The Temporary Detective (An Isobel Spice Novel) [Kindle Edition]

Joanne Sydney Lessner (Author)

Book Description

Don't miss the second Isobel Spice novel, Bad Publicity!

Phones, light typing...and murder.

Think breaking into show business is hard? Try landing a temp job without office skills. That's the challenge facing aspiring actress Isobel Spice when she arrives in New York City, fresh out of college and deficient in PowerPoint. After being rejected by seven temp agencies for her lack of experience, Isobel sweet-talks recruiter James Cooke into letting her cover a last-minute vacancy at a bank. New to his own job, and recently sober, James takes a chance on Isobel, despite his suspicion that she's a trouble-magnet. His misgivings are borne out by lunchtime, when she stumbles across a dead secretary in a bathroom stall. With her fingerprints on the murder weapon, Isobel sets out to prove her innocence by investigating the crime herself. While learning to juggle phone lines and auditions, she discovers an untapped talent for detective work--a qualification few other office temps, let alone actresses, can claim.

Please note: this is a cozy mystery with an edge; contains some adult language and situations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An Awesome Indies Mystery Pick
 
"Great dialogue, laugh-out-loud humor, and mystery with a side of romance." - BloodWrites Top Read 2012
 
"If you are looking for an enjoyable, light mystery, one that will keep you guessing, then The Temporary Detective is for you." - Kindle Mystery Authors
 

From the Author

Don't miss the second Isobel Spice novel, Bad Publicity!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 633 KB
• Print Length: 280 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Dulcet Press; 1 edition (April 9, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007SZRFXK
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,878 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Isobel Spice is a Heroine Worth Knowing! July 30, 2012

By Jen Blood

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Joanne Lessner's The Temporary Detective is one of those novels you just don't want to stop reading, with characters well drawn and sympathetic enough to easily carry a full series. In the series opener, the quirky, delightfully headstrong Isobel Spice has just landed a temp job for which she is seriously under-qualified. She doesn't let that stop her, though, basically steamrolling the hapless James Cooke -- her supervisor at the temp agency -- into letting her take on said job. Within hours, a very-disliked member of the staff turns up dead... And, of course, Isobel is the one to find her. What follows from there is a fun, clever whodunit with Isobel at the helm as she attempts to keep her new job, maintain her safety, and find the bad guy.

There are a number of things that make this novel a true gem, among them Lessner's deft writing hand, sharp wit, surprisingly complex characters, and a clear understanding of Isobel's world as a struggling actress new to the bright lights of Broadway. Add to that the kind of chemistry that just leaps off the page between Isobel and James, and you have a mystery well worth your time. Through all of that, I was also particularly impressed with the author's ability to move seamlessly from comedy to romance to amateur sleuthing while simultaneously handling deeper issues like James's very recent sobriety with a sensitivity uncommon to the genre. With that said, don't mistake this for a novel with a deeper message; Lessner is delightfully irreverent throughout. This is an easy read that I cruised through in a couple of days, and I recommend it highly for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries with a healthy dose of romance and a hint of New York edge.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars fun read for mystery fans May 12, 2012

By Carol J. Makovich

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm a longtime mystery fan, so I ask for a lot in a mystery: good plot, interesting characters, authentic settings, and some humor. I found all these elements in the charming first installment of Isobel Spice's NYC adventures. Another test: Can I figure it out before it ends? In this case, I didn't, so more points for Joanne Lessner and Isobel! I look forward to the coming follow-ups ... it's always nice to discover a new series in the early stages ... Isobel is a winner!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars What A Great Surprise May 3, 2012

By John R. Sheehan

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Disclosure - I know the author. So I bought the book. It's what one does when a friend writes a book. I'd never read anything of hers, but I had a long trip coming, so why not.

What a delightful surprise! The book starts out like a ditzy comedy, perky central figure, out to conquer the world of theatre without really knowing anything about it. And before the reader can settle in, there's a murder, and interesting peripheral character, and suddenly you're in the middle of a fairly complicated plot, with good background on characters and a writing style that keeps things moving and interesting and fun to read.

I'm not perky myself, so I have some uncertainties about some of the reactions of the heroine - but that's a reader's problem I immediately went to check out her first book - but it's priced out of my budget for the moment. But this is a first-rate bargain (at least on the Kindle) and a GREAT way to spend some fun and relaxing time.

More About the Author

Joanne Sydney Lessner is the author of BloodWrites Award-Winner and Awesome Indies Mystery Pick THE TEMPORARY DETECTIVE, which introduces Isobel Spice, aspiring actress and resourceful office temp turned amateur sleuth. Isobel's adventures continue in the newly released BAD PUBLICITY. Inspired by the true story of the world's most expensive bottle of wine, Joanne's debut novel PANDORA'S BOTTLE (Flint Mine Press) was named one of the top five books of 2010 by Paperback Dolls. No stranger to the theatrical world, Joanne enjoys an active performing career, and with her husband, composer/conductor Joshua Rosenblum, has co-authored several musicals, including the cult hit FERMAT'S LAST TANGO and EINSTEIN'S DREAMS, based on the celebrated novel by Alan Lightman. Her play, CRITICAL MASS, received its Off Broadway premiere in October 2010 as the winner of the 2009 Heiress Productions Playwriting Competition. For more information, please visit http://joannelessner.com