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J.J. Graves Mystery #5
Dirty Laundry
A new novel in the New York Times bestselling series: Coroner JJ Graves and her husband Sheriff Jack Lawson are back on the job when the body of an elderly woman is found in Bloody Mary.
Rosalyn McGowen is everyone’s favorite great-grandmother. She always has baked treats in her bag, she smells of roses, and she takes in stray cats. No one knows who could hurt a sweet old lady. But Rosalyn isn’t exactly as she seems. Every Thursday at noon Rosalyn secretly posts The Bloody Mary Tattler on social media, and it has everyone in town both captivated and horrified.
When Rosalyn’s secret is discovered along with her body, it’s not easy for JJ to determine her death as a homicide. But it’s not long before they discover the list of suspects is endless and Rosalyn didn’t exactly take all of her secrets to the grave.
Rosalyn McGowen is everyone’s favorite great-grandmother. She always has baked treats in her bag, she smells of roses, and she takes in stray cats. No one knows who could hurt a sweet old lady. But Rosalyn isn’t exactly as she seems. Every Thursday at noon Rosalyn secretly posts The Bloody Mary Tattler on social media, and it has everyone in town both captivated and horrified.
When Rosalyn’s secret is discovered along with her body, it’s not easy for JJ to determine her death as a homicide. But it’s not long before they discover the list of suspects is endless and Rosalyn didn’t exactly take all of her secrets to the grave.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 27, 2018
804 people are currently reading
903 people want to read
About the author
Liliana Hart
203 books3,294 followersLiliana Hart spent five years teaching music in the public education system. She molded America’s youth, busted kids for smoking pot in the restrooms, and broke up illicit affairs behind the stage on a regular basis. (Liliana’s Addison Holmes Mystery Series, about a small town teacher who gets into a whole lot of trouble, is somewhat autobiographical, but she won’t confess to which parts).
Liliana began reading romance novels with all her new found free time, and when she ran out of things to read, she decided to write her own novels. The result was a 150,000 word thriller—a dazzling adventure—where the heroine was a thirty-year-old virgin assassin (Yes, you read that right). She couldn’t imagine why people weren’t knocking down her door to read it, but she persevered and began writing a second book. She finally got the hang of things, and eventually learned that losing one’s virginity wasn’t all that romantic after all. All of her books involve some kind of suspense (she just can't help herself), laughter, and a lot of steamy sex.
Since the failure of her first attempt, Liliana’s books have won awards such as: The Daphne Du Maurier, The Suzannah, The Linda Howard Award of Excellence, The Maggie, and many others. Her affiliations include Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Liliana loves to cook, and is addicted to reading, Internet Boggle, kickboxing, and Bones. She lives in a big, rambling house in Texas with a couple of cats to keep her company. She loves to get emails from readers.
Enjoy the Adventures!
Liliana began reading romance novels with all her new found free time, and when she ran out of things to read, she decided to write her own novels. The result was a 150,000 word thriller—a dazzling adventure—where the heroine was a thirty-year-old virgin assassin (Yes, you read that right). She couldn’t imagine why people weren’t knocking down her door to read it, but she persevered and began writing a second book. She finally got the hang of things, and eventually learned that losing one’s virginity wasn’t all that romantic after all. All of her books involve some kind of suspense (she just can't help herself), laughter, and a lot of steamy sex.
Since the failure of her first attempt, Liliana’s books have won awards such as: The Daphne Du Maurier, The Suzannah, The Linda Howard Award of Excellence, The Maggie, and many others. Her affiliations include Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Liliana loves to cook, and is addicted to reading, Internet Boggle, kickboxing, and Bones. She lives in a big, rambling house in Texas with a couple of cats to keep her company. She loves to get emails from readers.
Enjoy the Adventures!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
April 9, 2018
Yeah, that's exactly how this books starts!!! O_O
Really! But, I was expecting a much gory description of the murder scene, while is was not so bad. I was gagging when I read about the maggots much more! LOL
Kidding! ... not so much...
I liked this very compilcated mystery. There'were a lot of people with similar names involved and I got to backtrack to understand who was who and what their relationshp was. But, apart from that it was a jolly ride!
It involved two seemingly disconnected searches:
I don't want to spoil your fun finding out who did it, so I'll leave you to read this book!
Take not that it is much less suspenseful and dark than the previous book, but JJ and Jack are so lovely together as a married couple!!! And also there're Vaughn and Carver and it seems that they're destinited to become a couple too! I'm so looking forward to reading their book!!!
Ah, Malachi makes an appearance too, still looking for "his" memory cards. I'm looking forward to the next in series because it will be centered on him and I'm curious to find out why and what he did!!!
June 28, 2020
4 stars
Own in: The J.J. Graves Mysteries Box Set 2: A J.J. Graves Mystery
JJ and Jack are on a new case of a senior citizen who had a secret. We also see development of secondary characters. I'm still loving the relationship between JJ and Jack and can't put this series down. On to Dirty Money in which I hope there will be some closure regarding JJ's father.
Own in: The J.J. Graves Mysteries Box Set 2: A J.J. Graves Mystery
JJ and Jack are on a new case of a senior citizen who had a secret. We also see development of secondary characters. I'm still loving the relationship between JJ and Jack and can't put this series down. On to Dirty Money in which I hope there will be some closure regarding JJ's father.
Want to read
February 21, 2018I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS!
my babies JJ and Jack are back!
my babies JJ and Jack are back!
March 30, 2018
Another brilliant JJ and Jack story from Liliana Hart, the mystery was excellent, JJ and Jack were at their very best, Vaughn is getting his groove back and Carver was around for a bit of comic relief.
June 3, 2018
I love this series and while this story was great, I think the editor needs to be fired. There were so many spelling and grammatical errors. At one point the the spouse of a character had one name and then a few chapters later he was called something else. I actually had to go back and re-read the part near the beginning of the book where the character Katie is giving a rundown of the residents on Foxglove Court to try to figure out who was who.
April 30, 2019
Click here to see my other reviews."There relationship is so well written, it feels natural and realistic and it is easy to connect with."
Another brilliant J.J Graves story from Liliana Hart. I read book 4.5 in the series several years ago and then I quite forgot about the series while waiting for book five. It was nice to pick up the thread again. I really like Harts writing where you get this warm, fuzzy feeling and even though the book about murder, death and human eating cats, there is also an aura of a feel good book at the same time. Mostly because I love JJ and Jack. Their relationship is so well written, it feels natural and realistic and it is easy to connect with. This time the book also has the feel of a mix between "desperate housewives" and "Midsomer Murders". Such a fun story and plot to follow.
The conclusion in the end was however somewhat rushed and rich in details. It was a little hard to keep up with it to understand who the killer was and the why's. It also ended on a major cliffhanger and we still haven't received the whole truth around JJ's dead parents. There is just so many loose threads floats around and it is time to knot some of them and be done with it. It is time to reveal those secrets.
November 20, 2019
4.25 /4 Stars
The gossip, Madame Scandal, sure knows how to ruffle a lot of feathers in her small county. She's created a stir with her King George Tattler and no one is safe. Not even J.J. and Jack. She sees Jack's vehicle "rocking" while parked in a alley and wonders after only 1 month of marriage is Jack already finding someone else to satisfy him?
An elderly lady on Foxglove Court is found dead in her home. She use to own the local bakery, and when she sold out she continued to bring treats to friends and neighbors. Even had treats for the school kids as they passed by. Then a second murder happens. What is doing on on Foxglove? What does this all have to do with Madame Scandal? Just remember, in a small town, everyone knows everyone's business.....
Again, love the now husband/wife team of J.J. & Jack. Ben again makes his appearance and he's a hoot. He's Jack's best friend and works for the FBI. Like I said previously, nothing better happen to Ben!!
The gossip, Madame Scandal, sure knows how to ruffle a lot of feathers in her small county. She's created a stir with her King George Tattler and no one is safe. Not even J.J. and Jack. She sees Jack's vehicle "rocking" while parked in a alley and wonders after only 1 month of marriage is Jack already finding someone else to satisfy him?
An elderly lady on Foxglove Court is found dead in her home. She use to own the local bakery, and when she sold out she continued to bring treats to friends and neighbors. Even had treats for the school kids as they passed by. Then a second murder happens. What is doing on on Foxglove? What does this all have to do with Madame Scandal? Just remember, in a small town, everyone knows everyone's business.....
Again, love the now husband/wife team of J.J. & Jack. Ben again makes his appearance and he's a hoot. He's Jack's best friend and works for the FBI. Like I said previously, nothing better happen to Ben!!
March 8, 2018
Oh how I have missed J.J., Jack and the town of Bloody Mary! This is a story that will not leave my mind for a long time because... well a dead body had been eaten by cats!! BLOOD EVERYWHERE!! The visual alone is enough to keep me from ever owning cats. I mean ... UCK!
It's been a year or two since we have had a new book set in this would and it took me right back to the place that I loved so much. Dirty Laundry wasn't quite as scary or intense as the I remember the prior novels being, perhaps because the killer wasn't after J.J. this time and we weren't constantly looking over our shoulders.
