Sweet, Savage Death

Patience McKenna #1

by Jane Haddam, Orania Papazoglou (Pseudonym)

Murder, mayhem, and other unladylike behavior erupt at the Third Annual Conference of American Writers of Romance where author Patience McKenna finds herself caught in an intrigue that would horrify her most devoted readers. Complete with a crime-solving cat, this Edgar-nominated whodunit is a clever behind-the-scenes look at the romance business-authors, agents, editors, publishers, and fans.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Aka Orania Papazoglou

Jane Haddam (b. 1951) is an American author of mysteries. Born Orania Papazoglou, she worked as a college professor and magazine editor before publishing her Edgar Award–nominated first novel, Sweet, Savage Death, in 1984. This mystery introduced Patience McKenna, a sleuthing scribe who would go on to appear in four more books, including Wicked, Loving Murder (1985) and Rich, Radiant Slaughter (1988).

Not a Creature Was Stirring (1990) introduced Haddam’s best-known character, former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. The series spans more than twenty novels, many of them holiday-themed, including Murder Superior (1993), Fountain of Death (1995), and Wanting Sheila Dead (2005). Haddam’s most recent novels are Blood in the Water (2012) and Hearts of Sand (2013). Wife of William L DeAndrea.

Reviews

[Jazz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The joy of this first novel is knowing what a great writer would eventually emerge from it. Yes, the characters were a little confusing as others have mentioned and the wrap-up was a little convoluted, but I enjoyed it all anyway. The humor is there, the sarcastic main character, and the story is kept short enough that it doesn't become tiresome at any point. And I loved the send-up of the romance genre and its writers, though I wouldn't recommend it to romance readers for that very reason. But mystery lovers give it a look if you like the author's other series written under the pen name of Jane Haddam. It's fun to see how much she's grown. I'll give the other novels in this series a read, too.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patience McKenna is a serious journalist--but that doesn't pay the rent. What does is the romances she writes under a series of pen names. When one of the grand old ladies of the field, Myrra Agenworth, who has befriended Pay, is killed in a mugging, Pay finds she's enmeshed in a plot to frame her for murder. First, an agent is killed in Pay's apartment. Then she finds Myrra's beloved dog in an animal shelter where Pay has gone looking for a cat to adopt. Myrra's very valuable earring is attached to the dog's collar, but no one else has spotted it there. Then there's the bloodstained knife that turns up in Pay's ever-present tote bag. Meanwhile, Pay's best friend, the extremely successful romance author Phoebe Dameroux (nee Weiss) provides Pay with a lawyer, who is not only handsome but taller than Pay's six foot height.

[Sharla · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a line in the book that reads, “make it make sense.” This could sum up the whole book. There are too many characters and most never come into clear focus. Things seemed to gain some clarity when the blackmail angle came into play, but no one was being blackmailed so back to square one. I truly do not mind a bizarre plot or strange characters or unlikely actions and events but this one challenged me. It’s like looking into a kaleidoscope, watching the various shapes and colors collide and collapse over and over. That said, despite the shortcomings, I did like the book. This was the first book by Jane Haddam and having read some of her latter work, I know she got better at it.

[Donald · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very confusing with the use of characters' real names and pen names. Uninteresting characters with whom you don't connect. I was really disappointed in this book as I love the author's Gregor Demarkian series. The only good thing about the book was that it was relatively short.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drat! I ran out of Gregor Demarkian books to read until payday, but I had the first in another series by Jane Haddam. Sweet, Savage Death takes place in the romance novel writing world. I've read many a romance in my time, so I found this series interesting. The murders were actually a little more gruesome than the Demarkian series. It was a kick reading about authors typing their books. Haddam did 3 more in this series before Demarkian took over. I have a feeling I will try to get to them all!!

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Murder, mayhem, and other unladylike behavior erupt at the Third Annual Conference of American Writers of Romance where author Patience McKenna finds herself caught in an intrigue that would horrify her most devoted readers. Complete with a crime-solving cat, this Edgar-nominated whodunit is a clever behind-the-scenes look at the romance business-authors, agents, editors, publishers, and fans.

Heather's Notes
I did not particularly care for this book. It was all over the place, and I don't believe the police would focus so quickly on her without exploring other avenues. I did like the stealing kitten though. I doubt I will read more.

[Ricki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love he author's Gregor Demarkian books, so I thought I would give this series a shot. I found this book to be a bit "disjointed" too many things that are just thrown and you and not fully explained. Still not sure who or how the two murders are related to Patience, or who Patience McKenna really is! Maybe the second book will be better, I will just have to read it and see!

[Renée Fontenot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book

I've read the Demarkian series and loved those. Patience McKenna only appeared recently. A feminist writer of magazine and newspapers articles, Patience can only pay her rent by writing romance novels. But then a fellow author dies. Patience has to figure out how to prove she is not the killer.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this very much: A murder mystery in the world of romance writers (cool!) with some appealing main characters, but a confusing plethora of secondary types and occasional non-sequiturs so confusing that I suspect my e-book edition may have suffered from poor transfer to the digital world.

[Mark Mcdaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reading!Mk

This is a good read, a mystery set in the universe of Romance publishing. The book is the first in a series written by a master of the type. I will definitely be picking up the second volume!

