Fortune Hunter

Miss Fortune Mystery #8

by Jana Deleon

From New York Times bestselling author Jana DeLeon, the eighth book in the Miss Fortune mystery series.

Someone has created a fake social media identity and is online romancing the lonely women of Sinful in order to scam them out of money. Because he always seems to pick the perfect targets, Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie think he must be either a Sinful resident or someone with a close association to the town.

Playing with emotions for pay is dirty pool, but the game turns deadly when one of the women is murdered. Fortune decides the victim must have figured out who the scam artist is and threatened him with exposure. Deputy Carter LeBlanc is hard at work to find the gunman, but sometimes it takes a woman to expose a lady-killer. Fortunately, Swamp Team 3 is on the job.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Humor, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 13, 2016

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jana DeLeon was raised in southwest Louisiana among the bayous and gators. Her hometown is Carlyss, but you probably won't find it on a map. Her family owned a camp located on a bayou just off the Gulf of Mexico that you could only get there by boat. The most important feature was the rope hammock hanging in the shade on a huge deck that stretched out over the water where Jana spent many hours reading books.

Jana and her brother spent thousands of hours combing the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat, studying the natural habitat of many birds, nutria and alligators. She would like you to know that no animals were injured during these "studies," but they kept makers of peroxide in business.

Jana has never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she's still hopeful.

She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with the most spoiled Sheltie in the world.

Reviews

[Susan Atherly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's official - I love this series. Great characters. Intelligent plots. Just plain fun.

Only downside is all the food they talk about. I can't decide if I need to make a pecan pie, a chocolate praline bundt cake or banana pudding.

[Peter Monn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg I love these!!!!!!! Sooooo good!

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The eighth book in the popular Miss Fortune Mystery series by Jana Deleon. Fortune is nursing a broken heart and learns she is not the only one. Someone is taking advantage of the lonely single women of Sinful, Louisiana and scamming them out of their money. So naturally, our ladies on once again on the case.

Good addition to the series. I wonder how long this series is going to be. I hope the author can continue putting forth the same humor and zaniness that this and the past books have had. Looking forward to the next!

[Namita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great installment from Jana! Looking forward to more....

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first books in the series. There were a couple of chortles but nothing that elicited a belly laugh. My expectations were dashed. I can't even add this to my humour shelf.

The series seems to have taken a more serious tone now that she's been found out as a CIA assassin. If that's the case, I'm less forgiving of the fact that Fortune has got to be the worst operative and should be dead by now. If the tone of the stories is to remain as humour, then I don't mind the bumbling messed up antics.

I will read the next one, and if it's as disappointing as this book, I'll consider the series done.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fortune Hunter by Jana Deleon is the 8th book in the Miss Fortune mystery series. An internet swindler has targeted the women in Sinful and Fortune, Ida Belle and Gertie set off to find the swindler but when their friend is murdered, they are pulled into another murder investigation. Another very funny and entertaining book in the series. Ida Belle and Gertie are such fun characters and come up with great schemes, although not always going to plan. You know there are always giung to be plenty of laughs.

[JoAn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fortune Hunter by Jana Deleon was another fun ride with Fortune, Ida Belle and Gertie as they try to track down a catfisher who is targeting lonely women in Sinful. This one didn't have quite as much humor as the previous books; but Fortune is doing a lot of thinking about her future in this one, so I didn't expect it in this one. I actually enjoyed Fortune's introspection because it felt like I got to know her better in this one that I had in the previous books. I'm waiting impatiently for the next one to be released to me from my local library.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so sad at the end of the last book. Carter found out that Fortune was a CIA agent hiding in Sinful, LA from a real nasty baddie, Ahmed. He was not amused, to day the least. He was really looking for Sandy-Sue Morrow, librarian and former beauty queen, not Fortune Redding, CIA assassin. So, he broke things off and broke her heart too. This left Fortune doing a lot of soul searching about what she really wanted for her life.

When Fortune, Gertie and Ida Belle find out that several of the older, single women in Sinful had fallen prey to a "catfisher", they just know that they need to "help" with the case. Mr. Slime trolls facebook to find his victims, but something about the women he selects just seems . . . kinda personal.

When a victim is murdered, Swamp Team 3 figure that the victim figured out who he really was. Even with Deputy Carter LeBlanc warning them to stay away from his case, the girls just can't leave it alone.

[Aimee Nicole Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series. I love the friendship and camaraderie as much as the shenanigans Swamp Team 3 gets into. As a writer, I really enjoy the pacing in both the individual books and the overarching storyline. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but Fortune had a big “aha moment” that made my romance-loving heart happy. I immediately downloaded the next audiobook.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this and it was great! Narrator is good and story keeps you laughing and guessing! Great series!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Didn't see the killer coming, but I was also running on 24 hours with no sleep when I read this one so I'm not 100% I was following closely.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fortune and her 80 year old friends solve the mystery again! There is another murder in Sinful, of a well thought of woman who oversees a non-profit organization. Mixed into this adventure is a catfish, swindling money out many women in the town.

[Lucinda Race · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fortune, Ide Belle and Gertie are in the thick of things again but with Carter finally in the know it creates some bumps and hurdles for Fortune. As she contemplates her future Swamp Team 3 once again solve the mystery and Carter? Read the book !

[FangirlNation · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone has been catfishing the older single women of Sinful, Louisiana, luring them into supposed relationships with fictitious men in order ultimately to get money out of them, so Ida Bell and Gertie use the need to investigate this crime to lure Fortune out of her stupor in Fortune Hunter, the just-released-on-audio eighth book in Jana Deleon's Miss Fortune Mystery series.

Read the rest of this review, more reviews, and other wonderful, geeky articles on FangirlNation

[catzkc · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the way things ended between Fortune and Deputy Carter LeBlanc in the last book of the series, I was kind of reluctant to start this one. Given the turn in their relationship I found this one kind of depressing - at least until the end - the way it ended was encouraging on that front! It didn't seem this one had as many funny parts. Usually, there's at least one or two scenes where I'm doubled over laughing so hard I'm crying and having trouble catching my breath. Still, as always, a good easy read. And as always, I thought I had it figured out earlier on than the characters, but of course there were a few twists I didn't see coming!

[Sonia Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Não consegui entrar lá muito bem neste livro, desde o início que tive dificuldade em seguir os acontecimentos.

Desta vez e pela primeira vez, achei que o assassino era bastante óbvio.

O melhor foi mesmo ver Fortune a tomar uma decisão sobre a sua vida e Carter dar-lhe outra hipótese.

[Karina Fabian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third Fortune book I've read in 24 hours

These are just fun books with great characters. I'm bringing them like they were a tv show. I need to stop....after the next one. ( well done, Ms. DeLeon!)

[Michele Reise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love this series but this one wasn't as funny as the rest. Usually this series is good for some light hearted fun reading. Hope the next one is back up to standard as I really love the characters.

[Theresa Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great one! Kept me laughing! Love the antics of Fortune, Ida Bell and Gertie!

[Shelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very generous 2 stars rating. Absent from previous installments in the series is the humor and without that this book was a bit of a slog to get through despite it being a quick, mindless read.

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Die Luft ist leider schon lange raus aber nun wusste ich auch bereits bei 30% des Krimis, wer der Täter ist. Das ist mir dann doch zu viel an Vorhersehbarkeit.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the eighth installment of the Miss Fortune mystery series, Fortune Redding is struggling emotionally after a breakup with Deputy Carter LeBlanc, who has discovered her true identity as a CIA assassin. Five days after the events of the previous book, she has withdrawn into a depression, refusing to eat or leave her sofa. Friends Ida Belle and Gertie recognize the opportunity to pull Fortune out of her doldrums when the town of Sinful faces a new threat: someone is catfishing the local older single women online to scam them out of money. While investigating the scam, the mystery intensifies when one of the women involved is murdered. Fortune, along with Ida Belle and Gertie (often referred to as the “Swamp Team 3” or the "Geritol Mafia") takes charge of unraveling the crime, balancing her investigation with personal reflection and self-discovery.
The team navigates the dangers posed by the perpetrator while offering support to the murdered victim’s wheelchair-bound husband and the affected community.

Throughout the book, Fortune exhibits increased introspection, exploring her identity, past experiences, and relationships, particularly her connection with Carter, the only man to whom she has come close emotionally. The narrative also highlights the use of contemporary technology, including social media scams, as central plot devices, blending suspense with humor.

Deputy Carter LeBlanc continues his official investigation, but Fortune's insight and skills as a CIA-trained operative prove crucial to exposing the perpetrator. By the end, the mystery is resolved, and Fortune is left considering her evolving life in Sinful realizing she can no longer return to the same life in the CIA she had before hiding out in the town.

[Aya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Fortune Mystery: 8
Fortune has spent the last few days moping after Carter broke up with her at the end of the last book, and Ida Belle and Gertie entice her out of her funk to investigate a catfish that has been preying on lonely ladies in Sinful. They are soon drawn to investigate the death of a woman in town who had been managing a charity for disabled people, and Carter is quick to warn them off both cases, much as Fortune would like to avoid him. Fortune's CIA partner also tells her that he's fallen in love and is considering a less risky role going forward. Fortune does a lot of contemplation in this book, and it's full of feels. It's not all heavy thinking, though. Crazy predicaments and ridiculous humor that's standard for this series is still there.

[Gabis Laberladen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darum geht’s:

Alleinstehende Frauen aus Sinful sind einem Online-Liebesschwindler ins Netz gegangen. Da auch Bürgermeisterin Celia darunter ist, finden es anfangs alle lustig. Doch als es eine Tote gibt, vergeht auch Fortune und ihren Freundinnen der Spaß. Der Catfish-Mörder muss jemand sein, der über die Damenwelt Sinfuls ausgezeichnet informiert ist. Es sollte doch herauszufinden sein, wer es ist.

Meine Meinung dazu gibt’s hier

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one

[Jen (The Jenerator) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as LOL, but necessary to continue the story and still entirely enjoyable!

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020 bk 96: Social Media can lead to murder. Fortune and her friends are tasking with discovering who is bilking the single women of Sinful, Louisiana of their money - through fake romances. The highjinks ensue as Gertie sets herself up as a target. Lots of fun.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining!

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good but it is my least favorite of the series so far. Fortune Hunter is book 8 in the Miss Fortune Mystery series. This series is set in Sinful, Louisiana, USA and follows Fortune, who is a CIA assassin in hiding, and old ladies Gertie and Ida Belle, who are lifelong Sinful residents and ex-spy war veterans, as they help solve a string of various crimes and murders.

Although this book wasn't as funny as the others, the entire series is full of humor. I stumbled across these books when I decided to check out a new-to-me genre called Cozy Mysteries and someone recommended this series. Once I listened to the first book, I couldn't stop. I have been listening to all of the books back to back. This is the first one where I didn't feel as though I couldn't turn it off. It wasn't quite as captivating for me.

In Fortune Hunter, a catfish has set their sights on ladies of Sinful. This person is pretending to be someone online and entering a fake relationship with these women so that they can get money out of them. Plus there is a murder to solve that takes precedence. Fortune and Carter are still dealing with the aftermath of Carter learning Fortune's secret.

I recommend this series and suggest that you read each book in order as it builds upon the prior story and makes everything that much more entertaining and enjoyable. If you like your books with a nice dose of humor, this is the series for you. I have found myself laughing out loud too many times to count.

The same woman narrates all of the books in this series. She does a really good job.

[Per Gunnar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Miss Fortune mystery and in many aspects it is more of the same which is good as for as I am concerned. As usual Fortune stumbles on a mystery pretty quickly at the beginning of the book. Carter tells her and the old ladies to stay out of it. As usual she and the ladies in the Geritol mafia pays as much heed to that as a politician does to his election promises.

What follows is the usual blend of investigations, twists, bantering and humorous moments. The latter sometimes being funny and sometimes a little bit too much slapstick.

On the good side of things, there are a bit less of the slapstick moments in this book. As a matter of fact this book is a little bit more serious than previous books and the mystery and investigation side of the book makes up for a slightly larger part of the book. To me this is a good thing.

Also, there is less of this asswipe obnoxious mayor in this book which is very good. Also, the rubbish ending of the last book was somewhat cleaned up.

The “twist” at the end was rather predictable though. Not that there were really any clues to it in the book but after having read enough American mysteries and watch enough Hollywood shows it was simply the most probable way it would go.

Overall this book was one of the better ones in the series.