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Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-n-Craft Mystery #1
Paper, Scissors, Death
ASIN moved from less recent edition
JUST BECAUSE HER HUSBAND’S NAKED, DEAD, AND IN A HOTEL BED...
...it might not be what it seems. But there’s that scarf in his mouth. Of course it is.
Given the situation, Kiki Lowenstein can’t help remembering that her (late) husband got her pregnant while cheating on his girlfriend.
>>>True, he did the right thing at the time, and their much-loved daughter Anya is now eleven years old. But suddenly he’s dead, and Kiki’s financially embarrassed—that jerk disinherited his own family!
>>>Time for the timid to toughen up. Passive Kiki transforms herself into a fighter, walking right out of her luxurious life and into a scrapbooking store, where she deftly turns a hobby into a moneymaker. Her new gig goes slightly awry when her late husband’s not-so-ex-girlfriend insults her in public, but that’s just the beginning. The hurts keep piling up. How much can one woman stand?
>>>As her husband’s secret life explodes before her eyes, Kiki discovers that their daughter has a shocking secret of her own. Then the cops come for Kiki. And Family Services comes for Anya. No more Mrs. Nice Guy. Kiki has to fight for all she holds dear, and her quest must start with tracking down her late husband’s killer. Hope arrives for Kiki in the twin forms of a hot, homicide detective and her own newfound ability to cope.
JUST BECAUSE HER HUSBAND’S NAKED, DEAD, AND IN A HOTEL BED...
...it might not be what it seems. But there’s that scarf in his mouth. Of course it is.
Given the situation, Kiki Lowenstein can’t help remembering that her (late) husband got her pregnant while cheating on his girlfriend.
>>>True, he did the right thing at the time, and their much-loved daughter Anya is now eleven years old. But suddenly he’s dead, and Kiki’s financially embarrassed—that jerk disinherited his own family!
>>>Time for the timid to toughen up. Passive Kiki transforms herself into a fighter, walking right out of her luxurious life and into a scrapbooking store, where she deftly turns a hobby into a moneymaker. Her new gig goes slightly awry when her late husband’s not-so-ex-girlfriend insults her in public, but that’s just the beginning. The hurts keep piling up. How much can one woman stand?
>>>As her husband’s secret life explodes before her eyes, Kiki discovers that their daughter has a shocking secret of her own. Then the cops come for Kiki. And Family Services comes for Anya. No more Mrs. Nice Guy. Kiki has to fight for all she holds dear, and her quest must start with tracking down her late husband’s killer. Hope arrives for Kiki in the twin forms of a hot, homicide detective and her own newfound ability to cope.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2008
2061 people are currently reading
2162 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Campbell Slan
163 books858 followersNational bestselling and award-winning author Joanna Campbell Slan was born in Jacksonville, Florida, but she grew up in a small town in Indiana. After graduating from Ball State University with a degree in journalism, she worked as a newspaper reporter, a newspaper ad salesperson, a television talk show host, a college teacher, a public relations professional, and a motivational speaker. In that capacity, she was named by Sharing Ideas Magazine as “one of the top 25 speakers in the world.”
Slan's work has appeared in five of the New York Times Bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and one of those became a television show. She is the author of nearly 80 books, nonfiction and fiction, including Death of a Schoolgirl, which won the 2013 Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence.
Joanna's personal essays have appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and one was made into a television program on the Pax Network. The college textbook Joanna wrote—Using Stories and Humor: Grab Your Audience—has been praised as an invaluable resource by Benjamin Netanyahu’s speechwriter and endorsed by Toastmasters, International.
RT Book Reviews has called Joanna “one of mystery’s rising stars.” Her first novel—Paper, Scissors, Death—was an Agatha Award finalist. It features Kiki Lowenstein, a spunky single mom who lives in St. Louis. The sixth book in that series will be released Summer 2013.
Kirkus Reviews has said, “Slan’s mysteries are most valuable for the well-developed characters and the issues they raise.” RT Book Reviews has said, “Kiki is so darn entertaining that she’ll keep readers hooked.” A series of short stories featuring Kiki are available on Kindle.
Joanna’s newest series—The Jane Eyre Chronicles—began with Death of a Schoolgirl (Berkley) and continues with the release of Death of a Dowager. The series features Charlotte Brontë’s classic heroine Jane Eyre as an amateur sleuth.
As “Lila Dare,” Joanna has penned the fourth book in the Southern Beauty Shop series—Wave Good-bye.
Joanna is married to David Slan. The Slans live on Jupiter Island, Florida.
Website: www.JoannaSlan.com
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/JoannaCampbel...
Twitter: @JoannaSlan
Slan's work has appeared in five of the New York Times Bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and one of those became a television show. She is the author of nearly 80 books, nonfiction and fiction, including Death of a Schoolgirl, which won the 2013 Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence.
Joanna's personal essays have appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and one was made into a television program on the Pax Network. The college textbook Joanna wrote—Using Stories and Humor: Grab Your Audience—has been praised as an invaluable resource by Benjamin Netanyahu’s speechwriter and endorsed by Toastmasters, International.
RT Book Reviews has called Joanna “one of mystery’s rising stars.” Her first novel—Paper, Scissors, Death—was an Agatha Award finalist. It features Kiki Lowenstein, a spunky single mom who lives in St. Louis. The sixth book in that series will be released Summer 2013.
Kirkus Reviews has said, “Slan’s mysteries are most valuable for the well-developed characters and the issues they raise.” RT Book Reviews has said, “Kiki is so darn entertaining that she’ll keep readers hooked.” A series of short stories featuring Kiki are available on Kindle.
Joanna’s newest series—The Jane Eyre Chronicles—began with Death of a Schoolgirl (Berkley) and continues with the release of Death of a Dowager. The series features Charlotte Brontë’s classic heroine Jane Eyre as an amateur sleuth.
As “Lila Dare,” Joanna has penned the fourth book in the Southern Beauty Shop series—Wave Good-bye.
Joanna is married to David Slan. The Slans live on Jupiter Island, Florida.
Website: www.JoannaSlan.com
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/JoannaCampbel...
Twitter: @JoannaSlan
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews
July 10, 2010
First, the lead character, Kiki Lowenstein, came across to me as being too dumb for words. Her husband had a heart attack, or was is murder, under rather questionable circumstances and his business partner swooped in a little too quickly demanding repayment of missing funds,. What woman who has an 11 year old to support would just up and sell everything she owns to pay back a supposed half a million dollar debt. No proof, no paperwork, no anything. Dumb.
Second, if you are being investigated for murdering said husband, why would the lead investigator come to your home and make dinner or was it breakfast, for you? Any episode of Law and Order would show you that this would never happen, and it doesn't matter how cute your great dane is.
I am really beginning to question this whole cozy mystery genre. Many of the books are just getting ridiculous, the same plots are used over and over with only the location / business / craft / and pet de jour changing.
When I first started reading cozies I loved them. The writers were unique but now it appears that anyone can jump on this bandwagon and publish a book. Sort of like Harlequin does cozies, but without the bodice ripping.
The plot is simple. Kiki Lowenstein, a scrapbooking extraordinaire, is accused of murdering her husband, her mother in law thinks that she is now an unfit parent, her husbands ex-business partner is demanding repayment of missing funds. Her husbands girlfriend is making a nuisance of herself, and wants Kiki to make her a scrapbook. Sells her million dollar home in record time and her fancy cars, keeps daughter in private school at all costs, can't have your friends talking about you. Live in substandard conditions, own a dog that is too cute for words, and when that isn't enough, in walks a police detective who will either charge you with your husbands murder or make you a meal.
Second, if you are being investigated for murdering said husband, why would the lead investigator come to your home and make dinner or was it breakfast, for you? Any episode of Law and Order would show you that this would never happen, and it doesn't matter how cute your great dane is.
I am really beginning to question this whole cozy mystery genre. Many of the books are just getting ridiculous, the same plots are used over and over with only the location / business / craft / and pet de jour changing.
When I first started reading cozies I loved them. The writers were unique but now it appears that anyone can jump on this bandwagon and publish a book. Sort of like Harlequin does cozies, but without the bodice ripping.
The plot is simple. Kiki Lowenstein, a scrapbooking extraordinaire, is accused of murdering her husband, her mother in law thinks that she is now an unfit parent, her husbands ex-business partner is demanding repayment of missing funds. Her husbands girlfriend is making a nuisance of herself, and wants Kiki to make her a scrapbook. Sells her million dollar home in record time and her fancy cars, keeps daughter in private school at all costs, can't have your friends talking about you. Live in substandard conditions, own a dog that is too cute for words, and when that isn't enough, in walks a police detective who will either charge you with your husbands murder or make you a meal.
