#SusieBlack – Rosepoint Publishing

Death by Jelly Beans by Susan Black #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

Holly Swimsuit Mystery Book 5

Book Blurb:

Mermaid Swimwear President Holly Schlivnik discovers the Bainbridge Department Store Easter Bunny slumped over dead and obnoxious swimwear buyer Sue Ellen Magee is arrested for the crime. Despite her differences with the nasty buyer, Holly is convinced the Queen of Mean didn’t do it. The wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to nail the real killer. But the trail has more twists than a pretzel and more turns than a rollercoaster. And nothing turns out the way Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent on revenge.

My Review:

Oh my stars, I did it again—accepted another cozy mystery (yes, me), cleverly reeled in by the cover and the request by Holly Schwartz for Susie Black. This is that one, you know, with the unlikely protagonist, Holly Schlivnik. Nothing boring about Holly! She lives in a houseboat while being a President of Mermaid Swimwear. (Yes, and there are interesting bits of marketing strategy included.) She also has Siggie, the dog with all the answers, if you know how to interpret them appropriately.

Once again, dialogue can be refreshingly sharp, Holly doesn’t always apply a filter. Still, she seems to have that sixth sense in these matters, albeit at times difficult to grasp. Once again, she meets the Yentas daily, including Queenie Levine. Her bestie, Assistant Medical Examiner Sophia Cutler MD (also known as Snip) is good for a laugh.

Need I say there is a raft of remarkable support characters? This time the crew put their heads together to solve the mystery of the death of the department store Easter Bunny when Sue Ellen (aka the “Queen of Mean”) is arrested for the crime. Okay, granted she wasn’t exactly a favorite among the industry, but Sue Ellen? No way!

I did note in Book 4, Death by Cutting Table, the number of references to Nancy Drew. I didn’t see as much of that this time, but a new one popped up, “Thank the Goddess.” Where did that come from and why?

On the whole, I enjoy this wacky series, the main characters and those around her. The narrative generally stays on track, although there are some twists and red herrings, still some involvement in the romance interest this time, although she is reconsidering it. The novel moves with a good pace and is well plotted, and I always appreciate a good dog involved in the storyline. Additionally, there are always a few tidbits to learn.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Amateur Sleuths
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Inc
ASIN: B0D12LQBXL
Print Length: 207 pages
Publication Date: September 4, 2024
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Susie Black biography

Named best US author of the year by N. N. Light Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.

Looking for more? Reach her at mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com

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Death by Cutting Table by Susie Black – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

Holly Swimsuit Mystery Book 4

“This fairytale happens when? The second Tuesday of next week.”

Book Blurb:

Mermaid Swimwear CEO Butch Oldham was an equal opportunity scoundrel who screwed anyone and everyone in his wake. So, the question wasn’t who wanted the bastard dead. The question was, who didn’t?
After Mermaid sales exec Holly Schlivnik finds colleague Queenie Levine standing over Oldham’s battered corpse nailed to a fabric cutting table with a pair of cutting shears plunged deep into his chest, the cops soon recover Queenie’s hidden blood-soaked sweater, discover her stormy relationship with the victim, and her public threats to make Butch pay for destroying Mermaid by stealing it blind.
When Queenie is arrested for Butch’s murder, Holly jumps into action to flesh out the real killer. But the trail has more twists and turns than a slinky, and nothing turns out the way the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent for revenge.

My Review:

What you say? The old girl is reading a cozy mystery? Yes, and I was craftily coerced by glimpsing the cover. Whoever came up with that one deserves a percentage of sales.

The unlikely protagonist is Holly Schlivnik, a houseboat resident, dog owner, and high-level executive of private label division of Mermaid Swimwear—in LA (of all places). Bucks all the normal trope background, except maybe that she owns a canine companion Sigmund (Siggie) who artfully answers all her questions with the appropriate woof.

Mermaid Swimwear CEO Butch Oldham has gotten his just desserts by being offed and pinned to a cutting table; spread-eagled like his butterfly collections. I won’t go into detail regarding further forensics; suffice to say you can’t unsee that one.

Of course, for me, it’s the snarky sense of humor that provides the hook and after that I’m lost—must finish the book and it’s a good one. Well-plotted and paced, the characters are way too much fun (including the Yentas), beginning with co-worker, Queenie Levine, who is accused of the crime. Well, you can’t ignore that one—no way Queenie would have done it—ample motive or not. How many others had a good motive? Lots! Good her bestie Assistant Medical Examiner Sophia Cutler MD (known as Snip) can be called on as Holly has Detective Josiah Jones to maneuver.

I ate it up. And loved most of it! Dialogue is a hoot, the writing style keeps you glued. Loved the characters with the exception of the possible romantic triangle (although it was resolved well).

“Two men frantic over the thought of losing me? Guess neither one got the memo. You can’t lose what you don’t have.”

I have to protest the number of times Nancy Drew is referenced and the conversations with both Detective Jones and Captain Alvarez—I can’t imagine speaking to high-ranking officers like that without receiving a stern warning immediately.

“You want me to quit interfering? Arrest the right suspects.”

Overall, however, the sense of humor was fun, the narrative gripping, and the romp through the investigation highly engaging and entertaining. Will definitely be looking for another in the series. Highly recommended.

I received a gratis copy of this book from the author that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Amateur Sleuths, Cozy Mysteries
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
ASIN: B0C62HRJXM
Print Length: 202 pages
Publication Date: August 2, 2023
Source: Author