Customer Reviews

Bowled Over (Maggie Kelly Mysteries)

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Historical mystery author Margaret "Maggie" Kelly used to believe that she was slowly going insane. The handsome Regency hero of her novels, Alexandre "Alex" Blake, the Viscount Saint Just, and his lovable side-kick, Sterling, had miraculously come to life in the not too distant past. That is enough to make anyone doubt their sanity. But now that some time has passed, Maggie is beginning to believe that maybe the two new men in her life will not go - poof - someday and disappear. Perhaps Maggie and Alex have a chance together after all.

The holidays are coming up, so it is time for Maggie to travel to Ocean City, New Jersey, for another Kelly Dysfunctional Christmas. She is taking Alex and Sterling along for the ride (moral support and all that). But first Maggie wants to stop and tour a huge Manhattan house she is considering to purchase. While doing so, Maggie breaks her foot on a metal doorstop. Therefore, Maggie must wear a bulky cast and use a walker. NOT one of Maggie's more graceful times.

Alicia and Evan, Maggie parents, have split up. So the trio head for Evan's apartment and arrive just in time to watch Maggie's father being arrested as a murder suspect. The local police believe Evan murdered one of his bowling buddies, Walter Bodkin, who happened to have had a brief affair with Alicia. Evan's bowling ball, the murder weapon, had been found near Bodkin's body. It is up to Maggie, Alex, and Sterling to prove his innocence. Problem is that there are SO MANY suspects. The late Bodkin had many amorous adventures with the local ladies (wed or not). In fact, Maggie cannot help but wonder if she is the only female who has never had a fling with the guy.

***** Author Kasey Michaels has an imagination that just won't stop. I must say that I find her characters to be unique and quite a refreshing change of pace. The character of Maggie will come across to many readers as realistic due to the way she uses humor as a defense mechanism. (My shield of choice too.) As with all great mysteries, all the clues are there for readers to browse through and test their wits upon. A true delight for all fans of mysteries. ENCORE! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

When last we saw Maggie she was preparing for the holidays. Preparing to visit her parents - who are currently separated. To say she was dreading the visit is an understatement. To take her mind off of what's ahead (and in an effort to secure a tax break) Maggie goes house hunting. One slight misstep in the house of her dreams and she breaks her foot, gets a cast and has to hobble along with the aid of a walker. None of which garner her any sympathy from her family.

Just missing her father at his apartment, and not ready to face her mother, Maggie indulges Sterling's love of casinos and drives him and Saint Just to Atlantic City where she immediately "runs into" Henry Novack and steals his jackpot. Well, to hear him tell it at any rate. And he doesn't intend to leave her alone until she gives it back to him.

When she finally makes it back to her father's apartment she can only watch as he is taken away in handcuffs, accused of murder. The evidence against him is circumstantial but the police won't even consider any other suspects so it's up to Maggie and Alex to prove his innocence. With each new piece of evidence they uncover, Evan Kelly looks more and more guilty. Will they be able to uncover that once piece of evidence that will clear him - even with Henry shadowing their every move?

Bowled Over is reportedly the final installment in the Maggie Kelly series. Kasey Michaels has written it with her usual humor and smart dialogue (just ask Maggie how she broke her foot). The reader is given more insight into Maggie's family and a few more of the skeleton's fall out of the closet. The reader is also treated to a look into the "shadowy figure's" head. As always the story was a lot of fun and I read the entire book in one afternoon. While Ms. Michaels has written a nice ending to the series, she also left it open to the point the story could continue without taking away from the ending she's written. And I, for one, hope this is not the last we see of Maggie, Alex, Sterling and even Henry.

This, sadly, is the last book in the series. That being said, it is also the most revealing and hysterical.

Maggie wins big at the Casino, is stalked by a demented 42 year old. Maggie's father is accused of murder - sweet mild mannered Evan? - and Maggie and Saint Just set out to clear his name.

Sterling and Alex discover that they are becoming more human. Every day.

Maggie stands up to her Mom (at last). And there is, folks, a happy ending.

Admittedly, I enjoy Kasey Michael's sense of humor - the author "asides" are hilarious!!!

This was an extremely fun read and the end of a series - Darn it!!!!!!!!!

I LIKE THESE MYSTERIES AS EACH ONE IS DIFFERENT BUT ALSO GIVES THE HEROINE A LIFE AND THAT IS FUN.

I cannot believe that Kensington is ending this series!!! I really love the quirky and whimsical humor and it is so wonderful to read the banter between the characters. I am hoping that even though Kasey Michaels gave a satisfying conclusion that the publishers will realize their mistake and bring this series back. Ms Michaels left enough of an out to resurrect the line if Kensington will reconsider.

Bowled Over is entertaining. However...

In High Heels and Holidays, they met Lt. Wendell's new girlfriend -- Christine.

When the same girlfriend is referenced here (clearly the same, given her occupation and some other circumstantial evidence), her name is Caroline.

That disposes of the nit.

What threw me out of the "reader's trance" much more sharply was the W.B.B. club. It struck me as so unlikely as to be over the top, particularly when combined with Bodkin's relationship with Maggie's mother and both her sisters. Overkill, alas.

Reviewed by Kathy Perschmann

Bowled Over is the sixth in the delightful Maggie Kelly series (and sadly, it is INDEED THE LAST!). Michaels is the author of over 100 books, some historical and contemporary romances, and the Maggie Kelly/Viscount Saint Just mysteries.

Struggling romance author Maggie Kelly lives in New York. She decides she needs a change and combines the Regency era setting with mystery, and invents the luscious Viscount Saint Just-a true gentleman who dazzles the ladies and solves mysteries with the help of his sidekick, Sterling Balder. Life is good-the books are successful, and then suddenly one day Alexandre Blake, Viscount Saint Just, and his sidekick Sterling POOF! just appear in her apartment. (The first in the series, Maggie Needs an Alibi). In this sixth book the trio is adapting to life in the present day, and while she is house hunting with the guys, she trips and breaks a bone in her foot.

Now she must go home to New Jersey in a cast for the dreaded Christmas visit. Her father, Evan Kelly, is being arrested for murder as the trio arrives at his bachelor apartment (her parents are recently estranged). Despite her difficult relationship with her dysfunctional family, Maggie and Alex are on the case, trying to figure out why her father would want to kill his bowling team buddy Walter Bodkin-and who else might have had a motive. As it turns out, quite a few people did as Walter was rather a lothario, with a new woman every few weeks! A club had even been formed, sort of a support group, of all of Walter's discarded loves. Maggie learns more than she can handle about her family, but with Alex's help, she is able to hobble on her walker through it all.

You can imagine how hard it must be for a Regency era gentleman to adapt to modern life in New York and the liberated women-and the misconceptions and adjustments are truly hysterical. All the books in the series are delightful; it helps to read them in order as the characters develop and change.

Armchair Interviews says: Get out the black armband as we bid this series farewell.

Regency mystery writer Margaret "Maggie" Kelly still wonders about her sanity ever since the hero of her historical whodunits Alexandre "Alex" Blake (the Viscount Saint Just) and his assistant Sterling somehow came to life in her home. However, as time has passed and they have worked several capers, Maggie begins to believe that Alex is real and perhaps they belong together.

Maggie, accompanied by Alex and Sterling, is heading to Ocean City, New Jersey for another Kelly family Christmas disaster with her separated parents, Alicia and Evan. However, before leaving the city, Maggie looks at a Manhattan house she might buy; but breaks her foot on the metal doorstop. Maggie and her Regency companions travel to Evan's apartment only to find the police arresting him for the murder of his bowling friend Walter Bodkin; the motive is Walter's affair with Alicia and the murder weapon Evan's bowling ball. Maggie, Alex, and Sterling investigate only to realize much of the heterosexual male population of New Jersey wanted Bodkin dead for his trysts with their wives; a number of females including Maggie's sister and mother shared their desire.

BOWLED OVER is an amusing romantic cozy that in spite of the Regency gimmick and being the sixth Maggie mystery retains a freshness that showcases Kasey Michael's talent. The fast-paced story line is fun to follow as Maggie stumbles and fumbles with Alex and Sterling always there to pick her up. The whodunit is cleverly designed so that the audience as well as the heroine has the clues, but putting them together proves difficult. This is another winner in a magnificent series.

Harriet Klausner