[Viki Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super read

Lively, well written with great supporting characters. Love the cat!
Didn't guess who the murderer is. Found the main character engaging and really likeable. Overall a great read. Thoroughly recommended.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this and the second in the series because I like Haddam's Gregor Demarkian series. So far I am not sold on it.

[KF-in-Georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story involves various romance novel writers, and I never managed to keep the characters straight.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, I often feel that I'm reading through a fog in her early Patience McKenna books. I can't define it! I'm sure missing Jane Haddam...rip

[Marsha Fabian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too confusing, too many undeveloped characters with more than one name. This is my first book of hers to read and see that others say she gets better but this was turn off.

[Linda Brue · Rating 1 out of 5]

From the publisher:
"The nation’s most famous romance authors are often so over-the-top that they could star in their own work. Catty, eccentric, and vain, they live to make each other miserable—and Patience McKenna does all she can to stay out of their line of fire. Too smart for her own genre, she writes romance novels to pay the rent and investigates stories to stay sane. Now the romance wars are about to hit her on the home front.

A few nights before the start of the annual American Writers of Romance conference, Pay comes home to find her apartment locked from the inside. When the police break down the door, they stumble onto Julie Simms, literary agent to the leading lights of romance, lying dead on the floor. When the conference convenes, Pay asks: Which of her colleagues has traded make-believe passion for real-life murder?"

Jane Haddam wrote this one as "Orania Papazoglou." If I wrote this I wouldn't admit to it, either. Horrible and confusing, with cardboard characters that are supposed to come off as adoringly eccentric and outrageous, but instead are only boring--so boring that I had trouble keeping the characters apart. Gah! I'm not certain why I even finished it, although I had hoped I would understand it at the end. Nope.

[Cat. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a first book. Honestly, if this was the only book I'd read of hers, I'd skip the rest of her stuff. But I know she gets better.

The plot of this very formulaic mystery is that Patience Campbell McKenna is a writer of magazine articles who has written a couple of paperback romances just to make some money. The story begins with the death of her mentor, a very successful romance author, as a result of a mugging.

Then an agent for romances is found stabbed to death inside Patience's locked efficiency apartment while she is at a conference. All the clues point to Patience being the killer, especially when her mentor's will disposes her 9-bedroom apartment to Patience.

Of course, we know she didn't do it. Of course, there are many twists and turns, and other people are endangered. And, of course, the real murderer is discovered at the end of the book.

The best part of the book was a refreshingly frank confrontation between one of the older, big-name romance authors, who admits that she started life as a hooker in Times Square.

I'm giving Orania one more book to redeem herself and then I'll move on to her other series, published under a different name.

[Kyrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked it because I liked Jane Haddam's later books, and I could see the seeds of her future skill in it.

There were an awful lot of characters introduced rapidly with both real names and pen names. It was hard to recall who was who, and I finally gave up and decided if they were important, they'd keep popping up. I probably should have made more of an effort because at least six recur frequently.

The ending explains it all, but it's a short (for Haddam book) and it felt too short? Too quick an explanation? I'm not sure.

On the other hand, I liked Patience, despite her investigating on her own and ignoring both her lawyer's advice and the police. I loved Camille the kitten. And I will read the next in the series, because it's Haddam's writing.

3/27/26 I reread it and still don't know who's who. I know how it was done, and why, but I didn't enjoy it, aside from the kitten. I am reading the next in the series, but I'm not sure why. I think if someone was more familiar with 1970s New York City life, they might enjoy it more?

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

This was not a terrible book, but not a great one either. It plodded along in a somewhat formulaic way to the end. I found that the main character, Patience McKenna, was not all that likeable, though there was little about her to dislike either; she was just somewhat bland. I know that this is the first book of a new series, and I am usually more forgiving of first (and second) books, as the author develops his/her voice and characters. However, in this case I am not sure if I would bother trying another novel starring this character.

[Brian Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an entertaining "whodunit" murder mystery with a New York bite, involving the business of romance novels. I almost stopped reading after a couple of chapters because of all the characters, some with two names, but I stuck it out and finished the book. It really doesn't matter about the large number of characters because none of them, including the protagonist, are developed. Even the identity of the murderer doesn't matter in the end, but the book is a fun read and I plan to read the next in the series.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess this is the real name of one of my favorite authors - Jane Haddam. This is apparently a young effort, when she first started and not much like the Gregor Demarkian mysteries I have come to love; except for the elements of humor.

This was more light and frivolous than the Demarkian series seems to be, yet enjoyable. I liked the book, but has a vague sense of disappointment. Just a bit too silly at times to respect, even though it was a good read.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reprint, not a new book

Loved the book, but it sounded uncannily familiar. Realized it was a reprint of a 1984 novel written under a different name. If it is new to you, buy it, you'll love it. But if you ever read Orania Papazoglou before she became Jane Haddam, you'll have read this one.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Same author, but not a Gregor Demarkian mystery and not nearly as interesting and engaging. Plot's fine, but characters are so-so.

[Lynn miller 🌍 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This books try’ to be so highbrow, but fall short every time. Often introducing what could be a great thing to explore in the book, but forgets about. Boring

[Deb]

Mystery, in spite of the title....