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Charlie Parker #3
Partnerships Can Be Murder
USA Today bestselling author Connie Shelton brings the third installment in her popular pet-sleuthing mystery series. Charlie Parker returns from her Hawaiian vacation to find her older brother Ron involved with a much younger woman. The more Charlie sees of cute Vicky, the more she realizes how deceitful Ron's new love is. Is it simply a case of male mid-life crisis, or is there something more devious going on?
Meanwhile, Charlie doesn't have much time to ponder Ron's problems. Her friend Sharon Ortega is a partner in a restaurant business with David Ruiz. When David turns up dead, an apparent suicide, Sharon comes to Charlie for help. Sharon's problem is a double-edged sword. If he did kill himself, David's life insurance won't pay and Sharon will probably lose the restaurant because she can't afford to hire a replacement. But if he didn't kill himself, then it was murder, and Sharon could very well find herself a suspect.
Charlie and her sidekick dog, Rusty, partner up to work on the case, a move that ultimately puts them both in danger.
"Charlie is a fabulous amateur sleuth." -Midwest Book Review
"Shelton again has done a superb job." -- Albuquerque Journal
Meanwhile, Charlie doesn't have much time to ponder Ron's problems. Her friend Sharon Ortega is a partner in a restaurant business with David Ruiz. When David turns up dead, an apparent suicide, Sharon comes to Charlie for help. Sharon's problem is a double-edged sword. If he did kill himself, David's life insurance won't pay and Sharon will probably lose the restaurant because she can't afford to hire a replacement. But if he didn't kill himself, then it was murder, and Sharon could very well find herself a suspect.
Charlie and her sidekick dog, Rusty, partner up to work on the case, a move that ultimately puts them both in danger.
"Charlie is a fabulous amateur sleuth." -Midwest Book Review
"Shelton again has done a superb job." -- Albuquerque Journal
222 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
103 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
Connie Shelton
94 books309 followersMy love of books started with weekly trips to the library as a child and from the moment I learned to read I can't remember a time that I didn't have at least one book going. For the past 25 years, that list has grown to include what I'm reading and what I'm writing at any given time.
I began writing my Charlie Parker series when my husband and I lived on Kauai, then continued them in my home state of New Mexico. Charlie lives in Albuquerque and manages to travel to a variety of locations, wherever her investigation business and her husband's helicopter business take them. My second series featuring Samantha Sweet, the 50-ish woman who breaks into houses for a living, is set in Taos, New Mexico.
In addition to reading and writing, I've traveled quite a lot, taught writing courses, and been a speaker at a whole lot of mystery conventions and writing conferences. In my spare time I also love to paint, draw, cook and spend time at the beach.
Series:
* Charlie Parker Mystery
I began writing my Charlie Parker series when my husband and I lived on Kauai, then continued them in my home state of New Mexico. Charlie lives in Albuquerque and manages to travel to a variety of locations, wherever her investigation business and her husband's helicopter business take them. My second series featuring Samantha Sweet, the 50-ish woman who breaks into houses for a living, is set in Taos, New Mexico.
In addition to reading and writing, I've traveled quite a lot, taught writing courses, and been a speaker at a whole lot of mystery conventions and writing conferences. In my spare time I also love to paint, draw, cook and spend time at the beach.
Series:
* Charlie Parker Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 5, 2023
Charlie Parker's back from Hawaii with thoughts of Drake in her head and finds out her brother also has a new girlfriend. Romance is in the air but there's no time to dwell on Drake right now as her friend Sharon asks Charlie to investigate her partner, David Ruiz', suicide. Sharon doesn't believe David would take his life and wants Charlie to find out all she can about it. David took care of Sharon's restaurants financial side. which is in trouble, business hasn't been great. If David's death was suicide then Sharon won't get the insurance money to help keep the restaurant going. Charlie has her work cut out for her. The finances are in a mess, the IRS has been calling and many bills are overdue. At David's funeral luncheon at the Ruiz house Charlie spies her brothers new girlfriend Vicky, in a compromising position. How does Vicky even know the Ruiz' and should she tell her brother about this? Things just don't add up in the fun mystery.
September 23, 2018
Only slightly dated. Really. I read one recently published that felt much more dated because it purportedly related to current events (at the time of the writing). The most dated thing about this is pay phones, so just sit back and be okay with the time period.
As for plot, etc., it wasn't my favorite of the series, but I will read the next one.
As for plot, etc., it wasn't my favorite of the series, but I will read the next one.
March 7, 2019
Book #3 in the Charlie (short for Charlotte) Parker series. This is an awesome exciting cozy mystery series with some romance! What's not to love! Charlie is back in Albuquerque after her vacation. A friend runs a restaurant that is having financial problems and the restaurant partner is found dead. Charlie is rather daring in her investigation. Really enjoyed this book and the series!
June 14, 2024
nice!
Charlie comes back from vacation and immediately got into another investigation and this time it is for a old friend/school mate.
like how the story is quick and packed with lots of discoveries unlike some other ones where progress is slow. Also, the story line is in the Peninsula, California, my stomping ground, really can relate to the traffic described by the author.
Charlie comes back from vacation and immediately got into another investigation and this time it is for a old friend/school mate.
like how the story is quick and packed with lots of discoveries unlike some other ones where progress is slow. Also, the story line is in the Peninsula, California, my stomping ground, really can relate to the traffic described by the author.
July 30, 2019
Charlie becomes involved in The death of her friend’s business partner. Her brother’s new girlfriend is also involved in the murder investigation which makes it difficult for Charlie to navigate. I felt that the author left way too many loose ends at the end of the book.
December 15, 2023
I am listening to this series and it is great. I love Charlie, Rusty and the plot. The narrator is excellent. I enjoy hearing pages turn, little noises rather than overdone acting. Just one person’s opinion but just read the book to me.
August 28, 2018
there is going to be another reader in a couple of books can't wait
August 16, 2019
Generally a good read, but the ending is very abrupt. I need to back up now and find #1 and #2 in the series.
January 5, 2020
An easy enjoyable read., but dated. Written about 10 years ago. Even then, didn’t PI’s have cell phones?
October 22, 2020
Definitely better than the first two books in the series but still needs to be improved in the writing.
July 18, 2021
The more Charlie Parker stories I read, the more I find myself thoroughly enjoying the thought process Charlie goes through to solve the case.
December 14, 2016
I'm listening to the audio version (from my library) of this series and while I really enjoy the mysteries and the characters, the audio production leaves much to be desired. It isn't totally distracting and has improved somewhat since the first book, but you still find llll00000nnnnnnggggg pauses between sections of the book. Sometimes so long that I start checking my iPad to see if something has gone wrong with the sound. The sound is also just a bit tinny, but still better than the first books. The narrarator has a nice voice, but you often hear her swallowing, pages turning, etc. Also, the delivery isn't always timed right -- I have found myself backing up a couple of times to re-listen because she'd pause before the last few words of a sentence -- anyway -- enough about the audio delivery -- it does seem to be improving AND I believe the change narrators within the next book or two, so we'll see how that works out. This must have been a new company when these recordings were made . . .
Charlie Parker is a CPA who owns a private investigation agency along with her brother. Charlie isn't the private investigator, but she often gets sucked into investigations in which she has a personal interest. This is one of those cases. Charlie's old school friend, Sharon, shows up at the agency when Charlie's brother Ron is tied up with other investigations and can't take on a new case. Sharon wants them to prove that her partner in a restaurant was murdered and didn't kill himself. If he killed himself, Sharon cannot collect on the key-man insurance policy that she'll desperately need to keep the restaurant going.
As Charlie gets into the investigation, she finds that the partner was involved in some shady dealings and was even in hot water with the IRS. Then -- there is Ron's new, much younger girlfriend that is somehow connected to the dead partner's family.
Charlie has her work cut out for her. Managing to untangle all of the strings of this case and escape intact will be a real challenge for Charlie. Can she manage it all?
Then, of course, Charlie is dealing with missing the man she met when she was on vacation in Hawaii (in the last book). He and she keep playing telephone tag because of the 4-hour time difference between them. Will she ever see him again? Does she love him? All questions for the future!
Charlie Parker is a CPA who owns a private investigation agency along with her brother. Charlie isn't the private investigator, but she often gets sucked into investigations in which she has a personal interest. This is one of those cases. Charlie's old school friend, Sharon, shows up at the agency when Charlie's brother Ron is tied up with other investigations and can't take on a new case. Sharon wants them to prove that her partner in a restaurant was murdered and didn't kill himself. If he killed himself, Sharon cannot collect on the key-man insurance policy that she'll desperately need to keep the restaurant going.
As Charlie gets into the investigation, she finds that the partner was involved in some shady dealings and was even in hot water with the IRS. Then -- there is Ron's new, much younger girlfriend that is somehow connected to the dead partner's family.
Charlie has her work cut out for her. Managing to untangle all of the strings of this case and escape intact will be a real challenge for Charlie. Can she manage it all?
Then, of course, Charlie is dealing with missing the man she met when she was on vacation in Hawaii (in the last book). He and she keep playing telephone tag because of the 4-hour time difference between them. Will she ever see him again? Does she love him? All questions for the future!
February 22, 2014
Continuation of the Charlie Parker Mystery. Charlie arrives home from the Pacific and gets back to the family business but her brother has fallen for some bimbo, who truly has him wrapped around her finger. She is such poison that she almost gets him and Charlie killed. Can Charlie prove to her brother that this little vixen is all trouble?
Charlie goes to eat at a restaurant and see's a school chum who owns the restaurant with a partner, however the partner gets himself killed, and Charlie is hired to solve the mystery. Money has been siphoned from the business and has put the business in the red. As Charlie is also a CPA she tries to unravel the mystery. Her boyfriend in the pacific misses her, and flowers arrive, there is still romance in the air for Charlie.
I had to keep telling myself this was written before smart phones, (1997) as Charlie has to keep looking for a phone booth, and never uses the internet or google, to find out stuff, as not in that time frame! (Oh how spoiled we all are today when information is just a few taps away). I will just have to buy the next book now to see how this romance will end.
Charlie goes to eat at a restaurant and see's a school chum who owns the restaurant with a partner, however the partner gets himself killed, and Charlie is hired to solve the mystery. Money has been siphoned from the business and has put the business in the red. As Charlie is also a CPA she tries to unravel the mystery. Her boyfriend in the pacific misses her, and flowers arrive, there is still romance in the air for Charlie.
I had to keep telling myself this was written before smart phones, (1997) as Charlie has to keep looking for a phone booth, and never uses the internet or google, to find out stuff, as not in that time frame! (Oh how spoiled we all are today when information is just a few taps away). I will just have to buy the next book now to see how this romance will end.
April 17, 2016
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
March 11, 2010
Disclaimer: I am the author of this book. Charlie comes back from her Kauai vacation and helps a friend who owns a restaurant to learn what really happened when her business partner died.
December 15, 2011
Other than a big coincidence uniting two plot threads, a solid story.
May 31, 2015
OMG what happened to Charlie: very very into judging people .... Did not like it
November 17, 2015
Good book.
July 19, 2016
I’m glad I found this author!
December 5, 2023
Mystery involving Charlie's brother Ron and also finds a murder mystery and fraud possibly. This was easy to listen to, unpredictable with interesting characters.
Read
July 19, 2016Super fun books to read
Read
December 22, 2017Love her books.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews