Customer Reviews

How to Host a Killer Party: A Party-Planning Mystery

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A fun, intriguing, and satisfying cozy mystery. "How To Host A Killer Party" has all the elements: offbeat characters, humor, party tips and plenty of suspense. After thirty years living in the San Francisco Bay Area, Alcatraz Island and Treasure Island still fascinate me. After reading Penny's book, I'm heading back to both places for another visit. Maybe I'll run into Presley Parker and her love interest, Crime Scene Cleaner Brad Matthews.

Now settle back and enjoy. The second in the series is on its way.

At San Francisco State University, all part-time instructors were riffed due to budget cuts. Presley Parker was one of the first downsized by the school, but she rebounded quickly by opening up Killer Parties, an event planning firm. She mostly sponsors children's galas, but her big break comes when Mayor Davin Green chooses her to host his surprise wedding for his fiancée on Alcatraz.

Before the nuptials, police detective Luke Melvin calls Presley asking her to come to the station so he can question her regarding the murder of the mayor's previous event planner Andi Sax. She offers no information of use to the cop. Presley gets back to work on the wedding plan but is concerned since Melvin tells her that Andi left a message on her Blackberry that she had an appointment with Parker; a meeting she denies ever arranging or agreeing to have. When the mayor's fiancé turns up dead of poisoning just like Andi, she becomes Detective Melvin's number one suspect. Fearing jail time, Presley who reluctantly accepts the help of crime scene cleaner Brad Matthews begin to investigate even as someone breaks into her home and sets her office on fire.

The second Party Planner mystery with tips (see Dead Body Language) is a delightful whodunit due to a strong lead and the eccentric cast who bring a flavor of San Francisco to life (and death) and a horde of suspects (in her mind that is) with viable motives. The heroine is a curious mix of vulnerability and daring do, which endears her to readers and Brad, but drives Melvin to want to lock her away in Alcatraz. Although a lawyer might be a better choice than Brad, fans will enjoy this fun amateur sleuth mystery starring a charming party planner who fears her business will go bankrupt if she wears stripes.

Harriet Klausner

I'm surprised at how many high marks this book has received. I didn't find the "party planning tips" to be either useful or funny. The character drove me crazy with her poor reasoning skills. I guessed the killer from the very beginning. The writing itself felt choppy and bland. Sigh. Maybe my expectations were too high, but there are much better cozies out there. Try the "Domestic Diva" series if you are into the party planning thing and actually like to read good books.

I enjoyed this first book of the series, but the author has some serious work to do as she progresses.

The killer's identity and the actual clue to figuring it out, is obvious because the author puts way too much emphasis on it. That took away most of the suspense.

Also, it was very repetitive. The author didn't need to tell us on every other page that Presley is ADHD or repeat over and over that her mother has Alzheimer's. Most readers will get it the first time and be able to retain that information without being hit over the head with it.

Presley was pretty stupid and reckless in the way she "investigated" the murders. The silliest part was the non-party that she set up in a few hours under the mayor's name and thought people will still show up and that there would be no repercussions to using the mayor's name falsely. I hope in future installments she smartens up -- it was not a wise move for someone starting a business.

Finally, there were a lot of loose ends that I hope to see tied up as the series progresses -- although I'm guessing some of those characters will just disappear into the woodwork.

A surprise party, Alcatraz and a murder...

Presley is just starting as a party planner and all of the sudden she's planning one of the most important parties ever, Mayor David Green's surprise wedding. If this party goes as planned, she will be the most famous party planner in the city! But of course, parties never goes as planned.

The bride is dead, and everyone thinks she did it. When the Detective doesn't believe her, she starts her own investigation, looking for the murderer. After all, this may be just like one of those Murder-Mystery Parties.

Presley. the protagonist, is fun and fresh. I'm not sure about her age, but she sounds young and happy with herself. I liked that even being a suspect, she didn't get depressed or "I'm too stupid to think". She is independent, intelligent and sometimes acts a little immature. She's also a psychologist and likes to evaluate everyone, even herself and her cats. It was easy to relate with her, mainly because of the lack of description about her, but also because she loves chocolates and cats, and who doesn't love at least one of them?

