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An Odelia Grey Mystery #4
Booby Trap
Could the Blond Bomber serial killer possibly be Dr. Brian Eddy, plastic surgeon to the rich and famous? Odelia never would have suspected the prominent doctor of killing the bevy of buxom blonds if she hadn't heard it directly from her friend Lillian--Dr. Eddy's own mother!--over lunch one day. This mystery gets even messier than Odelia's chicken parmigiana sandwich as Odelia discovers just how difficult--and dangerous--it will be to bust this killer.
328 pages, Paperback
First published February 8, 2009
14 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Sue Ann Jaffarian
67 books546 followersSue Ann Jaffarian is the author of the popular Odelia Grey mystery series, the Ghost of Granny Apples mystery series and the Madison Rose vampire mysteries, as well as short stories.
Sue Ann also writes the Winnie Wilde romance novellas.
Like the character Odelia Grey, Sue Ann Jaffarian is a middle-aged, plus-sized paralegal. She lives in Los Angeles.
In addition to writing, Sue Ann is sought after as a motivational/ humorous speaker. You can visit her on the web at www.sueannjaffarian.com, www.sueannjaffarian.blogspot.com, and on Twitter and Facebook.
Sue Ann also writes the Winnie Wilde romance novellas.
Like the character Odelia Grey, Sue Ann Jaffarian is a middle-aged, plus-sized paralegal. She lives in Los Angeles.
In addition to writing, Sue Ann is sought after as a motivational/ humorous speaker. You can visit her on the web at www.sueannjaffarian.com, www.sueannjaffarian.blogspot.com, and on Twitter and Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
May 24, 2013
This is the 4th Odelia Gray mystery that I've read in a row. Each one is better than the last as Odelia's life evolves. There is a killer of young women loose who has been nicknamed the Blonde Bomber by the media. Odelia's elderly friend, Lil, comes to her. She is afraid that her successful son, Dr. Brian Eddy, is the Blonde Bomber and she pleads with Odelia to either clear his name or establish that he is indeed the murderer. Of course, nothing is that easy. Nor is it safe to meddle into such things, but does Odelia ever learn?
I love, love, love this series!
I love, love, love this series!
April 6, 2020
Sue Ann Jaffarian seems to have hit her stride. The writing flows naturally, the mystery is interesting, the characters are well fleshed out and laughs abound throughout the book.
I think between being too obvious and Odelia's gut instinct, it's pretty clear, early on, that Dr. Eddy is not the Blond Bomber, so the bigger question is as follows. Is he involved in anyway?
And I almost had a heart attack concerning Wainwright near the end.
I think between being too obvious and Odelia's gut instinct, it's pretty clear, early on, that Dr. Eddy is not the Blond Bomber, so the bigger question is as follows. Is he involved in anyway?
And I almost had a heart attack concerning Wainwright near the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up, the ending was a little choppy but an enjoyable read overall
October 12, 2014
This book is more like 3.5 stars (why hasn't goodreads come up with half stars yet?) I just don't feel like it's quite four stars because while it is entertaining and well written, I just have so much trouble suspending reality when reading these Odelia Grey books. Not only for what actually happens during the course of the novel (which is unrealistic and downright improbable) but the way the characters speak to each other. I realize Greg and Odelia are newly weds but they are so damn polite to each other I want to vomit in my mouth a little. If they call each other sweetheart one more time I may scream. And all the characters are just so concerned for each other and friendly and willing to help each other out (even by harboring a woman they never met before who is hiding from a killer) it makes me skim over some of the book to get to the end. The book gets confusing with all the characters (some of them are absent characters from previous books but for some reason the author seems to think we need to know about them). But parts of the ending were surprising and helped the book redeem itself. I would definitely recommend this book for a quick, lighthearted read, but don't expect a real mystery or thriller here.
