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Izzy McNeil Mystery #2
Red Blooded Murder
Chicago is the Windy City, and these days the winds of change are whipping Izzy McNeil's life all over the map. A high-profile job on Trial TV lands her in the hot seat. After a shocking end to her engagement, she finds herself juggling not only her ex-fiance, but a guy she never expected. And a moonlighting undercover gig has her digging deep into worlds she barely knew existed.
But all of this takes a backseat when Izzy's friend winds up brutally murdered. Suddenly, Izzy must balance the demands of a voracious media and the knowledge that she didn't know her friend as well as she thought.
But all of this takes a backseat when Izzy's friend winds up brutally murdered. Suddenly, Izzy must balance the demands of a voracious media and the knowledge that she didn't know her friend as well as she thought.
452 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
26 people are currently reading
289 people want to read
About the author
Laura Caldwell
33 books164 followersLaura Caldwell is a Chicago-based lawyer turned novelist. Her first book, Burning the Map, was selected by Barnes & Noble.com as one of The Best of 2002. Following that, A Clean Slate received a starred review from Booklist. The release of The Year of Living Famously and The Night I Got Lucky prompted Booklist to declare, “Caldwell is one of the most talented and inventive...writers around.”
Laura began publishing thrillers and suspense novels in 2005. Her debut mystery, Look Closely, received critical acclaim and The Chicago Sun-Times called The Rome Affair “Caldwell’s most exciting book yet…a summer must-read.” The Rome Affair, which centers around a Chicago society couple riding a roller coaster of infidelity, blackmail and murder, pulled Laura into a real-life, highly-profiled murder trial involving a 19-year old suspect forced into a confession and wrongfully jailed for a crime he did not commit. Laura became one of the attorneys who represented the suspect pro bono, resulting in a not-guilty verdict.
Laura's newest is an international thriller, The Good Liar. Bestselling author Ken Bruen calls it "a massive achievement." Publisher's Weekly lauds it as "a taut, enjoyable thriller." And New York Times bestselling author James Rollins said, "THE GOOD LIAR strikes like an assassin's bullet: sudden, swift, precise, deadly. Here is a taut international thriller certain to keep readers breathless and awake until the wee hours of the morning. Not to be missed." Her work has been translated into ten languages and published in over twenty countries.
Before beginning her writing career, Laura was a trial attorney, specializing in medical malpractice defense and entertainment law. She is published in the legal field and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at her alma mater, Loyola University Chicago, where she teaches Advanced Writing for Litigation. She recently received the St. Robert Bellarmine award for distinguished contributions to the profession and the Loyola School of Law. In the summer of 2008, she will be teaching International Criminal Law at Loyola's campus in Rome, Italy.
Laura is also a freelance magazine writer. Her work has been published in Chicago Magazine, Woman's Own, The Young Lawyer, Lake Magazine, Australia Woman's Weekly, Shore Magazine and others. Her work can also be seen in Everything I Needed to Know About Being A Girl I Learned From Judy Blume (Pocket Books, 2007), It's A Wonderful Lie: Truth About Life In Your Twenties (Warner, 2006), Girl's Night In II (Red Dress Ink, 2006) Flirting With Pride & Prejudice (BenBella Books, 2005) and Welcome to Wisteria Lane: On America's Favorite Desperate Housewives (BenBella Books, 2006).
Laura began publishing thrillers and suspense novels in 2005. Her debut mystery, Look Closely, received critical acclaim and The Chicago Sun-Times called The Rome Affair “Caldwell’s most exciting book yet…a summer must-read.” The Rome Affair, which centers around a Chicago society couple riding a roller coaster of infidelity, blackmail and murder, pulled Laura into a real-life, highly-profiled murder trial involving a 19-year old suspect forced into a confession and wrongfully jailed for a crime he did not commit. Laura became one of the attorneys who represented the suspect pro bono, resulting in a not-guilty verdict.
Laura's newest is an international thriller, The Good Liar. Bestselling author Ken Bruen calls it "a massive achievement." Publisher's Weekly lauds it as "a taut, enjoyable thriller." And New York Times bestselling author James Rollins said, "THE GOOD LIAR strikes like an assassin's bullet: sudden, swift, precise, deadly. Here is a taut international thriller certain to keep readers breathless and awake until the wee hours of the morning. Not to be missed." Her work has been translated into ten languages and published in over twenty countries.
Before beginning her writing career, Laura was a trial attorney, specializing in medical malpractice defense and entertainment law. She is published in the legal field and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at her alma mater, Loyola University Chicago, where she teaches Advanced Writing for Litigation. She recently received the St. Robert Bellarmine award for distinguished contributions to the profession and the Loyola School of Law. In the summer of 2008, she will be teaching International Criminal Law at Loyola's campus in Rome, Italy.
Laura is also a freelance magazine writer. Her work has been published in Chicago Magazine, Woman's Own, The Young Lawyer, Lake Magazine, Australia Woman's Weekly, Shore Magazine and others. Her work can also be seen in Everything I Needed to Know About Being A Girl I Learned From Judy Blume (Pocket Books, 2007), It's A Wonderful Lie: Truth About Life In Your Twenties (Warner, 2006), Girl's Night In II (Red Dress Ink, 2006) Flirting With Pride & Prejudice (BenBella Books, 2005) and Welcome to Wisteria Lane: On America's Favorite Desperate Housewives (BenBella Books, 2006).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 11, 2020
3.5 stars. This book was published in 2009 and takes place in Chicago. Entertainment lawyer Izzy McNeil is looking for work. Her friend Jane, anchor at Trial TV, offers her a job as a legal analyst. Although married, Jane has many one-might stands or dalliances as her husband calls them. Someone kills Jane and Izzy finds her body.
The opening chapter lets readers know an unnamed woman is murdered. After a few chapters, I knew who this woman was but I didn't know who killed her until the author decided to reveal it.
I liked the book even though it mostly dealt with Izzy's and Jane's personal lives. There was enough of a mystery to keep me interested. I got a chuckle out of Izzy working undercover at a lingerie store. I liked seeing the behind the scenes broadcasting action. Izzy wasn't the strongest of characters but I liked her. She rides a scooter but she's tenacious. She did have a hard time choosing between 3 men.
The opening chapter lets readers know an unnamed woman is murdered. After a few chapters, I knew who this woman was but I didn't know who killed her until the author decided to reveal it.
I liked the book even though it mostly dealt with Izzy's and Jane's personal lives. There was enough of a mystery to keep me interested. I got a chuckle out of Izzy working undercover at a lingerie store. I liked seeing the behind the scenes broadcasting action. Izzy wasn't the strongest of characters but I liked her. She rides a scooter but she's tenacious. She did have a hard time choosing between 3 men.
August 1, 2014
If you love great thrillers, you'll also love the second installment in the Izzy McNeil series. In Red-Blooded Murder, it picked up six months later from Red Hot Lies. We really have gotten involved into Izzy's world, when she tackled a lot that have been going on in her life. And man, did she have a full plate in this series? We saw Izzy on an emotional roller coaster ride. I really became worried about her, since she became stuck and embroiled into another murder mystery of her own, when she was the center of the attention. Not only that, she juggled relationships and moonlighted in another job. But we watched how close she was to her mom, brother and step-dad. Fast-paced for a great ride.
August 20, 2020
The second entry in the Izzy McNeil mystery series, this book has Izzy in bad shape - she lost her job, got hired at another place, got fired, got hit over the head when she was somewhere she shouldn't have been, and worst of all, named the main suspect in the murder of her friend. She keeps thinking that things can't get worse, and then, like life, they do. This is a very satisfying read, with a good plot and excellent characters.
May 24, 2019
Red Blooded Murder by Laura Caldwell - three stars - a decent enough read, but at times I struggled through to get to the end. I found Izzy to be not the strongest of characters, and I thought the love-triangles she was involved in were a bit far-fetched for who she was portrayed to be. Maybe, had I read the first book in the Izzy series, I would have had a better understanding of her. Anyway, I wouldn't discard the read; it is interesting enough for those who enjoy the mystery genre.
Want to read
January 7, 2019Synopsis: Izzy McNeil’s life has changed; she now has a high-profile job on Trial TV and she's in the hot seat. Then her friend winds up murdered.
May 16, 2019
Now that Izzy's grown on me, I'm really liking this series. I'm enjoying the mystery aspect along with following Izzy on her journey.
September 27, 2016
Really enjoyed this - exciting and fun and a lot of generally good writing, which is always nice when you're expecting total fluff but you end up getting some good thinking in, too. A lot of discussion of relationships and knowing yourself and being real about that stuff, plus a great mystery.
December 30, 2012
This book was almost as much fun as the previous book in the series, but I found it lacked the amount of humor that Red Hot Lies contained. Many of the characters from book one made appearances in this one, but I wanted more from them. I realize that Izzy McNeil is the star, she is incredibly likeable, a bunch of fun, but I would still like more from some of the secondary characters.
I didn't have pause to notice anything formulaic in the first book, being that it was the first one I had read from this author, but after reading the second book in the series, I did get the feeling that indeed, a formula was followed. The formula is as follows: someone is murdered + Izzy finds herself surrounded by controversy and suspicion + Izzy has job troubles + Izzy finds herself with no one solid to turn to + Izzy moonlights as a "junior" P.I. (I actually love those parts!) + Izzy has love troubles + the authorities play secondary roles to actually solving the crimes = an Izzy McNeil novel. At least in this book, the police actually played a bigger hand in solving the crime. In the previous book, they did little to nothing in the crime - solving department, and I started to wonder if Caldwell secretly thought of the authorities as inept. The bad guy wasn't as predictable as in the last book, but I kind of had an inkling of who it was. Once again, Caldwell did a fair job of running the reader in circles trying to deepen the mystery of who the murderer was.
I am finding the life of Izzy McNeil to be highly unrealistic with the many things she does, but I am not complaining. I don't read fiction expecting real life, since that can be pretty boring. Her off - kilter lifestyle is what makes this character so interesting and fun. As with the previous books, I adore the made up cuss words, "Shazzer!", being my favorite from this one. I was really hoping that maybe in this installment that Mayburn and Izzy would become an item, but it looks like that's not going to happen. Shazzer! The only thing I found odd was Izzy's almost borderline obsession with Jane. It seemed that every other paragraph, she was thinking of Jane or something that Jane said. I realize that their friendship played a very integral part of the story, but this was like a girl crush and not a typical friendship. Then again, Izzy McNeil isn't typical.
As I've stated before, I never read series books back to back, but spunky Izzy has me hooked and I am moving on to Red, White, and Dead after this one.
I didn't have pause to notice anything formulaic in the first book, being that it was the first one I had read from this author, but after reading the second book in the series, I did get the feeling that indeed, a formula was followed. The formula is as follows: someone is murdered + Izzy finds herself surrounded by controversy and suspicion + Izzy has job troubles + Izzy finds herself with no one solid to turn to + Izzy moonlights as a "junior" P.I. (I actually love those parts!) + Izzy has love troubles + the authorities play secondary roles to actually solving the crimes = an Izzy McNeil novel. At least in this book, the police actually played a bigger hand in solving the crime. In the previous book, they did little to nothing in the crime - solving department, and I started to wonder if Caldwell secretly thought of the authorities as inept. The bad guy wasn't as predictable as in the last book, but I kind of had an inkling of who it was. Once again, Caldwell did a fair job of running the reader in circles trying to deepen the mystery of who the murderer was.
I am finding the life of Izzy McNeil to be highly unrealistic with the many things she does, but I am not complaining. I don't read fiction expecting real life, since that can be pretty boring. Her off - kilter lifestyle is what makes this character so interesting and fun. As with the previous books, I adore the made up cuss words, "Shazzer!", being my favorite from this one. I was really hoping that maybe in this installment that Mayburn and Izzy would become an item, but it looks like that's not going to happen. Shazzer! The only thing I found odd was Izzy's almost borderline obsession with Jane. It seemed that every other paragraph, she was thinking of Jane or something that Jane said. I realize that their friendship played a very integral part of the story, but this was like a girl crush and not a typical friendship. Then again, Izzy McNeil isn't typical.
As I've stated before, I never read series books back to back, but spunky Izzy has me hooked and I am moving on to Red, White, and Dead after this one.
April 18, 2011
really, really having trouble with this book. Not sure why I haven't given up, especially with the knowledge from reading the book synopsis previews that I know the main character's outcome in this book, (not to be confused with the identity of the murderer in this book) and I'm not happy or pleased with that outcome. Read a few pages, was not happy, intrigued or engaged, and gave up until today.
I am now engaged in the murder mystery. I am still not pleased with the development of the main character, Izzy McNeil. I still am amazed that she can be hurt by her former fiancées "not trusting or confiding in her" when in this book, she is keeping secrets from him - the exact same thing she is upset with him about, a result of events in the first book. What is this? Why is it okay for her to keep secrets, but not him? This leads me to believe there is something flawed or so self-centered in her character, that I can't allow me to connect with her.
I am not perfect by any means, and not that altruistic that I think I am better than this character. However, I think I would be more empathetic and sympathetic to others than she seems to be.
Will soldier on at this point, as I want to see "who dun it". But what started out as a promising series in the beginning of the first book, disappointed me at the end and does not seem to redeem itself's in the second book.
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After all that it was okay. Probably being generous here, but I did enjoy the mystery, even though the heroine drives me nuts at times.
I am now engaged in the murder mystery. I am still not pleased with the development of the main character, Izzy McNeil. I still am amazed that she can be hurt by her former fiancées "not trusting or confiding in her" when in this book, she is keeping secrets from him - the exact same thing she is upset with him about, a result of events in the first book. What is this? Why is it okay for her to keep secrets, but not him? This leads me to believe there is something flawed or so self-centered in her character, that I can't allow me to connect with her.
I am not perfect by any means, and not that altruistic that I think I am better than this character. However, I think I would be more empathetic and sympathetic to others than she seems to be.
Will soldier on at this point, as I want to see "who dun it". But what started out as a promising series in the beginning of the first book, disappointed me at the end and does not seem to redeem itself's in the second book.
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After all that it was okay. Probably being generous here, but I did enjoy the mystery, even though the heroine drives me nuts at times.
July 30, 2009
I haven't read the first book in this trilogy. While overall I liked this book, and think it seemed more realistic than most, I found that most of the characters were a trifle on the one-dimensional side, including the heroine. The pacing was a little too fast, and the heroine was always thinking on her feet in the middle of a crisis, often wrongly, as it turns out. The author in general strikes a reasonable balance between personal relationships and the detective story, but none of the emotions ring true.
Izzy McNeil may have a Scottish name but she shows none of the characteristics. A redhead, she seems to have laid claim to all the stereotypes about that hair color -- short temper, impulsive behavior, going off on tangents, etc etc. And she has no sense of humor -- I mean, she never says anything funny. But then, neither do any of the other characters. So the intensity level keeps ratcheting up without any leavening of humor. Even the obligatory gay male friend doesn't have anything witty to say.
While it's nice to have a new female lead in the crime category, I hope the author will develop her writing skills beyond the level she's at in this book. It's not bad; it just could be so much better.
Izzy McNeil may have a Scottish name but she shows none of the characteristics. A redhead, she seems to have laid claim to all the stereotypes about that hair color -- short temper, impulsive behavior, going off on tangents, etc etc. And she has no sense of humor -- I mean, she never says anything funny. But then, neither do any of the other characters. So the intensity level keeps ratcheting up without any leavening of humor. Even the obligatory gay male friend doesn't have anything witty to say.
While it's nice to have a new female lead in the crime category, I hope the author will develop her writing skills beyond the level she's at in this book. It's not bad; it just could be so much better.
November 27, 2013
Narrated by Nancy Liem
Series: Izzy McNeil, Book 2
14 hrs and 13 mins
Publisher's Summary
"For the first time in my adult life I was flying without a net. Fear was nibbling at my insides, creeping its way into my brain. I was buzzing with apprehension. But the job offer from Jane was a bolt of calm, clean sunshine breaking through the murky depths of my nerves."
Chicago is the Windy City, and these days the winds of change are whipping Izzy McNeil's life all over the map. A high-profile job on Trial TV lands her in the hot seat.
After a shocking end to her engagement, she finds herself juggling not only her ex-fiancé, but a guy she never expected. And a moonlighting undercover gig has her digging deep into worlds she barely knew existed.
But all of this takes a backseat when Izzy's friend winds up brutally murdered. Suddenly, Izzy must balance the demands of a voracious media and the knowledge that she didn't know her friend as well as she thought.
Series: Izzy McNeil, Book 2
14 hrs and 13 mins
Publisher's Summary
"For the first time in my adult life I was flying without a net. Fear was nibbling at my insides, creeping its way into my brain. I was buzzing with apprehension. But the job offer from Jane was a bolt of calm, clean sunshine breaking through the murky depths of my nerves."
Chicago is the Windy City, and these days the winds of change are whipping Izzy McNeil's life all over the map. A high-profile job on Trial TV lands her in the hot seat.
After a shocking end to her engagement, she finds herself juggling not only her ex-fiancé, but a guy she never expected. And a moonlighting undercover gig has her digging deep into worlds she barely knew existed.
But all of this takes a backseat when Izzy's friend winds up brutally murdered. Suddenly, Izzy must balance the demands of a voracious media and the knowledge that she didn't know her friend as well as she thought.
August 13, 2009
Izzy McNeil is a lawyer who's lost her "lawyering job" her fiance and her self-esteem. In the midst of getting back with her fiance, she lands a job on Trial TV with a former client, pseudo friend, Jane Alexander, who is mysteriously murdered (!) and Izzy is a person of interest. Throw in Jane's husband and several "one night stands" and the plot thickens nicely.
I like Izzy and will enjoy watching her character develop thru the next book. Jane was a piece of work and I felt sorry for her husband and was not surprised when he hooked up with a former girlfriend. I'm not sure where Sam will wind up and think it's a shame Izzy isn't more taken with Grady.
I like Izzy and will enjoy watching her character develop thru the next book. Jane was a piece of work and I felt sorry for her husband and was not surprised when he hooked up with a former girlfriend. I'm not sure where Sam will wind up and think it's a shame Izzy isn't more taken with Grady.
July 4, 2012
This is the second of three in a series ... I had read the first one, then the third one and now the second one.
I'd say that this is the weakest of the series. Though I enjoyed the writing style, the story was so-so. I found some of the situations absurd and unbelievable.
It was good to find out how she met Theo (I like him) but I got tired of Sam coming back and forth and whining.
The part with Mayburn could have been left out as it had no bearing on the main story but I guess she had to have him there so he can come back in the third book.
It didn't take me long to figure out who dunnit ... I would have liked more of a challenge.
I'd say that this is the weakest of the series. Though I enjoyed the writing style, the story was so-so. I found some of the situations absurd and unbelievable.
It was good to find out how she met Theo (I like him) but I got tired of Sam coming back and forth and whining.
The part with Mayburn could have been left out as it had no bearing on the main story but I guess she had to have him there so he can come back in the third book.
It didn't take me long to figure out who dunnit ... I would have liked more of a challenge.
January 4, 2015
This is my first Laura Caldwell book and based on this I will look for the others. Izzy McNeil is a Chicago lawyer who has lost her job. She meets up with Jane Augustine, a journalist whose contract she had negotiated and gets offered a job on Trial TV as a legal analyst. Unfortunately, Jane ends up dead and of course Izzy becomes the #1 suspect. The book is than about her trying to defend herself.
I always think I know "who done it", but as usual was totally surprised by who the killer was.
A good twist.
I always think I know "who done it", but as usual was totally surprised by who the killer was.
A good twist.
March 29, 2017
For being a 400 page book I read it pretty quickly. I classify it as legal thriller with police procedural.
Izzy McNeil is a formal lawyer who gets offered a new job opportunity by a friend. She is excited until the unthinkable happens. She can irritating at times with her decisiveness especially towards men. Once she quit worrying about who she wanted to be with it was much better.
Love that it took place in Chicago. It was easy to pictures most the places since I've been there.
There is one more in the series so I will finish it up.
Izzy McNeil is a formal lawyer who gets offered a new job opportunity by a friend. She is excited until the unthinkable happens. She can irritating at times with her decisiveness especially towards men. Once she quit worrying about who she wanted to be with it was much better.
Love that it took place in Chicago. It was easy to pictures most the places since I've been there.
There is one more in the series so I will finish it up.
May 24, 2010
What a colossal disappointment after enjoying the first book in this trilogy a great deal. The author takes her main character from likable and sympathetic to a whiner with slutty tendencies who finds coincidence (good and bad) at every turn. The plot is choppy, no flow to the narrative, not to mention the fact I figured out who the killer was right away. Even the subplot of Izzy undercover held no surprises. Once I knew who the culprit was, the book held no appeal and I just put it down.
April 23, 2010
Slow start but quickly moved into very suspenseful with action moving right along. Izzy caught between Sam, her former boyfriend who bagged on her last year, and Theo, young, tattooed lover. Her friend Jane Augustine is killed and Izzy is the primary suspect, especially when she's given Jane's anchor job at Trial TV. Need to read 1st in series and see what's next.
August 15, 2011
I really liked this book, the second in a series. The setting is Chicago and ,if you know the city, it's pretty believable that the author is familiar with it. I would recommend reading the first in the series, "Red Hot Lies'" before you read this because many references will not be too clear if you don't. Murder, intrigue, and romance all in one.
May 9, 2013
I didn't get a book to read during MLA, but Kelly was awesome enough to loan me this one. The writing flowed nicely despite a few small typos and mystery was engaging. I wanted to know who did it. There were several times during the second hall where the main character made poor decisions that felt forced so that the plot could move forward.
March 14, 2010
Another fun romp through my favorite city, Chicago. I'm enjoying getting to know the Izzy McNeil character in this series. Even though these mysteries are on the lighter/escapist side, they're meaty, well-written, cheese-free, and plausible. My kind of escapism.
July 26, 2009
2nd book in the Izzy McNeil trilogy is even better than the 1st book. Don't want to spoil it for anyone so I'll just say you have to read this. 3rd book in the Izzy McNeil trilogy is out on 7/28, can't wait to read it. If it is anything like the first 2 book, then it should be just as good.
September 2, 2009
This is the second book in the Izzy McNeil series. Crazy life of an x lawyer and her many adventures. This one is about the death of her freind and how she gets caught up in the investigation. Easy fun read.
January 4, 2011
The 2nd book in the series, this was another good book. It took a little bit longer for me to get into the story, but again it ended differently from what I expected. If you like a mystery then I recommend the series.
September 3, 2013
Loved this second one. I struggled with the main character more than last time. I also was annoyed at how badly she was railroaded... part of me believes this couldn't happen, but I know I am naive.
I am excited about the next one but know I need to take a break...
I am excited about the next one but know I need to take a break...
March 19, 2016
A great mystery that kept my mind on the book even when I wasn't reading! All the little details are so slowly revealed, it keeps you going through-out. Unfortunately, the personal relationships aren't all that positive. Oh well. :) 4.0
February 23, 2016
Not as good as the first in the trilogy, unsure if I will go to the next. A decent read, but the story seemed a bit scattered and far fetched. Not as interesting character story lines as Red Hot and Dead. A decent fluff read, but not worth following up on.
July 16, 2009
Introduction of a new, younger love interest that sounds great!
August 15, 2009
Great characters, wonderful plot, sexy and yet believable. Really liked this one. I did figure out half way through the book who dunnit, though.
June 3, 2010
I really like this character! Will be sad when I finish the last in the trilogy :(
November 8, 2009
I liked this one better than the first one. It's a fun, thrilling read. I definitely like this murder-mystery/chick-lit combo.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews