Blog Tour/Review: Stilettos & Scoundrels by Laina Turner-Molaski

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Book Info:

ISBN #: 978-0-578-03407-2

Page Count: 324

Copyright: 2010

Book Summary:

(Given to me by Pump Up Your Book)

Presley Thurman, a sassy, thirty-something red-head, was looking to reinvent herself. She didn’t allow the fact she was recently fired to bother her – she was ready to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a writer. Presley is a lover of shopping and Starbucks, and even though she sometimes had bad taste in men, she always had great taste in clothes. Not looking back on corporate America, Presley decided to follow her dream.

With her feisty nature and a spirit to not “sweat the small stuff,” she was ready to tackle any challenge (even if she had no idea how she would pay the bills). When her friend Trevor offered her a job with his online magazine to interview public figures, she jumped at the chance. However, the new job turned into something unexpected when the U.S. Senator she was slated to write about was murdered – in her home town!

Presley was excited – she hadn’t seen so much buzz since the spring sample sale at Saks. She was ready for this adventure, even if it didn’t seem to fit neatly into her life. She couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be in the middle of the buzz. Presley was determined (not to mention curious) to find the killer and write her story.After all, she couldn’t afford her shoe habit without a job and she was certainly not one to shy away from danger.

The only thing standing in her way was an old high school fling, Cooper Sands, head of the Senator’s security. He was not actually standing in her way, but because of his good looks, he was the biggest distraction and one she was having the hardest time overcoming. Cooper felt it was too dangerous for Presley to look for a killer and tried to distract her with reliving the past; which Presley found more dangerous than any killer. While she attempted to resist Cooper’s good looks and charm, Presley was able to discover the Senator’s wife, Helen, had been having an affair… with her best friend’s boyfriend!

Did Helen kill the Senator? Or was it the Senator’s love of gambling that got him killed? And what was Cooper’s secret tie to the mob boss Garrison Palazzo? Presley was betting her favorite pair of Manolo’s she will find the killer… but will time run out!

Mandy's Review:

Cover

The stiletto is a great representation of what's inside.  It personifies the women who wear them and is an important piece of the murder.

Plot

It was wonderful to read a mystery/suspense novel that really kept you in suspense until the last moment.  Just when I thought I had figured out "who-done-it," the story revealed something that made me second-guess myself ... and I'm usually pretty good at figuring out the criminal by the middle of a novel.

Main Characters

Presley - Lord, chile, this woman is a whole mess of impatience, nosiness, big-heartedness, independence, frustration, impertinence ... I could just keep going ... She really was fun to get to know, but there were times that I wanted to slap my own hand over her mouth!

Cooper - The sexy man who was Presley's rebound after a break up during high school.  He is head over the security company that is on detail for the Senator.

Katy - I would just love to knock some sense into this girl!  She allows the guy she likes to just treat her and talk to her any way he wants to.  And, it's not like this is a new relationship and she wasn't aware of how he was ... Oh no!  They have been on-again/off-again since high school.  Wake up girl and get a clue!

Overall

I really enjoyed this novel.  The characters seemed realistic and familiar to me.  I would recommend this to anyone who likes a great suspense novel with a sassy chick! =)