Maggie Without A Clue (Zebra Regency Romance) [Paperback]

Kasey Michaels (Author)

Book Description

Series: Zebra Regency Romance | Publication Date: August 1, 2005

What's wrong with this picture? I should be enjoying the company of Alexandre Blake, Viscount St. Just, hero of my historical mystery novels...but ever since Alex and his sidekick, Sterling, materialized in my living room, I've been dodging dead bodies. The news that the dynamic duo had gotten their own place was music to my ears - until the symphony ended with a hysterical phone call from Bernie Toland-James, my recently widowed (as in: just woke up next to the bloody corpse of her estranged husband) publisher...See? This is what I'm talking about. Things look bad for Bernie, who'd made no secret of the fact that she wasn't too broken up when Buddy disappeared seven years ago. Meanwhile, Sterling's been on the receiving end of some weird threats...OK, this just got personal. Messing with my friends? Bad move. Messing with my friends while I'm going through nicotine withdrawal? Watch out. What with trying to sleuth, quit smoking, evade my therapist's more pointed questions, and meet my latest deadline, I'm a woman on the edge. Now, with the clock ticking on Bernie's freedom and Sterling's safety, it's time to get down to business with Alex (no, not that kind of business...well, maybe a little) and get a clue. ..

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Romance bestseller Michaels delivers more fantasy and fun in her third witty, well-plotted cozy (after 2003's Maggie by the Book) to feature Maggie Kelly, a former author of historical romances who now writes historical mysteries. When Maggie's editor, Bernice Toland-James, awakens in bed to find herself covered in blood and next to the dead body of her ex-husband, Benny, whom she assumed drowned almost seven years before, she phones Maggie in hysterics. Accompanied by her own fictional creation—Alex Blake, Viscount Saint Just, the tall, handsome, astute and somewhat arrogant Regency detective—Maggie rushes to the rescue. Having two quirky characters, Saint Just and his sidekick Sterling Balder, enter the real world and help Maggie solve mysteries lends an amusing metafictional twist to the series. (At the start, Saint Just points out to Maggie the favorable press on "their" latest novel on Amazon.com: "A starred review from Publishers Weekly, a quite flattering review from Booklist, and Kirkus was its usual damning-with-faint-praise self.") Meanwhile, somebody breaks in and ransacks Saint Just and Sterling's newly sublet apartment. Further complications ensue as Maggie tries to balance her attraction to Saint Just with her relationship with NYPD Lieutenant Steve Wendell, while Saint Just discovers feelings and thoughts not written into his original character. A surprising conclusion will leave readers wanting more.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

This is Michaels' third pleasurable mystery about neurotic author Maggie Kelley and her two fictional Regency characters, Alex Blake and Sterling Balder, who have come to life and moved in across the hall. Maggie hopes for peace and quiet, but her friend and publisher, Bernie, wakes up with the bloody corpse of her second husband, and becomes the primary suspect in his murder. Bernie has been drinking heavily and is subject to blackouts, so she hasn't a clue as to what happened. To further complicate matters, the former tenant of Alex and Sterling's apartment has something the Mob wants; the Mob expects them to hand "it" over, only they don't know what "it" is. Being the take-charge kind of hero that Maggie loves to create, Alex begrudgingly involves Maggie's friend Lieutenant Steve Wendell in trying to solve both mysteries. New characters and old make this a fun series to follow as the Regency characters grow more complex, and Maggie herself changes under their influence. Patty Engelmann
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (August 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157566884X
• ISBN-13: 978-1575668840
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,090,125 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fine paranormal amateur sleuth, July 28, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Maggie Without A Clue (Hardcover)

When Maggie Kelly's romance writing career tanked, she started authoring Regency mysteries starring Viscount St. Just Alexandre Blake and his loyal and gentle sidekick, Sterling. She became a bestselling author, winning many awards until the unbelievable happened. St Just and Sterling popped out of her mind and into her apartment as real people who others see and talk with. She allowed them to stay at her apartment but now they are moving next door to her neighbor's apartment.

While she is dealing with the empty nest syndrome, even if its only a few yards away, Maggie's closest friend Bernie calls her up in a panic. Her husband believed lost at sea is in her bed, dead and covered in blood from a knife wound. Maggie and St Just arrive on the scene to see that Bernie is soaked in blood, the murder weapon is one of her own knives, and she has no memory of the night before. The DA, who is running for reelection, believes Bernie is his ticket to another term in office while Maggie, St. Just and Sterling, along with a police officer attracted to Maggie, try to find the evidence that will clear Bernie.

Readers will find themselves believing that the heroine thought St. Just and Sterling into existence. They are very believable because they act as if they came from Regency England. It is impossible to figure out who the real killer is until the author chooses to reveal him and it will come as a total shock. Kasey Michaels, known for her upbeat and charming amateur sleuth mysteries, has written another winner, one that will garner her more fans then she already has.

Harriet Klausner

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars not as good as the first two, October 28, 2004

By 

susy notwen - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Maggie Without A Clue (Hardcover)

Right off, you should know that I'm a big fan of this author and in particular, this series. The "Maggie" books are charming, romantic and fun to read. I'm particularly intriqued by Ms. Michael's character, St. Just. The author describes him as resembling a young Clint Eastwood - enough said.

Kasey Michaels' third book, Maggie Without a Clue, finds our intrepid threesome (Maggie, St. Just and Sterling the affable side-kick) tracking down another murderer in NYC. There is an additional side story concerning Maggie's senior citizen-aged neighbor. This kind lady has subletted her apartmant to St. Just and Sterling but her past may be coming to call. It is here that Ms. Michaels loses some control over the plot. This little side-bar eventually careens over the edge leaving one of the major characters decidedly, well, out of character.

I have enjoyed Kasey Michaels' writing style and the characters that she has created, enough to sit tight and wait for the fourth installment of the Maggie series. I can only hope that she puts her characters back on track 'cause I really like the ride!

5.0 out of 5 stars Maggie, Saint Just Part III, September 25, 2009

By 

T. Taylor (Lafayette, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Maggie Without A Clue (Zebra Regency Romance) (Paperback)

This book in the series brings with it further independence for Saint Just and Sterling. Murder, Kidnapping and little old ladies that have BIG secrets.

The main story line revolves around Bernice (Maggie's publisher) who is accused of murdering her second flaky husband - the shady Buddy. Maggie, true friend that she is, sets out to prove her friend is innocent, with the help of Saint Just and company.

Again, the characters (Sterling and Saint Just who were developed originally from Maggie's imagination, become more human. Maggie becomes more bewildered and the good guys win!! Well worth the time to read - and enjoyable read at that.