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Jamie Quinn Mystery #4
Engaged in Danger
Finally, life is good for reluctant family law attorney, Jamie Quinn--her father may get his visa soon, her boyfriend is the bomb, and her law practice is growing like crazy--but when she agrees to take on a high-profile divorce case, everything falls apart. What looked like an opportunity to work with her friend Grace and make some serious bucks has turned into a deadly game, one that could destroy their friendship and tear their town apart. Why couldn't Jamie just leave well enough alone?
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2022
59 people are currently reading
412 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Venkataraman
25 books434 followersAward-winning author Barbara Venkataraman is an attorney and mediator specializing in family law. Her works include: "The Fight for Magicallus", a children's fantasy; "If you'd Just Listened to Me in the First Place", a humorous short story; and three books of humorous essays: "I'm Not Talking about You, Of Course," "A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities," and "A Smidge of Crazy", from her series, "Quirky Essays for Quirky People."
Her Jamie Quinn cozy mystery series includes: "Death by Didgeridoo", "The Case of the Killer Divorce", "Peril in the Park", "Engaged in Danger" and "Jeopardy in July".
Her newest book has just been released: "Accidental Activist: Justice for the Groveland Four", a memoir she co-authored with her son about lessons he learned while working to exonerate four men falsely convicted of a terrible crime in the Jim Crow South. All of her books are available on Amazon Kindle.
Her Jamie Quinn cozy mystery series includes: "Death by Didgeridoo", "The Case of the Killer Divorce", "Peril in the Park", "Engaged in Danger" and "Jeopardy in July".
Her newest book has just been released: "Accidental Activist: Justice for the Groveland Four", a memoir she co-authored with her son about lessons he learned while working to exonerate four men falsely convicted of a terrible crime in the Jim Crow South. All of her books are available on Amazon Kindle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 347 reviews
September 13, 2017
4 stars to Barbara Venkataraman's novel Engaged in Danger: A Jamie Quinn Mystery, her fourth in the "Jamie Quinn Mysteries" series. Each successive book in this series grows stronger and builds a fun and intimate group of friends and colleagues who help Jamie tackle complex cases. It's light-hearted, amusing and dare I say... engaging! (seriously wasn't intending a pun there)
Story
Jamie, a family law attorney, receives a visit from Nan Glasser, long-suffering wife of an adulterer, shady business man and potential murderer. Nan wants a divorce but over 30 attorneys have already declined taking her case because of her husband's interference. Jamie searches for someone to help her but ultimately finds herself taking on the case with best friend Grace who has the resources to help out Nan. Along the way, Jamie receives threats, deals with legal drama and almost finds herself a murder victim trying to help save Nan. In the end, she of course comes out alive but each new case is definitely changing the structure of her once quiet law practice.
As a few fun side-stories which collide with the main one: Jamie's boyfriend is called to Australia for a 3-month work assignment. She and Grace fight over Grace's choice in a new boyfriend. Duke has troubles with his on-again / off-again girlfriend who once took out a highway billboard to tell the world he was a cheater. And Jamie helps her neighbors search for a mysterious holding company who owned the plane that went down killing their sister and brother-in-law. It may seem like everything's disconnected, but when it all finds a common link, Jamie's world is turned upside down!
Strengths
Some authors have an amazing way of incorporating detail, background and descriptions without interfering with the story, and Barbara Venkataraman is one of them. You learn so much about Jamie, family law, history and the setting without even realizing it. Rather than several paragraphs of backstory dropped throughout (which also works well in some styles), the Jamie Quinn series drops tons of details in small blips so it feels like an actual conversation, a normal evolution of a relationship between two people. I love this style especially when complemented with a very relaxed, humorous, casual and collaborative approach to telling the story. Jamie's voice is loud and clear, and when I read the words on the page, I actually find myself pausing when I think Jamie would pause, being snarky when she'd be snarky and being forward/direct when I think she would be. That doesn't always happen for other authors or series... sometimes I love the characters and the books, but I don't develop my own voice for the character when reading the lines. I absolutely do here and it helps make the read even more amusing and enjoyable.
Suggestions
While the story was full of surprises and had multiple arcs to keep readers curious about how it would all blend together, the ending came a little too fast for me. About 3/4 of the way through, you are just about to put all the connections together and suddenly a chapter ends with Jamie falling into a trap and boom... it's solved in the beginning of the next chapter. I would have loved just one or two extra chapters of drama with Jamie trapped trying to workout in her head who had caught her before quickly knowing what happened. This could just be a matter of taste (I like the extra drama aspects) as it was still executed well and had suspense in the way the resolve was written. It's one of the only times I found myself thinking in this novel... "hmm..." because other than that, it was a fantastic read.
Final Thoughts
I'm a little sad that I'm caught up in this series and may have to wait a bit before the next one is released. But when it is, you can be sure I'll purchase this one the week it comes out.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
Story
Jamie, a family law attorney, receives a visit from Nan Glasser, long-suffering wife of an adulterer, shady business man and potential murderer. Nan wants a divorce but over 30 attorneys have already declined taking her case because of her husband's interference. Jamie searches for someone to help her but ultimately finds herself taking on the case with best friend Grace who has the resources to help out Nan. Along the way, Jamie receives threats, deals with legal drama and almost finds herself a murder victim trying to help save Nan. In the end, she of course comes out alive but each new case is definitely changing the structure of her once quiet law practice.
As a few fun side-stories which collide with the main one: Jamie's boyfriend is called to Australia for a 3-month work assignment. She and Grace fight over Grace's choice in a new boyfriend. Duke has troubles with his on-again / off-again girlfriend who once took out a highway billboard to tell the world he was a cheater. And Jamie helps her neighbors search for a mysterious holding company who owned the plane that went down killing their sister and brother-in-law. It may seem like everything's disconnected, but when it all finds a common link, Jamie's world is turned upside down!
Strengths
Some authors have an amazing way of incorporating detail, background and descriptions without interfering with the story, and Barbara Venkataraman is one of them. You learn so much about Jamie, family law, history and the setting without even realizing it. Rather than several paragraphs of backstory dropped throughout (which also works well in some styles), the Jamie Quinn series drops tons of details in small blips so it feels like an actual conversation, a normal evolution of a relationship between two people. I love this style especially when complemented with a very relaxed, humorous, casual and collaborative approach to telling the story. Jamie's voice is loud and clear, and when I read the words on the page, I actually find myself pausing when I think Jamie would pause, being snarky when she'd be snarky and being forward/direct when I think she would be. That doesn't always happen for other authors or series... sometimes I love the characters and the books, but I don't develop my own voice for the character when reading the lines. I absolutely do here and it helps make the read even more amusing and enjoyable.
