Customer Reviews

No Such Thing as a Free Lunch (Brandy Alexander, Bk 3)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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

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.

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!

The free lunch was worth waitting for.
Another attempt to deny us from our favorite thing (blind dates and secrets)what are we going to have left to enjoy by the time of the fourth installment?

This latest book by Shelly Fredman is a bit darker than the previous two but no less hillarious (My public apology to the passenger seated next to me on the last flight to Tahiti who I woke up by my laughing out loud).

Brandy once again plunges feet first in to several dangerous situations. A girl can't seem to stop herself from fighting for people who can't help themselves.
The two incredibly hot guys from the first two in the series are back to help support and romance Brandy. The thing I love the most about this series besides the laugh out loud humor is the relationships that Fredman builds between Brandy and her friends.
Do yourself a favor and read these books ... in fact, read them twice ... they are that much fun!

Outstanding is one word to describe this book - Impossible to Put Down are another four. Move over Stephanie Plum, there is a new heroine in town.

This is the third book in a series about Brandy Alexander, a reporter who has more lives than the average cat. She has one friend at the TV station where she works, Tamra, an investigative reporter who apparently commits suicide. Brandy thinks differently. She found the body. She was one of the last people Tamra called. She is bound and determined to prove that her friend would not die by her own hand.

Ms. Fredman is off and running with a plot that has a few twists, involves a few more murders, much mayhem, a little romance, a little reality and some downright laugh out loud moments. A rich cast of characters only add to the story and Brandy's somewhat complicated life.

Ms. Fredman has talent - lots of talent. I think of her as a Janet Evanovich and Anne George all rolled into one great author. She is a master at blending just the right amount of humor into the story yet still retaining a believability that will keep you sitting on the edge of your seat. Warning - there comes a point in this book that putting it down isn't even an option.

Brandy Alexander has quickly risen to the very top of my 'can't wait for the next book' list. Keep 'em coming, Ms. Fredman!

I can't recommend this book highly enough for anyone who enjoys a good mystery, a good laugh, great characters, and a fun read.

No Such Thing As A Good Blind Date: A Brandy Alexander Mystery
NO SUCH THING AS A SECRET: A Brandy Alexander Mystery

Someone recommended, I tried and now I am hooked. I just love these books and I look forward to seeing more from this author in the future. Love Brandy & Nick, the twins and all the characters. Can't wait for the next book in December.

How does Brandy Alexander do it? Once again she's in the middle of an investigation, charging ahead with a little help from her friends. No Such Thing as a Free Lunch is the third book in author Shelly Fredman's entertaining series set in Philadelphia.

Back in her home town with some California TV credentials, Brandy has landed a job doing light pieces for local cable. Her only friend at the station is found dead in her bathtub and Brandy's sure it's murder; after all, Tamra WAS investigating a four-year-old crime and trying to clear the convicted killer. But who is the villain?

Brandy has some character flaws, which she freely admits. There's the junk food addiction, and the home girl wardrobe and hair. She's a klutz under pressure -- and her life is all pressure. She has trouble sleeping. She's no good at asking for help, except from the gorgeous bad-boy Nick Santiago or the wildly attractive cop Bobby DiCarlo. Oh, chalk up another character flaw: she's in love with two men.

The vivid cast of friends, relatives and pets enchanted me, as they did in the first two books of the series. Even the villains spring off the page. Brandy is confident in her ability to take care of herself but she can't stay out of harm's way and uses her "season pass" to the emergency room.

Like the other books in the series, FREE LUNCH is strongly plotted and the characters are zany but convincing. The use of Brandy's POV gives us a front-row seat for the action and the slightly haywire thinking behind it. When Brandy's not stalking or staking out her latest suspect, she's got plenty else going on in her life; her love life alone is as complicated as a soap opera. Here's hoping Brandy makes many more appearances for our entertainment. Highly recommended!

Linda Bulger, 2008

Brandy Alexander has a new job as a reporter on a Philadelphia tv station. She has a hard time making friends, so she is grateful when reporter Tamra Rhineholt offers to take her out for a "free lunch". Events occur which prevent that from happening, and Brandy finds herself thrust into a situation where she is being threatened by several dangerous occurrences. Meanwhile she is being pursued by good-guy Detective Robert DiCarlo, and potential bad boy, Nick Santiago. Her life is further complicated by the fact that her parents are staying at her house in order to attend her brother's Bar Mitzvah. All of these elements add up to a fun and enjoyable reading experience. This is my first Brandy Alexander book, but it won't be my last.

No Such Thing as a Free Lunch picks up with Brandy Alexander as she starts working, again, as a fluff piece reporter in Philly. As in Fredman's first two books, Brandy continues to follow her instincts into places that can only cause her harm. The tension between Brandy and the two men in her life continues to build as she tries to figure out what is happening to her life. This is an excellent mystery with wonderful humor throughout. I highly recommend it.

This is another great addition to the Brandy Alexander mystery series! The mystery is intriguing, and it is fantastic to be back with Brandy and her wonderful friends. I highly recommend this book, not just to fans of the No Such Thing series, but to anyone who loves comedy, romance and mystery!