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Inspector Rebecca Mayfield Mystery #4
Four O'Clock Sizzle
When Homicide Inspector Rebecca Mayfield's would-be boyfriend, Richie Amalfi, is named as one of San Francisco's "most enticing bachelors," she's not amused, but she never expected it would lead to his life being threatened. As a restaurant owner, men's upscale clothing store owner, hotelier, and more--handsome bachelors all--are attacked, Rebecca realizes the danger is very real.
Who's killing the city's "enticing bachelors" and why? Rebecca must answer those questions as she grapples with her own questions and feelings about Richie. Rebecca soon discovers that where there's smoke there's fire. As she gets closer to the bachelors to learn why they're in danger, she finds their happy surface images hide troubling conflagrations below. When she's forced to dive below the steamy surfaces to learn what's really going on, only Richie has the insider knowledge she needs to do it. And while she might sizzle over Richie, the more she learns about both him and the case, the more she realizes that she may have just moved from the frying pan into the fire--with equally deadly results.
Who's killing the city's "enticing bachelors" and why? Rebecca must answer those questions as she grapples with her own questions and feelings about Richie. Rebecca soon discovers that where there's smoke there's fire. As she gets closer to the bachelors to learn why they're in danger, she finds their happy surface images hide troubling conflagrations below. When she's forced to dive below the steamy surfaces to learn what's really going on, only Richie has the insider knowledge she needs to do it. And while she might sizzle over Richie, the more she learns about both him and the case, the more she realizes that she may have just moved from the frying pan into the fire--with equally deadly results.
- GenresCozy MysteryRomance
232 pages, ebook
First published June 7, 2016
142 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Joanne Pence
76 books192 followersJoanne Pence is a USA Today best-selling and award winning author of two mystery series, contemporary and historical romance, fantasy and thrillers. She is the author of the Angie Amalfi culinary mystery series, which is still in print after twenty years, and now has 15 books (the latest, COOKING SPIRITS was an April 2013 release), and a novella (Cook's Christmas Capers, Dec. 2013). She has just begun a new series, the Rebecca Mayfield mysteries. ONE O'CLOCK HUSTLE is the first full-length novel, and THE THIRTEENTH SANTA is a novella which shows how the two main characters met.
Joanne's books have won many awards and honors, including RWA's Golden Heart and Rita Award nominations, the Independent Book Seller's Golden Quill, the Daphne du Maurier award, the Willa Cather Literary Award in Historical Fiction (for DANCE WITH A GUNFIGHTER), and the Idaho Top Fiction Award for ANCIENT ECHOES.
Joanne was born and raised in San Francisco and now makes her home in the foothills of Boise. She has been president of the Boise chapter of Sisters in Crime, a founder and board member of the Popular Fiction Association of Idaho, and founding member and current board member of the Idaho Writers Guild. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley with a master's degree in journalism, Joanne has written for magazines, worked for the federal government, and taught school in Japan.
Joanne's books have won many awards and honors, including RWA's Golden Heart and Rita Award nominations, the Independent Book Seller's Golden Quill, the Daphne du Maurier award, the Willa Cather Literary Award in Historical Fiction (for DANCE WITH A GUNFIGHTER), and the Idaho Top Fiction Award for ANCIENT ECHOES.
Joanne was born and raised in San Francisco and now makes her home in the foothills of Boise. She has been president of the Boise chapter of Sisters in Crime, a founder and board member of the Popular Fiction Association of Idaho, and founding member and current board member of the Idaho Writers Guild. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley with a master's degree in journalism, Joanne has written for magazines, worked for the federal government, and taught school in Japan.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 7, 2017
In the next book of the story, Richie Amalfi is named one of San Francisco most alluring bachelor in an article was supposed to be a Puff piece that turned into a deadly serious affair. First is a fire that burned the store of one other bachelor, unfortunately, a homeless man was in the basement. Rebecca Mayfield and her partner Sutter are on-call and the case falls to them. Next Richie nightclub is torch but the fire is caught before too much damage is done. Another bachelor's head is found in a dumpster. The tale will take on a rough and harrowing ride as Rebecca and Richie race to find answers before all the bachelors are no more. I highly recommend this book.
January 12, 2017
Lots of Sizzle!!
