Honeymoons Can be Murder: The Sixth Charlie Parker Mystery (Charlie Parker Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Connie Shelton (Author)

Book Description

Series: Charlie Parker Mysteries | Publication Date: January 25, 2001

In this, the sixth book in the Charlie Parker mystery series, female amateur sleuth Charlie Parker and her new husband, Drake Langston, are taking an extended honeymoon at the Taos Ski Valley in northern New Mexico. Drake will operate a heli-skiing service and Charlie plans to kick back, enjoy winter in the mountains, and stay in touch with her Albuquerque office only occasionally.

But when Drake's assistant, Eloy Romero, is accused of murder, Charlie steps in to help. Along the way she discovers death and deception in the Catholic church, an heiress who is not all she appears to be, and a stash of priceless stolen religious artifacts.

The criminal mastermind behind the scene doesn't plan to let Charlie solve the case, and she finds herself and Drake in mortal danger before it's all over.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Charlie Parker and her new husband, fellow pilot Drake, are in Taos, New Mexico, mixing a honeymoon with the dangerous job of flying heli-skiers to remote peaks. When Drake's friend, Eloy Romero, is arrested for murdering his brother, Charlie sets out to clear Eloy. As the investigation proceeds, a shadowy killer repeatedly puts Charlie's sleuthing and flying skills to life-or-death tests. Shelton nicely develops her recurring characters in this well-paced sixth installment in the Parker series: Charlie and Drake, as well as Charlie's brother and Elsa, Charlie's elderly neighbor, are all considerably more rounded characters than they were in earlier adventures. The mystery here makes good use of the switched-identity gambit, and the plot draws effectively on the world of religious art. The flying scenes are a high point as well and make this thriller a good bet for fans of Dana Stabenow's Liam Campbell series. John Rowen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"A good selection for all collections." -- Library Journal (on Vacations Can Be Murder)

"A good story and a challenging puzzle." -- Robert O. Greer for National Public Radio (on Small Towns Can Be Murder)

"Charlie is a fabulous amateur sleuth." -- Midwest Book Review (on Partnerships Can Kill)

"Charlie is slick, appealing, and nobody's fool--just what readers want in an amateur sleuth." -- Booklist (on Deadly Gamble)

"Down to earth and very readable." -- Library Journal (on Partnerships Can Kill)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 268 pages
• Publisher: Intrigue Press (January 25, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890768308
• ISBN-13: 978-1890768300
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,753,891 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

...Every 5 minutes, 24 hours a day, somewhere in the world, someone downloads a Connie Shelton mystery...

A personal Thank You to all my readers who make this little statistic possible. Having fun with my writing, and connecting with readers--that's what being a mystery writer means to me. And I LOVE what I do!

It began in 1985 when I started writing my first novel, without much clue how to go about it. Two years and 500 pages later, when I finally typed 'The End,' I felt a huge rush of excitement. That book took third place in the Southwest Writers competition and began making the rounds of publishers. I simply started writing my second, and then my third books.

After publishing ten of my Charlie Parker mysteries, I decided to branch out with a second series and I created the character of Samantha Sweet. One of the ways in which I earned a little extra pocket money during my high school years was to bake and decorate cakes--hence, a career for Samantha based on my own experiences.

In 2009 I switched publishers and was off on a new adventure, seeing all of my books made available for Kindle and the other ebook devices that were just beginning to take off in the book world. It's been an exciting time in publishing and I'm loving the new formats and the ability to personally connect with readers all over the world via my newsletter and my website at connieshelton.com.


* * *

Besides writing the Charlie Parker and Samantha Sweet mysteries, Connie is an award-winning essayist. Her work has been published in both small and major anthologies, like Chicken Soup For the Writer's Soul, and her short stories have won several prizes. She has also been a commercial hot air balloon pilot and holds the women's world altitude record for size AX-4 balloons. She has been featured in Who's Who and The World Who's Who of Women. She and her husband live in northern New Mexico.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Trouble follows Charlie and Drake to Taos, May 31, 2002

By 

Karen Potts (Lake Jackson, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honeymoons Can be Murder: The Sixth Charlie Parker Mystery (Charlie Parker Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Charlie Parker and her new husband Drake have the perfect plan for a honeymoon. He will fly helicopter charters in the Taos ski area and they will stay at the family cabin of Eloy Romero who will be working for Drake. They set off with high hopes but soon they are embroiled in a murder case when Eloy is accused of the murder of his brother several years before. Also they are approached by the cousins of a wealthy heiress, who claim that some of her inheritance is rightfully theirs. With these two cases to work on, Charlie is not idle during Drake's flights. One of the cases is solved fairly easily, but their inquiries into the other one puts Charlie and Drake's life in danger. This is an enjoyable and fast-paced book with the very pleasing background of northern New Mexico, and likeable characters.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Winner!, March 11, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Honeymoons Can be Murder: The Sixth Charlie Parker Mystery (Charlie Parker Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Here are some more reviews of Connie Shelton's newest Charlie Parker mystery:

"Shelton again has done a superb job in bringing New Mexico to life in her colorful, vivid descriptions." -- The Albuquerque Journal

"Honeymoons Can Be Murder presents a delightfully complex mystery. Charlie Parker is an engaging character and it's a treat to follow her personal and professional life." --Romantic Times

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A mystery series that keeps getting better and better, January 17, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honeymoons Can be Murder: The Sixth Charlie Parker Mystery (Charlie Parker Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Private investigator Charlie Parker has definitely had a tumultuous year as she almost was killed during her last case, had half her house burned down, and even married. Currently, Charlie and her spouse, helicopter pilot Drake are sleeping in her now cramped office quarters, RJP Investigators while repairs occur to their Albuquerque home. When Drake receives a job offer to operate heli-skiing tours at Taos Ski Valley, both jump at it.

The couple stays at the cabin of Eloy Romero, the individual working with Drake on the charters. On their second day in Taos, the police arrest Eloy for the murder of his brother, a priest Ram'n. Eloy hires Charlie to find evidence to clear his name. While investigating, Charlie uncovers precious stolen Vatican artifacts and obtains a second client who wants to know whether an heiress is the genuine article.

As good as the previous Parker novels have been, the latest Charlie tale, HONEYMOONS CAN BE MURDER, is the best to date. Connie Shelton does a fantastic job of interweaving various New Mexico locales and cultures into the plot so that the state feels lie the land of enchantment. Each major subplot contains a mystery that cleverly ties back to the main story line as Charlie and Drake seek justice for their new friend. It must be rewarding to have a carefree honeymoon as this couple has not.

Harriet Klausner