KILLER CAREER [Paperback]

Morgan Mandel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2009

Meet Tyler Jensen, a sexy bestselling author, with serious hangups. Meet Dade Donovan, a just as sexy attorney who wakes up to his true feelings when it could be too late. Meet Julie McGuire, a burnt out lawyer, whose passion for writing leads to the death of more than one person. A lovely lawyer's career change could be a killer when her mentor,a NY Times Bestselling Author,does more than write about murders. And what about her bestfriend and partner? Does he mean more to her than she thought? Will he let her go without a fight?

Editorial Reviews

Review

Robert W. Walker, author of Dead On, City of the Absent, says, "Killer Career hits all the right keys and notes! Author Mandel has hit her stride! A great read!"

Austin S. Camacho, author of Russian Roulette, says, "The roller coaster of joy and horror, love and terror made me dizzy until the final surprise."

From the Author

Subconsciously I believe this book was inspired by my frustration at remaining at the same job of administrative assistant in a law firm for almost 40 years, which zapped my energy and time from my true love, writing. 

Hence, in the fictional world I created a lawyer with the desire and means to give up her day job in favor of writing. I didn't want to make it too easy for her, so I added some dead bodies and other obstacles for her to conquer, such as her bugaboo, claustrophobia.

The setting is Chicago, where I spent many a year at my day job before the economy delivered me from my duties there in early, 2011.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Choice One Publishing Co. (August 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981991602
• ISBN-13: 978-0981991603
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.7 x 5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,912,917 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

EXPERIENCE THE DIVERSITY & VERSATILITY OF MORGAN MANDEL -
Morgan's New Release - A chick-lit romantic comedy/humorous romance:
HER HANDYMAN - http://amzn.com/B0097EVXBK - Novella length -
99 cents Free to Amazon Prime members.

Throw a crazy canine, a handyman and a popular artist together, and you've got mayhem!

When Jake, the handyman, comes to the rescue of Zoe, the artist, little does he know he'll need rescuing himself, thanks to her crazy canine, FuFu.

This Novella Length Romantic Comedy is much longer than a short story, but half as long as a full length novel - Just the right size for busy readers!

MORGAN'S FULL LENGTH NOVELS:
FOREVER YOUNG: BLESSING OR CURSE,thriller
Kindle: http://amzn.com/B006MO28CQ
Print: http://amzn.com/146815771X

Fresh beginnings turn tragic when 55 year-old widow, Dorrie, takes a pill to be 24 again, and then learns getting old isn't the only way to die. Betrayal has her fleeing for her life.

KILLER CAREER - romantic suspense
Kindle for 99 cents: http://amzn.com/B002PDOPPG
Print Link: http://amzn.com/0981991602

A lovely lawyer's career change could be the death of her.To save herself and the one she holds dear, she must face her greatest fear: claustrophobia.

RE-RELEASE - GIRL OF MY DREAMS - Morgan's popular reality show romantic comedy
on Kindle with a brand new cover - 99 cents: http://amzn.com/B00656R11QO
Print re-release to follow. Present print versions are vendor only first editions.

Join in the madcap adventures of a straitlaced assistant whose good intentions go horribly awry when she enters a reality show.

ALSO RE-RELEASED - Two Wrongs, Morgan Mandel's debut mystery set in Chicago
On Kindle with a brand new cover - 99 cents: http://amzn.com/B006LSE4FC
Print re-release to follow. Present print versions are vendor only first edition.

A fast-paced tale of vengeance and the healing power of love, including such Chicago landmarks, as Marshall Field's before it was Macy's, with its Frango mints, and the Big Tree in the Walnut Room at Christmastime, also includes Morgan's alma mater, DePaul University.

A young girl is murdered. Her brother knows who did it, or does he?

SHORT STORIES
Morgan Mandel's latest endeavor is a two-story contribution to The Corner Café: A Tasty Collection of Short Stories, free to Amazon Prime members at http://amzn.com/B0085YDO7E.

In Morgan's first story, What Nice Blessings, tragedy strikes a young adult, testing her courage and teaching her the value of friendship.

Morgan's other story contribution, The Closing of the Corner Café, describes the rise and fall of a cherished eating establishment.

Morgan is a past president of the Chicago-North RWA and past Library Liaison for Midwest MWA, She belongs to Sisters in Crime and EPIC. Before novel publications, she freelanced for the Daily Herald newspaper.

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook/com/morgansbooks
Facebook General Page: http://www.facebook.com/morgan.mandel
Twitter: @MorganMandel (http://twitter.com/morganmandel)

Morgan's Blog: http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
Excerpts/All Buy Links Blog: http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com

Group blogs:
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com
http://booksgoneviral.blogspot.com
http://sweetnotspicy.blogspot.com
http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com

Youtube.com - Type morganmandel (one word) for Morgan's channel featuring Morgan, fellow authors, and her dog, Rascal.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Punchy romantic thriller September 16, 2009

By carl brookins VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

This is one fine emotional story. Yes, if you read romantic mystery fiction extensively, you will likely have encountered elements of the story. It doesn't matter. This is a well-put-together novel that carries the reader briskly to a smashing conclusion.

Julie McGuire is a hot Chicago attorney in a small partnership with Dade Donovan. Their talents and hard work have built a successful law firm. But Julie harbors a secret life-long dream--to be a writer, a published author. One day at a local mystery convention she meets a lusty, talented and tormented author named Tyler Jensen. He's also more than passingly handsome in a sensual sort of way. Jensen offers Julie his help in the form of workshops and other ways to break in running on the fast track of publishing. How can she resist?

Tyler's sponsorship is not without its price. Will Julie pay the price? Will she give up hard-won professional recognition to chase her other dream? Is Tyler Jensen everything he says he is--and maybe more?

And what about Julie's partner, Dade? Can she, will she abandon this life-long partner? Questions arise almost as fast and in all manner of complexity paralleling the personal feelings that swirl around, rising and falling with the fortunes of the principals in this tense novel of romantic suspense. Mysteriously,

The novel is not without its problems. Mandel is adept at steadily increasing the level of tension, but sometimes takes too much time to make her points. There are situations in which the pace should be raised with fewer words. Overall, tighter writing would benefit the reader. Conversely, there are places where I wished for fuller descriptions of place and circumstance. The emotions of the characters are all there, laid bare. A little more context might have enriched the experience.

In the end these problems are overcome by the story and the interest the author ultimately develops in readers for the central characters.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Reviewing: "Killer Career" by Morgan Mandel December 9, 2009

By Kevin Tipple VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Attending the Love To Murder Mystery Conference in Chicago pushes Julie McGuire to make a latent dream become a reality. A lawyer in a growing practice with old friend, Dade Donovan, she longs to become a writer. She is also enthralled by the enigmatic mystery author, Tyler Jensen, the conference keynote speaker.

He seems just as enthralled with her and begins to pursue her in a variety of ways. As she looks to gracefully end her career in the law and her partnership with Dade, it becomes clear that Dade isn't totally supportive of her future plans. Getting strange vibes from both men, Julie isn't sure what is going on or who is behind a series of increasingly strange and dangerous events.

Despite an interesting if a bit clichéd premise (the famous mystery writer loses himself during the writing process in dreams of murder that may or not be real) the novel doesn't reach its full potential. This is primarily because the pacing off the novel is consistently off. Scenes that should move faster drag on far longer than they should. Opportunities to slow down events to further develop characters are frequently rushed. That fact, along with heavy foreshadowing with certain plot points hit so often seasoned mystery readers laugh out loud, do not invoke the rising tension the author is trying desperately to create.

Unlike many who choose to self publish, author Morgan Mandell did obtain editing services and credits those individuals in her dedication. It is telling that the editing situation also led to some of the back of the cover blurbs and the occasional review from the same individuals. With such a small core group involved, it isn't surprising that some issues were not dealt with as effectively as they could have been with more outside objective input. While the novel is classified as "romantic suspense" the suspense angle is very much lacking for seasoned mystery readers. The romance is the classic triangle where both the possible bad boy and the obvious good guy both seek the attentions of the fair damsel who may be in distress from outside forces or forces from within the triangle relationship.

At the same time, at the core, there is a very good tale here. Plenty of action, intrigue and mystery, romantic elements and a heroine that readers can identify with and care about. Through the execution of the story is flawed at times for seasoned mystery readers, there are enough good things about the novel to make the overall read worth it.

Material provided by the author in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2009

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent combination of suspense, thrills and romance! December 31, 2009

By A. Pohren VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Have you ever wondered what goes through the minds of writers? Particularly writers of crime, suspense, murder, you know, the more aggressive types of novels? To be honest, I have several times. What must go through the mind of someone who can write bloody brutality, torture, death, and sometimes just plain twisted scenes? Okay, so yes, Stephen King comes to mind (no offense, Mr. King!). Well, author Morgan Mandel dives into just such a notion in her latest release, Killer Career. World renowned murder mystery writer, Tyler Jensen makes his career from coming up with twisted, graphic and torturous murder mysteries, that readers of the world gobble up and can't get enough of. While at a conference, he meets lawyer and aspiring writer Julie McGuire. Julie is no push over and speaks her mind very freely. When she dares to question him, he becomes highly intrigued.

At the end of the conference, there is a contest in which a few lucky winners are allowed to meet with Tyler for a bit of personal tutoring on writing, Julie just happens to be one of the lucky winners. Julie is thrilled by this and comes to the conclusion that she must put aside her thriving career as a lawyer to pursue her writing full time. Her partner and long time friend, Dade Donovan, senses something not quite right about the all-great mystery writer, Tyler. Julie knows she is upsetting Dade and putting him in a bind, but at the same time must follow her heart and desire. Dade wonders, however, just how far this desire goes - is it just writing or is it Tyler.

Meanwhile, strange and brutal murders are taking place around the city; murders that mysteriously resemble the plots within Tyler's books. Is this coincidence, copycat or something much deeper, darker and sinister? How will Julie deal with Tyler's obsessive love for her and the blooming feelings between her and Dade?

Killer Career is filled with delightful twists, turns and satisfying suspense. Readers will have a hard time putting this down, once they have begun the first page. Ms. Mandel shows a great talent for storytelling and quickly and seamlessly draws her readers into the lives of her characters. With excellent dialog, plotting, suspense and romantic tension, Killer Career is a must read for lovers of suspense, thrillers, romance, and those just plain looking for a great book! This is my first by Morgan Mandel and I anxiously await reading more!