Group, Photo, Grave

Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-n-Craft Mystery #8

by Joanna Campbell Slan

Pregnant scrapbook store almost-owner Kiki Loewenstein does her best for demanding mother-in-law Sheila to have special wedding to police chief Robert, while fiance Chad picks up never-known son Erik 5. But an uninvited plastic surgeon, who ruined noses of her and fellow "Jimmy Girls" (after Jimmy Durante), is killed. Includes recipes and craft tips.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Ebooks

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 5, 2013

About the author

National bestselling and award-winning author Joanna Campbell Slan was born in Jacksonville, Florida, but she grew up in a small town in Indiana. After graduating from Ball State University with a degree in journalism, she worked as a newspaper reporter, a newspaper ad salesperson, a television talk show host, a college teacher, a public relations professional, and a motivational speaker. In that capacity, she was named by Sharing Ideas Magazine as “one of the top 25 speakers in the world.”

Slan's work has appeared in five of the New York Times Bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and one of those became a television show. She is the author of nearly 80 books, nonfiction and fiction, including Death of a Schoolgirl, which won the 2013 Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence.

Joanna's personal essays have appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and one was made into a television program on the Pax Network. The college textbook Joanna wrote—Using Stories and Humor: Grab Your Audience—has been praised as an invaluable resource by Benjamin Netanyahu’s speechwriter and endorsed by Toastmasters, International.

RT Book Reviews has called Joanna “one of mystery’s rising stars.” Her first novel—Paper, Scissors, Death—was an Agatha Award finalist. It features Kiki Lowenstein, a spunky single mom who lives in St. Louis. The sixth book in that series will be released Summer 2013.

Kirkus Reviews has said, “Slan’s mysteries are most valuable for the well-developed characters and the issues they raise.” RT Book Reviews has said, “Kiki is so darn entertaining that she’ll keep readers hooked.” A series of short stories featuring Kiki are available on Kindle.

Joanna’s newest series—The Jane Eyre Chronicles—began with Death of a Schoolgirl (Berkley) and continues with the release of Death of a Dowager. The series features Charlotte Brontë’s classic heroine Jane Eyre as an amateur sleuth.

As “Lila Dare,” Joanna has penned the fourth book in the Southern Beauty Shop series—Wave Good-bye.

Joanna is married to David Slan. The Slans live on Jupiter Island, Florida.

Website: www.JoannaSlan.com

Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/JoannaCampbel...

Twitter: @JoannaSlan

Reviews

[LLona Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a while to get past the inventory of guests at the wedding and what they were wearing (which might be greatly appreciated by someone else). Glad I stayed to enjoy the mystery and find out why the character Kiki Lowenstein has so many fans. I may even try some of the recipes at the end of the book.

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebbene il morto arrivi subito, nelle primissime pagine, le indagini sono praticamente inesistenti e la soluzione arriva all' improvviso, quasi per caso. In realtà il libro parla di tutto quello che sta succedendo nella vita privata della protagonista e devo dire che mi è piaciuto, anche se, appunto, di mistero c'è poco o nulla. Oddio, alla fine pare chiaro che qualche mistero c'è anche nella vita privata di Kiki e la sua famiglia... Però bisogna aspettare almeno il libro successivo per la loro soluzione, sigh...

[Kathy Zuercher Diveley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kiki

Sheila and Robbie get married, and a body is found in one of the tents. They aren't allowed to leave for their honeymoon cruise. Detweilers first wife is killed in a car accident, and he finds out he is a father of a five year old boy. Robbies' assistant takes over investigation, and tries to oust Robbie.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a lot of fun. As usual, the height of the drama centering around the murder comes at the end and is quickly concluded. I really like that Kiki has grown a backbone and is able to stand up for herself. She isn't as timid anymore. I really like how Burnice Stottlemeyer gets what's coming to her too. Hopefully Kiki will get a good payout from that. I really hope I find out what happens to Thornton too. He sure is a weasel.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I've been up past my eyeballs in alligators."
"There’s no trauma in life so awful that it can’t be erased by large doses of sugar and fat. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it."
"Patience has never been one of my personal virtues. In fact, I think it’s highly overrated. You wait too long and your ice cream will melt."

Losses to cancer sadden warm caring circle pregnant almost-wed Kiki has drawn, overwhelm corpse under punch bowl in flower-scented chuppa wedding arch. Of course #1 is better place to start series, but gift proved free Kindle for PC program and books from Amazon, in blog http://aneyespy.blogspot.ca/2011/12/f..., like Kobo program and books http://www.kobobooks.com/free_ebooks . Probably 5* in series, rating 3* but Fan here because improvement expected.

Anger toward both bride mother-in-law Sheila and mother "gravel that chips your windshield" ch 21 "never accompanied me to any of my appointments" ch 29 is stifling, monotonous. Is there jealousy because wonderful motherly good Dodie suffers fatal pain, while mean selfish poisonous bad thrive? Having both accused of murder is revenge, retribution?

Plastic surgeon killed by photographer Vincent, whose Miriam killed herself after her nose collapsed. (Even now, I was told they have to wait for collapse, cannot prevent.) "Jimmy Girls", including Sheila, all had Jimmy Durante sized schnozzes surgically snipped. Kiki guesses from same surname (what if marriage, divorce had intervened and changed names?), confronts, gets confession.

Mood is somber from painful disease (always to hearts if not to bodies), not murder, mostly friend Dodie, mentor who owned Time in a Bottle scrapbooking store. Misery like real life. Even kindness of welcoming scrapbook and questions for unknown son Erik 5 brought (unintended?) tears.

Point-of-view shifts to Chad for shock twist ch 28. Erik's aunt is smarter than nasty lawyer guesses. Hoo-rah. Erik is the son of his ex-wife's secret affair with murdered boss, whose enemies might have followed. Should contrast with touring St Louis church, fake stained glass windows, unsure why no awe ch 29. More anger glazes, children estranged from Sheila's husband Robbie ch 30.

Comic points bolster opinion to try another by author. Duct tape effectively wraps up problem. Vandalizing screeching Bernice Stottlemeyer, unsuitable prospective adoptive mother, is tied up and shut up. . Heavy on supernatural - toy turtle moves by itself. Lavender water and smudge smoke to chase "negative vibes" seems serious (not?) then black candle versus Cottlemeyer "cootie-bugs" ridiculous.

Peppered with amusing phrases "pull up my big girl panties" ch 53. "Resistance is futile" Star Trek New Gen enemy Borg actually long-time sci-fi familiar, from long-ago old Aztec Dr Who ch 58.

Prefacing cast page aids reference, but listing names to novice at the start globs thick mud onto marching feet of plot, bores. Another reason to begin at the beginning of a series. Scrapbook terms usually self-explanatory, but "crops" does have different meaning to farm-familiar.

Questions:
Some caused by unfamiliarity with cast, many new names. Moral again: Start at the start.
ch 6 If her fiancé is so "very protective" ch 5 now, and Kiki always vomits from canned cat food ch 7, why doesn't he feed them? or use dry food?
ch 17 If his name is Chad, why call him Detweiler?
ch 21 Lavender air spray to eliminate "nasty vibes"? Seriously? How about Chanel?
She complains constantly about mom "gravel that chips your windshield .. never know how it felt to lose someone who had your back, someone who had loved you your whole life. Worse luck, I couldn’t even really imagine" What about "Aunt" Penny, her mom's longtime friend? “You can’t choose your family, but you can pick your friends." What happened to her dad? Not a word about father?
ch 22 She won't drink fake sweetener cold, but grabbed before for coffees, and uses "Truvia". Cyanide is natural but not drinkable.
ch 23 Aunt Penny 60+?, Anya 12 and Rebekah 16+ have to buy old clothes to do construction work in? Really?
ch 24 A whole page on St Louis Bread Co. pronounced coe? If an "in" St Louis joke, tedious for outsiders.
How does mother Sheila paying for Anya's private school give her business smarts?
Names on hardhats has to wait for fancy letter stickers? What's wrong with magic markers?
She has to get up at 6:30 for 8am start to do "feed the animals and do a few loads of laundry"? Kid is old enough for chores. Laundry can wait for weekend. Why so much before diapers?
ch 25 Why doesn't ultrasound tech rub gel in hands to warm?
Don't techs ask if you want to know fetus gender before blurting "Tucson"? (Cute pun.)
ch 29 Let her go, give her up, pretend she's dead already "my own mother had never accompanied me to any of my appointments".
Anya's smart to consider Chad's insurance money would pay for birth costs if they were married, but why would she care in the first place? Maybe the new kid would rather grow up with the same surname as his parents?
ch 44 Why choose Erik a stuffed turtle in honor of a park and Dodi he's never met?
ch 51 Newlywed Gina cleans a bit, doesn't cook, and refuses to get a job while Chad has school and part-time work?
~ ch 52 Why no copyright on KFC when twice before symbol?
ch 58 Hadcho is Stan - why surnames for guys, prenoms for gals?
Anya is 12, Rebekah 16+ drives car, but Kim treats them as peers "women"
ch 70 Never heard of The Help, better omit.
Why big deal before about Chad not taking photos of Erik, when here Disneyland on phone camera?
ch 75 Why does she suddenly suspect Vincent because his surname matches dead Miriam? Why should he suddenly pull knife?
ch 78 More than "rude" when Anya pours iced tea on Vincent, because she contributes to altercation, police (Canadian) would charge her with assault.
ch 83 Why can't her mom cab it from the Senior Centre?
ch 84 Why not ch 85 instead of epilogue? Similarly, no need for prologue, euthanizing pet leads smoothly into move (vs moving) farewells. Ever heard expression "Start as you mean to go on"? Death, death, and more death scares.

Typos:
ch 2 "thirteen year old daughter Anya" is "thirteen this month" ch 27 "later this month" ch 30
ch 3 "hungry hoards" is hordes
ch 4 "as an author .. as it was his touchstone" is awkward with double "as"es in one sentence
ch 5 "Heinken bottle green" is "Heinekin bottle-green" as in beer
ch 16 "been coming back to work" is be ..
ch 28 "blare of the sunlight" is glare ..
ch 30 "breech of good grammar" is breach ..
ch 40 In "I couldn't wait to plan with the silver [duct] tape and these shots", is "play" plan?
ch 44 "understanding Sheila's sensitive" maybe add "... side"
ch 47 "young women" misleads; Anya is only 12!
ch 54 "looky-lous" is looky-loos
ch 68 "remission" is "flare" because MS worse, not better?
ch 72 "he'd even shown me" better "he even showed me"
ch 74 "have to have need rides" is "needed rides"
ch 78 "adorable" is irrelevant
ch 81 "C" in Chapter should be bold, not regular

[Merril Anil · Rating 3 out of 5]

While picking out this book, I wasn’t aware that it was part of a series. It was after reading that I realized that this was following a sequence of events that had happened in the previous books. There were mentions and breadcrumbs from prequels in this book. But fortunately, it didnt hamper the experience of this book because this book has a fresh new mystery and case to solve. The only thing is that you might miss out on the dynamics of the characters and their history and stuff. What you need to know about the case in this book is all there. But yeah definitely going through the previous books would be an added bonus.

The book is a cosy mystery so naturally it is quick in and quick out but what happens with the book is that the whole case is an afterthought because what most of the book deals with is the central character’s scrapbooking passion. The character goes to lengths to make us aware that she really loves her scrapbooking. Throughout the previous books, the character was able to develop this passion into somewhat profitable and the book would make sure that you remember that at every point.

The rest of the book is all about her new family. Her kids, husband and basically everything around family and the book fills itself with family portion so much that it makes you wonder what happened to the case and the whole murder that was the core of the book. In between other stuff, you get a vague update or progress in the case and then in the end everything conveniently falls into place and the mystery is solved. All I felt was that the case should have gotten a bit more attention.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would say that the book is a cosy mystery so yes, it definitely doesn’t have much layer to the murder mystery. There are times when some serious incidents would be said and handled like a joke and that was weird for me. It is a simple and candyfloss mystery. What I wished though was that the book could have gone into a bit more of the mystery as right now, the book is all about the central character and her scrapbooking passion and the family and murder mystery portion just comes and goes as convenience. For me, it was an ok book leaving a lot for craving.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wedding does not turn out the way Kiki's mother in law, Sheila, intended it to. Despite a rough scene in the middle of the day, the reception finishes and she expects to leave on her dream cruise for her honeymoon with Robbie. Instead, they find themselves caught up in a politically motivated investigation that drags Sheila into the middle of the drama. This book develops Sheila and her history into the story more as we learn more about her HS days. She and her bridesmaids all went to CALA the same school Kiki's daughter, Anya, now attends. It seems that HS drama was not left in the past and someone seems to want to frame Kiki's family for the murder of a Plastic Surgeon. Kiki and Dettweiler attempt to help solve the murder while being forbidden to get involved publicly. As always Kiki gets drawn in and helps uncover the murderer. Another great installment in the series

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kiki's mother in law Shiela is getting married to Police Chief Robbie Kiki has been run off her feet making everything perfect. At the wedding a doctor is killed. When the evidence points to Sheila and Robbie is kicked off the case and Chad Kiki's fiancee is away picking up his son Kiki sets out to solve the murder.
A great story. I love the relationships and the development of the characters. The story line was well developed. My only problem was that it kept flickering between Kiki and the murder to Chad in California with his son and that story line. It was a little confusing.

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the last one in terms of editing but the story wasn't nearly as intriguing. There were a few linear timeline issues, but I could overlook them for the most part. I loved the part of the story about Erik (which is what bumped this to 3 stars) but there was some really sporadic things going on and some of it didn't fit well. I'm hoping to see a better explanation of some of these things in the next book and not just have it brushed under the rug.... I have my doubts though... we'll see...

[Louise Pledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reason I decided on 5 stars, rather than 4, is that it isn't the author's fault that I hadn't read the previous eight books in the series. I was so confused for the first half of the book. For instance, I thought Kiki's husband must be named Detweiler Lowenstein. And her mother-in-law wasn't her husband's mother. Just a couple of the puzzlements. Once I sort of got an idea of the background, though, it was an enjoyable read.

[Slugpuppy3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story! I actually think this may be my favorite of the series so far. While it is, of course, a murder mystery, this book is primarily about the characters and their interactions. An insanely jealous and incompetent Deputy Police Chief is thrown in for good measure. Kiki is still maturing; Anya and Detweiler are still her greatest loves; and life continues to explode in everyone’s face. Don’t miss this one!

[Janet L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great entry in the Kiki Lowenstein series of books. Sheila and Robbie get married but of course there is a murder at their wedding which puts a damper on their honeymoon plans. Of course Kiki helps to find the murderer and Sheila and Robbie leave for their honeymoon. Also Detweiler brings home his first ex-wife’s child to join their family so I’m sure there’ll be little to more excitement coming up. Looking forward to seeing what happens next.

[Joan W. Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder

Somehow Kiki steps into it almost as magic. Having the police chief marry the mother of he dead husband and fixing to marry the man of her dreams(A cop) seems to help. She is really good at puzzles so she usually sees what is going on. Gets her on all kinds of trouble. Read!!

[Patricia Moran · Rating 2 out of 5]

Author didn’t finish the book.

The book isn’t actually finished. We know the murderer but what about all of the turmoil in the police department? Kiki has known about the $ for two books and done nothing. What happened to Leon Coleman the original caterer for Robbie and Shelia’s wedding? Suddenly there is another new character. What about Mert and Johnny?

[Liz Etnyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

What the heck is 'Terra Mizzou concrete'??! - and why does it have pistachio nuts on top??! Oh well, at least there were few other typos.... Another fun addition to a fun series - that still needs a good proofreader or two.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ex mother in law is getting married, then a month cruise. She keep adding to the guest list, and they still had a crasher, Who is he, and now murdered. Up to Kiki to solve so they could get on the cruise. As for Chad bringing home a son and a surprise with a nanny. Never dull with Kiki.

[Pshorten]

OK, I've read 8 of these books. I like the characters and the story lines are strong enough (just ok, not great). These books need a good editor; I find typos or story line inconsistencies in every book.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

Wonderfully written plots. There is a lot going on in the book, but it is easy to keep track of it all. I'm glad I started reading the series. Seeing all of the characters growing is wonderful.

[Shelley Gingrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Kiki Lowenstein books so far. I had a hard time putting it down. There were interesting developments with several familiar characters and the introduction of new people. I've already purchased the next book in the series.

[Celest · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Mystery

I really enjoy the Kiki Lowenstein Mysteries. Fast moving stories, interesting characters, and murder. The ending was really awesome, I had no idea who the murderer was. Can't wait to read the next book in the series, #9.

[Darlene Emanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still am enjoying these books and I love Kiki and scrapbooking!!

[Sarah A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent mystery from JCS. This, the 8th in the Kiki series, explores the darker side of Sheila as she is so obviously innocent yet full of hidden secrets. Love Erik!

[Diane Spurlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book

Love this book and its characters. They seem so real always getting involved with great mysteries. It is so entertaining can’t wait for the next book.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

[Patricia Grigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read, thank you Joanna.

[Denise Crissup]

I really enjoy the Kiki Mysteries.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read! Thanks for the wonderful escape while reading about Kiki and her wonderful family, friends and scrapbook customers.

[Sandee Szabo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the entire series. Lost a lot of sleep as I couldn't put it down.

[Teresa Marzec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

This one was a very good story, it changed quite often but it was always interesting! And the ending.... On to bok 9!

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who killed Dr. Hyman and why??? Who would have ever thought that a nail gun would have so many uses??? I enjoyed the story and recommend the book.