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Blackbird Sisters Mystery #5
Have Your Cake and Kill Him Too
Heiress-go-lightly Nora Blackbird and her two sisters-desperate housewife and nudist-yoga enthusiast Libby and fiercely independent Emma-are back in this rollicking mystery about a sports bar with hot wings and hotter waitresses, explosive political secrets, former rock stars, a dangerous fame-and-fortune-hungry aristo-brat, and, of course, a case of blue-blooded murder that only Nora can solve.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2006
62 people are currently reading
804 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Martin
138 books561 followersWinner of the 2009 Lifetime Achievement award for mystery writing from Romantic Times magazine, Nancy Martin announces the release of the 8th book in her popular Blackbird Sisters mystery series, NO WAY TO KILL A LADY. Set in Philadelphia, the story features three heiresses whose parents have run off with their trust funds. Now thay have a chance to regain their wealth when their aunt, "Madcap Maddy" Blackbird dies in a volcano and leaves her estate to the sisters. But Nora Blackbird soon discovers all the treasures in Aunt Maddy's house have disappeared...information that leads her to believe maybe Maddy didn't die the way everybody thinks.
Author of 48 pop fiction novels in mystery, suspense, historical and romance genres, Nancy created The Blackbird Sisters in 2002--- mysteries about three impoverished heiresses who adventure in couture and crime --as if “Agatha Christie had wandered onto the set of Sex and The City.” Nominated for the Agatha Award for Best First Mystery of 2002, HOW TO MURDER A MILLIONAIRE won the RT award for Best First Mystery and was a finalist for the Daphne DuMaurier Award. Currently, she is at work on the Roxy Abruzzo mystery series for St. Martin’s Minotaur. In 2009 she received the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award for mystery writing.
Nancy lives in Pittsburgh, serves on the board of Sisters in Crime and is a founding member of Pennwriters. Find her on Pinterest and Facebook.
Author of 48 pop fiction novels in mystery, suspense, historical and romance genres, Nancy created The Blackbird Sisters in 2002--- mysteries about three impoverished heiresses who adventure in couture and crime --as if “Agatha Christie had wandered onto the set of Sex and The City.” Nominated for the Agatha Award for Best First Mystery of 2002, HOW TO MURDER A MILLIONAIRE won the RT award for Best First Mystery and was a finalist for the Daphne DuMaurier Award. Currently, she is at work on the Roxy Abruzzo mystery series for St. Martin’s Minotaur. In 2009 she received the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award for mystery writing.
Nancy lives in Pittsburgh, serves on the board of Sisters in Crime and is a founding member of Pennwriters. Find her on Pinterest and Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
June 11, 2015
The usual fast and rather enjoyable read.
Some minor annoyances: Why someone hasn't strangled Nora's sister Libby so far is beyond me. Nora herself is behaving stupidly sometimes, I know it's the hormones, but what's the big deal with Michael's family and his past? Her own husband was a junkie and a criminal, her parents are crooks and thieves, her sister's late husband was a murderer ... not quite the lilywhite background one might expect considering her scruples.
And the Richard storyline, please. He looks really, really bad in all the (very few) scenes where he makes an appearance. And then, quite early on as she kisses him: "I tried to make it happen", oy vey, there's a stillborn relationship we should not torture ourselves with any longer.
Never mind, I still enjoy the writing and the scenery, and I like Michael and Nora. I'll certainly continue with this series.
Some minor annoyances: Why someone hasn't strangled Nora's sister Libby so far is beyond me. Nora herself is behaving stupidly sometimes, I know it's the hormones, but what's the big deal with Michael's family and his past? Her own husband was a junkie and a criminal, her parents are crooks and thieves, her sister's late husband was a murderer ... not quite the lilywhite background one might expect considering her scruples.
And the Richard storyline, please. He looks really, really bad in all the (very few) scenes where he makes an appearance. And then, quite early on as she kisses him: "I tried to make it happen", oy vey, there's a stillborn relationship we should not torture ourselves with any longer.
