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PARADISE LOST
At the Lazy D Guest Ranch, British transplant and pet detective Delila Dolittle is out to solve the mysterious death of a valuable show horse, but murder and mayhem dog her heals, and before she collars the killer she and Watson, her Doberman, have fallen afoul of a family fued reaching back generations.
Paperback
First published September 1, 2005
7 people want to read
About the author
Taffy Cannon
30 books3 followersEileen Emily Cannon aka Emily Toll
Taffy Cannon is the author of thirteen mysteries, including Guns and Roses (2000), which was an Agatha Award nominee and Macavity Award Best Novel nominee, and Blood Matters (2007), winner of the Best Mystery/Thriller in the San Diego Book Awards. Anyone who has ever had difficulty with a health insurance company will appreciate “Instant Karma,” her short story in the recent San Diego Noir (2011) anthology. She also runs a professional organizing business and is a multi-term president of the Friends of the Carlsbad Library, for which she manages a bookstore that earns $100,000 a year for the Library.
Taffy Cannon is the author of thirteen mysteries, including Guns and Roses (2000), which was an Agatha Award nominee and Macavity Award Best Novel nominee, and Blood Matters (2007), winner of the Best Mystery/Thriller in the San Diego Book Awards. Anyone who has ever had difficulty with a health insurance company will appreciate “Instant Karma,” her short story in the recent San Diego Noir (2011) anthology. She also runs a professional organizing business and is a multi-term president of the Friends of the Carlsbad Library, for which she manages a bookstore that earns $100,000 a year for the Library.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 15, 2014
Twenty-one year old Holly Constantine’s idea of fun is reading historical works while lounging in her favorite pair of sweatpants and relishing a bowl of peach ice cream. She’s only come to Paradise Plaza, a ritzy health spa in Santa Barbara, in order to satisfy her domineering mother. During an early morning hike into the mountains, Holly and another guest of the spa are pepper-sprayed, tied up and whisked away by strange assailants.
Before long, an obscure organization called Parks for the People posts a ransom demand on the Paradise Plaza website. The kidnappers’ instructions, while peculiar, are clearly spelled out: three public parks must be developed in three separate California towns. Recovering quickly from the initial shock of her daughter’s abduction, Holly’s mother, Connie, shifts into high gear. An extremely competent and high-powered entertainment lawyer, Connie will stop at nothing to ensure that her daughter is returned unharmed. To that end, Connie takes charge of raising the $8 million stipulated by the kidnappers to fund the park “projects.” At the same time, the FBI, local cops and the prying media all struggle to hold on to their turf as the race to find the perpetrators and their victims heats up.
As the narrative shifts from various third person points of view, we learn that underneath Connie’s tough exterior, there may beat a genuine heart. We also learn that at least one of Holly’s captors is genuinely concerned about her welfare, and that of her “roommate.” Vanessa Wyatt, a less than talented television actress, is as uninhibited as Holly is shy and not above using her sexuality to suck up (no pun intended) to a very willing abductor. The fact that Vanessa is blindfolded and tied up does little to cramp her style.
When the bad guys disagree about tactics and strategies, their scheme quickly unravels. As the situation becomes increasingly dangerous, the usually timid Holly is forced take considerable risks in order to save herself.
Taffy Cannon describes this book as her lucky thirteenth novel, and I agree; it’s a real winner. The book’s characters are multi-dimensional; no one’s perfect and the criminals’ motives and personality traits aren’t what the reader might expect. Cannon skillfully describes the complexities of relationships especially that of the introverted Holly and her go-getter mother as well as the unspoken alliance that forms between Holly and one of her captors. The final test of a good book is the author’s ability to tie up loose ends believably, which Cannon does with ease. The bittersweet tone of the epilogue also rings true. All in all, a smart, funny and intriguing book.
The above book review was published in CrimeSpree Magazine.
Before long, an obscure organization called Parks for the People posts a ransom demand on the Paradise Plaza website. The kidnappers’ instructions, while peculiar, are clearly spelled out: three public parks must be developed in three separate California towns. Recovering quickly from the initial shock of her daughter’s abduction, Holly’s mother, Connie, shifts into high gear. An extremely competent and high-powered entertainment lawyer, Connie will stop at nothing to ensure that her daughter is returned unharmed. To that end, Connie takes charge of raising the $8 million stipulated by the kidnappers to fund the park “projects.” At the same time, the FBI, local cops and the prying media all struggle to hold on to their turf as the race to find the perpetrators and their victims heats up.
As the narrative shifts from various third person points of view, we learn that underneath Connie’s tough exterior, there may beat a genuine heart. We also learn that at least one of Holly’s captors is genuinely concerned about her welfare, and that of her “roommate.” Vanessa Wyatt, a less than talented television actress, is as uninhibited as Holly is shy and not above using her sexuality to suck up (no pun intended) to a very willing abductor. The fact that Vanessa is blindfolded and tied up does little to cramp her style.
When the bad guys disagree about tactics and strategies, their scheme quickly unravels. As the situation becomes increasingly dangerous, the usually timid Holly is forced take considerable risks in order to save herself.
Taffy Cannon describes this book as her lucky thirteenth novel, and I agree; it’s a real winner. The book’s characters are multi-dimensional; no one’s perfect and the criminals’ motives and personality traits aren’t what the reader might expect. Cannon skillfully describes the complexities of relationships especially that of the introverted Holly and her go-getter mother as well as the unspoken alliance that forms between Holly and one of her captors. The final test of a good book is the author’s ability to tie up loose ends believably, which Cannon does with ease. The bittersweet tone of the epilogue also rings true. All in all, a smart, funny and intriguing book.
The above book review was published in CrimeSpree Magazine.
March 19, 2014
When two women are kidnapped outside of a "fat farm," the race is on to find them. However, the ransom demand is very unusual. Might that be a clue? With vivid characters and great suspense, I raced through this one.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews