Loaded [Mass Market Paperback]

Shari Shattuck (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2003

She's got it all -- beauty, brains, money, and a really big gun. Wealthy socialite Cally Wilde has broken a few hearts in her time. Men fall for her looks, her attitude, and, of course, her money. She always drops them in the end, but she's never made anyone mad enough to want to kill her -- until now. As she explains to sexy LAPD detective Evan Paley, there are plenty of other reasons someone would want her dead. Her father left everything to her in his will, leaving out her mother, his smarmy lawyer, and a conveniently long-lost sister. She's convinced that someone among her dearly beloved is out to kill her, and no one is going to stop her from finding out who, not even the handsome detective, though he's certainly welcome to try....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Exploding like a string of firecrackers let loose beneath one's feet, Shattuck's debut novel keeps the reader deliciously on edge. Raw action collides with secrets and family conflicts as one of the most vivid heroines to hit the shelves recently tries to discover who wants her dead. Hard-shelled Callaway Wilde has everything a young woman in L.A. could need: beauty, brains and lots and lots of money. But her wealth has left her saddled with bitter relatives (including acid-tongued "Attila the Mum") and an inability to trust anyone. An attempt to kill her seems at first to be simply a matter of Cally being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But too soon Cally realizes she's in serious trouble and has few allies, with the possible exception of attractive L.A. police detective Evan Paley, who remains unfazed by Cally's wealth and sees the vulnerabilities she hides behind it. But it's not until a half sister surfaces that Cally's world is shaken to the core-and the reason behind the attacks becomes clear. Glib, cynical and assured in many ways but deeply unsure in others, Cally's voice spins a siren's call that, combined with Shattuck's electric pacing, will keep readers glued to this novel.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Shari Shattuck debuted her socialite-sleuth Callaway Wilde in her critically acclaimed suspense novel Loaded, published by Pocket Books. Her second Cally Wilde novel, Lethal, was featured in the Naughty Girls of Downtown Press launch and also received rave reviews. Shattuck is a successful actress with many film, television, and stage credits, including starring in the feature film On Dangerous Ground and a three-year run on The Young and the Restless. She lives in Los Angeles.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (August 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743463846
• ISBN-13: 978-0743463843
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 3.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #259,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loaded, September 11, 2003

By 

Suzanne Coleburn (Berlin, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Loaded (Mass Market Paperback)

Shari Shattuck's debut is sure to cause waves and raves with her fresh new voice. Readers are always looking for something different and this is it!!! LOADED is loaded with family secrets, a hotter than hot LAPD detective who is smart and sexy and knows just how to deal with Cally Wilde who is gorgeous, intelligent, ultra wealthy and doesn't take any nonsense off of anyone. She has a family full of nuts and bolts that are all trying to get a piece of the wealth her deceased father left her.

Now someone is trying to kill her, and in walks the handsome as sin Evan Paley, super duper detective to take the case when Cally is involved in a murder when someone tries to rob her and she ends up shooting the man. Cally and Evan will rock your world or I'm a monkey's uncle.

LOADED is definitely loaded with lots of fun and high jinks, edgy suspense, and some special sexual tension designed to torment Cally, as only Evan knows how. The cast of characters is terrific, the pace is like a runaway train, and I love the sexiness of this novel. It sparkles and shines in all the right moves. I can't wait to read the next book is this sassy new series. Callaway Wilde is one wild woman who knows how to kick-ass! And I wouldn't mind if Evan Paley tried a few of his techniques on me either! Whoa baby, the man is so hot! Don't miss this book, and pass the word onto a friend fast. It is soooooo cool.

Suzanne Coleburn, Reader To Reader Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Never Read First Person, September 9, 2003

By 

Erica "encbks" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Loaded (Mass Market Paperback)

unless it's this one. This book was great, you should have seen my face when I realized this book was in first person, I really don't like just being in one person's head but Shari Shattuck, took me there with this can't put down romance, intrigue and all around good read. It only took me five hours to read and thats with breaks. I was so involved with who was out to get the Heroine, and I loved the Hero for mostly waiting to other oblegations to be finished, like finding out who was trying to kill her. Even though there was an abundance of characters each had their own tone, even in the first person prespective. I can't wait for the next book!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bad start...but enjoyed it in the end, August 6, 2007

By 

Angy "angyeliz" (Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Loaded (Mass Market Paperback)

Not even sure how to write this review, like the book it was a mix.

This book started out so bad I almost tossed it after the first few chapters. However, after 1/4 of the way into the book Cally Wilde, the main character, became likeable and the writing (plus the story) changed enough and made me want to finish the book. At the start of the book I felt like was going to be a paper version of Lindsey Lohan or some other cracked up "it girl". Cally ended up being a non-typical rich Daddy's girl and actually became likeable. The love interest, Evan was ubber hot and they had great chemistry (although, his financial status for a cop was a huge stretch of the imagination). In the end, I enjoyed the book and glad I didn't toss it...even if the red herrings & villains were too many and convoluted (everybody basically was involved!). After I read the book, I told a friend it reads like a soap opera, only later to find out the author was a soap actress...made sense.