City of Angels

Rhea Jensen #1

by Sheralyn Pratt

Rhea Jensen is your typical twenty-something single girl-if by "typical" you mean a private investigator who studies ways to escape from handcuffs while waiting to take down another serial sleaze. But when a seemingly open-and-closed embezzlement case goes awry, her on-again-off-again boyfriend starts fooling around behind her back, and some Mormon missionaries stop her on the street during a stakeout, Rhea realizes her life is anything but typical-even by her standards.

http://rheajensenseriesbook1cityofang...

Genres: Mystery, Lds Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense, Adult Fiction, Lds

224 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2003

About the author

I like to keep things light and fun, and believe that life is journey so if you're going to buy a book, your life should better for it. Whether a book I write is intended to help you escape for a few hours or designed to teach you a new skill, I hope you find it unforgettable...in a good way. ;)

Current/Upcoming Titles:
- Pimpernel
- Walk of Infamy
- King of the Friend Zone
- The Kiss that Launched 1,000 GIFs

About the Rhea Jensen series. I like to tongue-in-cheek tell people, WARNING: This Series Contains Mormons. This series is more mystery/adventure with a dab of romance. HOWEVER, the last book in the series, Walk of Infamy, will be a stand-alone novel and end to the Rhea Jensen series that Pimpernel fans will likely enjoy.

Reviews

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is the first in a 6-book detective series, with an unusual LDS (Mormon) religious twist to it. I've enjoyed some of this author's later books, so when I found that my local library had (most of) this series, I decided to check them out.

Our main character is private investigator Rhea Jensen, who despite being only in her twenties is already a highly accomplished investigator with a gift for breaking into homes and computers to find the evidence. The case she's working on in this first book is an embezzlement case that gets unexpectedly complicated and dangerous.

But as much or more time is spent on Rhea's personal life. She's gorgeous, talented and incredibly physically fit, but is stuck in a rut with a seemingly hopeless crush on her old friend Ben, an aspiring musician. Sometimes he acts like he wants her, and then he jumps into yet another relationship with another woman.

To make things more complicated, Rhea starts talking with some LDS missionaries on the street one day. At first she blows them off, but then things happen and she starts thinking, maybe she should take a harder look at this religion?

It's a bit of a quirky mix with these disparate elements, but the author handles them pretty well and she's a capable writer who can spin an interesting, fast-paced plot. This is in the LDS fiction genre and will probably appeal mostly to readers interested in that.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apparently, this series is being re-released under new names with some additional content added. I can't believe I've never heard of this series before, since I read a lot of LDS authors and I love a good mystery/romance.

I thought Sheralyn Pratt did an amazing job in developing such a fun, spunky, clever character. Rhea (pronounced Ray, not Ree-ah) is a 24-year-old woman who looks like she's a teen. She's also a top private investigator in LA. A man at a big company is accused of embezzling, but insists he didn't do it. He hires her to prove it.

I loved the characters; I loved the mystery and how cleverly it was written; I loved the role the LDS church played--the way it was written in (especially the missionaries part); and I loved the hint of romance, too. Very original and clean. I am definitely reading the others in the series.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this was a surprise. I loved this book. I was drawn in from the first chapter and despite having other things on my to do list finished in less than 24 hours. This book is fun. It's really great LDS fiction. Some of the best I've read. I'll be reading the rest of the series and anything else Sheralyn Pratt writes.

LDS fiction for those who can't stand LDS fiction! Although if you love LDS fiction you will probably love this one! Rhea is not your cookie cutter Mormon and I love her because of that!

Originally Read July 2010 - Reread November 2016

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A couple weeks ago my sister (an avid Pratt fan) went to England. She saw that Sheralyn Pratt was going to be doing a signing here along the Wasatch front, and would I get her a signed copy? I thought I was being sooooo clever when I told her I'd get her a Sheralyn Pratt if she got me an antique Jane Austen from the JA Centre (that's right! 're!' Just like the pompous Brits spell it). My gorgeous, expensive Mansfield Park is stunning, really, but I'm starting to think this bargain wasn't as lopsided as I originally thought...

It's always with a little cringe that I accept a friend's request to read their work and review it back to them. Some people don't actually want an editor's POV--they just want to be told they're going to be the next Stephanie Meyer, make gazillions off of movie deals and generally stick it to their high school graduating class. And when you don't they act like it's a personal insult. I'm not exactly very good at lying to people about how good their work is, so I have to admit I hadn't read this until (cough) yesterday and today when Sheralyn asked me to review it.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be giving an honest and excited review. Chris and Will can testify that I was simply unable to put this book down. Seriously, I haven't been this sucked into a book in a LONG time. I mean, how long as Shogun been in my currently-reading shelf? Yeah. A few weeks, and guess what? I'm only 20 pages into it. I've been telling myself "I just don't have time to read." It turns out I was just not reading anything interesting, because suddenly my household chores became much less important than finding out how Rhea was going to catch the embezzlers, sort things out with Ben, and manage to read the Book of Mormon.

That's right, I said Book of Mormon. But before that voice in your head says, "Ohhhhh, so it's good for a church book," let me intercede. It's good for ANY book. I loved it! I've recently been invited to read some other of Pratt's works, and I've fallen in love with her style so much. I really actually can't say enough. I've known Pratt for... how long? And guess what? I'm starting to get a bit starstruck. I can't believe I know this person. She's incredible. And I can tell that people are always listening to my raves of her work trying to decide if I'm giving them the straight dope (sorry, couldn't resist; I'm all Rhea-fied) or diluting it with praise of my really good friend whose feelings I don't want to hurt. So let me set you straight. She's great. So great, as a matter of fact, that if I owned a publishing company, she'd be part of my catalog of regularly published writers. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Anyway. Back to the story. Rhea's a PI in the midst of a particularly tricky case, all the while juggling the fickle high-school-sweetheart Ben, promises made to her deceased mother, a nasty psychologically impaired roommate, and these two dudes with name tags who keep telling her to pray.

I could say so many things I liked about this story, but I think my favorite thing was how Pratt dealt with Rhea's broadening understanding of the gospel. Too often in LDS fiction, convert characters aren't really treated like real people; they're more like shadows of real people, because the author is uncomfortable writing about someone who has past transgressions. We like the idea of people being squeaky-clean all along, as if they'd been members of the Church all along, which is really unfortunate. There is honor in the real and challenging struggle it takes people to leave their old lives behind and join a new one. It shouldn't be written about as though it needs to be quickly and quietly swept under the rug before those decisions start influencing our impressionable youth. As if somehow the concept of original sin does actually exist, but only for people who weren't "born into the church." (Hey, I got news for you: we're ALL born into the church when we're baptized.) Sometimes friends and family aren't supportive. And sometimes there are major moral hurdles to overcome. It's not shameful, except to those people who pass judgment. Yeah, I've got lots more to say about this issue.

But Rhea is a multi-dimensional realistic heroine who realizes she's stumbled onto something special. She's not trashy, but she's also probably not exactly what moms hope for their daughters. Or maybe she is. I guess it depends on the mom. I mean, some moms not only let their young daughters read the Twilight series, but let them admire Bella, who let herself be defined by boys and--you know what? I reviewed that book already. The point is, she's not an angel, but she's not a devil, either. Which is great, because most of us don't fit squarely into either category, either.

She's real, she's beautiful, and my only regret is that the book is over. But as my husband pointed out last night, the cover says "Book 1," which must mean there's a book 2 on the horizon. I'm sorry. I know this is long. And believe it or not, I still have soooooo many things to say. But I won't. Right now. But once YOU'VE read the book, give me a call, send me an e-mail, and we'll discuss. Love, love, love it!

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I guess because I actually started it a few months ago and at the time I couldn’t get into it. When I started it again this time around I couldn’t put it down. I really liked Rhea’s character. In her professional life she is confident, takes no BS and really sticks up for herself. Her personal life is a different story; she’s a bit of a doormat. If this had been a standalone book I would have been disappointed in how some things ended up. Since this is a series I’m looking forward to the changes in Rhea’s life and I hope things will work out on the romance front. I didn’t care for the guy in the story, but I’m curious about what will happen next. I thought the mystery was exciting and kept me guessing. The LDS aspects were very well written, but in some ways it seemed a little out of place with the story. I thought it added a nice touch to Rhea’s character. Anyway, I thought the book was a lot of fun and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Tonya Bryner · Rating 4 out of 5]

For LDS fiction, this was a standout. I loved her confusion about the Elders and what a “companion” was and such. We don’t always get that in other LDS books, and it was both understandable and funny. She hints about the future and makes me anxious to read the next book.

[Ruth Ann Lingwall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhea is an unusual private eye as she is very young and quite good. She has to learn how to work with an employer that underestimates her and hampers her investigation. She was innovative in resolving the situation. Unfortunately she doesn’t seem as perceptive in interpersonal relationships as she is in her private investigations. At the same time as her investigation starts to become volatile, her long-term relationship with her best guy friend takes several major turns.

I enjoyed the scenes where Rhea talks with missionaries and feels drawn to God. It reminded me of times the Holy Ghost has helped me with important decisions.

What surprised me was the sex in the book and a few off-color remarks. I hope that is not common in her other novels. The scenes did help establish the character of individuals involved and were not explicit.

I read this book after reading Pimpernel by the same author as I was curious about Rhea’s past. I look forward to reading more about her in future Pimpernel series books.

[Kathleen Walls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Sheralyn Pratt is now one of my favorite authors; this woman can write! This book was simply amazing; I absolutely loved it! It had everything making it the perfect read for anyone. The characters are well developed and I grew to love them pretty quickly. The plot was believable, and it flowed at a nice pace. From the very first page, Sheralyn Pratt sucked me into the everyday life of private investigator Rhea Jensen.

Rhea Jensen is a normal single twenty-four year old with problems just like any other woman her age. Men issues, roommate conflict, and, oh yeah, solving cases that even some police officers would have trouble with. When an open-and-closed embezzlement case goes askew, Rhea finds herself trying to solve the case in less than a week so that she can get paid since she has a reverse-pay scale. Instead of billing by the hour, she starts out with a cap fee and loses money for each hour she logged. This forces her to stay focused on the task at hand. If Rhea is always doing a case, will she ever get to do the things that a "normal" young woman enjoys doing?

Full of mystery, action, and a little romance, City of Angels will have you constantly turning the pages and not wanting to put it down until you're finished. I was upset every time I was forced to stop reading to cook or run errands. It is a quick read that will leave you wanting more. Although I won this book through first-reads (thanks again Sheralyn and Co.), I will definitely be heading to my local bookstore to get the next book in the series! I highly recommend this to anyone!

**Note: This book does include discussion about the Mormon faith so if reading about topics like that offends you or you are just not comfortable reading about it then I would caution you. However, I am not a Mormon nor do I agree with all that they say, but I still enjoyed the book very much and would encourage you to at least give it a try. I believe the overall story is well worth it!

[Joan Riddle Steinmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun and refreshingly humorous. Also, I know the author. Sherilyn has a whit that I really underestimated while sitting across from her in relief society meetings (church.) City of Angles has a good cadence and a refreshing mix of clever humor and insightful reflection.

I never read the back covers of books. I like to experience the everything first hand with out waiting for “that part I saw on the movie trailer.” I don’t watch movie trailers either. The first half of the book seemed such a different flavor from Deseret Book that I actually had tricked myself into being surprised when Ms. Pratt brought religion on the crime scene.

I like church. I like reading, but I don’t like reading pop culture books about “coming to God.” I wasted too many hours as a pre-teen reading Jack Wayland’s Charly type novels. Part of me feels only Victor Hugo and George Elliot type authors can do conversion justice. When Rhea, the heroine of City of Angles, met a couple of Mormon missionaries I expected the whole thing to blow up. But it didn’t! It was funny and thoughtful and with out being overly sentimental. Congratulations to Ms. Pratt!. I feel honored to know the author and I can’t wait for the next one in the series. I recommend this to all my LDS friends and anyone who can handle a fun crime novel with a little religion in it.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't going to read this book because it's a rewrite/re-issue and I only do new fiction for my column. I wound up one evening a few days ago, too tired to read something I needed to consider reviewing, but not ready to go to bed just yet. So I picked it up. The title holds little appeal and neither does the cheesy cover, so I wasn't expecting much. They shout sleezy, cheap detective story. Well its a Kinsey Malone type detective story, but the heroine has more class, and Pratt's writing style is more fun than Grafton's. The story was well written, the plot moved quickly, and the principal characters were developed enough to feel real. I was disappointed in the number of copy errors, some were quite annoying and interfered with the story. I'd certainly put it at the top of its genre and will read more books by this author.

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received the book City Of Angels from Goodreads.

I adored the fast pace (Her Smart Ear provided some of the fun of the book) and smart wriitng of this book for at least 90% of the book and was hailing the next Sue Grafton/Kinsey Milhone series. I was delighted to learn that there was already a second in the series as Rhea was a fascinating heroine. I was surprised in the final chapters by the religious turn of the book, but all in all I would continue to read this series.

[Tom Ricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It earned this 5 star rating hands down. Rhea is such a stud and is completely lovable. The story flowed and kept my interest the whole time. I got sucked in and had to force myself to stop reading so I could work! 5 stars, two thumbs up and a definite must read.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Rhea. Great character. Great story, very clever.

[Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun read! It's mostly a private eye/mystery solving book, with some LDS influence. Kind of corny titles, but don't let that hold you back. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Sharon Hogenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The editing of the e-book was so poor that I tried to find my hard copy of the book. It took me until I'd finished reading the e-book to remember that I never did own a copy of "Spies, Lies and a Pair of Ties", the original title of the book, but that I'd written a quick summary of it on the title page of the next book in the series. I must have borrowed "Spies, Lies and a Pair of Ties" because the first statement in my summary was that the book wasn't worth purchasing, however, I did purchase the next two in the series as hard copies before purchasing the entire series as e-books.

Although rewritten and retitled, the basic story line must be the same because my summary correctly summarized the plot of "City of Angels". Not having the original I can't say for sure, but I do know the next two e-books are a bit different than the original hard copies that I do own.

I've read this series multiple times, however I usually don't read this one as part of my re-reading, relying on my summary and memory to fill in any blanks. But now, in an effort to rate all of the books I have, I read this one again and totally enjoyed it. Surprising how one's perspective on things change over time.

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be frank, my expectations were super high; I've put the literary cart before the horse and read the Pimpernel series first - and loved it, especially Kali. So, I was really curious if Rhea could live up to that.

While City of Angels strikes a different tone than the Pimpernel books - and, yes, it contains Mormons ;) - I had a lot of fun getting to know Rhea and her world. While I might wish that some things had worked out differently for her, now I'm curious where her journey will take her (next), so excuse me while I'm off, adding the rest of the series to my TBR...

[Keturah Moller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprising

This isn’t my first book by Sheraton Pratt. She is a fabulous writer. I understand the reviews that questioned the missionary presence. It definitely was not like normal detective stories that act like religion is not part of their world. I didn’t have a problem because they made the story seem more real. All in all I really enjoyed Rhea’s story and look forward to the next one.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read this series because I love the pimpernel books and Rhea is in them. I enjoyed this book. It was full of adventure without a ton of violence. I was not expecting the religious turn it took but as I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it didn’t bother me. It also kind of flowed without being too preachy. Contains: kisses, mild violence, religion.

[P. Upshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different take

Different take on female PI. She has a life that is different and do what her job needed, yet she had always followed something her mother advised her, chastity......Interesting. Ending a surprise.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. Both the mystery and the religious angle are done well. I really liked the main character and her growth throughout the story. 5 stars for all-around awesomeness.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmmm. Different.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember really enjoying Sheralyn Pratt's series and recommending it to others. I'm surprised I didn't review this when I read it.....

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...)]

0.99 e-book https://amzn.to/2XqQ4Do
(5/23/20)

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story - a bit predictable

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed the author's other books. Rhea is a piece of work. I look forward to this series!

[Cindy]

I was a little confused about what this book actually was, but once I figured it out was entertained by the story of the edgy PI meeting the LDS missionaries and learning about the Mormon church.

[Cary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite sure what to think about this one. I liked the mystery but was confused by the religious stuff. Maybe I will give the next one a try…

[Deanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story arc. Engaging protagonist. Decent detective work. But the protagonist’s religious conversion towards the end of the story felt very forced and unnaturally placed. Like it was part of a completely different narrative.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

signed review copy from author

I picked up this book by sheer luck at the Eclipse movie premier Party on the Plaza hosted by Twilight MOMS and Events by Alice. Sheralyn was there signing books and I was there taking pictures. When I stopped by her booth she generously offered two signed copies of her book for our site. Must say that once I picked this book up I couldn't put it down.(No matter that I was already in the middle of another read) The first chapter sucks you right in with snarky and sassy detective Rhea Jensen. We meet her on the scene of a bust in her every day job as a Private Investigator. Rhea is a force to be reckoned with...brain and brawn meet a fun sense of humor. Reading her life story from start to finish will be easy for anyone. Sheralyn Pratt's writing is brilliant and funny. The characters are well developed and even thought they have flaws like the rest of us; you will fall in love! Ben, Rhea's main interest is one worm his way deep into your heart.

The plot is full of twists and turns as our heroine meets a set of Mormon Missionaries on one of her stake outs. Her path towards religion is a believable one. Readers of all walks of life will be able to relate. When I read the end of the book I thanked my lucky stars it is a series, because I want more! Book two "Welcome to Stalk Lake City" comes out in August.

Meanwhile, we have one signed copy of City of Angels to give away! Simply comment at http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com to enter to win. Contest ends August 7, 2010.

Thanks so much to Cedar Fort Books and Sheralyn Pratt for introducing us to the Rhea Jensen series. This is one amazing author to watch! Check out her website for an excerpt from the first chapter and to hear Rhea's music playlist. http://sheralynpratt.blogspot.com/p/p...

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a P.I. mystery written in the traditional first-person and succeeds with an engaging character and voice. The story pulls you along with a great mesh of the mystery and Rhea Jensen's personal problems. Rhea is a twenty-something woman, still trying to figure things out, like what she wants out of life and whether she'll ever give up hope that her long-time crush/best friend will ever see her as an available woman, instead of the girl he grew up with. (And don't let this cliche-sounding romantic subplot make you wince; I love the way Pratt handled this, and I tire easily of those cliched 'girl next door' and 'love triangle' ideas.) Rhea's character is well-rounded, easy to relate to, smart, and independent, but manages not to fall into the trope trap of 'strong female character', which I greatly appreciated.

This falls nicely into the idea of the New Adult category, sans excessive smut, perfect for those twenty-somethings like Rhea still trying to figure out what's next. Everything about "City of Angels" feels honest and realistic, especially Rhea's romance problems and the way Pratt decided to handle it.

Pratt is an LDS author, but she has written at least this first book from a non-LDS perspective, successfully broadening her potential audience. She gets extra bonus points for not being too preachy, which is a pet peeve of mine with both LDS and Christian authors. She uses the LDS influence in the form of missionaries Rhea bumps into, hoping to convert her. Instead of preaching for the sake of preaching, Pratt uses the LDS connection to develop her character. High praise for this (though I did tend to skim over the few preachy bits).