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Patricia Fisher Cruise Ship Mysteries #2
The Kidnapped Bride
What could be worse than having a gangster on board the world’s finest cruise liner. Having several of them obviously!
The Aurelia plays host to an underworld crime boss and his bodyguards, but when the gangster’s reluctant-looking bride to be goes missing and a ransom note if left in her place, Patricia puts her sleuthing hat on to help the new deputy captain solve the crime.
With new friend, eccentric socialite Lady Mary Bostihill, gym-bunny Barbie and her ever faithful butler by her side, Patricia intends to find out who has the missing woman and discover why so many rival gangs are trying to find her.
However, with no actual skills to call on and a niggling reminder that she was cleaning houses for a living just a few weeks ago, will she find the girl in time or just lead her friends into danger?
Expect the author’s usual blend of humour, mystery, and action and Patricia Fisher gets in too deep again.
The Aurelia plays host to an underworld crime boss and his bodyguards, but when the gangster’s reluctant-looking bride to be goes missing and a ransom note if left in her place, Patricia puts her sleuthing hat on to help the new deputy captain solve the crime.
With new friend, eccentric socialite Lady Mary Bostihill, gym-bunny Barbie and her ever faithful butler by her side, Patricia intends to find out who has the missing woman and discover why so many rival gangs are trying to find her.
However, with no actual skills to call on and a niggling reminder that she was cleaning houses for a living just a few weeks ago, will she find the girl in time or just lead her friends into danger?
Expect the author’s usual blend of humour, mystery, and action and Patricia Fisher gets in too deep again.
514 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2019
1197 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
About the author
Steve Higgs
549 books808 followersLet's start this off with an invitation to get some FREE books. No, you didn't read that wrong, we are talking about multiple free books. I love giving away free books because once people delve into the fast-paced mystery thrills I write, they go on to buy lots more.
All I need from you is an email address to send them to. Here's the link you need - https://mailchi.mp/fd47a6eb4ae5/patri...
When I wrote my first novel, Paranormal Nonsense, I was a Captain in the British Army. I would love to pretend that I had one of those careers that has to be redacted and in general denied by the government and that I have had to change my name and continually move about because I am still on the watch list in several countries. In truth though, I started out as a mechanic. Not like Jason Statham, sneaking about as a contract killer, more like one of those greasy gits that charge you a fortune and keep your car for a week when all you went in for was a squeaky door hinge.
At school, I was mostly disinterested in every subject except creative writing, for which, at age ten, I won my first award. However, calling it my first award suggests that there have been more, which there have not. Accolades may come but, in the meantime, I am having a ball writing mystery stories and crime thrillers and will claim to have more than a hundred books forming an unruly queue in my head as they clamor to get out.
Now retired from the military, I live in the south-east corner of England with a pair of lazy sausage dogs. Surrounded by rolling hills, brooding castles, and vineyards, I doubt I will ever leave, the beer is just too good.
Links:
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steve-Higgs/...
Website: https://stevehiggsbooks.wordpress.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stevehiggsau...
All I need from you is an email address to send them to. Here's the link you need - https://mailchi.mp/fd47a6eb4ae5/patri...
When I wrote my first novel, Paranormal Nonsense, I was a Captain in the British Army. I would love to pretend that I had one of those careers that has to be redacted and in general denied by the government and that I have had to change my name and continually move about because I am still on the watch list in several countries. In truth though, I started out as a mechanic. Not like Jason Statham, sneaking about as a contract killer, more like one of those greasy gits that charge you a fortune and keep your car for a week when all you went in for was a squeaky door hinge.
At school, I was mostly disinterested in every subject except creative writing, for which, at age ten, I won my first award. However, calling it my first award suggests that there have been more, which there have not. Accolades may come but, in the meantime, I am having a ball writing mystery stories and crime thrillers and will claim to have more than a hundred books forming an unruly queue in my head as they clamor to get out.
Now retired from the military, I live in the south-east corner of England with a pair of lazy sausage dogs. Surrounded by rolling hills, brooding castles, and vineyards, I doubt I will ever leave, the beer is just too good.
Links:
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steve-Higgs/...
Website: https://stevehiggsbooks.wordpress.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stevehiggsau...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
March 3, 2020
Fast paced, fun and a clean cozy mystery. A very nice light read but I didn't quite enjoy it as much as the first one in the series.
May 19, 2021
I stopped reading the first book because Patricia was so pathetic, but the author has produced two ten book series with her as the main character, so I was hoping she must get better. I also still liked the idea of a wife leaving her cheating husband and sending all their money on a luxury world cruise.
Pat is better in this book, but even though I finished this one, I found it hard work. If possible I would have given 1.5 stars.
Pat is better in this book, but even though I finished this one, I found it hard work. If possible I would have given 1.5 stars.
