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Living the Vida Lola: A Lola Cruz Mystery (Lola Cruz Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Misa Ramirez
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)


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Hardcover, January 20, 2009 --  
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Book Description

January 20, 2009 Lola Cruz Mysteries (Book 1)

Meet Lola Cruz. After paying her dues as an intern, she’s now a full-fledged detective at Camacho and Associates. Her boss is Manny Camacho, a muy caliente former cop with a mysterious ex-wife, a Lara Croft look-alike girlfriend, and a sudden personal interest in Lola. Her first big case? A missing mother who may not want to be found. And to make her already busy life even more complicated, Lola’s helping her cousin plan her quinceañera, and battling her family and their old-fashioned views on women and careers. She’s also reunited with the gorgeous Jack Callaghan, her high school crush whom she shamelessly tailed years ago and photographed doing the horizontal salsa with some other lucky girl.

 

Lola takes it all in stride, but when the subject of her search ends up dead, she realizes she has a lot more to worry about. Soon she finds herself wrapped up in the possibly shady practices of a tattoo parlor, local politics, and someone with serious---maybe deadly---road rage. To top it all off, her treasured postcoital pictures of Jack are missing! Still, Lola is well-equipped to handle these challenges. She's a black-belt in kung fu, and her body isn’t her only weapon. She’s got smarts, sass, and more tenacity than her Mexican mafioso-wannabe grandfather. A few of her famous margaritas don’t hurt, either.

 

Debut author Misa Ramirez, a blond-haired, green-eyed gal with a passion for the Latino culture and authentic Mexican food, has penned a delicious mix of mystery, romance, and all-out fun. Filled with sizzling scenes and side-splitting humor, Living the Vida Lola is a thrilling ride that will have you up all night.



Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ramirez's muy caliente debut introduces Dolores Lola Falcón Cruz, a Sacramento, Calif., PI whose kung fu moves are only part of her chica charm. A missing persons case—the disappearance of 42-year-old Emily Diggs, who left her six-year-old son, Sean, stranded at school—turns into a murder investigation after a boater finds Emily's body near Riverbank Marina. Lola's old high school crush, Jack Callaghan, now a Sacramento Bee reporter, provides some unexpected help. Emily had approached Jack about her 18-year-old son Garrett's recent death—from what Emily believed was a heart infection due to a faulty tattoo. Lola's determined to uncover the facts and catch the killer, even if it means, gulp, getting a girly belly-button piercing. Ramirez keeps the action tight, the plot smart and humor light in this spicy blend of crime solving and romance. Lola's latina perspective adds extra sizzle. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Living the Vida Lola has a cast of endearing characters so real they jump right off the page. If you like a mystery with plenty of sass and sizzle, don't miss this sparkling debut!"—Brenda Novak, bestselling author of Trust Me

"If you like fun and spunky Stephanie Plum, you'll love smart and sexy Lola Cruz. Fun, tightly plotted and 100% entertaining, Living the Vida Lola is a terrific story bursting with marvelous characters that keep you rapidly turning pages until the very end. Misa Ramirez's debut novel rocks."—Allison Brennan, bestselling author of Playing Dead

"Make way for Lola Cruz!  Misa Ramirez's Lola Cruz is a flesh and blood heroine:  smart, sassy, and sexy.   Living the Vida Lola is a hot debut mystery that shouldn't be missed."—Maggie Barbieri, author of Quick Study

"Watch out baddies, Lola P.I. packs a punch and always gets her man!"—Mary Castillo, author of Switchcraft

"Sexy, funny, and completely entertaining.  Who could ask for more?  But wait!  Living The Vida Lola has much more, including colorful characters you'll cheer for from chapter one to the end.  Not to be missed."-- Lara Rios, author of Becoming Americana

"Muy caliente! Living the Vida Lola by exciting new author Misa Ramirez is deliciously decadent, laugh-out-loud fun. If you like a little spice with your mystery, you're going to love PI Lola Cruz."--National bestselling author Tori Carrington of The Sofie Metropolis, PI series

 

 



This highly entertaining first-person novel launches a new series with a bang. Well written with laugh-out-loud humor and a complex mystery, this wonderful debut will have you looking forward to more books in the series. Lola is no lightweight detective, despite the chick lit feel to the book, and the balance between her personal and professional life is ideal. The tension in both romance and danger deepens expertly. (Page Traynor Romantic Times BOOKreviews )

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (January 20, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312384025
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312384029
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,919,115 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Fun, fast paced, I love this book and this character. M. Jilani  |  2 reviewers made a similar statement
What a find in this engaging series of books starring Lola Cruz. DJ Stafford  |  2 reviewers made a similar statement
Mainly because you can't remember who the characters are. C.F.  |  1 reviewer made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable book! April 21, 2009
Format:Hardcover
If you dig mysteries, you'll love this cheery, fun read by Misa Ramirez. The writing is bright and fast-paced, Lola Cruz is smart, witty and sexy. The story will lock you in until the last page!
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars entertaining half boiled noir January 24, 2009
Format:Hardcover
In Sacramento Dolores "Lola" Falcon Cruz earns a living as a private investigator. Her current case involves a missing person, responsible forty-two years old Emily Diggs, who failed to pick up her six-year-old son Sean at his school. Everyone Lola spoke with who knew Emily insists she was a good mother who would never commit a negligent act involving her child especially with what happened to her older son.

However, the inquiry turns ugly when Emily's body is found near the Riverbank Marina. Lola continues her investigation, but changes her focus to uncovering the identity of the killer. Sacramento Bee reporter Jack Callaghan informs Lola that a distraught Emily told him that her older son, Garrett died from wht the woman called a "heart infection" that she believed came from an unsanitary tattoo. Lola remains dedicated to catching the culprit using Jack's tip as a lead by looking perhaps first hand into tattoos and belly-button and other unmentionable body parts piercing.

Never taking itself graveyard serious, this is an entertaining investigative half boiled noir with a touch of romance to spice up the proceedings. Ethical Lola is terrific as a literally and figuratively kick butt heroine who believes she owes her late client so continues her inquiry. You don't know Jack if you fail to understand that what Lola wants Lola gets, which is a killer, even if that mean a belly button or a nipple ring. Misa Ramirez provides a wonderful first case in what looks like the start of a delightful series.

Harriet Klausner
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars As GOOD as Evanovich! October 5, 2012
Format:Hardcover
What a find in this engaging series of books starring Lola Cruz. I have been a raving fan of Evanovich from the first time I read her books and now I am delighted to say that I have found another series that are just as entertaining. I find that the Lola Cruz Mysteries has all of the aspects of fun "who dunnits" - along with chuckles, a bit of sexual tension and meaty vocabulary- where she beats Evanovich hands down. I work 70 hours a week and when I climb into bed at night to read a bit I find myself reading much later than I should because I hate to put Lola down! To the author I say Keep up the Good Work and write more stories about Lola! Also, someone call Spielburg and tell him to buy the movie rights to these great books!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars A fun series
Dolores (Lola) Cruz, full-fledged PI, working for Camacho and Associates, gets her first case. Emily Diggs, mother of three was missing. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Kaye Killgore
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
I received the book just as they said I would. It was in great shape. I would use them again.
Published 8 months ago by djlucey
5.0 out of 5 stars I Luuuvvv Lola Cruz!!!
Talk about one truly fabulous and "keeper-shelf" read...LIVING THE VIDA LOLA is it!!!

Author Misa Ramirez has created one go-for-the-gusto heroine... Read more
Published on January 15, 2011 by D.
3.0 out of 5 stars All I really want to do is finish these books...Stephanie Plum in...
I am in the process of reading both of the Lola Cruz PI books (I got the second one from the library before noticing it was a second book). Read more
Published on March 16, 2010 by M. C. Carter
5.0 out of 5 stars Living La Vida Lola?
More like Loving La Vida Lola! Fun, fast paced, I love this book and this character. I can't wait to read Hasta La Vista! Excellent, Ms. Ramirez! Bring it on!
Published on January 20, 2010 by M. Jilani
2.0 out of 5 stars Not a good book
This is not a good book

This is suppose to be a story of sexy, witty, smart Lola Cruz, PI. Correct?

Well, first of all, Lola struck me as a poor detective. Read more
Published on December 29, 2009 by C.F.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic - a MUST read!!
Lola Cruz is assigned a missing person's file and this sassy P.I. takes finding Emily Diggs to heart. Read more
Published on March 25, 2009 by Susan Hatler
3.0 out of 5 stars No habaneros, serranos, or jalapeños here
A mild salsa to enjoy with chips, Lola's margaritas and your feet up for a cozy afternoon.

Recently licensed PI Dolores "Lola" Cruz frequents a different part of... Read more
Published on February 28, 2009 by R. E. Conary
2.0 out of 5 stars Two words: Evanovich Knockoff
I'm not even going to bother with a synopsis. If you've read the jacket copy and/or Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, you'll know this song and dance by heart, anyway. Read more
Published on February 26, 2009 by Elizabeth
5.0 out of 5 stars Lola rocks!
This book was such a fun read! I loved Lola's slightly quirky character from the very beginning. She could be your best friend, your sister, or me for that matter about 7 years... Read more
Published on February 19, 2009 by Sarah Davee
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Unacceptable price differential between paper and Kindle
hey, I totally agree. I don't even want to pay 9.99 for it. No. 1, it is a paperback and it has been out for two years. There should be some rhyme and reason to the pricing of kindle books. I think what gripes me the most is when they produce those giant paperbacks and the kindle price... Read more
Mar 3, 2012 by jrv |  See all 2 posts
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