Never mind, I still enjoy the writing and the scenery, and I like Michael and Nora. I'll certainly continue with this series.
November 12, 2019
I thought this book was ok I should have read the first one first but I only have this book
July 11, 2015
Not my favorite book in the series.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
September 7, 2010
Couldn't make it past 2 chapters. I felt lost with the storyline and couldn't like any of the characters.
February 22, 2024
Ok hear me out… I spent $3 at a Valentine’s Day craft market for a “blind date with a book.” I couldn’t see the book, just a few descriptors of it such as “mystery” “chick-lit” and idk a few others I dont really remember but I don’t feel like they were that accurate anyways. The plot of this book was insane, and I pretty must hated every single one of the characters. But all in all, for $3 and the absolutely unhinged summary on the back of the book, the writing wasn’t half bad and I did in fact want to know whodunit. Idk if you ever stumble across this book, it’s a quick and easy and fairly interesting read. You don’t need to go out of your way necessarily but if you happen to have it, give it a try. You may like it more than you thought you would.
January 19, 2021
3.5 stars really! I didn’t love how Nora handled Michael in this one! And the mystery was weak!
December 26, 2020
I love these books mainly because of Michael, however the rest of it is pretty good too. But if they get rid of Michael, I'm not so sure....
June 6, 2016
HAVE YOUR CAKE AND KILL HIM TOO
BY NANCY MARTIN 3.5***
For some reason I had a difficult time continuing reading this story. Here Nora definitely knows she is pregnant but is reluctant to tell anyone-especially Mick-because she has had one miscarriage in the past and there is the chance she could miscarry again. Richard is still in the picture but not as intensively intimate as Mick was which leaves Nora horribly, in my opinion, wishy-washy. Plus she is experiencing alot of morning sickness and not eating a whole lot these days. "Just the hormones", Nora thinks. Nora and her sister, Emma, and a few other characters discover the dead body of a tycoon who has many enemies-many of which are in his own family. Off again, is Nora despite her delicate condition to solve this murder. Through it all Richard keeps pressing Nora to marry him which she is tempted to do, but then Mick re-enters the scene. The tension builds as Nora tries to fight her way through dark family secrets and hostilities of the dead tycoon, plus protecting and helping those she cares about - this time her own nephew Rawlins - when she really needs to be taking care of herself.
BY NANCY MARTIN 3.5***
For some reason I had a difficult time continuing reading this story. Here Nora definitely knows she is pregnant but is reluctant to tell anyone-especially Mick-because she has had one miscarriage in the past and there is the chance she could miscarry again. Richard is still in the picture but not as intensively intimate as Mick was which leaves Nora horribly, in my opinion, wishy-washy. Plus she is experiencing alot of morning sickness and not eating a whole lot these days. "Just the hormones", Nora thinks. Nora and her sister, Emma, and a few other characters discover the dead body of a tycoon who has many enemies-many of which are in his own family. Off again, is Nora despite her delicate condition to solve this murder. Through it all Richard keeps pressing Nora to marry him which she is tempted to do, but then Mick re-enters the scene. The tension builds as Nora tries to fight her way through dark family secrets and hostilities of the dead tycoon, plus protecting and helping those she cares about - this time her own nephew Rawlins - when she really needs to be taking care of herself.
September 15, 2018
This book did not shape up to be as good as the previous books in the series. The mystery part is fine. Lots of interesting suspects. However, Nora's personal life sucks. #1 Nora is being too holier-than-thou about Michael's family considering her parents. In a way, her family is worse since they ran out on all their debts and left their daughters holding the bag when Michael's family works for a living. OK, so maybe some of their businesses aren't exactly legal but they didn't run out on their kids. #2 The get-pregnant-and-don't-know-for-sure-who-the-father-is thing has been used in 4837 crappy romance novels. It's so old it's got mold growing on it. Not telling the baby daddy only just misses being another cliche because she still didn't know who the father was.
December 13, 2011
Even if you liked the first couple of books of this series (which I did in a guilty sort of way)... this book was hard to swallow. It didn't seem to go with the other books, I found the main characters to behave in a way that was inconsistent with their previous behavior... it seemed basically ridiculous (as in more ridiculous than the rest of the books.