I will tell you that the ending, the reveal of the who done it, blew my mind! I thought I knew but WOW I was so impressed with Liliana's execution of delivering us the killer that I never saw coming. At least I wasn't alone, the rest of the people in the neighborhood didn't see it coming either.
In Dirty Laundry Jack and JJ are back from honeymoon and let me tell you just because they are married and back home doesn't mean that this couple is done having intimate moments... even in the back of police cars in the dead of the night. I love seeing their passion for each other and for their friends, and how they all have each others back. You know... everyone except Jaye's pesky father who seems to pop at the worst times!
Dirty Laundry and the rest of the J.J. Graves Mystery series are highly recommended by me, Liliana was one of the first romantic suspense authors that I couldn't get enough of!!
It's been a year or two since we have had a new book set in this would and it took me right back to the place that I loved so much. Dirty Laundry wasn't quite as scary or intense as the I remember the prior novels being, perhaps because the killer wasn't after J.J. this time and we weren't constantly looking over our shoulders.
I will tell you that the ending, the reveal of the who done it, blew my mind! I thought I knew but WOW I was so impressed with Liliana's execution of delivering us the killer that I never saw coming. At least I wasn't alone, the rest of the people in the neighborhood didn't see it coming either.
In Dirty Laundry Jack and JJ are back from honeymoon and let me tell you just because they are married and back home doesn't mean that this couple is done having intimate moments... even in the back of police cars in the dead of the night. I love seeing their passion for each other and for their friends, and how they all have each others back. You know... everyone except Jaye's pesky father who seems to pop at the worst times!
Dirty Laundry and the rest of the J.J. Graves Mystery series are highly recommended by me, Liliana was one of the first romantic suspense authors that I couldn't get enough of!!
March 4, 2018
So I have really enjoyed this series. I've read all of the JJ Graves books and the novella about her and Jack's honeymoon. I've appreciated the relationship between JJ and Jack because their banter and such is realistic and comfortable.
I will say that while I liked this story, the ending and wrap up just seemed rushed to me. The mystery and investigation dragged on and then the everything got tied up in a pretty bow in the last 10-20 pages. It also ended with a cliffhanger in the epilogue that was unexpected.
I will say that while I liked this story, the ending and wrap up just seemed rushed to me. The mystery and investigation dragged on and then the everything got tied up in a pretty bow in the last 10-20 pages. It also ended with a cliffhanger in the epilogue that was unexpected.
March 12, 2018
3 stars
Mehh i feel like i read an episode of CSI or some cop show ...
It's been while since the last book so i was a bit lost but some details help.
Buuut the sparks between the characters was completely lost. Even the sarcastic dialogues made me barely smile because i felt almost nothing ...
Even the end which was a surprise made me just say : huh.
Too bad, yet the ongoing mystery is still kinda interesting so hopefully the next book will be better !
Mehh i feel like i read an episode of CSI or some cop show ...
It's been while since the last book so i was a bit lost but some details help.
Buuut the sparks between the characters was completely lost. Even the sarcastic dialogues made me barely smile because i felt almost nothing ...
Even the end which was a surprise made me just say : huh.
Too bad, yet the ongoing mystery is still kinda interesting so hopefully the next book will be better !
September 3, 2020
There were too many characters introduced and it was hard to remember who was who. It was way too easy to figure out who the tabloid writer was. I'm too lazy to go back and look but I thought it mentioned the wrong incident as the last time Jaye saw her father. Jack and Jaye's relationship was boring. All they did was talk about the case or sex. Wasn't Jaye supposed to take her husband's name after they got married? It annoyed the hell out of me that Jaye was trying to stop swearing. She's an adult who only spends time with adults so why bother? I'm off to read the next one just because I'm dying to know what happens with the cliffhanger.
February 28, 2018
I want more! I want more about Jaye’s parents!
March 20, 2018
Jack is so delicious and just perfect for J.J. I was looking forward to this book for so long and I was not disappointed. This was my favorite book in the series and can't wait for the next.
July 12, 2019
read this one a while back and somehow missed listing it. enjoyable as always. love that the mc's are intelligent!
November 17, 2023
JJ Graves and her husband Jack are on the job again. A good read for JJ Graves fans
March 9, 2018
I have truly enjoyed this series, which is why I was disappointed in some of the grammatical errors. There were just enough to make it annoying while reading the book. Otherwise the characters have stayed true to who they are and I enjoyed reading what they were up to. I look forward to the next in the series.
March 12, 2018
Thus far, I have always enjoyed these books. I will admit though that the victim's fate may have scarred me for life. The vivid description of what her cats did to her, followed by more gruesome details about maggots, really isn't for the faint of heart. I always loved cats, but now I am glad I have a dog.
While I still enjoyed Dirty Laundry, there were some things that really annoyed me. To a certain degree that is predictability, as I guessed right from the Get go what the murder victims secret was. But, there is actually a very specific scene, where the book sort of lost me.
After finding the victim, talking to the neighbors and performing the autopsy, Jaye and Jack get ready to draw up their murder board. In the first 45% of the book, which according to my Kindle was the current position, this was all that happened. So in this scene Liliana Hart starts throwing names and findings at you, because Jack and Jaye not only summarize their findings, but those of the other police officers as well. For the first time in a crime novel, I wished that they had actually included that murder board, because I was starting to mix up characters. Because I already knew the murder victims secret, I got 2 out of 3 right (though that was more of a gut feeling than actual deduction). But when the mentioned the culprit by name, my first reaction was "Who?". Then Liliana Hart includes some tidbit about the culprit's occupation and the light finally went on.
While they do the murder board, Jaye and Jack suddenly start fighting, because Jaye got her prescription for contraceptives from a veterinarian, whom Jack recently put away because that is of course a crime. This fight seemed so random. And unfortunately that wasn't the only randomness. The most noticeable was people changing their sexual inclinations seemingly at random. The book just wasn't as well crafted as the rest.
Point in case: I don't know if this is only true for the Kindle version, but the epilogue is actually after the preview of another book (so keep on reading).
And this epilogue only confirmed another scene that made very little sense to me. At one point, Jaye meets her father, Malachi, again. He asks her about the missing drives, and she tells him that they had given them to someone else. Malachi concludes that they must have given them to some kind of computer specialist and then leaves. Not even a few chapters later, Jack and Jaye call said computer specialist, Ben Carver, not only about his findings on the drives, but to help with the case. They must have known that Malachi would do some kind of surveillance on them to find the identity of their specialist. By calling him they put Ben in danger. The only way to act more irresponsible and stupid under the circumstances, would have been to hang a banner over Ben's head, while he was waiting on their porch, saying "Hey Dad! This the guy we gave the drives to that you so desperately seek. Have at him."
In summary, the book wasn't bad, but in serious need of editing.
While I still enjoyed Dirty Laundry, there were some things that really annoyed me. To a certain degree that is predictability, as I guessed right from the Get go what the murder victims secret was. But, there is actually a very specific scene, where the book sort of lost me.
After finding the victim, talking to the neighbors and performing the autopsy, Jaye and Jack get ready to draw up their murder board. In the first 45% of the book, which according to my Kindle was the current position, this was all that happened. So in this scene Liliana Hart starts throwing names and findings at you, because Jack and Jaye not only summarize their findings, but those of the other police officers as well. For the first time in a crime novel, I wished that they had actually included that murder board, because I was starting to mix up characters. Because I already knew the murder victims secret, I got 2 out of 3 right (though that was more of a gut feeling than actual deduction). But when the mentioned the culprit by name, my first reaction was "Who?". Then Liliana Hart includes some tidbit about the culprit's occupation and the light finally went on.
While they do the murder board, Jaye and Jack suddenly start fighting, because Jaye got her prescription for contraceptives from a veterinarian, whom Jack recently put away because that is of course a crime. This fight seemed so random. And unfortunately that wasn't the only randomness. The most noticeable was people changing their sexual inclinations seemingly at random. The book just wasn't as well crafted as the rest.
Point in case: I don't know if this is only true for the Kindle version, but the epilogue is actually after the preview of another book (so keep on reading).
And this epilogue only confirmed another scene that made very little sense to me. At one point, Jaye meets her father, Malachi, again. He asks her about the missing drives, and she tells him that they had given them to someone else. Malachi concludes that they must have given them to some kind of computer specialist and then leaves. Not even a few chapters later, Jack and Jaye call said computer specialist, Ben Carver, not only about his findings on the drives, but to help with the case. They must have known that Malachi would do some kind of surveillance on them to find the identity of their specialist. By calling him they put Ben in danger. The only way to act more irresponsible and stupid under the circumstances, would have been to hang a banner over Ben's head, while he was waiting on their porch, saying "Hey Dad! This the guy we gave the drives to that you so desperately seek. Have at him."
In summary, the book wasn't bad, but in serious need of editing.
February 5, 2023
Dirty Laundry (A J.J. Graves Mystery Book 6)
I started this series back in 2015 and then life happened and now I’m finally able to get back to reading on a regular basis so couldn’t imagine not returning to the series. Liliana Hart is hands-down, one of my favorite authors, especially when it comes to a crime/mystery book. Not having picked up one of these books in several years I wasn’t sure how much I would remember or how it might feel. This truly felt like sitting down and having coffee with an old friend, I was able to pick up right where I left off and because the author does such a great job of putting past important things in each book it immediately helped me remember things that had happened previously.
These books can easily be read as standalone books, but I highly recommend starting from book one so that you get the full picture. Dirty Laundry begins with the murder of an older woman and watching J. J. and her husband Jack put together all the pieces was exciting. This couple is absolutely hysterical with banter back-and-forth like the following:
“I’m at a loss on how to open it. Unless you wanna blow it up.“
“I’ll have the team come in and cut it out of the wall. Once it’s back at the station, I’ll call the manufacture and send them the warrant. They’ll have an override code we can use. “
“Huh, “I said. “I can see why they pay you the big bucks. That seems a lot simpler than blowing it up. But not near as much fun. “
“We can blow up stuff another time, baby. You do bring a whole new level of excitement to date night though. I always feel like I need to up my life insurance.“
“A little fear is healthy, “I said.
I absolutely love them as a couple and can see my husband and I in them quite a bit through these kinds of interactions.
In this town and on this street, everyone is a suspect. You were drawn in to each of their personalities, but you can also see how each one could have a motive. The author does a wonderful job of pulling at the strings, and just when you think you know who the killer is and what happened she flips the script on you.
I loved the complex ending with who the murderer was, and how it was pieced together. I was also stunned by the ending. I can’t wait for the next book.
I started this series back in 2015 and then life happened and now I’m finally able to get back to reading on a regular basis so couldn’t imagine not returning to the series. Liliana Hart is hands-down, one of my favorite authors, especially when it comes to a crime/mystery book. Not having picked up one of these books in several years I wasn’t sure how much I would remember or how it might feel. This truly felt like sitting down and having coffee with an old friend, I was able to pick up right where I left off and because the author does such a great job of putting past important things in each book it immediately helped me remember things that had happened previously.
These books can easily be read as standalone books, but I highly recommend starting from book one so that you get the full picture. Dirty Laundry begins with the murder of an older woman and watching J. J. and her husband Jack put together all the pieces was exciting. This couple is absolutely hysterical with banter back-and-forth like the following:
“I’m at a loss on how to open it. Unless you wanna blow it up.“
“I’ll have the team come in and cut it out of the wall. Once it’s back at the station, I’ll call the manufacture and send them the warrant. They’ll have an override code we can use. “
“Huh, “I said. “I can see why they pay you the big bucks. That seems a lot simpler than blowing it up. But not near as much fun. “
“We can blow up stuff another time, baby. You do bring a whole new level of excitement to date night though. I always feel like I need to up my life insurance.“
“A little fear is healthy, “I said.
I absolutely love them as a couple and can see my husband and I in them quite a bit through these kinds of interactions.
In this town and on this street, everyone is a suspect. You were drawn in to each of their personalities, but you can also see how each one could have a motive. The author does a wonderful job of pulling at the strings, and just when you think you know who the killer is and what happened she flips the script on you.
I loved the complex ending with who the murderer was, and how it was pieced together. I was also stunned by the ending. I can’t wait for the next book.
June 2, 2019
Wow, that was a good one!! It was like a mixture of Clue and Desperate Housewives but instead of Wisteria Lane it was Foxglove Court in Bloody Mary. An old woman was found dead and half eaten by her cats - yeah.. ewwww!!! What first looks like a natural dead is soon confirmed by Dr. Jaye Graves as murder. But who would murder a 85year old woman who was liked by everybody? The whole neighbourhood is full of suspects and there are many secrets but who had a motive to kill beloved Rosie McGowen? Then another suspicious death and Sheriff Jack and Coroner Jaye have almost solved the puzzle..
It's not nice when a book ends with a cliffhanger, so I'm very glad I waited long enough that now the next one is already out. Malachi Graves creeps me out! Him showing up all the time and threatening Jaye is really annoying. I hope he soon bites the dust - one way or another. He tries to come across like a loving father but his actions speak otherwise. Hopefully this mess is solved with the next book. Give him his damn flash drives and be rid of him already!
Now, the murder story was really nicely done - I had some suspicions about the motive (at least for Rosie and I was right) but I had no idea who could have done it. But it was really satisfying. This was a bit like watching an entertaining crime show, very light and a bit amusing and not like the other books before and I really liked it. Now I just hope Ben is going to be okay so I'm going to download the next book.
It's not nice when a book ends with a cliffhanger, so I'm very glad I waited long enough that now the next one is already out. Malachi Graves creeps me out! Him showing up all the time and threatening Jaye is really annoying. I hope he soon bites the dust - one way or another. He tries to come across like a loving father but his actions speak otherwise. Hopefully this mess is solved with the next book. Give him his damn flash drives and be rid of him already!
Now, the murder story was really nicely done - I had some suspicions about the motive (at least for Rosie and I was right) but I had no idea who could have done it. But it was really satisfying. This was a bit like watching an entertaining crime show, very light and a bit amusing and not like the other books before and I really liked it. Now I just hope Ben is going to be okay so I'm going to download the next book.
July 23, 2023
The 'J. J. Graves Mystery' series has been treading water for a while and the fifth instalment "Dirty Laundry" is no exception.
The elephant in the room is Jaye's father, once presumed dead but actually alive and present in Bloody Mary - five books in and we still know little or nothing about his rationale outside of he's not going down alone!
Jaye and Jack have gone from friends, to lovers, to a married couple - continuing to solve mysteries along the way.
While each book is readable the series is, however, becoming too much of the same old same old.
"Dirty Laundry" starts with a well-loved elderly resident being killed - the body is not discovered for a few days and she's got lots of cats ... brace yourself if you're squeamish. Could it have had something to do with her prized recipes? Why was she regularly getting large deposits into her bank account? Unfortunately the blurb for the book gives the game away.
And then there is the problem with the ending. There's an end, followed by an extract from another book by the author, and then there is an Epilog. Very, very odd!
2.5 Stars, raised to 3 Stars.
The elephant in the room is Jaye's father, once presumed dead but actually alive and present in Bloody Mary - five books in and we still know little or nothing about his rationale outside of he's not going down alone!
Jaye and Jack have gone from friends, to lovers, to a married couple - continuing to solve mysteries along the way.
While each book is readable the series is, however, becoming too much of the same old same old.
"Dirty Laundry" starts with a well-loved elderly resident being killed - the body is not discovered for a few days and she's got lots of cats ... brace yourself if you're squeamish. Could it have had something to do with her prized recipes? Why was she regularly getting large deposits into her bank account? Unfortunately the blurb for the book gives the game away.
And then there is the problem with the ending. There's an end, followed by an extract from another book by the author, and then there is an Epilog. Very, very odd!
2.5 Stars, raised to 3 Stars.
April 5, 2020
4.50 Stars for another well-written book in the J.J.Graves Mystery Series. It’s been awhile since I read the last book, so it took me a few minutes to refresh my memory about the recently married couple, Jaye and Jack. Jack is the local sheriff and an outstanding book hero. They are a couple in love and together they solve cases.
This time they are looking for the murderer of an 85-year old lady that was well-liked by the community. All her neighbors have secrets and those secrets and her own led to her death. Fair warning, the crime scene is very descriptive and gross. I had to skip a couple of pages, as I just couldn’t read all the disgusting details.
One of the best supporting cast characters in all books is Jack’s friend, Ben. I am sure at the delight of numerous readers, like myself, Ben is back with his Miranda.
The current case they are working on comes to a conclusion, but the on-going saga involving Jaye’s father is really heating up and thus the book ends as a Cliffhanger.
This time they are looking for the murderer of an 85-year old lady that was well-liked by the community. All her neighbors have secrets and those secrets and her own led to her death. Fair warning, the crime scene is very descriptive and gross. I had to skip a couple of pages, as I just couldn’t read all the disgusting details.
One of the best supporting cast characters in all books is Jack’s friend, Ben. I am sure at the delight of numerous readers, like myself, Ben is back with his Miranda.
The current case they are working on comes to a conclusion, but the on-going saga involving Jaye’s father is really heating up and thus the book ends as a Cliffhanger.
February 28, 2018
Scandals & Surprises!
I was so happy to have J.J. & new hubby, Jack, back in action. I missed them! For anyone new to this series, J.J. is the county coroner & Jack, the Police Chief. (And if you are new, do yourself a big favor & read the entire series!). Dirty Laundry is a riveting thriller. I will warn you, though, that the first crime scene is a bit graphic! I advise you not to being eating & reading. However, the plot was so good I couldn’t put it down! So many twists & turns, secrets & surprises! Unlike a lot of other mysteries J.J. is not an amateur. She is very observant, & thinks & reasons things out. She certainly can take care of herself. But what I like the most is the loving relationship she & Jack have together. They are a great team professionally & personally. While I figured out part of the puzzle early on, I never ever saw the conclusion coming! Unbelievable!! Liliana Hart has done it again!
