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Jenny T. Partridge #1
Tutu Deadly
Meet the dance instructor who puts criminals behind bars.
Meet Jenny T. Partridge, founder of Ogden, Utah's premier school for budding prima-and not-so-prima-ballerinas. For Jenny, dealing with difficult stage mothers is business as usual...until murder cuts in.
When the obnoxious mother of Jenny's most talented student meets her maker-courtesy of poisoned cookie dough purchased through the Academy's fund-raiser-Jenny must dance as fast as she can to clear her name.
Meet Jenny T. Partridge, founder of Ogden, Utah's premier school for budding prima-and not-so-prima-ballerinas. For Jenny, dealing with difficult stage mothers is business as usual...until murder cuts in.
When the obnoxious mother of Jenny's most talented student meets her maker-courtesy of poisoned cookie dough purchased through the Academy's fund-raiser-Jenny must dance as fast as she can to clear her name.
248 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 3, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
March 10, 2008
Now, I like a good mystery as well as the next person, but this book did not fall into that category. It was more like reading a 14-year-old girl's attempt at a mystery novel.
The main character is supposed to come off as quirky, yet lovable. The reason I know that is because the author practically screams it at you. "You're going to love this character! She's so quirky!" The super hot detective finds her quirkiness so attractive that he wants to jump in bed with her after talking to her only a few minutes. Of course.
The whole book is so full of contradictions and cliches that I was mostly groaning through the whole thing. And the mishandled switching between tenses made me crazy (WHO edited this thing??)
Overall, this book read more like a badly written Harlequin romance.
The main character is supposed to come off as quirky, yet lovable. The reason I know that is because the author practically screams it at you. "You're going to love this character! She's so quirky!" The super hot detective finds her quirkiness so attractive that he wants to jump in bed with her after talking to her only a few minutes. Of course.
The whole book is so full of contradictions and cliches that I was mostly groaning through the whole thing. And the mishandled switching between tenses made me crazy (WHO edited this thing??)
Overall, this book read more like a badly written Harlequin romance.
July 5, 2019
This definitely falls into the category of DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!! The plot is nonsense, the main character is downright mamby-bamby. What a waste of my perfectly good 4th of July afternoon.
March 24, 2008
For starters, I had no idea this book was set in Utah. As a native Utahn, it was a little awkward reading about the place I was born and raised. I wonder if that's how other people feel when they read a book set in the place they grew up.
I didn't particulary love this story. It was okay. The writing was more conversational--as though someone were telling me the story instead of me reading it--then I typically like. It was full of cheesy cliches and punchlines as well.
Jenny, a dance instructor, is the main suspect in the murder of a student's mom. A detective is assigned to watch her and they fall for each other. I'm not entirely sure if that happens in real life--but then either does a lot that goes on. Like Aunt Vi finding everything out through the "Mormon" grapevine.
Jenny isn't Mormon and spends a lot of time remarking about her lack of religion. It grew a little tiresome, especially when a lot of the story revolved around traditional Mormon themes like the churches and missionaries. To change things up, the author added the f-bomb towards the end of the story, just to hit it home that this wasn't a Mormon-lit book.
Not being particularly drawn to the dancing crowd, I didn't find this book to be especially interesting in that regard. I thought the ending was poorly drawn out and am not anticipating the arrival of the next book. I felt that everything got tied up nicely in this story and there isn't a lot that needs to be answered in a follow-up book. Just a new set of Mormon cliches and more trouble that Jenny manages to find.
I didn't particulary love this story. It was okay. The writing was more conversational--as though someone were telling me the story instead of me reading it--then I typically like. It was full of cheesy cliches and punchlines as well.
Jenny, a dance instructor, is the main suspect in the murder of a student's mom. A detective is assigned to watch her and they fall for each other. I'm not entirely sure if that happens in real life--but then either does a lot that goes on. Like Aunt Vi finding everything out through the "Mormon" grapevine.
Jenny isn't Mormon and spends a lot of time remarking about her lack of religion. It grew a little tiresome, especially when a lot of the story revolved around traditional Mormon themes like the churches and missionaries. To change things up, the author added the f-bomb towards the end of the story, just to hit it home that this wasn't a Mormon-lit book.
