Diners, Dives & Dead Ends (Rose Strickland Mystery, #1) by Terri L. Austin

Oct 08, 2012 Mia Fisher rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fast paced, full of surprises, and a lot of fun - I think Terri has come up with the perfect recipe for mystery/suspense! I like this book so much I'm currently re-reading it!!

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Jun 14, 2013 Natalie Mattila rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amateur-sleuth, chick-lit, cozy-mystery, crime, detective, fiction, humor, mystery, murder-mystery, mystery-humor, mystery-series, paranormal-mystery, quirky-characters, romance, romance-mystery, series, southern, suspense, whodunit, womens-fiction

This was the first book of the Henery Press Mystery collection that I read and let me just tell you that this book had me completely and utterly hooked! I couldn't stop reading from the moment I even read the first line. It's the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, humor, and quirky/fun characters! You won't meet a character that you don't fall in love with at some point!

Rose Strickland, a waitress at Ma's Diner, dives into detective work when her best friend, Axton, goes missing. With the help...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Turtles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries

I stay up until 1am reading this. It was a great read, over the top, but worth it. It's a bit Stephanie Plum-esque the way the author created a girl working a very realistic job, who quickly gets an even headier dose of real life bad guys. Rose has bucked her well-to-do family's bridle and is doing things her own way, even working at a diner and living in a tiny apartment while she goes to school. Her friend goes missing and she is set on finding him, no matter the cost. She is swiftly embroiled...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Sara Palacios rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was provided a copy of Diners, Dives & Dead Ends by Terri L. Austin by CLP Blog Tours.

Diners, Dives & Dead Ends by Terri L. Austin is the first mystery novel in the Rose Strickland series and it is a perfect combination of mystery and chick lit. Rose, our main character is a waitress (hence the book title) and is also working her way through school as a part time student. Her best friend and closest confident in the world Axton goes missing one day and what ensues is a mysterious ride....more

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Dec 02, 2012 Laura Chapman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Action-packed from page one with unexpected twists and turns along the way, Terri L. Austin's Diners, Dives & Dead Ends offers plenty of intrigue for fans of mystery -- and a little romance.

Rose Strickland is a 24-year-old who is working at Ma's Diner and taking a couple of classes at her community college while she figures out what she wants from life. Formerly a child of privilege, her life circumstances are different than the ones her parents planned for her.

Life already off track, it goe...more Action-packed from page one with unexpected twists and turns along the way, Terri L. Austin's Diners, Dives & Dead Ends offers plenty of intrigue for fans of mystery -- and a little romance.

Rose Strickland is a 24-year-old who is working at Ma's Diner and taking a couple of classes at her community college while she figures out what she wants from life. Formerly a child of privilege, her life circumstances are different than the ones her parents planned for her.

Life already off track, it goes even farther off the deep end when her best friend Ax shows up at the diner and asks her to hold on to his backpack for him. He then goes missing. Rose must turn to her long-time friends and new ones as she tries to find him.

After learning about connections to organized crime, Rose thinks she has a plan to save her friend and her self, but things are not always what they seem.

This story was super exciting and interesting. I'm a fan of a good mystery, and this was one I could not put down. Throw in a good mystery with a couple of possible love interests to delve into as the story progresses, this had everything I was looking for.

As far as main characters go, Rose was a good one. She starts out aimless and wandering through life, but as the mystery unfolds more, so does her determination to make a real life for her self.

Her friends are wonderful. From her anime loving fellow waitress and the rest of the diner staff to her nephew and sister, they all love and support Rose as much as she does in return.

Like I just mentioned, the new men in her life are also fun to read. Without spoiling any of the story, I definitely have my favorite who I hope to see her end up with. I'm pretty traditional in my romance and love connections from the past. Who am I kidding, I'm a total sucker for falling in love with the kid who used to sit behind you in class years ago. So I think you'll be able to guess who I'm pulling for after you read the book. (His name rhymes with... rain.)

The story's ending took a twist I didn't see coming. I admit that when I reached what I thought was the resolution, I was surprised to see there were so many pages left in the story. I wondered if the ending was going to drag out -- and will say I was surprised, because the rest of the story moved so quickly. Then almost out of nowhere: boom, another twist.

Knowing what Rose went through in this story, I am interested to see what happens next. I'm really pulling for her and hope she can get over some of the darker points. But if I had to guess, I imagine certain incidents were a turning point in her life, and it's going be rocky on her road to recovery. Her life has changed and there's no going back.

Rating: 4.5 of 5

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Originally posted at www.change-the-word.blogspot.com.(less)

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Nov 05, 2012 Brooke Banks rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, suspense-mystery, written-reviews

Tried of the same old trite cozy mysterious? Of the never ending love triangles that weeble wobble til it drives you crazy? Of the ridiculous plots with lack luster logic in a town where every knows everyone? Of heroines that claim independence and having moxie when all they do is faint and flutter their eyelashes? Of Ms. Perfect Gorgeous with a crew that devotes entirely to her but she never does things for other people and you question how anyone can stand her?

Want realistic regular people wh...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Michele Stefanides rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT—I may be giving too much away in this review. I’m not sure I could talk about one of my favorite things about the book without revealing too much. I tried not to, but it’s possible, so if you don’t want to take the chance, stop reading now.

I’ve read thousands of books in my lifetime of reading (yes, I am that old), but Terri L. Austin’s debut novel, Diners, Dives, & Dead Ends, gave me a first—I fell in love with the bad guy! And I have a sneaking suspicion that Rose St...more POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT—I may be giving too much away in this review. I’m not sure I could talk about one of my favorite things about the book without revealing too much. I tried not to, but it’s possible, so if you don’t want to take the chance, stop reading now.

I’ve read thousands of books in my lifetime of reading (yes, I am that old), but Terri L. Austin’s debut novel, Diners, Dives, & Dead Ends, gave me a first—I fell in love with the bad guy! And I have a sneaking suspicion that Rose Strickland, the heroine in Austin’s new series of Rose Strickland Mysteries, may be doing the same thing. That possibility alone, not even considering the great characters and clever plot line, is enough to make me put Austin’s future books on my to-read list before they’re even released.

Austin’s crisp and clear writing is the perfect framework for Rose and her assorted friends and family to shine through. Although Rose is the star of the show, Austin creates a great group of supporting characters who quickly drew me in.

Rose, a struggling waitress and college student, is thrown for a loop when her dear friend Axton mysteriously disappears. When no one in authority takes her missing person report seriously, Rose determines to find him herself, convinced that he is in danger.

Rose knows she’s on the right track when her apartment is ransacked and she is stalked, then briefly abducted, by the aforementioned bad guy. I don’t think Rose realizes that she’s slowly falling for the villain, and I’m still not sure that Austin is actually telling the readers that she is. I just may be projecting my own attraction to the scoundrel onto Rose. Hmmm…

I’m not a very big fan of series, as anyone who has read some of my book reviews knows. But the Rose Strickland Mysteries is the kind I do like—this first book stands well on its own; all plot lines (all quite clever) are resolved well, with no cliffhangers waiting for the next installment. If no other books ever follow, I feel completely satisfied with this one. But Austin artfully lays the groundwork for being able to imagine Rose taking on new challenges in the future. And my own guess is that the bad guy will be back behind some new shenanigans. At least I hope so.
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Sep 09, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars

Omg , this was one of the funniest and most amazing light-hearted mysteries I have read , I did not want to put it down and the cover is amazing as well. I'm not normally a fan of light mysteries filled with humour etc as they tend to get a bit too silly for my liking but Terri's Diners, Dives and Dead Ends I really enjoyed. From the friends and family dynamics to the anticipation of what's going to happen next and of course what mischief Rose will find herself in.
In Diners, Divas and Dead Ends...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Lynn Farris rated it 5 of 5 stars

“Diners, Dives and Dead Ends, A Rose Strickland Mystery", the first book from Henery Press and author Terri L. Austin is a winner. I predict this will be a long and successful series.

The strength of this book lies in the characters. Rose, or Rosalyn as her parents call her, is the central character. Born to a wealthy family, her parents forced her to move out and pay for college herself when she wanted to change schools after her freshman year. Rose now supports herself as a waitress at Ma’s Din...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Chantelle (aka the Blogmonstar) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cozy-mystery, crime, mystery

Full review here
Rose Strickland's life is somewhat of a hot-mess. Her high society mother essentially kicked her out after she refused to go back to the exclusive all-girls college her parents had sent to to. Now she works as a waitress and attends community college, much to her mother's utter disdain. The two major perks in her life are her nephew Scotty, and her friend Axton. So when Ax goes missing under suspicious circumstances, she is determined to find him.

