Lucky Stiff (Lucky O'Toole Vegas Adventures) [Hardcover]

Deborah Coonts (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 15, 2011 | Series: Lucky O'Toole Vegas Adventures

Lucky O’Toole--Head of Customer Relations at The Babylon, premier mega-resort on the Vegas Strip--thinks it’s just another night in Las Vegas.  A tractor-trailer has spilled its load of a million honeybees, blocking not only the Strip but the entrance to her hotel... the District Attorney for Clark County—apparently the odd man out of a threesome on the twelfth floor—is hiding in the buff in one of the hotel’s laundry rooms... and Numbers Neidermeyer--one of Vegas’ less-than-savory oddsmakers--is arguing with Las Vegas’ ace private investigator, the Beautiful Jeremy Whitlock.

The next day, Lucky discovers Ms. Neidermeyer was tossed into the shark tank at the Mandalay Bay Resort as a snack for the Tiger Shark.  When the police show up at the Babylon with a hastily prepared search warrant, applied for by the District Attorney himself, and Jeremy lands in the hot seat, Lucky realizes her previous night was far from routine. 

Amid the chaos of fight weekend, the hiring of an eccentric new French chef, and her madam mother's intentions to auction off a young woman’s virginity, Lucky is drawn into a deadly game where no one is what they seem, a game that will end only when she discovers who made fish-food out of Numbers Neidermeyer.

Lucky O’Toole and Fabulous Las Vegas—life doesn’t get any better.        

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* With a mother who runs a bordello, a boyfriend who�s a female impersonator, and a job as a �problem solver� for her father�s luxurious Babylon Resort and Casino, Lucky O�Toole is quintessential Vegas. Rounding up a swarm of bees that escaped from an exhibit and helping district attorney Daniel Lovato, who is stranded naked in a hotel closet, are all in a day�s work. But Lucky�s life gets even more complicated when Evelyn Wabash �Numbers� Neidermeyer is dumped into Mandalay Bay�s shark tank. Numbers was last seen alive at the Babylon, and worse yet, Lucky�s good friend Jeremy Whitlock, an ace private investigator, is the prime suspect. Fast paced, witty, and full of colorful characters, Lucky Stiff is a sure bet to be a readers� favorite. Although this works as a stand-alone novel, Coonts� hilarious tale, so full of delicious details you can almost hear the slot machines, is actually the second book in the Lucky O�Toole series (Wanna Get Lucky? 2010). Libraries will definitely want both titles. --Shelley Mosley

Review

Praise for Wanna Get Lucky:

“Deliciously raunchy, with humorous takes on sexual proclivities, Vegas glitz and love, though Agatha Christie is probably spinning in her grave.”--Kirkus Reviews

“Complete with designer duds, porn conventions, partner-swapping parties, and clever repartee, this is chick-lit gone wild and sexy, lightly wrapped in mystery and tied up with a brilliantly flashing neon bow. As the first in a series, Wanna Get Lucky? hits the proverbial jackpot.” --Booklist

“Wanna Get Lucky? is a winner on every level. Deborah Coonts has crafted a first-class murder mystery coupled with a touching and unexpected love story. Against a flawlessly-rendered Las Vegas backdrop, Lucky’s story is funny, fast-paced, exuberant and brilliantly realized.”--Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author

“Get ready to win big--with a novel that will keep you glued to the pages all the way to the end.  Wanna Get Lucky? is as entertaining as the city in which it's set.”
--Brenda Novak, New York Times bestselling author of Trust me, Stop Me, and Watch Me

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; First Edition edition (February 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765325446
• ISBN-13: 978-0765325440
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,113,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My mother tells me I was born a long time ago, but I'm not so sure--my mother can't be trusted. I do know that I was raised in Texas on barbeque, Mexican food and beer. I currently live in Las Vegas where family and friends tell me I can't get into too much trouble. Silly people. I have owned my own business, been a tax lawyer and a flight instructor, and have survived a teenager. And now, I make stuff up for a living.

Each day I sit in the front window at my favorite Panera and play with my imaginary friends. My SO is a psychologist and he tells me that many of his colleagues would consider me an annuity. I can live with that. Thankfully, he can too.

I write a mystery series set in Las Vegas--funny, sexy and romantic. I've been told they are comedic thrillers--sounds like an oxymoron to me, but you get the drift. The first in the series, WANNA GET LUCKY?, came out May 2010. The second, LUCKY STIFF, will be available February 15th, 2011. With the third, SO DAMN LUCKY, to follow.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars amusing Vegas thriller February 15, 2011

By Harriet Klausner #1 HALL OF FAME

Format:Hardcover

On the Vegas Strip, the Babylon Resort and Casino is perhaps the glitziest of the glitzy. Customer Relations chief Lucky O'Toole understands where she works attracts people who "Wanna Get Lucky?" However, even Lucky is unprepared for the honeybee horde just in front of the hotel caused by a truck tipping over as a fight weekend begins. O'Toole cannot remember the last time the Strip shut.

The next morning O'Toole learns the county District Attorney hides in a closet after becoming the third wheel in a tryst. That same morning, private investigator Jeremy Whitlock argues in public with ruthless bookie Evelyn Wabash "Numbers" Neidermeyer. Later that day, Numbers' number is up in Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino's shark tank; cops suspect Jeremy as the murderer. On a more normal note, Lucky's mom the Madame plans a "virginity auction" and Lucky's songwriting lover Teddie Kowalski is in Los Angeles on a recording deal. Musing O'Toole knows life in Vegas is never dull.

This is an amusing Vegas thriller in which the heroine feels she crapped out as one hell of a night has become one hell of a day. The jocular story line is character driven with Lucky the hub of the zaniness and the support cast like her mom, her lover, her P.I. hunk and the unlucky stiff the speaks to. Although there is a similarity in the glitzy lampoon tone and its Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes Bad Luck lyrics to the first tale and over the top of the tower of the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower; fans will enjoy this casino caper.

Harriet Klausner

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Lucky Stiff is lucky for the reader February 10, 2011

By Lost In Kansas VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

This is the second in a new series of books by Deborah Coonts. I have not had the pleasure of reading the first one and I intend to correct that immediately. I guess I had better say this first: Do not compare this to the Stephanie Plum stories. There is no correlation between the two. In my humble opinion, Lucky O'Toole is much better than the current or the last five Stephanie Plum stories. There I have said it.

Lucky Stiff takes place in the inter working of Las Vegas. The Las Vegas that shows up in TV's CSI. Lucky is the "personal arranger[?]" for a big Vegas Hotel. Ms. Coonts uses this back drop to inject several story lines at once. These range from murder, prize fighting, to selling of a virgin. Each of these stories is fun and interesting, plus they are all tied up in believable ways.

The murder itself was not that easy to figure out and at the end when the "murderer" is found out, Ms. Coonts puts a nice spin of the truth. Let's say that story ends in Vegas style,

The characters are not as crazy as one would expect. Even Mona the owner of the best whore house in Nevada is not that over the top. The sex scenes are really tame by what could have been some raunchy prose. That reminds me on the back of the book one review said, "Deliciously raunchy..." I disagree with that. The book is not raunchy. It is fun and brings a smile to your face but never vulgar.

I found myself liking the characters and this side Las Vegas. I will be looking forward to future novels and so should you.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent Humor and Interesting Characters August 16, 2011

By Jennifer Rothmeyer

Format:Hardcover

I reviewed the first novel in this series, Wanna Get Lucky?, four days ago. I reported that I really liked the book. While this holds true as I continue the series with Lucky Stiff, I did find that I enjoyed the first book a little more than I did the second.

In the beginning of Lucky Stiff, Lucky has found herself in another sticky situation. A truck full of honeybees heading to an entomologist conference have spilled out in front of her casino. (Side note: Think this is too over the top? It's happened.) Lucky's day just went from sweet to sour as she battles to clean up the mess. It only gets worse from there when she finds out that a universally-hated woman known for tanking betting operations has been murdered and the Beautiful Jeremy Whitlock is the prime suspect. Lucky works through some personal crises as well as professional crises as she tries to figure out whodunnit and save her friend from prison.

Hijinks continue and the cast of characters include favorites from the previous novel such as Lucky (of course!), Dane, Teddie, The Beautiful Jeremy Whitlock, The Big Boss, Miss Patterson, Mona, Brandy, and other delightful individuals. Several new ones were also introduced. One is a world champion boxer going for another win. He's accompanied by his more-than-a-dozen children and his charming wife. Their escapes are touching and sweet. There's also the virgin who wants to auction off her goods in order to get enough money to go to medical school so that she and her fiance can go back to their home country and help the children.

Lucky Stiff is still entertaining, but I found that there wasn't quite as much tension or humor. The heart-warming element wasn't quite as intense, either, with some snafus occurring throughout the book that made Lucky question her choice in partners. It seemed, too, that her emotions were too quickly encountered and then too quickly discarded. There was also too much conflict in the relationship too soon, so I hadn't really gotten that invested in the character. This is, I think, a poor choice, because the book would have been more moving and engrossing if I had been more invested in the relationship. Will I keep reading for the third? Yes, I certainly will. I hope that it is an improvement over the second.

Thank you, Ms. Coonts.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received Lucky Stiff by Deborah Coonts free from Forge/Tom Doherty Associates through the FSB Media review program. I was not required to write a positive review and did not receive any other compensation. The opinions I have expressed are my own and no one else's. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."