March 23, 2017
I adore this series and have been waiting anxiously to read Paper, Scissors, Death ever since I heard that Joanna Campbell Slan was getting the rights back. For many series, if I don't start with the first book, I can't make myself go back because the later books are usually better, not so with this series. Every book is equally awesome! It was great to see the beginning of Kiki's working relationship with Dodie and to see more of her early relationship with Mert and Detweiller. We get the very beginning in the prequel, Love, Die, Neighbor. The mystery is really well plotted but it will always be the great characters that keep me coming back.
I have difficulty holding print books so I had to wait for the ebook and I loved it. I finished about 6 am!
I have difficulty holding print books so I had to wait for the ebook and I loved it. I finished about 6 am!
March 26, 2017
Couldn't put it down!
It's almost two am, and here I am writing a review at this hour of the morning. The story creeps up on you as slowly but surely Slan hooks you into her characters. Then there is the scrapbooking. It's not a sideline, it's integral to the story and the solution of the murders. While I am not a scrapbooker, I am a lifelong knitter. The level of artistry in Kiki's work is easy to understand, and how it shapes her life, work, and even her worldview. Read this fascinating book and fall in love with an artist, a mother, a widow, and most of all, a great human being...with a bullet wound. Now go find out how that happened!
It's almost two am, and here I am writing a review at this hour of the morning. The story creeps up on you as slowly but surely Slan hooks you into her characters. Then there is the scrapbooking. It's not a sideline, it's integral to the story and the solution of the murders. While I am not a scrapbooker, I am a lifelong knitter. The level of artistry in Kiki's work is easy to understand, and how it shapes her life, work, and even her worldview. Read this fascinating book and fall in love with an artist, a mother, a widow, and most of all, a great human being...with a bullet wound. Now go find out how that happened!
March 27, 2020
Started this for #marchmysterymadness readathon. I am a scrapbook addict in real life so it was fun to read something I could relate to. Kiki the main Character works in a scrapbook store. Her husband dies suddenly. They say he had a heart attack. Kiki believes he was murdered. We are trying to find out what really happened to the husband. Caution this book leaves on a cliffhanger. So need to get book 2.
June 19, 2023
Hmmmm interesting
October 31, 2008
Writing is all about writing what you know---or what you are willing to research. Author of at
least eight books about scrapbooking, Joanna Campbell Slan mixes her passion for scrapbooking and her passion for writing, and viola! Paper, Scissors, Death: A Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-N-Craft Mystery was born.
This first book in what appears to be a series finds the rich-but-down-to-earth Kiki learning that her husband George has died naked in a St. Louis motel room. The reader knows it’s murder and not something as lurid as a heart attack during an afternoon delight, but Kiki doesn’t.
Kiki not only has to deal with George’s two-timing death, but he’s left her without a penny to her name. She has to sell her gold Lexus and find a way to support herself and her daughter Anya. It doesn’t help that there isn’t enough money for the staples, but Anya’s private school costs more than Kiki could possible make in a year. George’s mother is willing to do anything for Anya, but she despises Kiki’s mere existence.
Kiki, a scrapbooker extraordinaire, turns to her hobby for income. She gets a freelance gig at the store she frequented when she had money. One of her first jobs is as the instructor at a bridal shower. Kiki makes a supposedly cutting remark to one of the shower’s guests. When the guest, also an old flame of George’s turns up dead, Kiki is the primary suspect. I didn’t really understand that logic as the remark was rather lame.
Nonetheless, Kiki not only has two murders to solve, but someone has broken into the shabby place she and Anya now call home.
Paper, Scissors, Death: A Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-N-Craft Mystery was a fun and quick read. I enjoyed the scrapbooking tips Slan gives. Not a scrapbooker myself, the hobby sounds complicated, but it did not get in the way of this light-hearted, fun cozy. I’m already ready for Kiki’s next adventure.
review originally published on www.armchairinterviews.com
least eight books about scrapbooking, Joanna Campbell Slan mixes her passion for scrapbooking and her passion for writing, and viola! Paper, Scissors, Death: A Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-N-Craft Mystery was born.
This first book in what appears to be a series finds the rich-but-down-to-earth Kiki learning that her husband George has died naked in a St. Louis motel room. The reader knows it’s murder and not something as lurid as a heart attack during an afternoon delight, but Kiki doesn’t.
Kiki not only has to deal with George’s two-timing death, but he’s left her without a penny to her name. She has to sell her gold Lexus and find a way to support herself and her daughter Anya. It doesn’t help that there isn’t enough money for the staples, but Anya’s private school costs more than Kiki could possible make in a year. George’s mother is willing to do anything for Anya, but she despises Kiki’s mere existence.
Kiki, a scrapbooker extraordinaire, turns to her hobby for income. She gets a freelance gig at the store she frequented when she had money. One of her first jobs is as the instructor at a bridal shower. Kiki makes a supposedly cutting remark to one of the shower’s guests. When the guest, also an old flame of George’s turns up dead, Kiki is the primary suspect. I didn’t really understand that logic as the remark was rather lame.
Nonetheless, Kiki not only has two murders to solve, but someone has broken into the shabby place she and Anya now call home.
Paper, Scissors, Death: A Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-N-Craft Mystery was a fun and quick read. I enjoyed the scrapbooking tips Slan gives. Not a scrapbooker myself, the hobby sounds complicated, but it did not get in the way of this light-hearted, fun cozy. I’m already ready for Kiki’s next adventure.
review originally published on www.armchairinterviews.com
April 1, 2017
I debated what to give this book. I ended up with 3 stars. There were good parts and bad parts. It started on the slow side, and there were some major editing issues... Several chapters at the beginning were out of order, later, the MC claimed she did something and I couldn't find that she did. Eventually, the pace picked up. I knew who the killer was early on, although I did suspect someone else for a short time. The MC was both likable and unlikable, at the same time. Sometimes, she asked questions about things she was told (like not believing her husband's death was just a heart attack) while at other times, she just believed what she was told, no questions asked (that her husband stole half a million dollars from his business partner). I felt for her at times, all the bad luck she had, and other times I couldn't believe she let people run all over her. It was driving me nuts. In the end, I'm not sure if I'd read others in this series. I do have another one that I got free, so I might try it, but we'll see.
January 12, 2018
Ok some things seemed poorly researched. Like the spaghetti sauce made with a can of paste. The ignorance and gullibility of Kiki to just give up everything she owns and pay someone a half million dollars without some research. Seems like the depth of her reality is in scrap booking only. Good story but sometimes hard to accept how bad things keep hitting her and she just accepts them. I didn’t feel sorry for her I wanted to clobber her with a well made scrapbook.
September 24, 2020
In love with Gracie
Good, clean story. Likeable characters and relationships that seemed realistic.. Kiki's Great Dane Gracie reminds me so much of my beloved Stella, who also rarely barked.
Good, clean story. Likeable characters and relationships that seemed realistic.. Kiki's Great Dane Gracie reminds me so much of my beloved Stella, who also rarely barked.
April 2, 2017
Two days before Thanksgiving, a man doesn't think about dying.
Kiki Lowenstein's husband, George, dies in a room at the Ritz-Carlton of an apparent heart attack. Or so she is told. The aftermath of his death reveals that he owes his business partner half a million dollars and his mother is the beneficiary of his life insurance. This leaves Kiki and her daughter Anya in quite a mess. Kiki goes from being a part of high society to working at the scrapbooking store she frequented. Bits of gossip make Kiki suspect that George was murdered and she begins her own investigation much to the concern of Detective Chad Detweiler.
This was an average read for me. Some of the pacing of the story was odd. I found it hard to believe that Kiki accepted the fact that she owed half a million dollars to George's partner yet questioned so many other things. I liked Dodie, the owner of Time in a Bottle. and Kiki's former housekeeper, Mert. Her former friends were pretentious and annoying. It was amazing how quickly supposed friends turned their backs. I didn't mind the budding romance between Kiki and Detweiler as much as I thought I would. Kiki's mother in law was a horror. I felt so badly for Anya every time she had to go with her grandmother.
One of the best things about the story was Gracie the Great Dane and the various dogs that Kiki looked after. The scrapbooking tips were good even though I am not a scrapbooker. The cliffhanger ending was just enough to make me want to read the next book.
Kiki Lowenstein's husband, George, dies in a room at the Ritz-Carlton of an apparent heart attack. Or so she is told. The aftermath of his death reveals that he owes his business partner half a million dollars and his mother is the beneficiary of his life insurance. This leaves Kiki and her daughter Anya in quite a mess. Kiki goes from being a part of high society to working at the scrapbooking store she frequented. Bits of gossip make Kiki suspect that George was murdered and she begins her own investigation much to the concern of Detective Chad Detweiler.
This was an average read for me. Some of the pacing of the story was odd. I found it hard to believe that Kiki accepted the fact that she owed half a million dollars to George's partner yet questioned so many other things. I liked Dodie, the owner of Time in a Bottle. and Kiki's former housekeeper, Mert. Her former friends were pretentious and annoying. It was amazing how quickly supposed friends turned their backs. I didn't mind the budding romance between Kiki and Detweiler as much as I thought I would. Kiki's mother in law was a horror. I felt so badly for Anya every time she had to go with her grandmother.
One of the best things about the story was Gracie the Great Dane and the various dogs that Kiki looked after. The scrapbooking tips were good even though I am not a scrapbooker. The cliffhanger ending was just enough to make me want to read the next book.
August 5, 2009
I was willing to cut this author a little slack because the whole time I was reading I figured it had to have been her first book. I was wrong, so it only gets 1 star. The unbelievable high number of references to St. Louis neighborhoods, restaurants, places, etc. was really annoying. Maybe that's because I live in St. Louis and could actually envision the places she was referring to and it didn't make sense. Also, I could never really get on board with the main character. I couldn't empathize with her.
February 8, 2024
A fast-paced cozy mystery. How low can life get? Ask Kiki who seemed to lose everything after the death of her unfaithful husband. Scrapbooking and new friends are what helped her pull her life together. The characters are outrageous. Which I liked. The twists and turns will leave your head spinning. I didn't want to stop reading. Her rescue dog Gracie the great dane will touch any pet owner's (like myself) heart. Note: The author said this series should be read in order.
I read it again and still love this. I look forward to reading more of this series.
I read it again and still love this. I look forward to reading more of this series.
October 27, 2017
Star rating: 3.5 stars
When her husband is found dead of an apparent 'heart attack', Kiki Lowenstein knows that that can't possibly be the case. George was found to be in perfect health after his last doctors visit, so immediately Kiki knows something is wrong. But after losing her house and most of her possessions because of George's shady business dealings, Kiki just hasn't found the time to investigate his death properly. It isn't until after George's supposed mistress is found shot to death in a mall parking lot, that Kiki's line of questioning starts to draw some attention... But not the kind of attention she was looking for.
This was a cute cozy mystery. It wasn't amazing but it wasn't completely awful either. Kiki is a hard character to pin down. While most of the time she takes things lying down, she's also had a really difficult life and doesn't seem to know any better. It isn't until the last third of the novel that Kiki really starts to come out of her shell and stops letting people railroad her. One of the main reasons why I lowered this novel from 4 stars to 3 was its lack of action. There is a lot of plot building and character development but there's also a ridiculous amount of scrap booking advice. I understand that the main character is an avid scrap booker and works at a scrap booking store... But it doesn't need to be reiterated every 10 pages! We get it, Kiki loves scrap booking! Otherwise the characters were fun, I especially liked Anya, Gracie, Detective Detwieller and Mert. I'll pick up the next in this series sometime and hope it's even better then this one.
When her husband is found dead of an apparent 'heart attack', Kiki Lowenstein knows that that can't possibly be the case. George was found to be in perfect health after his last doctors visit, so immediately Kiki knows something is wrong. But after losing her house and most of her possessions because of George's shady business dealings, Kiki just hasn't found the time to investigate his death properly. It isn't until after George's supposed mistress is found shot to death in a mall parking lot, that Kiki's line of questioning starts to draw some attention... But not the kind of attention she was looking for.
This was a cute cozy mystery. It wasn't amazing but it wasn't completely awful either. Kiki is a hard character to pin down. While most of the time she takes things lying down, she's also had a really difficult life and doesn't seem to know any better. It isn't until the last third of the novel that Kiki really starts to come out of her shell and stops letting people railroad her. One of the main reasons why I lowered this novel from 4 stars to 3 was its lack of action. There is a lot of plot building and character development but there's also a ridiculous amount of scrap booking advice. I understand that the main character is an avid scrap booker and works at a scrap booking store... But it doesn't need to be reiterated every 10 pages! We get it, Kiki loves scrap booking! Otherwise the characters were fun, I especially liked Anya, Gracie, Detective Detwieller and Mert. I'll pick up the next in this series sometime and hope it's even better then this one.
August 29, 2022
Great mystery and a likeable main character. I would have given this Agatha award nominated book 4 stars except that it incorporated both of my pet peeves:
1) Cliff hanger ending. Aargh. Automatic 1-star deduction!
2) Many, many character names were given that had nothing to do with the story. After the first couple of chapters, I went back to the beginning and wrote them all down including their relationship to the main character to keep them straight. I continued this to the end of the book. All together, the author named 45 people! And a dog.
Because this was the first book in a series, it will be interesting to see whether some of these characters are developed as the series progresses. For right now, it left me scratching my head. Why so many lists of names where 80 or 90% of them weren't mentioned ever again in this book?
1) Cliff hanger ending. Aargh. Automatic 1-star deduction!
2) Many, many character names were given that had nothing to do with the story. After the first couple of chapters, I went back to the beginning and wrote them all down including their relationship to the main character to keep them straight. I continued this to the end of the book. All together, the author named 45 people! And a dog.
Because this was the first book in a series, it will be interesting to see whether some of these characters are developed as the series progresses. For right now, it left me scratching my head. Why so many lists of names where 80 or 90% of them weren't mentioned ever again in this book?
November 18, 2021
Great start to a new series!
New to me, at any rate.
Meet Kiki Lowenstein. Society wife, scrapbooking maven, car pooling mom.
When her husband is found dead in a hotel room, her world crashes down around her. But she's determined that he didn't simply "have a heart attack"!
Slan's characters are an eclectic bunch, but they rally around their friend to help bring justice for her husband - and even the investigating detective seems convinced there's more to this case.
There are enough "episodes" in this series to take care of even the most hard core binge reader, and trust me, you will be turning pages until there are no more to turn.
An enthralling read that I highly recommend!
New to me, at any rate.
Meet Kiki Lowenstein. Society wife, scrapbooking maven, car pooling mom.
When her husband is found dead in a hotel room, her world crashes down around her. But she's determined that he didn't simply "have a heart attack"!
Slan's characters are an eclectic bunch, but they rally around their friend to help bring justice for her husband - and even the investigating detective seems convinced there's more to this case.
There are enough "episodes" in this series to take care of even the most hard core binge reader, and trust me, you will be turning pages until there are no more to turn.
An enthralling read that I highly recommend!
February 25, 2025
Paper, Scissors, Death by Joanna Campbell Slan is the first book in the Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-n-Craft Mystery series. Kiki Lowenstein's world comes crashing down when her husband is found dead, naked in a hotel room and she finds that his company is accusing him of embezzling money. She is forced to take a job at a scrapbooking shop but finds she is being targetted with break-ins and false accusations. An excellent start to the series but it seemed strange that Kiki did not question things more regarding her husbands finances. She seemed pretty gullible and allowed herself to be manipulated. Her mother-in-law was horrible. Although I enjoyed the book overall, Kiki was rather a weak character. The best part was Gracie, her great dane, who seemed to have the most sense.
April 9, 2020
Kiki kicks it!
A terrific book for lovers of a mystery that's well-plotted, nicely written, and has characters who have depth.
Kiki Lowenstein is an unlikely hero - a mom with a preteen daughter, a devout scrapbooker, a wife who has been content to let her husband run their marriage, a woman with little sense of her own self-worth.
Circumstances push Kiki into learning to be someone to reckon with. This book is the story of how that happened.
Not your usual cozy mystery.
A terrific book for lovers of a mystery that's well-plotted, nicely written, and has characters who have depth.
Kiki Lowenstein is an unlikely hero - a mom with a preteen daughter, a devout scrapbooker, a wife who has been content to let her husband run their marriage, a woman with little sense of her own self-worth.
Circumstances push Kiki into learning to be someone to reckon with. This book is the story of how that happened.
Not your usual cozy mystery.
September 4, 2020
Makes me want to give scrapbooking ago
Brilliant book. Giving an insight into the hobby of scrapbooking. However it wraps scrapbooking around murder, intrigue, lies and deception in such a way that it makes for superb reading with an artistic twist. Who would have thought sticking pictures in a book could open up a good thriller window. Thank you Joanna. I am eager to start book 2
Brilliant book. Giving an insight into the hobby of scrapbooking. However it wraps scrapbooking around murder, intrigue, lies and deception in such a way that it makes for superb reading with an artistic twist. Who would have thought sticking pictures in a book could open up a good thriller window. Thank you Joanna. I am eager to start book 2
August 30, 2017
An easy read, which I really enjoyed.
June 14, 2020
Couldn't really get into it. Really dated, but not even that old given the publication date.
September 25, 2020
Quick reads!
I have read several Kiki Lowenstein books and have enjoyed each one. Really good mysteries. I look forward to the next several!
I have read several Kiki Lowenstein books and have enjoyed each one. Really good mysteries. I look forward to the next several!
September 14, 2023
This book made me angry. The protagonist was such a useless, spineless doormat that she wouldn't even protect her daughter from abuse, but the book wasn't badly written so 2.5 stars, rounded down.
January 11, 2024
Very fun first book in a series - enjoyed the characters and some of the crafting tips were good, too.
August 12, 2024
Very light, fun read.
November 14, 2024
I wasn’t a fan of Kiki (the main character) as she had no backbone when not treated well by her parents, scrapbook ladies and mother in law. I would have taken my daughter and moved far away to start over.
May 7, 2011
Have you ever read a book by someone you know? It's a bit dangerous, because there's always the chance that you won't like it. Or, worse, that it will really suck. Then what do you say?
I'm no scrapbooker. In fact, I'm not very crafty at all. I know how to make neat homemade candles and fill jars with delicious recipe mixes. That's as close as I get to "craft" other than, you know, writing.
So when Joanna Campbell Slan, president of the Greater St. Louis Chapter of Sisters in Crime, announced that she had a mystery publishing this month, I was thrilled for her, excited to see it, and a little bit worried. The worried part came from the fact that this is Paper, Scissors, Death, the first in a series of "Scrap-N-Craft" mysteries starring Kiki Lowenstein.
I needn't have worried. Kiki the professional victim drove me a little crazy at first, as I'm more of a (less hairy) Dodie, myself. But I loved the way Kiki's friends Dodie and Mert quickly signed her up for "Tough Tamales University, School of Hard Knocks" and toughened her right up. "No More Mrs. Nice Guy," indeed.
What I'm saying is that I was hooked from the first word to the last. I finished the book this morning, and have spent the rest of the day still thinking about Kiki's life and imagining what will happen next. The characters were real to me, the sense of place was perfect, and the mystery was solid, deftly handled.
One of my favorite things about this book was the setting. I love a good book set in St. Louis, and this one was more so than most. It wasn't just the names of the streets and malls: I know those Ladue moms! I loved how Kiki held her flashlight like she was Albert Pujols at bat when she was going after the intruder in her house. I used to live right near Kiki, Anya, and Gracie's "transitional neighborhood!" And, yes, she did manage to work, "What high school did you go to?" into the story.
But it's not just local flavor. Slan is a great writer with a real knack for description. When she's depressed, Kiki sees a November sky like mixed concrete. The whole book is full of great little observations like that. And while most of the book is very fast-paced and funny, occasionally Slan slows things down with some fabulous descriptive prose. Witness this image of an early spring trip out to Babler State Park: The earliest spring flowers - jonquils, crocus, and snowdrops - had faded on yellowing stalks. The next wave was gathering courage to burst into bloom. Bare tree branches were tipped in a watercolor wash of celery, celadon, mint, lime, and olive. In a week or two, the skyline would shout hosannah with verdant life.
Lovely.
I'm no scrapbooker. In fact, I'm not very crafty at all. I know how to make neat homemade candles and fill jars with delicious recipe mixes. That's as close as I get to "craft" other than, you know, writing.
So when Joanna Campbell Slan, president of the Greater St. Louis Chapter of Sisters in Crime, announced that she had a mystery publishing this month, I was thrilled for her, excited to see it, and a little bit worried. The worried part came from the fact that this is Paper, Scissors, Death, the first in a series of "Scrap-N-Craft" mysteries starring Kiki Lowenstein.
I needn't have worried. Kiki the professional victim drove me a little crazy at first, as I'm more of a (less hairy) Dodie, myself. But I loved the way Kiki's friends Dodie and Mert quickly signed her up for "Tough Tamales University, School of Hard Knocks" and toughened her right up. "No More Mrs. Nice Guy," indeed.
