7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It doesn't get much better than this!, June 26, 2008
This review is from: No Such Thing as a Free Lunch (Brandy Alexander, Bk 3) (Paperback)
Brandy Alexander, amateur sleuth and puff piece reporter, has a new gig at her local television station in Philadelphia. Unfortunately every one at work resents her because she took the place of a beloved co-worker who was fired. While she tries to make nice with everyone, unsuccessfully, one person on the team reaches out to her. Tamra and Brandy have the beginnings of a decent friendship, until Tamra turns up dead. The cause is an apparent suicide but Brandy isn't buying it.
Despite the fears and nightmares she is still nursing from her previous life threatening ordeal, Brandy can't let it go. She can't be the person who turns her back on a friend in need, even if that friend is already dead.
I fell in love with this series last year and have since gotten my sister addicted to them as well. I have been waiting impatiently for the release of this third book and when it arrived yesterday I dove into it and put everything else on hold. Husband, kid, dogs... they were on their own while I visited Philly. When I finished the first two books, I absolutely loved them, there wasn't a thing I would have changed or have had the author do differently. Yet somehow this one still surpasses the first two, I am wowed.
The mystery had me jumpy and scared, anxious and edgy. It's a solid and suspenseful story, and I really had to fight not to cheat and read the end, my sister on the other hand called to tell me she lost that same battle. She had to peek at the end, she said, in order to relax and fully enjoy the story. Patience isn't a strong suit in our family.
Brandy is uncovering clues and finding herself in more and more danger. All the while she's getting help from the men in her life; her ex-boyfriend and police officer, Bobby, and her current infatuation and man of mystery, Nick, creating a healthy dose of sexual tension.
This book is a little darker than the first two, emotionally speaking, as Brandy is pretty much at the end of her rope. The incidences that occurred in the first two books are really starting to wear on her fragile psyche. Everyone around her is worried, but Brandy insists she is OK. She really has to face some harsh realities in this book.
Like the first two books in this series, mixed in with the riveting mystery, colorful characters, emotional drama and sexual tension, are some of the most hilarious scenes on paper. Books that make you laugh out loud, repeatedly, are so rare, yet Ms. Fredman has managed to write three of them.
What I like best about these books is that they are so well rounded; they have romance, humor and suspense and each aspect is done to perfection. Brandy Alexander has cemented herself as one of my all time favorite heroines, and Ms. Fredman as one of my all time favorite authors. These are books that you can read over and over again without losing any of the original pleasure. I think Ms. Fredman is a truly talented story teller and I long for the day when the rest of the world discovers what I already have. Highly recommended.
NO SUCH THING AS A SECRET: A Brandy Alexander Mystery
No Such Thing As A Good Blind Date: A Brandy Alexander Mystery
Cherise Everhard, June 2008
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fast-paced, engaging mystery, August 5, 2008
This review is from: No Such Thing as a Free Lunch (Brandy Alexander, Bk 3) (Paperback)
This is author Shelly Fredman's third Brandy Alexander novel but the first I've read. Apparently, Brandy has quite a knack for getting into trouble: as this book opens, she is recovering from a gunshot wound, resisting the advances of her long-time ex-boyfriend, Bobby, and trying to sort through her feelings about mystery man Nick Santiago. She tries to focus on her new job as "puff piece" reporter for a local TV news station, but she is unable to sleep at night, and soon her only friend from the TV station, Tamra, is found dead--by Brandy herself. Brandy quickly finds herself in danger as she chases down a series of ever-expanding clues which shed light upon the real reason for Tamra's death.
I found this book to be somewhat reminiscent of one of Lisa Scottoline's novels, from the Philadelphia setting to the female heroine getting herself into completely outrageous situations. Brady's exploits aren't always believable; her refusal to go to the police when she is in danger is particularly inexplicable. Despite this, Fredman does a good job of keeping her readers engaged through a fast-paced, well-thought-out plot. Ultimately, although this novel is somewhat lacking in polish (and definitely contained too many typos!), it was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend it to fans of the mystery genre.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Absolute Must Read, April 5, 2009
This review is from: No Such Thing as a Free Lunch (Brandy Alexander, Bk 3) (Paperback)
You can't help but love Brandy Alexander! All the characters are great! The books are hysterical without being stupid silly. This is the third book in the series, so be sure to start with 'No Such Thing As A Secret' and then 'No Such Thing As A Good Blind Date'.
Shelly Fredman's writing is fantastic!
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