If this had been the first book in the series, I would not have read another book written by this author, ever.
If this had been the first book in the series, I would not have read another book written by this author, ever.
August 2, 2013
My least favorite of the series thus far. WAY too much of idiotic sister Libby, Richard turns out to be a jerk, Nora acts really stupid with a "delicate" pregnancy, Michael is in and out of Nora's life like a yoyo and there is way more insipid romance than mystery.
I've made it this far with the series so I will finish it....
I've made it this far with the series so I will finish it....
May 13, 2020
I found all of the interpersonal relationships maddening in this. Nora needs a spine, stat.
May 23, 2021
This is the 5th installment in the Blackbird Sisters Mystery series, and while you can read it as a standalone, you will be missing some information. In this book Nora lets out the secret she’s been keeping for the past couple of months. The secret that keeps her on the bathroom floor for an hour each morning, and has her sticking to a boring, bland diet.
While stopping at a friend’s house, they discover the body of the owner of Cupcakes (Think Hooters and Coyote Ugly got drunk and had a baby). With multiple people around, including a security detail from an auction house, there’s plenty of suspects, but local police zone in on another of Nora’s friends after some planted evidence and an anonymous phone call.
Now Nora has to wade through a politician with secrets, a bratty teenage diva with no discernable talent, a former Rockstar turned bake shop owner, a single teenage mom, plus the co-owner of Cupcakes who has more skeletons in her closet than a college anatomy lab to find the actual killer.
But that’s not all that poor Nora has to deal with. Her sister Libby is trying to pressure her into posing nude with her for a calendar, but she has to diet first. Her other sister Emma is moving back home. Mr. Twinkles, Emma’s horse, keeps escaping his enclosure and knocking on her back door looking for treats, her ex is a mob boss’ son, and if that wasn’t enough, her current boyfriend is using her to get a story about her ex.
This is a good story, but you could tell that the author is of an older generation. There were descriptive phrases sprinkled throughout that the younger generations wouldn’t know. I would definitely recommend reading this series in order, that way you’ll understand the overall arc of the story, the relationship between the sisters, etc.
While stopping at a friend’s house, they discover the body of the owner of Cupcakes (Think Hooters and Coyote Ugly got drunk and had a baby). With multiple people around, including a security detail from an auction house, there’s plenty of suspects, but local police zone in on another of Nora’s friends after some planted evidence and an anonymous phone call.
Now Nora has to wade through a politician with secrets, a bratty teenage diva with no discernable talent, a former Rockstar turned bake shop owner, a single teenage mom, plus the co-owner of Cupcakes who has more skeletons in her closet than a college anatomy lab to find the actual killer.
But that’s not all that poor Nora has to deal with. Her sister Libby is trying to pressure her into posing nude with her for a calendar, but she has to diet first. Her other sister Emma is moving back home. Mr. Twinkles, Emma’s horse, keeps escaping his enclosure and knocking on her back door looking for treats, her ex is a mob boss’ son, and if that wasn’t enough, her current boyfriend is using her to get a story about her ex.
This is a good story, but you could tell that the author is of an older generation. There were descriptive phrases sprinkled throughout that the younger generations wouldn’t know. I would definitely recommend reading this series in order, that way you’ll understand the overall arc of the story, the relationship between the sisters, etc.
May 16, 2017
I'm getting a little bit tired of the will they or won't they aspect of this series. I understand that the tension is needed, but Michael's lifestyle really creates tension enough and the breaking-up-to-make-up is, frankly, a little tedious at this point. The ending hints at a maybe-better start to the next book so I'll leave that there for now.
The mystery in this one was decent--lots of characters involved and twists and turns I didn't see coming. There were a lot of extraneous parts of this too, things that could have been fleshed out but weren't, mostly for the relationship drama which we didn't really need, so that was a little disappointing. Nora is still a great character, and I love where they're taking Emma; Libby I could do without but she's slightly comic relief at least, and this book needed it.