This is a phenomenal series with each book getting better & better. It's got action, suspense, romance, & a great story line. Sparks keep flying between main characters Rebecca Mayfield & Richie Amalfi as they join together to try to find an arsonist & killer. Their relationship roles are reversed as Rebecca is a homicide detective & since she carries the gun protects Richie on so many occasions. (Several characters in the books have compared them to Beckett & Castle on the tv series Castle.) I binge read all 4 books in 2 days & can't wait for book 5 to release'
This is a phenomenal series with each book getting better & better. It's got action, suspense, romance, & a great story line. Sparks keep flying between main characters Rebecca Mayfield & Richie Amalfi as they join together to try to find an arsonist & killer. Their relationship roles are reversed as Rebecca is a homicide detective & since she carries the gun protects Richie on so many occasions. (Several characters in the books have compared them to Beckett & Castle on the tv series Castle.) I binge read all 4 books in 2 days & can't wait for book 5 to release'
March 27, 2022
I loved this story. A by the book cop falling for a bad boy is always a fascinating story and this book doesn't fail to entertain. The way they have to over come not just there own feeling for each other but also everybody else's expectations. Two wonderful characters that are just meant for each other. The inclusion of Ritchie's name to an eligible bad boy bachelor list offered not just the start of a good mystery but also some chuckles as it complicated both the main characters lives.However this book is so much more than a romance. The mystery was cleverly crafted as there was multiple parts to story, with a fire, murder drug dealing, money laundering and gangs. It could so easily have become complicated but that wasn't the case, other than two names sounding very similar. Can't wait to start the next book.
Rebecca never expected to walk in to work and discover her boyfriends face staring back at her from a magazine with the by line top six most enticing bachelors. The article then goes on to question all six men's reputations and sometimes shady business practices. It couldn't come at a worse time as Rebecca is investigating a fire that caused a death at one of the men's mentioned and the beheading of another. Are all six men targets? And if so why? What do they have in common? Other than the reporter who wrote the article? Things heat up as another fire is set and another body is found. Rebecca and Ritchie will have put aside there hurt fee!Inge caused by the article if they want to catch who is behind the fires.and deaths.
I liked the narrator. She did some good voices for both the make and female characters and was pleasant to listen to.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Rebecca never expected to walk in to work and discover her boyfriends face staring back at her from a magazine with the by line top six most enticing bachelors. The article then goes on to question all six men's reputations and sometimes shady business practices. It couldn't come at a worse time as Rebecca is investigating a fire that caused a death at one of the men's mentioned and the beheading of another. Are all six men targets? And if so why? What do they have in common? Other than the reporter who wrote the article? Things heat up as another fire is set and another body is found. Rebecca and Ritchie will have put aside there hurt fee!Inge caused by the article if they want to catch who is behind the fires.and deaths.
I liked the narrator. She did some good voices for both the make and female characters and was pleasant to listen to.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
May 25, 2018
I read Four O'Clock Sizzle: A Rebecca Mayfield Mystery by Joanne Pence while travelling. It's an easy, light, fun read. Pence likes to blur the lines between procedural and cozy mystery in this series in a way that makes Rebecca Mayfield sometimes do things it's hard to imagine a police officer doing yet Pence gives her believable if flawed reasons for making the decisions she makes. The chemistry between Rebecca and Richie Amalfi has the reader both cheering for them and wondering what each of them is thinking at different times throughout the book. And, then there's the police investigation where Rebecca is torn between her feelings for Richie and her concerns that the rumors about Richie might hold more truth than she wants to believe. She struggles to reconcile the Richie she spends time with and the Richie of his reputation. As her investigation continues, Rebecca finds she needs Richie to solve the crime and she needs to protect him from danger for her own personal needs. Pence has created a couple who seemingly have little in common but who are pulled together through one crisis after another in a way that has the reader rooting for them to not only solve crimes together but forge a lasting relationship. Four O'Clock Sizzle sizzles with mystery, romance, and family by weaving together the myriad aspects of the characters' lives.
July 25, 2018
I admit to being hooked on this series!
Okay, I started with the first book and loved it, so here I am on Book four and I have books five and six waiting on my Kindle. I know when to admit defeat!
Richie is listed in a San Francisco tabloid as one of the most enticing bachelors in the city. That doesn't make Rebecca feel very happy, especially when the magazine write-up describes him as a womanizer who loves 'em and leaves 'em brokenhearted. Is that what will happen to her, now that she's begun to admit her feelings for him are growing stronger? But then, her romantic dilemma is overwhelmed by crime—one of the bachelor's stores is firebombed, killing a homeless man who had been sleeping in the storeroom. Richie's restaurant is also set afire, and then two of the bachelors are murdered. Rebecca fears for Richie's life as well as winning and then losing his heart. There's a lot of fun in all the mayhem, never fear.
Okay, I started with the first book and loved it, so here I am on Book four and I have books five and six waiting on my Kindle. I know when to admit defeat!
Richie is listed in a San Francisco tabloid as one of the most enticing bachelors in the city. That doesn't make Rebecca feel very happy, especially when the magazine write-up describes him as a womanizer who loves 'em and leaves 'em brokenhearted. Is that what will happen to her, now that she's begun to admit her feelings for him are growing stronger? But then, her romantic dilemma is overwhelmed by crime—one of the bachelor's stores is firebombed, killing a homeless man who had been sleeping in the storeroom. Richie's restaurant is also set afire, and then two of the bachelors are murdered. Rebecca fears for Richie's life as well as winning and then losing his heart. There's a lot of fun in all the mayhem, never fear.
October 24, 2022
A this is an entertaining mystery. I like stories with strong female characters and their slightly dodgy romantic interests and this is a good one. The story is quite standard but is excellent, the characters and we'll described and interesting and their are some very good touches. Joanne Pence is new time andi will be listening to more of these. Julia Garlotte does a fine job bringing
the story off the page. I received a complimentary copy and am leaving a honest voluntary review
the story off the page. I received a complimentary copy and am leaving a honest voluntary review
March 30, 2021
Truth or Dare
Our 4 O'Clock adventure is all about truth. Whether it be about a restaurant or clothing boutique. This quest for truth reaches are two main characters Rebecca and Ritchie. While this book is a little shorter I think it is pivotal in setting up the series. Have you ever read of "pea soup?" Well 5 O'Clock here we come.
Our 4 O'Clock adventure is all about truth. Whether it be about a restaurant or clothing boutique. This quest for truth reaches are two main characters Rebecca and Ritchie. While this book is a little shorter I think it is pivotal in setting up the series. Have you ever read of "pea soup?" Well 5 O'Clock here we come.
July 19, 2022
Four O’ Clock Sizzle is a cute murder mystery romance that is part of a fun series with a female cop and her bad bad boy love interest. This one is an entertaining story about a scandalous magazine article that leads to a series of crimes.
The audiobook narrator brings the story to life with energetic and vibrant storytelling.
The audiobook narrator brings the story to life with energetic and vibrant storytelling.
December 30, 2017
Another fun read in the series.
March 23, 2018
Another winner
Have really enjoyed the Rebecca Mayfield series. It’s fun to try and come up with the protagonists before being told.
Have really enjoyed the Rebecca Mayfield series. It’s fun to try and come up with the protagonists before being told.
March 21, 2017
Another great story
This author continues to write an enjoyable mystery series. The main characters are likeable and I grumble to myself when they are both so brave in apprehending criminals but too afraid to make a commitment even though their relationship is an enjoyable part of this series.
This author continues to write an enjoyable mystery series. The main characters are likeable and I grumble to myself when they are both so brave in apprehending criminals but too afraid to make a commitment even though their relationship is an enjoyable part of this series.
March 1, 2017
Another fantastic book in this great series!
This book had lots of twists and turns, keeping the excitement high,making you want more and more of this fast paced series. I will be starting the next book in this series tonight :)
This book had lots of twists and turns, keeping the excitement high,making you want more and more of this fast paced series. I will be starting the next book in this series tonight :)
June 19, 2016
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When a tabloid magazine article about Richie and several other bachelors leads to arson and murder, Rebecca has her hands full trying to figure things out. The two arson fires both used kerosene to start and appear to be the work of an amateur. Unfortunately, there was a homeless man who died in the first fire, making it a homicide. Then the owner of the clothing store where the first fire started is found decapitated and another of the bachelors is missing.
There is more to the article than meets the eye and Richie seems to know something about it, but is reluctant to share the information.
Then Rebecca's sister, Courtney, and Richie go missing apparently kidnapped by the local drug syndicate.
Can Rebecca save her sister and RIchie? Will she finally get the evidence needed to solve the arson and murder cases? Or will she end up a victim as well?
This book has plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading right up to the end.
When a tabloid magazine article about Richie and several other bachelors leads to arson and murder, Rebecca has her hands full trying to figure things out. The two arson fires both used kerosene to start and appear to be the work of an amateur. Unfortunately, there was a homeless man who died in the first fire, making it a homicide. Then the owner of the clothing store where the first fire started is found decapitated and another of the bachelors is missing.
There is more to the article than meets the eye and Richie seems to know something about it, but is reluctant to share the information.
Then Rebecca's sister, Courtney, and Richie go missing apparently kidnapped by the local drug syndicate.
Can Rebecca save her sister and RIchie? Will she finally get the evidence needed to solve the arson and murder cases? Or will she end up a victim as well?
This book has plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading right up to the end.
June 11, 2016
I adore the chemistry between Rebecca and Richie. While there is a serious mystery that touches Richie, it is the draw between these two that makes this series stand out. The mystery is great but character is always my focus. The plot is highly complex and frustrates Rebecca almost as much as the complexities of their relationship.
September 15, 2016
Daring Duo
A tabloid expose on the hottest bachelors in town, not only stirs doubts in Rebecca's mind but stirs a pot full of mystery and murder. Not to mention the most dangerous gang yet.
A tabloid expose on the hottest bachelors in town, not only stirs doubts in Rebecca's mind but stirs a pot full of mystery and murder. Not to mention the most dangerous gang yet.
July 31, 2016
This is the last in the series so far, can't wait for the next book to be written and published? I'm hooked.
August 29, 2016
Outstanding
Again she has done it again! I was drawn to it and when it said "the end" I was happy with her ending of the story but as usual wanted more. Hope the next one is out.
Again she has done it again! I was drawn to it and when it said "the end" I was happy with her ending of the story but as usual wanted more. Hope the next one is out.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews