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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
not her best, May 8, 2009
I had a hard time getting through this one. Her previous titles were pretty good, and I expected more of the same. Instead, I got car reviews (really? from a Beemer to an Escape??) and instant attraction to a guy she didn't like or trust, and of course the attraction was instant on his part as well. Even though they disagree on some pretty important issues, he's rich and good looking so I guess that's all it takes. Also, why change the basic nature of returning characters? Why did Ned suddenly become hot headed and irrational when in previous books he was level headed and low key? I just didn't like this one. I couldn't concentrate on the mystery because of all the character annoyances. I may be done with this series.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
No longer an automatic buy, June 29, 2009
I really enjoyed the first Kendra Ballantyne mysteries: interesting character with an interesting past, cute pet and I really liked her relationship with Jeff.
The first problem was that the focus of Kendra's occupation changed after the first few books. I loved the pet-sitter part--but that took a back seat to being a lawyer. Then came Double Dog Dare which was terrible. I guess that Ms. Johnston wanted to change so she got rid of Jeff--VERY clumsily. In NEVER SAY STY, there is the foolish mystery of whom Darryl is dating (do we really care?) and the loooooong explanations about how the reality show is run. I don't care. I want a good mystery (which this isn't) with interesting characters (which Ms. Johnson has gotten rid of) and a snappy pace. This book is bogged down in detail.
After being disappointed in her last two books, I'll try to get the books at the library. They aren't work the money.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not Her Best, July 16, 2009
I was enjoying this book more than the last few in the series, until I got near the end and it was the same old thing -- just before she gets to the solution, suddenly the reader is cut out of the whole process with a bunch of vague hints such as "I called the person I needed and asked them to do the favor I wanted." So basically the reader is there, working along with Kendra to figure out the clues, until the case is almost solved...and then suddenly the reader is no longer privy to any information and has to sit there scratching their head about what's going on until the solution is laid out (usually something Kendra came up with out of the clear blue sky).
Add this to the fact that the murderer's identity was completely unbelievable and the fact that there isn't a police officer alive who would've gone along with Kendra's off-the-page scenario, particularly without any proof, and the whole thing felt like a big waste of time.
Finally, as I've mentioned in other reviews of this author's work, if she's going to portray her main character as a pet-sitter, she needs to do a better job of it. It's bad enough that Kendra can't leave her house without her dog by her side or ensconced at a pricey day-care, and gets angry at people who invite her to dinner or other places that don't allow pets, but the fact that she brings her tiny dog along on her pet-sitting rounds, particularly to visit big strange dogs on their own turf, is totally unrealistic and irresponsible, and really takes away from the series' credibility.
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