Customer Reviews

Have Your Cake and Kill Him Too (Blackbird Sisters Mysteries, No. 5)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

...and I don't mean the mystery! Let's face it, those of us who have been reading this series from book one do not keep coming back for the oh-so-enthralling mysteries. No, we come back to find out if the on again, off again Nora Blackbird and Michael "the Mick" Abruzzo will ever get it together and finally decide to make it "official". Well, I guess I will have to just keep reading to find out but I must admit there is no couple I am rooting harder for, Bo and Hope have nothing on these two!

In Maritn's newest Blackbird sisters mystery Nora finds herself entangled in yet another murder investigation, this time, however, one of her best friends is the prime suspect! Nora, with many other pressing issues on her mind such as her new pregnancy and her sisters constantly playing who's the daddy, is thankful for the distraction when asked once again to use her connections to look into the murder of one of the towns most hated men. Unfortunately the real distraction comes in the form of her ex-boyfriend Michael Abruzzo and whether or not he has really gone back into the "family business".

'HAVE YOUR CAKE AND KILL HIM TOO' is definitely the best book to come out of this delightful series thus far, and on the edge of my seat is where I am doomed to remain until the next installment...I can't wait!

Ex-heiress Nora Blackbird is not having an easy time of it as she is still trying to pay the taxes on the family estate while looking for money to do so. She broke up with Michael Abruzzo, the son of a mafia don because he went back into the family business but she is pregnant and dating Richard, a crime reporter for a respectable Philadelphia newspaper. Neither her sister nor her friends know she is pregnant and she doesn't intend to tell anyone who the father is.

Although she has to avoid stress because her pregnancy is high risk, she becomes involved in the murder investigation of Zell who married the widow Fitch; when she died he inherited the estate and the money. Nora goes to the Fitch estate to meet her friend Delilah Fairweather and sees Pierpont Fitch angrily leaving the premises and nearby is Boykin Fitch, a state legislator running for the senate. Zell refused to let them in the house. Delilah is the last person to see Zell alive and she fears because she is black, the police will zero in on her as a suspect. Knowing her friend isn't guilty; she agrees to help Delilah by finding the real killer.

Once again Nancy Martin writes a serio-comic who done it featuring a protagonist who always goes from the frying pan into the fire. Not only is she investigating the many suspects who hated Zell, but she has to force herself to keep away from Michael; who might be involved in the kidnapping of the son of his family's enemies. Nora slowly realizes that all is not what it seems with Michael's activities and the police investigation. The author has written a who done it that is sassy, exciting and impossible to put down. The heroine has a charm and a vulnerability that endears her to the audience.

Harriet Klausner

"Have Your Cake and Kill Him Too" is Nancy Martin's latest adventure in the lives of society columnist - Nora Blackbird and her rather eccentric siblings. As usual, this latest effort is right on target when readers learn that Nora's vintage couture (handed down from Grandmama) is fitting rather snuggly. Nora is pregnant!

Of course this comes at a rather inopportune time since she has not only split with Mick, but has been asked to model nude for Libby's calendar - designed for philanthropic purposes, of course!

This doesn't stop Nora from investigating when there is murder and mayhem surrounding the latest nightclub called "Cupcakes." (Think "Hooters") The end result is a great mystery that will leave you wanting more of the Blackbird Sisters.

Our zany Blackbird sisters are providing more cRaZy antics than ever.
You're not going to be disappointed, as this is the best (and who could have thought they'd get better??).
Nora is having her own "family" crisis... Libby wants her sisters to "save" her society by posing nude for a calendar! Emma takes a job at the Dungeon of Darkness? There's more fun and zany blue-blood and not so blue characters in this novel. Nancy Martin mysteries are just pure entertainment!

Philadelphia society columnist Nora Blackbird seems to have a knack for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Such is the case when she arrives on the grounds of "Fitch's Fancy", an old Main Line family's manor house, just as the body of Zell Orcutt, dirty old man extraordinaire and current owner of the estate, is found dead in the garden with an arrow in his chest. While it may be a bit unusual to commit murder with a bow and arrow, it turns out that the entire Fitch clan are all archery champions. Nora Blackbird finds herself "volunteering" to look into the murder when her friend and event planner Delilah Fairweather becomes the prime suspect for the murder.

