Bubbles in Trouble [Paperback]

Sarah Strohmeyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 2003

Bubbles Yablonsky is in trouble. Her expose of corruption in Lehigh's social heights has infuriated the local paper's editor, so she's still a full-time hairdresser and only an occasional reporter. Her freeloading ex is back on her sofa after his socialite wife threw him out, her daughter's in love, and her mother thinks she's Jackie O. Plus Bubbles's chastity vow is not yet broken, which means sexy photographer Steve Stiletto's heart has remained just out of reach. Then her pool-table-top rendition of Free Bird at a drunken hen party gives the bride-to-be second thoughts. Bubbles is blamed when Janice never arrives in church, and goes to investigate. She finds Janice's home empty - apart from the murdered body of her uncle Elwood. Bubbles suspects this could make a great story, and she wants her friend back. But tracking Janice down won't be easy. Following her to Whoopee, Pennsylvania, Bubbles must go undercover as an Amish woman, with no hairdryer, no make-up and no lycra - her idea of hell. But if the murderer finds out who Bubbles really is, being caught au naturel will be the least of her worries...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her second novel featuring the high-energy beautician/rookie reporter, Bubbles Yablonsky (after 2001's Bubbles Unbound), Strohmeyer successfully navigates the fine line between humorous stereotype and sympathetic amateur investigator. As the novel opens, the tube top-wearing, Camaro-driving, self-described last "Polish-Lithuanian Barbie doll in Lehigh, Pennsylvania" is taking the blame for jinxing the nuptials of her shy friend, Janice, a records clerk in the local police department. Janice has not only gone missing but the uncle with whom she lives is soon found dead in his gated retirement home. Bubbles retraces Janice's last steps, which lead to some shady doings in Amish country. Bubbles goes undercover, frantically (and hilariously) shifting between her role as a sexy reporter and her cover as an Amish widow. Despite her bumbling in a foreign culture, Bubbles manages to win the friendship and trust of this tight-knit community, and her own respect and growing understanding of the Plain folk is nicely conveyed. Bubbles's hunky beau, photographer Steve Stiletto, makes a steamy appearance, along with many other well-wrought oddball characters, including Bubbles's mother, Lulu, who's going through a Jackie O. phase. The over-the-top force-of-nature protagonist and the lovingly detailed descriptions of clothing and hair styles make up for some gaps in logic and a slightly rushed ending. Also delightful are the useful recipes (hangover cure, cuticle softener, etc.) all involving vinegar sprinkled throughout.Unbound won an Agatha Award for Best First Mystery Novel.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Bubbles Yablonsky is back, doing hair, moonlighting as a reporter for the local paper, and stumbling into a bit of amateur sleuthing. This time she's off looking for Janice, a friend who walked out on her own wedding, leaving her uncle's corpse behind. To track her, Bubbles must surrender her makeup and spandex and don Amish garb, for Janice is really Elspeth and has gone home to the heart of Amish country in Whoopee, Pennsylvania. Strohmeyer was on surer--and funnier--ground in Bubbles' first adventure, Bubbles Unbound [BKL Ja 1 & 15 01]. Bubbles "Plain" doesn't really work, even with shoofly pie as a murder weapon and a sweet homage to fellow Pennsylvania Dutch-themed author Tamar Meyer. Bubbles' relationship to her brilliant teen daughter and to the elusive but hunky photographer Stiletto helps carry one through. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Headline Paperbacks; First edition & printing in this form edition (April 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747267766
• ISBN-13: 978-0747267768
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,234,472 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

When I stumbled into this business back in 1997 as a harried mother spoofing Barbie in BARBIE UNBOUND: A PARODY OF THE BARBIE OBSESSION, I had no idea that what started out as a lark would evolve into a career writing twelve novels published in multiple languages - from Thai to German - and even a Lifetime Original Movie: Lying to Be Perfect. Some have been bestsellers. A few have won awards, mostly, I think, by accident.

Now, with the publication of KINDRED SPIRITS, from Dutton, on June 30th, I've taken my writing down a different path, exploring women's friendship, what bonds us, what makes us do incredibly stupid things for one another and how a few martinis along the way can make it all worthwhile. (And, possibly, explain the stupid things per above.)

In KINDRED SPIRITS, I hope you'll not only make friends with Beth, Carol, Mary Kay and Lynne, but also get down to some serious martini making. Ginger, Lemon, Blue, Cosmopolitan - KINDRED SPIRITS has a bunch of recipes.
Here's one for a killer CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MARTINI.

First, dip the rim of your martini glass in melted bittersweet chocolate and freeze.
Meanwhile, at the bottom of a martini shaker muddle a few fresh raspberries. Add raspberry vodka and Godiva chocolate liqueur plus a splash of Chambord. Shake vigorously with ice. Pour into chocolate- dipped glasses and garnish with fresh raspberries.

Hey. I really want to keep you entertained. But I never said anything about keeping you thin! :)

To learn more about me and my books, please visit http://www.sarahstrohmeyer.com or visit me on FB where I write stupid stuff almost hourly.

Sarah (and her trusty writing partner seen here, Fred)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bubbles is back and still laugh out loud funny!, June 27, 2002

By 

J. Martin (CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bubbles in Trouble (Hardcover)

Bubbles is back in her second mystery. This time Bubbles is pulled into Amish country when a good friend disappears on the eve of her wedding. Bubbles has to go undercover as an Amish girl to see if she can find her friend. Of course, being Amish is more difficult for Bubbles than she could ever imagine. No electricity for her blow dryer, no make-up, and no mini-skirts or high heel shoes! What's a girl to do?

Of course the sexy Mel Gibson look alike Steve Stiletto makes an appearance as Bubbles lust/love interest. His photographic journalism job has taken him all over the world, but his feelings for Bubbles keeps pulling him right back to Pennsylvania. And when he hears what Bubbles is up to, he has to stay around to try to keep her out of trouble.

Sarah Strohmeyer's Bubbles mysteries are laugh out loud fun. The relationships Bubbles has with her mother and her daughter are familiar to anyone, but are taken to a higher, funnier level. I look forward to reading many more Bubbles books in the future. What a hoot!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars light breezy amateur sleuth, July 6, 2002

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bubbles in Trouble (Hardcover)

If one can get past Bubbles' bleached hair, heavy make up and tight clothes, it isn't hard to understand why the Lehigh, Pennsylvania hairdresser wants to be a reporter. A story is the furthest thing from Bubbles' mind when she arrives at the church to walk her best friend Janice Kramer down the aisle. When Janice fails to show up, Bubbles goes to her house where she finds her buddy's dead uncle but no bride.

Learning that Janice was brought up Amish, Bubbles heads for her hometown of Wheelie in Pennsylvania's Lancaster County to find her friend and clear her name. She goes undercover dressing Amish and living with an Amish family and gets involved in a different investigation, one that could get her killed if she's not careful.

BUBBLES IN TROUBLE is a light breezy amateur sleuth novel that doesn't take it self very seriously but is none the less a very entertaining mystery. The protagonist is totally refreshing as she stays true to herself while trying to better herself. Reading a Bubbles Yablonsky novel is like watching an episode of I love Lucy.

Harriet Klausner

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as the first book, December 28, 2005

By 

Ratmammy "The Ratmammy" (Ratmammy's Town, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bubbles In Trouble (Bubbles Books) (Paperback)

BUBBLES IN TROUBLE by Sarah Strohmeyer
December 28, 2005

Amazon rating 3.5/5 stars



This wasn't as good as the first one. Bubbles is now in Amish country, trying to find her missing friend Janice, who was also a runaway bride (so to speak). When Janice goes missing, and Janice's uncle Elwood is found dead, could it be murder and is Janice the guilty party? Bubbles goes to Amish country, undercover of course, and ends up living with a family of Amish people. She is not quite convincing... (her nails should have given it away, but the family believes her excuse that they are some sort of fungicide).

I didn't find this one as funny, but not sure if it was the mood I was in or what. Steve Stiletto is now pretty much her boyfriend, although he keeps disappearing and reappearing when she least expects it. I found Bubbles' adventures in amish land pretty funny though, but the book didn't fully keep my attention as the first one did. I hope the third book is better. I feel this series is losing steam but I'm not giving up.