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Allie Armington Mystery #2
Xs: An Allie Armington Mystery
Xs has it sex, excitement, excess, an execution, extreme situations and extraordinary twists. Allie Armington's back and she's gotten herself mixed up in a police investigation of a sex and drugs operation run by an elite East Coast monied set. More great characters. More hold-your-breath moments. More surprises. If you liked Anacacho you'll love Xs. It's Excellent.
- GenresMystery
267 pages, Hardcover
First published January 15, 2005
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Louise Gaylord
13 books7 followersMs. Gaylord studied art history and sociology at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, then later at the University of Houston in Texas. At the University she met and married Ted Gaylord (1931-2008).
Louise Gaylord had a grandfather who was one of the founders of the Houston Symphony Society, but her own love extends more to opera. Ms. Gaylord has designed covers for an opera magazine and eventually became President of Opera Guilds International.
Louise Gaylord was invited to join the Writer's Consortium, where she developed her skill with short stories. She has also written plays. Her first novel, Anachaco, won the Benjamin Franklin Award.
Series:
* Allie Armington Mystery
Louise Gaylord had a grandfather who was one of the founders of the Houston Symphony Society, but her own love extends more to opera. Ms. Gaylord has designed covers for an opera magazine and eventually became President of Opera Guilds International.
Louise Gaylord was invited to join the Writer's Consortium, where she developed her skill with short stories. She has also written plays. Her first novel, Anachaco, won the Benjamin Franklin Award.
Series:
* Allie Armington Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 2, 2019
This book read like an old radio show back in the day. The music in between the chapters was unnecessary and drab. The characters and voices were too over-the-top. I just barely finished the book.
September 3, 2019
Unfortunately I can only really give the book 2 stars, as it was merely 'okay' as opposed to a book I really liked. I guess it had its moment, but all in all I spent most of the read confused.
A few things that exasperated me (behind a spoiler tag for anyone wanting to read it):
Other than those things, I found the read extremely confusing due to problems with formatting. Often lines of dialogue would run into each other so I had no idea who was saying what.
There was also the fact that sometimes, someone would be talking to Allie, and then all of a sudden the scene was changing because the chat had apparently ended, etc. One example:
Background to the scene: They're in a room that has a suspicious lock that nobody can break into, because Hale insisted on not having to move from her location to meet Allie. So they're in a room upstairs (faaaar from the front door), and Cliff has gone off to get the front door after the bell rings. Then this happens:
The front door slams, then there are footsteps on the stairs. "Open up, I'm loaded."
I look at Hale who motions toward the front hall. "Do you mind, dear? This chart s a little too deep for easy exit."
Cliff jams two plain-white pizza-size boxes in my arms and closes the door. Then he grabs them and hurries down the hall. (at 78%)
What hall is Cliff hurrying down? I have no idea.
This is another scene that made me go WTF?
Mindy puts one hand in front of her mouth and laughs again. This time both Greene and Platon join in. They look my way, eyebrows raised, and Greene says, "What do you think about that? Can you believe it?" (at 75%)
This seems to come out of nowhere, there's no explanation for what they're laughing about, and Allie doesn't ask for clarification (assuming she too is confused, like I am). There's no relation to the above paragraph before it, and there's no explanation for it after it.
There were a couple of things that made me dislike these characters in general, which may seem petty to me but which always make me turn my nose up in any stories: the mention of the mink coat Allie is happy enough to wear - gross! - and the mention of an "incredible foie gras" (double gross!) that she and Jaime share on their one and only date.
So I guess I wasn't really a fan. But at least I finally read it!
A few things that exasperated me (behind a spoiler tag for anyone wanting to read it):
Other than those things, I found the read extremely confusing due to problems with formatting. Often lines of dialogue would run into each other so I had no idea who was saying what.
There was also the fact that sometimes, someone would be talking to Allie, and then all of a sudden the scene was changing because the chat had apparently ended, etc. One example:
Background to the scene: They're in a room that has a suspicious lock that nobody can break into, because Hale insisted on not having to move from her location to meet Allie. So they're in a room upstairs (faaaar from the front door), and Cliff has gone off to get the front door after the bell rings. Then this happens:
The front door slams, then there are footsteps on the stairs. "Open up, I'm loaded."
I look at Hale who motions toward the front hall. "Do you mind, dear? This chart s a little too deep for easy exit."
Cliff jams two plain-white pizza-size boxes in my arms and closes the door. Then he grabs them and hurries down the hall. (at 78%)
What hall is Cliff hurrying down? I have no idea.
This is another scene that made me go WTF?
Mindy puts one hand in front of her mouth and laughs again. This time both Greene and Platon join in. They look my way, eyebrows raised, and Greene says, "What do you think about that? Can you believe it?" (at 75%)
This seems to come out of nowhere, there's no explanation for what they're laughing about, and Allie doesn't ask for clarification (assuming she too is confused, like I am). There's no relation to the above paragraph before it, and there's no explanation for it after it.