September 22, 2020
Another delightful and easy cozy mystery that kept me entertained. Patricia has her hands full with this one as she has to solve a kidnapping and deal with not one but four different gangsters and their henchmen. Jermaine and Barbie are once again there for support and help as she races to solve the mysteries.
October 18, 2020
2020 bk 354. Patricia is still on the cruise and leaving Miami when a Mobster looking man and his bride to be come aboard. A story of rival gangs, a missing bride, and somehow Patricia becomes entangled in this mess. A little more contrived than the first, but I still enjoyed the characters and am pleased that Patricia is not bemoaning her former life and husband.
January 15, 2025
These are cozyish with a high body count 😩😬😬 Patricia is settling in to life on the seas but now she’s considered a detective and asked to find a runaway bride. But mobsters are after her and the bride.
May 20, 2021
A delightful read but not as good as the first book in this 10 book series.
July 11, 2025
The Kidnapped Bride by Steve Higgs is the 2nd book in the Patricia Fisher Cruise Ship Mysteries series. When the bride to an underworld crime boss goes missing, Patricia Fisher is asked to help find her due to her recent success in finding a missing sapphire. Unfortunately several crime bosses are also looking. A fun mystery with plenty of action but a bit over the top. Patricia is always ready to help her friends and is sensible, capable and determined. Plenty of humour in a very enjoyable cozy mystery.
September 21, 2019
The Kidnapped Bride
A Patricia Fisher Mystery
Steve Higgs
Kindle, Jul 2019
172 pages
Contemporary Cozy Mystery
Purchased for Kindle app
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The cover is that wonderful blue that always attracts my attention and some really great artwork of Down Under in the background and a sassy older blonde on board a ship in the foreground. You really can’t tell she’s older by the cover artwork, but you can tell she’s sassy!
Our cozy heroine, Patricia Fisher is a foot-loose former housewife with a taste for gin and a talent for solving crimes. And she’s fifty-two. Her cohorts on this trip are her faithful butler, Jermaine, gym instructor, Barbie, and new socialite friend, Lady Mary Bostihill. Keeping an eye on Patricia is none other than the captain, who’d like to get closer if things ever settle down.
Creating mayhem and danger is a Mob Boss who wants to be unknown along with his two hulking bodyguards and his unhappy bride-to-be. One Mob Boss will get you two, or more it seems, as this one has several more on his trail and they aren’t too hesitant to “eliminate” people they consider uncooperative, uncommunicative, or unnecessary. There’s a simple matter of a hole in the middle of the forehead that seems to work for them. But the bride-to-be is missing and Patricia seems to be the one everyone thinks can find her. Even the Mob Boss thinks she can find her. Patricia discovers all sorts of things along the way to drinks with the Captain in this crazy hilarious adventure on the high seas by Steve Higgs. Now I have to go back and read the first book so I can read the rest of this 10 (intended) book series. I highly recommend this book and probably this series and probably his Tempest Michaels and Amanda Harper series. This writer has a gift for writing terribly amusing cozy mysteries with unique primary characters. Check them out.
A Patricia Fisher Mystery
Steve Higgs
Kindle, Jul 2019
172 pages
Contemporary Cozy Mystery
Purchased for Kindle app
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The cover is that wonderful blue that always attracts my attention and some really great artwork of Down Under in the background and a sassy older blonde on board a ship in the foreground. You really can’t tell she’s older by the cover artwork, but you can tell she’s sassy!
Our cozy heroine, Patricia Fisher is a foot-loose former housewife with a taste for gin and a talent for solving crimes. And she’s fifty-two. Her cohorts on this trip are her faithful butler, Jermaine, gym instructor, Barbie, and new socialite friend, Lady Mary Bostihill. Keeping an eye on Patricia is none other than the captain, who’d like to get closer if things ever settle down.
Creating mayhem and danger is a Mob Boss who wants to be unknown along with his two hulking bodyguards and his unhappy bride-to-be. One Mob Boss will get you two, or more it seems, as this one has several more on his trail and they aren’t too hesitant to “eliminate” people they consider uncooperative, uncommunicative, or unnecessary. There’s a simple matter of a hole in the middle of the forehead that seems to work for them. But the bride-to-be is missing and Patricia seems to be the one everyone thinks can find her. Even the Mob Boss thinks she can find her. Patricia discovers all sorts of things along the way to drinks with the Captain in this crazy hilarious adventure on the high seas by Steve Higgs. Now I have to go back and read the first book so I can read the rest of this 10 (intended) book series. I highly recommend this book and probably this series and probably his Tempest Michaels and Amanda Harper series. This writer has a gift for writing terribly amusing cozy mysteries with unique primary characters. Check them out.
June 1, 2020
What a convoluted mess. While I still like the series, I felt this story was just way over the top...too many gangsters to keep track of.
