Deadline Murder

by Veronica White

Maria Hamilton feels lucky to have achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a sports reporter for a major big city newspaper. Now, life is even better. Jeff Samuels, the handsome quarterback of the Detroit Lions, has won her heart, after saving her from an extremely embarrassing moment in the team's locker room. Maria doesn't want to be categorized as just another adoring sports fan. While Jeff eagerly pursues her, she sets her own timetable of seduction, hoping to make herself unforgettable. She begins by coyly having him read to her as she relaxes in a perfumed bubble bath. A fascinated Jeff enthusiastically participates, hoping she will eventually invite him to join her in the tub. When Damon Duquesne, Jeff's best friend and team wide-receiver, is murdered the day of the division play-off game against the San Francisco 49ers; the days of fun and games had been left far behind. They were now replaced with genuine displays of love, support and comfort. To solve this unthinkable crime, Maria enlists the help of Liberty Johnson, Damon's Detroit police lieutenant girlfriend and Donato Benitez, vice-president of chemical research at the Planet Oil Corporation of America (POCA), where both athletes were employed in the off-season. Raymond Shoemaker, the corporation's CEO, is desperately trying to "Go Green." He ruthlessly searches for an elusive synthetic oil formula, to capitalize on the nation's gas crisis.

262 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2005

About the author

I was born in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA. My father instilled a love of sports in me that has flavored much of my writing. This novel includes romance, intrigue and sports. I attended Wayne State University in Detroit, Mi where I studied journalism and worked part-time in the sports department of the Detroit Free Press.

Reviews

[Marla · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a fast paced story that has short chapters so it moves along quickly. I would have finished it in a day but life got in the way. This was an interesting story about murder, corporate espionage and the Detroit Lions. There were good parts to the book and okay parts. I don't know if the book should have been longer or if there were too many things going on but it seemed like some things happened abruptly without too much details. It left me with wanting a little more details of what was going on and the characters.

It bothered me a little that Liberty and Damon were so in love but then a few months after his death she is sleeping with someone else and has feelings for someone else. I believe the book even said Damon and Liberty were going to announce their engagement but he was killed. That isn't really someone in love. Also, some of the things Maria and Liberty did was old fashioned for their age. People that age don't buy things from Frederick's of Hollywood, they go to Victoria Secrets and they don't "go slip on something more comfortable" when they start making out with someone. Also, I don't think Liberty would make meatloaf, green beans and mashed potatoes to impress a guy. I would think a chicken, asparagus or risotto instead. Sometimes it just felt a little clunky to me. But if you want a beach read this summer that's a murder mystery, then pick this one up.

I won this on Goodreads and I think them and Victoria for the opportunity to read the book.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will come back in a few days and write a complete review but I really, really liked this book that I got for free from Goodreads.com First reads.

I finally got back to finish my review.

This book was so well written that I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read murder mysteries. Once I started to read it I didn't want to stop until I was done. It until the very last of the book before I found out "who-done-it." That is the kind of murder mysteries that I like to read. Keeps you guessing right up to the end.

I would read any murder mystery book written by Veronica White because I feel that anything she writes would be as great as this book was.

Thanks goes out to Goodreads.com and to Veronica White for giving me this book.

Sheila

[Angelique · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would actually give this 3.5 stars. I enjoyed reading this book but there was a couple of things that kept me from loving it. The relationship between Liberty and Damon was described as them being in love and she was so devastated by his death that she ignored orders from her commanding officer and risked her career to investigate his death on her own. Yet, not 4 months later she is ready to be with another man and his best friend is perfectly ok with the whole situation. That was a little bit too much of a stretch for me. I did enjoy the ending. I didn't see it coming and it was a good twist. I would definitely read another book by this author.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book surprised me. It started a little slow, with some past history and introductions to a lot of different people and the roles each had in the sports world (whether they were players, reporters, etc.) but once the storyline picked up, I was hooked. This is a short, fast read, and for anyone interested in sports (specifically football) then this was a nice twist on the murder genre, filled with plenty of sports references and a protagonist who is a female sports reporter.

I received this book as part of the goodreads first reads program in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica Kimbel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book free as a Goodreads first reads winner. I was excited when I got it in the mail! I enjoyed the story and it's quick pace. It was a great,easy read. I've never been to Detroit, and never thought I'd want to visit, but after reading this book, I'm intrigued to visit that area of the country and see the areas and landscapes described in the book!

[P.C. Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to Thank goodreads and Veronica for choosing me to win this book. I enjoyed this story which included romance, sports (football), espionage and murder. I liked the twist at the end. I like when the author is able to surprise me. I would recommend this book as a short summer read.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book free by being a First Reads winner and I really enjoyed it! It was fast paced & easy to read. I definitely didn't expect the end to turn out as it did! I can see this book turned into a series and if it was, I would read every one of them!

[Cassandra Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this thriller. I can see it has a made for movie tv.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is set in Detroit (which I no little about)and centers around a murder of a football player. Interesting development of the plot, and the ending was unexpected!