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Sophie Katz Murder Mystery #1
Sex, Murder and a Double Latte
When a mystery writer cries bloody murder, everyone blames her overactive imagination…
Thriller scribe Sophie Katz is as hard-boiled as a woman who drinks Grande Caramel Brownie Frappuccinos can be. So Sophie knows it’s not paranoia or post-divorce, living-alone-again jitters, when she becomes convinced that a crazed reader is sneaking into her apartment to reenact scenes from her books. The police, however, can’t tell a good plot from an unmarked grave.
When a filmmaker friend is brutally murdered in the manner of a death scene in one of his movies, Sophie becomes convinced that a copycat killer is on the loose —and that she’s the next target. If she doesn’t solve the mystery, her own bestseller will spell out her doom. Cursing her grisly imagination (why, oh, why did she have to pick the ax?), Sophie engages in some real-life gumshoe tactics. The man who swoops in to save her in dark alleys is mysterious new love interest Anatoly Darinsky. Of course, if this were fiction, Anatoly would be her prime suspect.…
Thriller scribe Sophie Katz is as hard-boiled as a woman who drinks Grande Caramel Brownie Frappuccinos can be. So Sophie knows it’s not paranoia or post-divorce, living-alone-again jitters, when she becomes convinced that a crazed reader is sneaking into her apartment to reenact scenes from her books. The police, however, can’t tell a good plot from an unmarked grave.
When a filmmaker friend is brutally murdered in the manner of a death scene in one of his movies, Sophie becomes convinced that a copycat killer is on the loose —and that she’s the next target. If she doesn’t solve the mystery, her own bestseller will spell out her doom. Cursing her grisly imagination (why, oh, why did she have to pick the ax?), Sophie engages in some real-life gumshoe tactics. The man who swoops in to save her in dark alleys is mysterious new love interest Anatoly Darinsky. Of course, if this were fiction, Anatoly would be her prime suspect.…
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
228 people are currently reading
16612 people want to read
About the author
Kyra Davis
29 books1,521 followersNew York Times bestselling author of JUST ONE NIGHT, DECEPTIVE INNOCENCE, the Sophie Katz mysteries, SO MUCH FOR MY HAPPY ENDING and the upcoming DANGEROUS ALLIANCE, JUST ONCE MORE and JUST ONE LIE (July 28th, 2015).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 669 reviews
July 16, 2021
A solid 3 star read, I enjoyed the book. (Spoiler free review)
Things I Liked:
- a Jewish WOC as the narrator
- the concept of a book within a book #bookception
- the murderer's motive (so crazy and so novel)
- lgbt rep (?)
Things I Disliked:
- the jokes got a bit grating after a while; they were repeated so often
- the stereotypes, oh gawd, the stereotypes: gay men are always into fashion/work in the fashion field, are super sassy, and exist only to help the striaght female MC out with her love life
- the book almost failed the Bechdel test (in the first half, at least)
- so much exagerrated drama
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: what a predictable plot, i could see the plot twists a mile away
Final Verdict:
The book was enjoyable. If you're looking for a thriller that's intellectual or gripping, this is not it. This is not a triller, period. This is a lighthearted entertainer, perfect for a day when you're in sick with the flu.
-x-x-x-x-
Feel free to read my thoughts about the book as I read it. I think it’s called a commentary:
Oct 6, 2018:
Chapter 1:
A Jewish POC narrator? I’m all in, baby! :D
Oct 7, 2018:
Chapter 4:
I watched S1E09 of The Mentalist yesterday, and that’s kinda influencing who I think (at the moment) is the murderer in this novel.
Chapter 7:
My Spidey senses are tingling, because I think I know who the killer is.
Oct 8, 2018:
Chapter 10:
Okay, time to eat my hat. The person I suspected all along is guilty, but they’re not the killer Sophie Katz (the MC) is out to catch? So I’m kinda right, but also wrong? So, uhhh... The suspect pool is now every guy mentioned in the book. Hold on, why am I being sexist? The killer could also be a woman. So now every person in this book, apart from Katz, is a suspect.
*pats self on back for being feminist*
because dammit, girls can be murderes too!
Oct 9, 2018:
Chapter 14:
Oooooh, the plot thickens...
