As Dead As It Gets

by Cady Kalian

Maggie Mars used to be a journalist on the East Coast, but now she's come to L.A. to make a name for herself as a screenwriter... and maybe live her fantasy of someday meeting Jack Nicholson. When Roger Urban, her long-time mentor and friend, is found dead—in a splashy red garter and bra—Maggie is determined to find his killer.


Helping Maggie are her legal eagle of a boyfriend and her batty father. Not to mention an L.A. cop who thinks Maggie just might identify the killer. Because of her curiosity and stubbornness—or because he is her ex-boyfriend?
Maggie's always wanted to see her name in lights—and sometimes a girl gets what she wants. She might find out who killed Roger and become a hot news item.

As the next victim.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

349 pages, Paperback

First published August 8, 2006

Reviews

[Princessa Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok… The ending felt so rushed and out of nowhere but I was ready to be done with it so I don’t really care. I liked it but it was also inarguably mid, and I kind of can’t stand the main character. She’s annoying and a terrible detective. But most of all she was pissing me tf off with the whole Joe/Henrick debate. Like girl why the fuck are you even entertaining the idea of Joe, let alone abandoning your current wonderful boyfriend to go back to him. Not okay.

The most beautiful part of this was her being a screenwriter, constantly talking about needing to finish her screenplay, and only managing to write maybe 4 pages of it throughout this entire book.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, although the main character did remind me a lot of Stephanie Plum: the same kind of ditziness. The plot was good, but there were a lot of names thrown out all at once. I even forgot who some of the characters were. A bit of a guilty pleasure kind of book, but still good.

[Khanson919 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was a fun story, and I had no idea who the murderer was until it was revealed.

[Heather Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like if you took Lizzie McGuire, Nancy Drew, and a dash of Devil wears Prada and put them in a shaker, you would get the fabulous cocktail that is this book. Highly recommend!

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A diabetic protaginist was an interesting differentiation. The L.A. setting was done well for me; I usually find the area geographically confusing to follow in books. I recommend the book, and would definitely read a sequel. A couple of quibbles though ... the love triangle thing was done by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum series), and gets old fast. Also, I realize that in mystery series the author throws out more names to the reader than in "regular" fiction, but I was reeling through the first couple of chapters until it became clearer who the key players would be.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Screenwriter Maggie Mars is on the board of the Creative Artists Union, so she's present when the long-time executive of the Union turns up missing. Roger Urban had been good to Maggie, and she's really upset when his dead body is found. Maybe she's more eager to be involved in the investigation because her former boyfriend Joe is the policeman in charge. With the help of her gay best friend and roommate Lionel, and her tough alter ego Mercedes (the leading character in her current script) Maggie sticks her neck out as she tries to figure out who killed Roger--and why.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maggie Mars is a screenwriter/investigative reporter with a lot of baggage. And lots of quirky Hollywood-type friends and acquaintances. I followed along on her quest to find the murderer of Roger Urban, although I didn't really care that he was dead. This book is an entertaining read, even if there aren't any characters, Maggie included, who I really cared about at all. Would I ever re-read it? Not on your life!

[chambejd / Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book though it did start off slow for me. I would read others in this series if I came across them but I probably wouldn't seek them out. I am curious what is going to happen with her love triangle.

[Jackie]

This is the first time I've read this author. I like it. The character is a cross between Stephanie Plum and Kinsey Milhone.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.literaryfeline.com/2007/05...

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book! Easy and entertaining reading after coming off a book like The Historian.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was cute & a quick read.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, good and fun........Movies, murder and screen writers. Well done.