Customer Reviews

Our Lady of Immaculate Deception

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I like Nancy Martin's previous "Blackbird sisters" series, so I was happy to read this new offering. It sounds like perhaps Ms. Martin has changed publishers, so, as I understand from many an author's FAQ's, we probably won't be seeing more from that series. Roxy Abruzzo, our new heroine, is vaguely connected to the Blackbird world, but you won't be finding many familiar faces around here. We're in Pittsburgh, now, and it's mostly nothing like the Old Guard Philadelphia we've seen from Ms. Martin previously.

Roxy is a fun and yet complicated heroine, with a lot more going on than might first appear. There are perhaps a few too many secondary characters - I can think of at least 3 that probably were completely unnecessary to the story and became distractions - but if Martin is planning another series, they may be meant to grow a bit more in future books. In the meantime, however, the cast of thousands might be a bit overwhelming.

The plot is quick moving and hangs together pretty well. The ending is a tad bit rushed, but overall this is a pretty good example of fun and easy mystery writing. Be warned that this isn't "cozy" - there's a little too much reality (and, frankly, sex) to fall in that category. If you're a fan of the Blackbirds and like Emma, you will probably be be good with Roxy. If you much prefer the mostly refined Nora, she may not be for you.

Our Lady of Immaculate Deception introduces Roxy Abruzzo, and is the first book in a new series by Nancy Martin (author of the Blackbird Sisters Mysteries). Roxy is a single mother, distantly related to the Pittsburgh Mafia, has an untraditional career running an architecture salvage business, an ex-convict with limited mental capacity as a helper, and other assorted family members and friends. Roxy is also a character with flaws--she has several one-night stands, a complicated relationship with her child's father, and a tendency to take advantage of salvage customers.

The plot of Our Lady of Immaculate Deception centers a statue that Roxy liberates from the fire-destroyed home of a customer. The customer was murdered only moments after Roxy left his home, and as the story unwinds, Roxy becomes involved with the dead man's brother, mistress, and attorney. More characters from the man's life enter the story--his elderly, ill mother, his wife, two of his four children, and two small time criminals--and most of these characters tell the story from their own perspective in a few short pages.

If you like the Munch Mancini or Stephanie Plum novels, then you may also like this book. Personally, I enjoyed that Roxy Abruzzo is a flawed and human character, and I liked that many of the book's characters shared their own perspective. However, although part of the strength of Our Lady of Immaculate Deception is the number of character and plot lines, it is also a weakness in that the reader can feel the set up for future installments in the series. In my opinion, the second installment featuring Roxy Abruzzo will be the test to see if this will be a successful long-term series.

Roxy Abruzzo isn't your typical heroine. She runs an architectural salvage business and tries to stay out of "the Family business" - her great-uncle is the boss of the Pittsburgh Mafia. Of course, a girl needs to eat (and feed her dog), so sometimes she helps him out, too. But, for the most part, she tries to stay on the straight and narrow.

In this book, Roxy starts a chain reaction when she "saves" a statue (sticky fingers, *tsk tsk*) - her thinking was that if she didn't take the statue (even though she hadn't bid for it, or bought it), it would just be destroyed with the house, and that would just be a shame. However, the statue is missed, and things start getting a bit crazy. To make things worse, Julius Hyde - the owner of the house being demolished - is murdered the same evening that Roxy was there salvaging stuff.

This book is chock-full of great characters - including Roxy's 17-year-old daughter, Sage and her very voluptuous Aunt Loretta, who is a lawyer; Dorothy Hyde, the matriarch of the Hyde clan, who spends most of her time in a coma but tends to conveniently wake up when there is business to attend to; Patrick Flynn, Sage's father and (apparently) once a Very Bad Man (but now a chef); the Delaney brothers, who are usually so high they have no idea what is going on ... etc. Nancy Martin has a gift for creating memorable characters and that makes this book very entertaining to read. Then, of course, not only are the characters entertaining, but Ms. Martin also knows how to spin out a great twisty-tie of a mystery and make up keep turning to pages, speculating on what, exactly, is going on here.

