Customer Reviews

Dead Hot Mama

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Paul (Doc) Osborne is back in Victoria Houston's enjoyable fifth Loon Lake Fishing Mystery. Things are looking up for the retired Wisconsin dentist, as not only does he have a fishing date with the attractive Police Chief Lewellyn Ferris, but he's also able to spend Christmas repairing his relationship with his estranged, recovering alcoholic daughter Mallory. Unfortunately, things start to go downhill when his dog Mike leads Doc to the beautiful body of a strip club's bartender. Then, his date with Lew is cut short by the gruesome discovery of two more bodies, this time both missing their legs. Saddled with a coroner who is the incompetent relative of the county board's chairman, Lew once again looks to help from Doc in what has become a truly gruesome scheme that is as horrific as it is profitable.

This is another enjoyable mystery from Houston, who brings back the charming fish-hat-wearing Ray Pradt, who has as many illegal pursuits as he does undercover legal ones. Doc's relationships with his grown daughters has also evolved throughout the series and sheds a soft light on his character, especially when he begins to fear that Mallory is showing a little too much interest in Ray. The plot twist involved is original, with suspense building quickly to its exciting conclusion. This is a witty, humorous, and extremely engaging entry in what has become a great series.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Dead Hot Mama" and the entire series. The characters continue to grow and evolve, the plotting is tight and twisted. Being from Wisconsin, I especially enjoy the Northwoods backdrop and localisms. Don't let the fishing theme scare you off from reading this series. I fished every summer with my Grandpa and all I ever caught was a cold, but I still LOVE this series and can't wait for the next installment!!!

This is the fifth in the Loon Lake Fishing series. In this outing, Christmas is approaching as is a storm sure to dump several inches, if not feet, of snow on Loon Lake. Doc Osborne and Chief Ferris are looking forward to some down time only to be called out to one of Osborne's neighbor's home to investigate what looks like murder.

This entry in the series is by far the most complicated. What looks like a "simple" murder soon becomes much, much more - the harvesting of bodies for parts and tissues. The relationship between Osborne and Ferris does not advance in this book, but does not retreat either.

The one issue I had with this book was that the ending seemed very rushed. I can say no more without giving away too much of the ending, but suffice it to say Houston gave up a potentially nail-biting, page-turning ending to speed to the end of the book by tying up loose ends in short stilted paragraphs.

This was the first book of Victoria Houston's that I have read and I thought it was great. It was funny and suspenseful. Even though I picked out who was behind everything kind of early in the book, it was still great. I like at the end how everything was tied up in a neat little bow. I highly recommend this book.

I've read all of Vicky's books and I like them all. I've gotten to know Doc, Lew and Ray pretty well. I also am very familar with the Northern Wisconsin area she writes about. My Grandpa lived in Manitowish for 30 years and I spent alot of time up there. She takes me back there in every book. She knows and has seen the places I've seen too. Probably fished the same waters as well. Love the books, this is a very good one. Read them all if you can.

Doc Osborne, a retired dentist, is swept up in a series of murder investigations. He is helping the town's police chief, Lew Ferris and also hoping she will think of him as more than a fishing pal. The bodies of two snowmobilers and a body of a beautiful exotic dancer are uncovered and the mystery begins. The supporting characters are eccentric, the setting (northern Wisconsin in winter) adds spice. I'm looking forward to reading others in the Loon Lake Fishing Mystery series. If you enjoy fishing (fly or ice) this book will be for you but even if you don't like fishing, the references to the sport will not turn you off.

Good mystery story about a Wisconsin lake community. Character development keeps the reader engaged throughout the book. Interesting twists & turns in the course of events to keep the mystery alive.

Dead Hot Mama is set in a small town in Wisconsin in the middle of winter. Retired dentist Doc Osborne and his fishing buddy/girlfriend Police Chief Lew Ferris keep having their holiday celebrations interrupted by the unusual number of dead bodies that keep turning up in their neck of the woods. Initially, Doc Osborne gets involved to handle the forensic dental exams on the bodies, but as staff shortages, small town politics, and winter storms complicate investigations into the murders, Osborne, his family, and even his wacky neighbor Ray all get pulled into the tangled investigations.

And in between investigating these crimes, they manage to carve out a little time for fishing. There is a surprising amount of information in this book about fishing. And while I am not big fan of fishing, this aspect of the book is both interesting and enjoyable. It is also seamlessly incorporated into the book - this is one of those books that the reader is just sucked into and completely immersed in.

Cozy readers beware - this book has a high body count and some icky bits. But if you can take a little ick, it is a great read. And I won't give it away, but there is one plot line in this book that will have you running to the internet to do some research of your own. If you aren't running outside with your fishing pole, that is.

Did I guess it? Yes. Will I read another? Absolutely, Houston is up near the top of my list.

It's Christmas time in Loon Lake but that doesn't stop the work for Chief Ferris. A body is found in front of Doc's cabin buried in the snow then two more snowmobilers are found dead. Nothing unusual about snowmobiler's going through the ice but the unusual thing is that their legs are missing. Chief Ferris with the help of Doc and Ray put the pieces of the puzzle together to form a chilling discovery going on in their own backyard.