Ultraviolet

Jane Kelly #3

by Nancy Bush

“Oregon’s spunkiest PI-in-training, and her pug pal, Binky, sniff for clues in their rollicking third case…this funny new series [is] a winner.”—Publishers Weekly    For process server-turned-private investigator Jane Kelly, weddings are murder. Usually that’s a metaphor, but it’s fast becoming an all-too-accurate nightmare. Roland Hatchmere, plastic surgery magnate, has been found murdered just before his daughter’s society wedding. The weapon is a wedding a heavy silver serving tray. The prime suspect is Roland's ex-wife #2: Violet “Ultraviolet” Purcell. Everywhere Jane and her lovable misfit pug, Binky, look, there’s a suspect odder than the last, including two grown, very troubled kids, an ex-wife strung out on Botox, and a current wife who’s a cross between Donna Reed and a sex kitten—all of them eager to blame Roland’s death on Violet. The deeper Jane digs, the less she wants to know. Every truth leads her deeper into danger, and soon, Jane wonders if her first official case might also be her last—and if the client she’s been asked to clear just might be the coldest black widow of all… “Bush has another hit on her hands.”—Romantic Times   “As long as Bush sticks to writing compelling mysteries, she’ll have a franchise that could soon rise to the level of Sara Paretsky’s great V.I. Warshawski books.”—Chicago Sun-Times

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Humor, Romance, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

417 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Nancy Bush is a New York Times bestselling author of over forty novels, including the River Glen Series, Nowhere Series, and numerous stand alone novels. She also is the co-author of Last Breath, Last Girl Standing, and the Wicked Series, written with her sister and bestselling author Lisa Jackson, as well as the collaborative novels Sinister and Ominous, written with Lisa Jackson and Rosalind Noonan.

Nancy has called Oregon her home all of her life. She grew up in a small logging community and after graduating from high school, attended Oregon State University where she met her husband, Ken and graduated with a degree in nutrition. They married a few years after graduation and together they have one daughter. After working in banking and the travel business, with her daughter still in diapers, Nancy read an article in Time Magazine about young mothers who, once the last diaper was changed and the final bottle was washed, pulled out their typewriters and wrote romance novels for the then expanding market. Nancy convinced her sister, Lisa Jackson, that they should try their hand at writing.

After writing several successful romance novels such as Lady Sundown, Miracle Jones, Jesse’s Renegade and Scandal’s Darling and a stint writing for one of ABC’s top-rated daytime shows: All My Children, she turned her attention to writing thrillers for Kensington Publishing. Today, her books appear on The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.

In her free time Nancy enjoys walking, working on jigsaw and crossword puzzles and hanging out with family and friends. When she and Ken aren’t visiting their daughter and grandchildren in Southern California, Nancy is busy working on her next book!

Visit https://www.NancyBush.net where you can find a Media Kit with photos and more information.

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this Jane Kelley series, wish more would come out!

[Conni Harness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good read by this author. I'm loving this Jane Kelly series. And I'm really hoping there's more to come in the story line. This Book ends in a cliff-hanging unresolved way. Many loose ends that could still carry a story maybe more. Keep dreaming, creating,& writing!

[Phyllis Barlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book, but it looks like this is the end of the line for Jane Kelly. This one was published in 2007 and I don't see any more in the listing of the author's works. It's a shame, because it looks like Jane is just hitting her stride in this one. Was a very enjoyable series.

[Janet L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great entry in the Jane Kelly series. Jane managed to get into quite a bit of trouble in this book but managed to get out of the trouble every time even though it was pretty close a couple of times but she made it.

[Amy K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so sorry to learn that this series wasn’t continued because I. Wry much enjoy Jane Kelly, the Lake Chinook setting, Dwayne and Jane’s will they/won’t they, and the various case-related hijinks Jane gets up to. This book was a total banger.

[Megan]

Ok book. She is a private investigator, lives on her own with a dog. This is #3 in series. The book does refer to things that happened earlier, so should probably read the books in order. It is an old series. I had to listen to #1 on Hoopla audio

[LYNDA SCHMITT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Details,

Excellently presented as the details become known. Sufficient humor to dull the intensity. Multiple plots woven together. A touch of unsatisfied romance.

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Action - suspense - romance - mystery - humor!
But it needs closure of what happened to Jane (& Daryle).
Need at least a book 4 - or more!

[Fiona Forthe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The heroine is a fun character, and it's an enjoyable read. Not particularly deep or twisty, it's a fun vacation book.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Number: 2
Rating: C+
ISBN: 9780758209092
Series: #3 Jane Kelly

Synopsis www.bn.com

For process server-turned-private investigator, Jane Kelly, weddings are murder. Usually that's a metaphor, but for newly minted P.I. Jane Kelly, it's fast becoming an all-too-accurate nightmare. Roland Hatchmere, plastic surgery magnate, has been found murdered just before his daughter's society wedding. The weapon is a wedding gift: a heavy, silver serving tray. The prime suspect is Roland's ex-wife #2: Violet "Ultraviolet" Purcell, she of the eccentric-bordering-on-insane Purcell clan.

Violet insists that she's completely innocent. After all, Roland was her absolute favorite ex-husband. And she was nowhere NEAR him at the time of the murder. Well, okay, technically she did meet him for a little pre-nup, bedroom tˆte-…-tˆte just before. And they did have a huge fight. And she did hit him with the tray. But just once. Honest. So could Jane just hurry up and prove her innocence? Sure. That should be easy. Let's just file this one under "12 Kinds of Crazy." But when Jane's boss, the temporarily sidelined Dwayne, is convinced Violet's telling the truth, well, there's nothing for Jane to do but take her lovable, misfit pug, Binky, and sniff out a few clues.

Everywhere Jane and The Binkster look, there's a suspect odder than the last, including two grown, very troubled kids, an ex-wife strung out on Botox and a current wife who's a cross between Donna Reed and a sex kitten-all of them eager to blame Roland's death on Violet. It doesn't help that Violet's story keeps changing faster than a celebrity's hair extensions. To make matters worse, Dwayne's convalescence is turning him into Jimmy Stewart in "Rear Window," complete with binoculars, and he's convinced there is something very badgoing down in the private houses across Lakewood Bay, something that needs Jane and Binky's close attention. Faster than she can say, "I took criminology courses for this?", Jane is up to her eyeballs in lies, secrets, Extreme Botox, New Wave bands, truck-stop coffee kiosks (don't ask), very good scones, Junior League, wedding bandits, high school sociopaths, Plastic Pet Cemetery (don't ask, part II), a budding attraction to her boss, the Millionaire's Club, and someone who would kill to keep the past buried.

The deeper Jane digs, the less she wants to know. Every truth leads her deeper into danger, and soon, Jane wonders if her first official case might also be her last.and if the client she's been asked to clear just might be the coldest black widow of all.

My Thoughts:

I was disappointed again by this 3rd adventure. I am not sure if Bush is just not comfortable writing in this genre, but the mysteries just seem to "mysteriously" solve themselves without any real work involved. A lot of the plot is made up of internal dialogue Jane has with herself. Whether it be how cell phones were made to make life easier but now no one ever answers them or whether or not she wants to bump uglies with her friend/boss/partner Dwayne. I don't need to see what she is thinking a lot of what makes reading fun is imagining you know what the characters are thinking/feeling in your own mind.

What gets me is I could potentially love the characters once the whole plot gets organized. I think if Ms Bush writes a fourth novel I will be reading it but that is my lost option. Usually an author gets 3 chances but I still can see some potential here and I am willing to give it another shot.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dwayne Durban is head of his own private investigative firm; he has taken Jane Kelly on as his apprentice so she not only is a process server but she gets to work cases. Right now Jane is working all the cases because Dwayne is immobilized with a broken leg and he has taken up voyeurism spying with his binoculars at the neighbors across the street. Dwayne thinks one of the girls is in trouble and he wants Jane to investigate the tens who uses an empty home as a hang out.

While she is doing that she comes to the conclusion that something illegal is going on revolving around the high school star football player Keegan and she intends to find out what it is and if he is breaking the law bring him down. She is also working on the case of Violet Purcell who believes the police think she killed ex-husband, Roland Hatchmere. She wants Jane, who isn't so sure she is innocent, to prove that someone else killed her ex-husband. Since Dwayne believes she is innocent, Jane works double time because everyone involved with Roland, his two ex- wives, his children and all his friends think she is guilty. In the pursuit of proving Violet innocent, she breaks up a call girl ring and takes on a killer who nobody will ever believe murdered two men and is now going after Jane.