Not being particularly drawn to the dancing crowd, I didn't find this book to be especially interesting in that regard. I thought the ending was poorly drawn out and am not anticipating the arrival of the next book. I felt that everything got tied up nicely in this story and there isn't a lot that needs to be answered in a follow-up book. Just a new set of Mormon cliches and more trouble that Jenny manages to find.
July 28, 2007
This was a fun and suprisingly sexy mystery. Jenny Partridge is a dance instructor who gets caught up in a mystery when one of the 'psycho moms' at her dance school is murdered. Suddenly Jenny is both a suspect and a potential victim, she has two hot lawmen protecting her, and she still has to prepare her students for the Nutcracker. I bought this book on a whim and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
February 12, 2008
DON'T JUDGE ME! I'm so embarrassed that I read and liked this book, but it was so fun to read! The heroine is this hilariously irreverent, pretty eccentric, pathetic sort of girl who I completely related to. I think what I enjoyed most was the "outside looking in" perspective of a non-Mormon living in Utah. Pretty funny stuff. It doesn't hurt that there's a hunky detective involved. Egads. I just said "hunky detective."
February 20, 2011
Jenny Partridge is a heroine to adore. Her cast of students, from toddlers to senior, will amuse and startle as well as make one wonder from what well Jenny draws her patience. When Jenny becomes the prime suspect in the death of one of the psycho dance moms and two good-looking investigators arrive on the scene, the action begins it's incredible ride to the solution. This is a fun, zippy, and entertaining book that should amuse anyone who enjoys light-hearted mysteries.
September 24, 2007
First book in a new series, and it's a series I won't need to keep up with. It was OK, and got off to a good start. However, the mystery wasn't very good, and the attempt at a zany, madcap finish fell flat with me.
December 30, 2019
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this first entry in the series. I liked the characters and Jenny was a little crazy without being over the top. The only annoying part was constantly calling her Jenny T Partridge - who uses their middle initial that much! #readforkimberly
April 8, 2014
This was a very funny book! Lots of great mystery and suspense. Characters were colorful and entertaining!
December 13, 2016
This was cute enough but I don't want to read an entire series that revolves around psycho-dance moms and kiddie dancers so I won't be continuing the series. Though I did really like Tate Wilson.
December 29, 2022
This was an amazing start to a new series. The writing was excellent and the characters were very well developed with their own oddities.
I love Jenny T. Partridge and her messed up life. She can barely feed her self and keep her business going but she is determined and does what it takes. I love her way of getting sayings all mixed up and that she is smart, a great dancer and also with many quirks. I really liked her love interest Detective Tate Wilson who seems a caring, honest guy. I also loved the silly side characters like the Mormon missionaries and James, the guy guy who won't come out to his mother. They are all great side characters with many other friends who all nicely round out the book and gives a few laughs.
This was a quick easy read that was really entertaining and a great mystery.
I love Jenny T. Partridge and her messed up life. She can barely feed her self and keep her business going but she is determined and does what it takes. I love her way of getting sayings all mixed up and that she is smart, a great dancer and also with many quirks. I really liked her love interest Detective Tate Wilson who seems a caring, honest guy. I also loved the silly side characters like the Mormon missionaries and James, the guy guy who won't come out to his mother. They are all great side characters with many other friends who all nicely round out the book and gives a few laughs.
This was a quick easy read that was really entertaining and a great mystery.
August 30, 2017
Well, I have never given a book below a four star before. Even if I don't connect with it, I take into account the hard work that goes into creating a book. I love ballet. I was hoping this cozy series would be great. I could not identify with the characters. The many character, Jenny, was very catty and immature. The author degraded mother's who take their children to dance class. I was offended. The plot was poor. I am shocked that I hung in to finish the book. Although, I did skip a few chapters here and there without missing a detail.
April 24, 2021
I like my MCs competent. Jenny T. Partridge was a complete wimp - she cried, she fainted, she was sick, she wimped out, she quit, she ran, she constantly got herself in trouble and needed rescuing. I realize she was supposed to be cute and quirky and girlie and fun, but I didn't like her at all. And if I don't like the MC, I can't like the book.
July 2, 2017
This book is part of the Jenny T. Partridge Mystery series. Each character is likable and the setting is Ogden, Utah. This ending lets the reader know that there will be more coming for this cute group of people. copy right 2007
July 14, 2018
A wonderfully fun murder mystery...some graphic scenes, definitely an adult read. I really enjoyed the humor in this book!
July 8, 2024
I did not find this book very enjoyable. The was good and all loose ends were tied up. However, the journey to end was frustrating. Will not be interested in other books in this series.
February 26, 2013
I like a good cozy. Especially when it involves kickass women, crafts, art history (that's the influence of my art history professor girlfriend), queers, or something full of sparkles and/or spangles (aka things that queers like)--FOR EXAMPLE, dance--and/or some kind of unveiling of the claustrophobic wackiness of small towns that makes queers want to either paint everybody with rainbows, or run away. Escapist, kinda. Cozy. This one sort of delivers.
A kickass woman? Check: Jenny Partridge is creative, runs a mostly successful small business, doesn't need a man to make her happy or into a person, and has personality without running into manic pixie dream girl territory.
Crafts? Well, there're some good bits about costume design.
Art history? Well, dance: somethin' creative; good times had by all.
Spangles and glitter and things that (ok, ok, not all, just some) queers like? HELLO, DANCE. Dance classes with young kids, but still. Good times.
Claustrophobic wackiness? Roberts, who writes books about Mormon women under another name, writes an outside-Mormonism-but-still-in-a-Mormon-community experience in a way that's really interesting, doesn't belittle anybody's religion, but also rings true to my experience with living in a community of evangelical religious people (ahemcoughmyrelatives) in a loving way. Also, the dance parents: whoa. BUT: here is my beef with their characterization: 1. the book starts off with Jenny overdramatically cowering in horror at the HUGE, MASSIVE BULK of a GIGANTICSCARYFAT dance mom because she's afraid she'll be suffocated by the ZORGSMAGORGSDEATHFAT. Hilaaaaaarious. (Can I tell you how much I hate this? SO MUCH.) 2. Although it's true that most stage parents are stage moms, and the reason for that is that it's hard for straight rich white ladies to find power in their communities in some places in the heteropatriarchy, AND it sucks to deal with the public in a teaching or customer service job when the adults around you won't respect your boundaries, a lot of the going-for-humor over-the-topness of the dance moms reads as *too* over the top, edging into sexist caricature.
Queers? Jenny's got a gay friend. A closety gay friend. Who does not respect boundaries and insists on drawing her into his wacky schemes to protect his privilege in the heteropatriarchy by using her as a beard even when she STOPS consenting to be so used. And then he whines and gives the big puppy eyes, and she melts because goshdarnit it IS hard to be queer in a conservative community.
WELL FUCK THAT SHIT.
No means NO, even when sex is not involved. I WILL NOT PRETEND TO MARRY YOU DOES NOT MEAN, GO TELL YOUR MOTHER THAT WE ARE GETTING MARRIED AND THEN MANIPULATE ME INTO GOING ALONG WITH WHAT *YOUR MOTHER* DECIDES ARE FAMILY OBLIGATIONS. NO MEANS FUCKING NO. I don't care if there's no pressuring to have sex--this is emotional abuse, and it's NOT FUNNY.
The rest of the book was diverting enough, but the forced teaming and gaslighting and poor-me manipulation by the gay guy? Gives the rest of us a bad name and ruins the book. Being in the closet and being scared about losing your privileges does not give you a free pass to manipulate and emotionally abuse your friends. FUCK THAT SHIT.
A kickass woman? Check: Jenny Partridge is creative, runs a mostly successful small business, doesn't need a man to make her happy or into a person, and has personality without running into manic pixie dream girl territory.
Crafts? Well, there're some good bits about costume design.
Art history? Well, dance: somethin' creative; good times had by all.
Spangles and glitter and things that (ok, ok, not all, just some) queers like? HELLO, DANCE. Dance classes with young kids, but still. Good times.
Claustrophobic wackiness? Roberts, who writes books about Mormon women under another name, writes an outside-Mormonism-but-still-in-a-Mormon-community experience in a way that's really interesting, doesn't belittle anybody's religion, but also rings true to my experience with living in a community of evangelical religious people (ahemcoughmyrelatives) in a loving way. Also, the dance parents: whoa. BUT: here is my beef with their characterization: 1. the book starts off with Jenny overdramatically cowering in horror at the HUGE, MASSIVE BULK of a GIGANTICSCARYFAT dance mom because she's afraid she'll be suffocated by the ZORGSMAGORGSDEATHFAT. Hilaaaaaarious. (Can I tell you how much I hate this? SO MUCH.) 2. Although it's true that most stage parents are stage moms, and the reason for that is that it's hard for straight rich white ladies to find power in their communities in some places in the heteropatriarchy, AND it sucks to deal with the public in a teaching or customer service job when the adults around you won't respect your boundaries, a lot of the going-for-humor over-the-topness of the dance moms reads as *too* over the top, edging into sexist caricature.
Queers? Jenny's got a gay friend. A closety gay friend. Who does not respect boundaries and insists on drawing her into his wacky schemes to protect his privilege in the heteropatriarchy by using her as a beard even when she STOPS consenting to be so used. And then he whines and gives the big puppy eyes, and she melts because goshdarnit it IS hard to be queer in a conservative community.
WELL FUCK THAT SHIT.
No means NO, even when sex is not involved. I WILL NOT PRETEND TO MARRY YOU DOES NOT MEAN, GO TELL YOUR MOTHER THAT WE ARE GETTING MARRIED AND THEN MANIPULATE ME INTO GOING ALONG WITH WHAT *YOUR MOTHER* DECIDES ARE FAMILY OBLIGATIONS. NO MEANS FUCKING NO. I don't care if there's no pressuring to have sex--this is emotional abuse, and it's NOT FUNNY.
The rest of the book was diverting enough, but the forced teaming and gaslighting and poor-me manipulation by the gay guy? Gives the rest of us a bad name and ruins the book. Being in the closet and being scared about losing your privileges does not give you a free pass to manipulate and emotionally abuse your friends. FUCK THAT SHIT.
May 17, 2013
Jenny Partridge's life is already complicated. She is trying to run a dance studio, deal with psycho dance moms, and keep up with her bills. The last thing she needs (or wants) is for the mother of her most talented dance student, Taylee, to be murdered - by poisoned cookie dough that Jenny was selling as a fundraiser. Now Jenny is trying to convince hunky police detective Tate Wilson that she is not a murderer while fighting her attraction to him. She's trying to find the killer as well as finding out who shot at her, who set off a bomb in her studio, and where Taylee is. On top of that, she is trying to stage her version of the Nutcracker. She certainly has a lot to take care of, too too much!
"Tutu Deadly" is a pretty good debut cozy mystery. Author Natalie M. Roberts does use a few of the standard cliches for a cozy mystery - cute, single woman struggling to make her dream job profitable (I kept thinking "why doesn't she charge more for dance lessons?"), who stumbles across a murder that threatens her livelihood, and the hunky police detective who initially suspects her but then sets out to clear her name. But Roberts manages to add some fresh twists that help make this book enjoyable. First is Jenny herself - she is laugh out loud funny at times, especially when she mangles phrases, but her love for dance and her sincere concern for Taylee is what makes her a great character. Having the book set in the world of a dance school with its psycho dance moms is another great touch (and provides plenty of suspects). While there is a lot of humor in the book (the whole sub plot with Jenny's friend James not being able to tell his mother he is gay is especially hilarious) there are enough serious moments to keep the book from being too light and fluffy. The mystery itself is well plotted with lots of twists and turns. There are a lot of little plots going on in the book (almost too many) and readers will have a hard time figuring out who the murderer is. Roberts deserves credit for not wrapping everything up happily in the end, since real life isn't like that.
"Tutu Deadly" isn't too too bad.
