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A Bad Day's Work (Lilly Hawkins #1)

by Nora McFarland (Goodreads Author)

3.61 of 5 stars 3.61 · rating details · 90 ratings · 31 reviews

Nothing seems to be going Lilly’s way. A TV news photographer at her hometown television station, she’s one of the hardest working "shooters" there, but her pit-bull personality and a series of unlucky blunders have put her job in jeopardy. — So when an urgent story breaks in the middle of the night, Lilly is determined to turn her bad luck around and get the respect she d...more

Paperback, 268 pages

Published August 3rd 2010 by Touchstone (first published July 17th 2010)

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Feb 27, 2012 Chris Horne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Normally, it'd take a fistful of crisp one-hundred dollar bills to get me to pick up a mystery novel, and even then I'd probably be upset that you're wrinkling those once crisp Benjamins. It isn't because I don't like mysteries because I do, but I just assumed that they're all about the same. Which works on TV and in movies because you can throw a different star in or change the setting, and wham-o: it's all fresh and clean, clean.

But I'd met Nora McFarland, who is both funny and intelligent in...more Normally, it'd take a fistful of crisp one-hundred dollar bills to get me to pick up a mystery novel, and even then I'd probably be upset that you're wrinkling those once crisp Benjamins. It isn't because I don't like mysteries because I do, but I just assumed that they're all about the same. Which works on TV and in movies because you can throw a different star in or change the setting, and wham-o: it's all fresh and clean, clean.

But I'd met Nora McFarland, who is both funny and intelligent in real life, and was intrigued by the fact her main character, Lilly Hawkins, works as a videojournalist. Having worked in print journalism, I could see the potential and expected a sort of "All the King's Men," Deepthroat, investigative thing. I was pleasantly surprised.

Lilly isn't looking for adventure. She just wants to do her job and because she's more attractive than the average "shooter," she carries a chip on her shoulder, a need to prove she can do the physically-demanding work and hush all the insinuations that she'd be better suited in front of the camera.

But, at the beginning of "A Bad Day's Work," the first in a trilogy, Lilly's work has been, uh, suffering. Not only is she not meeting her own high standards; she's hit a rut of bad luck and failure that is threatening her job security. So we open with an ultimatum: she is called in the middle of the night to get footage of a murder scene and is tasked with bringing back a story... "or else."

This is where she steps in it deep. I won't get too far into the plot, though it's a fun one. What impressed me is how subtly some of these characters seep into you. Lilly has lost her father and the rest of her immediate family is gone. The news crew at the station is the substitute, except she won't embrace them as such, keeping everyone at arm's length. They're all a little unconventional--and sometimes are unlikable (for a while)--and McFarland makes some choices with them that surprised me. She gave some of them an unexpected amount of humanity--good and bad--when a stock character would have sufficed. (And I'm not complaining.)

My favorite, by far, is Uncle Bud, who is a rowdy, aging outlaw type with a playfully spiteful streak. He's funny, kind and capable of handling weird situations but they haven't spent a lot of time together since her father's death. However, when Lilly needs him, he steps up when she needs him. Frankly, it reminded me a lot of my Uncle Danny, my dad's twin brother. He's no outlaw, per se, but he'd be a good Uncle Bud. Like he and Lilly, I haven't seen Danny much since my dad passed away. So obviously, some of my connection with these characters is personal.

That said, when I put it down, I was ready for the next installment and I realized that in the process, I'd come around on mysteries. I was never militant about staying away from the genre but it made me realize that it, like most things, is all in who is handling the material. Nora McFarland, you have my attention.(less)

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Aug 03, 2012 Andrea Mullarkey rated it 4 of 5 stars

In her debut, Lilly Hawkins puts in a very bad day’s work indeed. Veteran shooter for a local news station in Bakersfield, things have not been going well for Lilly lately. She’s been making mistakes. And when the tape from her most recent assignment, a murder, comes back black it is a very bad omen. The roller coaster of a day that follows is a really good time for a reader. There are reporters, gang members, dirty cops, sick kids, and smarmy businessmen. It is impossible to decide who to count...more

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Sep 07, 2010 Notorious Spinks rated it 1 of 5 stars

This novel started off well for me. I enjoyed Lilly's humor and wit. Then the story went south. As a part of this mystery, a young African-American male by the name of Val Boyle is killed. At this point I'm wondering where this story is going. Initially Val is introduced as this good guy that was saving for college by working for a local vineyard. Well apparently, Val hooked up with the son-in-law of the owner of the vineyard to steal almonds. Then they hooked up with the Eastside Crew. You gues...more This novel started off well for me. I enjoyed Lilly's humor and wit. Then the story went south. As a part of this mystery, a young African-American male by the name of Val Boyle is killed. At this point I'm wondering where this story is going. Initially Val is introduced as this good guy that was saving for college by working for a local vineyard. Well apparently, Val hooked up with the son-in-law of the owner of the vineyard to steal almonds. Then they hooked up with the Eastside Crew. You guessed it, her version of the Crips. Do you see where I'm going?

