How to Crash a Killer Bash: A Party-Planning Mystery [Mass Market Paperback]

Penny Warner (Author)

Book Description

Series: Party Planning Mystery | Publication Date: August 3, 2010

Presley Parker is hosting a Murder Mystery party thrown by a notorious yet benevolent curator, Mary lee Miller. But when the role play becomes terrifyingly real, and Mary Lee is found dead, Presley kicks her sleuthing into high gear-only to find that someone wants the life of the party dead too...

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Signet (August 3, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451230973
• ISBN-13: 978-0451230973
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #801,573 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Someone is Taking Her Acting Job Too Far, August 4, 2010

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Crash a Killer Bash: A Party-Planning Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

Presley Parker has been hired to host a murder mystery party to raise money for the de Young museum. A few of the museum's staff are playing parts, and she's roped her friends and office mates into rounding out the cast. And the head of the museum's fund raising department, Mary Lee Miller, gets the honor of being the victim in the play.

The night of the event, everything's going well until Mary Lee is stabbed in the back by something other than a prop. Since Presley's friend and assistant Delicia had had a very public fight with Mary Lee the night before, she becomes the police's only suspect. When Delicia is taken to jail, Presley decides to find the real killer to free her friend. But with all the people Mary Lee had angered over the years, will Presley find the killer?

As with the first in the series, I found the set up very fun. The mystery progresses well with some nice clues and red herrings. I did feel the final act was a bit rough. Several things were sprung on us with too little explanation or Presley acted like it was a surprise when I sure thought she already knew it. Most of Presley's office mates don't have more than cameos here, although the suspects are entertaining enough to make us forget that. And love interest Brad continues to be an intriguing mystery.

This was another entertaining book for cozy fans. If you love to party, give the series a chance.

Note: I was sent an ARC of this book from a listserv I am on, but was not actually asked to review it anywhere.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PARTY TIME!!, August 3, 2010

By 

Lori Caswell "dollycas" (FALL RIVER, WI) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Crash a Killer Bash: A Party-Planning Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

RELEASE DATE AUGUST 3, 2010
OBSIDIAN MYSTERY

A Party Planning Mystery with Tips

This is the second book in this series following How To Host A Killer Party.

In this installment Presley Parker is hosting a Murder Mystery Party as a fundraiser for the de Young Museum in San Francisco. She has been hired by the museum's leading fundraiser and philanthropist, Mary Lee Miller. The murder weapon for the party is an exact albeit harmless replica of a dagger that is part of the museum's vast collection and Mary Lee Miller has volunteered to be the victim of the "murder". She has also demanded parts in the production for her son and other employees of the museum. The rest of the participants will be friends and co-workers of Presley who have helped her with parties in the past.

Trouble erupts during the dress rehearsal when Mary Lee confronts her son about his girlfriend, who is also Presley's friend and assistant, Delicia. After the argument Delicia is heard saying some not so nice things about her boyfriend's mother.

Guests start to arrive for the performance and to help solve the mystery in costume as their favorite sleuths, Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew, etc. The performers are introduced and the mystery party begins, everything is going as planned when a bloodcurdling scream is heard and Delicia comes out a door with blood on her hand, this is not in the script, the guests are supposed to find her over the body. Presley finally understands someone is really dead and to her shock it is Mary Lee Miller. As the real cops and EMTs arrive the guests all think it is part of the performance. Then it is announced the the murder is very real and everyone will be questioned, but very soon the officers hear about the comments Delicia made about Mary Lee and is she is arrested.

Presley knows Delicia wouldn't hurt a fly and knows that she has to uncover the real murderer because the cops already have their killer. Her investigation turns out to be nothing like a party and she must be careful or she will end up dead just like Mary Lee Miller.

I LOVED IT!!!!!

This story was just a lot of fun, quirky characters, a very believable plot, suspense, humor and even a little romantic tension. This book is the full package, everything you love about cozy mysteries is here, all wrapped up like a pretty party present. The Party Tips at the start of each chapter are just an added bonus. This definitely is a series to watch and I am excited to read about many more KILLER PARTIES!!

To find out more about this author visit fer website [...].


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Obsidion, a division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Always Up For a Party, September 12, 2010

By 

Sassy girl "Sassy" - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Crash a Killer Bash: A Party-Planning Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

On a whim, I picked up this mystery for something light and easy and fun to read.
Mission accomplished.
Presley Parker, an event planner,
just knows how to be at the right place, at the wrong time.
She is a magnet for murder.
This book is actually, her second book in her series.
I now have read both books and truly had a ball.
This mystery was full of surprises for me.
Her boyfriend,a crime scene cleaner, sounds adorable.
He is a "johnny- on- the-spot" for Presley when she needs him the most.
A good "clean" fun mystery.
More please.