Rating: 
Summary: "Sublime and subversive."
Review: "I literally could not put this book down. It is not only a fabulous read, but you feel like this author really knows the world she is writing about from the inside, and I learned a lot. Jo Slater is a great character and I found myself rooting for her against all my better instincts. You have to love a book whose first sentence is: "Murder was never my goal in life." It is sublime and subversive. What a tour de force! I can't wait for the sequel.
Rating: 
Summary: Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
Review: "Social Crimes" is the perfect fast beach read and very entertaining. I read it over the weekend. Most mysteries are predicable and I don't think the author is trying to be Agatha Christie. People that don't live in the New York City area or aren't aware of the social circles depicted in the book won't find it as amusing since the book is set in the city and the Hamptons. The book is exactly what it should be - fun!
Rating:
Summary: Almost halfway through...
Review: ...and I absolutely intend to finish it! I cannot put it down either, even after being with 2 kids all day long. The story is intriguing and keeps the reader's interest; the pace is quick. BTW the previous reviewer provided WAY too much detail on the plot. I didn't care for the spoilers, thank you very much.
Rating:
Summary: Jane Stanton Hitchcock weaves a gripping, delicious tale
Review: A brilliant story of betrayal and deception, Social Crimes kept me awake all night reading -- each time I turned off the lights and tried to go to sleep, my mind raced with images of the heroine, Jo, and I had to keep reading. Author Jane Stanton Hitchcock keeps the reader hanging on her every word with a talent for description that brings the people and places into full color, without being verbose or overbearing. I never would have thought I could identify with a character who is a millionaire socialite, but by the third chapter, I was crying and plotting along with Jo. Sinful and decadent like a rich chocolate dessert, Social Crimes is a must read. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's hoping for a sequel.
Rating: 
Summary: Social Crimes
Review: A lukewarm tale of suspense about an obsessed Manhattan woman who grows as evil as her nemesis. Celebrating her birthday in Southampton, Jo Slater, at "a certain age," appears to have it all. Once a steakhouse waiter, she now stands next to her husband, Lucius, worth $200 million. She thrives in Manhattan's art scene and counts many friends. But, alas, image misleads. At the party, Jo meets a fawning Countess Monique de Passy. Lucius turns testy, and Jo soon learns what everyone, including the reader, already knows: Lucius and the Countess are having an affair. Interrupting their cabana tryst, Jo so startles Lucius that he suffers a fatal heart attack. She subsequently learns her husband had changed his will, leaving everything to Monique. Poor Jo loses the Southampton estate and the Fifth Avenue condo. Worse yet, Monique cleverly foils Jo's every attempt to start a new life. Ambling home one night after a bleak day spent selling carpet, Jo drops in at the posh King Cole Room to splurge on a drink or two. A woman who just happens to look like Monique also drops in, and Jo's four-year-long obsession to strike back at Monique crystallizes into a plan: Jo will hire the woman in the bar, an escort named Oliva, to pose as Monique. The faux Monique will consult a lawyer about filing a will, which will return Lucius' estate to Jo. Of course, for Jo to collect, Monique must be dispatched. Jo hatches a jerrybuilt scheme that culminates in Monique's death-the Countess dives over a balcony grasping at a million-dollar necklace Jo dangles before her. Jo returns triumphant to the social whirl, while in some dark place Oliva waits to claim her due. A Hampton breeze that rarely chills. Hitchcock (Trick of the Hammer, 1994, etc.) misses the psychological insight that can make readers squirm with empathy.
Rating:
Summary: think again
Review: Although some may see this novel as predictable, Hitchcock's voice is fun and engaging. If the plot can be anticipated, it is still worth the trip since protagonist Jo is so likeable, and it's enjoyable to spend time with her. The plot concentrates on the decline of a NY social queen to the depths of bankrupcy as a result of Monique's malice. It is the willful act of destroying Jo, rather than uncontrolled tragedy, that makes this novel fun rather than morose. Although the depth and repetition of suffering wore me down, it makes Jo's final actions believable. Definitely a good choice for summer reading--I am glad I heard the interview on Diane Ryme's show.
Rating:
Summary: Down and dirty
Review: As a woman living in New York, this novel both intrigued me and clutched me from the very beginning. I felt like a voyer peeking into a world that is all too real - from what I have personally seen - for a New York socialite. You can't take it seriously however, you must just enjoy the "drama" for what it is. Lesson taught: Don't take anything for granted, trust yourself and be true to who you are. Enjoy this read, it's easy, fun, dirty and daring. You will want more! It's human nature!!
Rating:
Summary: It Ain't All Beer and Skittles
Review: Being super-rich must have a downside---somewhere. It couldn't happen to a nicer person than Jo Slater, our luxe heroine of this finely crafted psychological novel. Jo started off poor, became the mistress and later the wife of an obscenely rich man. She paid her dues, was the perfect wife and hostess, educated herself and became an arbitrator of Society. Jo knows her 18th century French furniture, her Porthault linens, her couture wardrobe----knows it all except her incredibly conniving older husband and her former great friend, the young Countess de Passy. Husband dies suddenly in shocking circumstances, and Jo finds she is left with nothing but her jewelry and wardrobe while the Countess is left half his fortune. Hell hath no fury, etc., but Jo's is focused on the Countess to the point of obsession. However, it's tough to successfully scheme when all the bucks are on the other side. Picture a cross among psychological thriller writer Minette Walters, "W"'s savvy society columnist Suzy, and the light hearted wit of George Plimpton and you will have an idea of what Ms. Hitchcock is about here. Jo is so likeable even when she is thinking her darkest thoughts that you feel like you want her for your new best friend. Though "Social Crimes" is eminently readable and witty, it is no fluffy beach book. The author zeros in on the pain and belittlement of obsession and humiliation; how even the best of us can become emotionally crippled by a sudden change in our fortunes. Revenge is a very cold dish indeed. Can't say enough good about Ms. Hitchcock and "Social Crimes." Do yourself a favor and read it!
-sweetmolly-Amazon.com Reviewer
Rating: 
Summary: Pitiful
Review: Boring and predictible. if new yorkers love it, they need to reassess their basic value packages. Lifestyles of these insipid characters are disgusting. Who cares about any of them?
Rating: 
Summary: Not a good read
Review: Boring, predictable, and unimaginative. Don't waste your time. You knew from the beginning what was going to happen, and it did. I sometimes got lost in the middle of a sentence (they were do long) and had to re-read it. Skipped over whole pages of junk, and still got the point. Save your money for a better book!
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