Femmes Fatal [Hardcover]

Dorothy Cannell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1992

As her marriage begins to falter, Ellie Haskell seeks assistance from Fully Female, an organization devoted to putting the zest back into married life, and finds herself also involved in a murder investigation. By the author of The Thin Woman.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Feisty mother of twins, Ellie Haskell (last seen in The Widows Club ) sets about putting some oomph back into her marriage in this charming and funny modern British mystery. In the village of Chitterton Fells, Ellie and her charwoman, Mrs. Malloy, join Fully Female, an organization whose goal is to "enable every woman to fulfill her physical, emotional and sexual potential." Ellie wants to regain the erotic side of her marriage to super chef Ben, while Mrs. M. hopes to win the attentions of funeral director Walter Fisher. After they join the group, however, the village is shaken by a number of suspicious deaths, beginning with that of a woman who is electrocuted in her bath. Undeterred, Ellie attempts to enliven her marriage by dressing up as a Viking maiden, but before she can enact a fantasy evening with Ben, Jacqueline Diamond calls her to come over, as her husband has fallen to his death in their bedroom. As victims drop, it looks as if love itself can kill. Ellie, though, suspects some calculated human intervention, and sets out--with Mrs. M.'s help--to find the culprit. Cannell's wicked sense of humor and sprightly style move the story briskly to its somewhat contrived conclusion.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

With little twins and a cat hogging most of her time, winsome heroine Ellie Haskell ( Mum's the Word , Bantam, 1990) secretly joins a woman's group designed to rejuvenate relationships. Ellie's breathless fascination with romantic possibilities involving her gorgeous husband provides much of the humor here and lightens the horror of murder and attempted murder that plague the group. Ellie somehow manages to figure out what's happening despite the intervention of a buxom housekeeper, a nutty cousin, a plain-Jane organist, and her husband's good intentions. A pleasant romp.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 298 pages
• Publisher: Bantam; First Edition edition (September 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553088467
• ISBN-13: 978-0553088465
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,776,328 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another fun, light who-dunnit, July 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Femmes Fatal (Paperback)

After reading Cannell's "The Thin Woman" I had to immediately find the next Ellie Haskell book and this is it. I was not disappointed. Ellie, who has had her share of disappointments and uncertainties, is fighting another battle. Having recently had twins, she's feeling the overwhelming (but welcome) responsibility of having two adorable babies and is trying to regain her self esteem. It is this quest which leads Ellie smack into the middle of another murder mystery. Once again I enjoyed an entertaining few hours with Ellie and, as in the previous book, was really guessing until the very end.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars error, March 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Femmes Fatal (Paperback)

I just wanted to point out to the reader who thought the title was misspelled, that I'm sure the publisher and the author are aware of the correct spelling. However, I think that the title is supposed to be a play on words. Therefore, the spelling of FATAL is a representation of murder, in order to create a more dramatic effect for the book. I enjoy all of Ms. Cannell's books. I particularly enjoy the humorous aspects. I hope that she continues to delight her readers. Keep up the good work!

P.S. Keep those originals titles coming! :-)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, August 15, 2000

By 

"sarasarah" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Femmes Fatal (Paperback)

Not as good IMHO as the first three, this Ellie Haskell mystery is still a funny and enchanting diversion. With moments of warmth, hilarity and suspicion, this book has the same winning blend that makes Ms. Cannell so popular. When the Chitterton Falls women sign up to join a club that promises to bring the passion back into marriage, with its helpful counseling and incredibly funny handbook of hints, things don't go as well as they should. Not all husbands seem thrilled with the change in their wives. And sudden deaths halt the fun and games when murder makes its dramatic appearance. I must say that a character I had long found irritating and dislikable dies in this book and I wasn't a bit sorry (though I did experience a moment of terror when I feared the evil deed had in fact not gone through). Anyway, this book was entertaining and worth several laughs as well as some puzzled thought as to whom the murderer might be, and how many of the deaths were caused by him/her? A nice addition to the series.