19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great mystery debut, December 9, 1998
By A Customer
This review is from: Divorce Can be Murder (Mass Market Paperback)
Jimi Plain has finally recovered from her divorce that occurred several years ago. She now assists the therapist, Dr. Audrey Martin, who helped her during her personal crisis. Audrey is no ordinary psychiatrist as she is also a nun. Jimi serves as a volunteer at the Hunter Divorce Adjustment Seminars, a church sponsored organization. However, Jimi's latest stint turns into a terrifying experience because three deaths occur.
When the seminar attendees arrive at participant Bruce Mann's home, they find their host dead, a victim of an apparent deliberate electrocution. Bruce had ties with everyone in the group, including the former husband of Jimi's best friend Linda. When the mistress of her former spouse turns up dead, suspicion falls on Linda. Jimi feels her best friend is innocent and begins her own investigation to prove her theory right even though it means playing Russian roulette with a killer.
Renowned romance writer, Victoria Pade, successfully turns to the mystery genre with a gold medal novel, DIVORCE CAN BE MURDER. The tale provides insight into the various, often times painful, stages of divorce within a wonderful who-done-it. Jimi is a warm person that garners reader empathy from the start of the book, leaving the audience feeling that this series looks like the beginning of a long friendship.
Harriet Klausner
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Start To A New Series, May 31, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Divorce Can be Murder (Mass Market Paperback)
Jimi Plain is a thirty-nine year old mother of two daughters. She's a freelance technical writer and eight years divorced
Jimi volunteers for the Hunter Divorce Adjustment Seminars, which helps those in the middle of a divorce or after a divorce, cope with the situation.
The meetings are led by Audrey Martin a licensed psychologist and nun, which are held at a different participants house each time, and tonight, it's Bruce Mann's turn to host.
Unfortunately, the meeting has to be cancelled, when they find Bruce, dead on his kitchen floor.
Investigating the crime, is Jimi's cousin Danny Delvecchio. He let's Jimi know that not only was Bruce electrocuted, but that it was a skilled job. And that everyone in her group is suspect.
At first Jimi couldn't believe it, until she takes a closer look at her group.
There's her best friend and neighbor Linda Kraner, who is going through a nasty divorce with her husband Steve, who left her for a younger woman. Bruce had been helping him hide his money from Linda.
Ron Arnot, who's the ex-husband of Nan Arnot, the younger woman Steve Kraner left Linda for. He's found out that Nan is having an affair with Bruce as well.
And it turns out other members of the group had dealings with Bruce which they don't want uncovered, including one, where pictures were taken.
Jimi trys to figure out who the killer is, as her cousin seems to be zeroing in on her best friend. It doesn't help that Linda has started stalking her soon to be ex-husband.
And it looks especially bad when Nan Arnot, the other woman is found dead in her bathtub, electrocuted.
Highlights:
Jimi has sold her home and bought her grandmother house. She is moving in there with her two daughters Chloe & Shannon. Danny lives in a basement apartment in the house. He owns the house next door, but is renting it out. There are really nice touches of a close family and how they interact with each others.
Jimi's ex-husband, whom she calls Uncle Dad is the worse kind of ex. He lives in Las Vegas, constantly promises his daughters things and never follows through. Tells them he wants them to come and spend Christmas with him, if Jimi will pay their fare. (He's too broke). Of course, when she agrees, he backs out, saying he has to go to California with his girlfriend.
The mystery is top notch. I never guessed the killer, the reason for the killings, Jimi seems very believable, including doing stupid things, such as doing a stakeout all day and then realized she didn't make any plans for sitting in a car all day, such as food, drink, something to read and especially a bathroom.
Many first books are slow starters and you have to decide, do you want to spend money on the second book. I had no problems with this one, I went right into Amazon and order the second book. I couldn't find a third, and it looks as though Victoria Pade is mainly a romance novel writer. I hope she continues with this series as it is very well written and entertaining.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
I look forward to reading the next book in this new series, November 28, 2004
This review is from: Divorce Can be Murder (Mass Market Paperback)
The title describes the book perfectly -- the plot involves a divorce support group that seems to be at the center of a series of deaths. The story begins when the support group arrives at the house of the member who is supposed to be hosting this week's meeting -- Bruce --- but he's not answering the door, and volunteer (and book detective) Jimi looks in to see Bruce lying dead on the floor. WHile someone else calls 911, she calls her cousin and county sheriff Danny, who keeps her informed as the investigation continues. Jimi can't help but be involved since there's a fair chance that something involving the group was involved in this murder -- maybe one of the group members is a killer. There's plenty of anger and motives, since it turns out that the deceased is -- was -- a pretty dreadful person who gave a number of people reason for wanting him dead.
I found the book well-plotted and tightly written -- it moves right along -- and the subplots have some relevance to solving the murders (Bruce is not the only murder victim in this book). Jimi is likeable, and the story line of her own family is entertaining. I imagine someone who has been divorced will identify with some of the feelings described and perhaps benefit from reading this book.
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