If Looks Could Kill (Bailey Weggins Mystery) [Kindle Edition]

Kate White (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At first, it would seem to make sense for Parker Posey, the acclaimed actor who has played memorably ditzy dames in movies such as The Anniversary Party and Waiting for Guffman, to read Cosmopolitan magazine editor White's sexy new mystery novel. But White's heroine, Bailey Weggins, a 33-year-old true crime writer for Gloss magazine, is anything but a flake. She's a shrewd freelancer with a gift for catching the dark side of gender crime. And although Bailey is slightly frazzled from the Gotham dating wars, she's definitely not one of the walking wounded looking to Gloss (and its acerbic editor, Cat Jones) for life-changing advice. Posey's softness and Valley Girl intonations tend to defuse whatever strength White's story about a murdered nanny and a plot to knock off the editors of top women's magazines has to offer. Although the book has strong appeal, this production doesn't have enough oomph to captivate listeners.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

When her young nanny dies of poisoned chocolates meant for her, magazine editor Cat Jones enlists the help of freelance crime writer Bailey Weggins. Bailey's not really an investigator, but she knows the procedure: scope out the crime scene, interrogate possible suspects (including Cat's attractive photographer husband), reconstruct the victim's last hours, consult with pals, etc. Bailey's attention soon turns toward Cat's conniving colleagues at the magazine and farther afield. A down-to-earth heroine, a sturdy story line, and breezy prose make this debut novel by the editor in chief of Cosmopolitan magazine a pleasure.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 472 KB
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (May 1, 2003)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000FBF7SO
• Text-to-Speech: Not enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (109 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,116 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Kate White is recognized internationally as not only the veteran editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, the best-selling women's magazine in the world, but also as the critically acclaimed author of both fiction and nonfiction books. Few high-profile editors have successfully balanced the rigors of overseeing a major magazine title with a thriving and independent writing career.

It all began when Kate won Glamour magazine's Top Ten College Women contest and appeared on the cover. Kate earned a position at the magazine and quickly rose from editorial assistant to feature writer and columnist. After holding key jobs at several national magazines, she became an editor-in-chief, running four magazines (including Redbook) before taking the helm at Cosmopolitan in 1998.

Drawing on experiences from her successful career, Kate published the bestselling career bibles Why Good Girls Don't Get Ahead...but Gutsy Girls Do in 1995 and 9 Secrets of Women who Get Everything They Want in 1998. Her most recent nonfiction book, You on Top: Smart Sexy Skills Every Woman Needs to Set the World on Fire published in 2006.

But Kate also has a passion for writing fiction. In penning her first novel, If Looks Could Kill, in 2002--which was selected as Live With Regis and Kelly's first Reading With Ripa Book Club pick--Kate introduced her gutsy and irreverent sleuth, Bailey Weggins. Ms. Weggins went on to solve more grisly murders and entertain readers in A Body to Die For (2003), 'Til Death Do Us Part (2004), Over Her Dead Body (2005), and then again in Lethally Blond (2007), all New York Times bestsellers. The books were recently optioned by Lions Gate Pictures.

Kate's highly anticipated first thriller, HUSH, with her new publisher HarperCollins, will be available in bookstores March 2010. HUSH marks Kate's entry into a whole new genre. Set in the world of fertility clinics and hailed as a "pulse-pounding, chilling, and provocative" read, it's the story of an ordinary woman who flees the scene of a murder and realizes it's not just the law that is hunting her.

Kate's writer's eye has been described by the New York Times as "scathingly observant," capturing "the mood...with a verisimilitude some of her peers might recognize." The Los Angeles Times says of Kate's work: "It's like devouring a box of chocolates!"

Through her magazine work and books, Kate White has influenced at least two generations of women with her unique honesty, passion, and imagination. She is the winner of the Matrix Award for Outstanding Achievement in Communication, as well as the Woodhall Institute Award for Ethical Leadership.

Kate currently resides in Manhattan with her husband and two children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars KELLY RIPA PICKS A WINNER, May 13, 2002

By 

Nancy Martin (Pennsylvania (orig. NY)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: If Looks Could Kill (Hardcover)

I'd be the first to admit that I truly enjoy reading books along with a group. When Oprah announced the possible end of her six-year book club, it was a sad day for me. The sadness, however, was replaced with joy as other TV shows and newspapers jumped on the bandwagon and started their own book clubs. While Regis jokes that Kelly's book club could be better known as "beach trash reading," this statement couldn't be further from the truth with Ripa's first pick. Prior to this, I had never heard of Kate White and this is one of the reasons I love book groups....you get introduced to authors whose books you might not have picked out on your own. I'm happy to report that White's book is informative, enjoyable and an overall excellent "who done it." I read about fifty books in the mystery/thriller genre each year and I must admit that she had me guessing until the very end.

IF LOOKS COULD KILL is set in Manhattan where the main characters work together at "Gloss Magazine." The author gives the reader a great inside look at both the magazine as well as the fashion industry. Her characters navigate different parts of the city from Greenwich Village to Tribeca to Chelsea to Central Park West in search of their stories and photo shoots. I particularly loved her descriptions not only of the locales but of the outfits worn by her characters as well. It was like being in a Sex And The City episode but, instead of following Carrie Bradshaw around, we get to tag along with Bailey Weggins, the crime story journalist for "Gloss. Since she writes about crime, her boss Cat Jones thinks she'll be perfect for trying to solve the mystery of "who killed Cat's nanny" and remove some of Cat's fears that she, herself, was really the intended victim. In order to get to the bottom of this fiasco, Bailey will travel out of Manhattan into beautiful Bucks County, PA, which, coincidentally, is the home of this reviewer. Imagine my surprise as Bailey drove into my hometown on a picture perfect day. Unfortunately, her trip wasn't as enjoyable as it might have been but you'll have to read the book to find out what happens.

So, all in all, I give this book a solid 5 stars in comparison to other books in this genre. I understand the author is working on another book with Bailey Weggins as the main character and I look forward to its release. It was nice for a change not to be reading about the male, alcoholic, divorced, bad-tempered, wisecracking private eye that so many authors are relying on nowadays to sell their books. Instead, we are given a female, who is a loser at love, dresses well, has an exciting job and thinks about things that we readers can associate with on a daily basis.

Kudos to you Kelly Ripa for a fine first pick and congratulations to Kate White for being the beneficiary of this notoriety....and well deservedly so, I might add.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bridget Jones meets Sue Grafton with nice results, May 24, 2002

By 

Gregory Baird (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: If Looks Could Kill (Hardcover)

I was sort of hesitant to read this one but I couldn't help my curiosity. I'm glad that I read it because it is a nice guilty pleasure. I've been a fan of Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton for a while now and what I really like about this book is that it combines the best of those two lead characters (Stephanie Plum and Kinsy Millhone respectively) into the fun but serious Bailey Weggins. She is easy to like and her life is not so outrageous as to be unbelievable. It would be very easy to follow her exploits further, so I hope that the fact that the cover advertises If Looks Could Kill as 'a Bailey Weggins mystery' means that there is more to come. As for the writing Kate White does a masterful job plotting out her mystery, leading you in many directions without confusing you and throwing in just the right amount of twists. My one complaint would be that the ending seems to happen pretty quickly, but that hardly takes away from the book and actually leaves you interested in what happens next. All in all this was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

32 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!, April 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: If Looks Could Kill (Hardcover)

This book is a terrific mystery, with a totally captivating heroine. Bailey Weggins is smart, sexy, very funny, and the reader gets to solve the murder along with her!