Also, here’s a quote from the book that Katz, the MC, has written: "The hot ones are always gay, married, or murderers."
#bookwithinabook #bookception
Chapter 18:
So right now, every character in the book thinks that this one particular character (let’s call them “X”) is the murderer/crazy-stalker. And that’s exactly why I think X is not the murderer.
I’m calling the author’s bluff. But what if I’m wrong and it’s a double bluff—X is the killer, pure and simple? Or wait. What if it’s a triple bluff, and I’m supposed to be questioning myself the way I am rn?
You’re evil, author.
Chapter 21: (Last chapter)
Yes, yes, YES! Detective Ad’s theories have been vindicated! I’m a regular Sherlock Holmes, all right.
Things I Liked:
- a Jewish WOC as the narrator
- the concept of a book within a book #bookception
- the murderer's motive (so crazy and so novel)
- lgbt rep (?)
Things I Disliked:
- the jokes got a bit grating after a while; they were repeated so often
- the stereotypes, oh gawd, the stereotypes: gay men are always into fashion/work in the fashion field, are super sassy, and exist only to help the striaght female MC out with her love life
- the book almost failed the Bechdel test (in the first half, at least)
- so much exagerrated drama
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: what a predictable plot, i could see the plot twists a mile away
Final Verdict:
The book was enjoyable. If you're looking for a thriller that's intellectual or gripping, this is not it. This is not a triller, period. This is a lighthearted entertainer, perfect for a day when you're in sick with the flu.
-x-x-x-x-
Feel free to read my thoughts about the book as I read it. I think it’s called a commentary:
Oct 6, 2018:
Chapter 1:
A Jewish POC narrator? I’m all in, baby! :D
Oct 7, 2018:
Chapter 4:
I watched S1E09 of The Mentalist yesterday, and that’s kinda influencing who I think (at the moment) is the murderer in this novel.
Chapter 7:
My Spidey senses are tingling, because I think I know who the killer is.
Oct 8, 2018:
Chapter 10:
Okay, time to eat my hat. The person I suspected all along is guilty, but they’re not the killer Sophie Katz (the MC) is out to catch? So I’m kinda right, but also wrong? So, uhhh... The suspect pool is now every guy mentioned in the book. Hold on, why am I being sexist? The killer could also be a woman. So now every person in this book, apart from Katz, is a suspect.
*pats self on back for being feminist*
Oct 9, 2018:
Chapter 14:
Oooooh, the plot thickens...
Also, here’s a quote from the book that Katz, the MC, has written: "The hot ones are always gay, married, or murderers."
#bookwithinabook #bookception
Chapter 18:
So right now, every character in the book thinks that this one particular character (let’s call them “X”) is the murderer/crazy-stalker. And that’s exactly why I think X is not the murderer.
I’m calling the author’s bluff. But what if I’m wrong and it’s a double bluff—X is the killer, pure and simple? Or wait. What if it’s a triple bluff, and I’m supposed to be questioning myself the way I am rn?
You’re evil, author.
Chapter 21: (Last chapter)
Yes, yes, YES! Detective Ad’s theories have been vindicated! I’m a regular Sherlock Holmes, all right.
May 1, 2022
Okay, this is exactly what I expected from a cozy mystery. A main character who almost has it together, funny yet corny humor, secondary characters that are just shy of silly (but for me in a good way), a mystery surrounding murders that made sense, and an overall enjoyable read. If you are looking for gritty and complicated this won't be your thing, but if you are looking for well written quick to read entertainment that you can fly through like a row of Oreo cookies this may be your jam. I'm very glad that I took the leap and ordered the first four books in the series. I'll be continuing on and I'm sure each story will go fast.
Where you can find me:
•(♥).•*Monica Is Reading*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @monicaisreading
Instagram: @readermonica
Where you can find me:
•(♥).•*Monica Is Reading*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @monicaisreading
Instagram: @readermonica
January 29, 2021
I liked this a bit more.
Still not my normal thing but my mind is tired🤷🏾♀️
Original Review:
Funny, chick lit, cozy mystery and ultimately not my thing.
Still not my normal thing but my mind is tired🤷🏾♀️
Original Review:
Funny, chick lit, cozy mystery and ultimately not my thing.
