Just Add Water (Hetta Coffey Mystery Series (Book 1)) [Kindle Edition]

Jinx Schwartz (Author)

Book Description

Winner: International EPPIE Award for Best Mystery.

Hetta Coffey is a sassy Texan with a snazzy yacht and and she's not afraid to use it.
She's a globe-trotting civil engineer with swath of failed multi-national affairs in her jet stream.

Plying the San Francisco waterfront, trolling for triceps, her attention is snagged by a parade of passing yachts--especially their predominantly male skippers--and experiences a champagne-induced epiphany: If she had a boat, she could get a man.

In spite of a spectacular ignorance of all things nautical, Hetta buys her dream boat, but shadowy stalker, an inconvenient body, and Hetta's own self-destructive foibles, give a whole new meaning to the phrase "sink or swim!"

Editorial Reviews

Review

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-Constructed Plot, Enjoyable Story and Colorful Characters, September 6, 2006

By 

FictionAddiction.NET - See all my reviews

This review is from: Just Add Water (Hetta Coffey) (Paperback)

Can't get a man? Just add water.

Hang on tight for a rollicking adventure with Hetta Coffey, a globetrotting civil engineer with an attitude. After a lifelong swath of failed romances, Hetta prefers living with her dog and commiserating her single status with best friend, Jan.

But old habits die-hard and one morning while brunching with Jan at the waterfront, Hetta's attention is snagged by a parade of passing yachts and their hunky male skippers. She decides that if she had a boat, she could get a man.

Despite her naiveté of all things nautical, Hetta buys her dream boat and sets about learning to sail.

A series of events, including a shadowy stalker and an inconvenient body threaten to imperil her new lifestyle. As her past comes back to haunt her, Hetta must use all of her gritty resources to foil an attempt on her life to figure out who is determined to kill her and why.

Author Jinx Schwartz will need to change her name to Lucky when readers discover Book One of the Hetta Coffey series, Just Add Water. Schwartz has not only hit a home run, her first book is out of the ballpark.

This book is a refreshing antidote to the seriousness of the mystery genre. Readers will fly through the pages in anticipation of what Hetta will do and say next.

Schwartz ties up all the loose ends at the conclusion of the book, leaving readers eagerly anticipating Book Two of the Hetta Coffey series.

From the Author

Just Add Water, first in my Hetta Coffey series, was a delight to write and I hope my readers get a good laugh, or cry, or scare!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 529 KB
• Print Length: 341 pages
• Publisher: Jinx Schwartz (September 25, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005S65704
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,332 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, Sassy, and an excellent read November 12, 2011

By asassyvic

Format:Kindle Edition

I was really thrilled to have gotten this fun book on audio,read by Beth Richmond. I recommend starting the series from Just Add Water. Hetta and best friend, Jan are on a perpetual man hunt as most their past relationships, haven't ended well. When the book starts out, Hetta is living and working in Japan and engaged to Hudson Williams, when he jilts her days before the wedding. He's packed his bags and off to catch a flight out of Japan but not before taking Hetta's ATM card and draining her bank account.
A few years later Hetta is living and working in California. Had a couple unsuccessful relationships and she and her best friend Jan are always on the prowl for that elusive romance. Hetta's inspired one day while brunching at the marina, that if she had a boat they'd meet a lot more men. The antics they get into while pursing this goal are hilarious. Hetta is so headstrong and outspoken that she finds herself in trouble a lot. Hetta, has a lot of misadventures while pursuing this dream, from the flooding of her house to someone breaking in and going through her things. Hetta, gets into many funny and often serious situations. A corpse in her hot tub is the hardest to explain her way out of.
If you enjoy a lot of fun and action packed adventure in your mystery books then you will love Just Add Water. It's well written, fun, and you will not want to stop reading. In my case listening. I loved this book. Kudos to Ms.Schwartz for writing something fresh and original.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Fun Read November 26, 2011

By Jacquie

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the first book of the Hetta Coffey series and now I'm absolutely convinced that the author can provide not only great stories of intrigue, murder and cozy mystery but great fun and laughs. Hetta is an absolute riot - fun, funny and surprising in many ways - she's a colorful character with a capital "C".
Even if you've never sailed or spent any time on a power boat, now is the time - it makes one want to sell out, abandon home and hearth and head for the salt water ASAP.
You absolutely MUST read all of Jinx Schwartz's books - they are definitely in the hard-to-put down category and every one is an enjoyable read!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-Constructed Plot, Enjoyable Story and Colorful Characters September 6, 2006

By FictionAddiction.NET

Format:Paperback

Can't get a man? Just add water.

Hang on tight for a rollicking adventure with Hetta Coffey, a globetrotting civil engineer with an attitude. After a lifelong swath of failed romances, Hetta prefers living with her dog and commiserating her single status with best friend, Jan.

But old habits die-hard and one morning while brunching with Jan at the waterfront, Hetta's attention is snagged by a parade of passing yachts and their hunky male skippers. She decides that if she had a boat, she could get a man.

Despite her naiveté of all things nautical, Hetta buys her dream boat and sets about learning to sail.

A series of events, including a shadowy stalker and an inconvenient body threaten to imperil her new lifestyle. As her past comes back to haunt her, Hetta must use all of her gritty resources to foil an attempt on her life to figure out who is determined to kill her and why.

Author Jinx Schwartz will need to change her name to Lucky when readers discover Book One of the Hetta Coffey series, Just Add Water. Schwartz has not only hit a home run, her first book is out of the ballpark.

This book is a refreshing antidote to the seriousness of the mystery genre. Readers will fly through the pages in anticipation of what Hetta will do and say next.

Schwartz ties up all the loose ends at the conclusion of the book, leaving readers eagerly anticipating Book Two of the Hetta Coffey series.

More About the Author

Jinx Schwartz is the author of seven books, including the award-winning Hetta Coffey series.
Hetta is a sassy Texan with a snazzy yacht and not afraid to use it!
Jinx is a ninth-generation Texan, has lived and worked all over the globe, and much like the protagonist in her Hetta Coffey mystery series she's a woman with a yacht and not afraid to use it.