Customer Reviews

Murder can ruin your looks: A Desiree Shapiro mystery

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as in all of selma eichler's stories about Desiree Shapiro...the ample detective... this a light reading ....an entertaining story... only someone who cannot appreciate the genre would be disappointed... these are meant for mental r&r... not to challenge the mind, but to entertain... Desiree's comments on her size challenges and some of its complications... her appreciation of various foods... her sense of humour about life situations ... and its ironies... are meant to simply entertain... I find them delightful... and only wish there were more.... all too many people consider themselves "literary critics" without being at all aware of the type of "literature" they are reviewing... some things are just meant to entertain... each of her books have made me smile at some points...or made me smile about some life experience... I believe that to be a great gift... the more we can see our lives thru a sense of humour, the happier our lives become.. laughter being the best medicine... so choose this series to enjoy a light snack...

Plus-sized private eye Desiree Shapiro has vowed that she will not take on another murder case for as long as she lives. However, when her old best friends younger brother, Peter Winters, confronts the New York detective with a serious problem, Desiree finds it impossible to turn him down. Peter's fiance, Mary Ann, along with her identical twin, Meredith, have just been brutally shot in their upscale apartment. And while one of the girls lies in a morgue, waiting to be buried, the other is in a coma, disfigured, and unconscious to everything going on around her. The problem is that no one can figure out which beauty is still hanging on by a thread. So, against her own wishes, Desiree agrees to do some detective work to sniff out just which one of the blondes has survived. Which takes Desiree into actors territory. Now, Desiree is snooping around the theater district, questioning Meredith's fellow actors; while at the same time, attempting to sneakily question Mary Ann's pals, as well as her slimy, snake in the grass ex-fiance, in an attempt to solve the mystery. However, as Desiree digs deeper into the case, she finds herself barraged by a gruesome collection of guilt, greed, lies, and betrayal. And soon, finds herself the next target of the deranged killer.

It has been quite some time since I dove headfirst into one of Selma Eichler's tales, but I am happy to report that the same old Desiree still resides within these pages. Desiree is a detective after every woman's heart - she's big boned, and proud of it. A P.I. who will make anyone squeal with joy, what with her penchant for getting into trouble, digging up clues even the cops can't find, and eating her weight in Chinese food. The mystery found in MURDER CAN RUIN YOUR LOOKS is a little confusing at times, and the fact that the reader doesn't know which of the twins - Meredith or Mary Ann - is lying in a coma in the hospital can be frustrating at times, but that doesn't stop the crime novel from moving forward, and bringing some very peculiar twists and turns to light. Desiree takes a bite out of crime - and just about any edible item she stumbles upon!

Erika Sorocco

I find this series so charming and addictive that I daydream about reading them more often than not. The first time I came across Selma Eichler's books was at my local bookstore, I decided to go home and read some reviews before snatching up a few ( I was tempted to buy the first six, my hunch was good) but when I got home I read these low star reviews and was bummed out. A month later I saw book #11 from the series in the library and it beckoned me to read it, so I did, boy was I surprised! After reading it I immediately got the beginning and now that I just finished book two, I am ready for more. This series is totally up my alley, NYC in the 90's is what I first saw when I moved here and it's depicted so well here, the good past with it's comforts and great deli food, not to mention a really funny and cute heroine that doesn't take no for an answer and really interesting mystery (it always helps when its not a lame goose hunt) make for a delightful read.

The book is really fun but it has a lot of characters and a lot of clues, I can see how some people get lost or bored but I like that, there's nothing worse than a mystery that isn't at all mysterious, this one will keep you guessing till the last page and I was still surprised! Desiree Shapiro breaks her own promise and tangles up in another murder case. This time the case is stranger then any other, two women were attacked and shot in their apartment, one now lies in a coma and other has died, problem is that they are twins and no one can figure out which one is which. Mayhem and loss of recognizable items and no dental records since they lived abroad for so long makes this a tantalizing and complex case, with the killer still out there, trying to find out which sister survived, as it seems like only one of them was supposed to be done away with. Desiree uncovers shocking secrets and a sticky web of lies that keeps all the suspects connected to the cold blooded shooting of Mary-Ann and Meredith Foster. The chase is on and the case is complex, Desiree keeps her strengths up with extra helpings of Haagen-Daaz Macadamia Brittle ice cream, lemon soufflé and lots of deli and restaurant trips, countless cups of coffee and great dinners with her charming cousin Ellen and goes on some funny dates. Her person life is as colorful and interesting as the rest of the tale, making it for a really beautiful read. I just love these books, I don't care if no one else does but to me they are little gems, I hope that Selma Eichler never runs out of ideas.

- Kasia S.

Desiree Shapiro is no stranger to me. This is my 3rd book in Selma Eichler's series. I like the character, Desiree, and her niece, Ellen. I enjoy the hot & cold relationship between Desiree and Tim Fielding of the police dept.

The author does a good job of bringing me into the situation right from the get go and uses the relationships between these characters to develop her story...the murder mystery. In this case it's the murder and attempted murder of identical twin sisters-Meredith & Mary ann. Peter Winters, Desiree's childhood friend, asks for her assistance as he was romantically involved with Mary Ann at the time of this brutal crime.

There are twists and turns that lead in all directions pointing the finger of guilt even at Peter...but then Desiree has an awakening. After eliminating all the lies told to her and the police by just about everyone questioned there is one person that leads Desiree to the end of her sleuthing.

I enjoy this series and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a fun read with a fun sleuth.
Ellen

I made the mistake of buying several of the books in this series because the main character sounded interesting: an overweight, middle-aged PI, (i.e not your run of the mill detective). Unfortunately, the books turned out to be uniformly tedious! The entire book consists of an endless succession of "witness interviews" interspersed with minute descriptions of every meal this "full bodied" woman eats. (And she eats constantly!) When the main character tries to act "cute," making what is intended to be humorous observations, she only comes off as irritating. I would definitely NOT recommend this series, unless you suffer from insomnia.