Time is Money

Detective Kate Rosetti Mystery #7

by Gina LaManna

When Kate Rosetti returns from a rare week of vacation in Hawaii, she finds herself immediately immersed in a case more complicated than any she’s faced before. A man’s body has been stuffed into the back of an ice cream truck, and it seems like everyone—including his three girlfriends—had a reason to kill him.

But when the case blows up into a bigger sensation than Kate could ever have anticipated, she finds herself forced to work side by side with her ex-boyfriend, FBI Agent Jack Russo…and his very new, very attractive female partner. As Kate closes in on a murderer who is quickly racking up a tally of bodies, she realizes she must catch this killer or someone she loves might be dead next.

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Audiobook, Business, Crime

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2021

About the author

Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, Gina LaManna has also called Italy and Los Angeles home. After studying numbers and equations in college, she realized multiple choice tests were “just not for her” and began writing books instead. She loves cappuccino foam and whipped cream and would subsist solely on sprinkles if possible. She currently lives in St. Paul with her wonderful husband and family.

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve started to anticipate cases where the unlikely seems perfectly normal. Rossetti is as always determined to find the callous murderer, and nothing can stop her. One must simply admire her!

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable series that's getting better as it goes along.
Dead body in back of an ice cream truck, plenty of suspects including numerous girlfriends & mobsters.
Crossover with  the Lacey Lizzie Mafia series which created hysterical scenes. Loved scene w/ Meg & Carlos wife. 
Really good mystery that kept me guessing.
Not sure how I feel about the status of Kate's romantic life.
Can't wait for the next installment in the series.

Thank you to the writer for an ARC.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for the entertainment value of the case Kate and her crew plus the FBI worked on together. Had some laughs. But I'm still less than enchanted with Kate's love life. Kate/Jack are now just awkward and uncomfortable due to Katie making it so. Jack still has feelings, as does Kate. But she is so darn constipated emotionally. And then there's the author's need to now have Gem be Kate's love interest. Even though they profess friendship (eye roll) at the moment. Now (sigh) the inevitable wait until the next book is released to see how things progress.

[Janna Klinghagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

easy read… easy to like characters

This series has been perfect to occupy my mind while I’ve had to spend lots of the winter running on the “dreadmill”. I know…who reads while on the treadmill? I do. It’s the best way to pass the time and make the miles tick off quickly. Can’t do super deep, can’t do “read every word”, have to do fast moving, engaging, feel good stories. This series is it! Thanks!

[Stephanie Corbett · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars - This is a fabulous read

I really enjoyed this latest instalment of the Kate Rosetti mystery. The main story line and the crimes that Detective Rosetti is trying to solve kept me guessing throughout, with plenty of action and intrigue. The continuing story of Kate Rosetti and the men in her life also keeps you guessing, but this instalment was particularly satisfying, with both Agent Russo and Alastair Gem featuring.

I found this exciting story gripping and can't wait for more Detective Rosetti adventures, as well as to find out what next for Kate Rosetti's personal life.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Carol M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enough personal drama already

The writing style is good but the personal part is over the top. It’s also a bit ridiculous when the main character is so self centered. It’s gotten to the point that she is unlikeable. “I am investigating”, “My case”. Really? Poor Jimmy should just retire already…

[Ricki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A body in an ice cream truck-new way to keep it on ice! Not sure the Gem part of the plot was all that great- he's already ready to rebound after being left at the altar.

The perp was a surprise- one I didn't figure out for a change.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was a little weird, not bad weird, just weird. (Intentionally.) The characters (the suspects,) the possible motives.. all just crazy. Kate's just returned home from a vacation and immediately gets a case, which is probably more welcomed than her vacation was. :D Turns out this case (murder) has a connection to a thief whom the FBI has been studying for several years without a capture. And guess who comes back to town to help. That's right, Kate's ex, along with a new temporary partner. The suspects are plenty, and none of them have much going on in the brains department. Either they are just that dumb, or they are that brilliant. While this series isn't really a comedy, you'll find yourself chuckling a few times at the behavior of the characters. This crime is a little more complicated as there are many more suspects with varying motives and add to that the possible FBI's suspect. Not only are the detectives trying to find out who killed the victim(s) they are also trying to connect the dots to the thefts. In addition to the mystery, there is still the love triangle aspect, since her ex is back in town, and it's only been a month since the break-up, plus Kate's growing interest in The Other Guy. This might be categorized as cozy, and it is a safe read, it has a more gritty vibe than cozies typically have. If you enjoy cozy reads, you'll enjoy this book, but if you want something more 'sophisticated,' this will fit the bill as well, despite the 'weirdness' of the characters. ;) You can read this as a stand alone and be able to follow the mystery, though if you want to get invested in the romantic bits (and trust me, you'll want to,) you'll want to read the series in order to really follow and appreciate that storyline. This book reads quickly and easily and is written from Kate's (the Protagonist) POV. As I mentioned, it is clean and safe for teens and up. Oh, and if you are familiar with this author and her other series, the Lacey Luzzi series to be precise, there is a little special treat for you all! :)

[Loretta TheMoodyRedhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awe. I always focus on the relationships between people when I’m reading a book. Yes, I like everything in between, but when two people are slowly inching their way together, that is the main reason I pick up the next book in the series.

I’ve been rooting for Kate and Gem since book 1 and I was disappointed when Kate chose Jack Russo; however, now that Kate and Russo aren’t together anymore, it was a bit sad to see the heartbreak between them when he was in town on a case. For a moment, I kind of hoped they’d apologize and realize they missed each other so much that Russo was going to move to Kate’s city to be with her. Then the moment of sadness was gone and I’m back to rooting for Kate and Gem!

There were a lot of suspects this time around and too many deaths. I especially hated the murder of the sweet lady. Gosh I hate when such senseless murders occur! I especially hate when the killer feels they’re in the right doing the killing and then have the audacity to blame the victim!

The Mathematician was a cold, precise, and calculating thief and killer. The FBI has been trying to catch them for years. When the Mathematician is thought to be in town, two FBI agents fly in from DC to help find them. The two agents are Agent Russo (Kate’s ex) and Agent… Denise (forgot her last name, but she’s not only a sharpshooter, but she’s also an FBI Profiler who has been studying the Mathematicians case for 3 years).

Since Kate is on the case, you know the Mathematician is going down! Of course, it was only with the help of both FBI agents that it was possible.

Here’s something really cool if you love Gina LaManna’s books - this book is a crossover of characters from her Lacey Luzzi Mafia series! Anthony Luzzi and some of the other Luzzi Family members were questioned by Kate and Jimmy. It’s really cool when I read about characters I’m familiar with from the past. If you like this series, check out LaManna’s Luzzi series. Book 1 is “Sprinkled”. So good!

Next in this series is Book 8 “Diamond in the Rough”.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, the crossover from the Lacey Luzzi series was so much fun that when straight laced Rosetti meets the totally off the wall Meg. Kate returns from a Hawaiian vacation with her family directly into a new case. Seems a body was stuffed in an ice cream truck behind a bar run by Meg. When Rosetti meets Meg to ask her questions, I never laughed so hard! But somehow, the dead man was attached to the Luzzi crime family and Rosetti has to question the don, Carlos about the dead man's employment which also brings in Anthony who is the head of Carlos' security. And when Kate's partner, Jimmy is with her interviewing Carlos, Carlos' wife gives Jimmy a plate full of pancakes which produces more laugh out loud instances. But the case just doesn't make sense. There are too many suspects which include 4 girlfriends among many other suspects. Enter Kate's ex-boyfriend, FBI agent, Jack and his partner, FBI profiler, Denise since it appears the case Kate is on has similarities to a case the FBI has been chasing for years, "The Mathematician." Still raw from her break up with Jack, is she jealous of his new partner? Now with her friend, Gem also hurting from his fiance leaving him at the alter, he approaches Kate as a friend, although he has always liked her, and commiserates with her. So with all these things going on at once, will Kate and company be able to catch a murderer/sneak thief or will he get lost in the wind again? I was very surprised at the ending! I loved this book in the series, there was so much going on I couldn't put it down! I received and ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

In book #7 of the Kate Rosetti mystery series, Kate is barely back at work from a Hawaiian vacation with her family when a dead man is discovered in an ice cream truck. The man is found to have had former ties to the Luzzi mafia family, a bevy of girlfriends, and a slew of people who he screwed over. This will not be an easy case to solve.
I love this series, and this may be my favorite book of all of them. It was a crossover book, with characters from the Lacey Luzzi detective series, so if you have read any of those, you will be excited to see quite a few names pop up. It had an excellent mystery, and Agent Jack Russo makes an appearance in the book as well, as he and his new (female) partner come to town to team up when it looks like they have a mutual suspect. I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves a good mystery!

[Heather Holman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best one yet!

I felt a little bit like a cheerleader reading this book. In walks, Gem…(Yes! Give me a G…) Kate’s friends are interfering…(Yes! Give me more Gem! Yay, friends!) Followed by a mental cartwheel and some hoppy things.
And Meg she is so freaking hilarious! I absolutely loved the Luzzi’s making an appearance in this story. (If you haven’t read the Lacey Luzzi books yet, go download them right now. You’re missing out!) I love the Lacey-esque progress of this case, and how Kate’s response to it. #TeamGem

One of my favorite quotes from the book came pretty early:
“A diet of mai tais and abstinence?” he asked. “Half of that sounds very fun. The other half not so much.”

But this book was completely fun. The case was intriguing. Ms. LaManna outdid herself on this one, and I give her 10 out of 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a week's vacation in Hawaii with her family, Kate is back at the precinct ready to jump into work. Not a moment too soon, because a body is discovered in the back of an ice cream truck. Longtime readers of Gina LaManna books will be happy to see the owner of the truck is from a previous well loved series written by Ms LaManna. I was caught by surprise and delighted by the crossover!
This book deals with Kate post Jack, and Gem post wedding breakup, making for some interesting conversations and quite a bit of breath holding while everything was worked out. It also has murder, a sought after FBI criminal mastermind, and many familiar characters. Wonderful characters, precise descriptive narrative, and a host of interesting new characters mixed together to make another spellbinding story in this terrific series.

[Heike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good as always

What can I say without spoiling anything for fellow readers? This book is great. I am an avid mystery reader and usually figure out who the bad guy is before the book is over. Not so with this book. I had absolutely no clue until it was revealed. This book, to me, is the best one if the series yet. Don't get me wrong, the whole series is amazing but the books just get better and better which is the way it should be. People evolve, and so should fictional characters. And Kate Rosetti has definitely evolved since book one. I love the way Gina's characters evolve in all her books and come into their own. It makes reading a series so much more fun. All i can say is - read this book/series or any other series Gina LaManna writes and you will NOT be disappointed.

[Vfields Don't touch my happy! · Rating 4 out of 5]

So now our good detective is completely alone. She is the most oblivious character I’ve read in a long time who didn’t have a reason to be so damn clueless socially. Detective/oblivious, how is that possible? Okay, I’m done bitchin’. There’s a body found in an ice cream truck. The victim has three women in his life who are each odd in their own way. Her partner Jimmy with the pancakes was open-mouth hilarious. This one had some funny characters here and there, most of them women. When Kate finally has to think about what the heck does she wanna do with her life in walks her ex Moretti. He’s not alone. We now have his kind of partner, a profiler. The capture of the bad guy was pretty good. Unfortunately, in the end, I think Kate’s gonna go with the guy I didn’t pick. So it better get good.

[Ann Gillaspie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when you think you know who did it

Gina LaManna has given us another mystery to solve along with our favorite heroine, Kate Rossetti. Along with this well told mystery, we’re key on the edge of our seat trying to figure out which way Kate’s heart will lead her. Will she choose to reconnect with Russo or will she finally give Gem her heart? And then back to the mystery: there are so many suspects it will make your head spin! And just when you think you know what way the story will go, it doesn’t! There’s another twist or two. And as a bonus, we get cameo appearances by a few members of the Luzzi clan. As usual, that’s a bit of fun! All in all this is another great read. Enjoy!

[Bookgyrl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate is on the hunt for an elusive thief - the Mathematician - and is a bit taken aback when Jack arrives in town together with his lovely new partner. Another interesting mystery for Kate and the team and there are also enough interactions with Gem to make this another fine read.

I don't like love triangles at all, but that really does not seem to be the case here.
are we in for a hero-change this late in the series? It would be quite interesting and why not?

*** I received an ARC from the author for which I want to thank her. All opinions are definitely my own. ***

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Series!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series until I finished this book! I was so disappointed in the ending, I was teary!
Jack and Kate belong together, they relate and understand each other and I was convinced of their love.
Alistair Gem is so opposite of Kate. She excites him, she speaks her mind, she is beautiful, so different from other females. She is a challenge to him? Maybe. I think after a while, she really couldn't stay in that lifestyle nor could he, they just don't fit!
Gina LaManna is an excellent writer with lots of plots, twists and turns!

[shabi balachandran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A smart series

I love the characters in this series. They are smart, funny, believable, and relatable. The story line is always so intricate. You think you can figure out who done it but there is always a twist. Great job, Gina. I'm so excited to know that there are going to more books in this series. Thank you for continuing to write
kate Roseti"s story. Can't wait for the next book! Hopefully, I won't have to wait too long.

[Linda Murphree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disappointed with the ending

It is a good mystery with lots of twists and unexpected turns. The love life of Rosetti leaves the reader wanting more resolution. At some point she should be able to make a life decision as important as who you love as a life partner. None of them are getting any younger in their high risk professions. I thought this one ended even more abruptly than the last one. Disappointing ending!

[Rose Mcclarin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mastermind Thief, 3 wise guys, an ex-boyfriend, a profiler and a wealthy friend/wannabe boyfriend all add up to a complicated murder, more suspects than you can shake a stick at and lots of interesting situations while Detective Kate Rosetti tries to track down the killer. Fast=paced, action packed suspense that just keeps you on the edge of your seat until the last couple pages and the murderer/thief turns out to the one person you didn't suspect at all. Great book, I highly recommend.

[Vron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a "popcorn" book similar to the Janet Evanovich bonty hunter series but with a policewoman instead.
The romantic subplot takes over the main mystery but at least the later is somehow a bit interesting.

I don't particularly enjoy the trope of billionaire boyfriend/love interest so having it in the book (I haven't read any more books from the series) wasn't that thrilling for me.

Overall, easy read, perfect for when you want to turn your brain off.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much happening in this book! Profiling a killer, looking for a killer, twists and turns around every corner, and wondering who the killer is actually going to be! Then add in some rocky relationships and this book has you not wanting to put it down! I can't wait to see what happens next! I voluntarily received and read an ARC for an honest review.

[Susan Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series and really everything that Gina writes. There’s humor, a great story, characters you love. Everything you want in a book. I especially liked this story because it intersected with the Luzzi family, which is another must read series — Nora’s cooking, Meg’s antics just makes everything better. Great read.

[Debi Paglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. LaManna’s writing is clear, concise and intriguing. There were so many suspects and so many motives. The character of Detective Kate Rosetti is very believable! She’s a tough city detective, a little scary, but so interesting. I love the story crossover to combine 2 of my favorite series, especially the part with Meg! This is an excellent series! You should read it!

[Lisa Nunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Knock Out

I absolutely love this series, and this book continues on with it quite well! Kate is relatable, strong, and unknowingly funny. Earnest and true. The turmoil she sees in this book, professionally and personally, definitely shows that she's growing. A great read, can't wait for the next!

[Stepheni Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

On heck of a whodunit!

Gina LaManna has once again immersed us in to the world of Kate Rosetti, with all our favorite faces and few surprise appearances! A proper detective story with a killer you wouldn't see coming this is no Sccoby Gang mystery. Another delightful success having us all wonder when will we see our favorite police detective again.

[Krystal Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this Series

This is one of my favorite series and this installment did not disappoint. The book was well written and the characters feel like old friends. I love the direction this book has taken and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

[Vicat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rollercoster

Great story with Kate matching wits against a famed criminal, with a nice little aside from the Luzzi clan. Gem is another surprise, again, with a passionate almost kiss that is a hotter scene than any 50 shade.

[Madeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

OMG I was so excited by the cameo of Meg, the Lucci’s and Anthony. That clan is laugh out loud funny and it all just complimented the story so well. I was giggling and laughing. Kept us guessing until the end. Highly recommend the entire series.