I was so happy to have J.J. & new hubby, Jack, back in action. I missed them! For anyone new to this series, J.J. is the county coroner & Jack, the Police Chief. (And if you are new, do yourself a big favor & read the entire series!). Dirty Laundry is a riveting thriller. I will warn you, though, that the first crime scene is a bit graphic! I advise you not to being eating & reading. However, the plot was so good I couldn’t put it down! So many twists & turns, secrets & surprises! Unlike a lot of other mysteries J.J. is not an amateur. She is very observant, & thinks & reasons things out. She certainly can take care of herself. But what I like the most is the loving relationship she & Jack have together. They are a great team professionally & personally. While I figured out part of the puzzle early on, I never ever saw the conclusion coming! Unbelievable!! Liliana Hart has done it again!
March 1, 2018
Lots of shocking twists, but has a cliffhanger
I don't care for cliffhangers and always dock when they are big ones.
That being said, I enjoyed the story. This is my favorite series by the author and was happy to have a new book after 2 yrs. I love the characters, their relationships and witty dialogue. This book didn't white have the same feel as the first 4. I didn't get drawn in as much. It may have been all the details about houses and people that lived on the block and timelines. It was a lot of people with a lot of unrelated stories. I absolutely love the crew, Jack, Jaye, Vaughn and Carver. Still looking forward to the next in the series.
Story starts with McGowan, sweet old lady that has backed for the town for decades, is found murdered. Jack and Jaye, back from honey moon, are on the case. Lots of secrets and lies come to a head. Even daddy dearest makes a reappearance.
I don't care for cliffhangers and always dock when they are big ones.
That being said, I enjoyed the story. This is my favorite series by the author and was happy to have a new book after 2 yrs. I love the characters, their relationships and witty dialogue. This book didn't white have the same feel as the first 4. I didn't get drawn in as much. It may have been all the details about houses and people that lived on the block and timelines. It was a lot of people with a lot of unrelated stories. I absolutely love the crew, Jack, Jaye, Vaughn and Carver. Still looking forward to the next in the series.
Story starts with McGowan, sweet old lady that has backed for the town for decades, is found murdered. Jack and Jaye, back from honey moon, are on the case. Lots of secrets and lies come to a head. Even daddy dearest makes a reappearance.
April 13, 2018
Murder, Scandal, Cats, Family Drama, more! What more could you want from a JJ Graves story?
Besides romance my other genre weakness is mystery. Liliana reminds me of what I love in Elizabeth Peters, Anne Perry, and Donna Andrews books and other authors whose names I'm drawing a blank on. Her women are strong, independant, smart, and smart. Jaye is no exception to this. Every JJ Graves book draws you further into the world of Bloody Mary and surrounds. This book is no different. Why would anyone murder the sweet, old lady who bakes goodies for everyone and has cats? Mind you, remember cats might love you while you're alive, but they really love you once you're dead. Eww. Jaye and her hot hubby, the sheriff, Jack have their hands full with this case. Throw in some family drama, a visit from Carver & Miranda, Vaughn and his and Jaye's obsession with who is Madam Scandal, and you have yourself a fantastic, page turner. I can't wait for the next one!
Besides romance my other genre weakness is mystery. Liliana reminds me of what I love in Elizabeth Peters, Anne Perry, and Donna Andrews books and other authors whose names I'm drawing a blank on. Her women are strong, independant, smart, and smart. Jaye is no exception to this. Every JJ Graves book draws you further into the world of Bloody Mary and surrounds. This book is no different. Why would anyone murder the sweet, old lady who bakes goodies for everyone and has cats? Mind you, remember cats might love you while you're alive, but they really love you once you're dead. Eww. Jaye and her hot hubby, the sheriff, Jack have their hands full with this case. Throw in some family drama, a visit from Carver & Miranda, Vaughn and his and Jaye's obsession with who is Madam Scandal, and you have yourself a fantastic, page turner. I can't wait for the next one!
June 11, 2018
I'm always pleasantly surprised when I find out a new book from this series has been released. Well this one was another good 3 star read. I haven't been excited by a book in this series since about book 2. It's all fine. I like JJ and I like Jack, and I love them as a couple. Even some of the side characters are good, but the plot is just okay. There were so many people to get your head around in this one. It was exhausting trying to keep up with all the people involved in the murder mystery. I prefer when JJ is the one in mortal peril so I can get emotionally involved in the story. In saying that, the thing with her dad isn't that interesting to me. It has a lot of holes.
The blurb for this book was the worst. It completely spoiled a reveal we don't learn until 82% into the book. What was that about?! Anyway, it was a good but not great book. I will stick with the series though.
The blurb for this book was the worst. It completely spoiled a reveal we don't learn until 82% into the book. What was that about?! Anyway, it was a good but not great book. I will stick with the series though.
April 24, 2020
Love this series
I really enjoy this author’s writing style. I’ve read some of at least 2 of her mystery series & both are excellent. This series; I read #1 & then this one, #6. I’d recommend reading them in order. Though each is, in essence, a stand alone story, there are references to events that, I’m sure make up the main storyline of previous books. Additionally, there are characters involved that had to be introduced in previous books, so, you don’t know the backstory of these relationships. That said, the author does a good job of building characters & storyline to make the reader feel like part of the story. She writes with enough humor to keep the murder & mayhem from overtaking you. Warning on this book though, you may want to read the description of the crime seen on an empty stomach. Looking forward to seeing J J Graves again real soon.
I really enjoy this author’s writing style. I’ve read some of at least 2 of her mystery series & both are excellent. This series; I read #1 & then this one, #6. I’d recommend reading them in order. Though each is, in essence, a stand alone story, there are references to events that, I’m sure make up the main storyline of previous books. Additionally, there are characters involved that had to be introduced in previous books, so, you don’t know the backstory of these relationships. That said, the author does a good job of building characters & storyline to make the reader feel like part of the story. She writes with enough humor to keep the murder & mayhem from overtaking you. Warning on this book though, you may want to read the description of the crime seen on an empty stomach. Looking forward to seeing J J Graves again real soon.
September 6, 2023
Dirty Laundry on Books On Track
RTC
Previous books:
✦ Dirty Deeds (J.J. Graves Mystery #4.5) ~ ★★★★ (01/08/2023)
✦ Down and Dirty (J.J. Graves Mystery, #4) ~ ★★★★ (31/07/2023)
✦ Dirty Rotten Scoundrel (J.J. Graves Mystery #3) ~ ★★★★ (31/07/2023)
✦ A Dirty Shame (J.J. Graves Mystery, #2) ~ ★★★★ (30/07/2023)
✦ Dirty Little Secrets (J.J. Graves Mystery, #1) ~ ★★★★ (30/07/2023)
March 8, 2018
In this entry in the series, an 85-year old woman who was loved by all is murdered. As always in this series, there was some gruesome stuff. JJ and Jack are working to figure out what happened. At the same time, the person who writes the Tattler prints that Jack is having an affair. Of course, he wasn't he was with JJ. Soon after the first murder, the next door neighbor is murdered in what first appears to be a suicide. The book really delves into this small neighborhood (basically one street). There are plenty of secrets revealed as well as a return of JJ's dad. It was an enjoyable read. I was not expecting the cliffhanger ending. Now, I really need the next book to find out what happened.
July 18, 2022
I am reading all of the J.J. Graves Mystery series, and it is easy to get caught up in the characters. Even though the series is a bit formulaic, the books are a quick read.
What is driving me crazy about the books is the poor editing. There is just no reason or excuse for grammatical errors (when to use "I' or "me" or when to use "amount" or "number"...basic, basic things), and typos, several per novel.
I am glad I borrow these from the library for my e-reader, because if I had paid for them with such bad editing, I would have returned them. I know it may sound petty, but isn't that the main part of the editor's job?
I hope as I progress through the rest of the series, a new editor has taken over.
What is driving me crazy about the books is the poor editing. There is just no reason or excuse for grammatical errors (when to use "I' or "me" or when to use "amount" or "number"...basic, basic things), and typos, several per novel.
I am glad I borrow these from the library for my e-reader, because if I had paid for them with such bad editing, I would have returned them. I know it may sound petty, but isn't that the main part of the editor's job?
I hope as I progress through the rest of the series, a new editor has taken over.
May 3, 2025
Hart needs a continuity editor. In more than one novel she’s referenced something from a previous book that doesn’t match what happened. Here, J.J. refers to “relaxing and reading tons of books” while on her honeymoon, yet there was no mention of either in the previous novel in the series, Dirty Deeds, which took place during it. This novel had so many characters on one street that I couldn’t keep any of them straight! I hate when I have to make a cheat sheet to follow the plot. Jack jumps to conclusions at the end in solving the murder when he doesn’t have the proof yet. If one of the suspects hadn’t caved during the big confrontation, it might not have been solved.
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