Birthday Party [Mass Market Paperback]

Marne Davis Kellogg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 28, 2000

Lilly Bennett would no more think of going out without her Glock .26 than without her pearls. A hard-boiled P.I. with a touch of class and a federal marshal's badge, Lilly knows the darkest secrets of Wyoming's most glittering citizens....

Clay Parker's exit from this world was less than dignified: The former cowboy movie star was shot to bits over dessert at a deadly dull charity dinner. His Las Vegas funeral was no more dignified but a whole lot more entertaining, with a two-dozen-showgirl salute and an appearance by Wayne Newton. Parker was the spokesman for an unpopular family-owned land company that's carving chunks out of Wyoming's wide-open spaces. And he's only the first to die, plunging Lilly into a case as messy and full of homicidal loathing as only a family can be....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Unlikely as it may seem, Kellogg's feisty series heroine, Lilly Bennett, is both a U.S. Marshal and a private eye. A tough, dyed-in-the-wool Westerner, Lilly also owns an international security firm that's based in her home town of Bennett's Fort, Wyo. In addition, she's an heiress who flies by corporate helicopter and jet, wears couture clothes and always makes sure she's got her trusty Glock in her designer purse. Lilly recently married opera magnate and rodeo star Richard Jerome, but that hasn't slowed her relentless pursuit of killers. It's bad enough when a land developer is slain before her eyes at an exclusive charity dinner, but when the murderer knocks out two muscle-bound former Marine pilots and steals Lilly's helicopter to make a getaway, our heroine has plenty of motive to get involved. While chasing down leads, Lily jets off to Las Vegas, where she gets involved with showgirls, the Mafia and a passel of evil land developers and crooked politicians. As the body count rises and comes to include a federal office-holder, even Lilly's old friend Janet Reno and the director of the FBI get on her case about solving the crimes quickly. Kellogg has produced another uproarious, fast-moving melodrama. Her characters have plenty of attitude, but not much depth. Still, there's fun for all in this comedy-mystery about the outrageous exploits of an audacious heroine and her rowdy, eccentric family of Western ranchers. Readers may not always agree with Lilly's firmly held opinions about everything under the sun, but they'll enjoy her company immensely. (Dec.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Newly married Lilly Bennett, marshal of Bennett's Fort, WY, chases a murderer who has targeted a local land-developing company. More rambunctious fun; fifth in the series.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (November 28, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553580493
• ISBN-13: 978-0553580495
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,496,213 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I want to be Lilly Bennett!, January 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Birthday Party (Hardcover)

I found the first Lilly Bennett book by accident during a browse of the library....and have read them all as fast as she can get them published. I want to be LILLY! Who else has money, a great office, a family that provides comic relief at just the right moments, a husband who picks YOU over a Las Vegas showgirl,AND a badge? If you enjoy your mysteries with a pinch of danger, unusual characters, and a whole lot of fun....read this series! Start at the beginning, or start with this one...you'll be glad you did!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Murder, marriage and showgirls! What more could you want?, July 12, 2000

By 

L. S. Tucker (Port St. Lucie, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Birthday Party (Hardcover)

A boring tribute party quickly gets exciting when a commando dressed intruder blows a large hole in Clay Parker, hasbeen cowboy star, before U.S. Marshall Lilly Bennett Jerome can react. Soon Lilly is involved with visiting Las Vegas showgirls, missing Faberge eggs that belong to a former flame of Lilly's and current Mafioso, family feuds over land use, and brother Elias Bennett's pending marriage. And murder after murder.

As satisfying as the previous Bennett books, with more than normal confusion. Lilly's family, friends and associates are a delight, but at the rate people in Roundup are dying, it won't be long until only the Bennetts will be left.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MYSTERY and MURDER with HUMOR, January 1, 2003

By 

G. Bowser "gloryb28" (NEW YORK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Birthday Party (Mass Market Paperback)

This is my first read by Kelloggand what a kick! One murder afteranother keep US Marshal LilyBennett with no clues but pressureby Janet Reno to get the casessolved. Wyoming has lots of landand lots of people scheming underthe table to get that land. Theauthor tosses humor into the mixand finally puts all the piecestogether to solve them all. Ihad no idea who was behind themurders and there is plenty ofsuspense to keep you reading right up to the end and you finish the book with a smile onyour face knowing that the birthday gal ends up far awayfrom where the party was to beheld. This s just the book toread between the more seriousmurder-mysteries. I intend to readmore of Marne Kellogg's books.