The story opens with the cruise ship about to leave Miami. Patty and her new friend Lady Mary get back to the ship in the nick of time. They witness the arrival of a party who looks rather shady. Lady Mary, her husband, Patty and some of the new arrivals they witness boarding are all at the Captain's table. Patty tries to communicate with a young lady but doesn't get far. Later that evening, this young lady, Cari (the bride) has been kidnapped. The new 2nd in charge, Mr. Rutherford asks Patty to help him find the missing bride as he doesn't have a clue. Through lots of interactions between rival mafia members, Patty learns the truth.
The story opens with the cruise ship about to leave Miami. Patty and her new friend Lady Mary get back to the ship in the nick of time. They witness the arrival of a party who looks rather shady. Lady Mary, her husband, Patty and some of the new arrivals they witness boarding are all at the Captain's table. Patty tries to communicate with a young lady but doesn't get far. Later that evening, this young lady, Cari (the bride) has been kidnapped. The new 2nd in charge, Mr. Rutherford asks Patty to help him find the missing bride as he doesn't have a clue. Through lots of interactions between rival mafia members, Patty learns the truth.
October 20, 2021
Book 2 of the Particia Fisher Mystery series - a fun, cozy read with gangsters, a missing woman - and enough twist & turns to keep me reading.
July 12, 2025
Its kitschy but fun
This is the second in the series. I like the main character however,
the photo on the cover does not match her description. The plots are twisted but some characters and clues just pop out. Hoping the next book establishes things a bit better. I fear some scenes were edited that contained vital clues. The editors can do better.
This is the second in the series. I like the main character however,
the photo on the cover does not match her description. The plots are twisted but some characters and clues just pop out. Hoping the next book establishes things a bit better. I fear some scenes were edited that contained vital clues. The editors can do better.
August 5, 2019
Once again, Patricia Fisher drew me in to a delightful, entertaining story. An on the run gangster and his reluctant bride-to-be join the passengers on the Aurelia, leading to the gangsters he's running from to infiltrate the cruise liner. Cari Gonzalez, the bride-to-be, is kidnapped, causing hilarious trouble as each group of mobsters try to find her, and think Patricia knows where Cari is. Patrica leads the gangsters on a merry chase while trying to come up with a plan to find out who kidnapped Cari and why.
We meet Lady Mary, a feisty older woman with a taste for gin, lots of gin, who is seldom far from Patricia's side. Lady Mary is truly entertained by Patricia's antics, ‘I’ve know I’ve said it before, Patricia sweetie, but it is never dull around you.’, and provides a wonderful comedic addition to the characters. Barbie and Jermaine, of course, make their appearance, and without a thought offer their help selflessly, with Barbie's looks as a distraction and Jermaine's protection. There was little development in their characters, which was disappointing, so they fell a bit flat.
Patricia's maturation took an odd turn away from the humble, self-conscious woman in the last book. In this book, while still maintaining her lack of detective ability and training, several times she shows an overinflated pride at solving the last mystery on the ship. To herself she admits to wanting and liking the admiration she gets. As what tends to happen with pride, Patricia makes a huge mistake,
***"I was mortified. Who did I think I was? I had let myself be convinced I was some kind of super sleuth that could crack the kidnapping, find the girl and save the day. The result of my interreference was my friends being shot at, Barbie getting felt up and now I had caused a nice couple to be terrified and traumatised. The cherry on the top was how I had caused embarrassment to the captain, a man that had shown me nothing but respect and kindness."***
With the addition of this personal flaw, Patricia becomes even more relatable. We all get blinded by pride at some point, so why shouldn't she? She continued her fitness training, feeling stronger and more confident for doing so. Through her journey to become a new version of herself, she reminds us all that we should love ourselves and only change because we want to, for our own reasons.
Powerful themes teaching us to look more closely at ourselves once again wind through the story. Again I look forward to what trouble Patricia finds in the next book.
We meet Lady Mary, a feisty older woman with a taste for gin, lots of gin, who is seldom far from Patricia's side. Lady Mary is truly entertained by Patricia's antics, ‘I’ve know I’ve said it before, Patricia sweetie, but it is never dull around you.’, and provides a wonderful comedic addition to the characters. Barbie and Jermaine, of course, make their appearance, and without a thought offer their help selflessly, with Barbie's looks as a distraction and Jermaine's protection. There was little development in their characters, which was disappointing, so they fell a bit flat.
