Bubbles Unbound [Paperback]

Sarah Strohmeyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2002

She may be a hairdresser with the body of a Barbie doll and a fatal weakness for hot pants, but Bubbles Yablonsky is not just another dumb blonde. She's determined to turn her taste for gossip into a talent for journalism, and she knows a secret about the death of Laura Buchman that could be her Big Break. Plus, she gets to work with photographer Steve Stiletto -- a dead ringer for Mel Gibson, and exactly the kind of mysterious, dangerous man her mother warned her against. But Bubbles soon discovers that while brazen bravado gets results, some people will do anything to keep her quiet...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Meet Bubbles Yablonsky, beautician-reporter-sleuth and blazing star of Strohmeyer's entertaining, establishment-bashing debut as a mystery writer. Like the mills that gird the book's seen-better-days steel town of Lehigh, Pa., the city is itself a seething cauldron. Battle lines are sharply drawn between the haves and have-nots. Bubbles is hell-bent on getting even with the overlords, especially her former husband, a heel who has gone over to the other side. Opportunity knocks when Bubbles incriminates a wealthy socialite in a brutal murder and then uncovers a murky past, where corpses are littered around the accused's steel-magnate husband. The going is never easy, as Bubbles faces more perils than Pauline: falling off a bridge in the arms of a potential suicide; dodging drive-by gunmen and car bombers; being handcuffed and fitted for cement boots; and always searching for a better way to display her cleavage. Armed with her certificate from Two Guys Community College, abetted by a quirky array of social castoffs and fueled by Doritos, Velveeta and Diet Pepsi, Bubbles overcomes every obstacle on her way to shaking the foundations of the corporate world and, in the process, leaving more than a few wrinkles in her ex's tailored Brooks Brothers suits. Hop in the Camaro and buckle up: Bubbles is behind the wheel, and a wild ride awaits. Agent, Heather Schroder at ICM.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Bubbles Yablonsky, a 34-year-old hairdresser/divorcee, may dress and look like a blonde Barbie-doll bimbo, but she aspires to a more brain-intensive job as an investigative journalist. She grabs her main chance when she and a hunky but elusive photographer named Stiletto discover a dead bodyDalong with the apparent perpetrator, who is drunk and just happens to be the antidrug-crusading wife of a local steel magnate. Suffice to say, Bubbles's revelatory story causes endless repercussions. A sexy, irrepressible heroine, riotous supporting characters, continual action, ubiquitous humor, and even a makeup tip or two make this a highly recommended series debut.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Headline Paperbacks (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747267286
• ISBN-13: 978-0747267287
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (80 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,836,392 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

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bubbles Unbound, worth checking out, say? Oh Yeah. Say., March 21, 2001

By 

Brenda "MYSHELFDOTCOM" (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bubbles Unbound (Hardcover)

As the story starts out, the main character, Bubbles Yablonsky, a Barbie look alike, talks about her life, and how she becomes a part time reporter. Bubbles, who also explains her name, works at Sandy's House of Beauty and ends up back at school, which leads her to a story, which leads her to a hunky photographer, who leads her to a body, which starts a dangerous conflict between the rich and the poor of Lehigh, PA. Bubbles sidekicks are her Kool-aid colored hair daughter, Jane; her mother, Lulu, who is a lulu; plus size friend Genevieve; Doris and Sandy from the beauty shop. When Bubbles takes on The Metzgers of Lehigh Steel, she stirs up enough trouble to put her home at risk, but not to worry; Her polish mama is at the ready. Humor and great characters isn't all Sara Strohmeyer has to offer. The mystery is well planned; only straying to the characters' personal lives when it blends in with the story line, whodunit is successfully guarded held until the end, and at the conclusion of each chapter is a beauty recipe.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What the heck? This book won the Agatha Award!, May 18, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bubbles Unbound (Mass Market Paperback)

It's no wonder this book won the Agatha Award for Best First Mystery. It's fun, fast-paced, well written and even has a deeper message that gives the book some depth. I'm looking forward to her next one, Bubbles In Trouble. If you like Grafton and Evanovich, like I do, you'll like Bubbles Yablonsky.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum Wanna-Be, January 30, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Bubbles Unbound (Mass Market Paperback)

After reading this, I decided that this was a Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum wanna-be book. The similarities between the main character's was uncanny.....

Bubble's mom = Stephanie's grandma
Stiletto = Joe
Bubbles' mom's friend = Lulu
Bubbles' friend = Connie

and I could go on and on.....

While there will never be another Stephanie Plum, this was another enjoyable quick read that had me chuckling at certain times.