Customer Reviews

The Mangler of Malibu Canyon: A Novel

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mystery is not generally my genre of choice - I tend to stick to plain old chick lit or historical fiction - yet the McAfee twins somehow manage to tear me away from my usual "fluff" novels. I immensely enjoyed the first novel in this new series, and loved this second book even more, as I think the author's writing has improved since writing her first book. Colt has once again displayed her talent for creating an intelligent and complex plot about mysterious murders, and yet giving us a funny, and light-hearted novel that is as entertaining as it is perplexing. I whole-heartedly recommend "The Mangler of Malibu Canyon", as well as the previous novel, "The Butcher of Beverly Hills", and I look forward to many more great novels from Jennifer Colt!

Double the fun! Twin sisters Kerry and Terry McAfee are PIs in Los Angeles. You can't miss them with their bright red hair and hot-pink Harley. They are a hoot!

Their rich aunt Reba finds a decapitated body in her new Malibu beach house. Detective John Boatright, the hunky detective Kerry is interested in, arrives to investigate. Then in walks their cousin Robert with a blonde-haired head in a mesh bag. He has no idea where he's been. Soon both Robert and Reba are confessing to the murder and end up in jail.

Terry and Kerry know they have to find the murderer to clear their cousin and aunt. In the process, they end up involved with Malibu movie producers, actors, cultists, and visitors from outer space. Can they sort through all the possible suspects and find the killer without putting themselves in danger and before Robert and Reba are convicted?

This series is fabulous. I just discovered it and can't wait to read the next book, The Vampire Of Venice Beach. There's also the first in the series, The Butcher Of Beverly Hills. I hope these girls will be around a long time. The writer has such great wit. I ended up laughing out loud many times from their antics. Kerry and Terry are quite different and that's what makes this work so well.

I highly recommend this book and series.

I picked up the first book The Butcher of Bev. Hills and LOVED it! I could not wait for the second one and I was not disappointed in the least! If you love Janet Evanovich then you will love Jennifer Colt! I also emailed the author to let her know how much I was enjoying Mangler and she wrote back to say thanks! Not too many do that and that ranks high in my (pardon the pun) book! LOL Can't wait for the Vampire of Venice Beach!

> The red-headed twin PIs are at again. In a fast-paced, action-packed

> story, they manage to save a plane from terrorists and come off

> wearing bags over their heads to trying to keep their rich aunt and

> idler cousin from being charged with murder by an eager-beaver prosecutor.

>

> They look guilty to any and all when a headless corpse is found in one

> of aunt's rugs and the cousin turns up carrying the head but he can't

> remember how he got it. Involved in this messy situation are the

> denizens of the posh Malibu Canyon area. Will the girls be able to

> ferret out the killer or could they become his or her next victims.

>

> Add a cult of the rich and famous who believe in alien abduction to

> the tale and you have a tongue-in-cheek tale that will have you

> wanting to ride with the girls on your own pink Harley. The cast of

> fun characters includes producers who take advantage of starlets and

> those who want to join the movie star fraternity, trophy wives, cast

> off wives, and other members of filmdom's population, a cross section

> of that world that will have you laughing even as you consider the

> seriousness of the murder.

>

> A fun read that I'm pleased to recommend to any mystery fan who enjoys

> a lighthearted look at life in the fast lane. Beware the coke

> snorters and settle back for some enjoyable hours.

>

> Enjoy. I sure did.

After enjoying The Butcher of Beverly Hills so much, I couldn't wait to read this book. I hoped Colt wouldn't lose her touch, and she doesn't disappoint. She's a clever plotter and a pro at creating realistic dialogue and quirky characters. The fun starts immediately and never lets up, keeping you guessing the whole time. I look forward to The Vampire of Venice Beach, and hope that Colt has more Kerry and Terry adventures in store for her readers. Fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series will find plenty to like here, but Colt has created an original series that can stand on its own merits. Skeptics might also enjoy the plot's zings at certain well-funded alien-centric Hollywood religions...

I absolutely LOVED round two with the twins. The plot was creative... surprising, compelling-- and just beyond my radar. The characters all grow but still have the same great dynamic. I was kept guessing, and laughing all the way through. I thought I had it-- then, No. But it always twisted better than I could have guessed. The dialogue is fast paced, clever and kind of liberating. The girls ride around on a pink Harley and get things done. I found myself smiling outloud (if one can do that) many times throughout. ;-)

I loved the first book 'Butcher of Beverly Hills' starring Kerry and Terry, the McAfee twins, so I'm not surprised I found myself loving this one too! You'll definetely love to watch (read) the twins in action while trying to figure out who is the mangler of Malibu canyon?

If you haven't read the first one, I strongly urge you to read it... just because it's another 5 star book!

After becoming hooked on (and running out of) the Stephanie Plum novels, I found Jennifer Colt's series listed on a website of similar books. I am so glad that I picked up this book. I was looking for a read that would make me laugh out lout--even in public--and I was not disappointed. The dialogue is humorous, the plot engaging, and there are some truly wacky moments. Also, it doesn't matter too much that you read the books in order. I look forward to reading the rest of the series and hope that it continues for a long time.

The second comic crime caper featuring the gorgeous McAfee twins will keep fans of the series debut (Butcher of Beverly Hills) satisfied while attracting many new ones in the process. The 20-something twins, while identical in looks, couldn't be more different in nature. The girls and their eccentric family members (including scene stealer Aunt Reba) give as good as they get in this sharp and sassy series. Highly recommended, especially for fans of Evanovich and Hiaasen who are looking for something new and fresh.

I don't imagine anyone would ever call this a 'great literary masterpiece", but it was fun! That is what is so delightful about Jennifer Colt's books - they are fun! I love Terry and Kerry, identical twins who are anything but identical in personality, who are private investigators trying to scratch out a living in southern California. Jennifer Colt's writing puts me in mind of Sue Grafton with Kinsey Milhone - at times I laughed out loud reading this book.

It is a fun read and I enjoyed it so much I bought all of Ms Colt's other books about Terry and Kerry McAfee. Truly a lot of fun.