Several other story lines are woven into the plot along with the murder investigation. Most importantly, Nora finds herself unexpectedly expecting, and she's not quite sure if the father of her child is on-again off-again wiseguy boyfriend Mick Abruzzo or new love interest Richard D'eath. Nora's two eccentric sisters, Libby and Emma, figure prominently in the book. Libby is busy trying to recruit Nora and Emma to pose nude for a fund-raising calendar, and Emma has a mysterious new job. Author Martin introduces some well-crafted new characters who are the high-society relatives of the murder victim. Also, Nora's nephew Rawlins is prominently featured in this story and he is a very strong and entertaining character.

It's so wonderful to find a series where the books keep getting better and better. Hard for me to believe, but "Have YOur Cake and Kill Him Too" was even better than the fourth book in this series "Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die". And again, author Nancy Martin manages to leave us all on the edge of our seats anticipating the next story in this series.

In the 5th Blackbird Sisters mystery, Nora Blackbird has gotten herself in quite a pickle. As always, her relationship with rumored mobster, Mick Abruzzo, is slightly complicated. They have called off the relationship for good, but still seem to run into each other at the strangest times. Not being able to keep their hands off one another, they have quite a tryst in a phone booth. Meanwhile, Nora's current boyfriend, Richard D'eath (I kept waiting for him to die with a last name like this), is talking about the "M" word. When Nora stumbles over a dead body at the estate of childhood friends, the Fitches, it certainly turns into a bad day. The body belongs to the owner of a sleazy new bar called "Cupcakes" that serves wings and beer while wearing skimpy pants and tops decorated with strategically placed cupcakes on them. Nora begins to investigate after an earring is found near that body that could implicate a good friend. A nude photo shoot for charity has Libby dieting and exercising like crazy, and Emma has a new job in a dungeon. The biggest news of all, however, is the fact that Nora is pregnant and refuses to name the father until she is ready. Nora tries to pull everything together and solve a murder before an innocent victim is imprisoned for the crime.


As in the previous installments, this was a hilarious romp in the life of the Blackbird sisters. Known by many as the Blackbird widows (since all of the men in their lives seem to die), they have a very open-minded view on relationships. Libby and Emma are just hilarious, and Nora tries very hard to keep her somewhat goofy sisters in line. This series is a little more "steamy" than some other cozies and is a terrific read.


The first book in the series is called "How to Murder a Millionaire". Enjoy!

I love it when a new Nancy Martin book comes out, and this one was lots of fun and a great read, as usual, filled with enjoyable characters, crazy situations and really neat clothes. But you know what? I missed Spike, Nora's crazy little dog.

The writing has potential and the actual mystery is a bit of froth that would normally fill a one hour episode of any given cop/PI drama. So what the author is really counting on for sales is the soap opera styled lives of the Blackbird sisters: Libby, Nora & Emma all are an odd combination of uncomfortable life choices and bland personalities (Given Libby is hardly bland, but not anyone you could spend more than 10 minutes with before the urge to kill/maim her kicks in.)

Unless the reader has been following these women from the beginning you will be not only lost, because the mysteries, unfortunately do not stand alone and begin where previous storylines left off it can be confusing and off-putting. In this case more ink was printed describing a miserable pregnancy complete with extensive description of gut-wrenching morning-sickness which was a gross-out for me.

I also found Nora's so-called love triangle to be hardly intriguing or sexy (which the book actually promotes itself on.) Richard is hardly present & when he is he is neither engaging or particularly developed and Nora eventually admits he's bad in bed. Michael is really good in bed but is also AWOL and a criminal. So Nora is either bored or afraid of these men - how exciting is that?

Most of the action in this book is Nora throwing up in grueling detail while Libby tries to put together and erotic yoga calendar for a fund raiser ala "Calendar Girls". Not original but the calendar plot line had more oomph than the actual murder, which quite frankly had only three actual possibilities for the killer all with the same MO, it is understandable why so much unrelated personal-life fodder is needed to fill the pages.

I wanted to like this, but I find it egotistical when author's employ stunts like a installment series to hook readers. I follow the standard that a true mystery should stand alone and can be picked up and read in any order. When the storyline hinges on the personal lives of the characters this is not a true mystery.

i have read every one of the blackbird sisters mysteries and once i start i cannot put them down. they just get better and better. love those sisters. libby and her kids, emma and all her conquests and then there is nora and her so called "bad boy" michael. loved him from the start. nancy martin sure knows how to hold your interest. it's like you are right there in the story. looking forward to all the books to come.

The book was in perfect condition. I bought a couple more from this seller and would be glad to do business with them again!!! Thank you!!!