Customer Reviews

Cursed (Center Point Platinum Mystery (Large Print))

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is the 12th entry in the Regan Reilly series. As the title suggests, Abigail Feeney, a previous neighbor of Regan's in L.A., calls Regan for help. Abigail believes she is cursed, and that this is the reason bad things always happen to her.

Regan just happens to have the time to fly to Los Angeles, where she used to live before marrying Jack "no relation" Reilly! Jack is off in Miami for a law enforcement conference, and Nora and Luke, her parents, are in Palm Beach.

The action takes place in all the hot spots in and around L.A., including The Beverly Hills Hotel, Malibu and the re-gentrified area of Downtown L.A. The weather is gorgeous,(sory, it pretty much always is here in L.A.!)which is good for Regan, as she just made it out of New York on a typical January day; dreary, snowing and pretty darn cold!

It is fun to read how Ms. Clark weaves several seemingly un-related characters lives to coincide with each other in the grand finale. As usual, there is a very satisfying conclusion!

This is a fun, quick read and shows a bit more of Regan's character and development since she became married to Jack. If you liked Ms. Clark's previous books featuring this character, you won't be disappointed.

I like this series- really I do- It's pleasant, easy reading and nothing really bad ever happens to anyone- In this one, I missed the interplay between Regan, her husband and parents. Also, the curse/13 letters thing seemed forced- and the ending simply appeared to be "phoned in"- all of a sudden it was over- and no interest or purpose to the epilogue. I should have waited for the paperback, or the Kindle edition.

If you're in the mood for something light and short, this novel will fill the bill. It brings Regan Reilly back to Los Angeles from New York where she moved when she wed Jack "No relation" Reilly. What prompts her return is a phone call from her former LA neighbor, Abigail Feeney, requesting Regan's help in locating a former boyfriend to whom she loaned $100,000.

Regan leaves for the West Coast within hours (the whole novel takes place in just about a day). Abigail's grandmother also is due to arrive on the next day, Abigail's birthday. It seems the money originally came from the grandmother, meant to be the down payment on an apartment or home for Abigail, and as a birthday present she intends to pay for a friend's apartment with the $100,000 contributing to the purchase price. Unfortunately the former boyfriend spent the money and disappeared.

The side stories include the machinations of the boyfriend and his partner to finance a film they are attempting to make, and various calamities befalling Abigail who believes she is cursed (her birthday is Friday the 13th, there are 13 letters in her name, etc.) as well as an earthquake and other roadblocks to solving the mystery.

For some light reading or to while away some time at the beach, the novel will suit the purpose well.

With her husband Jack --- head of the NYPD's Major Case Squad --- in Miami, Florida, at a law enforcement seminar and her mother and father in Palm Beach, private investigator Regan Reilly is on her own. Intending to clear her parents' garage of things she has stored there and move them to a storage shed, she gets right to work only to be interrupted by an urgent phone call.

It turns out that Regan's friend and former neighbor, Abigail Feeney, is in need of Regan's services. Her boyfriend, Cody Castle, borrowed $100,000 from her to get his latest movie project up and running and then disappeared. Luckily he signed an IOU, which has just come due when a friend of Abigail's spots Cody in L.A.

Amidst admonitions from her parents and her husband to be careful, Regan heads out immediately to assist Abigail in getting her money back. Due to an accident on the movie set where she was working as a hairdresser, Abigail has been unable to work for a while and needs that cash to live on and pay her medical bills.

As if she wasn't desperate enough, Abigail's grandmother, the one who had scrimped and saved to give her the $100,000 to put toward the purchase of a house, is on her way out to L.A. from Indiana to check out a possible condo for Abigail. She will be unhappy, to say the least, to find out that Abigail has lost what she worked a lifetime to give her.

Although Abigail had always told Regan she was cursed, Regan had never taken this theory seriously. But she may have to reconsider soon. Abigail was born on Friday the 13th, she has 13 letters in her name, she is accident-prone, and obviously, as recent events have proven, she is not especially judicious when it comes to her love life either. It's looking like perhaps Abigail really is cursed.

As if one mystery to solve wasn't enough, Regan soon finds herself on the trail of another. Cody Castle has a partner, Dean Puntler, who is involved in the film project. Dean had solicited widower Nicky Tendril as a potential investor in their endeavor, but he turns down the offer. That, in and of itself, might be okay, except for the fact that Nicky is later found dead in his apartment.

It turns out that Abigail also knew Nicky. She had been cutting his hair for free as a project to help the elderly who are in need, but when she found out that Nicky had an account with over a million dollars in it, she suddenly didn't feel so charitable about offering him her free service. The entire case starts to take on more confusion than you'd find at a chimp's tea party, but Regan is more than up to the challenge as she works her usual magic.

I'm a fan of Carol Higgins Clark. Having read most of the titles in the Regan Reilly series, I find that she never fails to live up to my expectations. CURSED is no exception. Here you'll find a memorable cast of characters, all individuals with their own little quirks and qualities, plot twists and turns galore. I invite you to enjoy this fun book as I have.

As usual, Carol Higgins Clark adds humor to this mystery. It is a book that you just have to keep going till the end.

Having read all of her Regan Reilly mystery series, I found this latest entry to be among the best to date. Light and breezy, full of winsome characters, Ms. Clark doesn't disappoint her readers. The hallmark of this light read, as with others in this series, is its ability to maintain interest while avoiding the graphic mayhem and gratuitous violence that permeates most of the writer's works of this genre. Ms. Clark definitely fills a need of readers, like myself, who enjoy mystery and excitement without resorting to squalid and depraved behavior of the criminal element depicted in the writings of others in the trade.

I'm sure this is a great story. All of Carol Higgins Clarks stories are wonderful about the Reilly family. But the past couple AUDIO books have been awful to listen. Instead of using a "professional" reader, Carol has chosen to do the reading herself. I am so sorry to say that her voice is grating and there is no emotion in it. You can tell she is not trained. It's like watching no-name actors try to perform in a movie you paid to see. You feel ripped off. For me, it was just too much... I couldn't do it. After a few chapters, I put the whole thing down and gave the audio-book away. If I decide to read it, I'll have to buy the hardback or paperback.

Now I am listening to an audio book with a professional reader and it is such a pleasure... my ears are so happy! I don't know why wonderful authors insist on reading their own books..... some just don't have the voice for it. I wish someone would have told her..... I'm sure she's a very nice lady and I'm sorry to be so harsh.... but please, just write and leave the reading to the professionals!

JMHO

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When I read CHC's first novel, Decked, I'd just traveled on a cruise ship with my music director friend. The story was entertaining. Alas, most of the succeeding tales have become more lame with thin story lines and boring dialogue. Another reviewer mentioned that the book is "light reading": I'll say - I read it in 2 hours. Unfortunately, they were mainly wasted because I really hate starting a book and finding typo and/or grammatical errors. This book was worse, not only because of the errors mentioned, but also for the characters saying that Regan saved Abigail, when it was clearly Regan who had been threatened by the knife-wielding stalker. C'mon folks, up your game a bit! I won't be parting with even a dollar at the used books store for CHC anymore. Very sad situation.

I own ALL of Carol Higgins Clark's books! This is another of her stories using Reagan and Jack Reilly as her characters. It is well written, as usual, and places Reagan in danger, as usual. It is light reading and while suspenseful, nothing is gruesome! I can read one of her books in a day, if I have the time. I do not like to start one of her books until I can read it uninterrupted, because they are page turners. Amazon.com will even put you on a waiting list to deliver her newest books ON the day of distribution! I do not need to leave the house and stand in line to buy the books. Enjoy curling up with this good book, a blanket, and a cup of hot cocoa this fall.

It is hard if not impossible to rate this book. First we listened to the CD version on a long car ride. WE knew what would happen and it did but the whole thing was just enjoyable. It was a perfect way to spend about 7 hours. I recommend it to anyone who does not care much about intricate plots but just a very pleasant diversion from Interstate 95.