Too Pretty to Die (Debutant Dropout Mysteries, No. 5) [Mass Market Paperback]

Susan McBride (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 29, 2008

They call them "pretty parties," and they're the latest rage among Dallas debutantes—get-togethers with light refreshments, heavy gossip, and Dr. Sonja Madhavi and her magic Botox needles. Former socialite Andy Kendricks normally wouldn't be caught dead at such an event, but she's attending as a favor to her friend Janet, a society reporter in search of a juicy story. And boy does she find one when aging beauty queen Miranda DuBois bursts into the room—drunk, disorderly, and packing a pistol.

Miranda's wrinkles have seen better days, and she blames it all on Dr. Madhavi. Luckily, Andy calms her down and gets her home to bed . . . where she's found dead the next morning. The police suspect suicide, but Andy knows that no former pageant girl would give up that easily. She's determined to find Miranda's killer herself, but she'll have to be careful. After all, Botox can make you look younger, but it can't bring you back from the grave.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Funny, compelling like a good soap opera and boasts an extremely likeable heroine.” (Romantic Times, praise for THE GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER )

“Eccentric characters with killer wits populate this mystery. Reluctant heiress Andy Kenrick is spunky and intrepid...” (Romantic Times BOOKclub )

“A fast-paced, humorous debut with a likeable heroine.” (Mystery Scene )

“Andrea Kendricks is a society sleuth with wit and verve. One hundred percent fun.” (Mystery Scene )

“BLUE BLOOD has it all--suspense, humor, friendship, snobbery and televangelists...BLUE BLOOD is positively gripping.” (Sarah Strohmeyer )

“All mystery readers should applaud!” (Jerrilyn Farmer )

“A very witty and clever mystery...I, for one, can’t wait for the next installment.” (Sauce Magazine (St. Louis) )

“Chatty, colorful and très Texas, McBride’s latest cozy is a pleasure.” (Publishers Weekly, praise for THE LONE STAR LONELY HEART'S CLUB )

“[A]s alluring as an Escada evening dress and as tempting as a slice of death-by-chocolate cake (Publishers Weekly, praise for THE GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER )

“A totally fun ride...McBride has created a fresh new voice that fans of the genre undoubtedly will enjoy.” (Romantic Times BOOKclub )

“[A] fun read, with charming, memorable characters.” (Wichita Eagle )

“Andrea Kendricks...is a treasure.” (Charlaine Harris )

“Smooth, sassy, silly, slick and sexy.” (Sauce Magazine )

“I’ll read anything by Susan McBride.” (Charlain Harris )

About the Author

Susan McBride is the author of The Cougar Club, as well as the award-winning Debutante Dropout mysteries. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with her husband, Ed, who makes every day a little magical.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Avon (January 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060846011
• ISBN-13: 978-0060846015
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #811,658 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Susan McBride is the author of LITTLE BLACK DRESS (August 23, 2011, William Morrow), a tale of two sisters, one daughter, and the magical black dress that changes all of their lives forever. She has also penned THE COUGAR CLUB (HarperCollins, 02/10) named a Bookmarked Breakout Title by Target stores, selected as a Midwest Connections Pick by the Midwest Booksellers Association, and on MORE Magazine's list of "February Books We're Buzzing About." In addition, Susan has written five award-winning Debutante Dropout Mysteries for HC/Avon, including TOO PRETTY TO DIE (2008), NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEB (2007), THE LONE STAR LONELY HEARTS CLUB (2006), THE GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER (2005), and BLUE BLOOD (2004), and three books in The Debs young adult series for Random House/Delacorte: THE DEBS (08/08); LOVE, LIES AND TEXAS DIPS (06/09); and GLOVES OFF (pub date in limbo!). Two Maggie Ryan novels by Susan are still in print, but she isn't the author of the Doodle Books. That's another Susan McBride entirely!

