3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A tasty delight!, August 11, 2007
This review is from: Calculated Loss (Madeline Carter Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)
In Calculated Loss, Madeline Carter, an intelligent and somewhat humorous former stockbroker, investigates the suspicious suicide of her ex-husband Braydon Gauthier, a man who had seemingly become someone completely different from the man she had married.
Remarried and far more successulf than Madeline had ever known, Braydon apparently committed suicide because of a lost star in the restautrant rating business. But his note and last meal are definitely suspect, especially since Madeline knew Braydon well enough to know he'd never eat duck a l'orange.
She is hired by her ex-mother-in-law to look into Braydon's business, but Madeline finds more than some cooked books. And as the suspects line up in a long row, she finds herself in a precarious position.
Filled with interesting characters and witty humor, Calculated Loss is a crash course in stocks and pinks, day trading and the world of haute cuisine. Linda L. Richards has penned another sensational, tasty mystery that will take you through the city of Vancouver in such rich detail you'd swear you were standing there. From one Canadian author to another, kudos, Linda!
Cheryl Kaye Tardif
Author of Divine Intervention
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
An Okay Whodunit, September 30, 2006
This review is from: Calculated Loss (Madeline Carter Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)
CALCULATED LOSS is just okay. This is an intelligently written book, but I found it a rather slow-paced experience with little suspense.
Madeline Carter is a former stockbroker who currently makes her living in Los Angeles as a day trader. At the beginning of this novel, she learns that her ex-husband, Chef Braydon Gauthier, has committed suicide.
Madeline further learns that her ex's family wants her to attend the funeral in Vancouver. This is despite the fact that she hasn't seen Braydon in nearly ten years. When Madeline attends the funeral, she quickly learns that the circumstances surrounding her ex-husband's suicide are quite suspicious.
This novel is readable, but takes a long time to get started. Much of the novel is devoted to the thoughts, opinions, memories, and ruminations of the main character. I ultimately found Madeline to be a rather bland and passive heroine. Instead of taking action, she spends most of her time in this book thinking about and reacting to the behavior of others.
This is also one of those novels where the heroine often learns things by pure luck. There are multiple scenes in this novel where Madeline just magically happens to be at the right place at the right time to learn a key new piece of information. After a while, this unbelievable string of coincidences strained credibility for me.
This isn't a badly written novel by any means, but I would avoid this mystery if you're looking for a fast-paced suspense novel with a believable plot.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