The mystery was well plotted and...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Twenty-four year old Rose (Rosalyn) Strickland is a full-time waitress at Ma's Diner and a part-time college student from Huntingford, Missouri, who is trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. Rose grew up in a wealthy family, but when she wouldn't lead the lifestyle that her parents thought was appropriate, her parents insisted that she leave their home and make her own way in the world.

Axton Graystone is Rose's childhood friend and the one person who helped her get on her feet....more
Twenty-four year old Rose (Rosalyn) Strickland is a full-time waitress at Ma's Diner and a part-time college student from Huntingford, Missouri, who is trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. Rose grew up in a wealthy family, but when she wouldn't lead the lifestyle that her parents thought was appropriate, her parents insisted that she leave their home and make her own way in the world.

Axton Graystone is Rose's childhood friend and the one person who helped her get on her feet. He's a lovable stoner, sci-fi and techie geek, who works in the IT department of the local community college. One day he stops in at the diner and is acting weird and very nervous, he asks Rose to keep his backpack for a few days in a safe place. When Ax disappears, Rose knows that he got himself into trouble and she's determined to find him. Rose and a motley crew of friends embark on a zany adventure to locate the missing Ax, only to have a hunky bad guy in tow and a town full of secrets ... what else can happen when your world revolves around Diners, Dives & Dead Ends?

Diners, Dives & Dead Ends is a fun story that has an entertaining mixture of chick lit and cozy mystery. In her debut novel, author Terri L. Austin weaves a humorous tale told in the first person narrative by Rose Strickland, who takes the reader along for the ride on a crazy adventure to find her missing friend Ax. This fast-paced story has a lot of twists and turns that easily engages the reader and keeps them guessing what will happen next, while also providing a lot of laugh-out-loud moments that will keep you in stitches. I really enjoyed the author's writing style, she provides a story that is just plain fun to read, it has a great balance of humor and intrigue.

The author creates a zany cast of characters who are realistic and fun to get to know. Rose is a sassy girl with an independent spirit and wicked sense of humor. I loved how the author made the story come alive via Rose's voice. I found myself snickering and thoroughly enjoying Rose's sassy attitude, it felt like I was sitting on the couch next to Rose as she talked about her adventures. I loved the cast of secondary characters: Roxy, Ma, Joe, Dane, Steve, Eric and the hunky bad guy aka Bossy Jackass. Their quirkiness, witty dialogue and engaging interactions made the adventure that they went on so much fun to follow. The author does a great job of describing the characters and their personalities, you can visualize what they look and sound like. I also liked how the author weaves in a few interested suitors for Rose, while throwing in some family drama into the mix as well.

Diners, Dives & Dead Ends is a delightful cozy mystery that is full of mad cap zany adventurous fun and sly humor that will keep you thoroughly entertained. This is the first book in the Rose Strickland Mystery Series. I look forward to reading about Rose's next adventure in Last Diner Standing, the second book in the series that is scheduled to be released on December 3, 2012.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.

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Nov 11, 2012 Samantha Robey rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am very excited to be kicking off Terri’s tour for CLP Blog Tours with the first mystery novel in the Rose Strickland series, Diners, Dives & Dead Ends. I love mystery, and adding mystery to a fun chick lit novel makes me one happy reader. The MC is Rose Strickland, a struggling waitress and part-time college student, who gets tangled up in a mystery when her best friend Axton goes missing. Rose puts herself on the case, and the next thing she knows she is being watched by one sexy bad guy...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Dru Ann Love rated it 4 of 5 stars

In this new series, we follow Rose as she and her co-workers search for her friend who has disappeared to parts unknown. What she uncovers opens up a big can of worms, and Rose with help from her friends will have to find him before time runs out for the both of them.

This traditional mystery captured my attention from the opening pages to the exhilarating finale. The frantic pace and action packed drama kept me on my toes as I followed Rose and her friends through the myriads of situations in o...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, mystery

Diners, Dives and Dead Ends by Terri L. Austin was a free book that I won through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway. It's and advanced copy prior to the book coming out in July. I was glad I got to read this book. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Couldn't put it down until the last word.

Rose Strickland is a part-time college student and waitresses at Ma's Diner. She had been disinherited by her parents as she didn't want to conform to their lifestyle and go to the college they had chosen for her. "You...more Diners, Dives and Dead Ends by Terri L. Austin was a free book that I won through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway. It's and advanced copy prior to the book coming out in July. I was glad I got to read this book. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Couldn't put it down until the last word.

Rose Strickland is a part-time college student and waitresses at Ma's Diner. She had been disinherited by her parents as she didn't want to conform to their lifestyle and go to the college they had chosen for her. "You could have had everything just like your sister." Well, Rose just was too independent and has been doing fairly well on her own so far.

Rose's close friend, Axton, disappears and suddenly Rose is caught up in the adventure of trying to find him. He had left her his backpack and wanted her to watch it for a few days. But when he doesn't seem to be around for days, she begins to worry and wonders what happened to him. She is being followed by some "bad guys". She is looking for clues as to where her friend went without any luck. Her friend, Roxy from the diner, helps her try to locate Axton. Also, a pair of IT wise men and her elderly boss discover political corruption, illegal gambling and very shady corporations.

Rose is abducted by a henchman,blindfolded, tied up and taken to a manse where the "boss" demands to get back "what is his." Rose adamantly tells him she doesn't have whatever he wants. Although, maybe she does. She is returned to her apartment the same way and just tossed out of the limo. Going up to her apartment she finds that it has been vandalized, everything is destroyed: food, clothing, furniture; all gone, shredded to pieces. The police are called and they do their thing and leave. New door locks are installed and she now needs to buy some clothes, food and furniture as much as her money will let her do so. Why do such a terrible thing?

Having had not much sleep for days, she looks awful, but goes to work anyway. She lets everyone know what is happening. Who are these guys and what do they want? She finds that Axton had an encrypted hard drive and her IT friends discovered what was on it. Names, dates, addresses, etc.; lots of prominent people on the list including the mayor, chief of police and Axton's brother, Packard. Packard wouldn't talk to Rose, so she decided one night to follow him and low and behold he went to gamble in an old school. She found that he was indebted to whomever was running this establishment; probably her abductor of earlier.

Running on adrenalin she is determined to find Axton and any evidence she can to stop what is going on around town. Rose races to the finish line determined not to go down in flames and find her friend. Does she? What else is in store for Rose.

This is a great mystery and I loved all the characters in the book and I can't wait for the next book to come out. (less)

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Nov 12, 2012 S.M. Blooding rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was another one of those books that caught me with the cover. LOL!! OMW! I love it! I knew by that cover that I should expect quirky snark with a side of interesting characters. That’s EXACTLY what I got!

Rose is a very sassy, snarky heroine, but not in the way that other heroines are sassy. She feels like the real deal. She wasn’t the bad ass that swooned at the sight of the first cute guy. There were hot guys, don’t me wrong. But, boooy, when she makes up her mind to do a thing, get. Out....more

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Aug 05, 2012 LynDee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, mystery, humorous-mystery, mystery-series, amateur-sleuth, whodunit

When a book keeps you on the treadmill for a double-length workout, you know you’ve found a winner! Terri L. Austin, my waistline thanks you for this fresh, funny mystery that had enough twists to keep me walking (and guessing) all the way to the breathless finale.

This first book in Austin’s debut series introduces Rose, a mixed-up twentysomething who thinks her life as a waitress/student is pretty dull. Then her closest friend goes missing and her world is flipped on end by shady characters an...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Sophie Sansregret rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's worth noting that I'm pretty stingy on the 5 out of 5s. I just LOVED the book. The action, the story, the characters. The style and pace. A completely wonderful mystery.

Rose (Rosalyn) Strickland has been saddled with a mystery: disappearing friend Axton who has left his knapsack. Strangers follow her about asking for what is "theirs". No real clue as to what they refer. With help of a very motley crew of friends and seeming friends Rose slowly unravels a tale of gambling, extortion, and kid...more It's worth noting that I'm pretty stingy on the 5 out of 5s. I just LOVED the book. The action, the story, the characters. The style and pace. A completely wonderful mystery.

Rose (Rosalyn) Strickland has been saddled with a mystery: disappearing friend Axton who has left his knapsack. Strangers follow her about asking for what is "theirs". No real clue as to what they refer. With help of a very motley crew of friends and seeming friends Rose slowly unravels a tale of gambling, extortion, and kidnapping.

The plot sounds a bit heavy, yet is curiously light-hearted without being flippant or slim on substance. By light-hearted: you may feel the stress, the anxiety, you may see the potential for real (and unimaginable) dangers, but the characters are so complex, rich and downright strange (to whit: Roxy, the Bubble-Guppy-Cyndi-Lauper-Hello-Kitty fashion-crime "bestie" who takes no guff and has an interesting skill set which includes B&E) that you enjoy the ride. You know the danger is real, but somehow you believe that Rose will get through it (with such amazing back up as "Ma", the octogenarian owner of the titular "Diner" where Rose works).

Through in a few bad guys, a few maybe-maybe-not bad guys, and a random surprise bad guy. Shake the bag. There is Sullivan, the quintessential sexy bad boy in a fabulous suit, flanked by not-so-glamorous henchmen. The tension and sizzle is there leaving one to read with a "will they or won't they". A cast-off boyfriend who's renamed himself "Spaz" lingers like a bad fart. A dashingly handsome lawyer conveniently appears, possibly on the bad side, who apparently has pined for Rose since elementary. But Rose is a standalone gal and although she does accept help, she's no maiden in distress. And that is a part of her charm: a plucky "leave me alone I can do it" nature. Although this is not a romance mystery -- it's not -- there are sparks and tension and hope for more in the next book. Who doesn't LOVE a bad guy? But which one?

This book is funny. It's smart. It made me smile. It stressed me (I peeked ahead a few times, I confess). It's a romp. It's dark. It has a bit of everything without piling its plate too high.

Oh, and for anyone with parent issues: this is the book for you. Rose's parents are profoundly awful (in a good way). Anyone who's ever cringed or felt their parent has thrown one too many criticisms their way should enjoy this. I confess the mother (Barbara) hit awfully close to home.

This book is not unlike a meal you find at an excellent, quiet, low-key diner: plate-licking good.

And the best news: Ms Austin has written a second novel in the series, to be issued in a few weeks. (less)

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May 08, 2012 BJ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, first-reads, mysteries-suspense

This was my first win in a giveaway and I thought this book was really good. I really disliked Rose's family, but I think you are supposed to hate them, it makes Rose and her odd bunch of friends even more likeable! Her friends include Ma, who owns the diner where Rose works; Roxy who works with Rose at the diner and is a really strange dresser; Axton, who is missing for most of this story which creates a big part of the mystery, and a couple of computer nerds. Rose comes from a family with mone...more

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May 08, 2013 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful example of how to write a great cozy mystery. You start with a wonderful fun but flawed main character.She has a good sense of humor and enough intelligence to know when to seek advice and help and when to keep her mouth shut.
Next you have a strong supporting cast. Interesting characters that you want to cheer on and root for. Characters that build up our heroine not knock her down. However , just for good measure you do have a couple of "love to hate" characters thrown in....more

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Dec 11, 2012 Joni Stevens rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: joni-s-favorite-books-that-s-why-i

I bought this autographed copy from the author at a local book signing. I didn't plan on buying it but I'm glad I did! I can relate to Rose, Roxy and Pot Head Ax! I loved the characters and the mystery of Ax's disappearance sucked me right in and I couldn't stop worrying about him right along with Rose! I won't spoil the ending but I was satisfied with it. I will be buying the Last diner Standing now to continue following Rose in her next adventure as a badass waitress. I hope we get some romanc...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars

I rated this 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

A waitress turned sleuth, a dermatologist with a secret and a smexy hot criminal mastermind are just a part of the fun in Terri L. Austin's Diners, Dives & Dead Ends, the first book in the Rose Strickland Mystery series. With a large dose of comedy, likable characters, and snarky dialogue, Ms. Austin's story captured my attention and never let go. Reading late into the night, there were times I thought I'd fall out of bed due to laughing so hard.

Former debutan...more I rated this 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

A waitress turned sleuth, a dermatologist with a secret and a smexy hot criminal mastermind are just a part of the fun in Terri L. Austin's Diners, Dives & Dead Ends, the first book in the Rose Strickland Mystery series. With a large dose of comedy, likable characters, and snarky dialogue, Ms. Austin's story captured my attention and never let go. Reading late into the night, there were times I thought I'd fall out of bed due to laughing so hard.

Former debutante Rose Strickland's life has changed a lot in the last five years. Now a part time college student and a struggling waitress, Rose eeks out an existence working at Ma's Diner, where breakfast is served daily from 6am to 1pm. Somewhat estranged from her doctor father and socialite mother, Rose is the "black sheep" of the family. When Axton, her closest friend and wanna be brother from grade school, asks her to watch his backpack she agrees not realizing the danger she would soon be involved in. When Axton goes missing, Rose seems to be the only person concerned about his disappearance. The police won't help and Axton's dermatologist brother refuses to get involved.

Armed with her trusty notebook and backed up by a strange assortment of friends, Rose begins to investigate who could have taken Axton and tries to discover what they want. Opening his backpack, she's surprised when she discovers a portable computer memory she knows doesn't belong to Axton. Asking his fellow IT geeks to figure out what's stored inside, Rose begins to follow a series of clues hoping to save her friends life. When her own safety is threatened by the criminal mastermind behind Axton's kidnapping, Rose refuses to back down and with the help of her "gang", hatches a daring, and somewhat insane plan to rescue her friend.

Armed with chocolate chip cookies and a bag of Chex Mix, Rose and her group of friends (made up of Roxie, her blue haired best friend and fellow waitress, Ma, the 79 year old woman who owns the diner, and two IT geeks from the local college) locate the villains lair and plan to spring Axton right from under his nose. Armed with a discount tazer, purchased from the back of a friend's cousin's trunk, and a set of walkie-talkies, Rose and Roxie break into the house of a man whose warned Rose to mind her own business.

Ms. Austin did a great job developing Rose and the secondary characters in this story. I especially liked Rose's friends, who helped her regardless of her crazy plans. At the beginning of the story, Rose is struggling with the lack of direction in her life. The "black sheep" of the family for refusing to conform to her mother's demands, Rose is on her own and is financially broke. Still dealing with her family and her mother's demands, Rose is beginning to realize no one else will respect her if she can't respect herself. Standing up to her mother's demands is just one way she'll do that, saying no to the smexy bad guy is another.

Will Rose, Roxie and her gang be able to break Axton out of his kidnapper's house? And will Sullivan, the smexy bad guy let Rose get away with it? You'll have to read Diners, Dives & Dead Ends to find out. I loved it and can't wait to read Last Diner Standing to read about Rose's next adventure.
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Jul 07, 2012 Greg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Well fist off let me say that this book was something out of the norm for me to read. I was looking over some of the giveaways and the cover struck me. I must say that the artwork on the cover is awesome!

Now for the book itself. I was very surprised to enjoy this book as much as I did. I tried going into it with an open mind since I normally don't read much in the way of mystery or those with a female main character. I really got into this book. At the beginning I wasn't really pulled into the...more

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Jun 03, 2013 Brie Edison rated it 5 of 5 stars

For some unknown reason, the men in this book are all telling Rose what to do, using the same lame excuse—they are only trying to keep her safe; as if she were some slip of a thing that couldn't function in life without swooning every time a crisis arose. Being a strong woman, Rose resents this cavalier attitude, only wanting to be in charge of her own life. Rose’s mother also thinks she knows what’s best for her daughter, and the author does a great job of having Rose stand up to her, making he...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Oksana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-series, chick-lit, crime, humour, mystery, read-in-2013, january2013, adult, all-time-favourites, love-the-cover, best-hero, best-heroine, favourite-series

Rose Strickland, 24 years old, comes from a rich and snobby family. Her mother is controlling pretty much every aspect of her husband’s and her two daughters’ lives. While the older sister Jacqueline is more than happy to oblige, to follow whatever life path her mother chooses for her, Rose is not that passive. She doesn’t want to go to the college her parents paid for, but prefers to find something different, something to appeal to her interests.

But such kind of disobedience is not something he...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Mandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I received my copy of Diners, Dives & Dead Ends through Goodreads. I actually had forgotten what it was about, which meant I didn't even know the genre, so I spent a lot of time waiting for the other shoe to drop. Just going by the title and the skull on the cover, I kept wondering, "Is this a vampire book? Are there zombies? Goths? Ghosts?". Turns out: NONE OF THE ABOVE. I’m a terrible detective.

Having given up her family's trust fund lifestyle, Rose Strickland works at a diner to put hers...more I received my copy of Diners, Dives & Dead Ends through Goodreads. I actually had forgotten what it was about, which meant I didn't even know the genre, so I spent a lot of time waiting for the other shoe to drop. Just going by the title and the skull on the cover, I kept wondering, "Is this a vampire book? Are there zombies? Goths? Ghosts?". Turns out: NONE OF THE ABOVE. I’m a terrible detective.

Having given up her family's trust fund lifestyle, Rose Strickland works at a diner to put herself through college. When her best friend Axton Graystone goes missing, Rose takes it upon herself to find him. As she looks deeper into his disappearance, she stumbles onto an even bigger mystery — while encountering hot guys and shady characters (and some may be a little of both).

And there are no vampires/zombies/goths/ghosts. Let's just re-emphasize that.

The plot was intriguing enough, but I just felt like not enough happened. There was wayyyy too much play-by-play going on: Rose updating the other characters on the latest situation, Rose giving every single detail of each scene. For a book that's only a shade over 300 pages long, I could have done with a little more streamlining. (Much like my own long-ass review!)

I was pretty amped when I found out that Rose is supposed to be my age, but that excitement was tempered with how generic I found some of the characters. For instance, Axton felt like a checklist of geeky interests as opposed to an actual geek: 'he likes sci-fi and Lord of the Rings, ergo he is a nerd!' and vice versa. Ma from the diner also seemed like the token Sassy Ol' Broad. I suppose there are actual people who behave like this, but I wanted more depth and character development. Which may have been a byproduct of juggling such a large cast — which, again, streamlining issues.

I also didn't buy how basically every man that Rose encountered was interested in her. But then again, I'm not a pretty blue-eyed blonde, so what do I know?

On the plus side, I had no idea what to expect from the plot. It was a well-crafted mystery, and the chemistry between Rose and one of her (many) suitors actually made me "Damn it!" aloud, 'cause I juuuust might need to know if/when (oh, who are we kidding? WHEN.) they get together in the next book.(less)

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Dec 31, 2012 Marissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love mysteries, either historical fiction ones, or even cozy ones. Diners, Dives & Dead Ends was a very well written cozy mystery read, and I was just enthralled throughout. I think the characters were written pretty well, and I understand Rose, where she comes from, a wealthy family, but she wanted to go to a different college, than what her parents wanted, so she's on her own, making her own living as a waitress and taking night classes at a local college. She still has family issues, wi...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Lisa (Lost in Literature) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: received-for-review

First of all, this just happens to have been published on my birthday. So right off the bat I HAD to read it. ;)

Diners, Dives & Dead Ends isn't just an adorable cover that's extremely eye-catching... it's also an adorably-entertaining and edge-of-your-seat type drama. The mystery aspect of it was totally addicting. I was flip-flopping between "who I thought done it". And with an ending such as this one, you're bound to have your mouth hanging open, starting at the pages like I did. A+ for Te...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Linda Baker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

I really don't remember how I ran across Diners, Dives and Dead Ends. I was probably trolling for something light and funny to download to my kindle and it sounded like the very thing. The price was right so I downloaded and enjoyed every word. Now I am a big fan of Rose Strickland and Terri L. Austin.

Rose is a 24 year-old waitress working at Ma's Diner and attending the local community college. She has been drifting for a while, much to her wealthy and socially prominent family's dismay. Never...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Goldie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Debut author? Um...could be so-so, could have major mistakes, or might have to write a polite review for someone I know in real life...

NOT AT ALL! This book is awesome and I would recommend it to anyone who, like me, loves the genre of the rather wacky, unintentional sleuth with a unique group of friends who helps bungle their way into solving crimes. I like the additions of the many interesting men who show the main character, Rose, their interest. It rides the fine line of zaniness and believa...more

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May 02, 2012 Narielle Living rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher after winning it in a contest, and read the book in one day. In short, I loved this book! The main character is instantly likeable, the writing style is engaging and the plotting is well paced. The ending has a twist of sorts (I won't spoil it for anyone) and is somewhat of a surprise. I am really looking forward to reading more from this author, and hopefully Diners, Dives & Dead Ends becomes the first in a series.

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Diners, Dives & Dead Ends (Rose Strickland Mystery #1)

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