Suggestions
While the story was full of surprises and had multiple arcs to keep readers curious about how it would all blend together, the ending came a little too fast for me. About 3/4 of the way through, you are just about to put all the connections together and suddenly a chapter ends with Jamie falling into a trap and boom... it's solved in the beginning of the next chapter. I would have loved just one or two extra chapters of drama with Jamie trapped trying to workout in her head who had caught her before quickly knowing what happened. This could just be a matter of taste (I like the extra drama aspects) as it was still executed well and had suspense in the way the resolve was written. It's one of the only times I found myself thinking in this novel... "hmm..." because other than that, it was a fantastic read.
Final Thoughts
I'm a little sad that I'm caught up in this series and may have to wait a bit before the next one is released. But when it is, you can be sure I'll purchase this one the week it comes out.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
September 19, 2016
Barbara Venkataraman is giving away 3 eCopies of ENGAGED IN DANGER *Cozy Mystery*
Intl - Ends Sept 29, 2016 - Click on Banner to Enter!
Hang on for more from Jamie Quinn, whose life is going pretty well, if you don’t include the fact that her man is off for the thrills of the world down under for three months, (three LONG months) and just maybe she has hurt her best friend with that runaway mouth. Then again, business is good, Hollywood, FL is predictable, well, if you don’t count the wealthy woman seeking a divorce from one of the state’s biggest high profile cheating jerks. That should fill the coffers, well, but this jerk just happens to be a high profile attorney, himself.
It was this high profile divorce that will send Jamie on a perilous journey where she will discover a money laundering operation, secret accounts and what really happened when one of her closest friend’s sister and brother-in-law died in a mysterious plane crash.
Welcome to a cozy mystery that will NOT leave you afraid of your shadow or the guy wearing a black trench coat in the rain. Barbara Venkataraman’s Engaged in Danger is filled with twists, turns and one feisty female attorney who just can’t seem to stay out of trouble, even in the quiet town of Hollywood. Peppered with humor, great one-liners, and a few harrowing moments, as well as a ton of surprises from her quirky sidekicks, there’s always a great ending that will leave you smiling and just a little reluctant to return to the real world.
I received this copy from Barbara Venkataraman in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Jamie Quinn Mysteries - Book 4
Publication Date: September 11, 2015
Publisher: Barbara Venkataraman
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Print Length: 242 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Intl - Ends Sept 29, 2016 - Click on Banner to Enter!
Hang on for more from Jamie Quinn, whose life is going pretty well, if you don’t include the fact that her man is off for the thrills of the world down under for three months, (three LONG months) and just maybe she has hurt her best friend with that runaway mouth. Then again, business is good, Hollywood, FL is predictable, well, if you don’t count the wealthy woman seeking a divorce from one of the state’s biggest high profile cheating jerks. That should fill the coffers, well, but this jerk just happens to be a high profile attorney, himself.
It was this high profile divorce that will send Jamie on a perilous journey where she will discover a money laundering operation, secret accounts and what really happened when one of her closest friend’s sister and brother-in-law died in a mysterious plane crash.
Welcome to a cozy mystery that will NOT leave you afraid of your shadow or the guy wearing a black trench coat in the rain. Barbara Venkataraman’s Engaged in Danger is filled with twists, turns and one feisty female attorney who just can’t seem to stay out of trouble, even in the quiet town of Hollywood. Peppered with humor, great one-liners, and a few harrowing moments, as well as a ton of surprises from her quirky sidekicks, there’s always a great ending that will leave you smiling and just a little reluctant to return to the real world.
I received this copy from Barbara Venkataraman in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Jamie Quinn Mysteries - Book 4
Publication Date: September 11, 2015
Publisher: Barbara Venkataraman
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Print Length: 242 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
May 28, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Engaged in Danger picks up some time after Peril in the Park. Anyone who had read the first three Jamie Quinn stories will find this latest mystery to be like settling to drinks with an old friend that you can’t wait to catch up with - because you know their stories are going to be funny and heartwarming.
Jamie was thrown a curve-ball at the beginning of the story when her boyfriend, Kip, announced he was moving to Australia for three months. Add in a divorce case that has trouble written all over it and Jamie’s happy-go-lucky life took a bit of a nose dive.
Jamie’s new divorce case had her taking on an influential lawyer who didn’t play nice. Added into this recipe for disaster was Jamie partnering with her best friend Grace, her friend and P.I. Duke having some personal troubles which spill into Jamie’s life and her neighbours asking Jamie to look into the negligent deaths of some family members. It was the perfect storm for everything seeming to unravel for Jamie.
I won't give away any spoilers so I will leave it at this - I truly enjoyed this cozy mystery and loved getting to read more about Jamie’s never dull life. The ending was so good and I can’t wait to see what trouble finds Jamie next!
“Not at the moment, but keep your eyes open for anything unusual," Jayashree said.
"That's right," Nick said. "Just be yourself Quinn, and trouble will find you.”
Engaged in Danger picks up some time after Peril in the Park. Anyone who had read the first three Jamie Quinn stories will find this latest mystery to be like settling to drinks with an old friend that you can’t wait to catch up with - because you know their stories are going to be funny and heartwarming.
Jamie was thrown a curve-ball at the beginning of the story when her boyfriend, Kip, announced he was moving to Australia for three months. Add in a divorce case that has trouble written all over it and Jamie’s happy-go-lucky life took a bit of a nose dive.
"You're the twenty-seventh lawyer I called. No offense."
That made me laugh. "None taken. ”
Jamie’s new divorce case had her taking on an influential lawyer who didn’t play nice. Added into this recipe for disaster was Jamie partnering with her best friend Grace, her friend and P.I. Duke having some personal troubles which spill into Jamie’s life and her neighbours asking Jamie to look into the negligent deaths of some family members. It was the perfect storm for everything seeming to unravel for Jamie.
“I immediately realized how stupid it was to swerve like that. I could just see the headlines--Local attorney killed saving ungrateful iguana. With her dying breath, she gasped: "Did the iguana make it?”
I won't give away any spoilers so I will leave it at this - I truly enjoyed this cozy mystery and loved getting to read more about Jamie’s never dull life. The ending was so good and I can’t wait to see what trouble finds Jamie next!
March 21, 2018
I said it on an update while I was reading this book and I'll say it again: I'm always smiling by page two of a Jamie Quinn book! They're refreshing. The humor of the characters never fails to make me laugh. Jamie is so easy to like and root for. There are times where she seems a little naive or immature, but it just makes her a little more lovable. Barbara Venkataraman certainly knows how to keep you reading, and I've grown rather attached to the characters over the four stories I've read.
Jamie's life finally seems almost set... her boyfriend adores her, her law practice is doing well, she has great friendships, and her father may get his long-awaited visa soon. Of course, things can't stay calm for Jamie for long: she learns her boyfriend is going on a long trip for work, one of her friendships isn't as stable as she would like, and a huge case she should probably stay away from lands on her desk. Her one-woman-operation law firm doesn't usually handle cases that are too high profile, but this is huge. The woman desperate for her help is clearly well-off, and married to an extremely successful but shady lawyer she wants to sever ties with. Why go to Jamie instead of some fancy law firm with a dozen lawyers? Because no one else will touch the case. And she seems afraid.
For someone who seems determined to live a quiet live, Jamie sure gets involved in some crazy situations. It's a good thing her boyfriend is out of the country, because she soon has hardly any time for herself! She wants to help Nan get her divorce, and can't say no to helping her neighbors dig into yet another case on her own time. With so many balls in the air, she's distracted as ever - leaving herself open to a lot of trouble.
This series is a lot of fun to read, quick and easy while being hard to put down. I'm not sure what Jamie will get herself into next, but I'm in!
The author kindly sent me a copy of this book to review, thank you! My opinion is honest and unbiased.
Jamie's life finally seems almost set... her boyfriend adores her, her law practice is doing well, she has great friendships, and her father may get his long-awaited visa soon. Of course, things can't stay calm for Jamie for long: she learns her boyfriend is going on a long trip for work, one of her friendships isn't as stable as she would like, and a huge case she should probably stay away from lands on her desk. Her one-woman-operation law firm doesn't usually handle cases that are too high profile, but this is huge. The woman desperate for her help is clearly well-off, and married to an extremely successful but shady lawyer she wants to sever ties with. Why go to Jamie instead of some fancy law firm with a dozen lawyers? Because no one else will touch the case. And she seems afraid.
For someone who seems determined to live a quiet live, Jamie sure gets involved in some crazy situations. It's a good thing her boyfriend is out of the country, because she soon has hardly any time for herself! She wants to help Nan get her divorce, and can't say no to helping her neighbors dig into yet another case on her own time. With so many balls in the air, she's distracted as ever - leaving herself open to a lot of trouble.
This series is a lot of fun to read, quick and easy while being hard to put down. I'm not sure what Jamie will get herself into next, but I'm in!
The author kindly sent me a copy of this book to review, thank you! My opinion is honest and unbiased.
September 22, 2015
Family law attorney Jamie Quinn enjoyed her one “man” office – small cases were all she needed to keep her busy. Her boyfriend Kip had just told her he was moving to Australia for three months to work with an environmental scientist to save the endangered wombats – work would have to keep her occupied while he was away. But when Nan Glasser walked into her office to request her services, Jamie had no idea her near future was about to get decidedly crazy.
Nan wanted Jamie’s help in divorcing her husband Marvin. He was a big time lawyer with friends in extremely high places. But when Grace, Jamie’s life-long friend and member of a big law firm decided to work with Jamie on the case, things began to go wrong. Tension and danger surrounded them both – that was until they fell out. Their argument was intense; would they regain their friendship and trust?
Meanwhile Jamie had taken another case with the help of Duke, her friend the Private Investigator. Duke always achieved results; sometimes in an unorthodox manner, but they were there. Suddenly the FBI were involved – what had Jamie got herself into this time? Would she manage to extricate herself from this situation before it was too late?
Another thoroughly enjoyable episode in the Jamie Quinn mystery series by author Barbara Venkataraman, Engaged in Danger ticks all the boxes. Mystery, suspense, humour, loyalty, love and friendship; as well as a smattering of bad guys fill this novel for the readers’ entertainment. Highly recommended.
With thanks to the author for my copy to read and review.
Nan wanted Jamie’s help in divorcing her husband Marvin. He was a big time lawyer with friends in extremely high places. But when Grace, Jamie’s life-long friend and member of a big law firm decided to work with Jamie on the case, things began to go wrong. Tension and danger surrounded them both – that was until they fell out. Their argument was intense; would they regain their friendship and trust?
Meanwhile Jamie had taken another case with the help of Duke, her friend the Private Investigator. Duke always achieved results; sometimes in an unorthodox manner, but they were there. Suddenly the FBI were involved – what had Jamie got herself into this time? Would she manage to extricate herself from this situation before it was too late?
Another thoroughly enjoyable episode in the Jamie Quinn mystery series by author Barbara Venkataraman, Engaged in Danger ticks all the boxes. Mystery, suspense, humour, loyalty, love and friendship; as well as a smattering of bad guys fill this novel for the readers’ entertainment. Highly recommended.
With thanks to the author for my copy to read and review.
July 21, 2021
Advance Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I love his series, but for some reason this book fell into a hole and I never got around to reading it. My apologies to the author, this is totally my fault. This book has everything that made me love the previous installments of this series. Mystery, humor, a quirky PI and Jamie, who is just trying to find her way through this maze called life.
Jamie is embroiled in two cases and she finds herself spread a little thin at times. Having more than enough to do takes her mind off the fact that her boyfriend, Kip, has gone to Australia for three months to help the endangered Northern Wombat and is camping in the wild with a beautiful grad student. One case is the plane crash and death of her neighbor's sister due to mechanical error and has Jamie digging into the cause of the crash and finding a lot she never expected to come up with. Another case is a divorce no other attorney will touch. Jamie and bestie, Grace, take it on because the husband is a powerful attorney and Jamie and Grace are both rooting for the underdog wife, but there are serious consequences to taking on a guy with ties to dangerous Russian thugs.
I love his series, but for some reason this book fell into a hole and I never got around to reading it. My apologies to the author, this is totally my fault. This book has everything that made me love the previous installments of this series. Mystery, humor, a quirky PI and Jamie, who is just trying to find her way through this maze called life.
Jamie is embroiled in two cases and she finds herself spread a little thin at times. Having more than enough to do takes her mind off the fact that her boyfriend, Kip, has gone to Australia for three months to help the endangered Northern Wombat and is camping in the wild with a beautiful grad student. One case is the plane crash and death of her neighbor's sister due to mechanical error and has Jamie digging into the cause of the crash and finding a lot she never expected to come up with. Another case is a divorce no other attorney will touch. Jamie and bestie, Grace, take it on because the husband is a powerful attorney and Jamie and Grace are both rooting for the underdog wife, but there are serious consequences to taking on a guy with ties to dangerous Russian thugs.
January 10, 2017
These books just keep getting better!! A cozy mystery that kept me guessing. Trust me, I have read a lot of mysteries, it's not easy to surprise me. I'm so glad Grace met Nick. I hope to see lots of action in their future. These books are witty and fun. Love them!!
July 9, 2019
This series of cozy mysteries set in Hollywood, FL and featuring Family Services lawyer, Jamie Quinn, are fun, quick reads with intriguing mysteries. In this outing, Jamie is upset to learn that her boyfriend Kip is going to Australia for three months to work with an environmental scientist. Will absence make the heart grow fonder? Or will it be a case of out of sight, out of mind?
Fortunately Jamie is kept busy with her own work, helping friends and clients. One case involves a high-profile divorce that most other lawyers won't touch. She and her friend Grace decide to take it on together, with the blessing of Grace's legal firm, but almost immediately their friendship becomes strained.
Meanwhile her next-door neighbor Sandy wants to file a wrongful-death suit against the owners of the plane in which her twin sister and brother-in-law were killed. Jamie enlists private investigator Duke Broussard to see if he can dig through the layers to find the truth of its ownership. Could this be a case of murder?
And Jamie sees a photo of the scientist Kip will be working with in the outback and SHE is a beautiful redhead! And she has her arm around Kip! Oh no!
Jamie Quinn and the full cast of characters are a delight once again. The plots are complicated enough to keep the reader guessing and turning pages. Highly recommend this series.
I received a gift of this ebook from the author for an honest review. Many thanks to Barbara Venkataraman.
Fortunately Jamie is kept busy with her own work, helping friends and clients. One case involves a high-profile divorce that most other lawyers won't touch. She and her friend Grace decide to take it on together, with the blessing of Grace's legal firm, but almost immediately their friendship becomes strained.
Meanwhile her next-door neighbor Sandy wants to file a wrongful-death suit against the owners of the plane in which her twin sister and brother-in-law were killed. Jamie enlists private investigator Duke Broussard to see if he can dig through the layers to find the truth of its ownership. Could this be a case of murder?
And Jamie sees a photo of the scientist Kip will be working with in the outback and SHE is a beautiful redhead! And she has her arm around Kip! Oh no!
Jamie Quinn and the full cast of characters are a delight once again. The plots are complicated enough to keep the reader guessing and turning pages. Highly recommend this series.
I received a gift of this ebook from the author for an honest review. Many thanks to Barbara Venkataraman.
February 11, 2018
The fourth book in the Jamie Quinn Mystery series. Jamie is a family law attorney who occasionally finds herself in the middle of a mystery. In this book, Jamie works a high-profile divorce case of a woman who wants to get away from her husband, a corrupt businessman. A few side stories are also going on in Jamie's life, including helping her neighbors discover who owned the plane that crashed and killed their sister and brother-in-law.
A quick and fun cozy mystery. Jamie worked harder in this one than the others. She had a high profile case in this book, and it kicked her into higher gear for work. Plus, her boyfriend, Kip, left the country for work, and she was looking for ways to distract herself while he was away. Jamie and her best friend, Grace, had the opportunity to work together in this book. It was fun to see their work relationship, but they also had a big falling out over personal matters. Also reappearing were Duke, the unorthodox private investigator, and Nick, the slick politician.
A quick and fun cozy mystery. Jamie worked harder in this one than the others. She had a high profile case in this book, and it kicked her into higher gear for work. Plus, her boyfriend, Kip, left the country for work, and she was looking for ways to distract herself while he was away. Jamie and her best friend, Grace, had the opportunity to work together in this book. It was fun to see their work relationship, but they also had a big falling out over personal matters. Also reappearing were Duke, the unorthodox private investigator, and Nick, the slick politician.
April 2, 2017
Summary:
Quinn is back and her life is as crazy as ever. Her boyfriend leaves the country to save wombats- three months is Australia. To take her mind off this, she begins helping her neighbor get information on the crash that killed her sister and brother-in-law. Everything seems to be murky and covered up, no one wants to talk about it. What are people hiding?
Then, on the work front, she decides to take on a case that is crazy out of her league- with the help of her best friend Grace Anderson and her law firm. Threats, Russian bodyguards, hidden funds….. there’s a lot to uncover. Can Jamie get to the bottom of this?
My thoughts:
This was certainly one of the craziest mysteries she’s had in a bit, and I loved it. While the whole thing was extremely improbable I still loved it- think Stephanie Bond meets Law and Order. The characters were great and I had a hoot. The story was fast paced and entertaining. For me, these books have always been fun, quick reads with great dialogue, some crazy stuff, and just enough action to be interesting. Honestly, I eat this kind of stuff up! While this could be understood as a stand alone novel, I don’t recommend it- there’s a lot of previous character interaction that you need in order to fully enjoy the story. For me, this was a five star book.
On the adult content scale, I give it a four. There is some lewd humor (I heard worse in Shrek), and mild language. Still, maybe suited for older teens through adults.
Quinn is back and her life is as crazy as ever. Her boyfriend leaves the country to save wombats- three months is Australia. To take her mind off this, she begins helping her neighbor get information on the crash that killed her sister and brother-in-law. Everything seems to be murky and covered up, no one wants to talk about it. What are people hiding?
Then, on the work front, she decides to take on a case that is crazy out of her league- with the help of her best friend Grace Anderson and her law firm. Threats, Russian bodyguards, hidden funds….. there’s a lot to uncover. Can Jamie get to the bottom of this?
My thoughts:
This was certainly one of the craziest mysteries she’s had in a bit, and I loved it. While the whole thing was extremely improbable I still loved it- think Stephanie Bond meets Law and Order. The characters were great and I had a hoot. The story was fast paced and entertaining. For me, these books have always been fun, quick reads with great dialogue, some crazy stuff, and just enough action to be interesting. Honestly, I eat this kind of stuff up! While this could be understood as a stand alone novel, I don’t recommend it- there’s a lot of previous character interaction that you need in order to fully enjoy the story. For me, this was a five star book.
On the adult content scale, I give it a four. There is some lewd humor (I heard worse in Shrek), and mild language. Still, maybe suited for older teens through adults.
March 6, 2020
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars
Again this 4th book in a series was a gift. It pulled me in and kept my interest.
With so many reviews out there I am not going to try to be detailed. However I will say that I enjoyed Jamie's personal life's events in the story as well as the mystery she gets pulled into as she takes on a divorce case.
The divorce case happens to involve a very high profile lawyer...who doesn't seem to have any practice. Jamie represents the man's wife. As Jamie tries to pin down his income, his assets, etc. more and more questions come up and some have no answers. She has pulled her best friend, Grace, another attorney into the case as a partner and with that has the backing of Grace's high profile law firm also in on the effort.
Meanwhile Jamie's neighbor's have asked for her help in making a claim against an airline in which the wife's twin sister and her husband were killed. They have that couple's adopted daughter living with them now and any money awarded will help with that girl's upbringing.
Jamie's also, again, has her friend and former client, Duke, a private investigator working behind the scenes. His personal life gets in the way near the end but you will have to learn what that is all about for yourself if/when you read this story.
Jamie's boyfriend, Kip, is not part of what's going on as he has taken off to Australia to help study and save the endangered Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat. With the time zones difference even talking to him via SKYPE becomes a problem.
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Again this 4th book in a series was a gift. It pulled me in and kept my interest.
With so many reviews out there I am not going to try to be detailed. However I will say that I enjoyed Jamie's personal life's events in the story as well as the mystery she gets pulled into as she takes on a divorce case.
The divorce case happens to involve a very high profile lawyer...who doesn't seem to have any practice. Jamie represents the man's wife. As Jamie tries to pin down his income, his assets, etc. more and more questions come up and some have no answers. She has pulled her best friend, Grace, another attorney into the case as a partner and with that has the backing of Grace's high profile law firm also in on the effort.
Meanwhile Jamie's neighbor's have asked for her help in making a claim against an airline in which the wife's twin sister and her husband were killed. They have that couple's adopted daughter living with them now and any money awarded will help with that girl's upbringing.
Jamie's also, again, has her friend and former client, Duke, a private investigator working behind the scenes. His personal life gets in the way near the end but you will have to learn what that is all about for yourself if/when you read this story.
Jamie's boyfriend, Kip, is not part of what's going on as he has taken off to Australia to help study and save the endangered Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat. With the time zones difference even talking to him via SKYPE becomes a problem.
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
February 11, 2017
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The fourth in the Jamie Quinn series is a departure from the previous three in length only. While the others could be considered novellas this is definitely much longer. A little of Jamie Quinn was enjoyable and happily more of Jamie was more so. The group of friends that surrounded her in our introduction to her are all back and you quickly feel as though you returned to a familiar place .
Jamie operates a one-person law office and remains an intelligent heroine with a complicated life that rings more true than not. Venkataraman's realistic portrayal of Jamie and Grace's friendship is an example of hitting all the right notes perfectly. Duke, her detective friend and Kip, her boyfriend are among the returning characters. Kip is a distant presence as business has removed him physically from the scene. His absence contributes to the story as it occupies part of Jamie's life but doesn't consume her. The mysteries in the story center around two cases, a messy divorce case and a wrongful death suit she is tackling for her neighbors. Both mysteries are equally compelling.
Mid way through the novel I had an ah-ha moment. It seems my dislike for cozy mysteries was due not to the fact that genre itself is flawed but the previous authors I had read were content to follow a rather limited formula. In the hands of a more skilled writer, like Barbara Venkataraman, it seems the cozy mystery doesn't have to be defined by a weak female character. Engaged in Danger shows you can have humor, relationships, intelligence and a mystery without reducing your main character to a caricature of a woman.
I am looking forward to the next installment.
The fourth in the Jamie Quinn series is a departure from the previous three in length only. While the others could be considered novellas this is definitely much longer. A little of Jamie Quinn was enjoyable and happily more of Jamie was more so. The group of friends that surrounded her in our introduction to her are all back and you quickly feel as though you returned to a familiar place .
Jamie operates a one-person law office and remains an intelligent heroine with a complicated life that rings more true than not. Venkataraman's realistic portrayal of Jamie and Grace's friendship is an example of hitting all the right notes perfectly. Duke, her detective friend and Kip, her boyfriend are among the returning characters. Kip is a distant presence as business has removed him physically from the scene. His absence contributes to the story as it occupies part of Jamie's life but doesn't consume her. The mysteries in the story center around two cases, a messy divorce case and a wrongful death suit she is tackling for her neighbors. Both mysteries are equally compelling.
Mid way through the novel I had an ah-ha moment. It seems my dislike for cozy mysteries was due not to the fact that genre itself is flawed but the previous authors I had read were content to follow a rather limited formula. In the hands of a more skilled writer, like Barbara Venkataraman, it seems the cozy mystery doesn't have to be defined by a weak female character. Engaged in Danger shows you can have humor, relationships, intelligence and a mystery without reducing your main character to a caricature of a woman.
I am looking forward to the next installment.
August 27, 2021
Hollywood, Florida. Present day. Barbara Venkataraman’s Engaged in Danger (Jaime Quinn Mystery #4) finds Jaime ‘a reluctant family law attorney’ saying good-bye to her boyfriend, Kip, who is on his way ‘Down Under’ to help the endangered Northern Hairy- Nosed Wombat for three months. Shortly before Kip leaves a Nan Glasser asks Jaime to aid her to divorce her husband, a high-profile creep who happens to be a very high-profile attorney. Jaime’s best friend, Grace, who is an attorney in a upscale firm, decides that Jaime and Grace should take Marvin Glasser on. The craziness starts after Kip is in Australia so he will be no help if Jaime needs it. Of course, I often wonder how much help men really are when they are present. No offense intended to my male buddies. The author writes with humor which the reader sees with each character such as when Jaime is talking to Kip just before he leaves.
Kip: “….Love you.” Jaime: “I love you too.” , but Jaime is speaking to a ‘dial tone’. Her comment “Talk about unrequited love….”. The PI Jaime works with is Duke aka Marmaduke Broussard III who has Bloody Marys for breakfast, but had a “chivalrous streak”. Jaime’s cousin with his ‘encyclopedic’
memory and love for video games (until Mom went nuts) can help Jaime. Adam tells Jaime that ‘27 million people play this certain game’ or so she thought. He actually said,”27 million play it a day.” Jaime is blown away. She is thinking in the USA, but Adam is referring to the world. Great humor, fun characters except for Marvin Glasser, but he even does a good deed. This author always makes me laugh! 4.5 stars.
Kip: “….Love you.” Jaime: “I love you too.” , but Jaime is speaking to a ‘dial tone’. Her comment “Talk about unrequited love….”. The PI Jaime works with is Duke aka Marmaduke Broussard III who has Bloody Marys for breakfast, but had a “chivalrous streak”. Jaime’s cousin with his ‘encyclopedic’
memory and love for video games (until Mom went nuts) can help Jaime. Adam tells Jaime that ‘27 million people play this certain game’ or so she thought. He actually said,”27 million play it a day.” Jaime is blown away. She is thinking in the USA, but Adam is referring to the world. Great humor, fun characters except for Marvin Glasser, but he even does a good deed. This author always makes me laugh! 4.5 stars.
December 15, 2015
I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is the fourth installment in the Jamie Quinn Mysteries. I have read the previous three and so when I was gifted this book I was happy to read and review. I have thoroughly enjoyed the series and I have to say this installment did not disappointed. Ms. Venkataraman has written a main character that I find to be very likable and can relate to both on a personal and professional level. In addition to Jamie, the series has a cast of re-occurring characters that add to the strength of the story. I have to say I think my favorite secondary character is Duke Brussard, the PI who Jamie occasionally hires to assist her with her cases. What I particularly enjoyed about this installment is the way that the author wove together what appeared to be seemingly unrelated mysteries into a much larger mystery which is revealed toward the end of the novel. There is even a nice twist on the case Duke is working on which is unrelated to the case for which Jamie has hired him. The story had plenty of twists for me and I have to say that I was a little surprised at how the two mysteries related to each other. The story is well written with a nice pace. I find this series to be a quick and enjoyable read and I look forward to seeing what the author has in store for Jamie Quinn in the future.
March 17, 2018
Part four of the series and once again I loved it. It is pleasant to notice that the way to the plots are getting more complicated and longer, but still lack boring and unnecessary details. Everything is to the point or adds to the fun. The result of short chapters and this writing style makes it a very fluent read.
You have to love Jamie. She is lovely, full of humour and has her heart on the right place. You feel like she could easily become your BFF.
Can you read the books separately? Yes, you can, because Jamie introduces herself in every book or gives some explanations where needed without giving something important away. Even if you have read all the books, it is not annoying. But, if you want to keep up with the storyline concerning her personal life, I would advise to read them all. Besides, in all honesty, you really would not regret it.
Thanks, Barbara!
You have to love Jamie. She is lovely, full of humour and has her heart on the right place. You feel like she could easily become your BFF.
Can you read the books separately? Yes, you can, because Jamie introduces herself in every book or gives some explanations where needed without giving something important away. Even if you have read all the books, it is not annoying. But, if you want to keep up with the storyline concerning her personal life, I would advise to read them all. Besides, in all honesty, you really would not regret it.
Thanks, Barbara!
April 23, 2018
“Engaged in Danger” another gripping Jamie Quinn mystery opens with her boyfriend Kip heading to Australia to save a species from extinction and a planned trip to reunite her with her father in Nicaragua when she receives a call from Nan Glasser wife of a high-profile lawyer wanting a divorce. Because of the sketchy financial and property implications in a case most firms have refused, Jamie enlists the aid of her friends Grace Anderson whose relationship with a deadbeat boyfriend may rip their friendship apart and Private Investigator (PI) Marmaduke (Duke) Brossard who has just broken up with his former wife.
In a secondary plot Jamie’s neighbours Sandy and Mike have lodged a wrongful death suit in the mysterious plane crash that killed the parents of their seven-year-old niece Katie. With Jamie’s help they begin a search for the company that owns the plane only to uncover a link to Sandy’s brother-in-law’s bank and a money laundering scheme. Masterfully Barbara Venkataraman takes two dissimilar cases and rolls them into a mystery that’s enthralling from the first chapter to the last.
Fast-paced and gripping, intensity and suspense build not only with Marvin Glasser’s mysterious business dealings, his sinister bodyguard but his attempts to undercut Jamie’s involvement in his wife’s case. Similarly, in her neighbours’ situation a sudden death stuns Jamie especially when she’s implicated. Yet defusing the tension are humorous incidents including Jamie’s inadvertent blunder in trying to heal the breach with Grace and with the photos circulated after Duke oversteps the line in their friendship. Well-written the plot flows naturally to a bit of a cliff-hanger that begs for another Jamie Quinn mystery.
Refreshing, funny and full of heart Jamie Quinn is an unforgettable character who’s apolitical, smart, honest and rather cynical at times. With the assistance and loyalty of friends like sensible and clever lawyer Grace Anderson, the resourceful and chivalrous Marmaduke Brossard III and even the intervention of “frenemy”, the blunt and rigid Nick Dimitropoulis Jamie sets out to win the case against the unethical, paranoid and bullying Marvin Glasser.
Although I enjoyed “Engaged in Danger” as the Jamie Quinn mysteries get better with each new case, I would have enjoyed more twists and turns in a plot that seemed to end far too quickly.
In a secondary plot Jamie’s neighbours Sandy and Mike have lodged a wrongful death suit in the mysterious plane crash that killed the parents of their seven-year-old niece Katie. With Jamie’s help they begin a search for the company that owns the plane only to uncover a link to Sandy’s brother-in-law’s bank and a money laundering scheme. Masterfully Barbara Venkataraman takes two dissimilar cases and rolls them into a mystery that’s enthralling from the first chapter to the last.
Fast-paced and gripping, intensity and suspense build not only with Marvin Glasser’s mysterious business dealings, his sinister bodyguard but his attempts to undercut Jamie’s involvement in his wife’s case. Similarly, in her neighbours’ situation a sudden death stuns Jamie especially when she’s implicated. Yet defusing the tension are humorous incidents including Jamie’s inadvertent blunder in trying to heal the breach with Grace and with the photos circulated after Duke oversteps the line in their friendship. Well-written the plot flows naturally to a bit of a cliff-hanger that begs for another Jamie Quinn mystery.
Refreshing, funny and full of heart Jamie Quinn is an unforgettable character who’s apolitical, smart, honest and rather cynical at times. With the assistance and loyalty of friends like sensible and clever lawyer Grace Anderson, the resourceful and chivalrous Marmaduke Brossard III and even the intervention of “frenemy”, the blunt and rigid Nick Dimitropoulis Jamie sets out to win the case against the unethical, paranoid and bullying Marvin Glasser.
Although I enjoyed “Engaged in Danger” as the Jamie Quinn mysteries get better with each new case, I would have enjoyed more twists and turns in a plot that seemed to end far too quickly.
December 22, 2018
This series is full of humor, romance and mystery! Jamie Quinn this time has found herself involved with quite a few cases at once and as usual needs help from her trusty detective Duke. These two together just keep the smile on my face when they are together. There interactions are comical, and slightly romantic, though so far Jamie is sticking with her absentee boyfriend Kip.(Yes, I am pulling for Duke...but we shall see as it goes). There are a few elements in this story that kept it really intriguing. The divorce of Nan Glasser proves to be a much bigger case than Jamie is used to. I loved this part of the story, taking the case to take down the bad man. The introduction of League of Legends into the story through Adam is classic. My son has played for years and listening to Adam talk about the game was very reminiscent of my own conversations with my son! Made me smile ear to ear. And Skying Kip is a techie kind of fun that happens so much today. I love that Barbara integrates so many active concepts into her stories making them fresh and exciting. This is a great cozy and I look forward to more.
Fay Annette narrates this with a great variety of voices. Though not the same voice as the first 3, she carries the characters through a little slower than I am used to, but her ability to keep the voices consistent is admirable. I enjoyed her narration.
Fay Annette narrates this with a great variety of voices. Though not the same voice as the first 3, she carries the characters through a little slower than I am used to, but her ability to keep the voices consistent is admirable. I enjoyed her narration.
December 3, 2016
Great book
Jamie is in up to her ears. Can she help her neighbor, keep her best friend, keep her boyfriend and survive a high case divorce. Read books one through three before this one as they set the stage for the Jamie Quinn story.
Jamie is in up to her ears. Can she help her neighbor, keep her best friend, keep her boyfriend and survive a high case divorce. Read books one through three before this one as they set the stage for the Jamie Quinn story.
February 6, 2024
These stories are getting better, partly because the stories are longer, so the author has more time to spend on character development. There were a few moments when I was a bit turned off by Jamie, specifically with how needy/selfish she was with Kip, but also with how judgmental she was of Grace. But the extra pages helped because it gave Jamie time to process through her feelings and figure out the more mature choices. Overall, I was pleased with her growth in this one.
I also really liked how there were several plot lines in this story, and how they eventually intersected and affected each other. Each of her friends, as well as her next door neighbor was going through their own challenges, and despite Jamie feeling like the world was going to end for her (okay, so she does tend towards melodrama), she still made time for them. This one was tough because she was on the outs with her best friend because of something she did, and she had to figure out how she was going to fix it. But that's it--I like that she immediately recognized her part in things and took responsibility for them, rather than playing the blame game.
The mystery with her neighbor's, as well as with her client, were more complex than we've had before, and again, I think the additional length of the story allowed for this. I thought the author did a great job of pulling on several threads and having Jamie and her friends find the connections. The ending still felt a bit rushed, but maybe we just need the author to add a few more pages? Hee, hee, one can hope!
This particular book was narrated by someone different from the first three books. Fay Annette was the narrator, and my initial impressions was that she was much more consistent than the previous narrator (good), she sounded like she was from Minnesota or Wisconsin (not bad--but they are in South Florida, so that was kind disconcerting for me), and her voicing was pretty good. However, as I listened to more and more of it, I realized I did not like that she sounded almost like a robot. It's hard to pin down, but as much as she made the voices distinct, her delivery was very emotionless. In the end, even if the first narrator, Carrie Lee Martz was a bit uneven at times, I think I preferred her narration.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I will be continuing in the series!
I also really liked how there were several plot lines in this story, and how they eventually intersected and affected each other. Each of her friends, as well as her next door neighbor was going through their own challenges, and despite Jamie feeling like the world was going to end for her (okay, so she does tend towards melodrama), she still made time for them. This one was tough because she was on the outs with her best friend because of something she did, and she had to figure out how she was going to fix it. But that's it--I like that she immediately recognized her part in things and took responsibility for them, rather than playing the blame game.
The mystery with her neighbor's, as well as with her client, were more complex than we've had before, and again, I think the additional length of the story allowed for this. I thought the author did a great job of pulling on several threads and having Jamie and her friends find the connections. The ending still felt a bit rushed, but maybe we just need the author to add a few more pages? Hee, hee, one can hope!
This particular book was narrated by someone different from the first three books. Fay Annette was the narrator, and my initial impressions was that she was much more consistent than the previous narrator (good), she sounded like she was from Minnesota or Wisconsin (not bad--but they are in South Florida, so that was kind disconcerting for me), and her voicing was pretty good. However, as I listened to more and more of it, I realized I did not like that she sounded almost like a robot. It's hard to pin down, but as much as she made the voices distinct, her delivery was very emotionless. In the end, even if the first narrator, Carrie Lee Martz was a bit uneven at times, I think I preferred her narration.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I will be continuing in the series!
September 26, 2018
The fourth book in Barbara Venkataram's Jamie Quinn series finds our somewhat less than ambitious family law attorney focusing on her legal work as a means of dealing with the departure of her boyfriend Kip to Australia for a 3 month research job. Saddened by this new circumstance, Jamie meets with the wife of a high-powered lawyer and mover and shaker.
The wife wants a divorce after a prolonged bad marriage, but given her husband's status no lawyer will touch her case. Jamie doesn't want it either because she isn't equipped to deal with such a high profile case. But in the course of finding the woman a lawyer who can do the job, she finds herself attached to the case through her friend and fellow attorney Grace. Grace's firm takes the job and immediately the husband lets loose the dogs in order to try and get the lawyers to drop the case.
While dealing with the legal back and forth on the divorce case, Jamie also ends up helping her next door neighbors as they try to find out the circumstances behind the deaths of the wife's sister and husband. The death left them caring for the couple's adopted daughter and a wrongful death suit is a possible avenue for them to take.
Using Duke Broussard, her favorite local PI, to investigate both cases soon leads to suspicions that the two cases might be tied together in some shadowy manner that is slowly revealed during the course of the story.
The cast of characters in this series are a winning combination. Jamie, despite her lack of ambition, is a formidable adversary once she sets her mind to something. Duke might be a bit dissolute in his personal life, but always seems to come through when working a case. Grace might've found herself at loggerheads with Jamie over a personal matter in this book, but is otherwise a true friend.
As for the other supporting characters specific to this story, the newfound forcefulness of the spurned wife made her a very sympathetic character. The neighbors and their charming daughter made for a nice addition to Jamie's legal world. Even Kip, who was mostly offscreen for this story, seems like an almost too good to be true boyfriend...without crossing over the line into schmaltz.
I could kind of see where the story was headed overall, but I found that I enjoyed the ride getting to that point immensely. Four books in and I'm getting more and more drawn into the adventures of Jamie Quinn.
The wife wants a divorce after a prolonged bad marriage, but given her husband's status no lawyer will touch her case. Jamie doesn't want it either because she isn't equipped to deal with such a high profile case. But in the course of finding the woman a lawyer who can do the job, she finds herself attached to the case through her friend and fellow attorney Grace. Grace's firm takes the job and immediately the husband lets loose the dogs in order to try and get the lawyers to drop the case.
While dealing with the legal back and forth on the divorce case, Jamie also ends up helping her next door neighbors as they try to find out the circumstances behind the deaths of the wife's sister and husband. The death left them caring for the couple's adopted daughter and a wrongful death suit is a possible avenue for them to take.
Using Duke Broussard, her favorite local PI, to investigate both cases soon leads to suspicions that the two cases might be tied together in some shadowy manner that is slowly revealed during the course of the story.
The cast of characters in this series are a winning combination. Jamie, despite her lack of ambition, is a formidable adversary once she sets her mind to something. Duke might be a bit dissolute in his personal life, but always seems to come through when working a case. Grace might've found herself at loggerheads with Jamie over a personal matter in this book, but is otherwise a true friend.
As for the other supporting characters specific to this story, the newfound forcefulness of the spurned wife made her a very sympathetic character. The neighbors and their charming daughter made for a nice addition to Jamie's legal world. Even Kip, who was mostly offscreen for this story, seems like an almost too good to be true boyfriend...without crossing over the line into schmaltz.
I could kind of see where the story was headed overall, but I found that I enjoyed the ride getting to that point immensely. Four books in and I'm getting more and more drawn into the adventures of Jamie Quinn.
July 1, 2019
A copy of this book was provided to me by the author for an honest review
Book#4 of the Jamie Quinn series is much better than the first 3. While I still enjoyed the first 3 books a lot, this one is fuller and more exciting. Jamie has to cope with her boyfriend Kip going off to Australia for 3 months to save wombats. She's then presented with a divorce case nobody in town will touch as it involves a powerful, well-connected lawyer. We're also introduced to her neighbours, Mike and Sandy. Sandy has recently lost her sister and brother-in-law to a plane crash and is caring for her orphaned niece. Everything turned out to be connected in the end, as is the case in these cozy mysteries. But, to be fair, they do live in a fairly small town.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Jamie has developed as a wonderful character. We see old favourites like Duke and Grace. If there's something to criticize, it's that the resolution is kind of distant, going through 3rd parties (the FBI and DA's office) after Jamie hands them the clues she had discovered. But again, one could argue that it's not realistic for Jamie to be in the thick of it as she's not law enforcement.
Book#4 of the Jamie Quinn series is much better than the first 3. While I still enjoyed the first 3 books a lot, this one is fuller and more exciting. Jamie has to cope with her boyfriend Kip going off to Australia for 3 months to save wombats. She's then presented with a divorce case nobody in town will touch as it involves a powerful, well-connected lawyer. We're also introduced to her neighbours, Mike and Sandy. Sandy has recently lost her sister and brother-in-law to a plane crash and is caring for her orphaned niece. Everything turned out to be connected in the end, as is the case in these cozy mysteries. But, to be fair, they do live in a fairly small town.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Jamie has developed as a wonderful character. We see old favourites like Duke and Grace. If there's something to criticize, it's that the resolution is kind of distant, going through 3rd parties (the FBI and DA's office) after Jamie hands them the clues she had discovered. But again, one could argue that it's not realistic for Jamie to be in the thick of it as she's not law enforcement.
September 2, 2018
I enjoy how Jamie's personal life was flipped on its side this book. We got to see her deal with boyfriend and befriend issues. Even Duke was wearing on her last nerve through this book. The dynamic of the relationships were definitely tested this book and this tension actually made the characters a little more real. Duke finally did something that I was expecting for the longest time, which made it comical as well as add to the plot.
The storyline was really interesting and I enjoyed how the seemingly 2 plots mingled together. The chance to get to see how it all unfolds was really interesting. I had a little hint early on, but it was still nice to see how the author knitted it together.
The storyline was really interesting and I enjoyed how the seemingly 2 plots mingled together. The chance to get to see how it all unfolds was really interesting. I had a little hint early on, but it was still nice to see how the author knitted it together.
June 28, 2019
Wow! Excellent mysteries that kept me up until I finished the book. The best book in the series so far! I love the characters and the humour in this series. The relationships between the characters are all interesting and we get to know more about some of the characters. Barbara's skills as a mystery writer are extraordinary. Can you tell I really like this book? The complexity between the mysteries and how the puzzle fit together provided a fantastic ending.
Have you ever tried to do the right thing and had it come back and bite your butt? Jamie is having one of those weeks. Together with Duke she unravels the complex mysteries, all while being beat up by circumstances and bad people. Emotional, suspenseful and exciting!
Have you ever tried to do the right thing and had it come back and bite your butt? Jamie is having one of those weeks. Together with Duke she unravels the complex mysteries, all while being beat up by circumstances and bad people. Emotional, suspenseful and exciting!
April 14, 2018
Jamie Quinn has her hands full in this one! Author Barbara Venkataraman, puts Jamie through her paces , and throws everything at her but the kitchen sink! With seven different plot lines, Jamie has to unravel them all or risk losing her career, her best friend, her neighbors, and her fiance all in one fell swoop. An astonishing achievement in plotting, this addition of the Jamie Quinn Mystery series will leave you reeling and wanting more!
August 28, 2018
This story keeps you totally engrossed because there is so many things happening at the same time. You are always wondering who is involved with what and where will this end up. Just when you think you have something figured out, it takes another twist. Jamie certainly knows how to get herself into some strange situations. There were some parts that really had you on the edge of your seat to see what was going to happen. I love how the characters keep developing and becoming more three dimensional with each story.
No spoilers here but there were some parts of the ending that I really did not see coming. All I can say is “wow”, this story was well worth reading and cannot wait to see what Jamie gets into in the next book.
No spoilers here but there were some parts of the ending that I really did not see coming. All I can say is “wow”, this story was well worth reading and cannot wait to see what Jamie gets into in the next book.
March 20, 2017
Review to follow soon but highly recommended for fans of cozy murder mysteries!
December 15, 2015
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I reviewed the first 3 books in this series back in July. Engaged in Danger picks up where we left off and packs another huge punch. The other three were basically novellas that could be read together for 3 mysteries in the length of a regular novel. While we did get to know the characters, this one comes in at 242 pages and gives the author more time to let the plot develop and for us readers to become more wrapped up in the drama.
Nan Glasser wants a divorce and every law office has turned her way stating conflict of interest. Marvin Glasser is a real S.O.B. who has his fingers in way to many pies and that may be deadly. Nan just wants out and begs Jamie to take her case. With Kip in Australia for 3 months, a big case may be just what Jamie needs but she is smart enough to know she can’t do it on her own. After trying to get her friend Grace and her partners to take the case, it is decided that Jamie and Grace with an assist private investigator Duke, with take the case. Then the mayhem begins as truths are revealed, and clues lead somewhere unexpected, and Jamie finds herself in a bit of hot water.
Barbara Venkataraman has given us another smart story with a very tight plot that just flows so effortlessly.
These characters a interesting and fun. Jamie is the underdog and I wanted to see her win. I just hated Marvin Glasser. He is manipulative and petty. He may have met his match in Jamie Quinn. I was also pretty upset with Kip. The relationship with Jamie is new and was crazy that he took off for 3 months with saying good-bye. He made up for it a little but he is not back in my good graces yet. Both Duke and Grace suffered some pitfalls too. The dialogue between them all was fantastic. Even in stressful situations there was room for a little humor.
Each of these stories is better than the last. Venkataraman just keeps topping herself. I hope she is busy working on #5.
I reviewed the first 3 books in this series back in July. Engaged in Danger picks up where we left off and packs another huge punch. The other three were basically novellas that could be read together for 3 mysteries in the length of a regular novel. While we did get to know the characters, this one comes in at 242 pages and gives the author more time to let the plot develop and for us readers to become more wrapped up in the drama.
Nan Glasser wants a divorce and every law office has turned her way stating conflict of interest. Marvin Glasser is a real S.O.B. who has his fingers in way to many pies and that may be deadly. Nan just wants out and begs Jamie to take her case. With Kip in Australia for 3 months, a big case may be just what Jamie needs but she is smart enough to know she can’t do it on her own. After trying to get her friend Grace and her partners to take the case, it is decided that Jamie and Grace with an assist private investigator Duke, with take the case. Then the mayhem begins as truths are revealed, and clues lead somewhere unexpected, and Jamie finds herself in a bit of hot water.
Barbara Venkataraman has given us another smart story with a very tight plot that just flows so effortlessly.
These characters a interesting and fun. Jamie is the underdog and I wanted to see her win. I just hated Marvin Glasser. He is manipulative and petty. He may have met his match in Jamie Quinn. I was also pretty upset with Kip. The relationship with Jamie is new and was crazy that he took off for 3 months with saying good-bye. He made up for it a little but he is not back in my good graces yet. Both Duke and Grace suffered some pitfalls too. The dialogue between them all was fantastic. Even in stressful situations there was room for a little humor.
Each of these stories is better than the last. Venkataraman just keeps topping herself. I hope she is busy working on #5.
November 13, 2016
Another fast, fun read. This time Jamie reluctantly agrees to represent a woman in her divorce from a notorious attorney with so many loose strings no one will represent his wife. She runs into a hoard of bad doers, has her boyfriend Kip go to Australia for six months, and splits with her best friend. I won't go any further into the plot because of spoilers but can tell you it is chick lit at its best. Thanks to the author for an ARC for an honest review.
February 6, 2017
This book was just as good as the first three- maybe even a little better! Maybe because I'm getting to know more about the characters with each book. Well written and not a lot of typos like some other ebooks. Highly recommended.
May 5, 2021
This book had me feeling right along with Jamie as she had to go through so much from getting
threatened to almost getting killed. What a ride....I loved it and I also love the proposal from
Kip - loved that!!!
threatened to almost getting killed. What a ride....I loved it and I also love the proposal from
Kip - loved that!!!
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