Bye, Bye, Love [Bargain Price] [Hardcover]

Virginia Swift (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2004

In the third book in Virginia Swift's acclaimed mystery series, Sally Alder, hailed by USA Today as "Wyoming's version of TV's Jessica Fletcher or Agatha Christie's Miss Marple," is back with her colorful cohorts to investigate a bizarre murder.

Okay, it's embarrassing for a woman of her professional stature and self-image still to have a crush on singer Thomas "Stone" Jackson, a guy whose nickname derives from his legendary propensity for addictive substances. But when Jackson appears one day and asks college professor and sometime sleuth Sally Alder for a little help, she can't say no. Jackson is worried about his ex-wife, folksinger Nina Cruz.

It turns out his concern is justified when Nina is found shot to death in the snow-covered forest behind her house. While the sheriff's office believes Nina's death is most likely a hunting accident, Sally is unconvinced. It's up to her to get to the truth, as she uncovers a plot fueled by a twisted mixture of altruism and greed.

Praised by critics for her "lively characters and surprising plot twists" (Booklist), and "good local color" (Library Journal), Virginia Swift has once again created a fast-paced, clever tale of murder and mayhem, sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The appealing character of "Mustang" Sally Alder makes up for an implausible plot in Swift's third mystery to feature the former-hippie-turned-college-prof (after 2002's Bad Company). The talented Sally not only has made a reputation as an amateur sleuth but plays guitar and does the vocals with a Laramie, Wyo., band, the Millionaires, and has frequent and supercharged sex with her live-in lover and fellow professor, Hawk Green. When folk singer legend Nina Cruz, the ex-wife of Sally's all-time heartthrob country singer, Thomas "Stone" Jackson, asks her former husband to headline a benefit concert for Wild West, a group of radical environmental activists, Stone turns to Sally for help in looking into Wild West—and into Nina's increasingly peculiar behavior. Stone also invites Sally's band to join the concert, but plans are put on hold when someone shoots Nina dead. A member of the Millionaires later becomes a homicide victim, while the threats and attempts on Sally's own life escalate as she digs into Nina's string of past and present lovers. The author strains to connect all the dots, but most readers should enjoy the ride. Cozy fans should be prepared for some strong language amid the light tone.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Swift's latest Sally Adler novel offers a funky send-up of aging hippies, vitriolic vegans, and aggressive eco- and animal-rights activists set in wide-open Wyoming. Alder, a fortysomething prof at the University of Wyoming who runs the Women's History Center and sings in a country-rock group, returns for some sixties nostalgia, a dose of social comedy, and a bit of murder. The somewhat erratic action is kicked off when Sally is visited by a rock star whom she idolized long ago. The old (but still sexy) rocker needs Sally to look in on his ex-wife, who is an active contributor to the Women's History Center, who may have fallen in with a very strange crowd. The ex-wife soon is killed in a hunting accident that may be murder. A second shooting gets a member of Sally's band. The story suffers from illogical plotting and murky motivation, but it is wildly entertaining in spite of it all. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Canada, Limited; Uncorrected Proof edition (November 1, 2004)
• ISBN-10: 0060543310
• ASIN: B000C4SXS0
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,944,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My kinda gal..., November 30, 2004

By 

Terry Mathews (a small town in east Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bye, Bye, Love (Hardcover)

Sally Adler is My Kinda Gal

This is my first "Mustang Sally" mystery, but it will not be my last. :)

Imagine yourself as a child from the 60's-turned university professor and part-time musician. Imagine receiving a phone call from your favorite aging rock star. Imagine that rock star asking for your help in looking after his wife, an acquaintance of yours, because he's worried about her safety.

After picking yourself up off the floor and getting your heart rate back to normal, you set about doing this favor for your "secret crush" and find yourself smack dab in the middle of two murder mysteries, a commune of some pretty radical tree-huggers and then you have to dodge bullets meant for you!

Well, if you can imagine all of that, you'll enjoy Virginia Swift's book, BYE, BYE LOVE. I liked Sally, her hunky lover, Hawk, and all the characters that populate this story, set in Laramie, Wyoming.

The only fault I found in the book was on page 232, where the author has Olivia de Havilland as the sister of Joan Crawford. It was Joan Fontaine that was Ms. de Havilland's sister, not Miss Crawford.

I look forward to more from Ms. Swift. She's got a good voice and an unique terrain on which to spin tales.

Enjoy!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sally Rocks, November 17, 2004

By 

M. Gustafson (Chebeague Island, Maine) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bye, Bye, Love (Hardcover)

Virginia Swift's novels just keep getting better and better. The plot, the characters,and the setting capture the imagination and the writing sings. If you are looking to keep yourself or someone else happy this holiday season--or any season--I highly recommend these books. I can't wait for the next one.

5.0 out of 5 stars electrifying and offbeat amateur sleuth tale, October 27, 2004

By 

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

This review is from: Bye, Bye, Love (Hardcover)

Popular pop star Nina Cruz moved from California to Wyoming where she intends to set up the Wild West Organization to support activities from animal rights to taking care of mother Earth. She intends to hold a concert to raise funds for the proposal and she persuades country superstar store Jones to perform along with many other performers who are household names. College Professor Sally Adler is thrilled when her idol Jones asks her to attend the opening act.

One day when Nina hears gunshots in her woods even though there are signs stating no hunting, she runs into the forest hoping to catch the hunter. When Nina fails to come back people look for her and find her corpse with a bullet in it. Sally thinks it would be a nice testimonial if she writes a book about Nina's extraordinary life. On Halloween Eve, someone leave an envelope of white powder on Sally doorstep and though it isn't anthrax a big scare occurs. A second murder happens when one of the members of Sally's band is killed. It becomes obvious someone wants to stop Sally from gathering information about Nina but that doesn't stop Sally from looking for a killer.

Readers get a taste of the individuals who make their position clear on social and political issues in a state where conformity is discouraged. Talented storyteller Virginia Swift provides readers into a compelling tale of love betrayed and the dark side of fame. The protagonist is an independent, charming and delightful person who tries to do what is right even when it places her in danger. BYE, BYE, LOVE is an electrifying and offbeat amateur sleuth tale.

Harriet Klausner