Patricia's maturation took an odd turn away from the humble, self-conscious woman in the last book. In this book, while still maintaining her lack of detective ability and training, several times she shows an overinflated pride at solving the last mystery on the ship. To herself she admits to wanting and liking the admiration she gets. As what tends to happen with pride, Patricia makes a huge mistake,
***"I was mortified. Who did I think I was? I had let myself be convinced I was some kind of super sleuth that could crack the kidnapping, find the girl and save the day. The result of my interreference was my friends being shot at, Barbie getting felt up and now I had caused a nice couple to be terrified and traumatised. The cherry on the top was how I had caused embarrassment to the captain, a man that had shown me nothing but respect and kindness."***
With the addition of this personal flaw, Patricia becomes even more relatable. We all get blinded by pride at some point, so why shouldn't she? She continued her fitness training, feeling stronger and more confident for doing so. Through her journey to become a new version of herself, she reminds us all that we should love ourselves and only change because we want to, for our own reasons.
Powerful themes teaching us to look more closely at ourselves once again wind through the story. Again I look forward to what trouble Patricia finds in the next book.
March 19, 2020
Patricia is boarding in Miami after having a wonderful time looking around the city. She is taking to the Captain when 2 black lemo’s drive up at least 6 huge guys get out, all dresses in black with sunglasses on, then an older man an a young lady and her tiny dog get out. She puts the dog in her purse. Patricia assumes she is the older man’s daughter but when introduces himself to the Captain, she is his finance, Patricia head to her suite on the 20th floor. The largest one on the ship, after she discovered a huge jewel that had been missing for 30 years, so the Captain said the suite was hers for the 3 month around the world cruise and she got a large reward for finding the Sapphire, so now she could dress more like she belonged in the suite. Jermaine is still her butler and still gets mad at her when she does things that he considers his job. She has made a new friend Lady Mary who really loves her gin or cosmopolitans but mainly gin. Her husband is an author so he doesn’t mind her not being around all the time. At dinner that night Patricia is at the captain’s table, not something that happens every night. Also the older man (Eduardo and hid fiancé, Lady Mary and her husband George along with other. The men in black with sunglasses that are the bodyguards are close by. Eduardo does most of the talking and tells them they are on the way to Los Angeles to get married. During dinner they hear a hekicopter land on top of the sip. This seems to make Eduardo nervous. The Captain says that some guests who can’t make it on time to board at the port helicopter in. Not long after the helicopter leaves. After dinner Patricia heads to her cabin. By the next morning the second in command after the Captain comes to talk to Patricia to say the bride to be has been kidnapped and they have found one of the bodyguard shot in the head and sent down the laundry chute that does tablecloths, napkins and towels from the pool deck he got his job after Patricia discovered the previous one was involved in the jewelers theft Ana a murder. The Captain put him in charge of finding the kidnapped woman and he has already told Eduardo all about Patricia. There is non-stop action and plenty of humorous things that happen. Don’t want to say too much and give anything away, but it is a very fun read with wonderful characters and you don’t have to read the first book to understand this one, but you are missing more fun if you don’t. Steve Higgs does a wonderful job with the Cozy Genre and you are missing a good time by not reading them.
July 13, 2019
Patricia has befriended the bibulous Lady Mary Bostilhill-Swan, who’s bewildered by Patricia’s newfound love of fitness. Lady Mary is always more interested in the liquor than the activity, which is why she takes no interest in the rushed arrival of a group of shady-looking gangsters as she and Patricia return from a golfing-and-gin excursion in Miami. Our heroine, however, is intrigued by the gang, especially when swarthy bodyguards drag a young and attractive woman on board.
At dinner, Patricia learns that Cara Gonzalez, the young woman she’d assumed was Eduardo Perez’s daughter, is actually his fiancé. A clearly reluctant one, as she barely eats or interacts with anyone at the table, and drinks very little at a table swimming with wine and liquor. She leaves the table after spitting a curt phrase at her betrothed and tries to speak to Patricia in the restroom … but the language barrier … so Cara smiles, touches Patricia’s arm, and vanishes into the hallway with her two bodyguards … literally.
Hailed as a brilliant detective because of her first adventure, Perez asks Patricia to find Cara, offering $50,000 and a hefty dose of intimidation, but he’s never encountered a feisty British woman who views threats dimly. She accepts the assignment, but after shucking Perez’s minders, she meets his numerous gangster rivals on board, all with a single objective: to get their hands on Cara, who reportedly holds the key to a dead man’s fortune.
As Patricia continues to search for the missing fiancée, Lady Mary and Barbie are also kidnapped, amping up the pressure to resolve the situation. With the two most important women in his life endangered, Jermaine channels his inner John Steed as he elegantly reduces the bad guys to rubble and guides Madam across the finish line.
Once more, Steven Higgs has produced another splendid Patricia Fisher adventure. With her devoted butler Jermaine and fitness instructor Barbie by her side, there’s nothing she can’t do.
At dinner, Patricia learns that Cara Gonzalez, the young woman she’d assumed was Eduardo Perez’s daughter, is actually his fiancé. A clearly reluctant one, as she barely eats or interacts with anyone at the table, and drinks very little at a table swimming with wine and liquor. She leaves the table after spitting a curt phrase at her betrothed and tries to speak to Patricia in the restroom … but the language barrier … so Cara smiles, touches Patricia’s arm, and vanishes into the hallway with her two bodyguards … literally.
Hailed as a brilliant detective because of her first adventure, Perez asks Patricia to find Cara, offering $50,000 and a hefty dose of intimidation, but he’s never encountered a feisty British woman who views threats dimly. She accepts the assignment, but after shucking Perez’s minders, she meets his numerous gangster rivals on board, all with a single objective: to get their hands on Cara, who reportedly holds the key to a dead man’s fortune.
As Patricia continues to search for the missing fiancée, Lady Mary and Barbie are also kidnapped, amping up the pressure to resolve the situation. With the two most important women in his life endangered, Jermaine channels his inner John Steed as he elegantly reduces the bad guys to rubble and guides Madam across the finish line.
Once more, Steven Higgs has produced another splendid Patricia Fisher adventure. With her devoted butler Jermaine and fitness instructor Barbie by her side, there’s nothing she can’t do.
August 2, 2019
A cruise ship filled with gangsters, a missing woman, and a new head of security that can’t do his job. What’s a middle-aged sleuth to do?
Patricia just wants to spend more time in the company of Alistair Huntley, the offensively handsome captain of the Aurelia who seems only too happy to host her. But as the Aurelia sets sail from Miami, it does so with a dangerous new addition: there is a mob boss among the passengers and he’s on the run – from more mobsters!
Any romantic notions are soon put aside when the mobster’s reluctant-looking bride-to-be goes missing and Patricia is unexpectedly volunteered to solve the mystery of her disappearance. There’s a cryptic ransom note where the missing woman should be and one of her bodyguards is soon found – with a hole in his head!
Regretting her decision to help out, it’s not long before the opposing mobster factions take an interest in Patricia’s involvement. Someone has the missing bride, everyone wants her, and they all think Patricia knows where she is.
With ever-faithful butler, Jermaine, at her side and perfect blonde, Barbie, to distract the men, Patricia will still have to go all out to unravel the riddle before anyone else turns up dead.
Where is the kidnapped bride? Find out for yourself as you take another hilarious, action-filled voyage with Patricia Fisher.
This was another brilliant Patricia mystery.
So much fun to read as there is always mishaps happening.
This time we are on a cruise ship and the shennanigans were so funny.
Some great little twists happening as well.
Fast moving plot and story line with some great characters.
Recommend reading.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Patricia just wants to spend more time in the company of Alistair Huntley, the offensively handsome captain of the Aurelia who seems only too happy to host her. But as the Aurelia sets sail from Miami, it does so with a dangerous new addition: there is a mob boss among the passengers and he’s on the run – from more mobsters!
Any romantic notions are soon put aside when the mobster’s reluctant-looking bride-to-be goes missing and Patricia is unexpectedly volunteered to solve the mystery of her disappearance. There’s a cryptic ransom note where the missing woman should be and one of her bodyguards is soon found – with a hole in his head!
Regretting her decision to help out, it’s not long before the opposing mobster factions take an interest in Patricia’s involvement. Someone has the missing bride, everyone wants her, and they all think Patricia knows where she is.
With ever-faithful butler, Jermaine, at her side and perfect blonde, Barbie, to distract the men, Patricia will still have to go all out to unravel the riddle before anyone else turns up dead.
Where is the kidnapped bride? Find out for yourself as you take another hilarious, action-filled voyage with Patricia Fisher.
This was another brilliant Patricia mystery.
So much fun to read as there is always mishaps happening.
This time we are on a cruise ship and the shennanigans were so funny.
Some great little twists happening as well.
Fast moving plot and story line with some great characters.
Recommend reading.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
June 20, 2025
Good Summer read
Lots of plot twists and turns to this mystery at sea. Can't wait to read the next book I the series.
Lots of plot twists and turns to this mystery at sea. Can't wait to read the next book I the series.
October 26, 2019
I enjoyed this easy to listen to cozy mystery. The story is just like the cover artwork depicts a light, clean easy mystery just right for filling in a few hours. There was a lot going on with a number of characters that it kept it entertaining. This is the first book by this author I have listened to but I will look out for more books by him again.
Patricia is on a cruise ship enjoying her time with her newly made friends when the peace is shattered by an unexpected helicopter landing. With the unplanned land comes lots of trouble in the form of gangster Bosses and there goons. And they are all seem to be after the same thing a passenger that has gone missing. The newly pointed Head of security is over whelmed and asks Patricia to step in and get to the bottom of the mess but whenever there is a tuff war between warring fractions of the mob guns are going to start blazing. Can Patricia keep herself and her friends a live long enough to see the end of the cruise.