May 1, 2008
It's all about point of view. The narrator, Sophie Katz, is just downright funny and has an off kilter view of the world that makes it fun to view her San Francisco through her eyes. Some will compare the author, Kyra Davis, to Janet Evanovich, and it's probably a fair comparison--both Sophie Katz (Davis' protagonist) and Stephanie Plum (Evanovich's hero) are girly girl single women who live alone with cats and who continually wind up in situations where there life was in peril. Some have called Davis an "Evanovich imitator."
But it's unfair; Raymond Chandler imitated Carroll John Daly, Mickey Spillane imitated both, and Robert B. Parker read all three. The fact of the matter is, the "girly girl detective" is a genre, like the "hard boiled" genre of the thirties that survives today in the work of Parker's Spenser series and Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone Alphabet series. Evanovich and Davis are both writing in a tradition, and there's room enough for both.
As with all traditions and genres, what's as interesting as the plot is the point of view of the main character--the way she looks at the world, the way she uses language how she reacts to things, and the city--in this case, Kyra Davis' San Francisco. Good novels of this tradition are rife with insider knowledge of a well known city, and the city becomes a character.
This book is, so far, a great, fast read--an interesting enough mystery, but what keeps me turning the pages isn't the puzzle. Rather, it's seeing what Sophie will do next.
This book, by the way, has the best opening page and a half of any novel I've read in the last ten years.
But it's unfair; Raymond Chandler imitated Carroll John Daly, Mickey Spillane imitated both, and Robert B. Parker read all three. The fact of the matter is, the "girly girl detective" is a genre, like the "hard boiled" genre of the thirties that survives today in the work of Parker's Spenser series and Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone Alphabet series. Evanovich and Davis are both writing in a tradition, and there's room enough for both.
As with all traditions and genres, what's as interesting as the plot is the point of view of the main character--the way she looks at the world, the way she uses language how she reacts to things, and the city--in this case, Kyra Davis' San Francisco. Good novels of this tradition are rife with insider knowledge of a well known city, and the city becomes a character.
This book is, so far, a great, fast read--an interesting enough mystery, but what keeps me turning the pages isn't the puzzle. Rather, it's seeing what Sophie will do next.
This book, by the way, has the best opening page and a half of any novel I've read in the last ten years.
April 26, 2009
OMG! this is the book that introduced everyone to the world of Sophie Katz. Once i read this book i was wanting more... then a while later i decided to search again and found Kyra had released 2 more Sophie novels... These books are the most amazing books i have ever read. I would even pick these over Twilight..and i love that series too. Kyra knows how to get you into the story and makes you want more and feel like you are right there as its all happening. It keeps you on your toes and guessing. You think you know the murder? think again! You will change your mind many times on who it is... BUT you will never have it right... This is the first book i have read more than once. I cant put it down even though i have read it and i know whats comming. i cant wait for the new book May 26th... Thank you Kyra for Sophie Katz...
June 25, 2016
This book hooked me right away. It was so much fun! The MC was a hoot and her sidekicks took it up a few notches. Add in a murder mystery, a stalker, witty banter, a few LOL moments and a Russian hottie and it was one entertaining book.
I'll be starting the next one tomorrow.
I'll be starting the next one tomorrow.
January 8, 2023
2.5 stars.
December 10, 2009
I can't say I actually read the book as in finished it but I gave it the fifty pages test and it failed. It's like all the other negative reviews said: it's shallow, unoriginal, the characters are stereotyped, and the dialogue tries too hard to be clever. People don't talk like that!
July 28, 2012
If it were edible it would be cool whip. You're not even certain it's a real food product, it might just be chemicals suspended in air. But damn if you can't eat the whole container in one sitting.
April 23, 2021
For a book called "Sex, Murder and a Double Latte", I would have expected it to have, you know, sex, murder and a double latte in it. Instead we got murders, no sex and no double lattes. Which is pretty disappointing even though I wouldn't have cared if the protagonist had slept with her love interest or not but that's not the point.
Sex, Murder and a Double Latte is a Chick-Lit Mystery about Sophie Katz, a novelist know for her gruesome depiction of sex and murder in her crime fiction. Her everyday life is disrupted when murders exactly like the ones in her book start happening. And she might be next.
