertaining. I have truly enjoyed the about three hours it took me to read this book. And, I just realized this was book number three in the series. This definitely did not take away any of the story and I was able to follow along without any problems. I will definitely go back and read the first three because the antics involved were downright spit your drink out your nose funny.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
March 23, 2015
I hadn't heard of this series when I requested a copy of Bye Bye Love from Netgalley (in exchange for my honest review). I had no problem understanding the dynamic though there were a couple of references to events in the 3 previous books.
I've read lots of books with a similar set up: big family with lots of cops, mom who wants all her kids married, PI daughter cause she's got cop blood in her veins but doesn't want to deal with the male cops in the family so she's a PI instead of a cop too, there's fun, zany side characters like the quirky best friend, there's even a sexy agent boyfriend yet there's another sexy guy providing a little temptation. So, it's not super original however it's all packaged up in an engaging manner and doesn't dumb things down with exploding animals and a main character who is incompetent and can't keep her pants up.
The mystery itself was unpredictable with some interesting twists as to why the 2 men were killed. I knew who the killer was near the end, but not the whys.
I'm planning to look up the first three books, so I give this 4 stars for a light, fun, crime, mystery read.
I've read lots of books with a similar set up: big family with lots of cops, mom who wants all her kids married, PI daughter cause she's got cop blood in her veins but doesn't want to deal with the male cops in the family so she's a PI instead of a cop too, there's fun, zany side characters like the quirky best friend, there's even a sexy agent boyfriend yet there's another sexy guy providing a little temptation. So, it's not super original however it's all packaged up in an engaging manner and doesn't dumb things down with exploding animals and a main character who is incompetent and can't keep her pants up.
The mystery itself was unpredictable with some interesting twists as to why the 2 men were killed. I knew who the killer was near the end, but not the whys.
I'm planning to look up the first three books, so I give this 4 stars for a light, fun, crime, mystery read.
April 29, 2015
First, thank you to Poisoned Pen and Goodreads for providing me with an ARC. I've read all the books to date in the wacky and wonderful Cat DeLuca series. They are great fun to escape into for a couple of hours and forget whatever else is going on in my crazy busy life. And they are one of a handful of light mystey series that can make me laugh out loud unexpectedly and often. (a la Janet Evanovich, Lisa Lutz, Jess Lourey, Elise Sax)
When Cat, owner of Pants on Fire Detective Agency, literally stumbles upon a dead body, which quickly disappears - she and her usual band of cohorts(family, friends, pets and boyfriend)all get in on the action naturally.
While the strong points of the series don't rely on the murder per se, I was still disappointed when the identity of the murderer became apparent well before the ending. It's not a deal breaker with these books - they are so funny and crazy, what's not to like? - but it did make the remainder of the book anti-climatic in that sense.
Overall, still an excellent read for anyone wanting to enjoy and escape in Cat's deliciously crazy world for a while.
When Cat, owner of Pants on Fire Detective Agency, literally stumbles upon a dead body, which quickly disappears - she and her usual band of cohorts(family, friends, pets and boyfriend)all get in on the action naturally.
While the strong points of the series don't rely on the murder per se, I was still disappointed when the identity of the murderer became apparent well before the ending. It's not a deal breaker with these books - they are so funny and crazy, what's not to like? - but it did make the remainder of the book anti-climatic in that sense.
Overall, still an excellent read for anyone wanting to enjoy and escape in Cat's deliciously crazy world for a while.
April 8, 2015
Another Wonderful Cat DeLuca Mystery!
I've been waiting for quite a while for book 4 in this series to come out. Well, it was definitely worth the wait!! Cat DeLuca is a private detective in a family full of cops. She's smart, sassy, & a trouble magnet! This time she & her partner, Inga (a little brown eyed beagle) go for a run in the park & literally stumble over a dead body. And so the adventure begins! Now people are trying to kill her, dead bodies are piling up, & her parents are getting married (vow renewal!), oh & she has to introduce her boyfriend Chance's parents to her dysfunctional ones. (They're strict vegetarians & hers are strict carnivores!)
This is a great book that kept me hooked from page 1! Cat is a much smarter & more competent Stephanie Plum. Humor, murder, & great family dynamic, albeit somewhat dysfunctional, all make up an amazing book & outstanding series! I definitely can't wait for book 5!
P.S. As a Chicago girl I could just picture Garry McCarthy & his mustache at the end!
I've been waiting for quite a while for book 4 in this series to come out. Well, it was definitely worth the wait!! Cat DeLuca is a private detective in a family full of cops. She's smart, sassy, & a trouble magnet! This time she & her partner, Inga (a little brown eyed beagle) go for a run in the park & literally stumble over a dead body. And so the adventure begins! Now people are trying to kill her, dead bodies are piling up, & her parents are getting married (vow renewal!), oh & she has to introduce her boyfriend Chance's parents to her dysfunctional ones. (They're strict vegetarians & hers are strict carnivores!)
This is a great book that kept me hooked from page 1! Cat is a much smarter & more competent Stephanie Plum. Humor, murder, & great family dynamic, albeit somewhat dysfunctional, all make up an amazing book & outstanding series! I definitely can't wait for book 5!
P.S. As a Chicago girl I could just picture Garry McCarthy & his mustache at the end!
March 29, 2016
Cat Deluca owns the Pants On Fire Detective Agency in Chicago. “We catch liars and cheats” is her motto. Having relatives on the Chicago Police Department can be a blessing and a curse. Cat discovers a body and identifies it as Bernie Love who was the accountant for a mobster. She also IDs the man she thinks is the murderer. He tries to do her in since she is a witness.
Two four-legged and one two-legged assistants comprise her staff. This is a fun read. I’m sure author sisters--Kari, Julianne and Kristen Larsen--had a great time writing it. It’s the fourth in the series. Poisoned Pen Press.
Two four-legged and one two-legged assistants comprise her staff. This is a fun read. I’m sure author sisters--Kari, Julianne and Kristen Larsen--had a great time writing it. It’s the fourth in the series. Poisoned Pen Press.
May 26, 2022
Cat DeLuca comes from a family of cops (and crooks), but she is a PI with her PANTS ON FIRE detective agency. Her partner is Inga the beagle. On a jog, the beagle trips over a dead body. Just as she turns around she is tazed. When she regains consciousness--Surprise--the body is gone.
Needless to say, the game's afoot. One dead body is not enough, especially if it disappears. But the body count rises, and Cat tries to make sense of it all with her dysfunctional family driving her crazy the whole way.
Needless to say, the game's afoot. One dead body is not enough, especially if it disappears. But the body count rises, and Cat tries to make sense of it all with her dysfunctional family driving her crazy the whole way.
June 21, 2015
I got this from a friend as an ARC and I loved it. I am a huge fan of this series and when she offered it to me I grabbed it up. The story was good and as always the characters are most entertaining. I couldn't get over finding maybe 6 typos in this ARC when I have read whole books with 3 times the amount that are actually finished products. I can't wait to see what is in store for 'DeLucky' and her crew. Keep writing this great series and I will happily keep reading it.
September 23, 2015
Frankly said, I found this one a bit lacking. Of passion and heart. It wasn't as funny as the previous ones either. Shame, because the ingredients are all there: sassy heroine, hilarious family, lovable pets and of course gorgeous men in her life. But I had the feeling, we were rather put through the moves and told the story rather than live it with Cat.
December 22, 2015
Quick and fun. If I had a detective agency, I would be hard pressed to find a name better than Pants on Fire Detective Agency. Happily, I'd also be hard pressed to argue that my family was as crazy as Cat's so on, DeLucky, to your next (and previous) adventures. Hiding money from the mob, or creative bookkeeping, isn't always what it seems, and sometimes the bad guys are good, and vice versa.
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