What I'm saying is that I was hooked from the first word to the last. I finished the book this morning, and have spent the rest of the day still thinking about Kiki's life and imagining what will happen next. The characters were real to me, the sense of place was perfect, and the mystery was solid, deftly handled.
One of my favorite things about this book was the setting. I love a good book set in St. Louis, and this one was more so than most. It wasn't just the names of the streets and malls: I know those Ladue moms! I loved how Kiki held her flashlight like she was Albert Pujols at bat when she was going after the intruder in her house. I used to live right near Kiki, Anya, and Gracie's "transitional neighborhood!" And, yes, she did manage to work, "What high school did you go to?" into the story.
But it's not just local flavor. Slan is a great writer with a real knack for description. When she's depressed, Kiki sees a November sky like mixed concrete. The whole book is full of great little observations like that. And while most of the book is very fast-paced and funny, occasionally Slan slows things down with some fabulous descriptive prose. Witness this image of an early spring trip out to Babler State Park: The earliest spring flowers - jonquils, crocus, and snowdrops - had faded on yellowing stalks. The next wave was gathering courage to burst into bloom. Bare tree branches were tipped in a watercolor wash of celery, celadon, mint, lime, and olive. In a week or two, the skyline would shout hosannah with verdant life.
Lovely.
November 1, 2022
A very good read. Loved Kiki's character and Gracie the great dane was adorable.
June 26, 2011
I expected to really enjoy this book, and while I found it a bit disappointing, I think the *series* has potential.
The good: I did feel that the quality of writing was a cut above the usual "crafty cozy mystery". There were some great lines - a few actual laugh-out-loud moments. And I thought the author did a terrific job of incorporating scrapbooking into the story. It didn't feel like an afterthought - clearly the author scraps herself. In fact, the book inspired me to pull out some paper and scissors myself.
The bad: without giving away any major spoilers, the main character has clearly been a doormat her entire life, and continues to be trampled all over for most of the book. I like to see a main character triumph over adversity as much as the next person, but there was a lot more trampling than triumph here. I found myself getting depressed along with the main character, as things went from bad to worse. This woman could not get a break anywhere. It was just too much.
That said, I am curious to see where the series goes from here. Everything I didn't like about the book could easily be taken care of in the next one. It was a "good" book... it just wasn't a "fun" one.
The good: I did feel that the quality of writing was a cut above the usual "crafty cozy mystery". There were some great lines - a few actual laugh-out-loud moments. And I thought the author did a terrific job of incorporating scrapbooking into the story. It didn't feel like an afterthought - clearly the author scraps herself. In fact, the book inspired me to pull out some paper and scissors myself.
The bad: without giving away any major spoilers, the main character has clearly been a doormat her entire life, and continues to be trampled all over for most of the book. I like to see a main character triumph over adversity as much as the next person, but there was a lot more trampling than triumph here. I found myself getting depressed along with the main character, as things went from bad to worse. This woman could not get a break anywhere. It was just too much.
That said, I am curious to see where the series goes from here. Everything I didn't like about the book could easily be taken care of in the next one. It was a "good" book... it just wasn't a "fun" one.
October 30, 2016
I did like this but the beginning was unrealistic.
Other than that the mystery was engaging and plausible. I really like Anya and Chad and of course Gracie, the Great Dane. I look forward to further adventures in St Louis with Kiki and the gang.
Other than that the mystery was engaging and plausible. I really like Anya and Chad and of course Gracie, the Great Dane. I look forward to further adventures in St Louis with Kiki and the gang.
March 30, 2009
this book just felt rushed
rushing to put a character in the "scrapbook store" so there could be a page of tips
rushing from one day to the next - paragraph to paragraph - to move the action along
I get that it's supposed to be a cozy mystery which means it's not about sticking to the details but this didn't have the sparkle that a Diane Mott Davidson or Janet Evanovich does.
And what's up with the hairy giant store owner? I really hope that character isn't based on a real scrapbook store owner in St. Louis!
rushing to put a character in the "scrapbook store" so there could be a page of tips
rushing from one day to the next - paragraph to paragraph - to move the action along
I get that it's supposed to be a cozy mystery which means it's not about sticking to the details but this didn't have the sparkle that a Diane Mott Davidson or Janet Evanovich does.
And what's up with the hairy giant store owner? I really hope that character isn't based on a real scrapbook store owner in St. Louis!
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