Getting Lucky [Hardcover]

DC Brod (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 18, 2011

When a young reporter is killed in a hit and run accident, freelance writer Robyn Guthrie agrees to finish one of the stories the reporter had been writing for the local newspaper. But nothing is as simple as it seems when she finds out about shady land deals, an old high school nemesis, and Robyn's aging mother.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Surprisingly intense characterization propels Brod's likable sequel to Getting Sassy." --Publisher's Weekly, starred review

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Tyrus Books (December 18, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1440531986
• ISBN-13: 978-1440531989
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,466,932 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Didn't Measure Up, December 21, 2011

By 

Kae "writer reads" (NW USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Getting Lucky (Paperback)

I'm not a fan of first person stories, but I must say this one was handled well, with no dips into third/omniscient point of view. I also like authors who have a good command of the English language (and how to write it); DC Brod does that well.

I'm really a fan of well-paced mysteries with intriguing, well-thought-out plots. Alas, Getting Lucky didn't measure up. Slow, with a lot of detail but not much action, it bounced around, with protagonist Robyn Guthrie's comments on everything and everyone. The hit and run death of fellow reporter Clair seemed to set up one type of story, but quickly jerked to another track after way too many pages on the deceased and her family. Too many coincidences, too: mostly that Robyn's boyfriend has useful connections for anything/everything that could be a possible problem. Also a lot of information was given that was never essential in the wrap of the story, such as the price of the land deal vs the price paid. Since Robyn's thought of scamming the bad guys included repurchase of the land. What price was paid? And the congressman--asked to help out with the scam, but it's never shown that his involvement was a help (all it took was one or two sentences.)The editor of the newspaper is totally lost by the end of the book after being prominent in the beginning. There's a "shady character" who isn't so shady, but the telling of Robyn's first meeting with him was useless and a waste of pages.

I haven't read other books in the Robyn Guthrie series, but from the book pages, I see the stories are driven by the interaction between Robyn and her mom. This is good and often funny, but what's with Mom being 84? I realize there's a bit of dementia here (which can occur at any age), but Robyn is only in her 40s. No mention is made of Robyn being a late-life child. This hit me, since my kids are in their 40s, and I (who married late for my generation and waited several years to have kids) am not yet 70 (close, but not yet). Maybe this was addressed in earlier books.

These are just a few of the dissatisfactions that had me reading fast, trying to get the book finished&--I feel an obligation to read an entire book when I get it free from netgalley.com. This could have been an interesting mystery if Brod had fine-tuned the story, cut the slag, and sent a polished manuscript to the publisher rather than her first draft of a decent idea. It was probably her pubs. fault--pushing her to get another Guthrie mystery out pronto. Nonetheless, reading this one dampens my enthusiasm for reading the others.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Mystery with Romance and Humor, December 11, 2011

By 

Kathryn E. Etier "Miss Bob" (Beautiful Maggie Valley) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Getting Lucky (Paperback)

Robyn Guthrie is a post-forty, single freelance writer whose life is complicated by a mother with increasing dementia, a boyfriend who thinks he should date other women because he may want children (Robyn doesn't), and an assignment in which she's not particularly interested for a local paper. She is also the central character in Getting Lucky by DC Brod, a green murder mystery.

Robyn gets the unappealing assignment--coverage of a new "green" housing development in which moderately-priced duplexes, both environmentally- and family-friendly, are being built--when the reporter who was covering it is struck by a car and dies. Although the reporter's death is classified as a hit and run, Robyn starts to uncover information that causes her to wonder if the young woman had been murdered deliberately. As if that wasn't enough to think about, her boyfriend is listening to his biological clock ticking and her seriously-irritating-and-sometimes-"hazy" mother decides it would be an excellent idea for she and Robyn to buy a house together.

Soon Robyn is unhappily reunited with a high school nemesis, followed by a menacing man in a Mini Cooper, visiting a psychic with her mother to see what her dead father thinks about them moving in together, moving a corpse, and mixing with mobsters. Brod's breezy style unites these elements into a fast moving story that isn't too violent or dark. In creating Robyn, she's delivered a character to whom women can relate: she's not more beautiful than we are, she doesn't dress better than we do, she doesn't live in a nicer place than we, and she can't always get people to take her seriously. The one thing that Robyn may have that we don't is unflagging luck.

Getting Lucky is an amusing look into real estate, relationships, crime, values, and compromises. As we get deeper into the story, we suspect DC Brod is going to give us something our fairy godmothers failed to deliver--"happily ever after." While not all the characters get to ride happily into the sunset (or ride anywhere at all), Getting Lucky is a satisfying read that leaves us wishing for the further adventures of Robyn Guthrie. (Publication: December 18, 2011).

4.0 out of 5 stars A funny mystery with quirky characters!, February 7, 2012

By 

Eleanor Anders (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Getting Lucky (Kindle Edition)

My Look:

Can a green housing development lead to murder? Alternatively, is a reporter's death just a terrible accident? On the other hand, could the answer be both?

Between personal crises--involving her aged mother with dementia and other life dramas--Robyn Guthrie works on and off at a local newspaper, as a freelancer. But when she lands a "feel good" story, after the death of a reporter, she's not happy.

This freelancer would rather have another story, but it does not take long for Robyn to find a way to claim that one too.

First, she must slog through this "green" piece.

The Cedar Ridge Eco-friendly housing story has all the makings and hallmarks of a good for the town, good for the environment, and good for the residents kind of thing. However, as Robyn discovers more about the death of the former reporter, this freelancer's mind begins to wander in another direction, one more dangerous and deadly than the story itself presents.

However, the newspaper editor is not pleased. She just wants to put this piece to bed, but Robyn is able to convince the woman to let her just do some "follow-ups".

The stakes rise as Robyn starts to piece together snippets of information showing things aren't feeling as good as they should in this piece, and soon someone is following her. In addition, she finds herself moving a dead body around to keep herself and others out of police troubles and organized crime seems to have a connection with her story.

My Take:

I recommend GETTING LUCKY by D. C. Brod.

This funny mystery with quirky characters is on a slow track to murder, schemes, swindles, and justice.

If you haven't read the other book in the Getting series, you will want to find out more about Robyn, her mother, and the other characters by reading GETTING SASSY. ***Though the publisher provides the free ebook, I offer the opinion.***