There are plenty of private investigator mysteries being written but Jane Kelly is original, unique, and funny. Her efforts not to fall in love with her boss and partner or buy the cottage she can afford are truly hilarious. Her relationship with the Binkster, her pug, is adorable and shows her caring vulnerable side of her self she tries to keep hidden. With homage to Rear Window, Nancy Bush creates delightful villains readers love to hate and her heroine is somebody most people will admire.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, Jane's career takes off in this third installment of the ongoing Jane Kelly mystery series. Now that Jane's a full partner, and temporarily lead investigator, in Dwayne's "investigation specialist" business, she's got all kinds of action coming her way. Throw in a murder mystery involving Violet Purcell, some sinister teenage hi-jinks, a variety of cell-phone mishaps, and the ever important question of who's going to provide Jane's next free meal, and you wonder when the poor woman has time to sleep. Jane's life also is complicated by the growing question of how she feels about her mysterious partner, Dwayne. Is she, or isn't she, attracted to him?

This book was a nice holiday choice: a fun, quick read that had engaging characters in a plot that had more hairpin turns than a country road. It does a nice job of establishing Jane in the detective world, while setting up enough backstory and plot twists to make you want to stamp your foot that you have to wait for the next installment. The romantic developments are also well-written. Highly recommended for fans of light, fun mystery stories.

[Gigi Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Last year I read Nancy Bush's book "Electric Blue" and really liked it, so this year I thought I would read this book of her's "Ultra Violet." I really struggled this whole week to get this book read, I just couldn't get into it for some reason. Everytime I started to read it I got really sleepy, and had to put it down and go do something else. It just seemed like my synapses in my brain weren't connecting, and I couldn't connect with the story. But I managed to finish it today.

I do know one of the problems I had trouble with while reading this book, was the tediously repeating about all the rain each day, and also telling about the jogging to the Coffee Nook in the rain each day for her morning cup of coffee, and jogging home for a shower. Every time she got home from anywhere she told about the shower she took. Between all the rain, coffee runs, and the showers, I think about 100 pages could have been cut out of the book.

It was OK, but not a favorite of mine, so I am awarding it 2**

[Lindsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jane Kelly is investigating a murder. a fellow with three ex-wives - all former "escorts", kicks the bucket just hours before his bratty daughter's wedding. one of the exes is under suspicion - and it is this same ex that hires Jane Kelly, in an effort to prove her innocence

there are two separate mysteries going on, actually. the first one wrapped up in a rush, i felt. i didn't get a lot of closure from it. then suddenly, a bad guy from the primary mystery - who i hardly had time to dislike, his appearance and final departure was so brief - was found dead. he was dead and i didn't even care - the character development was just poor, there.

overall, it was a fun book, but it's not what i would call a good mystery. mainly, i needed to read a book set in Oregon and this fit the bill. for this reason alone, i won't call it a waste of time

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is right up there with the Stephanie Plum series for me. I can't wait until the next book comes out.

Jane is in charge so to speak in this book still since Dwayne's leg is still in the cast. She has taken a case for Violet to help prove who killed Violet's ex-husband. Jane is supposed to prove Violet's innocence but her dislike of the woman keeps getting in her way and she thinks she might have been the one to do it. But she has a job to do and so begins questioning everybody that was around Roland the day of his death.

Jane also has to keep fighting her feelings for Dwayne to keep their relationship professional but she doesn't know how much longer she can last. Now she has to worry about her attraction to an old "friend" of Dwayne's, Detective Larabee. This is a good book that will keep you guessing until the end.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Jane Kelly series, written in 2007, the author's website says hopefully there will be more coming. This is a good mystery series, I've enjoyed all three books. Took me a little to get into this one, thought the last half was much faster paced.

Couple non-issue things that actually bugged me though were: the quote on the cover was from Lisa Jackson who is Nancy Bush's sister -- come on, find someone not related to you for a review. And second the opening sentence didn't make sense to me, had to reread it a couple times -- Should always make sure your opening sentence is a good one!!!

But maybe I'm just being to critical :)!!

I hope she does continue the series; however, I do really enjoy her suspense/thrillers she's been writing in the last few years.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The looney Purcell family from the first of the series, Electric Blue, is back. This time, the focus is on Violet Purcell, rich and trying to avoid a murder rap involving the death of her husband. As always, Jane Kelly is the reluctant investigator in this case. I enjoy the series, but the plot twists and Jane's constant dithering about her profession and her love life sometimes detract from the plot and the characterization; her relationship with her boss, Dwayne is getting to be a bit annoying.Bush has an interesting character and some good plot ideas. I just hope she doesn't let the trivia become all-encompassing.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm... I think I liked this one. Overall, it was a good read. I think I also liked the protagonist, Jane Kelly. But, occasionally, I was annoyed with her too. She is a bit whiny and I really got tired of her self put downs. E.g. she decided that not liking to use a cell phone was a 'character flaw.'. Really?

At some point, I really would like to read a mystery series with a female protagonist who is not also somewhat-to-completely neurotic. This series is not it. That said, I think I will read others in the series just to see where they go.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, I enjoyed this book in the Jane Kelly mystery series by Nancy Bush. I have heard the main character compared to Stephanie Plum--I see a resemblance in the close-to-30 law-enforcement female. But whereas the Stephanie Plum books make me laugh out loud with her crazy friends and crazier situations, these are just simply enjoyable. No laughing out loud, but they are entertaining, enjoyable reading.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another new author for me, I think. After reading a while I realized I have read two others in the series. They are good mysteries, but the heroine is no Stephanie Plum or VI... The books are often amusing, but not as overtly funny as the Plum's. However the plots are good and will hold your interest. I will read more of her books.

[Cindi Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to read in part because I couldn't get into at first and I was also busy watching 12 episodes of True Blood. LOL
It's a good mystery. Not stupid. It's a bit funny. I did figure out who the murderer was by process of elimination but the motive wasn't clear till the very end. I hope Ms. Bush writes more of this series but it doesn't look like it. :(

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane Kelly is officially working for boss Dwayne Durbin as an investigator, while getting her PI license. Dwayne, still in a full leg cast, pulls some Rear Window like spying on the houses across the lake. Jane is pulled into a teenage drama in an abandoned house, while helping investigate the death of Violet Purcell's third (ex)husband.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the best of the three Jane Kelly books in my opinion. The main mystery was interesting enough to keep me reading. There was a side plot about high schoolers that was completely unnecessary and seemed to only serve as filler to pad the book. If there's a fourth Jane Kelly book, I will probably read it.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining read for the holiday weekend. Overall Jane, the main character is believable and likable and there aren't any of the "cops think she did it" or thinly veiled reasons to get involved that can plague these cozy mysteries. There are two mysteries here and I wasn't totally satisfied with how the one with the high schoolers was wrapped up, but overall a good story.

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I read this without realizing it was the third in the series. It still seemed to explain enough to keep me reading the story. There were times when it felt as though something was left out.
The book was a easy read with some humorous parts. I am going to try to read the first in the series.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started off a little out of order, I suppose, but I really enjoyed this book! It was reminiscent of the Nancy Drew mysteries that I devoured as a young adult and I couldn't put this down. A great find at the dollar store has piqued my interest in a new author whose books I haven't read before, but definitely plan to in the future. =)

[L-V · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first time reading this author. I liked the title and the book cover! I was hoping it would be a little like Janet Evanovich, who I can't get enough of.
She's not like Stephanie Plum, but I did enjoy the story.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the reviewer, Lisa Jackson, says, "Move over Stephanie Plum and Kinsey Milhone, Jane Kelly has arrived," she's not kidding. Bush's female PI is fiesty, funny, and a bit odd. All 3 books in the growing series are great reads.

[Tonya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Bush writes characters I can relate to (hello empty fridge, because I'm too lazy to go shopping!), and they are all slightly crazy and fun. Another great read in the Jane Kelly Series!

[Halle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was very standard for this series. It was fun and kept me reading. I was disappointed in the lack of conclusion at the end of the book. I hope to see another book in this series, I still have so many questions left unanswered.