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A Jaine Austen Mystery #16
Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge
"I'm crazy about Laura Levine's mystery series. Her books are so outrageously funny."
--Joanne Fluke
Freelance writer Jaine Austen is feeling festive about spending Christmas house-sitting at a posh Bel Air mansion, accompanied by her friend Lance and her cat, Prozac. But when a grumpy neighbor gets himself iced, she'll have to find the culprit or she may spend the New Year in jail . . .
Scotty Parker is a former child star who once played Tiny Tim, but now he's grown up into the role of neighborhood Scrooge. He cuts the wires on his neighbors' Christmas lights and tells local kids that Santa had a stroke. And his miserly, bah-humbug attitude lasts year-round--a fact known all too well by his current wife, his ex-wife, his maid, and many more.
Scotty thinks he can stage a comeback with the screenplay he's working on (The Return of Tiny Tim: Vengeance Is Mine!), and Jaine's been reluctantly helping him edit it. So when Scotty is bludgeoned with a frozen chocolate yule log and the police start making a list of suspects and checking it twice, Jaine's name is unfortunately included. True, she's been under some stress, with Lance trying to set her up on dates and her fickle feline taking a sudden liking to someone else--but she's not guilty of murder. Now she just has to prove it, by using her gift for detection and figuring out who committed this holiday homicide.
--Joanne Fluke
Freelance writer Jaine Austen is feeling festive about spending Christmas house-sitting at a posh Bel Air mansion, accompanied by her friend Lance and her cat, Prozac. But when a grumpy neighbor gets himself iced, she'll have to find the culprit or she may spend the New Year in jail . . .
Scotty Parker is a former child star who once played Tiny Tim, but now he's grown up into the role of neighborhood Scrooge. He cuts the wires on his neighbors' Christmas lights and tells local kids that Santa had a stroke. And his miserly, bah-humbug attitude lasts year-round--a fact known all too well by his current wife, his ex-wife, his maid, and many more.
Scotty thinks he can stage a comeback with the screenplay he's working on (The Return of Tiny Tim: Vengeance Is Mine!), and Jaine's been reluctantly helping him edit it. So when Scotty is bludgeoned with a frozen chocolate yule log and the police start making a list of suspects and checking it twice, Jaine's name is unfortunately included. True, she's been under some stress, with Lance trying to set her up on dates and her fickle feline taking a sudden liking to someone else--but she's not guilty of murder. Now she just has to prove it, by using her gift for detection and figuring out who committed this holiday homicide.
248 pages, Hardcover
First published September 25, 2018
165 people are currently reading
2266 people want to read
About the author
Laura Levine
58 books1,233 followersGrew up in Brooklyn, New York, back when mastodons (and Edsels) still roamed the earth.
Education: Barnard College
First job: Reporter/photographer at a newspaper so small, we had our photos developed in the local camera shop.
Advertising claim to fame: I created Count Chocula and Frankenberry cereals for General Mills.
TV gets invented, and I get a job as a sitcom writer, turning out scripts for shows like The Bob Newhart Show, Three’s Company, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, The Jeffersons, and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.
Current (and favorite) incarnation: Author of Jaine Austen mysteries.
Marital status: Wedded blissfully to business journalist Mark Lacter (aka Mr. Hubby), whose insightful coverage of the Los Angeles business scene can be checked daily at http://www.laobserved.com/biz/
Favorite authors: COMEDY: Joe Keenan. MYSTERY: Agatha Christie. SERIOUS STUFF: Anne Tyler.
Hobbies: Reading, swimming, gardening, and lots of walks (mainly to the refrigerator).
Education: Barnard College
First job: Reporter/photographer at a newspaper so small, we had our photos developed in the local camera shop.
Advertising claim to fame: I created Count Chocula and Frankenberry cereals for General Mills.
TV gets invented, and I get a job as a sitcom writer, turning out scripts for shows like The Bob Newhart Show, Three’s Company, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, The Jeffersons, and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.
Current (and favorite) incarnation: Author of Jaine Austen mysteries.
Marital status: Wedded blissfully to business journalist Mark Lacter (aka Mr. Hubby), whose insightful coverage of the Los Angeles business scene can be checked daily at http://www.laobserved.com/biz/
Favorite authors: COMEDY: Joe Keenan. MYSTERY: Agatha Christie. SERIOUS STUFF: Anne Tyler.
Hobbies: Reading, swimming, gardening, and lots of walks (mainly to the refrigerator).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
August 11, 2020
I know most people haven't even heard of this series. And many people don't like cosy mysteries. But give this book a chance. A long time ago I persuaded my sibling to read the first book in the series, but said sibling only gave the book 3 stars.
I myself have rated certain books in this long running series 2 or 3 stars. It's been a not-so-smooth ride. Having said so, if you love whodunits, you just might love this book. It has you guessing till the very end. And the epilogue will surprise all followers of the Jaine Austen books.
While Jaine Austen's parents are on a Caribbean Cruise, Jaine and her neighbour Lance volunteer to watch over the house of Ms van Hooten, by living in it. Their motivation is a $1000, each. After that lots of surprising things happen. Some of these things will catch the regular readers unawares.
This time, Laura Levine has really put a lot of effort into her book. The result is brilliant. The last time I gave a book in this series 5 stars, was book 9. I'm this impressed. I read this book in two days flat, and though there is not a cliffhanger here, I await the changes in Death of a Neighbourhood Scrooge with trepidation.