The narrator was okay but being British I found the voice a little bit annoying as I don't know anyone that speaks like that but I did get use to it.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Patricia is on a cruise ship enjoying her time with her newly made friends when the peace is shattered by an unexpected helicopter landing. With the unplanned land comes lots of trouble in the form of gangster Bosses and there goons. And they are all seem to be after the same thing a passenger that has gone missing. The newly pointed Head of security is over whelmed and asks Patricia to step in and get to the bottom of the mess but whenever there is a tuff war between warring fractions of the mob guns are going to start blazing. Can Patricia keep herself and her friends a live long enough to see the end of the cruise.
The narrator was okay but being British I found the voice a little bit annoying as I don't know anyone that speaks like that but I did get use to it.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
August 4, 2019
Fantastic
Great as usual! For the second adventure with Mrs Fisher, well third if you count the half book, once again I didn’t know which way it would go. The story was well executed and planned meticulously to make sure the reader was not only able to enjoy the farce but feel like they are part of the story by staying to guess the probable outcome. As a fully paid member of the Steve Higgs fan club (ha ha ) I was unsure if these story’s would be any good compared to the Tempest Michaels set and Harper case files but true to form he has not only given us a new section of stories but she has no link to the original blue moon books at all and these book definitely cut it. Her main focus is alway to catch the killer, or in this case the kidnapper but her job isn’t anything to do with this at all. She’s isn’t an investigator or anything to do with the police just a cleaner who has caught her no good hubby cheating and has escaped to the safety of a cruise ship to get over her heartbreak. Can’t wait for the next instalment of her adventure. Or any of the series of books next adventure for that matter.
Great as usual! For the second adventure with Mrs Fisher, well third if you count the half book, once again I didn’t know which way it would go. The story was well executed and planned meticulously to make sure the reader was not only able to enjoy the farce but feel like they are part of the story by staying to guess the probable outcome. As a fully paid member of the Steve Higgs fan club (ha ha ) I was unsure if these story’s would be any good compared to the Tempest Michaels set and Harper case files but true to form he has not only given us a new section of stories but she has no link to the original blue moon books at all and these book definitely cut it. Her main focus is alway to catch the killer, or in this case the kidnapper but her job isn’t anything to do with this at all. She’s isn’t an investigator or anything to do with the police just a cleaner who has caught her no good hubby cheating and has escaped to the safety of a cruise ship to get over her heartbreak. Can’t wait for the next instalment of her adventure. Or any of the series of books next adventure for that matter.
December 10, 2019
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.
This is the second book in the Patricia Fisher Mystery series. It is a standalone book with no cliffhanger ending. I have not read the first book in this series and had no trouble following the characters or the plot.
Absolutely entertaining, well written, and a lot of fun! There are times where you will laugh out loud at either the antics of the characters or a very smart humorous quip. The characters are well developed and interesting. Patricia is smart, funny and a strong woman. Her cohorts do not blend into the background - each one has a distinctive personality. I absolutely adored Lady Mary and her ever-changing rules for drinking cocktails. And the butler's quirky past... The mystery is a good one with some really fun twists. Plus, there is a lot of action-packed scenes - so never a dull moment.
The narrator, Katherine Anderson, was pitch perfect. She did distinctive voices for all of the characters. She narrated at a good pace and landed the punchlines perfectly.
This is the second book in the Patricia Fisher Mystery series. It is a standalone book with no cliffhanger ending. I have not read the first book in this series and had no trouble following the characters or the plot.
Absolutely entertaining, well written, and a lot of fun! There are times where you will laugh out loud at either the antics of the characters or a very smart humorous quip. The characters are well developed and interesting. Patricia is smart, funny and a strong woman. Her cohorts do not blend into the background - each one has a distinctive personality. I absolutely adored Lady Mary and her ever-changing rules for drinking cocktails. And the butler's quirky past... The mystery is a good one with some really fun twists. Plus, there is a lot of action-packed scenes - so never a dull moment.
The narrator, Katherine Anderson, was pitch perfect. She did distinctive voices for all of the characters. She narrated at a good pace and landed the punchlines perfectly.
May 11, 2020
I didn't like this book nearly as well as the first, which was more about Mrs Fisher. In this second book of the series, we find the ship is populated with rival gangster groups, some of whom arrived mysteriously by helicopter once the ship had left Miami.
Mrs Fisher is shocked to see an older Cuban man board with a beautiful young woman. She is even more shocked when the tough old man introduces Cari Gonzalez as his fiance. Obviously, she does not want to be with him. When the girl disappears, the ineffective ship's second in command tells Eduardo about how Mrs. Fisher solved a 30 year old jewel heist crime. Eduardo then summons Mrs Fisher and imperiously demands that she find Cari.
Patricia Fisher makes a new friend on this cruise - a gin slugging drunk, Lady Mary, who is travelling with her famous author husband, Gordon. It is hard to understand how anyone who drinks so much can stand, let alone help solve a mystery, but she helps Patricia solve the mystery. I assume her drunken antics are meant to be funny, but I personally would avoid this person at all cost.
Another happy ending, but there is no reward to Patricia as I expected.
Mrs Fisher is shocked to see an older Cuban man board with a beautiful young woman. She is even more shocked when the tough old man introduces Cari Gonzalez as his fiance. Obviously, she does not want to be with him. When the girl disappears, the ineffective ship's second in command tells Eduardo about how Mrs. Fisher solved a 30 year old jewel heist crime. Eduardo then summons Mrs Fisher and imperiously demands that she find Cari.
Patricia Fisher makes a new friend on this cruise - a gin slugging drunk, Lady Mary, who is travelling with her famous author husband, Gordon. It is hard to understand how anyone who drinks so much can stand, let alone help solve a mystery, but she helps Patricia solve the mystery. I assume her drunken antics are meant to be funny, but I personally would avoid this person at all cost.
Another happy ending, but there is no reward to Patricia as I expected.
January 25, 2022
Light, fun cozy mystery. Patricia Fisher is on an around-the-world cruise as a thank you/apology for events that took place in the first book. She's in the most expensive quarters on the ship, with an actual suite including a personal butler. In addition, she has friends in the rest of the ship's staff, especially Barbie, her personal fitness coach.
Trouble starts on this leg of the cruise just as the ship departs Miami. Late arrivals include an apparent underworld criminal, with all his entourage as well as a possibly unwilling fiance. Then at dinner that evening, a helicopter arrives bringing some unscheduled passengers and the fiance goes missing. On the strength of her previous unraveling of the puzzle of a missing piece of jewelry, she's drawn into the case.
There are mistaken identities and conclusion jumping, and some of it is pretty silly; for example, at one point she leaves her suite in only her night things and ends up wearing borrowed clothes that neither match nor quite fit. No real reason for it, as far as I could tell, except as a running gag. Still, she's a sharp cookie, and all is revealed at the end.
Trouble starts on this leg of the cruise just as the ship departs Miami. Late arrivals include an apparent underworld criminal, with all his entourage as well as a possibly unwilling fiance. Then at dinner that evening, a helicopter arrives bringing some unscheduled passengers and the fiance goes missing. On the strength of her previous unraveling of the puzzle of a missing piece of jewelry, she's drawn into the case.
There are mistaken identities and conclusion jumping, and some of it is pretty silly; for example, at one point she leaves her suite in only her night things and ends up wearing borrowed clothes that neither match nor quite fit. No real reason for it, as far as I could tell, except as a running gag. Still, she's a sharp cookie, and all is revealed at the end.
February 14, 2022
The second book in the Patricia Fisher series finds Patricia asked to find a kidnapped bride by her lovelorn husband to be. Patricia is certain he is a gangster, despite his claims to the contrary, but agrees to look for Cari, his bride-to-be, aided by Jermaine and Barbi, and the new assistant Captain, a Mr. Rutherford who really isn't very well qualified for his promotion.
This case is far more confusing than the previous one, not least because it involves a dead man who may not be dead, three rival sets of gangsters who may, or may not, be working together but who all deny knowing anything about the missing Cari, and a growing number of dead bodies. It is only when two of Patricia's friends go missing that she finally comes up with the answers and works out a plan to reclaim her friends, allow the gangsters to be caught - hopefully without any further casualties - and locate the missing girl.
An excellent book and one which keeps the final secret of what is going on right until the last couple of pages. I am looking forward to reading no. 3 in the series tomorrow.
This case is far more confusing than the previous one, not least because it involves a dead man who may not be dead, three rival sets of gangsters who may, or may not, be working together but who all deny knowing anything about the missing Cari, and a growing number of dead bodies. It is only when two of Patricia's friends go missing that she finally comes up with the answers and works out a plan to reclaim her friends, allow the gangsters to be caught - hopefully without any further casualties - and locate the missing girl.
An excellent book and one which keeps the final secret of what is going on right until the last couple of pages. I am looking forward to reading no. 3 in the series tomorrow.
February 17, 2020
Review
The Patricia Fisher series is gold, in my opinion.
When gangster Eduardo arrives with his very young fiance Cari, trouble follows.
She disappears, and Eduardo asks Patricia to find her.
Then one of Cari's bodyguards turns up dead.
Suddenly there are other gangsters on the ship, and they're all threatening Patricia, demanding to know what she did with Cari.
When both Lady Mary and Barbie vanish, Patricia knows she has to figure out what's going on herself, because the new head of security couldn't find his behind in a basket.
Good thing Patricia has the multi-talented Jermaine as her butler and friend, and a couple of mystery writers to assist with her
plan. And she won't give up till she saves everyone.
Patricia is evolving into the greatest version of herself.
The Patricia Fisher series is gold, in my opinion.
When gangster Eduardo arrives with his very young fiance Cari, trouble follows.
She disappears, and Eduardo asks Patricia to find her.
Then one of Cari's bodyguards turns up dead.
Suddenly there are other gangsters on the ship, and they're all threatening Patricia, demanding to know what she did with Cari.
When both Lady Mary and Barbie vanish, Patricia knows she has to figure out what's going on herself, because the new head of security couldn't find his behind in a basket.
Good thing Patricia has the multi-talented Jermaine as her butler and friend, and a couple of mystery writers to assist with her
plan. And she won't give up till she saves everyone.
Patricia is evolving into the greatest version of herself.
September 13, 2020
DEFINITELY NOT A COZY - there is on-page violence, overt and direct threats. It's also structured in a wonky way. The case is bifurcated, so there are two keystone clues to wrap up both elements. The second one comes well after the climactic sequence begins and feels almost tacked-on to add a neat bow on everything. I figured out what was going on every early on but considered the keystone clue to be a red herring, so it doesn't feel like the key to the whole thing. This isn't a humblebrag - I want to alert readers who enjoy cozy mysteries and readers who like to try to solve the case from the material at hand. If you're not a stickler for genre conventions and tropes, you might enjoy this. At the very least, it's a relatively quick read.
August 7, 2019
Patricia Fisher and her new friend Lady Mary begin to stumble over corpses on their way to and from the captain's table. A mobster's fiance vanishes, her bodyguard shot dead!
The new assistant captain is getting overwhelmed and tends to forget that she's not actually a professional private investigator. In fact, she makes some very embarrassing flubs when trying to identify the kidnappers!
In the end, the victims of her mistakes turn into allies as our plucky heroine, along with butler Jerome, perfect physical trainer Barbie, and the crew's security team manage to untangle the killer's webs.
The new assistant captain is getting overwhelmed and tends to forget that she's not actually a professional private investigator. In fact, she makes some very embarrassing flubs when trying to identify the kidnappers!
In the end, the victims of her mistakes turn into allies as our plucky heroine, along with butler Jerome, perfect physical trainer Barbie, and the crew's security team manage to untangle the killer's webs.
August 7, 2019
Mrs Fisher has some really nice friends that she acquired since coming aboard the cruise ship and angrily scheduling an around the world cruise after catching her long term husband cheating with her best friend. When she reboards in Florida, she encounters a rather nasty man and his trophy fiancee. But when the girl disappears, the insanity begins to build as several different groups of gangsters converge on Mrs Fisher demanding that she find what they want. Like all of Higgs' books, this is hilarious! The language is unremarkable and the violence is not graphic, but the plots and plans are right out of Hollywood.
November 4, 2019
A fun, cozy mystery. This is the first read / listen of Higgs for me and I have to say I thought this a super cute. I loved the characters and storyline - loved the combination of gangsters and fell in love with Barbie (the pool scene had me literally laughing out loud), Lady Mary - who was so great, cool under pressure(or drunk) and feisty, and of course her butler who is everything anyone would ever want or need. Good flow tot he storyline and you won't see the ending coming...
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read.
August 1, 2019
Action-packed, funny, and entertaining!
This is the first book by Steve Higgs that I've read. I promise that I will most definitely be reading all of the others! This book was entertaining from beginning to end. The characters were likeable and I'm hoping they will be able to have many more adventures together in future books. There was nail biting suspense, comedy that made me laugh out loud for real, twists that surprised me, and an ending that warmed my heart. One of my favorite mysteries so far!
This is the first book by Steve Higgs that I've read. I promise that I will most definitely be reading all of the others! This book was entertaining from beginning to end. The characters were likeable and I'm hoping they will be able to have many more adventures together in future books. There was nail biting suspense, comedy that made me laugh out loud for real, twists that surprised me, and an ending that warmed my heart. One of my favorite mysteries so far!
December 20, 2019
I enjoyed this story book. The narrator did a great job with the story. She brought the story to life for me. Patricia is on a cruise ship with new friends when a young woman goes missing. The captain asked her to help solve the mystery of the missing woman. This mystery has adventures and suspense and at times it was also funny. It was fun to guess who might have the young woman or where she might be at throughout the story.
I received a complimentary copy to listen to from the author. This is my honest unbiased opinion.
I received a complimentary copy to listen to from the author. This is my honest unbiased opinion.
June 3, 2023
Book 2 in Patricia Fisher Cruise Mystery by Steve Higgs. Another mystery onboard. As the ship leaves port in Miami, a mobster along with his fiancé board the ship with several bodyguards. The fiancé disappears but lots of other mobsters turn up. It seems that the crime boss in Miami died suddenly and now a vacuum is at the top and all the 2nd level mobsters are competing for the position. But, is he really dead? It is a fun read and one that you will enjoy reading. Sure glad I didn’t meet any of these people on my cruises.
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