The secondary characters were acceptable. Maybe a little bit more about them could have been better, but they were nice. My favorites were the mother, and Brad, the cute guy/maybe a cop/maybe a suspect. I'm hoping more of these two in the next book, and a little bit more romance. They would be a cute couple.

It was fun and easy to read; and I was suspicious of everyone. They all seemed to have a possible motive, and even while sometimes I was very sure about who was the murderer, I didn't have a clue of why or how. Of course the cops didn't seem to be doing a good work finding this murderer, and I could have thought about a couple of other characters besides Presley to be the principal suspect...but it worked for the plot.

I also enjoyed the Party Planning tips you can find at the beginning of every chapter, and at the end of the book.

As my first cozy mystery, I loved it. I'm going to keep reading this series...but maybe you can recommend me another one?

I loved this murder mystery set in the San Francisco Bay Area (where I grew up). It was fun, zany (but not too zany) and it kept me guessing. I'm looking forward to more Party Planning Mysteries.

If you're looking for a fun mystery, something on the light side with humor and fast-paced action and a cast of appealing characters, you're gonna love "How to Host a Killer Party," the first of Warner's Party Planning mystery ... at least, I sure did! Presley Parker (no relation) reminds me of a West-Coast (slightly more serious) version of Stephanie Plum. I liked Presley immediately and am looking forward to reading more about her -- and her offbeat friends and family -- in the next in the series. The San Francisco/Alcatraz Island/Treasure Island locations are great fun too. Treasure Island is particularly intriguing. As a Bay Area native, I drive past it all the time. AFter reading Warner's mystery, I've decided I'll have to do a little exploring on one of my Bay Bridge runs.

I recommend "How to Host" for when you're looking for a good read to pick you up when the "real world" and all the noir out there starts to get you down.... A cuppa hot tea (or maybe one of Presley's venti lattes), a comfy chair, and "How to Host a Killer Party" are an unbeatable combination.

Presley Parker is delighted when the San Francisco Mayor asks her to plan his upcoming wedding on Alcatraz Island. The exciting venue and A-list guests guarantee a boost for her new event planning business. That is, until the people involved with the event, start getting murdered.

The lively plot twists and turns through the streets of San Francisco, with just the right mix of historical tidbits, sidesplitting laughs, and thrilling surprises.

As an added bonus, there are plenty of tips on how to turn your next party into THE entertainment event of the decade on a very limited budget.

I enjoyed every bit of it... I'm sure you will too!

How to Host a Killer Party is a fun read from start to finish and has everything a cozy mystery needs: clever writing, intriguing characters (including a hunky yet mysterious office neighbor), and lots of suspense. The book moves along at a good pace, thanks to all the humor and plenty of action. Having the main character be a party planner is a unique concept and provides a fun background for the story. The author does a great job of blending the party planning world into the murder plot. I especially liked the fun party tips at the start of each chapter, and the author even provides instructions at the end of the book for how to host your own geocaching treasure hunt. This is a fantastic start to a new series and I can't wait to read the next party book.

Mixing fun and fund-raising together seems like the perfect job for Presley Parker, which is why she starts her event planning business to raise money for charities. But the good times end when she finds herself hosting a killer party. Presley is happy to get her business off the ground with Mayor Davin Green's "Surprise" wedding for his socialite fiancée, to be held at Alcatraz . The party goes off without a hitch until the bride bolts faster than any of the prison's past escapees, and is later found dead, floating in the bay. Then the original party planner for the wedding is found dead as well. Now Presley is a prime suspect and looking to attractive crime-scene cleaner Brad Matthews to help tidy up her reputation. If she doesn't, she'll be exchanging her formal wear for prison stripes.

Grab this book, sit back, and wait for the time to fly by. HOW TO HOST A KILLER PARTY will leave you in stitches and in shock. What a way to go! From the great party tips, to the hilarious blunders that Presley Parker endures, this party planning mystery is sure to be a hit. Presley and her crew plan this huge shin dig for the mayor to surprise his fiancée. Only they are the ones surprised. And the aftershocks just keep coming and coming. When crime scene cleaner Brad Matthews comes on the scene, he seems to complete the eclectic group that work with Presley. What a fun, enjoyable read!
Reviewed by: Kathy Fisher