Naturally, our painfully unfunny and annoying protagonist meets an equally obnoxious, brooding guy named Anatoly, her Russian love interest who is definitely not exactly like every other love interest in the book world. Because apparently, a Romance is nothing without Dark Brooding White Guy. Our protagonist also has a friend with a shop for sex toys, her innocent and stupid cousin, and, drumroll, a Gay Best Friend™ who is very sassy. Because what is a novel without stereotyping queer people?
The plot was equally bad. It was painfully obvious that the person everyone expected to be the murderer wasn't the murderer. The actual murderer's motive was weird but also kind of intriguing so that was nice I guess. Also I wish Sophie would have stopped whining so much about her bad sex life or whatever it was she constantly monologued about. The dialogue was painful to read, who actually talks like that?
One of the significant relationships in this novel was obviously Anatoly and Sophie. They had zero chemistry. They had little to no interactions before deciding it was time to pounce each other. . Then, Markus (the gay best friend) just existed to give Sophie relationship advice . The other women in the novel just existed so Sophie could dump her relationship problems and sexual frustration on someone other than her cat. No relationship in this novel really was of any significance.
Lastly, I don't even know if I liked the "LGBT representation" in this book if you're willing to call it that. Markus was just very stereotypical and the protagonist used the d-slur once and just talked very negatively about butch lesbians. They also talked about Anatoly possibly being trans like it's a bad thing. Idk it was just all a little icky.
Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend picking up this book.
TW// murder, death, talk of a possible suicide, mental illness, d-slur, r-slur, degrading talk about transgender people, body horror, gore, rape (mentioned), violence, alcoholism
Sex, Murder and a Double Latte is a Chick-Lit Mystery about Sophie Katz, a novelist know for her gruesome depiction of sex and murder in her crime fiction. Her everyday life is disrupted when murders exactly like the ones in her book start happening. And she might be next.
Naturally, our painfully unfunny and annoying protagonist meets an equally obnoxious, brooding guy named Anatoly, her Russian love interest who is definitely not exactly like every other love interest in the book world. Because apparently, a Romance is nothing without Dark Brooding White Guy. Our protagonist also has a friend with a shop for sex toys, her innocent and stupid cousin, and, drumroll, a Gay Best Friend™ who is very sassy. Because what is a novel without stereotyping queer people?
The plot was equally bad. It was painfully obvious that the person everyone expected to be the murderer wasn't the murderer. The actual murderer's motive was weird but also kind of intriguing so that was nice I guess. Also I wish Sophie would have stopped whining so much about her bad sex life or whatever it was she constantly monologued about. The dialogue was painful to read, who actually talks like that?
One of the significant relationships in this novel was obviously Anatoly and Sophie. They had zero chemistry. They had little to no interactions before deciding it was time to pounce each other. . Then, Markus (the gay best friend) just existed to give Sophie relationship advice . The other women in the novel just existed so Sophie could dump her relationship problems and sexual frustration on someone other than her cat. No relationship in this novel really was of any significance.
Lastly, I don't even know if I liked the "LGBT representation" in this book if you're willing to call it that. Markus was just very stereotypical and the protagonist used the d-slur once and just talked very negatively about butch lesbians. They also talked about Anatoly possibly being trans like it's a bad thing. Idk it was just all a little icky.
Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend picking up this book.
TW// murder, death, talk of a possible suicide, mental illness, d-slur, r-slur, degrading talk about transgender people, body horror, gore, rape (mentioned), violence, alcoholism
November 28, 2022
Sophie Katz is an author who thought one of her books was going to be made into a movie until the producer died. Then another odd death occurred, and Sophie is beginning to wonder if she is in danger. And she believes the mysterious man, Anatolli, she met at the coffee shop is to blame.
This was a fun mystery. I would consider this more of a comedic mystery with hints of romance. The connections between the crimes were fun to follow and figure out. I liked the diversity in characters. The setting was also nice. Although San Fran is overly expensive, it’s still beautiful…some spaces. The author could have given more landscape or scenery descriptions.
I didn’t like that the heroine was self-centered at times. In a cringe way, not cute at all.
This is going to be a little spoily, but I need to share b/c it really bothered me….
Sophie explicitly lied about a crime to get somebody locked up. Her actions were extreme. It caused the person to get shot and thrown in jail. When it was evident that person was not the perpetrator, she lied again to the cops to coverup her first lie, but there is no lie big enough to coverup those actions. She should have been put in jail. It also took her too long to admit her faults and apologize. And her apology sucked.
This was a fun mystery. I would consider this more of a comedic mystery with hints of romance. The connections between the crimes were fun to follow and figure out. I liked the diversity in characters. The setting was also nice. Although San Fran is overly expensive, it’s still beautiful…some spaces. The author could have given more landscape or scenery descriptions.
I didn’t like that the heroine was self-centered at times. In a cringe way, not cute at all.
This is going to be a little spoily, but I need to share b/c it really bothered me….
Sophie explicitly lied about a crime to get somebody locked up. Her actions were extreme. It caused the person to get shot and thrown in jail. When it was evident that person was not the perpetrator, she lied again to the cops to coverup her first lie, but there is no lie big enough to coverup those actions. She should have been put in jail. It also took her too long to admit her faults and apologize. And her apology sucked.
August 2, 2013
I was hooked on this book from the surprising long, (70 page), Google preview I read online. You wouldn't imagine my disappointment when trying to purchase the paperback, and learning that it was out of print. Fortunately, I was able to purchase this book USED for only a dollar from an independent seller on Ebay. It was well worth all the effort...
Mystery writer Sophia Katz is convinced that a crazed killer has been letting himself into her apartment, rearranging her things. The police don't believe her, her hair dresser thinks she is being over imaginative, and her friends aren't buying it either. When her filmmaker friend is murdered in the fashion of his movie, Sophia believes there is a copy cat killer on the loose and she is next. She doesn't care what anybody thinks, she knows to trust her own instincts... But is the new man she is dating possibly the killer?
Hilarious, sexy, fun, suspenseful, and witty. 5 stars!
Mystery writer Sophia Katz is convinced that a crazed killer has been letting himself into her apartment, rearranging her things. The police don't believe her, her hair dresser thinks she is being over imaginative, and her friends aren't buying it either. When her filmmaker friend is murdered in the fashion of his movie, Sophia believes there is a copy cat killer on the loose and she is next. She doesn't care what anybody thinks, she knows to trust her own instincts... But is the new man she is dating possibly the killer?
Hilarious, sexy, fun, suspenseful, and witty. 5 stars!
February 13, 2020
I read this book years ago and it was one of the first mysteries I enjoyed. Since it's a series I am familiar with and I've wanted to reread for awhile when I saw it on Audible Escape I thought it would be great to listen to. I'm still trying to get into audiobooks so I wanted to read something I'm somewhat familiar with. I hated the narrator though. Her voice was so lackluster and the only characters she really brought a life to were Sophie's mother and Anatoly. This book has a lot of jokes and wit but the jokes just didn't land well in the audiobook. I still recommend reading this story if you want a diverse chicklit mystery but get yourself the paperback or Kindle edition instead!
April 7, 2019
#1 in the Sophie Katz Murder Mystery series
What an unexpectedly cute book! I had no expectations about this one--it was just one that I had added to my TBR several years ago, and it popped up on Audible. But it was fun. Sophie is a great character. She's an author of murder mystery books, and she recognizes that two recent murders have followed the "script" of a song and then of a movie. Now she's afraid she's the next victim since some scenes from her book are now suspiciously being reenacted. Secondary characters of Marcus (her gay hair stylist), Dena (owner of a sex store) and Mary Ann (the Ditz), sister Leah (new mom), and new boyfriend Anatoly add some humorous dimension and act as either her partners in detection or as possible culprits. I was surprised at the reveal (that's nothing new) and found the ending to be very satisfying. I look forward to continuing with this humorous series. However, I was a little disappointed with the narration of Zackman. She read well, but her Anatoly voice was more clenched than sexy. The other characters were well-defined and easy to differentiate.
What an unexpectedly cute book! I had no expectations about this one--it was just one that I had added to my TBR several years ago, and it popped up on Audible. But it was fun. Sophie is a great character. She's an author of murder mystery books, and she recognizes that two recent murders have followed the "script" of a song and then of a movie. Now she's afraid she's the next victim since some scenes from her book are now suspiciously being reenacted. Secondary characters of Marcus (her gay hair stylist), Dena (owner of a sex store) and Mary Ann (the Ditz), sister Leah (new mom), and new boyfriend Anatoly add some humorous dimension and act as either her partners in detection or as possible culprits. I was surprised at the reveal (that's nothing new) and found the ending to be very satisfying. I look forward to continuing with this humorous series. However, I was a little disappointed with the narration of Zackman. She read well, but her Anatoly voice was more clenched than sexy. The other characters were well-defined and easy to differentiate.
April 23, 2019
3.5 stars
This was a fun, easy to get into, read that reminded me of the good (ie: early) days of Stephanie Plum mysteries. There are some cheesy bits and things played for humor that shouldn't be, but I liked it overall enough to want to continue. It didn't feel a crazy hijinks as the Plum books were and that's a plus for me. I'm interested to see if that continues. I did this on audio and it was really well done.
This was a fun, easy to get into, read that reminded me of the good (ie: early) days of Stephanie Plum mysteries. There are some cheesy bits and things played for humor that shouldn't be, but I liked it overall enough to want to continue. It didn't feel a crazy hijinks as the Plum books were and that's a plus for me. I'm interested to see if that continues. I did this on audio and it was really well done.
September 13, 2019
fun ride. I'm a sucker for protagonists that are also writers. also SF. I'm extremely emotionally invested in the romance, so it's one of those
January 21, 2024
This book was really silly and unserious. It was fun but kind of annoying because of how many times the main character falsely accused someone of murder or assault.
October 22, 2022
Latte
I knew it! Boy did it take awhile to get there but the ending was satisfying. What a great friend group and so many personalities. You can definitely tell this book was written in the early2000s so be mindful the language is dated (trans, homophobia, and neurodiverse) I cringed a bit. And Sophie is a bit self absorbed but in a little sister annoying way.
Also the way Sophie treated Anatoly I should probably rate this a 3 star but I'm rounding up from 3.5 stars.
CN: stalking, assault, domestic victims, lots of slut shaming, false police reporting, police inaction, false imprisonment, blackmail,, microagressions
I knew it! Boy did it take awhile to get there but the ending was satisfying. What a great friend group and so many personalities. You can definitely tell this book was written in the early2000s so be mindful the language is dated (trans, homophobia, and neurodiverse) I cringed a bit. And Sophie is a bit self absorbed but in a little sister annoying way.
Also the way Sophie treated Anatoly I should probably rate this a 3 star but I'm rounding up from 3.5 stars.
CN: stalking, assault, domestic victims, lots of slut shaming, false police reporting, police inaction, false imprisonment, blackmail,, microagressions
January 18, 2010
I love any book that has a kickass female lead. I saw this cover and couldn't resist. Granted, the female lead turned out to be not all the kickass, but not for lack of trying. Ladies and Gentleman, I have for you another author to watch.
I believe that this book is currently out of print. I know that the audio version is downloadable for maybe 10 bucks on itunes. I am sure you can get it secondhand as well. Just know that I won't give you my copy!
Kyra Davis writes like a pro. Her plot was engaging, exciting and well thought out. Her characters were likable, relateable and hilarious. This book is a breeze to read, but it doesn't lack depth as so many other Chick-Lit books seem to.
Sex, Murder and a Double Latte stars Sophie Katz, a thriller novelist who finds that what she has written starts coming true! When a hot Russian guy, Anatole Darinsky, starts following her around, she wonders if he is eye candy, or a homicidal maniac.
When Sophie finds that nobody believes her story, and she can't tell who is on her side the story gets really juicy. You won't figure this one out before the end, its got more than a few surprises up its sleeve.
When you finish this one, there are 2 more in the series, with a 4th to be released in June.
I believe that this book is currently out of print. I know that the audio version is downloadable for maybe 10 bucks on itunes. I am sure you can get it secondhand as well. Just know that I won't give you my copy!
Kyra Davis writes like a pro. Her plot was engaging, exciting and well thought out. Her characters were likable, relateable and hilarious. This book is a breeze to read, but it doesn't lack depth as so many other Chick-Lit books seem to.
Sex, Murder and a Double Latte stars Sophie Katz, a thriller novelist who finds that what she has written starts coming true! When a hot Russian guy, Anatole Darinsky, starts following her around, she wonders if he is eye candy, or a homicidal maniac.
When Sophie finds that nobody believes her story, and she can't tell who is on her side the story gets really juicy. You won't figure this one out before the end, its got more than a few surprises up its sleeve.
When you finish this one, there are 2 more in the series, with a 4th to be released in June.
July 4, 2010
This was a solid 3 stars for me. Someone recommended it to me because I like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. I had to run out to the library and get it to see for myself. I enjoyed this book, and while there were some basic similarities between the two series it wasn't anything blatantly obvious.
I really liked Sophie's character. She had an interesting view of the world around her and she was really amusing. Her friends were all oddballs, and the situations she found herself in were highly entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the art gallery scene, it was really funny.
I will definitely read the next book in the series.
I really liked Sophie's character. She had an interesting view of the world around her and she was really amusing. Her friends were all oddballs, and the situations she found herself in were highly entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the art gallery scene, it was really funny.
I will definitely read the next book in the series.
October 8, 2018
The title is almost completely misleading. There was no sex or double lattes anywhere. The only thing this story had was terrible try hard jokes and a murder. The characters were all over the top versions of real people. Sophie is supposed to be a best selling author of crime fiction but can't string together one coherent thought to save her life. The romance was lacking and super weird. The way certain characters were portrayed disgusted me.
I honestly didn't expect much outside of entertainment and it didn't really deliver on that front. I found myself bored most the time.
I honestly didn't expect much outside of entertainment and it didn't really deliver on that front. I found myself bored most the time.
April 30, 2012
This book has the most aggravatingly stupid protagonist I've ever read. I managed to finish it only by being distracted while I was doing so. I did get one or two chuckles but most of the supposedly funny stuff fell totally flat.
June 11, 2016
I liked it. I was funny, interesting, great characters, witty dialogue, and the twists were good. I took this out because I thought it was be okay plus murder mystery, could be pretty good and it passed my expectations. I can't wait to read the rest in the series.
4/5
4/5
January 23, 2014
My hatred of this book and its shallow, bitchy "heroine" knows no bounds. Flames. Flames on the side of my face...
September 16, 2018
Sophie Katz is a half African-American, half Jewish author who has just finished her latest book, and has a movie in the works. Having a cause to celebrate, she decides to stop at Starbucks to get a sugar drink- sorry, Caramel Brownie Frappuccino- and pat herself on the back. Perfectly harmless, right?
But she jumped the gun with that little pick-me-up, because soon after, the would-be director of her movie is found with his wrists slit, and a suicide note to top it off.
As if having her career take a turn for the worse wasn’t bad enough, Sophie realizes she has a crazy stalker on her hands who is recreating scenes from her book. And it’s going to take more than a good dose of caffeine to catch him.
With the help of her slightly-less crazy friends, and a mysterious Russian as her prime suspect, Sophie Katz is ready for action in “Sex, Murder and a Double Latte” - and you better be, too.
While this book, on a whole, was nothing extraordinary, it was still entertaining. It had a fast-paced, straightforward plot, amusing characters, and was written in a style that was easy to read.
I was looking for a specific kind of entertainment when I opened this book, and I’m happy to say that it delivered. I wasn’t able to predict the identity of the killer (thought I confess I wasn’t really trying to), which adds to my positive review.
I will likely be continuing this series.
But she jumped the gun with that little pick-me-up, because soon after, the would-be director of her movie is found with his wrists slit, and a suicide note to top it off.
As if having her career take a turn for the worse wasn’t bad enough, Sophie realizes she has a crazy stalker on her hands who is recreating scenes from her book. And it’s going to take more than a good dose of caffeine to catch him.
With the help of her slightly-less crazy friends, and a mysterious Russian as her prime suspect, Sophie Katz is ready for action in “Sex, Murder and a Double Latte” - and you better be, too.
While this book, on a whole, was nothing extraordinary, it was still entertaining. It had a fast-paced, straightforward plot, amusing characters, and was written in a style that was easy to read.
I was looking for a specific kind of entertainment when I opened this book, and I’m happy to say that it delivered. I wasn’t able to predict the identity of the killer (thought I confess I wasn’t really trying to), which adds to my positive review.
I will likely be continuing this series.