Ya'll I try to read with an open mind but sometimes I'm pushed to the limit.

My problem with this story is that it adds to this fairy tale land that authors and readers of other races try to push African-American characters in. Yes, this box that is made for us in their minds influenced by COPS and the nightly news. For instance, when authors of color write about AA characters that are educated and well-off who are not pimping and tricking then our stories are unreal to some white bloggers. As if, all AA's live in ghettos and get welfare. The last I checked the ghetto was filled with people of various races and white people get welfare, too. The part that pisses me off is that when I go to sites like Goodreads and Library Thing to check out what people are saying about new books by authors of color, specifically African-American authors, they are given one and two stars. These low ratings are usually not due to the lack of skill by the author. The comments usually consist of rants about the stories being unreal, etc. These comments usually come from white book bloggers that don't have any knowledge of the AA community or culture but they are scouted by publishing houses to read our books as if they are spending our money or know what we want to read. Oh and the only successful AA person they recognize is the POTUS. Seriously.

Check out this post by a fellow blogger Reads 4 Pleasure about this ignorance.

This is the prime example that let me know that Nora McFarland does not know anything about AA or our dialect for that manner:

p. 227 Jason- AA gang leader is talking to Lily, the Caucasian heroine

"No, you don't girl." Jason was looking right at me. "You and your shorty come out here." He turned the gun on us."

Now in this scene, Lily was with Rod. You get my drift? Just in case you don't let me elaborate. Nora McFarland, in the hood we don't refer to men as a shorty. That term is designated for females that choose to answer to it, whatever their race may be.

I'll end on this note, Nora the next time you want to incorporate an African-American black-on-black crime scene in your mystery, do your research. However, I prefer you leave us out of your story. I'm sure you can find some Caucasian serial killer or cult leader or something. (less)

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Sep 18, 2011 Sarah Blair rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to meet Nora McFarland and listen to her keynote speech this year at the Decatur Book Festival Writer's Conference. She shared her story about being rejected 47 times before she landed an agent with her 48th query. It was inspiring to hear her story of perseverance and persistence. I hope I don't have to send out that many queries before my own book gets picked up, but I'm ready to do it if I have to!

This first mystery was a fun read. The main character, Lilly is loveable and...more

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Jun 11, 2012 K rated it 4 of 5 stars

OMG I picked up a book. I'm reading a book and not a magazine or the internets. I feel so weird. I picked up this murder mystery at the library on Saturday while waiting for a friend, and I was sucked in! A fun murder mystery, 1st person female lead, a camera person/shooter, who's thrown into a whole "what what what happened?" where she's framed, pranked and learning to Be a Better Person. Set in Bakersfield, which is also fun. I like murder mysteries not set in obscure teeny towns or set in the...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

In her third book in the series Nora McFarland shows once again how good a writer she is. She tackles some darker topics and, as a rssult, the book is overall less fun and funny than the first two. But that's not neccesarily a bad thing as it results in providing more depth to the characters especially the hero/narrator/protagonist Lilly Hawkins. The book has some exciting developments regarding relationships between the characters but I can't say much more about that without revealing spoilers...more

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Jul 23, 2010 Suspense Magazine rated it 4 of 5 stars

A breath of fresh air to the world of lighthearted mysteries, Nora McFarland offers readers a charming new series with the introduction of “A Bad Day’s Work”. McFarland’s wacky, behind-the-scenes slant on the day-to-day operations of a small town TV News station and the madness that can accompany it is simply delightful.

Lilly Hawkins is having a bad day—in fact, it has honestly been bad for a while—and she is determined to turn her luck around. When she receives a frenzied overnight call from he...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Marilyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story caught my attention and kept it from beginning to end. It was well-written with a good strong quirky character that seemed like someone I'd like to get to know. The crazy uncle reminded me of my own crazy uncle. I was impressed with the quality of Ms. McFarland's writing and immediately ordered her second book. Started it last night - it looks to be a winner too.

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Dec 28, 2010 Donna Hill rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved it! It's clearly in the Kinsey Milhone/Stephanie Plum mold, but McFarland has a voice of her own. It is very, very unusual for me to be surprised by "whodunit" and not feel like the surprise was contrived, but she pulled it off. It's also unusual for us to see such growth in the key character right out of the gate. I eagerly await the next Lilly Hawkins installment.

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Sep 29, 2011 Mark Baker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

TV shooter Lilly Hawkins gets the scoop of the year, footage of a murder scene. But when she returns to the station her tape is blank. She thinks it is just bad luck until someone starts threatening her to get that tape. What has she stumbled into? The plot of this book is a little thin, but the action more than makes up for it. I also really liked how the characters developed over the course of the novel. I am very anxious to read the next book in what looks to be a great series.

My full review ...more

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Jan 05, 2011 Jenny rated it 3 of 5 stars

On the Cusp of Corny and Clever
McFarland's first book breaks into the Lutz and Evanovich domain with a quirky heroine, distinctive secondary characters, and a neatly wrapped mystery. While I'd prefer more intensity and complexity, A Bad Day's Work is a quick, fun diversion that bares promise for a stronger second book in 2011.

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Dec 10, 2010 Robin Spano rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Lilly is a great protagonist - flawed, funny, and dedicated.

I met Nora McFarland at a mystery conference in San Francisco. In a field full of people trying to promote their own work, she was a refreshing face to see each time she entered a room. We're at the same stage of our careers, so we exchanged first timer fears and woes, and each time we talked I liked her more.

But yeah, the book - a groovy adventure spanning all social classes (I find that variet...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, mystery

What a fun book! Lots of humor and several plot twists to keep you guessing. I won the second book,

The Hot, Shot, and Bothered (Lilly Hawkins, #2)

on GR, so I don't have to wait to read it! Cool.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 19, 2011 Carrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100-2011, screwball-mystery

Sort of a combination of Stephanie Plum and one of my favorite mysteries (Night of the Jabberwock); a fun story with a lot of nice detail about the television reporting industry and a bunch of great characters.

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Feb 04, 2012 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is authored by Nora McFarland, with whom I went to U.C. Santa Cruz and spent some crazy time putting on a production of Guys and Dolls. It's fun to read books written by people I personally know. I really like the main character, Lilly Hawkins. She has integrity! This is a quick, fun, enjoyable read with suspense and twists and turns. I'm looking forwarda to reading the next one in the series. Way to go, Nora!

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Aug 22, 2011 Nancy Bradford rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first in the adventures of Lilly Hawkins. I had a bit of a hard time at first but it did not take long for me to get into the story line. It turned into a very fun read. I look forward to reading more adventures of Lilly.

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May 27, 2013 Alice rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

1st novel includes a reader's guide.

Female shooter (camera person) is main character. She is transparent in her dealings with people and a straight shooter. Continues to come back at problems

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Sep 24, 2011 Jan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoy this series even though I read the second one first - it made me want to get caught up on the characters. I'm looking forward to book 3.

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Aug 25, 2011 Todd Sheets rated it 4 of 5 stars

I recently won a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Author was even kind enough to sign my copy.

Absolutely enjoyable, entertaining read. Certainly not a tense, hold on to your seat kind of mystery, but certainly entertaining. Plenty of twists and turns, likable characters.

I sincerely look forward to the next Lilly Hawkins story.

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Aug 21, 2012 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

A great, fast adventure with a exasperatingly lovable heroine. Humor and pacing is fantastic and there's a mystery too!

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Aug 14, 2011 Wennifred marked it as to-read

I just won a copy from Goodreads. Looking forward to reading it. I will write a review after I've read it. Thank you.

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Dec 16, 2010 Sandra Brannan rated it 5 of 5 stars

These days, finding time to read is a luxury. This was well worth my time and kept me in stitches!

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Sep 21, 2010 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very engaging from the start. Hope the pace keeps up!... and YES it did. Very lively. Maintained my interest to the end.

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Sep 20, 2010 Sandy rated it 5 of 5 stars

A fun, light read. Can't wait for more adventures of Lilly.

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Apr 23, 2012 Sharon Helfrich rated it 3 of 5 stars

A fun mystery with lots of laughs, in the style of Evanovich and Strohmeyer.

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Jun 01, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Super fast paced & interesting throughout. My only complaint is that there were SO many characters introduced that I lost track of who was who several times. I loved the main character & all her flaws. Off to start the next one!

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Jan 25, 2012 Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries

Nora Roberts knows how to take her main character and throw rocks at her. Each chapter is a cliff hanger. She has a good sense of humor and several unexpected turns. A page turner.

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Mar 11, 2013 Trish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyed this story and the mystery that they were all embroiled in. Understand there are more and plan to seek them out.

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Apr 07, 2011 Halfrunner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ms. McFarland's first published novel. Entertaining mystery with strong, fun female lead!

1 like · like · see review

Mar 16, 2013 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars

Maybe too many characters?

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About Nora McFarland

Nora McFarland has worked for CNN and has an MFA from the University of Southern California's school of cinematic arts. She lives in Macon, Georgia.

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Going to the Bad: A Lilly Hawkins Mystery

Hot, Shot, and Bothered (Lilly Hawkins, #2)

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A Bad Day's Work (Lilly Hawkins #1)

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