I'll continue the series with the next book but am really hoping it starts to make a definitive turn soon.
The mystery in this one was decent--lots of characters involved and twists and turns I didn't see coming. There were a lot of extraneous parts of this too, things that could have been fleshed out but weren't, mostly for the relationship drama which we didn't really need, so that was a little disappointing. Nora is still a great character, and I love where they're taking Emma; Libby I could do without but she's slightly comic relief at least, and this book needed it.
I'll continue the series with the next book but am really hoping it starts to make a definitive turn soon.
November 16, 2022
Honestly, this is the fifth book in this series and I was afraid it would start to dwindle out. Nope! Still good reading. Nora is pregnant and has to decide who gets to be the father, Michael or Richard. Emma is working for a sex club. As the hostess not a worker. And Libby, oh Libby. Libby’s yoga class is out of a place to meet so she wants to do a naked yoga calendar with the best spot for the three sisters. Oh, and there’s a murder to solve. Quite an enjoyable read with laughs enough to keep going.
March 27, 2018
In this one, I figured out who did it pretty quickly, though there were lots of twists and turns. More hard things and heartbreak in this one too.
At first, I was upset by the love triangle, but it was handled interestingly--Nora was never that serious about the other guy, but I could understand why she was interested in him. We didn't get the satisfaction of a break-up, though.
Also, some sadness for Nora, though it ended happily-ish. I'm interested to see what happens next.
At first, I was upset by the love triangle, but it was handled interestingly--Nora was never that serious about the other guy, but I could understand why she was interested in him. We didn't get the satisfaction of a break-up, though.
Also, some sadness for Nora, though it ended happily-ish. I'm interested to see what happens next.
December 18, 2022
While the mystery remained sharp I thought the tone of the book was very downbeat because of Nora's pregnancy. I found it hard to enjoy this book as much as the others in the series. What adds to the problem is that the mysteries are all one right after the other in terms of the time in the novel, so the main characters are still feeling the sting and negativity from the previous novels. I still think this is a great series, but I'm hoping the next one feels more fun.
April 23, 2023
While the mystery remained sharp I thought the tone of the book was very downbeat because of Nora's pregnancy. I found it hard to enjoy this book as much as the others in the series. What adds to the problem is that the mysteries are all one right after the other in terms of the time in the novel, so the main characters are still feeling the sting and negativity from the previous novels. I still think this is a great series, but I'm hoping the next one feels more fun.
June 1, 2023
A fun cozy mystery. Nora has a thug for a boyfriend AND a mister nice guy for a boyfriend. When she finds herself pregnant, she finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery where her nice boyfriend is writing and editing a story about her mobster boyfriend, her one sister is trying to get her to diet to be skinny for a naked calendar, and the cupcakes are poisoned.
June 13, 2017
Just as entertaining as all the previous books in this series. They just hit the right "reading spot" for me. I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of these books so far. They have it all: mystery, humor, romance, adventure (in a few of them)--what more could a reader want in a book!
February 28, 2021
I do enjoy this series and the connections and chasms between the sisters and I love the character of Michael. My only problem with the whole story line is Nora's angst at her love for Michael...it starts wearing thin, but he shines through.
June 14, 2017
Nice easy read, I enjoyed it but it didn't leave me hunting for other books by the author which is what I hope for when I find a new one.
October 29, 2017
This was good. I will have to go back to the first few books in the series and catch up but I like the characters.
December 13, 2017
Love the Blackbird Sisters. Keep them coming!
December 26, 2018
I miss the humor that Spike added to the story.
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February 7, 2020Fully admit I’m trying not to think about world events, so reading this series.
May 17, 2020
Will Nora and Michael ever get together?
October 30, 2020
A little less than I expected perhaps due to having read another Blackbird book recently.
December 27, 2021
I love this series. This book was a little heartbreaking but I enjoyed seeing the sisters together and I enjoyed the mystery
August 24, 2022
I knew who the killer was early on in this one, but I still really enjoyed the story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews