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Take a Walk on the Dead Side
~*~ Take a Walk on the Dead Side is the exciting and hilarious sequel to the Kindle Scout winner, and goofy thriller, Take the Body and Run ~*~ Macey Malloy and Wikket, her cantankerous cat with a nose for crime, plunge headlong into danger when a stalker targets an innocent college student. Terrified for the girl, Macey tries to help her, only to be trapped in the web of deceit with tangled links to missing women. Dodging stalkers and investigating disappearances doesn’t allow Macey much time for her love life . . . which is a hot mess. With good intentions, her detective boyfriend crosses the thin blue line from good to evil. The charismatic and dangerous man from her past keeps popping up in her present. Her almost-boyfriend employs his fart machine in matters of life, love, and death. A handsome stranger makes her shiver . . . with both attraction and the fear that he may be following a secret, deadly agenda connected with the cold cases of the women who’d vanished when Macey was a teen. As if she doesn’t have enough on her plate, Macey contends with Stan Glee. The popular YouTube host is determined to cash in on her notoriety. Glee is convinced he’s marvelous, while she’s certain that he has issues. Even with her grumpy cat’s help, will Macey solve the mysteries before it’s too late? Macey Malloy Mysteries with a Chick-Lit Twist Series Sassy Macey Malloy and her grumpy cat Wikket debuted in Take the Body and Run. The Kindle Scout winner is about a hunted woman, a handsome lawman, a fart machine-will travel doctor, and a crime-solving cat. ★★★★★ “TAKE THE BODY AND RUN is a fast-paced ride with a sparkling character and written in a new, original voice. This is a don’t-miss debut.” -Carolyn Haines, USA Today bestselling author of Pluto’s Snitch and Sarah Booth Delaney The series is fun to read in any order. Here’s the list in chronological order. #0 - Two Tickets to Paradise Macey risks her life when she’s embroiled in a brutal murder, and meets her feline, crime-solving partner. The novelette appears in the Kindle Scout winners’ anthology, Winter Solstice. It’s permanently free on Amazon in a digital format. It’s also included in Gone Cat and Other Stories. #1 - Take the Body and Run The Kindle Scout winner is a “goofy thriller” about a hunted woman, a handsome lawman, a have fart machine-will travel doctor, and a crime-solving cat. #2 - Take a Walk on the Dead Side Macey and Wikket, her crabby cat with a nose for crime, plunge headlong into danger when a stalker targets an innocent college student. Terrified for the girl, Macey tries to help her, only to be trapped in the web of deceit with tangled links to missing women. #3: Take Her to the River Macey has to solve a murder, and find her missing friend, Leila. The investigation hurtles Macey and Wikket into a desperate killer’s path. Will they survive, even with Wikket’s unusual brand of help? #4: Gone Cat and Other Stories In the prequel novelette Two Tickets to Paradise, Macey risks her life when she’s embroiled in a brutal murder and meets her feline, crime-solving partner. The novella Runnin’ with the Devil Cat resumes the story right after Take Her to the River. The action continues with the short story “What the Cat Dragged In”, and the novelettes Cat Scratch Fever and Gone Cat.
237 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2016
184 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Jada Ryker
29 books51 followersKINDLE SCOUT WINNER Jada Ryker snagged the Kindle Press publishing contract for her book, Take the Body and Run, through Amazon’s Kindle Scout program. The book is a “goofy thriller” about a hunted woman hiding behind a dead friend’s identity, a handsome lawman, a death doctor with fart machine-will travel, and a cranky cat with a nose for crime.
Jada is the author of Dog Days of Karma, the first Carr-Maah Consulting mystery/paranormal novel; A Pink Zombie, with a Mist, a Shaken, Not Stirred, mystery/horror adventure; and Murder Takes a Dare, the first book in the Takes a Dare mystery series. The books combine humor and murder in a total package of entertaining and fun southern adventures. At the same time, Jada sketches in addiction/recovery issues and childhood angst with a deft and compassionate touch.
Jada spent the first twenty-odd years of her life in rural Kentucky, many of those years without electricity or running water. In her writings, Jada draws upon her early years of deprivation.
She now lives in central Kentucky with her wonderful husband and their cat, rescued from the animal shelter. In her day job, Jada works in higher education. She holds a masters degree in public administration.
Jada's mystery adventures are available on Amazon in electronic and paperback formats.
Macey Malloy Mysteries with a Chick-Lit Twist:
Prequel: Two Tickets to Paradise (FREE in Winter Solstice, an anthology by Kindle Press authors)
Take the Body and Run
Take a Walk on the Dead Side
Short Story (takes place after Book Two): "What the Cat Dragged In" (FREE in Vernal Equinox, an anthology by Kindle Press authors)
Novelette (takes place after "What the Cat Dragged In"): Cat Scratch Fever
Kirbie Stone Mysteries:
Die and the Family Stone
The Shaken, Not Stirred, Mystery/Horror Series:
A Pink Zombie, with a Mist
Gimlet and Other Stories: The collected short stories run the gamut from mystery to horror to science fiction.
The Takes a Dare Series:
Murder Takes a Dare
Mayhem Takes a Dare
Arson Takes a Dare
The Carr - Maah Consulting Agency Series:
Dog Days of Karma
Equi Knocks of Karma
Soul Stice of Karma (expected release 2017)
Jada loves feedback from readers, both one-on-one and through customer reviews on Amazon.com. Connect with Jada to share your thoughts about her books by emailing her at jada_ryker@yahoo.com or by visiting her website at JadaRyker.com.
Jada is the author of Dog Days of Karma, the first Carr-Maah Consulting mystery/paranormal novel; A Pink Zombie, with a Mist, a Shaken, Not Stirred, mystery/horror adventure; and Murder Takes a Dare, the first book in the Takes a Dare mystery series. The books combine humor and murder in a total package of entertaining and fun southern adventures. At the same time, Jada sketches in addiction/recovery issues and childhood angst with a deft and compassionate touch.
Jada spent the first twenty-odd years of her life in rural Kentucky, many of those years without electricity or running water. In her writings, Jada draws upon her early years of deprivation.
She now lives in central Kentucky with her wonderful husband and their cat, rescued from the animal shelter. In her day job, Jada works in higher education. She holds a masters degree in public administration.
Jada's mystery adventures are available on Amazon in electronic and paperback formats.
Macey Malloy Mysteries with a Chick-Lit Twist:
Prequel: Two Tickets to Paradise (FREE in Winter Solstice, an anthology by Kindle Press authors)
Take the Body and Run
Take a Walk on the Dead Side
Short Story (takes place after Book Two): "What the Cat Dragged In" (FREE in Vernal Equinox, an anthology by Kindle Press authors)
Novelette (takes place after "What the Cat Dragged In"): Cat Scratch Fever
Kirbie Stone Mysteries:
Die and the Family Stone
The Shaken, Not Stirred, Mystery/Horror Series:
A Pink Zombie, with a Mist
Gimlet and Other Stories: The collected short stories run the gamut from mystery to horror to science fiction.
The Takes a Dare Series:
Murder Takes a Dare
Mayhem Takes a Dare
Arson Takes a Dare
The Carr - Maah Consulting Agency Series:
Dog Days of Karma
Equi Knocks of Karma
Soul Stice of Karma (expected release 2017)
Jada loves feedback from readers, both one-on-one and through customer reviews on Amazon.com. Connect with Jada to share your thoughts about her books by emailing her at jada_ryker@yahoo.com or by visiting her website at JadaRyker.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
dnf
September 25, 2016DNF @ 40%
Simply could not get into the story, nor did I feel like I connected with any of the characters enough to keep pushing through.
There was a plethora of stuff going down and plenty of sass, yes, but this novel is simply not for me.
Simply could not get into the story, nor did I feel like I connected with any of the characters enough to keep pushing through.
There was a plethora of stuff going down and plenty of sass, yes, but this novel is simply not for me.
February 6, 2017
This book is a 2016 Kindle Scout Winner and is touted as a mystery with a Chick-Lit Twist.
Macey Malloy is the newly hired Employee Relations director at a university. The very first day, she’s threatened at knife point, has a nameplate thrown at her, is called a ‘heartless bitch’, and has her shoulder pinched. And it’s only the morning of the first day of the fall semester.
In the first staff meeting, the aggressive behaviours continue. There are personal attacks and acrimonious disputes. People are ‘smirking,’ ‘sneering’ and hurting others by viciously by grabbing and twisting appendages. Then there’s the attack by a typewriter cart.
To top it all, Macey has a secret.
I don’t know what to make of this book. There are too many characters, some do need to be kept though: Vince the dick, and Brett with his fart-machine are two. I feel that Ryker loses focus as there’s is a lot going on. She has a bit of trouble with her tenses and keeping irrelevant details out. Such as the dimpled twins throwing bricks from a golf-cart! When her father and his cult show up at her door, she loses me.
What Ryker does well: Angela before and after the bar; the long evening of drinking, grabbing and lunging. The pace slowed down the flow but it was worth it. Ryker is hilarious when she describes her colleagues in the conga line.
Reviewed by Nalini on < href="http://www.whisperingstories.com"...
Macey Malloy is the newly hired Employee Relations director at a university. The very first day, she’s threatened at knife point, has a nameplate thrown at her, is called a ‘heartless bitch’, and has her shoulder pinched. And it’s only the morning of the first day of the fall semester.
In the first staff meeting, the aggressive behaviours continue. There are personal attacks and acrimonious disputes. People are ‘smirking,’ ‘sneering’ and hurting others by viciously by grabbing and twisting appendages. Then there’s the attack by a typewriter cart.
To top it all, Macey has a secret.
I don’t know what to make of this book. There are too many characters, some do need to be kept though: Vince the dick, and Brett with his fart-machine are two. I feel that Ryker loses focus as there’s is a lot going on. She has a bit of trouble with her tenses and keeping irrelevant details out. Such as the dimpled twins throwing bricks from a golf-cart! When her father and his cult show up at her door, she loses me.
What Ryker does well: Angela before and after the bar; the long evening of drinking, grabbing and lunging. The pace slowed down the flow but it was worth it. Ryker is hilarious when she describes her colleagues in the conga line.
Reviewed by Nalini on < href="http://www.whisperingstories.com"...
September 16, 2016
"Good, fun read"
This one found its way to me via Kindle Scout; and I'm glad it did. I'm also very glad that I'm retired. I should hate to work in an office these days if Macey Malloy's experiences are anything to go by. There are mysteries, dead bodies, quirky characters and more besides to cope with; and that's just the first chapter! The strand of wicked humour that runs throughout the story helped keep my attention. There are a lot of characters, which means that deep into the book it's 'harder to see the wood for the trees', but the tempo is always pacy and the writing style engaging. Well worth a read if you like a modern mystery with a slice of romance.