There were a couple of things that made me dislike these characters in general, which may seem petty to me but which always make me turn my nose up in any stories: the mention of the mink coat Allie is happy enough to wear - gross! - and the mention of an "incredible foie gras" (double gross!) that she and Jaime share on their one and only date.
So I guess I wasn't really a fan. But at least I finally read it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2012
I said I wouldn't read this after I suffered the truly abysmal Anacacho - but I needed an X in a challenge, and to my bad luck, this was the only book I found. It's as I thought it would be. Bad. Anacacho is worse though, so this a step up.
We see Allie Armington again, this time the location is NYC. Allie's sister has a room-mate who was killed brutally, with an x carved into her breast. Allie volunteers to pretend to be Angela in a complicated plot that goes everywhere and nowhere, while Angela goes traipsing back off to Texas and makes out with Allie's best friend with benefits. Ho hum. Of course, it turns out that it's all tied to drugs, so that Allie's Texas flame Bill Cotton can be brought back. Bill is hot as ever, but he's also hiding a lot of things, and we spend many agonizingly slow pages where Allie contemplates if Bill has turned (again) or not, while also making do with the attentions of another sexy cop, Jaime. What is a poor girl to do if these (very sexy) men choose to slobber over her? My eyes hurt, what with the rolling they did at poor Allie's dilemmas.
The writing's poor. The plot doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and there are too many co-incidences. It also doesn't make a whole lot of sense that Allie would even pose for her sister, who is a very recognizable super model, and doesn't look much like Allie. We know this, because many self pitying paragraphs have been spent in Anacacho on the very same subject. So. This is dumb. Also, why would anyone in their right minds have a civilian go through whatever Allie does in the book? Wouldn't they lose their jobs? Especially when they say repeatedly that Allie's on her own and they can't cover her? Bull. The less said about Allie's continued romantic dilemma, the better.
Considering the amount of time I've spent reading two books of this tripe, I might read the third just for the sake of completing it. But, I'm not hoping for anything.
We see Allie Armington again, this time the location is NYC. Allie's sister has a room-mate who was killed brutally, with an x carved into her breast. Allie volunteers to pretend to be Angela in a complicated plot that goes everywhere and nowhere, while Angela goes traipsing back off to Texas and makes out with Allie's best friend with benefits. Ho hum. Of course, it turns out that it's all tied to drugs, so that Allie's Texas flame Bill Cotton can be brought back. Bill is hot as ever, but he's also hiding a lot of things, and we spend many agonizingly slow pages where Allie contemplates if Bill has turned (again) or not, while also making do with the attentions of another sexy cop, Jaime. What is a poor girl to do if these (very sexy) men choose to slobber over her? My eyes hurt, what with the rolling they did at poor Allie's dilemmas.
The writing's poor. The plot doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and there are too many co-incidences. It also doesn't make a whole lot of sense that Allie would even pose for her sister, who is a very recognizable super model, and doesn't look much like Allie. We know this, because many self pitying paragraphs have been spent in Anacacho on the very same subject. So. This is dumb. Also, why would anyone in their right minds have a civilian go through whatever Allie does in the book? Wouldn't they lose their jobs? Especially when they say repeatedly that Allie's on her own and they can't cover her? Bull. The less said about Allie's continued romantic dilemma, the better.
Considering the amount of time I've spent reading two books of this tripe, I might read the third just for the sake of completing it. But, I'm not hoping for anything.
October 7, 2014
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This book was released several years ago but I found it when searching for an “X” book for my Alphabet Soup A – Z Challenge. I have not read the first book in the series so I had a little catching up to do on the characters.
Sisters Allie and Angela may not live close to each other at the moment but when Angela calls with an unusual request Allie comes running. What happens next is really quite unbelievable but the author reeled me right in and I couldn’t put the book down. Deception, lies, drug, sex and they are all tied together and I can’t say more or I will give the whole thing away.
Definitely an adult read with adult situations. This story was not what I expected and would call it a very unique read. The situations are serious and suspenseful but the author also adds a bit of humor. There are several twists and I feel that by not reading Anacacho first I was a little perplexed at the conclusion.
A quick, fast, entertaining read to fulfill the spot in my challenge. I do need a book set in New Mexico for my Where Are You Reading? Challenge and Spa Deadly which appears to be the next book in this series takes place so I may have to give that book a try.
October 28, 2010
For a mystery book with such a short title, it was pretty unique, just like it's title. I would love to read other series if the author has them. I would reccommend this a good read if you like action, mystery, and romance.
June 10, 2012
I was disappointed in this book. The storyline was iffy and the characters didn't grab me. I really had little basis to believe in the main character's electric attraction for one individual except for being told about it. I won't read anymore of this series. The best part was this covered my "X".
August 3, 2012
Did not like characters. Did not like plot. Did not like style of writing. Silly and ridiculous. BUT I was able to use it for a challenge so thankfully it was a quick read. Stay Away!
August 3, 2016
I did not really care much for this book!
October 30, 2014
I liked this mystery of a lawyer who takes her sister's place so a murderer can be found and a drug ring ended.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews