Murder Melts in Your Mouth (Blackbird Sisters Mysteries, No. 7) [Hardcover]

Nancy Martin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 4, 2008

The new Blackbird Sisters mystery from the bestselling author of A Crazy Little Thing Called Death.

Down-to-earth debutante Nora Blackbird is having a meltdown-and it isn't because of Philadelphia's heat wave, or an overdose at the city's Chocolate Festival. A noted Philly philanthropist has taken a swan dive from an office balcony-and Nora's friend Lexie stands accused of the murder. Then Nora's scheming parents reappear, sending all three Blackbird sisters into a panic. Now Nora must uncover the scandalous hijinks her parents are plotting-before she winds up taking all the heat and strangling her father with his own ascot.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Blackbird sisters, Nora, Libby and Emma, find themselves in the middle of another Main Line society scandal in the breezy seventh entry in Martin's cozy series (after 2007's A Crazy Little Thing Called Death). As the annual Chocolate Festival begins in Philadelphia, noted philanthropist Hoyt Cavendish dies. But did he jump or was he pushed? Nora, society reporter for the Philadelphia Intelligencer, investigates after she discovers a mysterious man hiding near the scene and wonders if he could be her long-lost father. Adding to the mess, Libby falls head over heels for the driver of the car that hit her, and wild child Emma is pregnant. Nora uncovers Hoyt's many enemies, as the devilish do-gooder was charitable with funds that didn't belong to him. The connection to the unexpected homecoming of the Blackbird parents adds another surprising twist. Despite Martin's trademark wit, events fly past so quickly that readers may feel dizzy. But the long-awaited reunion between the sisters and their parents will satisfy longtime fans. (Mar.)
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From Booklist

In her seventh adventure, Nora Blackbird has myriad problems in her life. One sister has been hit by a Rolls-Royce and is recovering at the Ritz, leaving Nora to care for her five children; her unmarried sister is pregnant; and Nora is on probation at her job at the Intelligencer newspaper. She has also recently broken up with her boyfriend, Michael Abruzzo, son of a New Jersey crime boss, and her parents, who had left town just ahead of the law, have returned. Complicating matters even more, philanthropist Hoyt Cavendish has fallen to his death from a balcony, and her good friend Lexie is the chief suspect in his murder. However, there are numerous other suspects as Hoyt’s clients have just found out that he has swindled them to obtain the money he has been freely donating around town. Nora solves the murder, but the charm of this humorous series is the rather conventional heroine dealing with her numerous quirky relatives. The series is reminiscent of Donna Andrews’ Meg Langslow series. --Sue O'Brien

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: NAL Hardcover (March 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 045122311X
• ISBN-13: 978-0451223111
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #908,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I wrote romance novels for years, but I finally had enough sex--at least on paper!--and decided it was time to start killing people.

So now I write funny, sexy murder mysteries. Check out my website for more details: www.nancymartinmysteries.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOO HOO!, March 11, 2008

By 

Ms. Jessica - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder Melts in Your Mouth (Blackbird Sisters Mysteries, No. 7) (Hardcover)

FINALLY! I was SO happy to see the developments between Mick and Nora, there is nothing more annoying that a constant on/off relationship where the characters never address their problems or admit how they feel. Mick and Nora are fabulous in this book. The Blackbird women are full of surprises, good and bad, and the Blackbird parents are NUTS, but add an interesting new twist to the family dynamic. The Blackbird books are always hilarious, but this one also dealt with some darker issues that gave the book a lot more depth. Very satisfying read.....can't wait to see what happens next!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars worth reading, March 4, 2008

By 

bobsmom "kn" (west chester, pa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder Melts in Your Mouth (Blackbird Sisters Mysteries, No. 7) (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book, I liked the way the relationship between Nora and Mick developed as well as growth of other characters. I was shocked at the ending. There were some interesting developments that make me eager for the next installment.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Family Flaws, March 27, 2008

By 

Story Circle Book Reviews - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder Melts in Your Mouth (Blackbird Sisters Mysteries, No. 7) (Hardcover)

This book is a great read for anyone who enjoys character-driven whodunnits, featuring amateur sleuths who can't seem to go anywhere without stumbling upon a crime. It is the seventh in a series featuring three Blackbird sisters who were raised among the old Philadelphia Main Line rich. After their parents run through their own inheritance, bilk their friends, and drain their daughters' trust funds, they skip the country to avoid the IRS, and the girls are left holding the bag. To make ends meet, and because attending parties was the one thing she could do really well, Nora Blackbird goes to work as the society editor at the local newspaper.

When Nora's sister Libby is involved in an accident, she checks herself into the Ritz to recuperate and sends her five hyperactive kids to stay with Nora at Blackbird Farm, the dilapidated Bucks County farmhouse Nora inherited when her parents took a powder. On top of this, Nora is head over heels in love with Michael, the son of a New Jersey crime boss. Michael keeps far too many secrets, as well as an extra set of license plates in the trunk of his car.

Nora has been assigned to cover the big Chocolate Festival that is being held in town, and she could use some help with the kids, but can't seem to track down her little sister Emma. After buying several ponies to teach riding lessons at the farm, Emma has disappeared and left Nora to take care of them. The situation reaches critical mass when Nora's best friend, Lexie Paine, discovers that large sums of money are missing from her clients' accounts. Everything points to her semi-retired partner Hoyt Cavendish. Hoyt loves the limelight, and has been stealing money from their clients in order to play the role of big philanthropist. He also has a very dark secret in his past. Shortly after Lexie confronts him with her suspicions, he falls mysteriously to his death from a balcony in their office. Lexie is being questioned by the police concerning his death, Nora suspects there is something going on between Michael and Emma, and Nora's parent's have shown up out of the blue, claiming to be working with the Treasury Department in an undercover investigation.

All of this makes for a fun-filled read, reminiscent of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum mysteries. I found Nora's relatives to be every bit as looney as Stephanie's, but a good bit more irritating. Had they been my relatives, I probably would have been the one under investigation for murder. I also found it difficult to identify with people who have old money and attend balls. (My idea of getting ready for a big dance is pulling on my boots and tossing some sawdust on the dance floor.) However, Nora definitely has an advantage over Stephanie when it comes to food and fashion. This book satisfied my cravings for both chocolate and chic clothing. I especially enjoyed reading about the ensembles that Nora manages to pull together by raiding her late grandmother's closet full of vintage designer fashions.

On the whole, I found Murder Melts in Your Mouth to be a very enjoyable read, grabbing my attention within the first few pages, holding it with enough plot twists to keep me guessing, and making me want to go back and read the other books in the series.

by Becky Lane

for Story Circle Book Reviews

reviewing books by, for, and about women