Bubbles Unbound (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "For most of my adult life, people in this town have passed me over as just another dumb blonde fascinated by sex, soap operas and..." (more)
Key Phrases: bonnet hair dryer, ingot mold, parking authority, Henry Metzger, Merry Metzger, Laura Buchman (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Meet Bubbles Yablonsky, beautician-reporter-sleuth and blazing star of Strohmeyer's entertaining, establishment-bashing debut as a mystery writer. Like the mills that gird the book's seen-better-days steel town of Lehigh, Pa., the city is itself a seething cauldron. Battle lines are sharply drawn between the haves and have-nots. Bubbles is hell-bent on getting even with the overlords, especially her former husband, a heel who has gone over to the other side. Opportunity knocks when Bubbles incriminates a wealthy socialite in a brutal murder and then uncovers a murky past, where corpses are littered around the accused's steel-magnate husband. The going is never easy, as Bubbles faces more perils than Pauline: falling off a bridge in the arms of a potential suicide; dodging drive-by gunmen and car bombers; being handcuffed and fitted for cement boots; and always searching for a better way to display her cleavage. Armed with her certificate from Two Guys Community College, abetted by a quirky array of social castoffs and fueled by Doritos, Velveeta and Diet Pepsi, Bubbles overcomes every obstacle on her way to shaking the foundations of the corporate world and, in the process, leaving more than a few wrinkles in her ex's tailored Brooks Brothers suits. Hop in the Camaro and buckle up: Bubbles is behind the wheel, and a wild ride awaits. Agent, Heather Schroder at ICM.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Bubbles Yablonsky, a 34-year-old hairdresser/divorcee, may dress and look like a blonde Barbie-doll bimbo, but she aspires to a more brain-intensive job as an investigative journalist. She grabs her main chance when she and a hunky but elusive photographer named Stiletto discover a dead bodyDalong with the apparent perpetrator, who is drunk and just happens to be the antidrug-crusading wife of a local steel magnate. Suffice to say, Bubbles's revelatory story causes endless repercussions. A sexy, irrepressible heroine, riotous supporting characters, continual action, ubiquitous humor, and even a makeup tip or two make this a highly recommended series debut.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Signet (March 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451205448
• ISBN-13: 978-0451205445
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #196,917 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum Wanna-Be, January 30, 2004

By A Customer

After reading this, I decided that this was a Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum wanna-be book. The similarities between the main character's was uncanny.....

Bubble's mom = Stephanie's grandma
Stiletto = Joe
Bubbles' mom's friend = Lulu
Bubbles' friend = Connie

and I could go on and on.....

While there will never be another Stephanie Plum, this was another enjoyable quick read that had me chuckling at certain times.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bubbles Unbound, worth checking out, say? Oh Yeah. Say., March 21, 2001

By	Brenda S. Weeaks "MyShelf.Com" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bubbles Unbound (Hardcover)

As the story starts out, the main character, Bubbles Yablonsky, a Barbie look alike, talks about her life, and how she becomes a part time reporter. Bubbles, who also explains her name, works at Sandy's House of Beauty and ends up back at school, which leads her to a story, which leads her to a hunky photographer, who leads her to a body, which starts a dangerous conflict between the rich and the poor of Lehigh, PA. Bubbles sidekicks are her Kool-aid colored hair daughter, Jane; her mother, Lulu, who is a lulu; plus size friend Genevieve; Doris and Sandy from the beauty shop. When Bubbles takes on The Metzgers of Lehigh Steel, she stirs up enough trouble to put her home at risk, but not to worry; Her polish mama is at the ready. Humor and great characters isn't all Sara Strohmeyer has to offer. The mystery is well planned; only straying to the characters' personal lives when it blends in with the story line, whodunit is successfully guarded held until the end, and at the conclusion of each chapter is a beauty recipe.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What the heck? This book won the Agatha Award!, May 18, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

It's no wonder this book won the Agatha Award for Best First Mystery. It's fun, fast-paced, well written and even has a deeper message that gives the book some depth. I'm looking forward to her next one, Bubbles In Trouble. If you like Grafton and Evanovich, like I do, you'll like Bubbles Yablonsky.