September 2, 2015
Love these books
September 23, 2021
When I was a kid I used to watch the Rockford Files. Every episode followed the same pattern, setting up the mystery and establishing the connection between the investigator and various double-crossers and innocent victims for the majority of the show followed by a 15-minute action sequence (usually a car chase) at the end of the show that rendered all the elaborate set up in the first part of the show mostly meaningless. I feel like I just watched the contemporary female version of Rockford beat the bad guys. I wish this book would have stuck with its promise of “mystery” rather than switching over to a tediously long showdown at the end. How tedious is it? At one point our hero Odelia remarks she feels like she “center stage in a rerun episode of SWAT.” My question is, why foist a lengthy cop show ending on a story and set of characters that deserved better?
July 8, 2019
In the fourth book of this series, Odelia is happily married and her new husband Greg, in spirit of “If you can’t beat them, join them” joins in her investigation of a serial killer. This leads to the growth of Odelia and Greg’s family and Odelia missing a lot of work at the law firm where she’s a paralegal. I liked that her time away was addressed realistically as something she needs to make up. This Installation of the series included a huge cast of characters, living and dead, one or two who surprised me in a good way. I continue to enjoy this series and look forward to reading book 5 soon.
February 24, 2018
If you like mysteries and you've never read Sue Ann Jaffarian, you must put her Odelia Grey series on your To Be Read list! This book, the fourth in the series, was very good. The mystery was not solved until the end, even though I had my suspicions. The characters are very likable, as well as their pets. I enjoy reading about the relationship Odelia has with her family, friends and coworkers. The fact that she is plus-sized makes her a character I can identify with. Can't wait to read the next!
March 5, 2018
This series is a delight ! Every book is funnier then the last. The sleuth is always well crafted, the protagonist of Odelia is hysterical as as she bumbles through each investigation with humor and tenacity. . She has a heart of gold , rescues pets in needs and has a loving husband that adds depth and a bit of sweetness to this book. I love this entire series. Well done to the author. Thank you for Odelia
March 18, 2018
Odelia Grey does it again!
Odelia Grey is a paralegal with a penchant for finding dead bodies. In Booby Trap, her friend believes her son may be the Blonde Bomber—a serial killer who is killing tall, blonde women seemingly at random. As with the other books in the series, I had trouble putting it down once I started it as the author, Sue Ann Jaffarian leads us through lots of twists and turns as the case is solved.
Odelia Grey is a paralegal with a penchant for finding dead bodies. In Booby Trap, her friend believes her son may be the Blonde Bomber—a serial killer who is killing tall, blonde women seemingly at random. As with the other books in the series, I had trouble putting it down once I started it as the author, Sue Ann Jaffarian leads us through lots of twists and turns as the case is solved.
January 19, 2020
Odelia is getting better at figuring things out and getting in the midst of things! This time Greg helps her and I have to admit, they work well together. I figured out who the Bomb Bomber was before she did but I understand why she didn't connect the dots before. Too many distractions and directions to take as she sorted out more than one mystery. Would like to see her and Greg working together again!
February 2, 2024
Odelia Grey's friend Lillian thinks she knows who the Blond Bomber serial killer is, her own son Dr. Brian Eddy. Lillian begs Odelia to help her put her suspicions to rest and prove that her son in innocent.
Not a bad book. I've read from this series before. This is a nice series and good light reading.
Not a bad book. I've read from this series before. This is a nice series and good light reading.
March 1, 2024
I would have rated Booby Trap closer to three stars but for the conclusion.
I really like Wainwright and his loss would have ended the book series for me. The unnecessary murder of the firefighter almost made me throw the book across the room. Added nothing to the story. Totally unnecessary . . .
I really like Wainwright and his loss would have ended the book series for me. The unnecessary murder of the firefighter almost made me throw the book across the room. Added nothing to the story. Totally unnecessary . . .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2019
Another easy read novel, sometimes funny. Characters not so convincing.
July 5, 2019
I love how these books break the stereotype of "chubby" girls without bashing you over the head.
I love how she has so many men looking after her.
Love, Love, Love!
I love how she has so many men looking after her.
