Pressed to Kill: A Mandy Dyer Mystery [Mass Market Paperback]

Dolores Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2008

paperback

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Worldwide (2008)
• ISBN-10: 0373266278
• ISBN-13: 978-0373266272
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,570,371 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars an enjoyable read, but not a very suspenseful one, January 23, 2007

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pressed to Kill: A Mandy Dyer Mystery (Mandy Dyer Mysteries) (Hardcover)

How much enjoyment you glean from Dolores Johnson's latest Mandy Dyer installment is going to depend on what you're looking for: if you're looking for a nice, relaxing read that focuses more on how our stalwart heroine, Mandy, copes with the zany characters in her life as well as a murder investigation, you've picked the right book; if, however, you're looking for a cunning cozy with an intriguing plot that will keep you guessing, then "Pressed to Kill" may not be the read for you.

When one of Mandy's regulars, bank loan officer Ardith Brewster, confides in Mandy that her new and improved wardrobe has something to do with her mysterious, new boyfriend that she met at the dry cleaning business' open house party, warning bells start to chime in Mandy's head. Mandy's fear though is that Ardith has been seeing a married man. The last thing she expected was to hear that Ardith has been murdered, and that it looks as if by someone she knew quite intimately. Because Mandy is sure that Ardith has been murdered by her new boyfriend, and because she's feeling guilty that Ardith met the man through her open house party, Mandy decides top do some sleuthing of her own. The last thing she expected was to dig up evidence of previous murders seemingly committed in the same way and probably by the same man. Has a serial killer come to town? And can Mandy match wits with a determined serial killer?

What I enjoyed most about "Pressed to Kill" was the colourful, zany characters that people the novel and the frustrations that Mandy has to cope with dealing with these people. Dolores Johnson seems to have mastered the art of depicting these scenes in a hilarious and vividly realistic way. Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough of mystery-investigative subplot -- the suspects with few and frustratingly, not a "real" part of this book, and there practically was no twists and turns in this mystery subplot. So that all in all, I'd say that while "Pressed to Kill" was an enjoyable read, it wasn't a very intriguing one, especially for one that involved a ruthless killer.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Multi-layered plat and zany characters, January 20, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pressed to Kill: A Mandy Dyer Mystery (Mandy Dyer Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Pressed to Kill is the eighth title in the Mandy Dyer mystery series about the escapades of Mandy Dyer, the owner of a dry cleaning business.

Mandy Dyer's customer Ardith Brewster has recently gone from 'mousey' to 'magnificent.' It seems Ardith has a mysterious new boyfriend, whom she met at Dyer's Dry Cleaner. And he's the reason behind the physical change in Ardith.

When Ardith turns up dead, Mandy links her murder to that of other female customers. It seems that a serial killer is on the loose and using Dyer's Dry Cleaner as a place to find his victims. It's up to Mandy, with the unwanted help of her loud-mouth, interfering employee, Betty the Bag Lady, to find the murderer before he kills again--and maybe even destroys her business.

Mandy's crazy family members, a strange man who hangs around her business, a boyfriend who might be a suspect, and numerous other interesting characters litter the landscape of Mandy's life and contribute to the madcap quest to find a killer.

Before I started reading Pressed to Kill I wondered how good could a mystery be about a dry cleaner owner? I soon found out it was very good. I enjoyed the fast-paced, multi-layered plot and the zany characters. I tried unsuccessfully to figure out who the killer was.

Armchair Interviews says: There are many other Dolores Johnson reads out there to be enjoyed. Do it!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The dry cleaning saga continues!, May 6, 2007

By 

/Petesy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pressed to Kill: A Mandy Dyer Mystery (Mandy Dyer Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I have purchased and read all of the Mandy Dyer books and enjoyed each one. I love the way the tale spins and am always surprised at the end. I would recommend these books without hesitation - once started, hard to put down until the last page is read!