book review

From the publisher

Cyd Redondo, a young, third-generation Brooklyn travel agent who specializes in senior citizens, has never ventured farther than New Jersey. Yet even Jersey proves risky when her Travel Agents’ Convention fling, Roger Claymore, leaves her weak in the knees-and everywhere else-then sneaks out of her Atlantic City hotel room at three a.m.

Back in Brooklyn, when she reads about smugglers stopped at JFK with skinks in their socks or monkeys down their pants, she never imagines she will join their ranks. But days after the pet store owner next door to Redondo Travel is poisoned, Cyd wins a free safari. Her boss, Uncle Ray, wants to cash it in for computers, but Cyd is determined to go. When Roger turns up at the Redondo clan’s door, Cyd invites him along as her “plus one.” And just like that she is thrown heels-first into the bizarre and sinister world of international animal smuggling.

She and Roger arrive in Africa, luggage lost, to find two of Cyd’s elderly clients in a local jail. She manages to barter them out, only to discover smugglers have hidden five hundred thousand dollars’ worth of endangered parrots, snakes, frogs, and a lone Madagascan chameleon in the clients’ outbound luggage. When Roger steals the bags—is the U.S. Embassy in on the contraband ring?—Cyd and the chameleon helicopter into the jungle to go after Roger on their own.

Wondering if “plus one” Roger is actually a minus, Cyd dodges Interpol, faces off with a cobra, steals a diplomatic bag, hijacks a FedEx truck, crashes an eco-safari, winds up in a leopard trap, and is forced to smuggle snakes in her bra. It’s a scramble to find the smugglers, save her clients, and solve Mrs. Barsky’s murder before finding herself at the top of the endangered species list.

My review of Lost Luggage

Lost Luggage is a riotous romp through Africa. It’s filled with clever dialogue, funny situations, and more OMG moments than a bungee jump marathon. And that’s exactly what it feels like travel agent extraordinaire Cyd Redondo has done—entered a world in which cliffhangers are just the beginning of a new adventure.

It’s difficult to make me laugh out loud when I’m reading, but Lost Luggage did that many times over. Cyd Redondo and her naive-but-savvy travel brilliance had me begging for more. An outstanding read that will not only have you flipping pages to see how Cyd handles her latest crisis, but also to find out who’s behind all the chaos.

From the publisher

Peace and quiet is underrated.

After her last brush with murder, Larklyn Davis is relieved to be spending her time with the talented new horse at her stables instead of tripping over body parts. While she’s trying to figure out why her newest horse has lost his mojo, she’s also puzzling over her relationship with the brooding, uncommunicative Detective Brecken Wilson.

But then, disaster strikes, and both Lark’s reputation and business are on the line. Once again she finds herself pulled into a murder case and in close proximity to the handsome Detective. Throw in a dashing veterinarian plus a matchmaking town and Lark’s life spins out of control. As clues pile up and all evidence leads back to her barn, Lark gets saddled up to solve another mystery.

Who knew life in Barrow Bay would stir up so much trouble?

My review of Stir Up

Stir Up is an equestrian themed mystery with an unusual twist—the murder victim is a horse. It’s obvious the author cares deeply about horses and animal cruelty. At first, this departure from the traditional blueprint for a mystery bothered me, but as the story progressed, I found the plot twist refreshing.

The main character, Lark Davis, is a mixture of spunk, snark, and sass. In a world of snarky characters, Lark reigns supreme. She’s got a comeback or comment—even if it’s only in her head—for every person, conversation, and situation. For me, Lark’s internal monologue slowed the story.
Unfortunately, Lark’s obsession with her love life, or lack thereof, became a bit much for me. For those who love getting involved in the main character’s personal life, Lark’s your girl. And for those mystery readers who are also horse lovers—mount up because Stir Up has you covered.

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From the publisher

The organizers have rustled up plenty of surprises for the literary conference at Tattered Star Ranch. But the murder of an influential scholar wasn’t on the program—someone has clearly taken the theme of Malice in the Mountains to heart. This shocking crime is only the beginning: Other dangers and deceptions are soon revealed.

English professor Lila Maclean has a full agenda: She must convince a press to publish her book (possibly), ace her panel presentations (hopefully), and deal with her nemesis (regrettably).

However, when Detective Lex Archer requests Lila’s academic expertise, she agrees to consult on the case. While her contributions earn high marks from her partner, it could be too late; the killer is already taking aim at the next subject.

As Lila races to keep her colleagues alive, publish or perish takes on new meaning.

My review of The Subject of Malice

With multiple plot lines—one for the murder, one for the romance, and one based on good old-fashioned greed—The Subject of Malice has a lot going on. The storylines, which ultimately converge, are balanced well and all proceed at a good pace. 

There’s no shortage of odd characters in this story, either, which makes one wonder exactly how many of them are based on real academics. In fact, it was easy to identify personality types everyone has likely met…and disliked. Lila is a likable character, and I found it easy to identify with her struggle balance her personal and professional lives. I felt Lila should have done a better job of standing up for herself at times, but the truth is her reactions were often an accurate reflection of how many people react to stressful situations.

Overall, The Subject of Malice is an entertaining read with twists and turns peppered throughout.