Love, Love, Love!
July 9, 2019
Will continue series.
July 15, 2019
Interesting entry into the series. I went back and forth on my suspects, but yay, I figured it out!
May 12, 2024
Funny and charming too. When body shaming rears its ugly head the protag goes on the attack
July 12, 2025
Really enjoyed it - silly but fun
March 24, 2017
The Odelia Gray series has quickly become a favorite!
March 4, 2017
I love Sue Ann Jaffarian's books and this was another fun addition to the Odelia Grey mysteries.
February 10, 2017
Lilian Ramsey, a friend of our main protagonist, Odelia Grey, suspects that her son is the Blonde Bomber. Now, no one knows if this particular serial killer is actually blonde and the police know he hasn’t bombed anyone or anything. However, the media gave the killer this nickname since his victims all fit the stereotype normally referred to as a “blonde bombshell.” So, the police, the public and the reader are stuck with the moniker.
Lil is concerned that her son, Dr. Brian Eddy, might be the killer for several reasons: he knew at least one of the victims from his practice as a top-of-the-line plastic surgeon, he had actually met several of them in both online chat rooms and in person, and he was conveniently out of town at the time of all four murders. And each of the victims, found naked, raped, tied to a tree with the word “whore” cut into their abdomen bear a close resemblance to Brian’s wife, Jane Sharp, a more than prominent interior decorator in the LA area. And Jane is not the most faithful of wives.
Lil asks Odelia to use her skills and resources to help her prove that Brian is NOT the killer. With her husband, Greg, agreeing to fully partner with her and with her attorney and boss, Michael Steele, providing her with both legal advice and flexible working hours, Odelia agrees to the request. And since she is, for once, not looking for a murderer but to prove that a specific someone is simply not the bad guy, even Detective Dev Frye agrees to assist with whatever information he can release to her.
Well, Odelia may not be looking for a murderer, but if you have read the previous books in the series, you know full well that the murderer is going to find her. It is only a matter of time and asking the right question of the wrong person.
This tale could perhaps be classified as a cozy mystery, since the violence is not graphically explained in detail. There is no sparing of graphic words, however. Nor is there any soft-stepping around topics such as sexually oriented chat rooms, false online identities, and serial promiscuity.
In actuality, Jaffarian has presented us with quite the serious mystery. She builds the tension gradually but consistently and it is not easy to tell the truth from the lies in this particular outing. However, for the first time in the series, there is just the barest feeling that a deus ex machina has been used towards the end – if one particular oddity had not occurred at the beginning of the final crisis, the outcome of that crisis would probably have been far different.
On the positive side, Jaffarian allows considerable character growth to occur in this entry, and not just in Odelia. It should be quite interesting to see where this growth takes the various series regulars in future tales.
Lil is concerned that her son, Dr. Brian Eddy, might be the killer for several reasons: he knew at least one of the victims from his practice as a top-of-the-line plastic surgeon, he had actually met several of them in both online chat rooms and in person, and he was conveniently out of town at the time of all four murders. And each of the victims, found naked, raped, tied to a tree with the word “whore” cut into their abdomen bear a close resemblance to Brian’s wife, Jane Sharp, a more than prominent interior decorator in the LA area. And Jane is not the most faithful of wives.
Lil asks Odelia to use her skills and resources to help her prove that Brian is NOT the killer. With her husband, Greg, agreeing to fully partner with her and with her attorney and boss, Michael Steele, providing her with both legal advice and flexible working hours, Odelia agrees to the request. And since she is, for once, not looking for a murderer but to prove that a specific someone is simply not the bad guy, even Detective Dev Frye agrees to assist with whatever information he can release to her.
Well, Odelia may not be looking for a murderer, but if you have read the previous books in the series, you know full well that the murderer is going to find her. It is only a matter of time and asking the right question of the wrong person.
This tale could perhaps be classified as a cozy mystery, since the violence is not graphically explained in detail. There is no sparing of graphic words, however. Nor is there any soft-stepping around topics such as sexually oriented chat rooms, false online identities, and serial promiscuity.