"Tutu Deadly" is a pretty good debut cozy mystery. Author Natalie M. Roberts does use a few of the standard cliches for a cozy mystery - cute, single woman struggling to make her dream job profitable (I kept thinking "why doesn't she charge more for dance lessons?"), who stumbles across a murder that threatens her livelihood, and the hunky police detective who initially suspects her but then sets out to clear her name. But Roberts manages to add some fresh twists that help make this book enjoyable. First is Jenny herself - she is laugh out loud funny at times, especially when she mangles phrases, but her love for dance and her sincere concern for Taylee is what makes her a great character. Having the book set in the world of a dance school with its psycho dance moms is another great touch (and provides plenty of suspects). While there is a lot of humor in the book (the whole sub plot with Jenny's friend James not being able to tell his mother he is gay is especially hilarious) there are enough serious moments to keep the book from being too light and fluffy. The mystery itself is well plotted with lots of twists and turns. There are a lot of little plots going on in the book (almost too many) and readers will have a hard time figuring out who the murderer is. Roberts deserves credit for not wrapping everything up happily in the end, since real life isn't like that.
"Tutu Deadly" isn't too too bad.
November 18, 2011
My oldest daughter is a dancer and into musical theater. So when I saw this book listed on the Cozy-Mystery group by someone that they had just read it, i knew I had to see what it was about.
The lead character is Jenny T Partridge, and she owns a dance studio, albeit a small scale studio. She has psycho dance moms coming in and out all day, complaining that their daughters are better than they really our, deserve more front-center time, etc, etc. On this day, she has been confronted by a psycho mom who thinks her daughter is a dancer, when she clearly could care less about dance and more about picking her nose, who proceeds to pee herself and the dance floor. As she is cleaning up the mess, a police detective walks in and asks Jenny about a mom, who she comes to find out is dead. Jenny faints on the spot.
This is different in a number of ways from most Cozy mysteries that I have read. In most books, the lead is a capable and confident woman who purposely sets out to find out what is going on, Jenny has no desire to find out what is going on, to just live her normal life, but that is not to be. Jenny comes across in the first few chapters as almost a brick short of a full load, so to say. She can't get a simple common expression correct and seems to be oblivious to half the world around her.
I think it was Chapter 3 or 4 when I fnally stopped getting the feel that Jenny was brainless, but just oblivious. If it wasn't for the hunky detective that shows an interest in her, and the best friend James that has no clue how to handle his mother, who is actively planning his and Jenny's wedding even though James is gay, I would have no interest in another book, but the ending of this has me on pins and needles to find out what happens with the detective and james.
The lead character is Jenny T Partridge, and she owns a dance studio, albeit a small scale studio. She has psycho dance moms coming in and out all day, complaining that their daughters are better than they really our, deserve more front-center time, etc, etc. On this day, she has been confronted by a psycho mom who thinks her daughter is a dancer, when she clearly could care less about dance and more about picking her nose, who proceeds to pee herself and the dance floor. As she is cleaning up the mess, a police detective walks in and asks Jenny about a mom, who she comes to find out is dead. Jenny faints on the spot.
This is different in a number of ways from most Cozy mysteries that I have read. In most books, the lead is a capable and confident woman who purposely sets out to find out what is going on, Jenny has no desire to find out what is going on, to just live her normal life, but that is not to be. Jenny comes across in the first few chapters as almost a brick short of a full load, so to say. She can't get a simple common expression correct and seems to be oblivious to half the world around her.
I think it was Chapter 3 or 4 when I fnally stopped getting the feel that Jenny was brainless, but just oblivious. If it wasn't for the hunky detective that shows an interest in her, and the best friend James that has no clue how to handle his mother, who is actively planning his and Jenny's wedding even though James is gay, I would have no interest in another book, but the ending of this has me on pins and needles to find out what happens with the detective and james.
July 16, 2007
few months ago I noticed this ARC hanging out among the other ARCs in our break room. I was slightly tempted to grab it, but, because my style of reading has changed, and because I already have more than enough books to keep me busy reading for years I left it for someone else to take. I watched it languish, unloved, on the shelf in the breakroom for a couple of months before I finally felt so bad for it that I brought it home. *Wry grin*.
Tutu Deadly is the first in a new cozy series by Natalie M. Roberts. The main character, Jenny Partridge, runs a dance school in Ogden, Utah. When one of the demanding stage moms is murdered, and cookie cough sold in a fund raiser in poisoned, Jenny gets caught up in circumstances that add even more craziness to her life.
This was an extremely light read, of course. I found it very nicely entertaining. It was fairly weakly written; however, I definitely think that it has potential as a series. I'm thinking that the author should get stronger as the series goes on. It put me in mind of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series in many respects.
I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a nice, light, fluffy read, or for any Evanovich fans who've already finished Lean, Mean Thirteen and are jonesing for the next one in the Stepahanie Plum series.
Tutu Deadly is the first in a new cozy series by Natalie M. Roberts. The main character, Jenny Partridge, runs a dance school in Ogden, Utah. When one of the demanding stage moms is murdered, and cookie cough sold in a fund raiser in poisoned, Jenny gets caught up in circumstances that add even more craziness to her life.
This was an extremely light read, of course. I found it very nicely entertaining. It was fairly weakly written; however, I definitely think that it has potential as a series. I'm thinking that the author should get stronger as the series goes on. It put me in mind of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series in many respects.
I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a nice, light, fluffy read, or for any Evanovich fans who've already finished Lean, Mean Thirteen and are jonesing for the next one in the Stepahanie Plum series.
July 12, 2015
I really wanted to like this book as it's about dance and I can always go for some light reads in between fantasy books. However it was fairly poorly written. The book talked about OMG how poor Jenny is, and feeding off of everyone else (could be why most dance teachers take TWO jobs). I hated the way the book ended, it didn't end with read the second book, it just ended.
A few things that bothered me were:
What detective wants to sleep with a girl that he thinks is a PRIME suspect. But just because he thinks she's hot changes his mind?
Not every dance mom is psycho, my mom wasn't. This author makes every dance parent the worst person in the whole entire world. And they are all ready to go psycho on her. Yes some are bad but not a whole studio worth.
The whole book we follow "gay" James. But that is never resolved instead it just goes on and on. We learn about how sparkly he is and how he's just SOOOOOOOOOOOOO gay.
The religion thing bothered me. Yes you don't like Mormons (although the book takes place in Utah). But do we have to hear it every page?
Over all this was a quick read and not the worst book I've read. I was just a little disappointed it wasn't better.
A few things that bothered me were:
What detective wants to sleep with a girl that he thinks is a PRIME suspect. But just because he thinks she's hot changes his mind?
Not every dance mom is psycho, my mom wasn't. This author makes every dance parent the worst person in the whole entire world. And they are all ready to go psycho on her. Yes some are bad but not a whole studio worth.
The whole book we follow "gay" James. But that is never resolved instead it just goes on and on. We learn about how sparkly he is and how he's just SOOOOOOOOOOOOO gay.
The religion thing bothered me. Yes you don't like Mormons (although the book takes place in Utah). But do we have to hear it every page?
Over all this was a quick read and not the worst book I've read. I was just a little disappointed it wasn't better.
June 26, 2008
Jenny Partridge teaches dance. And with that comes money worries (not enough), flamboyant friends and psycho dance moms. When one of those moms is murdered with poisoned cookie dough (from Jenny's fundraiser) a whole lot of suprises are in store for her. Many people are not who they seem and some of the pyshcos are more psycho than she thought.
The book is funny. The detective is hot. It's a light, fun read. My only real criticism is that Jenny isn't really an ameteur sleuth. She doesnt really investigate anything. Things happen to her. LOTS of things. She certainly is caught up in all the danger and mystery, but she doesnt get clues or have the suspects talk to her etc...
I love the dance setting but I have to say, that was much more over the top than my dance schools, thank goodness. I mean there were a few pscyho dance moms but most were just busy parents dropping kids off picking them up etc...
The book is funny. The detective is hot. It's a light, fun read. My only real criticism is that Jenny isn't really an ameteur sleuth. She doesnt really investigate anything. Things happen to her. LOTS of things. She certainly is caught up in all the danger and mystery, but she doesnt get clues or have the suspects talk to her etc...
I love the dance setting but I have to say, that was much more over the top than my dance schools, thank goodness. I mean there were a few pscyho dance moms but most were just busy parents dropping kids off picking them up etc...
July 29, 2013
This is a debut novel in a series back in 2007 which I discovered and enjoyed a great deal. The story is timeless and the humor as well.
Dance Instructor, Jenny T. Partridge is getting her troops ready for her annual 'take' on the Nutcracker ballet. While she is feverishly attempting to work with the children and calm the psycho Dance Moms, a murder occurs. The murder points directly to Jenny until she, herself, is attacked. Why was one of the Moms murdered, why was Jenny set up and does Detective Tate have a chance with her?
This story had more action and humor in it than I've read in a while. Jenny, is only trying to eke out a living and has to find ways to eat until 'tuition' day. There was tainted cookie dough fundraisers, bombings, physical attacks, shot missionaries and more in this tightly written tale of life in Ogden, Utah.
I will look up this author and hope she continued the series.
Dance Instructor, Jenny T. Partridge is getting her troops ready for her annual 'take' on the Nutcracker ballet. While she is feverishly attempting to work with the children and calm the psycho Dance Moms, a murder occurs. The murder points directly to Jenny until she, herself, is attacked. Why was one of the Moms murdered, why was Jenny set up and does Detective Tate have a chance with her?
This story had more action and humor in it than I've read in a while. Jenny, is only trying to eke out a living and has to find ways to eat until 'tuition' day. There was tainted cookie dough fundraisers, bombings, physical attacks, shot missionaries and more in this tightly written tale of life in Ogden, Utah.
I will look up this author and hope she continued the series.
August 1, 2013
The premise has potential -- a crime-fighting dance teacher who's constantly dealing with psycho dance moms -- but fell short in execution. Jenny was likable enough as a struggling dance instructor who's following her dream and wants to encourage other girls to follow theirs. The dance moms are also a hoot. The book works overtime to make Jenny a little TOO quirky in my opinion: A redhead. In Utah. Who likes potatoes. And can't afford decent meals. And frequently mixes up common sayings. And doesn't know her way around simple email. But has men falling over her.
Sorry, not buying it.
The book's ending also strained the bounds of credibility. This is an okay alternative to Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swenson mysteries since the writing and pacing are better, but the Jenny Partridge series didn't hook me.
Sorry, not buying it.
The book's ending also strained the bounds of credibility. This is an okay alternative to Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swenson mysteries since the writing and pacing are better, but the Jenny Partridge series didn't hook me.
September 5, 2011
More like 2.5 stars. This book had its moments and had potential, but overall didn't quite come together. I did like the setting and the mixing in of Mormonism. Jenny Partridge was definitely quirky but sometimes just too much. The relationship between her and Detective Wilson seemed too contrived. The mystery, which seemed to be completely forgotten at points during the book was unsatisfying. When the killer was revealed, s/he had been in the book but still felt like it came out of left field, especially the motive. With so many cozy series that really captivate me, I don't see myself moving on to any more in this series.
July 15, 2010
Jenny T. Partridge was a much more enjoyable character and book that I expected it to be. It light fluffy and very cute. I like books that are a little different. The writing style of this book wasn't the norm, and Jenny was not the typical brillant female sluth. Insead you got a ditzy girl who obsessed over food and the cop tailing her. Light, cute, fun! The only thing I didn't like about the books was the absurd amount of idioms she messed up. 2 or 3 would of been fine. Multiple ones every chapter sorta killed the cute factor on that.
March 5, 2008
A "beach" read although Spring is just here! Jenny is a dance instructor and much of the fun (and very recognizable) descriptions of the dance studio world where right on the mark. The character was ditzy sweet and so attracted to the 2 lawmen in the book. But in the end the plot wasn't very strong and the end made no sense at all, just answered one question after another. I will give Jenny another chance as the the next book in the series is already on my TBR pile.
March 9, 2008
What a crack up! This book, while a little irreverent, is quite funny. The story is based in Ogden, UT, and the character challenges her half-Mormon, half-Catholic upbringing. It's a quick read. I just finished it the jumped online to put a hold at the library for the second book. I'm glad it's a series because I wasn't satisfied with the ending of the first book!
March 21, 2008
not worth the read at least for me and there was a lot of bashing about all diffrent religions. Which was totally unnecessary. If they had left that out, it was a fun fun premise for a book and the main character was quite eccentric and entertaining and so I had to finish it just to see what she would do next
May 29, 2009
I loved this sweet little cozy. It was set in Ogden, UT, not far from my home. It was such a hoot to witness all the "Mormonisms" through the eyes of a non Mormon living in Utah. I loved the "funeral potatoes" and the poor Mormon Missionaries who barely escape with their lives whenever they are around our heroine. It was a very funny book and I can't wait for the sequel.
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