Cover Your Assets

Tucker Sinclair #2

by Patricia Smiley

Tucker Sinclair's life has returned to normal after her first misadventure with murder in FALSE PROFITS. But that's about to change when her old college flame, Evan Brice, strolls back into her life after a 10-year estrangement that began when he dumped Tucker to marry her closest friend. Evan is now a successful Hollywood agent who has acquired many mistresses and a love affair with drugs. When Evan is found brutally murdered, the police quickly close in on the victim's widow, who turns to ex-best friend Tucker for help. Soon, Tucker runs afoul of the detective in charge of the case and finds herself at odds with a biker gang and a narcissistic soap opera star in a race to sort the innocent from the guilty.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 10, 2005

About the author

Patricia Smiley is the author of nine novels: four featuring amateur sleuth Tucker Sinclair, three in the PACIFIC HOMICIDE series about LAPD homicide detective Davie Richards, and two in the Justice Bay series featuring amateur sleuth Emmaline McCoy.

Patty's short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Two of the Deadliest, an anthology edited by Elizabeth George. She has taught writing classes at various conferences in the U.S. and Canada and served as the vice president of the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America and as president of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles. Patty lives in Los Angeles with her opinionated Siberian forest cat.

Reviews

[Nolan]

This was a solid three-star mystery. I’m planning to read book four in the Tucker Sinclair series sometime later this month.

Evan Brice is dead, and that matters to freelance management consultant Tucker Sinclair—because he was once the love of her life. She walked in on him and Cissy, her now ex-best friend, testing the integrity of one another’s private parts, shall we say. That particular test must have gone rather well, since the two eventually married and produced a daughter.

Cissy eventually grew tired of his endless philandering. She took their young daughter and walked away, filing for divorce. Now that Evan is dead, Cissy is suspect number one. Against her better judgment, Tucker decides to help her former friend—at least for the sake of the little girl.

As Tucker digs deeper, she learns far more about Evan’s downward spiral than she ever wanted to know. He had been a successful agent, but fame twisted him. Drugs, hidden pornography, and shady favors for his clients’ careers—it all came out.

What I appreciated most was Tucker herself. She’s a practical, down-to-earth woman who doesn’t have much patience for nonsense, yet she’s stuck dealing with plenty of it. Her own mother is living in her house along with Mom’s hippie 70s-era boyfriend—both of them ridiculous in their own ways. Watching Tucker endure their chaos while steadily working the case shows real strength and perspicacity on her part.

It’s a decent mystery, but the plot and characters aren’t memorable enough to stick with me for three days, let alone three weeks.

[Khanson919]

I like the Tucker Sinclair mysteries. They are light, fun, enjoyable mysteries. Tucker is a very likable character, and her involvement in solving mysteries seems natural and not forced. This one I had no clue who the murderer was until the reveal. The author kept rotating suspects to the front and then having Tucker dismiss as the killer them. I would definitely read more books in this series.

[Jerry King]

2005

[Susan E. Harris PInto]

The truth always comes out

The fast action at the end. I love a good mystery that keeps you guessing until the final chapter. Good job

[Tana]

Cute, simple mystery. I didn’t love the ending, but that’s more about preferences.

[Suzanne]

It's a super cute story with an engaging main character, and I want to know what happens next. Just for fun.

[courtney duncan]

This book- the second in the Tucker Sinclair series by Patricia Smiley- was, as I expected, an easier read than the first. I know these aren't "new" books, but they are new to me, so...my prediction that the author would hit her stride by book two was pretty dead on. There was one moment in the story where I found myself wrenched from my reverie by sheer disbelief, but it was so minor, I can't even remember what it was that seemed so dumb now. These books are funny- they are easy to read, but they aren't enthralling. The characters just aren't as appealing as in some other major murder-mystery type series, but I can't tell you why, exactly. Ms. Smiley is witty as hell, but not as funny as I want her to be...and yet, I would still read the next one. I think the bigger mystery here is why I am so darn attracted to these stories.

[L8blmr]

Oops - I did it again. Stumbled on this book, the description sounded good, so I read it believing it was a stand-alone. Guess what? Wrong - this one is the second in a series! I enjoyed this story enough that I've decided to backtrack and pick up #1. Some people might feel this is a watered down Kinsey Milhone-ish heroine, but I found her fairly likable and the mystery kept me guessing until near the end, so those are good signs. One is forced to branch out when she is fully caught up with almost all of her favorite authors!

[Johna]

I liked Tucker as a character, but was not impressed with this storyline. Just had issues getting captured from the beginning. By the end of the book, sure I was from sheer determination of wanting to complete the book and curious to see who actually did it. Several characters in the book so pay attention.

[Jmrathbone]

This book, along with some others, was given to me a couple of years ago. I finally got around to reading it, with little expectations. I was pleasantly surprised to a find likable heroine In Tucker Sinclair. There is enough action to keep the reader interested. The nickname the writer gave Tucker (Tuckie), however, I hope won’t be repeated in other books.

[Nichole]

I liked this story. Fun, quick, set in Los Angeles. The only thing was it felt like she tried to hurry up and tie it all up at the end... it seemed like it just sped through the last few chapters where the main character finds out "whodunit".

[Glenda L]

I've had this book for sometime ... decided to read a mystery. I liked it and did finish it ... but it was just OK. Somehow most mysteries are not my usual genre. The characters in this were "colorful" and the heroine was cute and interesting ... all in all, not a bad book.

[Jessie]

Better than the first book.

[Jamie]

Second book in the series. It was better than the first. There was more going on with the characters. I forget the actual story line but remember liking it!

[Kathleen]

critiquedbykat.blogspot.com

[Donna]

I read it because it was all I had at home to read. Not my kind of books and it was just OK for me.

[Vicki]

I had semi-high hopes for Cover Your Assets because the first book, while predictable, was entertaining and easy to read. Alas, this book was just plain silly.

[Carol Nasby]

A light late summer read!

[Dee]

Cute little mystery with protagonist, Tucker Sinclair.

[Meaghan]

humorous

[Patty]

I enjoy this series, too bad she only wrote four books.

[colleen]

read 12.09.07
Tucker's ex-fiance is murdered.

[Sally Sinclair]

Awesome series! Fun.