July 20, 2020
3.5 Stars
This was a first time author for me. I picked the book on a whim because it was free with Audible Escapes and looked like it was going to be a fun and carefree story. I listened to most of this book on Audible and didn't have any problems with the narrator. Apparently this is book 1 of a new series and Sophie Katz - the female MC - is a very likable character. The author does a good job with the secondary characters and creates a close knit circle of friends that surround Sophie along with a bit of a quirky family. There is the love interest who we keep getting conflicting information from Sophie on:
Does she like him? Should she like him? Is he the stalker? When can I break my drought?
So, the story was funny at times and the mystery kept it interesting. I also think that this felt like it was just a little bit too superficial (there was not too much depth to this story), but I think that may have been what the author was going for.
I would like to continue on and read the second book, but I think I'll change genres for a bit and then come back.
This was a first time author for me. I picked the book on a whim because it was free with Audible Escapes and looked like it was going to be a fun and carefree story. I listened to most of this book on Audible and didn't have any problems with the narrator. Apparently this is book 1 of a new series and Sophie Katz - the female MC - is a very likable character. The author does a good job with the secondary characters and creates a close knit circle of friends that surround Sophie along with a bit of a quirky family. There is the love interest who we keep getting conflicting information from Sophie on:
Does she like him? Should she like him? Is he the stalker? When can I break my drought?
So, the story was funny at times and the mystery kept it interesting. I also think that this felt like it was just a little bit too superficial (there was not too much depth to this story), but I think that may have been what the author was going for.
I would like to continue on and read the second book, but I think I'll change genres for a bit and then come back.
February 4, 2025
This was such a fun read. The language is a bit dated, it was written in 2006, and that irked me a bit, but it was a fun mystery with a great FMC. I loved that Davis’ Black and Jewish identity was represented through her main character, Sophie, and that there were nods to her experiences navigating this identity throughout the book. All of the characters added diversity, interest, and fun. I think this is my first ever “cozy” mystery and I think it’s a genre I’ll explore more as a palate cleanser. There was lots of great humor and the mystery kept me guessing. I think I’ll make my way through Davis’ Sophie Katz collection.
June 4, 2018
Sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you got me wanting youuuuuuu
And now that tune is stuck in your head forever.
More of a 2,556 stars rating, but what a heck, all tales of the City automatically get an extra star.
Fun&fast, a read with some totally predictable twists. Characters are cute and there's not that many of them, so it's very easy to simply deduct who did it. Life simulates art, narrator's faux Russian accent is atrocious, but the humor, banter and all that coffee infused sexual tension was addictive, spicy and fun enough.
You are my candy girl
And you got me wanting youuuuuuu
And now that tune is stuck in your head forever.
More of a 2,556 stars rating, but what a heck, all tales of the City automatically get an extra star.
Fun&fast, a read with some totally predictable twists. Characters are cute and there's not that many of them, so it's very easy to simply deduct who did it. Life simulates art, narrator's faux Russian accent is atrocious, but the humor, banter and all that coffee infused sexual tension was addictive, spicy and fun enough.
September 5, 2018
okay so this book was quite a surprise for me, a good surprise! I am not a huge fan of mystery books. They tend to stress me out because I have no patience and I need to know who did it immediately. But this book was listed in the humor section of the audible romance package lists so Igave it a shot. And I kind of loved it. It gave me Stephanie Plum vibes.
It was so good that as soon as this one was over I started on the second one and I am loving that one too!
It was so good that as soon as this one was over I started on the second one and I am loving that one too!
March 4, 2020
Mystery writer Sophia Katz is convinced that a crazed killer has been letting himself into her apartment, rearranging her things. The police don't believe her, her hair dresser thinks she is being over imaginative, and her friends aren't buying it either. When her filmmaker friend is murdered in the fashion of his movie, Sophia believes there is a copy cat killer on the loose and she is next. She doesn't care what anybody thinks, she knows to trust her own instincts. Could it be the new man she is dating is he possibly the killer?
Sophia Katz is funny, witty, sexy, and everything in between. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. This is Chick lit at it's finest. who doesn't need some laughter in there lives from jokes.
Sophia Katz is funny, witty, sexy, and everything in between. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. This is Chick lit at it's finest. who doesn't need some laughter in there lives from jokes.
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