Rating: 
Summary: Fun diet-mystery
Review: Add me to the list of those who are reading all of Kelly Ripa's book selections. I am a huge fan of Kelly, so anything to tells me to read, most likely I'll read. Her first choice, If Looks Could Kill, was a fun, light beginning to her bookclub.Bailey Weggins, true crime reporter for Gloss magazine, receives a frantic call from her boss, Cat -- Cat's live-in nanny, Heidi, has not showed up yet nor does she answer her door. Cat begs Bailey to come over and check things out; she's afraid something has happened to Heidi and doesn't want to be alone. Once Bailey enters Heidi's apartment, something is immediately amiss -- if the smell wasn't a dead giveaway, then Heidi's lifeless body is a sure tip-off. Who killed Heidi, and why? Cat asks Bailey to help solve the mystery, and by the novels' end, everyone seems to be a suspect. Told with a light, easy tone, this mystery is not for die-hard, edge-of-your-seat fans -- this is more for the chick-lit fan who wants something a little different than the norm. Author Kate White did a very good job of keeping me guessing -- I thought the killer was every character at least once throughout the book -- and had me surprised once the killer was revealed in the last few pages. The writing was very easy and flowing, and the New York City setting made it all the more fun, especially since my first trip to NYC was only a few weeks ago. I recommend this book for an entertaining beach read or for anyone wanting a quick, satisfying, light story.
Rating: 
Summary: Fine, but no Bridget, and no Grafton, either
Review: I enjoyed this book. It was certainly not up to the standards of my usual mystery novels, such as those written by Linda Fairstein, but it was a pleasant little read. I didn't dislike the characters as much as some reviewers seem to do, but I also will say that I don't think Kate White went very far in trying to disguise the characters from the people she knows in real life. Even the doctors Bailey talks to in the book have names and positions very, very close to the people that Ms. White thanks in the acknowledgement page - this, to me, is a sure sign of a first novel - where you can't think of names that aren't similar to your friends' (or enemies') names, jobs, descriptions, etc. Hopefully the next books (and yes, there is a least one more coming) will dampen down on that "drawing from life" tendency a bit. Also, I was a little put off by some of the assumptions that the author makes about her audience's lack of knowledge. I grew up in a tiny town in Central Illinois, and will admit to having never been in NYC. However, I don't need to be told that "the Village" means Greenwich Village, or what the Hamptons are, or even what the Circle Line Tour is. I guess I assume that anyone picking up a mystery novel by the editor of Cosmo might have a working knowledge of the culture of NYC - especially when it's so touted as a "Sex and the City" type deal. The reviews and marketing all are aimed at a type of reader that probably knows this stuff. I felt a bit patronized with some of those basic explanations that really didn't seem necessary - it seemed like she was TRYING to cover all her possible audience bases, which distracted me from the story. Also, I think that the fashion descriptions, while certainly something that Ms. White would be interested in, may not hold up if the book is ever reprinted in a few years. It's something that I notice when reading fluff - if the fluff is from the '80's, you notice and kind of mock the clothing descriptions. The best authors keep that kind of thing to a minimum, so that the book will hold up in the future. That being said, the mystery was enjoyable enough, though most dedicated mystery readers will figure out all the plot twists about 2 pages ahead of the heroine. Still, it wasn't a waste of time if you're not expecting the "great American novel".
Rating: 
Summary: My FAVORITE Book!
Review: If Looks Could Kill is one of my all time favorites! It's so thrilling and exciting! It keeps u guessing until the very last page!
Rating:
Summary: More Sex and The City than a Mystery
Review: If Looks Could Kill is an ok effort, but falls kind of flat on it's face in the mystery department. Bailey Weggins is an appealing character, but the story itself does not hold up for her to shine. The book's main problem is the fact that it's not really centered on the mystery at hand but more on the nuances of the publishing world of magazines. Not to say that the magazine business is not an interesting topic but when it almost over shadows the story at hand, then there's a problem. It's an ok effort but it should have been better. I will though pick up the next book in the series to see if the Character of Bailey Weggins get a better story to shine in.
Rating:
Summary: I never read mysteries, but I am glad I made the exception!
Review: This book is great - fast-paced, interesting and NOT gory. I loved it. If you are like me, a voracious reader who doesn't choose mysteries 99.99% of the time, read this. You will love it.
Rating:
Summary: Meet Bailey Weggins
Review: I knew the name Kate White sounded familiar, I just couldn't place the name with a face until I read the back flap of the book. Of course, she is the editor of Cosmopolitan, my favorite magazine! I was excited to read this book before, but I was really excited after knowing who the author was.
Meet Bailey Wiggins, a free lance writer for Gloss, a Cosmopolitanish magazine, that is run by a snibbish woman named Cat. Cat is a very smart, career lady who has made many people mad on her way to the top. Bailey considers her a friend, but really only when Cat needs something. So when Cat calls early one Sunday morning panicking about her Nanny, Heidi, not answering the door, Bailey figures she is just overreacting but decides to humor her. What Bailey finds when she enters the Nanny's apartment is not something she would never wish to see again. She finds Heidi dead after appartently being sick everywhere in the house. Since Bailey writes crime stories, Cat begs her to help find the killer. The things that happen to Bailey are suspensful and sometimes a little scary. In a book where everyone is a suspect, it is a huge who done it until the end.
The cover says A Bailey Weggins mystery so we can only hope that she appears in more books and they are just as good. I was not disappointed in this book and I was very glad that I took the time to read. I eaglerly await Kate White's next novel, but for now, I will just keep reading the Cosmopolitan and hoping the next book comes out soon!
Rating:
Summary: Delicious mystery: done with style!!!! Unplug the phone!!!!!
Review: I love mysteries that do not seem like a Murder She Wrote episode. The murder of the nanny of a top fashion magazine editor begins this novel. The main character, Baily, is enlisted to help the editor, Cat, solve the crime so as to be one step ahead of the police. You will love running after Baily in her Manolo Blahniks to solve the Nanny Mystery!! Read it in one night because I couldn't put it down!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Good!
Review: This book was good! It kept me guessing until the end. I had no clue who the murderer was. The author did a great job writing this book!
Rating:
Summary: Loved it!!!
Review: I purchased this on recommenation from Kelly Rippa on Live with Regis and Kelly. It is funny and intriguing. I highly recommend this fast and entertaining read.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Story!
Review: This book was a great mystery and a nice look at the magazine industry as well. I hope Ms. White takes this very likeable character and makes this a series.
|
