Leggy, karaoke-singing Allegra Thome spends her days teaching dysfunctional teens and her nights with a wealthy new boyfriend. Her life is grand until she finds herself in the middle of a drug bust and meets Sloan, a rough-around-the-edges DEA agent. Soon after a student from her class disappears, things quickly head south, and their search becomes a race against time with dead bodies piling up and her own life in peril.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Brothers, author of the historical romance Castle Ladyslipper, puts her experience as a counselor to behavior-disordered teenagers to good use in this tightly plotted suspense novel set in Washington State. Nick Dorsey, a bright 16-year-old student with cystic fibrosis at Vista Valley High School, worries when his troubled classmate, Sara Stepanek, disappears. Nick and his aunt, Allegra Thome, Sara's teacher, who blithely refers to herself as the queen of Bedlam, pool their sleuthing skills and soon uncover unsavory practices at the Church of the Holy Light, which Sara had begun attending. The church's charismatic head, Robinson Hunt, also runs the What Would Jesus Drink Winery. The quirky romance between Allegra and DEA agent Sloan, whom she meets by accidentally interrupting a sting, provides a light counterpoint to the darker hunt for Sara. Readers will want to see more of this dynamic teacher/teen crime-solving duo. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"Not only was I tickled with quirky lines . . . throughout the book, but when mixed with mystery, romance, and an awesome cast of characters, this book rocked!" —WW Ladies Book Club Blurbs
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More About the Author
I am a life long resident of Washington state and the author of a young adult urban fantasy series (Unbidden Magic) as well as two adult novels, Castle Ladyslipper and the Rock and Roll Queen of Bedlam. My husband and I spend five months a year in southern California, not far from Los Angeles and San Diego. I spent a number of years as a teacher and school counselor. Those years gave me a wonderful array of characters to write about. In addition to writing, I love to read, spend time with my family and hack my way around the golf course. I'm on Facebook, Twitter and love hearing from readers. Please visit my website, www.marileebrothers.com. If you send me a comment, I promise I will answer.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Smart and Sassy,
By
This review is from: The Rock & Roll Queen of Bedlam: A Wise-Cracking Tale of Secrets, Peril, and Murder! (Paperback)
Allegra Thome lives with her grandmother, Aunt, and Vlad, the attack cat. Allegra teaches dysfunctional teens, Aunt Dodie is a wine connoisseur, and Grandma has a night job that will make your jaw drop in shock. On Saturday nights, the three of them sing karaoke and entertain at a local nursing home.
At a local gas station, Allegra sees one of her students relatives and moves to invite him to parent night. Instead, she inadvertently interrupts a drug bust. The DEA officer, Sloan, is pure eye candy, and there is instant chemistry between him and Allegra. When one of Allegra's students is reported runaway, Allegra doesn't think too much of it. These things happen alot with her students. But when her nephew Nick convinces her that something is fishy, she looks more deeply into it. Sara Stepaneck's foster family also just came into some money; new van, plasma TV. Allegra and Nick check out Sara's room and leave with a few cryptic clues. Concerned, Allegra follows up with the police and family services, but is brushed off. Even when Sara's father, Joe, is found dead, the police aren't interested. Even as things are heating up between Allegra and Sloan, and in the most odd places, the stakes are raised in the search for Sara. Danger lurks around corners for Allegra, and she must keep one step ahead of the unknown perpetrators if she values her life. The Rock and Roll Queen of Bedlam was impossible for me to put down. I was enthralled with this story. Mystery, romance, humor and things happening in the most unexpected places kept me hooked. The characters are outstanding. Sometimes, the repartee' had me laughing so hard I cried. The ending is a thrilling page turner with a shocking climax. I hope Marilee has another Allegra novel in the works because I couldn't get enough. Highly recommend!!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
amusing yet dark amateur sleuth,
This review is from: The Rock & Roll Queen of Bedlam: A Wise-Cracking Tale of Secrets, Peril, and Murder! (Paperback)
In Washington State, sixteen year old Nick Dorsey is an intelligent student attending Vista Valley High School who refuses to allow cystic fibrosis from enabling him to enjoy life. However, he becomes very concerned when classmate Sara Stepanek vanishes as he knows the teen is deeply troubled.
Nick's aunt Allegra Thome who is Sara's teacher is worried about the girl too. Allegra, who dubs herself "the Queen of Bedlam" and Nick decide to investigate the disappearance. They soon find questionable goings-on at the place of worship that Sara attended, the Church of the Holy Light; especially through Pastor Robinson Hunt's connection to the What Would Jesus Drink Winery. However, the nephew-aunt amateur sleuthing intrudes on an operation conducted by DEA Agent Sloan. THE ROCK & ROLL QUEEN OF BEDLAM is an amusing yet dark amateur sleuth thriller with a chick lit sarcastic spin as sassy spunky spitfire Allegra provides commentary from the start with her observations on tall women wearing hose and detectives checking asses and never slows down form there. Fans will enjoy the lighthearted bantering of Allegra especially with Sloan (don't ask about his first name though Johnny Cash could have sang the song) contrasted with the serious topic that is not taken lightly in a terrific crime caper thriller. Harriet Klausner
4.0 out of 5 stars
West of Mars Recommended Read!,
By
This review is from: The Rock & Roll Queen of Bedlam: A Wise-Cracking Tale of Secrets, Peril, and Murder! (Paperback)
With a title like The Rock and Roll Queen of Bedlam, you'd expect the book to be a work of Rock Fiction, right? Add in a mention on the back blurb of the fact that our heroine, Allegra, has a thing for karaoke -- and hello? That name!! -- and yeah. You'd expect a rock novel. It's not that unreasonable.Ha. Not even close. This is one of those madcap, hapless tales of an amateur sleuth. There's no rock here. Heck, there's barely a mention of the karaoke nights. In that respect, it's quite disappointing. In every other respect, this is one fun read. Allegra's a great heroine. It's easy to root for her. And Sloan is one heck of a hunky foil. The plot isn't the most original, but it's one that holds you throughout. I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye out for more from author Marilee Brothers. It may not be a Rock Novel. But it's a West of Mars Recommended Read.
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