This one found its way to me via Kindle Scout; and I'm glad it did. I'm also very glad that I'm retired. I should hate to work in an office these days if Macey Malloy's experiences are anything to go by. There are mysteries, dead bodies, quirky characters and more besides to cope with; and that's just the first chapter! The strand of wicked humour that runs throughout the story helped keep my attention. There are a lot of characters, which means that deep into the book it's 'harder to see the wood for the trees', but the tempo is always pacy and the writing style engaging. Well worth a read if you like a modern mystery with a slice of romance.
June 24, 2021
This book is a mess.
And not kind to women at all.
And not clever enough to get away with it under the guise of satire or social commentary.
It’s short, so I was going to slog through it.
But then I hit this line:
“I knew Leila was on my side, since she wasn’t wearing a floral patterned dress like Whitney and the receptionist.”
What the hell???
I literally have a thousand other books to read. I’m out.
And not kind to women at all.
And not clever enough to get away with it under the guise of satire or social commentary.
It’s short, so I was going to slog through it.
But then I hit this line:
“I knew Leila was on my side, since she wasn’t wearing a floral patterned dress like Whitney and the receptionist.”
What the hell???
I literally have a thousand other books to read. I’m out.
September 17, 2018
Nonsensical mystery
The mystery was a jumble of garbage with no real rhyme or reason. The characters were shallow and uninteresting and there were many errors and plot holes. If you want a real mystery, this is not it.
The mystery was a jumble of garbage with no real rhyme or reason. The characters were shallow and uninteresting and there were many errors and plot holes. If you want a real mystery, this is not it.
July 4, 2018
When the first chapter of a book begins with the widow a former employee holding its protagonist at knife-point, believing that she was responsible for her husband’s death, you know only too well that the story is going to be eventful, and in this case, you would be right. ‘Take the Body and Run’ is a crazy but fun ride centring on Macey Malloy as she begins her new job in a university, battling for control of her dysfunctional department. It is packed with crazy, larger than life characters, twists and turns around every corner and humour aplenty. In particular, Macey’s grouchy cat, Wikket is a source of great fun, with a habit of intervening in Macey’s life at the most inopportune moments – something that any cat owner will recognise and smile at. Later of course, things take a darker turn when a body is discovered.
Although the book is touted as a murder mystery, it is largely an exploration of human relationships, in particular those of work colleagues. While at times, Macey’s colleagues do seem a little over the top (I doubt many of them would actually keep their jobs in the real world), I did recognise many of their traits in people I have come across in my own life, in particular those who refuse to let go of the past and insist on working in ways that seem positively archaic to the rest of us – this led to a nice running gag about an ancient manual typewriter being used in a variety of inventive ways.
To tell you any more would spoil the fun, so all I will say is that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and if you are in the mood for a witty and inventive murder mystery adventure, you won’t be disappointed.
Although the book is touted as a murder mystery, it is largely an exploration of human relationships, in particular those of work colleagues. While at times, Macey’s colleagues do seem a little over the top (I doubt many of them would actually keep their jobs in the real world), I did recognise many of their traits in people I have come across in my own life, in particular those who refuse to let go of the past and insist on working in ways that seem positively archaic to the rest of us – this led to a nice running gag about an ancient manual typewriter being used in a variety of inventive ways.
To tell you any more would spoil the fun, so all I will say is that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and if you are in the mood for a witty and inventive murder mystery adventure, you won’t be disappointed.
February 4, 2017
Macey's first day at her new job in the college relations department doesn't go to plan. She's attacked at knife-point and pisses off all the wrong people (basically, everyone). Unintentionally gathering a team of unlikely sidekicks, Macey claws her way to the bottom of a series of murders, all the while trying to keep her past and her true identity secret.
I have to be honest: I DID NOT GET THIS BOOK. Everyone is so mean and unprofessional. Like, what? How have they not all been fired? It's so unrealistic. The women in Macey's office are awful. They're inappropriate and nasty, and then, suddenly, two-thirds of way through they're all best friends. Very confusing. The only character I did like was Brett and he basically just laughed the whole time. Also, I never fully understood why Macey got involved in the murder investigations in the first place. It's not in her job description, and she was weirdly keen on drawing attention to herself for someone on the run.
The story did take off a bit in the second half of the book (although the bizarre fight scene between Macey, Brett, Leila and Sergio was super hard to follow - I'm still not sure what happened), but the rest was slow and seriously flawed. I've read worse. After all, I did at least make it all the way through this book, but I would not recommend it to anyone looking for something serious or clever.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I have to be honest: I DID NOT GET THIS BOOK. Everyone is so mean and unprofessional. Like, what? How have they not all been fired? It's so unrealistic. The women in Macey's office are awful. They're inappropriate and nasty, and then, suddenly, two-thirds of way through they're all best friends. Very confusing. The only character I did like was Brett and he basically just laughed the whole time. Also, I never fully understood why Macey got involved in the murder investigations in the first place. It's not in her job description, and she was weirdly keen on drawing attention to herself for someone on the run.
The story did take off a bit in the second half of the book (although the bizarre fight scene between Macey, Brett, Leila and Sergio was super hard to follow - I'm still not sure what happened), but the rest was slow and seriously flawed. I've read worse. After all, I did at least make it all the way through this book, but I would not recommend it to anyone looking for something serious or clever.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2017
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can check out the full review on my blog: https://spinesinaline.wordpress.com
If you think you’ve ever had a bad first job, I bet Macey will give you a run for your money! She begins her new job with a murder attempt and quickly gets wrapped up in an even bigger scheme. Trying to get herself off the suspect list, while also working to keep her real identity a secret, proves to be quite difficult in her new workplace!
I though this one started out really strong. There’s plenty of humour right from the beginning and I was glad to find that this book did live up to its claims. Macey is quite sarcastic and even with the numerous death threats, she never seems to find herself without a quick remark! I think the chick-lit aspect helps this comic side of this book, as it moves it away from a dark mystery to one who can laugh along with. There are also a few characters, a cat and a typewriter especially, that never fail to break up the mood!
I also enjoyed the relationships in this one, both romantic and friendships. In terms of romance, Macey has two men fighting for her attentions and I was pleasantly surprised with their characterization. It’s still your traditional love interest set-up but they seemed to escape the typical male personality that many of these books employ, in that they were both respectful and especially attuned to Macey’s feelings. I liked that she could have that support behind her, and the men didn’t make it dependent on her returned attractions.
My main issues with the book came more towards the ending. There is a lot going on in this story and in wrapping up these ends it felt a bit overwhelming. We’ve got a couple dead bodies, a hidden identity, a missing person, blackmail, thefts, a greedy widow, and it just keeps adding up. I don’t think the number of mysteries floating around really hindered my enjoyment of the story but I realized 80% of the way through that I still didn’t have answers (or any idea!) for most of these. Leaving so many of these loose ends until the very end felt like they were tied up too neatly.
Representation was also off. There are several Black characters and I know this because their skin colour was always immediately identified, while the remaining characters had no such introduction. The worst part was in the way this was identified as one character in particular was described as having a “hot coffee” complexion. There’s also a group in the book that bears a striking resemblance to the KKK (purposely – the other characters do realize the problems with this group). I won’t mention how the group is involved to avoid spoilers but I felt really uncomfortable with how their involvement in the story almost set them up to be heroes. I don’t think it was appropriate to give them any redeeming qualities, no matter how it may play into the story.
If you think you’ve ever had a bad first job, I bet Macey will give you a run for your money! She begins her new job with a murder attempt and quickly gets wrapped up in an even bigger scheme. Trying to get herself off the suspect list, while also working to keep her real identity a secret, proves to be quite difficult in her new workplace!
I though this one started out really strong. There’s plenty of humour right from the beginning and I was glad to find that this book did live up to its claims. Macey is quite sarcastic and even with the numerous death threats, she never seems to find herself without a quick remark! I think the chick-lit aspect helps this comic side of this book, as it moves it away from a dark mystery to one who can laugh along with. There are also a few characters, a cat and a typewriter especially, that never fail to break up the mood!
I also enjoyed the relationships in this one, both romantic and friendships. In terms of romance, Macey has two men fighting for her attentions and I was pleasantly surprised with their characterization. It’s still your traditional love interest set-up but they seemed to escape the typical male personality that many of these books employ, in that they were both respectful and especially attuned to Macey’s feelings. I liked that she could have that support behind her, and the men didn’t make it dependent on her returned attractions.
My main issues with the book came more towards the ending. There is a lot going on in this story and in wrapping up these ends it felt a bit overwhelming. We’ve got a couple dead bodies, a hidden identity, a missing person, blackmail, thefts, a greedy widow, and it just keeps adding up. I don’t think the number of mysteries floating around really hindered my enjoyment of the story but I realized 80% of the way through that I still didn’t have answers (or any idea!) for most of these. Leaving so many of these loose ends until the very end felt like they were tied up too neatly.
Representation was also off. There are several Black characters and I know this because their skin colour was always immediately identified, while the remaining characters had no such introduction. The worst part was in the way this was identified as one character in particular was described as having a “hot coffee” complexion. There’s also a group in the book that bears a striking resemblance to the KKK (purposely – the other characters do realize the problems with this group). I won’t mention how the group is involved to avoid spoilers but I felt really uncomfortable with how their involvement in the story almost set them up to be heroes. I don’t think it was appropriate to give them any redeeming qualities, no matter how it may play into the story.
March 21, 2017
For more of my reviews, visit: https://travellingthroughwords.wordpr...
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Take the Body and Run by Jada Ryker follows the story of Macey Malloy when she starts a new job in the college employee relations department at a university. While she is trying to deal with all the craziness in her office, she also thinks she might be in danger. We come to know that she has taken a new identity and is hiding a secret.
The book starts with an introduction to all the characters in the book. While that is something different, it got a little boring. The opening scene is scary and hilarious! The plot is a little confusing in the beginning. I liked the whole office setting of the book since I haven’t read a lot of books with that. I also loved the writing! The narration is humorous and quirky.
The book is light and funny with a darker undertone. The plot is completely centered around Macey. There are insane events happening one after the other and the book gets very messy. Even halfway through, I couldn’t see where it was going.
I absolutely loved Macey and her narration in the book. She is like a badass boss and is also hilarious and witty. Besides her funny remarks, she is also a very strong character. She is a fan of bad puns and has an adorable feisty cat. Most of the other characters seem to hate her. They seem to consist of mean girls, crazy old ladies, perverts and hunks. The characters also seem to have mood swings from time to time.
There are many laugh out loud moments in the book even if it is a little weird and insane. It is surrounded by an office with lots of characters and crimes and mysteries. The romance is very light in the book and I liked it that way. However, the amount of drama makes up for it.
This book was a really fun read for me. I’ve never read a crime mystery before that has humor in it.It was refreshing to read a contemporary like this. The only reason I cut down the stars was because it felt very disorganized. I do recommend it if you’re looking for something different.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Take the Body and Run by Jada Ryker follows the story of Macey Malloy when she starts a new job in the college employee relations department at a university. While she is trying to deal with all the craziness in her office, she also thinks she might be in danger. We come to know that she has taken a new identity and is hiding a secret.
The book starts with an introduction to all the characters in the book. While that is something different, it got a little boring. The opening scene is scary and hilarious! The plot is a little confusing in the beginning. I liked the whole office setting of the book since I haven’t read a lot of books with that. I also loved the writing! The narration is humorous and quirky.
The book is light and funny with a darker undertone. The plot is completely centered around Macey. There are insane events happening one after the other and the book gets very messy. Even halfway through, I couldn’t see where it was going.
I absolutely loved Macey and her narration in the book. She is like a badass boss and is also hilarious and witty. Besides her funny remarks, she is also a very strong character. She is a fan of bad puns and has an adorable feisty cat. Most of the other characters seem to hate her. They seem to consist of mean girls, crazy old ladies, perverts and hunks. The characters also seem to have mood swings from time to time.
There are many laugh out loud moments in the book even if it is a little weird and insane. It is surrounded by an office with lots of characters and crimes and mysteries. The romance is very light in the book and I liked it that way. However, the amount of drama makes up for it.
This book was a really fun read for me. I’ve never read a crime mystery before that has humor in it.It was refreshing to read a contemporary like this. The only reason I cut down the stars was because it felt very disorganized. I do recommend it if you’re looking for something different.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 8, 2017
Macey Malloy has some trepidation about her new position as human relations director at a Kentucky University and Medical School. For one thing, her personality is sometimes as abrasive as that of her antisocial cat, which seems part pit bull terrier. Her all-female staff seems intent on breaking every rule in the book while conspiring to sabotage her efforts to modernize the department. On her first day at the job, she is threatened by a distraught widow wielding a wicked carving knife and assaulted by an ancient typewriter that seems to have a mind of its own. Then she learns she was hired because of her strong physical resemblance to her predecessor, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and somebody has planted a surveillance camera in her office and learned a dark secret from her past that she is desperate to hide. If that isn’t trouble enough, she soon unearths several scandals that have given rise to blackmail demands and threats of violence. And then one of her staff is murdered and the only person with any motive is herself.
“Take the Body and Run” is an engaging read with humor, an abundance of suspects with viable motives and a few surprising twists. The outrageous characters are unique and multidimensional. The writing style is brisk and defies self-publishing conventions by avoiding the grammatical and spelling errors common to many efforts. It’s impossible not to like Macey, who brings wry wit and sardonic insights to every situation, much like the cynical gumshoes in classic noir mysteries.
“Take the Body and Run” is an engaging read with humor, an abundance of suspects with viable motives and a few surprising twists. The outrageous characters are unique and multidimensional. The writing style is brisk and defies self-publishing conventions by avoiding the grammatical and spelling errors common to many efforts. It’s impossible not to like Macey, who brings wry wit and sardonic insights to every situation, much like the cynical gumshoes in classic noir mysteries.
December 17, 2018
Take A Walk On The Dead Side, a Macey Malloy Mystery, #2
by Jada Walker
This was a fun Christmas read. About all it has to do with Christmas is the time of year it is set in, and the Christmas clothing donned by many of the characters. Other than that, it was a straight up mystery that delves more deeply into the backstory of certain of the characters. In this episode, Macy is plagued by a YouTube show host who seems to know everything about her, where she is at any given time, and who she is with. She is acting as mentor to at least one of her employees, and would like nothing better than to strangle another. When she spots someone seemingly stalking the young woman she is mentoring, her investigation leads to a bombing, accusations, and the solving of the disappearance of three women years ago, and one of those women was Macey's mother. Her partners in crime include Leila, Brett, Joris, Greta, Vince, her father, her old boyfriend, Harlan, the former janitor, Donny, her mentored student, Jessi, Jessi's half-brother, Jeremy, and, of course, her cat, Wikket.
The plotting and pacing of the novel was done well, allowing it to flow along easily. Characters from the past book were consistent in this one and the new characters were well drawn. The main character is still pretty much unlikeable, but the cat is very likeable and makes up for Macey's irritating personality (at least for me). Editing and proofing were good up to the end, when two proofreading errors and one seemingly confusing sentence arose. But, the ending tied up many of the loose ends well.
by Jada Walker
This was a fun Christmas read. About all it has to do with Christmas is the time of year it is set in, and the Christmas clothing donned by many of the characters. Other than that, it was a straight up mystery that delves more deeply into the backstory of certain of the characters. In this episode, Macy is plagued by a YouTube show host who seems to know everything about her, where she is at any given time, and who she is with. She is acting as mentor to at least one of her employees, and would like nothing better than to strangle another. When she spots someone seemingly stalking the young woman she is mentoring, her investigation leads to a bombing, accusations, and the solving of the disappearance of three women years ago, and one of those women was Macey's mother. Her partners in crime include Leila, Brett, Joris, Greta, Vince, her father, her old boyfriend, Harlan, the former janitor, Donny, her mentored student, Jessi, Jessi's half-brother, Jeremy, and, of course, her cat, Wikket.
The plotting and pacing of the novel was done well, allowing it to flow along easily. Characters from the past book were consistent in this one and the new characters were well drawn. The main character is still pretty much unlikeable, but the cat is very likeable and makes up for Macey's irritating personality (at least for me). Editing and proofing were good up to the end, when two proofreading errors and one seemingly confusing sentence arose. But, the ending tied up many of the loose ends well.
