Customer Reviews

Candy Apple Red (Jane Kelly Mysteries)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you're looking for a very light read with minimal tension, almost no action, and more description than dialogue, then this book is just for you.

Nancy Bush's first book is written in the first person from the point of view of Jane Kelley, a sometimes process server/private eye who seems to spend more time obsessing about her empty refrigerator and how to cadge a free drink than actually doing any investigating.

She is hired by Tess, the ex-wife of Lake Chinook's richest man, Cotton Reynolds, to find out what happened to their son, Bobby - who allegedly killed his wife and children, then disappeared. Add in Bobby's best friend, Murphy, who just happens to be Jane's ex, and you have the formula for a good murder mystery. Unfortunately, the set-up doesn't follow through. When the body finally shows up, it is obvious - at least to this reader - who the killer is. But the author continues with another hundred pages before revealing the answer, and even then, it's a bit of a letdown.

Bush spends so much time on description of the broken-down cottage, empty larder, and lakeside bar that the mystery is lost in the details. There is a lot of promise here, but it hasn't quite reached the top of the murder mystery pack as of yet.

Reviewed by Vicky Burkholder
9/4/2006

This was an amusing and entertaining read that will offer a little something for everyone. Humor, mystery, and a dash of romance.

Jane Kelly is single, in her early thirties, and living in a small town where fashion and what have you are not the important thing. She followed a boyfriend to this small town, and than he left, taking her broken heart with him. It's small, quiet, and...dead bodies are being found! To add to Jane's full plate her mom keeps saying she's moving there as well! On top of that she's been asked to interview a person who's son mysteriously disappeared after murdering his own family. Did he kill his family, and if so why? If he didn't than where was he, and who did kill them? Oh, and Murphy is back. So now Jane has taken on the job despite her inner voice saying not to, and Dwayne her boss is becoming a little more yummy as time goes on...not that she'll admit this even to herself. And she's knee deep into a mystery that begs to be solved.

Well, questions are leading to more questions, and answers are not what they seem. Jane has her work cut out for her but some how she'll manage to land on her feet and solve the mystery of what on earth happened to Bobby.

This was a very entertaining read. Characters are plentiful and colorful. I loved "Binkster" and although this story is in first person, it did not detract from the tale. Ms. Bush has created a fun character with Jane and I look forward to visiting with Jane again in the future.

Official Reviewer for Romance Designs

the curious case of the dog that barked in the night. Four years earlier, Bobby Reynolds wife and three children were murdered in cold blood. Bobby was charged with the crime but he disappeared. His father, the wealthy Cotton Reynolds, lives on a private island in Lake Chinook. A number of things happen. Cotton's ex-wife hires Jane Kelly to investigate and see what she can find because she thinks Cotton may be in contact with their son Bobby, and there is a question about Cotton's will. A teenager who was trespassing on the island is injured and has a memory loss about what happened. Then Bobby's body is found in the lake.

A number of characters enter into the plot including Jane's ex-boyfriend who had been Bobby's best friend, Cotton's new trophy wife, Cotton's ex-paramour from between his marriages, Cotton's step-son from his first marriage, real estate agents who want the island, various spear carriers, and several dogs including one that Jane seems to inherit.

As Jane becomes involved, the plot thickens. There are a number of surprises, and various twists, and Jane is injured along the way. My main complaint is the number of digressions including a side plot about a teenager chasing after the jailbait niece of Jane's boss. Too many digressions can make a story drag. I would also note that the cover of the paperback edition is unrelated to story, i.e., Jane does not carry a gun and does not wear spike heels. The title is the color of the convertible that her ex-boyfriend used to drive.

Overall, it is a very good first effort by the author, and introduces a new female PI. A sequel has been published.

I am an avid reader (and collector) of all books by Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton, Lisa Scottoline, and Susan Wittig Albert. I love a good mystery with a strong BELIEVABLE female lead - and Nancy Bush has a new spot on my bookshelves.
Not only is Jane Kelly believable, but fun to read. I found the descriptive narrative "put" me along side Jane and her surroundings, seeing, hearing and feeling what Jane did.
This book offers humor, mystery and some romance, and anyone who has ever had a pet will easily relate to the progression of Jane's affection for Binky. The description of Binky alone will have you smiling - if not chuckling.
I think Nancy Bush has a winner with Jane Kelly - I look forward to the next installment of Jane's adventures and am reserving a spot on the shelves for the next book.

Jane Kelly is a likeable character. She takes up a new hobby --Private Investigator which takes her on a wild ride.Binky, a dog left to her by a distant relative proves to be a welcome addition and saves the day in the end.

She manages to cope with a crime and will become your favorite sleuth without getting completely stressed out.This ia an amusing book and I would reccomend it to those who like a good mystery and light reading.

Bobby Reynolds was no good. After killing his wife and children, Bobby vanished--and has been gone for four years. So why now is Bobby's mother asking process server and almost-a-private-detective Jane Kelly to look into the mystery? Certainly it has something to do with the rumors that Bobby's father, Cotton, is sick and may not be around much longer--that and the fact that if Cotton dies, there's a lot of money that's going to change hands.

Jane is reluctant to get involved with the mystery. After all, four years before, her boyfriend, Murphy, broke up with her and headed out of town when he couldn't deal with the reality that his best friend had become a killer. With both Cotton and Bobby's mother in denial, trying to believe good things about their son, Jane knows she's going to be uncomfortable. Still, five hundred dollars for a single meeting is impossible to turn down. And Jane really does want to prove to her sometimes boss, Dwayne, that she can handle the job on her own.

Jane spends a lot of time thinking about exactly what to wear (generally Nikes, but sometimes flip-flops or "strappy sandals," caging free drinks at the exclusive lakeside restaurant, and obsessing about her long-lost but possibly restarting relationship with Murphy, but can't seem to let go of the mystery even when her client tells her to drop it.

Author Nancy Bush fills her story with slightly shady characters--from Cotton and his fleet of wives and lovers, to the three men who circle Jane like hawks (Murphy, Dwaine, and Booth), to the dogs, both dangerous and not-so-much who play a critical role in establishing both the mystery and the resolution.

If you're looking for a light beach-time read, you'll find CANDY APPLE RED to be just the thing.

Although Jane Kelly is thirty, she has yet to settle on a permanent career valuing her freedom that a nine to five career would stifle. At the moment she is working for information specialist (a fancy title for private eye) Dwayne Durbin handing out eviction notices and working as a process server. She agrees to work for Tess Bradbury who wants her to find out what her ex-husband Cotton Reynolds knows about their son Bobby.

Four years ago, Bobby put a bullet in the head of his wife and three children before vanishing into thin air. A massive manhunt by several state and federal agencies turned up nothing. Jane thinks Cotton won't talk to her because he only knew her through Tim Murphy, Bobby's best friend and her ex-lover. After the murders Murphy left town, refusing to believe Bobby could commit such a heinous crime. Now he's back and he wants Jane to join him in Santa Fe but she is obsessed with learning the truth about what happened to Bobby. There are many people who want her to stop her investigation and one will go to any lengths to see that she does.

Nancy Bush has written a delightfully witty and charming crime caper starring a charmingly original heroine who knows herself only too well and accepts her flaws because she refuses to change. She's feisty and funny and connects with the audience in a way most characters rarely do. The mystery is well thought out and totally entertaining so that readers will be eager to read the next tale in this series.

Harriet Klausner

I am new to the mystery arena and bought this book on a recommendation and I am sure glad I did. Splashed with humor and suspense, it was interesting from start to finsh.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
This is a humorous mystery series using the same formula used in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. A comment on the cover of Candy Apple Red states "Move over Stephanie Plum, Jane Kelly has arrived." In Candy Apple Red, Jane Kelly is a process server and a beginner-level private investigator. She has very little money and not many clothes. There is some sexual tension between Jane and her sometimes boss private investigator Dwayne. I laughed out loud many times while reading the first Stephanie Plum book, but I only laughed twice while reading Candy Apple Red. For readers who love the Plum series and want to read something similar, they might enjoy this more than I did. To date, there are two Jane Kelly sequels: Electric Blue and Ultra Violet. Generally, I'm not a fan of mysteries, but I enjoy them if there is a lot of comedy or romance. However, that is not the case in this book, which was mostly mystery.

STORY BRIEF:
Four years ago Bobby Reynolds allegedly killed his wife and three children and disappeared. Bobby's parents, Tess and Cotton are divorced. Tess believes Cotton may have been in contact with Bobby recently. Tess hires Jane to talk to Cotton to see what she can learn about Bobby. Jane was in love with Murphy who broke up with Jane four years ago and left town. All of a sudden, Murphy comes back to town and is interested in Jane again.

DATA:
Story length: 334 pages. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: 3. Total number of sex scene pages: 2. Setting: current day Oregon. Copyright: 2005. Genre: humorous female mystery.

I absolutely love Nancy Bush's Jane Kelly series. I have read the first two books and am on number three, Ultra Violet, right now. The writing is fast-paced, sexy and hilarious! (I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions). So refreshing to have a new mystery series to love!