Customer Reviews

High Heels And Homicide

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I'm a huge Kasey Michael's fan--if I see a new release with her name on it, I grab it immediately. But especially, I've devoured the Maggie series--just LOVE them--and High Heels and Homicide is no exception. As the other reviewers have said, this story largely takes place at an English country estate where Maggie's book is being made into a film, and it's one entertaining ride!

So often, Michaels' stories take on the quality of a good Shakespearean comedy, where nobody is who they seem, and they're all a little bit whacky. With the lovable cast of secondary characters who appear throughout the series--naive Stering, 12-stepping Bernie, and Maggie's agent, Tabby--the reader feels like they've come home to their flawed, but wonderful family. Speaking of family, we finally get a glimpse of Maggie's in this book, which helps to explain some of her charming idiosyncrasies.

The sexual tension heats up between Maggie and Saint Just in this book; while at the same time, she's afraid to allow herself to love him (in the event he goes *poof* one day). She also struggles with Alex's 21st century behavior, and tries to reconcile his sins by having his 19th century character atone for them--which fails miserably. So, the line between fiction and reality blurs, which makes the story even more interesting.

Michael's voice is lively and witty. The story premise is unique. The characters are unforgettable. Five stars all the way!

Maggie has written a series of books, the Saint Just Mysteries, one of which is now being made into a TV movie. Alexandre Blake, the Viscount Saint Just, is the main character in her books and Sterling Balder is his sidekick. Somehow they have come to life and are currently residing in her apartment building in New York City.

Maggie, Alex and Sterling head to London where the movie is being filmed. Arriving at the movie set, a manor that has been chosen for the filming, they meet the cast and crew. Alex immediately decides that Troy, the young man playing him in the movie, needs lessons on how to be an English gentleman. Perry will be playing Sterling and he decides that gluing himself to the real Sterling will help him get into character. The screen writer is a brown nose, the director is annoyed, no one is impressed with Maggie even though she wrote the book, and everyone else is just complaining and stomping around waiting for the rain to stop. Maggie decides after spending some time with the colorful lot, that once the rain stops she, Alex and Sterling are going back home and getting away from this disaster.

Alex is Maggie's dream man and he is trying to get her to admit it, but Maggie is afraid she will lose him, along with her heart, if he ever returns from wherever it is he came from.

Things get even more bizarre when someone is murdered and everyone is a suspect. The rain has caused a flood and has made it impossible to leave, so true to his characters form, Alex intends to solve the crime with Maggie as his new sidekick and Sterling stumbling along behind them.

High Heels and Homicide is hilarious and suspenseful. The witty one-liners, the comical characters, and the fact that Alex and Sterling are from Regency England and are currently residing in the 21st century, combine to make this story great fun to read. Maggie is delightful; she is witty and down to earth. Alex is a true storybook hero; he is charming, handsome, polite, courageous, and always impeccably dressed. My only disappointment is that Maggie and Alex never even kiss. They will someday though, I just know it! I would recommend reading the previous books in this series before this one. I don't think its necessary but it would answer some questions you'll have right off the bat. High Heels and Homicide is a modern day 'who done it'. It's so entertaining you won't want to put it down!


Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

When i saw this book i bought it right away and i wasn't disappointed. Maggie and Alex again make sparks fly in this one. Alex is like always his cocky self and Maggie is Maggie. I loved this book so much that i finished it in one night. If you are reading the collection i highly suggest you by this one now. It was maybe the best one that she has come out with for the Maggie series.

Hurrah! Ms. Michaels is back with her latest HIGH HEELS AND HOMOCIDE, a St. Just/Maggie story. Michaels entertains us with a real old-fashioned whodoneit set in merry ol England. The usual cast of characters (sans the good "left-tenent") are stuck in an English manor with rain, whiners and a couple of dead bodies. Kasey Michaels weaves a pretty intriquing murder mystery with some romance between the two central characters. Of course, it helps when your main man is the living embodiment of all your "sexiest male" fantasies. I'm happy to see Maggie and St. Just back to what they do best, tease, flirt and solve mysteries.

Author Maggie Kelly is finally getting used to fact that two of her fictional characters, Viscount Saint Just "Alex" and Sterling Balder, stepped out of her imagination and into her life - literally. Now her first novel of her famous mystery series is being made into a movie.

Maggie, Alex, and Sterling fly to England. The movie is being filmed at an old English manor house, Medwine Manor. The owner, Sir Rudy Medwine, had looked forward to seeing scantily clad American actresses. Instead, Sir Rudy has a dastardly murderer within his home.

It has done nothing but rain since the cast arrived at the manor. The inhabitants soon find themselves cut off from the outside world. The non-stop, heavy rains has caused flooding. The cellar generator is under water, so there is no power. The land lines are down and everyone's cell phones have strangely disappeared.

True to form, Maggie and her two real live imaginary friends are embroiled in yet another adventure. The body is found hanging by his neck from a scaffold outside, his face staring into Maggie's room. Suspects are numerous, but one of the top suspects ends up dead too. Here we go again.

***** I have not had the pleasure of reading the previous books in this mystery series, so I can honestly say that newcomers will not find themselves lost at sea. I found this tale to be much like an old Sherlock case, but with some comedy and irony thrown in for depth. I dare readers to test their wits on this case! Superior! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Maggie Kelly writes Regency mysteries starring Alexandre, the Viscount Saint Just, and his sidekick, Sterling Balder (both of whom sprang to life in an earlier novel). Now, a production company is preparing to film a television movie based on one of the novels.

Maggie, Alex, and Sterling arrive at an English mansion to see the set. Little do they know there's a plot afoot, and someone will die. Even worse, everyone is stuck on location by a rainstorm that floods all ways out.

With suspicion falling on all the players, including Maggie, Alex is determined to flush out the murderer before too many people die. Too bad the actor playing Alex has the same idea.

In this delightful novel, Michaels has spun her twist on the Sherlock Holmes mythos. Not every author gets the chance to meet her fictional hero in the flesh, let alone deal with getting him used to the twenty-first century. Maggie appears alternately bemused, annoyed, and confused by Alex's modus operandi. She also seems bewildered in matters of love. How can she fall for someone who doesn't, or shouldn't, exist?

This is a fun read with several layers of action. While it's not the most brilliant book ever written, it's definitely worth your time if you want a light-hearted murder mystery with a little extra on the side.

-C.W.

THE BOOK WAS FINE AND DELIVERED PROMPTLY, BUT THE WRAPPING LEFT A STICKY RESIDUE THAT IS NOT EASILY REMOVED. I ORDERED TWO OTHER BOOKS FROM AMAZON AT THE SAME TIME AND THEY WERE PACKAGED GREAT.

The premise of this book is Maggie Kelly's Saint Just Mysteries are being made into a film for TV - on a budget.

Maggie, Saint Just and Sterling go to England to film Maggie's novel - after a short trip to visit Maggie's parents in Jersey. It becomes real apparent that Maggie's Mother rules the roost. The troops gladly escape the homestead and head to England (Maggie also doesn't like flying). Murder and Mayhem ensue. Saint Just begins to question his own abilities.

Maggie begins to understand her feelings for Saint Just and realizes she doesn't want him to go "poof".

This book was enjoyable from the mystery standpoint - and the characters, as usual, are very believable. Definitely worth the read.

As a Maggie Kelly fan, I always enjoy her adventures. She's a down to earth modern woman with a biting sense of humor. Oh, and she solves crimes with her come-to-life hero St. Just and his friend Sterling. They are a fun, witty, enjoyable trio. I hope she keeps solving crimes.