I Still Miss My Man But My Aim Is Getting Better (Pocket book series) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Sarah Shankman (Author) "TUESDAY, ELEVEN-THIRTY, A BRIGHT SPRING MORNING, Shelby Kay Tate, already late, races down a sidewalk, speeding past a row of little shops..." (more)
Key Phrases: Jeff Wayne, Patsy Angel, Sweet Willie (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This departure from Shankman's popular Samantha Adams series (He Was Her Man) doesn't deliver on the promise of its clever title. There are plenty of laughs in the outrageous, rhinestone-studded story of Shelby Kay Tate, a Nashville waitress hoping to make it big in country-and-western music, but they don't add up to humor. Aiding Shelby in her quest are Patsy Angel, the ghost of Patsy Cline; Ann King, a crusty old lady with an ear for music; and Jeff Wayne Capshew, a police officer who, unbeknownst to him, is Patsy Angel's agent on earth. Jeff Wayne's mission is to protect Shelby from her ex-husband, Leroy Mabry, who is determined to win her back or, he determines later, to murder her. Tossed in jail for assaulting Shelby, Leroy meets Mac McKenzie, an unstable fellow who, encouraged by the evil angel Rahab, leads the gullible Leroy on a crime spree once they're out on bail and plans to enliven Shelby's important club appearance with a pistol-packin' showdown. Shankman's story lacks the central puzzle mystery readers expect. Instead, it offers a large cast of weapons-toting, mean-spirited loonies and enough coincidences to round off a Dickens novel. It's easy to see why Jeff Wayne, faced with one of the book's armed crackpots, says, "I cannot freaking believe this." Author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
The unusual title, a lyric penned by aspiring country song writer Shelby Kay Tate, immediately grabs the reader's attention. The saucy and ambitious Tate combats the machinations of a gullible, possessive ex-husband; a loquacious con artist; and a smitten policeman-all of whom involve her in acts of violence. Wild and crazy characters, a humorous approach, and a heightened sense of drama result in unforgettable entertainment. Anyone choosing the latest from the author of She Walks in Beauty (Pocket, 1991) certainly cannot go wrong.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (June 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671897500
• ISBN-13: 978-0671897505
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,388,719 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Case of the Country Cutes, May 16, 1998

By	[e-mail] (glendale, ca, usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Still Miss My Man but My Aim Is Getting Better (Hardcover)

I bought this book on the strength of the title - and I still have to admit, it's a killer title. However, when I got to the point in the story where an angel was directing the plot, I almost put the book down and left it there. I should have. Shelby Kay is a terrific character. She doesn't need an angel to see her through the crises in her life. This is the first time I've read anything by Sarah Shankman and I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. But Sarah, honey, remember what they taught you in English 101 about "deus ex machina"?????? There is no need to cheat the readers like this. Give us Shelby Kay without the insiped angel angle and we'll love you all the more.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shankman's got Suth'rin in her bones, December 18, 2000

By	"huangpo" (Oakland, CA USA) - See all my reviews

When I say that Sarah Shankman has done a Carl Hiaasen in this book, I don't mean she's copied him in any way. She's an original. But she, like Mr H and almost no one else, understands that particularly curious form of logic, aspiration, and reality in which southerners live, a world view which northern and western folk think of as "insanity." Angels and devils figure prominently in what we call their mythos and they (southerners) call their lives. Strange forces abound. And get this clear -- this is not a case of Ms Shankman using these extra-normal events to drag one bit of plot or another in by its hiney -- my admiration is because she understands how these events figure into the lives of those wonderful people. And unlike Hiaasen's people, some of Ms Shankman's people are actually admirable, although venality certainly abounds. I have enjoyed all the previous Sam Adams books, but this one goes into a whole new level. I can tell from reviews (all positive) whether or not the writer has ever lived in the south and seen it from an outsider point of view. Those who haven't quibble about some things. Those who have lived there in that way read this book and laugh and say, "That's what I mean, that's what it was, that's what I was trying to put my finger on." Thank you, Ms Shankman. You're welcome to come to my house for dinner any time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertain yourself!, December 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: I Still Miss My Man but My Aim Is Getting Better (Hardcover)

If your life looks a little too real and stressful, escape into the humor and intrigue of a Sarah Shankman mystery. Her characters are charming, rude, hilarious, brilliant, ignorant -- the extremes of humanity. You'll get to see what your idiosyncracies look like -- magnified -- and thank the stars that there's someone more wretched or obtuse than you. Great entertainment. I also recommend 'Digging up Momma.'