I myself have rated certain books in this long running series 2 or 3 stars. It's been a not-so-smooth ride. Having said so, if you love whodunits, you just might love this book. It has you guessing till the very end. And the epilogue will surprise all followers of the Jaine Austen books.
While Jaine Austen's parents are on a Caribbean Cruise, Jaine and her neighbour Lance volunteer to watch over the house of Ms van Hooten, by living in it. Their motivation is a $1000, each. After that lots of surprising things happen. Some of these things will catch the regular readers unawares.
This time, Laura Levine has really put a lot of effort into her book. The result is brilliant. The last time I gave a book in this series 5 stars, was book 9. I'm this impressed. I read this book in two days flat, and though there is not a cliffhanger here, I await the changes in Death of a Neighbourhood Scrooge with trepidation.
December 6, 2023
Oh wow this book put me in the festive spirit no I am not a grinch that Scotty is but I chuckled all the way through & have found a new author ✍️.
Jaine Austen is a freelance writer & is feeling festive Christmas 🎅 house sitting at an up market Bel Air manse, accompanying her is her 🐈⬛ cat Prozac & her best friend Lance.
The manse is owned by Mrs Van Hooten a well to do who is away for the holidays.
She has a neighbour Scotty Parker who was a former child star, now all grown up he is the neighbour hood Scrooge … yes Ebenezer Scrooge is alive & well.
Until Christmas Day he is found dead in his study after writing a script for his big comeback role THE RETURN OF TINY TIM VENGEANCE IS MINE he had Jaime read it , didn’t take long to know it was boring, she is also the main suspect in his murder… you see the list of suspects is a mile long he was killed by being hit over the head with a Yule tide log with the inscription Merry Christmas Aunt Harriet.
This was a fun read that I couldn’t put down the characters were endearing & likeable except Scotty I have found a new author which top this off as a bonus really 🥰 this one all those festive stars 🌟
Jaine Austen is a freelance writer & is feeling festive Christmas 🎅 house sitting at an up market Bel Air manse, accompanying her is her 🐈⬛ cat Prozac & her best friend Lance.
The manse is owned by Mrs Van Hooten a well to do who is away for the holidays.
She has a neighbour Scotty Parker who was a former child star, now all grown up he is the neighbour hood Scrooge … yes Ebenezer Scrooge is alive & well.
Until Christmas Day he is found dead in his study after writing a script for his big comeback role THE RETURN OF TINY TIM VENGEANCE IS MINE he had Jaime read it , didn’t take long to know it was boring, she is also the main suspect in his murder… you see the list of suspects is a mile long he was killed by being hit over the head with a Yule tide log with the inscription Merry Christmas Aunt Harriet.
This was a fun read that I couldn’t put down the characters were endearing & likeable except Scotty I have found a new author which top this off as a bonus really 🥰 this one all those festive stars 🌟
February 24, 2024
Jaine and her neighbor Lance are house-sitting for a wealthy lady with a house full of antiques. Jaine tries to board her cat Prozac in a ritzy boarding place, but things go awry and they’re forced to depend on the neighbors of the lady they’re house sitting for, who turn out to be quite odd. After several strange interactions between both Jaine and Lance, and also several other couples in the neighborhood, someone turns up dead and Jaine, who is a suspect, feels compelled to investigate to clear her name. I enjoyed the mystery in this one. In terms of how much Christmas and holiday-themed stuff there was in this book, I would probably rate it 3 candy canes out of 5. Overall, I liked the mystery and characters (and as always, the emails from Jaine’s parents.)
September 8, 2018
So by most objective standards this book probably doesn't merit five stars, but I derived such extraordinary enjoyment from it that I can't rate this any lower! It's a lot like most of Laura Levine's other Jaine Austen books: a mix of silly, gleefully over-the-top humor, impressively sharp and clever wit, and a surprisingly decently plotted mystery. The writing itself is excellent---just so supremely readable and engaging that I literally couldn't put this down.
Jaine, the main character, is immensely likable: a woman who loves sweatpants, bad TV shows and junk food, spends way too much time worrying about the fickle affections of her demonic cat, has catastrophic luck in her dating life, and can be a bit of a pushover. She's also, however, genuinely kind and compassionate, curious, intelligent, and courageous in her own unique way.
Based on the synopsis, I was worried we'd get way too much of Jaine's supposed best friend Lance in this one. And, as always, he's...well, often kind of terrible: narcissistic, vain, selfish, and prone to criticizing Jaine's penchant for junk food and fashion sense (or lack thereof). Fortunately, in this book we get explicit acknowledgements of how irritating and infuriating he can be while also seeing JUST enough of how generous, optimistic and loyal a friend he can be to Jaine as well.
As much as I adored it, I have to point out a few minor criticisms. Like some other readers, I could do with less of the somewhat repetitive adventures of Jane's parents, especially when they in no way involve Jane or anything related to the mysteries she's solving at the time. As noted above, I'd love it if they made Lance just a little less exaggeratedly self-centered so much of the time. (Making his character terrible for about 90% of the time he's around and a genuinely good person for the other 10% worked better the first few books in the series, when he was positioned as That Annoying Neighbor a lot of us can relate to rather than Jane's true "best friend".) Finally, the victim of this mystery isn't finally killed off until about 42% into the story. The structure and flow of the story does work well---much better than in most cozy mysteries, to be honest---but I feel like the victim could and should have been killed off a little sooner.
If you don't like the Jaine Austen mysteries, this one isn't likely to change your mind. It has all the usual elements that fans of this series love and which other readers don't. Prospective readers who aren't familiar with this series should know going into it that most of the characters and situations are deliberately exaggerated for comedic effect. If you're interested in something realistic, even by dubious "cozy" mystery standards, this series is probably not for you. But if you're looking for hilarious, mood-lifting book bliss, I highly recommend it. These books are seriously the equivalent of an anti-depressant for me, and this one is easily one of my two or three favorites of the entire series. It's one of the few books that had me literally laughing out loud, and I honestly could not put it down. There's also a very surprising scene at the end that has me clamoring even more eagerly than usual for the next installment.
I'm very thankful to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book!
Jaine, the main character, is immensely likable: a woman who loves sweatpants, bad TV shows and junk food, spends way too much time worrying about the fickle affections of her demonic cat, has catastrophic luck in her dating life, and can be a bit of a pushover. She's also, however, genuinely kind and compassionate, curious, intelligent, and courageous in her own unique way.
Based on the synopsis, I was worried we'd get way too much of Jaine's supposed best friend Lance in this one. And, as always, he's...well, often kind of terrible: narcissistic, vain, selfish, and prone to criticizing Jaine's penchant for junk food and fashion sense (or lack thereof). Fortunately, in this book we get explicit acknowledgements of how irritating and infuriating he can be while also seeing JUST enough of how generous, optimistic and loyal a friend he can be to Jaine as well.
As much as I adored it, I have to point out a few minor criticisms. Like some other readers, I could do with less of the somewhat repetitive adventures of Jane's parents, especially when they in no way involve Jane or anything related to the mysteries she's solving at the time. As noted above, I'd love it if they made Lance just a little less exaggeratedly self-centered so much of the time. (Making his character terrible for about 90% of the time he's around and a genuinely good person for the other 10% worked better the first few books in the series, when he was positioned as That Annoying Neighbor a lot of us can relate to rather than Jane's true "best friend".) Finally, the victim of this mystery isn't finally killed off until about 42% into the story. The structure and flow of the story does work well---much better than in most cozy mysteries, to be honest---but I feel like the victim could and should have been killed off a little sooner.
If you don't like the Jaine Austen mysteries, this one isn't likely to change your mind. It has all the usual elements that fans of this series love and which other readers don't. Prospective readers who aren't familiar with this series should know going into it that most of the characters and situations are deliberately exaggerated for comedic effect. If you're interested in something realistic, even by dubious "cozy" mystery standards, this series is probably not for you. But if you're looking for hilarious, mood-lifting book bliss, I highly recommend it. These books are seriously the equivalent of an anti-depressant for me, and this one is easily one of my two or three favorites of the entire series. It's one of the few books that had me literally laughing out loud, and I honestly could not put it down. There's also a very surprising scene at the end that has me clamoring even more eagerly than usual for the next installment.
I'm very thankful to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book!
October 21, 2018
A great cozy.
I discovered this series when I won the first book in a goodreads drawing, and now I've read something like twenty. Goodreads does pay off!
Jaine and her friend Lance get a gig housesitting in Bel-Air. All is fine and dandy until they meet their neighbor. He's a former child star who hates Christmas, and is cheaper than Scrooge. He drives the whole neighborhood crazy until somebody murders him.
Jaine is a primary suspect, and to clear her name, she pokes around asking questions while Lance pursues every attractive man in sight. A well constructed mystery with many red herrings, and a real twist of an ending.
Highly recommended.
I discovered this series when I won the first book in a goodreads drawing, and now I've read something like twenty. Goodreads does pay off!
Jaine and her friend Lance get a gig housesitting in Bel-Air. All is fine and dandy until they meet their neighbor. He's a former child star who hates Christmas, and is cheaper than Scrooge. He drives the whole neighborhood crazy until somebody murders him.
Jaine is a primary suspect, and to clear her name, she pokes around asking questions while Lance pursues every attractive man in sight. A well constructed mystery with many red herrings, and a real twist of an ending.
Highly recommended.
December 11, 2018
Thanks to her neighbor Lance, freelance writer Jaine Austen is spending Christmas at a Bel Air mansion. It's not all luxury, however, when Jaine gets roped into helping her temporary neighbor polish his script. Scotty Parker is a former child actor best known for playing Tiny Tim in a movie version of A Christmas Carol, but now he'd be a shoe in to play Scrooge, complete with penny pinching ways and fights with neighbors. Someone has had enough, and Jaine finds Scotty's body on Christmas morning. With the police focusing on her, Jaine begins her own investigation. But which of the many suspects actually killed Scotty?
Those familiar with the series know exactly what to expect here, and they won't be disappointed. The murder may take place a little later in the book than in some series I read, but we are busy meeting suspects and getting motives, so when Scotty does die, we can jump right in. Jaine once again brings the case to a satisfactory conclusion. We also have a couple of fun sub-plots involving Jaine's on-line dating misadventures and a cruise her parents are taking with their neighbors. There are plenty of laughs, chuckles, and grins. The characters lean toward caricature, but it works for this series. The pages fly by all too quickly as always.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Those familiar with the series know exactly what to expect here, and they won't be disappointed. The murder may take place a little later in the book than in some series I read, but we are busy meeting suspects and getting motives, so when Scotty does die, we can jump right in. Jaine once again brings the case to a satisfactory conclusion. We also have a couple of fun sub-plots involving Jaine's on-line dating misadventures and a cruise her parents are taking with their neighbors. There are plenty of laughs, chuckles, and grins. The characters lean toward caricature, but it works for this series. The pages fly by all too quickly as always.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
December 6, 2018
I'm really sad to say that I think this is the last Jaine Austin book for me, as much as I love this character.
I love the antics she always gets into, I love how Jaine sounds like a normal girl who loves food and the like. But at this point in the series, I feel like she should've grown a little with the things she deals with (i.e. being a better liar or snooper, letting Missy call Prozac other names and act like it's not even her pet anymore)
The worst for me was the ending. Literally. The killer was found out in the last four pages. It took one page for the killer to be knocked out and have the police show up. It's like Laura Levine just absolutely gave up. Seriously, read the last four pages and you'll understand how frustrating that made me feel. "The killer advanced toward _____, and ____ came from behind and knocked him out. Within four hours the police showed up. The end."
And then you have the epilogue of Jaine meeting her "true love" which was absolutely ridiculous and the worst way to tie up things.
I'm not sure what Levine was going for with this book- If this is the last Jaine Austin book she is writing and wanted to tie up all the loose ends or whatnot- but after that BS of an ending, I sadly have to give up on this author. Her first handful of stories with this character were a thousand times better. Don't waste your time reading this one.
I love the antics she always gets into, I love how Jaine sounds like a normal girl who loves food and the like. But at this point in the series, I feel like she should've grown a little with the things she deals with (i.e. being a better liar or snooper, letting Missy call Prozac other names and act like it's not even her pet anymore)
The worst for me was the ending. Literally. The killer was found out in the last four pages. It took one page for the killer to be knocked out and have the police show up. It's like Laura Levine just absolutely gave up. Seriously, read the last four pages and you'll understand how frustrating that made me feel. "The killer advanced toward _____, and ____ came from behind and knocked him out. Within four hours the police showed up. The end."
And then you have the epilogue of Jaine meeting her "true love" which was absolutely ridiculous and the worst way to tie up things.
I'm not sure what Levine was going for with this book- If this is the last Jaine Austin book she is writing and wanted to tie up all the loose ends or whatnot- but after that BS of an ending, I sadly have to give up on this author. Her first handful of stories with this character were a thousand times better. Don't waste your time reading this one.
September 27, 2018
Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge by Laura Levine is the 16th book in Jaine Austen Mystery Series, and is another wonderful book. Jaine Austen is a writer and part-time semiprofessional private investigator who always seems to be around when a murder occurs. It's Christmas time and Jaine and Lance are house-sitting at a lush Bel Air mansion. When Jaine finds a neighbor's body, the mystery begins.
Not only is this book really funny, it has a great mystery. There are twists and turns around every corner. I laughed out loud several times. The emails from her parents were also amusing. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love humorous cozy mysteries, I strongly recommend this book.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Not only is this book really funny, it has a great mystery. There are twists and turns around every corner. I laughed out loud several times. The emails from her parents were also amusing. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love humorous cozy mysteries, I strongly recommend this book.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
August 23, 2018
Another hilarious installment in the Jaine Austen series! In this one, Jaine and her friend and neighbor Lance get the chance to house sit for one of Lance's ultra rich customers, spending the Christmas holiday seeing how the other half live. Jaine soon finds out that things aren't so glamorous on the other side when their neighbor turns out to be the neighborhood scrooge and her cat, Prozac, abandons her for someone younger, prettier and richer. Things escalate when the scrooge-like neighbor is murdered, with a Yule Log of all things, and Jaine becomes the prime suspect. Join Jaine as she tries to clear her name and salvage the holidays, all while hilariously trying to join the world of online dating. Another winner from Laura Levine!
Thank you Netgalley for an arc of this title.
Thank you Netgalley for an arc of this title.
September 4, 2018
Jaine Austen is a very funny lady. She is also smart, intelligent and a lover of chocolate and ice cream. She is not above having those two things in the same bite.
She and her best friend, Lance, have had the good fortune to be invited to house sit in a Bel Air mansion for Christmas vacation.
The only down side, Jaine's cat, Prozac would not be able to stay with her. The house was filled with important pieces of art and no pet was allowed. Fortunately, a next door neighbor would love to have Prozac stay with her. Prozac not only gets a name change, but evidently the name has created an entirely new cat in Prozac's body.
When Jaine gets anxious, she needs to eat. Actually, she enjoys eating whether she is anxious or not. Starch and sugar are her two favorite food groups.
When Jaine is coerced into helping a next door neighbor work on his screen play, she meets a true Christmas grinch. The man is hateful to everyone he meets. He treats his present wife, his ex-wife and every neighbor as though they were out to steal from him. He was an equal opportunity meanie.
It is no surprise when he is murdered. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Laura Levine has written another funny, funny book.
Although this is part of a series, it is easy to follow if you are not familiar with earlier books.
But,I would suggest that just for the laughs, you read every book in the series.
Because Jaine may be a suspect in the murder, she determines that she is the best one to investigate the murder. She interviews suspects on a regular basis. In between those interviews she is dating men she meets through a web site.
This book will not make anyone want to date people they meet on a web site. But, there will be laughs at how truly bad internet dating can be for a woman's ego.
This is a fun book with a good mystery. Jaine is a terrific heroine who is very human, very quick to see reality and most of all very funny.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.
She and her best friend, Lance, have had the good fortune to be invited to house sit in a Bel Air mansion for Christmas vacation.
The only down side, Jaine's cat, Prozac would not be able to stay with her. The house was filled with important pieces of art and no pet was allowed. Fortunately, a next door neighbor would love to have Prozac stay with her. Prozac not only gets a name change, but evidently the name has created an entirely new cat in Prozac's body.
When Jaine gets anxious, she needs to eat. Actually, she enjoys eating whether she is anxious or not. Starch and sugar are her two favorite food groups.
When Jaine is coerced into helping a next door neighbor work on his screen play, she meets a true Christmas grinch. The man is hateful to everyone he meets. He treats his present wife, his ex-wife and every neighbor as though they were out to steal from him. He was an equal opportunity meanie.
It is no surprise when he is murdered. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Laura Levine has written another funny, funny book.
Although this is part of a series, it is easy to follow if you are not familiar with earlier books.
But,I would suggest that just for the laughs, you read every book in the series.
Because Jaine may be a suspect in the murder, she determines that she is the best one to investigate the murder. She interviews suspects on a regular basis. In between those interviews she is dating men she meets through a web site.
This book will not make anyone want to date people they meet on a web site. But, there will be laughs at how truly bad internet dating can be for a woman's ego.
This is a fun book with a good mystery. Jaine is a terrific heroine who is very human, very quick to see reality and most of all very funny.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.
March 17, 2019
3.5 stars
A quick read cosy mystery with tongue in cheek humor. I have been acquainted with Jaine Austen ( not the author of the yore) who somehow ends up not only with dead bodies in her vicinity, but also with the blame thereof. By now she's an accomplished amateur sleuth. She gets a magnificent offer of house-sitting s wealthy woman's condo and jumps at it. But things are murkier than expected with Prozac, her feline ditching her for another mistress, a Scrooge in the vicinity who is soon offed , and Jaine has to clear the murder mystery to save herself.
A quick read cosy mystery with tongue in cheek humor. I have been acquainted with Jaine Austen ( not the author of the yore) who somehow ends up not only with dead bodies in her vicinity, but also with the blame thereof. By now she's an accomplished amateur sleuth. She gets a magnificent offer of house-sitting s wealthy woman's condo and jumps at it. But things are murkier than expected with Prozac, her feline ditching her for another mistress, a Scrooge in the vicinity who is soon offed , and Jaine has to clear the murder mystery to save herself.
July 26, 2018
Fans of this series will absolutely love Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge.
For Jaine, life is all about ice cream, brownies and staying out of trouble. This book is filled with all of the above.
I don't want to give anything away, so my actual review will come later.
I've been a huge fan of this series from the moment I met Jaine and Prozac. Each book gets better and just when I think I've found my favorite, Ms. Levine puts out another fantastic addition to the series.
The cliffhanger ending has me waiting for the next incredible book.
I think we all need a little bit of Jaine in our lives, she certainly puts a smile on my face whenever I read about her and her quirky parents.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for approving me to read and review an ARC of this book.
For Jaine, life is all about ice cream, brownies and staying out of trouble. This book is filled with all of the above.
I don't want to give anything away, so my actual review will come later.
I've been a huge fan of this series from the moment I met Jaine and Prozac. Each book gets better and just when I think I've found my favorite, Ms. Levine puts out another fantastic addition to the series.
The cliffhanger ending has me waiting for the next incredible book.
I think we all need a little bit of Jaine in our lives, she certainly puts a smile on my face whenever I read about her and her quirky parents.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for approving me to read and review an ARC of this book.
October 20, 2018
I want to campaign for a lasting love interest for Jaine!
January 22, 2020
3.5 Funny and engaging enough for a quick, enjoyable read. Like the candy bars the main characters likes, it may be empty calories but its delicious little treat.
August 9, 2018
I love this series! When looking for humor and a believable female heroine, Laura Levine delivers. I have heard her Jaine Austen series compared to Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum. I much prefer Jaine, as she is far more relatable to the average woman. This series, and in particular, this installment, will appeal to fans of cozies, cat lovers, and those who like their mysteries delivered with laughs.
September 24, 2018
When I need to escape, silly, laugh out loud mysteries like this series are good for what ails me. Jaine and her cat, her parents, her friends are a very funny bunch of characters. This time around, her parents are on vacation and Jaine is housesitting. It's the neighbors who take center stage and one becomes a corpse. My only quibble? Why did it take so long to do him in? He was disliked by all and made the perfect murder victim. Add to that, her cat gets to take a vacation, too, not being allowed to stay with Jaine and risk breaking something valuable.
Jaine is my kind of lady, one who eats when she is stressed and when she is not, her clothing choice runs to sweats and her sense of humor is amazing.
This is the 16th in the series but it can be read as a standalone. I have enjoyed every one of them. My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Jaine is my kind of lady, one who eats when she is stressed and when she is not, her clothing choice runs to sweats and her sense of humor is amazing.
This is the 16th in the series but it can be read as a standalone. I have enjoyed every one of them. My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 25, 2018
Jaine Austen spends the holidays house sitting in a beautiful mansion when one of the Scrooge like neighbors is murdered! I always love this series because the books are funny, breezy and (often) holiday themed. This installment doesn’t disappoint and has everything fans like myself look for - antics from Jaine’s cat, chunky monkey ice cream, and LOL emails from Jaine’s parents who are living in a retirement community in Florida. Keep the holiday cozies coming Ms. Levine!
Thanks to Net Galley for the advance copy!
Thanks to Net Galley for the advance copy!
September 18, 2018
Right up front- as usual Levine takes this cozy right up to and occasionally over the top but that's ok because Jaine, Lance, and Prozac the cat are all so well written and funny that you'll find yourself laughing out loud. If you somehow have missed this long running series, you are in for a treat and don't worry, you'll fine with this as a standalone. Jaine and Lance are housesitting in Bel Air! Woo hoo! AND, the fact that the house must be pet free means that Prozac goes to live with Scotty next door in return for Jaine's help on a script Timmy Parker is writing. He is the Scrooge of the title and when he's murdered (that must have been some Yule log, frozen or not), Jaine is a suspect. AND, of course, she and Lance will figure out which person he has been rotten to is the real culprit. One of the nicest things about this group are the smaller characters, such as Jaine's mom, who always has something to say. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Another winner from Levine.
September 6, 2018
While I still cannot get over reading a Christmas book at the beginning of September, I will always jump at the chance to read a Jaine Austen mystery book because its always like coming home.. I sometimes miss Mar Vista, Westwood, West LA where I grew up and I know by reading one of her books I'll always be transported to my hometown.
What I loved: The ending - who saw that coming!!!???!!! I cannot wait to see where this goes as its a brand new direction for Jaine.
What I didn't love: This is like book # 2 or #3 in a row without a scene/mention/anything of Jaine's female best friend. Its been so long I can't even remember her name! As fun as Lance is (I mentally picture him as Frederick from Million Dollar Listing New York) I'd just like to see the other bestie once in a while.
Overall Grade: B+
What I loved: The ending - who saw that coming!!!???!!! I cannot wait to see where this goes as its a brand new direction for Jaine.
What I didn't love: This is like book # 2 or #3 in a row without a scene/mention/anything of Jaine's female best friend. Its been so long I can't even remember her name! As fun as Lance is (I mentally picture him as Frederick from Million Dollar Listing New York) I'd just like to see the other bestie once in a while.
Overall Grade: B+
August 27, 2018
First of all - I LOVED this book and this series!!
Not only was it a cozy mystery, but it will also tickle your funny-bone!
Jaine, Prozac, and Lance get to housesit in a lush mansion, but the owner has a no-pets policy. Luckily?? the lady next door offers to take care of Prozac, but in return the man of the house insists that Jaine help edit his screenplay which is a total disaster.
The fun begins when "The Scrooge" turns up dead, beaten by a frozen yule log cake. The problem is Jaine had just taken a finger swipe taste test and has left her fingerprint.
But, oh so many people were pleased he was disposed of, no one seemed to miss this miserly grump. Could it be the ex-wife who lives above a kabob restaurant, or his current wife who lives on a scrimpy budget and like the company of the handsome renter. Hmmm, don't forget the slip of a woman (and her son) who cleans the house and she can't quit because he knows her secret? The list never ends as the neighbors literally despise this man, who tries to ruin Christmas for the children.
But Jaine is out to clear her good name and does her own haphazard investigation. and a few little white lies.
Plenty of fun and laugh out loud texts from her parents on a cruise.
Hop aboard for this holdiay fun cozy that will keep you trying to solve the puzzle - and a tangled web it is.
Read as soon as you can get your hands on this book and it would make a nice gift for people on your gift list this holiday season.
Sit back enjoy and feel the hot Santa Ana winds on your face!
(Insert drumroll) I LOVED IT!!
Not only was it a cozy mystery, but it will also tickle your funny-bone!
Jaine, Prozac, and Lance get to housesit in a lush mansion, but the owner has a no-pets policy. Luckily?? the lady next door offers to take care of Prozac, but in return the man of the house insists that Jaine help edit his screenplay which is a total disaster.
The fun begins when "The Scrooge" turns up dead, beaten by a frozen yule log cake. The problem is Jaine had just taken a finger swipe taste test and has left her fingerprint.
But, oh so many people were pleased he was disposed of, no one seemed to miss this miserly grump. Could it be the ex-wife who lives above a kabob restaurant, or his current wife who lives on a scrimpy budget and like the company of the handsome renter. Hmmm, don't forget the slip of a woman (and her son) who cleans the house and she can't quit because he knows her secret? The list never ends as the neighbors literally despise this man, who tries to ruin Christmas for the children.
But Jaine is out to clear her good name and does her own haphazard investigation. and a few little white lies.
Plenty of fun and laugh out loud texts from her parents on a cruise.
Hop aboard for this holdiay fun cozy that will keep you trying to solve the puzzle - and a tangled web it is.
Read as soon as you can get your hands on this book and it would make a nice gift for people on your gift list this holiday season.
Sit back enjoy and feel the hot Santa Ana winds on your face!
(Insert drumroll) I LOVED IT!!
July 24, 2021
Jaine Austen's friend and neighbor, Lance Venable, gets them a cush job house sitting for Connie Van Hooten's luxurious home in Bel Air. Missy Parker, who lives next door to Connie, agrees to watch Jaine's feisty cat Prozac. Missy is the trophy wife of a former child star and cheapskate Scotty Parker and their home has no valuable that Prozac could damage. Missy falls in love with Prozac, but her cheapskate husband, Scotty, makes Jaine help him with his atrocious screenplay in exchange for boarding Prozac. When Scotty is murdered, Jaine becomes the prime suspect, so she starts her own investigation to clear her name.
This book is part of a long-running series, but reads as a stand-alone for new readers. The book isn't complex, but for a lighthearted, fun read, nothing beats a Jaine Austen mystery. I love the humor of the dialogue, Jaine's comments to herself, the situations she and Lance get into, as well as the emails Jaine received from her parents. As in prior books, the emails from Jaine's mom and dad aren't related to the murder investigation, but deal with some sort of crisis usually of Jaine's dad's making. I find these emails to be hilarious and don't find them to be distracting to the main case. I would love to see a future book in which Jaine and Lance go visit her parents in Florida. I can only imagine the havoc Lance, Prozac, Jaine, and Hank Austen could wreak if they were all in the same city!
In addition to a mystery Jaine is investigating, this book, like most in the series, also show Lance and Jaine looking for a prince, but ending up with toads. Lance means well, but is equally adorable and annoying. The "help" he gives Jaine in finding Mr. Right usually backfires, as do his own attempts to find his soulmate.
Since the murder victim is such a jerk, Jaine has plenty of people to investigate, which keeps readers entertained. I was surprised when the murderer was revealed even though there were some clues as to that person's identity. I was shocked by a development in Jaine's personal life and am looking forward to see what happens. "Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge" is funny from beginning to end. I hated to put it down and was sorry when it ended. 4.5 stars
I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Kensington Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
This book is part of a long-running series, but reads as a stand-alone for new readers. The book isn't complex, but for a lighthearted, fun read, nothing beats a Jaine Austen mystery. I love the humor of the dialogue, Jaine's comments to herself, the situations she and Lance get into, as well as the emails Jaine received from her parents. As in prior books, the emails from Jaine's mom and dad aren't related to the murder investigation, but deal with some sort of crisis usually of Jaine's dad's making. I find these emails to be hilarious and don't find them to be distracting to the main case. I would love to see a future book in which Jaine and Lance go visit her parents in Florida. I can only imagine the havoc Lance, Prozac, Jaine, and Hank Austen could wreak if they were all in the same city!
In addition to a mystery Jaine is investigating, this book, like most in the series, also show Lance and Jaine looking for a prince, but ending up with toads. Lance means well, but is equally adorable and annoying. The "help" he gives Jaine in finding Mr. Right usually backfires, as do his own attempts to find his soulmate.
Since the murder victim is such a jerk, Jaine has plenty of people to investigate, which keeps readers entertained. I was surprised when the murderer was revealed even though there were some clues as to that person's identity. I was shocked by a development in Jaine's personal life and am looking forward to see what happens. "Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge" is funny from beginning to end. I hated to put it down and was sorry when it ended. 4.5 stars
I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Kensington Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2018
I laughed, giggled and chortled my way through Laura Levine’s latest adventure of Jaine Austen and her cat, Prozac. Or maybe it was the latest adventure of Prozac and her person, Jaine Austen. Either way, this book is hilarious; Jaine’s best friend Lance is here, and the usual hysterical emails from Jaine’s parents are included.
Jaine and Lance are housesitting in a huge Bel Air mansion for Christmas. Naturally, there is a murder and Jaine ends up sleuthing. I don’t like spoilers, so I am not going to spoil this for you. You will want to read it and get all of the laughs for yourself. The only thing I will say is that I didn’t figure out whodunnit, but maybe I was too busy laughing to pay enough attention.
I don’t know how Laura Levine does it. If anything, she is getting funnier as the series goes along. The emails from Jaine’s parents are perfect, and I really like Lance, even if he is a little over the top sometimes. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end, and you will too. Five stars, and I wish it could be more.
Jaine and Lance are housesitting in a huge Bel Air mansion for Christmas. Naturally, there is a murder and Jaine ends up sleuthing. I don’t like spoilers, so I am not going to spoil this for you. You will want to read it and get all of the laughs for yourself. The only thing I will say is that I didn’t figure out whodunnit, but maybe I was too busy laughing to pay enough attention.
I don’t know how Laura Levine does it. If anything, she is getting funnier as the series goes along. The emails from Jaine’s parents are perfect, and I really like Lance, even if he is a little over the top sometimes. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end, and you will too. Five stars, and I wish it could be more.
December 21, 2020
I just could not get into this book. It's the first that I've read in the series and I probably should have gotten to know the characters first. Every character and action was just too over the top for me and the ending seemed a bit far reaching.
December 29, 2018
A hilarious cozy mystery that had me laughing out loud while trying to solve the murder. Absolutely LOVED it!
December 14, 2023
Jaine was already a favorite character but I love her even more after she said Christmas in Connecticut is her favorite Christmas movie (it’s also one of my favorites). This was a fun story and I did not see the culprit coming.
December 3, 2019
Another cute cozy mystery series. I of course started reading at the end of the series and not at the beginning (I grab the new audio books from the library shelf). Still, there wasn't a lot of background information I needed to enjoy the book. I am looking forward to reading more from the series.
January 7, 2019
Fun book!! I always enjoy this series. This one had some interesting characters and fun storyline. The ending kinda wrapped up quickly but otherwise I enjoyed it.
December 10, 2024
A fun quick read! This is a book of depth or thought provoking-just what you expect from a light hearted Christmas mystery. A little quirky, a little cheesy and a little predictable but fun.
September 6, 2018
Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge is the sixth book in Laura Levine’s Jaine Austen Mystery series. This is the first book I’ve read in this series, but because the author provides great background information on the characters, I didn’t feel lost jumping in so late in the series. This quick and easy read is a well thought out, humorous whodunit, with well-developed characters, and some adult language. There are multiple potential suspects and lots of things going on to keep the reader engaged. The reveal came as a surprise to me.
Jaine Austen, a freelance writer, and her neighbor and gay friend, Lance Venable, a shoe salesman at Neiman, are looking forward to spending two weeks at Christmastime in a Bel Air mansion. Connie Van Hooten, one of Lance’s customers, hired them to housesit. Not only do they get to spend two weeks in her mansion and are being paid a thousand dollars each, but since she has a strict no-pets policy, offered to board Lance’s dog, Mamie, and Jaine’s cat, Prozac, at the Fur Seasons Pet Hotel. Unfortunately, Prozac attacks the pet hotel’s concierge on the first day and they drop her off at Ms. Van Hooten’s home. While Jaine and Lance try to decide what to do, Prozac sneaks into a neighbor’s house, and Missy Parker, the owner, offers to take care of Prozac, but her cheapskate husband, Scotty, wants to charge Jaine for boarding her cat. Scotty agrees to waive the charge if Jaine will help edit his screenplay. Jaine hates working with Scotty and sadly, Prozac has taken a liking to Missy, leaving Jaine with a huge case of jealousy. On Christmas morning, Jaine finds Scotty dead in his office, beaten by a frozen chocolate yule log, and Jaine becomes a suspect because she left a fingerprint in the icing when she tried to taste it after she found it sitting on the kitchen counter. As Jaine begins to question people, she discovers no one seems to miss Scotty and her suspect list gets longer and longer. The emails Jaine receives from her quirky parents are hilarious and Jaine ventures into online dating, thanks to Lance signing her up and creating her profile on Smatch.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Jaine Austen, a freelance writer, and her neighbor and gay friend, Lance Venable, a shoe salesman at Neiman, are looking forward to spending two weeks at Christmastime in a Bel Air mansion. Connie Van Hooten, one of Lance’s customers, hired them to housesit. Not only do they get to spend two weeks in her mansion and are being paid a thousand dollars each, but since she has a strict no-pets policy, offered to board Lance’s dog, Mamie, and Jaine’s cat, Prozac, at the Fur Seasons Pet Hotel. Unfortunately, Prozac attacks the pet hotel’s concierge on the first day and they drop her off at Ms. Van Hooten’s home. While Jaine and Lance try to decide what to do, Prozac sneaks into a neighbor’s house, and Missy Parker, the owner, offers to take care of Prozac, but her cheapskate husband, Scotty, wants to charge Jaine for boarding her cat. Scotty agrees to waive the charge if Jaine will help edit his screenplay. Jaine hates working with Scotty and sadly, Prozac has taken a liking to Missy, leaving Jaine with a huge case of jealousy. On Christmas morning, Jaine finds Scotty dead in his office, beaten by a frozen chocolate yule log, and Jaine becomes a suspect because she left a fingerprint in the icing when she tried to taste it after she found it sitting on the kitchen counter. As Jaine begins to question people, she discovers no one seems to miss Scotty and her suspect list gets longer and longer. The emails Jaine receives from her quirky parents are hilarious and Jaine ventures into online dating, thanks to Lance signing her up and creating her profile on Smatch.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
December 29, 2018
Freelance writer Jaine Austen is feeling festive about spending Christmas house-sitting at a posh Bel Air mansion, accompanied by her friend Lance and her cat, Prozac. But when a grumpy neighbor gets himself iced, she’ll have to find the culprit or she may spend the New Year in jail . . .
Scotty Parker is a former child star who once played Tiny Tim, but now he’s grown up into the role of neighborhood Scrooge. He cuts the wires on his neighbors’ Christmas lights and tells local kids that Santa had a stroke. And his miserly, bah-humbug attitude lasts year-round—a fact known all too well by his current wife, his ex-wife, his maid, and many more.
Scotty thinks he can stage a comeback with the screenplay he’s working on (The Return of Tiny Tim: Vengeance Is Mine!), and Jaine’s been reluctantly helping him edit it. So when Scotty is bludgeoned with a frozen chocolate yule log and the police start making a list of suspects and checking it twice, Jaine’s name is unfortunately included. True, she’s been under some stress, with Lance trying to set her up on dates and her fickle feline taking a sudden liking to someone else—but she’s not guilty of murder. Now she just has to prove it, by using her gift for detection and figuring out who committed this holiday homicide.
The book was OK, but hard to keep on going. I don't know if it was the obligatory gay friend, the bad dating website and not a lot of character development, along with the narrator's voice, but I could barely continue to the end. It was stream of consciousness and constant comments obsessing on her weight and eating habits. I just wanted it to hurry up and get to the end to find out "who done it". Definitely not in the Agatha Christie league.
Scotty Parker is a former child star who once played Tiny Tim, but now he’s grown up into the role of neighborhood Scrooge. He cuts the wires on his neighbors’ Christmas lights and tells local kids that Santa had a stroke. And his miserly, bah-humbug attitude lasts year-round—a fact known all too well by his current wife, his ex-wife, his maid, and many more.
Scotty thinks he can stage a comeback with the screenplay he’s working on (The Return of Tiny Tim: Vengeance Is Mine!), and Jaine’s been reluctantly helping him edit it. So when Scotty is bludgeoned with a frozen chocolate yule log and the police start making a list of suspects and checking it twice, Jaine’s name is unfortunately included. True, she’s been under some stress, with Lance trying to set her up on dates and her fickle feline taking a sudden liking to someone else—but she’s not guilty of murder. Now she just has to prove it, by using her gift for detection and figuring out who committed this holiday homicide.
The book was OK, but hard to keep on going. I don't know if it was the obligatory gay friend, the bad dating website and not a lot of character development, along with the narrator's voice, but I could barely continue to the end. It was stream of consciousness and constant comments obsessing on her weight and eating habits. I just wanted it to hurry up and get to the end to find out "who done it". Definitely not in the Agatha Christie league.
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