In actuality, Jaffarian has presented us with quite the serious mystery. She builds the tension gradually but consistently and it is not easy to tell the truth from the lies in this particular outing. However, for the first time in the series, there is just the barest feeling that a deus ex machina has been used towards the end – if one particular oddity had not occurred at the beginning of the final crisis, the outcome of that crisis would probably have been far different.
On the positive side, Jaffarian allows considerable character growth to occur in this entry, and not just in Odelia. It should be quite interesting to see where this growth takes the various series regulars in future tales.
July 17, 2009
Odelia Grey, recently married, middle aged, plus sized and a paralegal also runs a support group called Reality Check, a group for people who don’t feel like they fit in. In Booby Trap, the fourth novel of the series, Odelia deals with murders she thinks is somehow linked to online chat rooms.
Odelia’s friend Lillian was chatting online with a man she believed to be the Blond Bomber, a serial killer. Imagine Lillian’s surprise when she finds out that the man she has been chatting with is her married son!
As with all of Odelia’s cases, her husband Greg and her friend Zee try and persuade Odelia not to become involved. Knowing full well she will, Greg decides he will be her “partner in crime.”
So Odelia first sets out to help prove that her friend’s son isn’t the killer. She interviews the sister of one of the women killed, the wife (and daughter-in-law) or her friend, and relatives of the other women so she can try and come up with some common link between them all.
Soon Odelia starts to wonder if the target of the Blonde Bomber is Jane, her friend Lillian’s daughter-in-law. Odelia learns that Brian (Lillian’s son) and Jane are both somehow connected to the murder victims. She also learns that both Brian and Jane have been having affairs.
Looking for connections between Jane, Brian and the murdered women, all of whom have a derogatory word left written on them, Odelia gets mixed up with a group of weird characters, most of whom are not what they seem.
This is a fun mystery with a pretty fast pace. It starts off pretty well with Odelia trying to clear her friend’s son from suspicion, but it soon dissolves into a not as likable mystery as the first three. Things slow down as Odelia delves into more murders, and we soon learn that one of the murders are a copy cat, so the story goes off into a couple of different directions. I would still recommend this book especially if you have read the other three, I just didn’t like it as much.
Odelia is still the same likable, feisty, gutsy heroine she is in the previous books, but there is something lacking in this book. Odelia’s boss, Mike Steele makes a few appearances throughout the book, as does the homeless man Odelia often buys food for, but there is less overall relating to Odelia’s paralegal job. There is also less socializing between Odelia and Greg and their friends. Overall the characters in this book seem less connected, and maybe that is the problem.
Odelia’s friend Lillian was chatting online with a man she believed to be the Blond Bomber, a serial killer. Imagine Lillian’s surprise when she finds out that the man she has been chatting with is her married son!
As with all of Odelia’s cases, her husband Greg and her friend Zee try and persuade Odelia not to become involved. Knowing full well she will, Greg decides he will be her “partner in crime.”
So Odelia first sets out to help prove that her friend’s son isn’t the killer. She interviews the sister of one of the women killed, the wife (and daughter-in-law) or her friend, and relatives of the other women so she can try and come up with some common link between them all.
Soon Odelia starts to wonder if the target of the Blonde Bomber is Jane, her friend Lillian’s daughter-in-law. Odelia learns that Brian (Lillian’s son) and Jane are both somehow connected to the murder victims. She also learns that both Brian and Jane have been having affairs.
Looking for connections between Jane, Brian and the murdered women, all of whom have a derogatory word left written on them, Odelia gets mixed up with a group of weird characters, most of whom are not what they seem.
This is a fun mystery with a pretty fast pace. It starts off pretty well with Odelia trying to clear her friend’s son from suspicion, but it soon dissolves into a not as likable mystery as the first three. Things slow down as Odelia delves into more murders, and we soon learn that one of the murders are a copy cat, so the story goes off into a couple of different directions. I would still recommend this book especially if you have read the other three, I just didn’t like it as much.
Odelia is still the same likable, feisty, gutsy heroine she is in the previous books, but there is something lacking in this book. Odelia’s boss, Mike Steele makes a few appearances throughout the book, as does the homeless man Odelia often buys food for, but there is less overall relating to Odelia’s paralegal job. There is also less socializing between Odelia and Greg and their friends. Overall the characters in this book seem less connected, and maybe that is the problem.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2014
Booby Trap
~MIDNIGHT INK
(12)
Odelia's at it again!, January 11, 2012
By Ellen Rappaport (Florida)
This review is from: Booby Trap (The Odelia Grey Mysteries) (Paperback)
This is my 4th Odelia Grey mystery and this author never quits...either does Odelia. Sue Ann Jaffarian pulls al loose ends together for this latest in the Odelia series. All the close knit people in Odelia's "family" are no longer against her getting involved in yet another murder to be solved. As a matter of fact Greg, Odelia's husband, now has decided to assist Odelia in all her sleuthing endeavors. Mike Steele, Odelia's boss, is actually going to cover her hours for her while she's out and about looking for the blond bomber. And...as if that isn't enough...Zee and Seth, Odelia's closest friends, have also made the decision to be Odelia's back when needed. With a team like this Odelia is apt to go sleuthing forever!
This is what I love about Odelia and Jaffarian. This series does not run out of steam nor does the author burn out on her character. The series and all the characters evolve and come together. Great job! I would love to know these characters, Odelia/Zee/Greg and yes even Steele. Wonderful growing relationships between all of them in Odelia's life.
Odelia is informed by Lil that the blond bomber is none other than her(Lil's) son. Lil wants Odelia to go online and behind the scenes to find the truth about Dr. Eddy, reknown plastic surgeon and Lil's son. What Odelia does find is that she's not sold on the idea of Dr. Eddy being the blond bomber. But can Odelia find the identity of this serial killer before another murder takes place?
I love this series because the characters have believable relationships with each other, they are people I would like to know, the fun is non-stop, and lastly...Odelia is an adventure and a half.
Don't stop writing Jaffarian...I love this series.
I can only give The highest recommendation for this book to all lovers of mystery series'.
Ellen
January 12, 2015
This is my first book I read in this series, because I picked it up from a random bookshelf in the library simply because the backbone and cover were pretty. So I don't expect my review on this book would have as comprehensive a perspective as ones written by people who read the first three books.
It seems as though the main readership of this book are white, so some of my opinions might be quite unpopular.
Pros:
-A nice easy read to occupy myself. Chipper and relatable style with a pretty tight plot.
-Love how many characters are larger women.
-This book makes me want to move to Southern California.
Cons:
-I find it a bit creepy whenever people's physical attributes are compared to food, especially when white authors do that to people of color. "The scowl on her cocoa-bean face" (65), "expressive brown eyes the color of rich coffee" (151) are two examples I can find. And even though one character who seems to be white has "honey-colored hair" (172), I feel like the first two examples are written to emphasize the otherness of the characters, much more so than the third example. Makes me think of this link: http://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/if-wh...
-Was the blackface in pate 204 absolutely necessary for the plot?
It seems as though the main readership of this book are white, so some of my opinions might be quite unpopular.
Pros:
-A nice easy read to occupy myself. Chipper and relatable style with a pretty tight plot.
-Love how many characters are larger women.
-This book makes me want to move to Southern California.
Cons:
-I find it a bit creepy whenever people's physical attributes are compared to food, especially when white authors do that to people of color. "The scowl on her cocoa-bean face" (65), "expressive brown eyes the color of rich coffee" (151) are two examples I can find. And even though one character who seems to be white has "honey-colored hair" (172), I feel like the first two examples are written to emphasize the otherness of the characters, much more so than the third example. Makes me think of this link: http://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/if-wh...
-Was the blackface in pate 204 absolutely necessary for the plot?
July 2, 2012
This is book 4 in the Odelia Grey series and it might even be my favorite so far. Rather than investigating a murderer, Odelia is faced with the task of proving someone innocent. She partners up with her husband Greg to interview those connected to the case, and even her boss Steele helps her out a little bit. I really enjoyed this aspect of the plot, particularly since I felt the last one was weighed down by people getting upset with Odelia and her tendency to get involved in police investigations. This time she actually gets help from other people, and they really seem to enjoy playing detective alongside her.
As for the actual murder plot, I thought it was a little too complex because of all the characters that were introduced. The ending was exciting, but the very end (last couple pages) seemed a bit too abrupt. There was so much going on in the final scenes and it was just cut short. The murderer was revealed by Odelia just saying something like "Oh, and by the way, the murderer was..." instead of something more dramatic where the murderer confessed or was caught doing something (think book #2).
All in all, I love the characters and always enjoy Odelia's shenanigans. I look forward to the next book.
As for the actual murder plot, I thought it was a little too complex because of all the characters that were introduced. The ending was exciting, but the very end (last couple pages) seemed a bit too abrupt. There was so much going on in the final scenes and it was just cut short. The murderer was revealed by Odelia just saying something like "Oh, and by the way, the murderer was..." instead of something more dramatic where the murderer confessed or was caught doing something (think book #2).
All in all, I love the characters and always enjoy Odelia's shenanigans. I look forward to the next book.
February 13, 2009
I read BOOBY TRAP when I should have been doing other things – there may be no higher praise for entertainment reading than that. I’ve been a fan of the Odelia Grey series for a while, and have enjoyed most of the stories. But author Sue Ann Jaffarian takes the series up a notch with BOOBY TRAP. The richly textured relationship between Odelia and Greg makes you want them for next-door neighbors. And the dialogue, wit, and ‘can’t-put-it-down’ pace absolutely shine. The plot was occasionally too dependent on coincidence, a common issue with amateur sleuth mysteries, including my own. But overall, I’ll simply cop a line from Oliver Twist: “More, please!”
June 8, 2015
I was asked to pick a book by the cover...not look at what it's about or what the reviews might be...just let the cover lure me.
Well, I don't visit book stores, I don't go to the library often enough, I go to Amazon with a purpose...so how is that going to happen? I looked through the available books at the library online. I had to pick a genre so it wasn't entirely blind, but I think it met the purpose.
This is a series (I got #4) about a layman detective. She's chubby, newly married, and sassy. I actually enjoyed it very much! The writing isn't great but it was entertaining! I will definitely consider the rest of the series!
Well, I don't visit book stores, I don't go to the library often enough, I go to Amazon with a purpose...so how is that going to happen? I looked through the available books at the library online. I had to pick a genre so it wasn't entirely blind, but I think it met the purpose.
This is a series (I got #4) about a layman detective. She's chubby, newly married, and sassy. I actually enjoyed it very much! The writing isn't great but it was entertaining! I will definitely consider the rest of the series!
January 29, 2009
Feisty plus-sized paralegal Odelia Grey is now happily married, but she finds herself in trouble when her friend Lil confides that she suspects her son is a serial killer. Lil's son is a plastic surgeon, and she's learned that he flirts with women on the internet and has personally met some of the victims of the "Blonde Bomber" murderer. Although Odelia's gut feeling is that the surgeon is innocent, she investigates enough to set Lil's mind at ease--which is enough to land her in great danger herself.
May 19, 2009
I really like that Odelia and Greg are married now and working together to solve mysteries. Actually, it's pretty cool how everyone is involved in some, small way in solving the mystery. I thought it was Paul who was the Blonde Bomber shortly after his introduction into the story. I became convinced it was him after his response to Odelia's questioning of him about Jane Sharpe's promiscuity.
Also, I really need to move to California because Odelia has more men after her than you can shake a stick at.
Also, I really need to move to California because Odelia has more men after her than you can shake a stick at.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews