How to Murder a Millionaire

Rating:
Summary: Lots of Fun, but Still Clever
Review: "How to Murder..." is a terrific fun. The mystery element is legit - you're given some interesting suspects and the ultimate murderer is a surprise...Nora, however, is superbly developed - she's funny, clever, but with her own faults. (She faints a lot - she hates it, she's not a delicate creature, but she just faints a lot. Oh, and she and her sisters can't keep husbands - they die on them.) Her sisters round out what looks to be a truly fun group of detectives - especially Emma, the youngest. And Michael adds an attractive balance to all those women - and gives us all a reason to keep reading (to see what happens between him and Nora). I'm sure we'll see Det. Bloom again, as well. I'll definitely look for book #2.

Rating:
Summary: Fast and Easy
Review: An enjoyable read, and a good one for this first in the Blackbird Sisters series. The sisters were raised in high society, two are widowed (there's three), and it makes for a different kind of cast. The book is well written, and the plot easy enough to where it's an enjoyable page turner. In this premiere novel, a wealthy newspaper publisher is murdered and Nora, who was hired by him to write part of the society page, is sure one of the wealthy suspects didn't do it. When her sisters get strangely involved, she is thrust into the mystery. Quite a climactic scene that's both exciting and surprising.

Rating:
Summary: Delightfully funny and deliciously sexy
Review: Delightfully funny and deliciously sexy, How to Murder a Millionaire is an entertaining romp through Philadelphia high society where old money mixes with new crime and motives abound along with the martinis.

Nora Blackbird is smart, stylish and too busy for love, but it still manages to find her as she deals with a new job, two wild sisters and the murder of an old family friend. This mystery is wickedly funny and also romantic as Nora juggles being a full-time society page columnist with part-time sleuthing. In trying to solve the mystery of who murdered her friend, Nora skirts dangerously close to becoming victim number two and skates into the arms of someone far outside her social circle.

Nancy Martin's writing is fresh, funny and filled with the sort of details that make this mystery a must for those looking for pure entertainment. A good exampe of the perfect beach book--but don't save it!

Rating:
Summary: Really tough going
Review: I guess I was hung up from the outset on the $2,000,000 (two million) dollar "property tax" lien. How on earth could Nora EVER pay that off? And her parents racking up THAT kinda debt and still living lavishly in the Caribbean? Too cute and improbable to me. Better they should've been killed off.

That aside, the writing is mediocre at best. This is NOT Stephanie Plum quality by a longshot! The second star is borderline, and only because this book would serve to kill time if necessary; I did manage to [barely] finish it.

IF the author were to try a different series, I'd consider reading the first of that one, but the rest of this - nope - no way.

Rating:
Summary: Did Not Live Up to Expectations
Review: I had read all the great reviews here on Amazon and thought that this was a surefire winner, but was greatly disappointed. It is not a bad book, but certainly not worthy of 5 stars. I may have even considered 4 stars, but the ending was implausible and rushed.
Nora Blackbird is a 31-year-old widow who has two wacky sisters. Her parents have taken off to a tax haven in the Carribean somewhere, apparently just escaping punishment for tax evasion from the government, leaving Nora with a $2million tax payment. I don't really understand why only she, and not all three sisters, is liable for the payment, but okay. An old friend of the family is killed while hosting a luxurious party and Nora decides to figure out who did it. Along the way she meets a couple of attractive men, one on each side of the law.
The book has some funny lines in it. The sisters, at least to me, are not wacky in a funny way, but rather in an annoying way. I wanted to scream at them to grow up. Both of them disappear, creating more problems, and the manner in which they are held captive is slightly ridiculous.
Not for sure if I will buy the second in the series or not...

Rating:
Summary: Great First!
Review: I had to admitt I had my doubts - (which really doesn go to show you can't judge a book by its cover), but this proved to be a fun, quick, interesting read. Look forward to the next installment.

Rating:
Summary: The only series that is as good as Evanovich's!
Review: I love Nancy Martin's books! I think I liked the second more than the first but I really enjoyed both very much. Its the first Evanovich-like series that I've liked nearly as much as Evanovich. I'm looking forwarding to the future Blackbird sisters books!

Rating:
Summary: Fun read!
Review: I really enjoyed this first book in a new series. It's for you if you are looking for a light, romantic and funny mystery. I really liked the characters, and look forward to reading the next one.

Rating:
Summary: How to Murder a Millionaire
Review: I'll be honest with you, not only had I never read any of Nancy Martin's books but I had never even heard of her. I just happened to be searching through Amazon in search of something light and funny to read when the title of this book caught my attention. I am certainly glad that I picked it up. This was just the type of read that I was looking for it was light and witty with just the right touch of suspense.

Nora Blackbird comes from a prominent Pennsylvania family who has fallen from grace. Her parents, after squandering the family fortune, have fled to Palm Beach, FL leaving Nora and her sisters to live with the burden of their mistakes. Nora, who is left with the biggest burden...a $2 million property tax bill, is forced to take a job at a local newspaper as a reporter for the society page, as well as sell off 5 acres of the Blackbird land. Nora soon finds herself tangled up in a murder investigation when Rory Pendegrast the host of a lavish party and old family friend is found smothered to death in his home. The fun begins when Nora enlists the help of her sisters, the strong yet beautiful Emma and the ditzy Libby. Throw in a touch of romance with the handsome and "connected" Michael Abruzzo and you have a recipe for success.

While some aspects of this book may be a bit unbelievable, such as Nora's willingness to even speak to a mother who would leave her a $2 million property tax bill and the ending may have been a bit rushed, I thought `HOW TO MURDER A MILLIONAIRE' was a quick enjoyable beach read.

Rating:
Summary: How to Murder a Millionaire
Review: I'll be honest with you, not only had I never read any of Nancy Martin's books but I had never even heard of her. I just happened to be searching through Amazon in search of something light and funny to read when the title of this book caught my attention. I am certainly glad that I picked it up. This was just the type of read that I was looking for it was light and witty with just the right touch of suspense.

Nora Blackbird comes from a prominent Pennsylvania family who has fallen from grace. Her parents, after squandering the family fortune, have fled to Palm Beach, FL leaving Nora and her sisters to live with the burden of their mistakes. Nora, who is left with the biggest burden...a $2 million property tax bill, is forced to take a job at a local newspaper as a reporter for the society page, as well as sell off 5 acres of the Blackbird land. Nora soon finds herself tangled up in a murder investigation when Rory Pendegrast the host of a lavish party and old family friend is found smothered to death in his home. The fun begins when Nora enlists the help of her sisters, the strong yet beautiful Emma and the ditzy Libby. Throw in a touch of romance with the handsome and "connected" Michael Abruzzo and you have a recipe for success.

While some aspects of this book may be a bit unbelievable, such as Nora's willingness to even speak to a mother who would leave her a $2 million property tax bill and the ending may have been a bit rushed, I thought 'HOW TO MURDER A MILLIONAIRE' was a quick enjoyable beach read.