September 4, 2017
Even after the suicide of Macey Malloy was exposed, Amanda Sawyer continued to use her identity. It was the only thing Macey had given her, and part of her wanted to hold onto it. Her father, leader of a fanatical cult, knew her whereabouts and she knew, even when she was proven innocent, the label of a murderer would always follow her. What she didn't expect was for people in her own work place, colleagues and 'friends', to resort to manipulation and needless twisting of truth to get their own minutes of fame. Fortunately, Macey finds herself with a distraction, someone is stalking her intern, and she is determined to find out who.
Well written, enjoyable, light-hearted yet intensely gripping Take a Walk on the Dead Side will easily appeal to a wide audience. The characters and interactions are well scripted, with a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end. Wonderfully quirky.
Well written, enjoyable, light-hearted yet intensely gripping Take a Walk on the Dead Side will easily appeal to a wide audience. The characters and interactions are well scripted, with a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end. Wonderfully quirky.
November 5, 2018
Wikket, the crabby feline with a hankering for misconduct is a partner in crime with Macey Malloy. A frightened college girl is being stalked, and Macey and her cat nose-dive into the peril of the case. Macey’s life is full to the brim with an investigation as well as shifty prowlers. Her romantic life is in upheaval due to basically having no time to pursue it. Then there’s this fine-looking outsider that she can’t tell if the vibes she’s getting from him are good or bad. She has an uncanny feeling he might be involved in an undisclosed lethal scheme linked with the investigations of the women who’d disappeared when Macey was younger. This mystery was intriguing, gritty, humorous, with a current worldly day and age plot. The characters were amusing and interesting and there were stimulating twists in the plot.
August 29, 2018
Got this for free, informed by a Book Raid Mail.
Blurb and title sounded interesting.
Possible DNF, too much side-remarks which do nothing to the story, but will try to get further. The characters are funny, could have done without the fart-machine, though, but ok, US humor (I am more on the German or UK side of funny things, being German).
Ok, so I read it, all of it, some in FF (skimmed).
In German I would say "Das war ein Griff ins Klo" (Sticking you hand in the toilet...).
Did not like the writing style, too much tell, not enough crime, not enough story.
There where two stories, one concluded at roughly 50%, so nice planning.
Two stars, the basic idea was ok, I really liked the cat - the real MC in the story. And Wikket's magical capabilities are not explained, just hinted at.
The romance, and the major crime was like a merry-go-round, but not very logical, also way too much romance for me, ok for a book which has chick-lit on the cover, this should be expected, so my fault. And I would have liked a logical, twisted crime-romance, but this was not for me.
Also, I will probably stay away from this author and never read something by her in the future.
Blurb and title sounded interesting.
Possible DNF, too much side-remarks which do nothing to the story, but will try to get further. The characters are funny, could have done without the fart-machine, though, but ok, US humor (I am more on the German or UK side of funny things, being German).
Ok, so I read it, all of it, some in FF (skimmed).
In German I would say "Das war ein Griff ins Klo" (Sticking you hand in the toilet...).
Did not like the writing style, too much tell, not enough crime, not enough story.
There where two stories, one concluded at roughly 50%, so nice planning.
Two stars, the basic idea was ok, I really liked the cat - the real MC in the story. And Wikket's magical capabilities are not explained, just hinted at.
The romance, and the major crime was like a merry-go-round, but not very logical, also way too much romance for me, ok for a book which has chick-lit on the cover, this should be expected, so my fault. And I would have liked a logical, twisted crime-romance, but this was not for me.
Also, I will probably stay away from this author and never read something by her in the future.
September 19, 2017
I have to admit I think this is the first book I have read that worked a fart machine in as if normal.
The story starts out a bit confusing - at least it was to me, but I figured out what was going on. Once I did, things progressed well. It's a mystery and yet light-hearted at the same time! As this is book 2 we get an explanation as to some of the characters before the story starts. Don't skip this part - it comes in handy.
Amanda has taken over her dead best friend's identity and lives as Macey. She's starting a new job, but things don't go well. I have to say I found her life a little too out-in-left-field for my liking, but I suppose stranger things have happened.
Love the cat!
The story starts out a bit confusing - at least it was to me, but I figured out what was going on. Once I did, things progressed well. It's a mystery and yet light-hearted at the same time! As this is book 2 we get an explanation as to some of the characters before the story starts. Don't skip this part - it comes in handy.
Amanda has taken over her dead best friend's identity and lives as Macey. She's starting a new job, but things don't go well. I have to say I found her life a little too out-in-left-field for my liking, but I suppose stranger things have happened.
Love the cat!
November 27, 2016
Totally energized
Macey is having a bad day, and it only gets worse! I love the concept of the story and it has a lot of intrigue. It's a fun yet suspenseful story, and I liked that the characters also were great, such as Brett and Vince. They were perfect complements to Macey. Even her cat has a great storyline within the story. I felt that the character bios were not necessary and I like getting to know a character within the story, not with a bio. There was a balance of humor and heaviness to keep the story light and thrilling.
Macey is having a bad day, and it only gets worse! I love the concept of the story and it has a lot of intrigue. It's a fun yet suspenseful story, and I liked that the characters also were great, such as Brett and Vince. They were perfect complements to Macey. Even her cat has a great storyline within the story. I felt that the character bios were not necessary and I like getting to know a character within the story, not with a bio. There was a balance of humor and heaviness to keep the story light and thrilling.
July 26, 2017
I found myself laughing throughout the book at the outrageousness of the situations Macey found herself in. From start to finish, her life was anything but ordinary. From dealing with her catty, vindictive employees (often in a manner unprofessional for someone in the HR profession) to her want-to-be boyfriend with the farting machine to her cat who really must understand English and know how to read... you can't read this story without a sense of humor... And don't take it too seriously. Definitely a fun read.
January 23, 2017
A good read
This picks up a few months where the first book left off and we have Macey looking to celebrate Christmas. Things go crazy from the beginning and it just keeps going till the end. I thought the whole book was good. There is one part that I don't care for but that's just me and so I will read the next one, when it comes out. *spoiler* I'm sorry but I can't reconcile a girl being with a man who had slept with her mother. Just yuck!
This picks up a few months where the first book left off and we have Macey looking to celebrate Christmas. Things go crazy from the beginning and it just keeps going till the end. I thought the whole book was good. There is one part that I don't care for but that's just me and so I will read the next one, when it comes out. *spoiler* I'm sorry but I can't reconcile a girl being with a man who had slept with her mother. Just yuck!
September 9, 2017
A LITTLE OFF THE WALL
I should have read the earlier book in the series first, although the author did fill in the background to previous events in this book. There were quite a few characters to sort out and who was involved with who, especially when all is explained in the last part of the story and it was a little tricky to work out. Very tongue in cheek, several moments to smile, but Greta was my favourite character, I even preferred her to Macey.
I should have read the earlier book in the series first, although the author did fill in the background to previous events in this book. There were quite a few characters to sort out and who was involved with who, especially when all is explained in the last part of the story and it was a little tricky to work out. Very tongue in cheek, several moments to smile, but Greta was my favourite character, I even preferred her to Macey.
May 1, 2018
Who doesn't love a tough heroine her feline hero?
Riveting page turner with lots of beautifully developed characters. Many plot twists to keep you guessing and a cat who plays a key role in the whole story. Adults with tough childhoods make for a real depth of character development. Lots of romantic sizzle without the graphic details. I look forward to reading more from Jada Ryder.
Riveting page turner with lots of beautifully developed characters. Many plot twists to keep you guessing and a cat who plays a key role in the whole story. Adults with tough childhoods make for a real depth of character development. Lots of romantic sizzle without the graphic details. I look forward to reading more from Jada Ryder.
October 25, 2019
When I started this book, it seemed like "everything but the kitchen sink" of conflicts was thrown into this book and I didn't know if I would continue reading it. However, something about it captured my interest and I had to keep reading it to see what happened next and see how the writer would pull the main character out of (or through) all of it. If the writer were a seamstress, I guess I would say... "She sewed it up pretty good!"
December 8, 2020
Confusing and Boring
This book was confusing and not very interesting. Most of the characters are unlikeable, at least through the first half. The plot is convoluted and somewhat nonsensical. Was there anything good about it? There was some humor, I guess. Some of it might even have been funny.
This book was confusing and not very interesting. Most of the characters are unlikeable, at least through the first half. The plot is convoluted and somewhat nonsensical. Was there anything good about it? There was some humor, I guess. Some of it might even have been funny.
January 1, 2017
The first book of a new year and I did not like it one bit... It was awful!!!! The cast of characters confusing and disgusting with no shot of redemption. Macey making no sense what so ever and the story a bunch of utter nonsense. Save yourself and your time, find something else to read.
May 13, 2018
Don't start this book unless you have the time to read it all.
The writing style grabs you from the first page and takes you for a wonderful ride through the solution to several murders and identy exchange. I loved it! Must read more by Jada Ryker, her storytelling is marvellous.
The writing style grabs you from the first page and takes you for a wonderful ride through the solution to several murders and identy exchange. I loved it! Must read more by Jada Ryker, her storytelling is marvellous.
May 1, 2020
You did it got me hooked.
You can really write a great story to get a persons attention.The book was a great attention get and I didn't want to put it down.Thanks for sharing it with me keep them coming please don't stop writing.
You can really write a great story to get a persons attention.The book was a great attention get and I didn't want to put it down.Thanks for sharing it with me keep them coming please don't stop writing.
June 16, 2017
A great book. A wonderful mystery wrapped in humor. I adore the cat and Massey is a well drawn character finished this book in a day
October 17, 2017
Not for me.
October 10, 2018
I can't waste my time with anything that reminds of reading good seventh-grade themes. At this point in my life, I need more A.S. Byatt & Hillary Mantel. (Interesting that they are sisters.)
January 2, 2017
Very interesting book with some colorful characters set during the Christmas break.
November 11, 2016
From The Musings of a Starving Author:
Break out your knives and forks, my literary foodies, as we have a particular treat to dig into today! Branded as a murder mystery with a chick-lit twist, the recipe for today’s dish was chosen as the winner of the 2016 Kindle Scout program, so we must be in for some high dining tonight, yes? A dash of mystery, the spice of a thrilling murder, and the flavor of women’s fiction, there should be a lot of promise here, especially with such a sterling superlative added to it. But will that turn out to be the case?
Before we solve that mystery, let us go through the files for the Starving Review regulations:
1. I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre
2. I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible
As with any mystery meal, we must sift through the culinary clues. Let us start with the foundations of any meal: characters, plot, and pacing.
Much of the strength of the chef’s recipe here is in the cast of quirky characters that litter Body. It is clear early on that the strategy here is to swerve towards the hyper-reality of a soap opera or teledrama over a more grounded setting and the characters do a good job reinforcing that feeling. Overall, I feel the main characters are treated well, taken a step beyond their primary ‘quirk’, but once we move past a few central personages, things start to get murky.
If I were to make a recipe diagnosis, this would be caused by the massive amount of named and important characters thrown at the reader. For such a compact meal, one has to choke down and try to digest an entire office full of characters, each given names, backstories, and a plethora of minor details. There’s a distinct impression that this is done in the service of world-building for an ongoing series, which is fine in and of itself, but it starts to cause a bit of indigestion near the middle of the book, fit to burst from trying to juggle so many characters and subplots.
This affects the plot and pacing as well. While the core mystery is interesting and well-laid out, there are so many subplots driving in, with almost every one of the half-dozen plus named characters having hidden secrets, dark histories, and bizarre quirks that struggle to be seen through the main plot. In a longer and more spaced out work, this could be intriguing and, to the chef’s credit, it’s handled as well as it could be for the size of the meal, but it adds to a sense of bloat and confusion in the later stages, as barely-characterized characters are suddenly thrust not only back into the main plot, but sometimes to positions of prominence, or given sudden moments to spout their backstory where it really doesn’t feel like it services the plot or the tension of the moment.
This also leads to some strange pacing issues, what I can only really describe as over-enthusiastic editing. It’s like watching a favorite movie where every scene smash cuts into the next scene about five seconds too early, giving you the feeling as if you missed some important bit or establishing shot. While nothing critical winds up being lost, there are moments of disorientation as one course is yanked off the table and another thrust before the diner, often with a clunky bit of dialogue telling us what we had just missed.
Does this mean that the end meal is a bad one? Well, no. Not precisely. There’s a great dose of quirky humor to be had here and the core mystery, as I said, is an interesting one (even if it is only really brought to the fore of the plot about half-way through). Our main heroine is well-laid out, understandable, and likable and I certainly see how, with all this clunky world-building crammed into this book that future volumes could be really good.
So to sum it all up, Take the Body and Run is a decent chick-lit mystery that would be great if it wasn’t overburdened with extra characters and subplots. If you’re a fan of chick-lit or murder mysteries, it is worth your time to check out if you have a spot on your reading list. However, if you prefer clean, focused plots and narratives or a story that focuses deeply on a small cast, there may be far too much side ingredients here to process and digest.
FINAL VERDICT: *** (A solid chick-lit mystery that would be great if it wasn’t overburdened with too many extra ingredients!)
Break out your knives and forks, my literary foodies, as we have a particular treat to dig into today! Branded as a murder mystery with a chick-lit twist, the recipe for today’s dish was chosen as the winner of the 2016 Kindle Scout program, so we must be in for some high dining tonight, yes? A dash of mystery, the spice of a thrilling murder, and the flavor of women’s fiction, there should be a lot of promise here, especially with such a sterling superlative added to it. But will that turn out to be the case?
Before we solve that mystery, let us go through the files for the Starving Review regulations:
1. I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre
2. I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible
As with any mystery meal, we must sift through the culinary clues. Let us start with the foundations of any meal: characters, plot, and pacing.
Much of the strength of the chef’s recipe here is in the cast of quirky characters that litter Body. It is clear early on that the strategy here is to swerve towards the hyper-reality of a soap opera or teledrama over a more grounded setting and the characters do a good job reinforcing that feeling. Overall, I feel the main characters are treated well, taken a step beyond their primary ‘quirk’, but once we move past a few central personages, things start to get murky.
If I were to make a recipe diagnosis, this would be caused by the massive amount of named and important characters thrown at the reader. For such a compact meal, one has to choke down and try to digest an entire office full of characters, each given names, backstories, and a plethora of minor details. There’s a distinct impression that this is done in the service of world-building for an ongoing series, which is fine in and of itself, but it starts to cause a bit of indigestion near the middle of the book, fit to burst from trying to juggle so many characters and subplots.
This affects the plot and pacing as well. While the core mystery is interesting and well-laid out, there are so many subplots driving in, with almost every one of the half-dozen plus named characters having hidden secrets, dark histories, and bizarre quirks that struggle to be seen through the main plot. In a longer and more spaced out work, this could be intriguing and, to the chef’s credit, it’s handled as well as it could be for the size of the meal, but it adds to a sense of bloat and confusion in the later stages, as barely-characterized characters are suddenly thrust not only back into the main plot, but sometimes to positions of prominence, or given sudden moments to spout their backstory where it really doesn’t feel like it services the plot or the tension of the moment.
This also leads to some strange pacing issues, what I can only really describe as over-enthusiastic editing. It’s like watching a favorite movie where every scene smash cuts into the next scene about five seconds too early, giving you the feeling as if you missed some important bit or establishing shot. While nothing critical winds up being lost, there are moments of disorientation as one course is yanked off the table and another thrust before the diner, often with a clunky bit of dialogue telling us what we had just missed.
Does this mean that the end meal is a bad one? Well, no. Not precisely. There’s a great dose of quirky humor to be had here and the core mystery, as I said, is an interesting one (even if it is only really brought to the fore of the plot about half-way through). Our main heroine is well-laid out, understandable, and likable and I certainly see how, with all this clunky world-building crammed into this book that future volumes could be really good.
So to sum it all up, Take the Body and Run is a decent chick-lit mystery that would be great if it wasn’t overburdened with extra characters and subplots. If you’re a fan of chick-lit or murder mysteries, it is worth your time to check out if you have a spot on your reading list. However, if you prefer clean, focused plots and narratives or a story that focuses deeply on a small cast, there may be far too much side ingredients here to process and digest.
FINAL VERDICT: *** (A solid chick-lit mystery that would be great if it wasn’t overburdened with too many extra ingredients!)
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