Well, I could go on, but I've probably already bored everyone to tears. This book is awesome. Read it. Add Roxy Abruzzo to your list of favorite people. Watch for new books in her series. Make an altar and worship her ... well, maybe not that far. But definitely - BUY THIS BOOK! READ THIS BOOK!! You'll love it!

I'm a big fan of Nancy Martin, so I was pleased to see this book on the Vine list.
I was not disappointed!

Roxy Abruzzo has an architectural-salvage business. She and others are working on a house that had burned. She talks a bit with Julius Hyde, who had lived there with his wife until she set the place on fire when she found him with a very young 'manicurist', and goes on about her business. When she wanders into the back yard of the estate, she discovers a statue hidden by ivy. She and Nooch, her helper, 'rescue' it, as the house is going to be blown up the next day. Nooch is big, not too bright, on parole for 10 years, and she's keeping him on the straight and narrow, more or less!

She has a teenage daughter, Sage, no husband, has sex with any handy male, looks tough, and is tough. She's also a good friend to have. Her Uncle Carmine, is a mobster, but she stays out of his business.

After she left, Julius was murdered!

Dorothy Hyde, the matriarch of the family, the owner of the property, and Julius mother, is in a nursing home sometimes alert, sometimes not.

Police talk to Roxy, talk to Monica, (the wife), talk to Nooch, talk to Trey, (Julius' brother), arrest a tramp who'd been living in the bushes, but no one has a reason to kill Julius. Quentin, another brother, is incensed over the whole thing because it has affected his business.

Henry Paxton, Dorothy's lawyer, is called to the nursing home because she wants to talk to him. She's mostly worried about a statue of Achilles she had hidden beside a pool on the grounds and the art work in the house, most of which had been saved. Henry knew nothing about the statue, but starts working on finding it.

There is another murder. Sage is kidnapped and Roxy is told she can be swapped for the statue!

The plot is very complex, exciting, and satisfying. Several characters I've not mentioned add to the story. All of the characters are alive, and you can relate to them. Recommend this book very highly.

Our Lady of Immaculate Deception focuses on Roxy Abruzzo, single parent and owner of Bada Bling Salvage. She also does the occasional favor for her Uncle Carmine, a mafia don.

Roxy is doing salvage at a burned out Philadelphia mansion owned by Julius Hyde, who also ends up murdered. While doing the salvage, Roxy comes across a Greek statue overlooked by other salvagers. Between trying to find Hyde's killer and fending of those wanting the statue, Roxy's life becomes more of a roller coaster than it usual is.

I absolutely loved the Blackbird series so I was eagerly looking forward to this new addition to the author's writing portfolio. After at least five restarts, I finally sat down and laboriously read my way through the book. I got the feeling that Martin was trying to create a Stephanie Plum-type character and unfortunately failed miserably. There were no laugh out loud moments in this book. The book had too many characters, transitions didn't always work, and it generally fell flat.

From reading the author's website, she states that the last Blackbird mystery is the last (and never say never). I say bring back the Blackbird sisters and leave Roxy to her salvaging. Although Roxy is a very human and very complex character, I am not moved to read any more about her. It will take a lot of five star reviews with reviewers who are convincing in their passion for book two to get me to read it.

This is very much in the style and with the ambience of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum's work. I think that this is even better. Both use an often flimsy plot as the background for a witty, flip and observant parading of dysfunctional lowlife family characters and a disorganized, near out of control heroine. Sometimes with Plum, I sense the self-conscious and slightly labored effort to strike the right words and make an effect. Martin is more natural and one of the joys is just how effortless and sly the very funny throw in and throw away lines are. The putdowns are sly and deadpan and neatly take you by surprise.

The plot is barely a mystery. There's a couple of killings but no clues dropped - not one - and any one of a number of eccentrics and misfits could have done it; the denouement is arbritrary. But the story is engrossing because of the characters, especially the heroine, Roxy: complex, sexually out of control (and raunchily funny about it), very appealing, and a real tough mother (well, not quite - that's a key element of the narrative). Sex is the real plot, almost literally and if you are a Stephanie Plum fan, be forewarned that this is not quite as refined.

I enjoyed this as a yarn well told. The thinness of the plot makes it at times seem a little slow. It veers close to losing its zip when it occasionally tries to go into the very real pain and conflict that make Roxy so aggressive, dismissive of closeness and sexually voracious. There is no mitigating texture of kindness or softness but that doesn't make the book at all heavy. It is funny, vivid and flip. Not quite five star but a four star plus rating.

I have been a big fan of Nancy Martin for years. I love reading about the Blackbirds. I was eager to read about her new series since she is one of my favorite authors. This new book is definitely a big disappointment! I did not like any of the characters and thought the plot was very weak. There was no suspense or parts of the book that I enjoyed. The main character is crude and not likeable. She has causal sex and thinks it is okay. Towards the end, we find out the reason for it, but it's just a big turn off. There's nothing endearing to love about the main character or any of the characters for that matter. I kept on getting confused between the dog and her side kick...the names don't sound the same but the spelling on paper makes me have to think twice before deciding whether it's the dog or the guy. It took me over a week to finish this book. Normally, when I read a book I enjoy, I can't put it down. This book was painful for me to finish. I felt like I had to finish it because I paid for it with my hard on money for something and should see it to the end. Her new chracter Roxy is not someone I care to read about. I know the author is trying to go "edgy"and have something "different" with this book, but in my opinion, it failed horribly. I know it's always hard to get a series started, so I was really trying hard to give this new series a good try...but I just can't. I won't be purchasing anymore books from this series.

I saw this book and had hoped it would be along the same lines as the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series - boy was I wrong! The main character Roxy is brash and unlikeable as is the entire book. There are no laughs, no light moments, and she gives you no reason to keep on reading. There is no hook, barely a storyline and it has no character development. You simply don't care what happens to whom in this book or what happens next. After reading on for what seems like an eternity, it just ends in as boring of a fashion as it began. Save yourself from this one - it was a dud.

Roxana "Roxy" Marie Abruzzo is in the business of collecting and selling architectural items as part of her salvage business. Roxy's half brother is New Jersey's crime boss, Michael Abruzzo. Roxy is trying to break away from her family's influence and turn straight but it isn't easy, especially when friends and family come calling. Roxy soon finds herself in over her head, when she feels the need for the five finger discount.

Our Lady of Immaculate Deception is the first book in a new series by author, Nancy Martin. This book turned out to be a bit of a disappointment for me. I was expecting tons of laughs and a rip, roaring good time. This did not happen for me. I had a hard time getting into this book. It started out slow and I even put it down for a while, thinking it will pick up but it never did. I had a really hard time finishing this book. I never connected with the characters and the storyline was kind of weak. I thought it was only me, who felt this way but it appears that many others agreed with me. Though, I didn't care for this book, I have read good things about Ms. Martin's other books and am willing to give them a try.

In Pittsburgh, Roxy Abruzzo tries to keep her Bada Bling Architectural Salvage business clean although her Uncle Carmine the Mafia boss tries sending her work. Roxy feels strongly about staying legal in spite of Uncle Carmine's efforts because she feels she must set an example for her sixteen year old daughter Sage; who is the result of a teen fling she had with Chef Patrick Flynn, just back from a Middle East deployment and wanting to deploy a second time with his former high school girlfriend.

However, Roxy is unable to resist stealing an ancient Greek statue that belongs to wealthy womanizing Julius Hyde. Her assistant "Nooch" Santonucci does whatever she wants and easily hoists the garden statue. Soon after her heist someone murders Jules and burns down the estate of his nonagenarian mom, who is more fretful that her prized possession, an ancient Greek statue is missing, rather than her son's death or the arson.


With the Blackbird Sisters taking a breather, Nancy Martin introduces her fans to a steel tough single mom trying not to join the family business though thievery runs in her DNA. Roxy holds the story line together especially after she purloins the statue. Filled with dark humor, Ms. Martin's fans will enjoy the Stealer escapades of a woman who straddles the line between a touch of piracy and a role model citizen as one tiny caper proves to the heroine that crime doesn't pay (sometimes).

Harriet Klausner