One Dead Under the Cuckoo's Nest

Pauline Sokol Mystery #3

by Lori Avocato

When Pauline Sokol goes undercover to investigate brokers who match psychiatric patients with treatment facilities for high dollar bounties, she suddenly finds herself confined against her will in a mental hospital run by nuns! Of course, convincing the staff that she's not crazy is like convincing a jailer that she's innocent, so Pauline decides to use the time to her advantage and continues with her investigation. Just as she starts to immerse herself in this strange world and make some headway, her hunky cohort Jagger shows up. When Jagger won't help her escape, Pauline knows that she's in deeper than she ever imagined and her only hope is the help of her colorful and "off kilter" new friends – her fellow patients. But when a crooked cross dressing nun winds up dead, Pauline knows that only her wits can save her from a killer that's committed to silencing her...permanently.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Cozy, Humor

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 2005

About the author

After serving in the Air Force as a registered nurse, Lori Avocato decided to give up nursing to write fiction. She lives in New England and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, PASIC, NINC, Romance Writers of America, the Author's Guild, and Sisters in Crime. She's raising two teenage sons (heaven help her!), and one darling dog, Spanky. Lori is the author of six novels featuring Pauline Sokol: A Dose of Murder; The Stiff and the Dead; One Dead Under the Cuckoo's Nest; Deep Sea Dead; Nip, Tuck, Dead; and Dead on Arrival.

Reviews

[Aimée Marie Bejarano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the main character was pretty funny. I found myself laughing and smiling at the narrative voice the author pulls off. I don't understand how a psychiatric facility-such as she was in- allows her to leave for the weekend? Sounds like a maximum security ward nuns or not, so that was confusing.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pure delightful mystery to read! Especially because there’s a tad of humor in it (love it when I can chuckle with a book). The characters are all unique, strange in their own way and pull together to just make this a great read! This one was a bit more serious than the others in this series making it more of a mystery and not a cozy! GREAT READ!!!!

[Emily Kestrel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cozy mystery in which our hapless heroine goes undercover in a private mental hospital in order to investigate insurance fraud. I have to admit the book is quite readable--I pretty much breezed through it in one sitting--but I found it to be annoyingly silly from start to finish.

[Susan Paulen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Investigate please!

There was no reason for the main character to keep returning to a psych ward. She could have investigated the people working there by following them. It would have been more interesting and natural.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cartoon of a book, fast paced, entertaining, and unrealistic.

[Patricia English · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great, I loved how Lori wrote Pauline in this one and her antics. I have loved all her books so far but this ones the best yet.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In One Dead Under the Cuckoo's Nest, Pauline Sokol didn't know what she'd gotten herself into, when someone mistakes her for someone else. She lands in the loony bin. Things aren't what they seem, as she's the right one for this case, since she was an ex-nurse. She gets a closer look into the nuns who's in charge of the mental hospital and the patient. When things gets fishy, she knows something's on the up and up. When one person winds up dead, things gets suspicious. When drugged, someone goes through her stuff and attacks. Not once, not twice, but three times! As one patient leaves the bin, another one enters. And things gets heated, as Pauline's attracted to him and fighting her feeling for Jagger. One by one, they catch on about who's behind this phony insurance scam, when things take a drastic turn on her life to the bitter end.

[Jennifer The Forgetful Fairy Queen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Pauline and Jagger finally getting closer!!!! I didn't however enjoy the setting or the plot. I never could figure out all the players though until told at the very end. So all of it was not completely obvious. I did have to wonder how many friggin passes one could get out of a Pchyciatric facility, I mean HONESTLY!!

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like these books but have to admit that reading all but the last book I'm a little disappointed that there is not more interaction between Pauline and Jagger although I do get a kick out of him sitting through meals at the Sokol house. Pauline's mother is very *hip* with Pauline's friend Goldie and his partner.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this Pauline Sokol mystery. The only thing I didn't like was that at times the amount of characters was overwhelming to keep track of. The story was well written and you really felt for the characters.

[Kelli Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again this one is a winner. It's when you really start to see Jagger's interest in Pauline start to grow!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

one word.........Hilarious!!!

[Terquoise · Rating 4 out of 5]

a fun quick read that doesn't require a lot of thinking...

[Lydia Jones-green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great summer time read! Light and funny! Reminded me of the Stephanie Plum series!

[Jon Rybka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third one and the best one so far. It was really good and I enjoyed it alot. I hope the rest are just as good. Someone needs to make these movies. Imajustayin'

[Scott Cinsavich · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a pleasure to read while I was recovering in the hospital. Thanks Maggie.

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was fairly entertaining, if not completely unrealistic.
the pacing had a problem though, it drags on in the middle and gets tied up in a rush at the end.

[Sonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved every book in this series!

[Eunira · Rating 3 out of 5]

BM