For more scoop, visit http://SusanMcBride.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is not one to miss!, February 6, 2008

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Too Pretty to Die (Debutant Dropout Mysteries, No. 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

The latest rage among all the Dallas debutantes is called a Pretty Party. Doctor Sonja Madhavi and Lance Zarimba, her boyfriend/aesthetician, show up with their "Botox in the Box" kit full of syringes and give little samples to each party guest. Few attend these parties and never show up at the Pretty Place boutique for treatments afterward. Former socialite Andrea "Andy" Kendricks would rather have a root canal than attend one, but attend she did. It was a favor to her close friend Janet Graham, a society reporter for the Park City Paper (PCP). And the juiciest story in the area drops into Janet's lap when aging beauty queen Miranda DuBois slams into the room full of alcohol, rage, and a small gun. Miranda is a star anchorwoman and went to the good doctor for just a tad of face work. Unfortunately, Miranda had "an adverse reaction to the wrinkle filler". Luckily the only thing hit by the bullet is a Picasso. Andy calms Miranda down and takes her home to bed. The next morning Miranda is found dead.

The last thing Andy wants is to be dragged into another gut-wrenching drama. However, Miranda's mother is out of the country and the police think the death is by suicide. So Cissy Blevins Kendricks, Queen Bee of Dallas Society (a.k.a. Andy's mother), is named trustee of all Miranda's possessions. Add to this that Miranda's mother insists Cissy hire someone to conduct an independent autopsy (to draw his own conclusions separate and apart from the M.E.) as well as a private investigator. To make matters go from bad to worse, Cissy and the deputy have an argument, which everyone hears because the microphone was still on by mistake, so everyone knows that Andy was the last known person to see Miranda alive AND hears Cissy's claim (a.k.a. lie) that Andy has proof it was not suicide! Here we go again ...

***** This is one fun and sassy read. Only Susan McBride can create such an amusing mystery that simply overflows with ... ah, tea and vinegar. The Debutante Dropout Mystery Series just seems to get better and better. This is not one to miss! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars McBride's best book yet, February 29, 2008

By 

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

This review is from: Too Pretty to Die (Debutant Dropout Mysteries, No. 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm upset at Avon Books. They've decided to shake up their mystery line and have dropped one of my favorite cozy writers, Susan McBride. And that, dear readers, is why this review is so late in coming. I got my hands on a galley copy of Too Pretty to Die in November 2007 and voraciously read Andy Kendricks latest escapade cover to cover in three nights.

Too Pretty To Die is the fifth and final installment of the Debutante Dropout Mystery series. Maybe that's a good things because it seems that dropout debs are turning up everywhere in the bios of a host of young writers-like Cornelia Read. But always keep in mind that Susan McBride was the first to write about a woman named Andy who was just too hard-headed to do what her Momma wanted.

This time, Andy gets dragged to a "pretty party" by her society reporter friend Janet, who is looking for the big story that will save her career. At this party the Dallas elite get Botoxed as they drink champagne and backstab each other. In stumbles Dallas' most beautiful new anchor, Miranda DuBouis, and takes a pot shot at the doctor with the magic needles. It seems that something went astray during Miranda's last visit to Dr. Madhavi and her face is so deformed that her career may well be over.

Andy, in a gesture of compassion and an overabundant need to get the heck out of Dodge-and back to her dude whom she left sleeping in her bed-drives the drunk Miranda home and leaves her snoring it off. Then Miranda turns up dead and Andy becomes "the last person to see Miranda Dubois" alive.

Too Pretty To Die is an easy read with enough twists to keep me guessing who did it. It is also McBride's best-written book yet. Readers who follow McBride can see her become a better writer with each book. Still, unlike Miranda, McBride's career is not over. She's signed with Delacourt and is busily fulfilling a contract with books about debs for a young adult audience.

Armchair Interviews says: McBride is a good storyteller.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Summer Read!, June 23, 2008

By 

LovesCatsBooks&Music (Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Too Pretty to Die (Debutant Dropout Mysteries, No. 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

I've just turned the last page on TOO PRETTY TO DIE by Susan McBride, and I loved it! The characters were so colorful but real, and the dry sense of humor was right up my alley. This is definitely not your typical mystery. Andrea Kendricks, the Debutante Dropout, gets dragged into a situation she'd rather avoid but can't. When her one-time classmate, beauty queen Miranda, dies unexpectedly after going ballistic at a Dallas "pretty party" with a celeb-dermo who'd scarred her for life, Andy gets caught up in the action when the cops call it suicide. Bravo to McBride for a light summer read that pokes fun at society's obsession with beauty and perfection. I'd recommend this series to anyone who hasn't tried it yet. You might want to start at the beginning with BLUE BLOOD and work your way through them.