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Kat Colorado #7
Honky Tonk Kat
The formidable Kat Colorado comes to the aid of a childhood friend in Karen Kijewski's latest thriller, set against the backdrop of Nashville's country music scene. In the age of tabloid TV, talk-show mania, and crazed paparazzi, it's hardly unusual to hear of a celebrity being harassed by an overzealous fan. But when superstar country entertainer Dakota Jones begins receiving threatening letters, then finds dead roses on her bed, she fears it's not the work of your run-of-the-mill kook. At Dakota's urging, Kat joins her friend's tour to investigate the case. Dakota's concerned, but Kat is genuinely scared - she's seen this kind of thing before. As the pranks escalate into full-fledged violence, from explosions to murder, the threat to Dakota's personal safety becomes dire. Kat urges her friend to cut back on her performances and stay out of the limelight to protect herself and her crew. Meanwhile, Kat digs deep into their shared past, searching for clues and a lead on possible suspects. There seems to be no shortage of potential stalkers, and even Dakota's extended family is not above Kat's scrutiny, especially when long-lost relations turn up like so much loose change. There's a mysterious cousin with designs on a music career of her own; a boyfriend whose interests are not entirely altruistic; and Dakota's ex-husband, a bitter alcoholic whose own career faded as her star began to rise. It appears everyone has a claim to Dakota the celebrity - and it's up to Kat to protect Dakota the woman, her friend.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
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About the author
Karen Kijewski
28 books83 followersKaren J. Kijewski was born in Berkeley, California. Her father taught at the University of California, and she later attended the school, earning a BA and a Masters degree. Karen is a past president of the northern California chapter of the Mystery Writers of America. She has two daughters, and is currently living in Sacramento, California with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 24, 2023
4.5 stars
October 22, 2021
PI Kat Colorado helps her childhood friend, Dakota Jones, a country music star who is receiving threatening letters. The harassment escalates into violence so Dakota has to cancel concerts as while Kat investigates.
Kat questions Dakota about suspicious people in her past who might be holding a grudge, and also brings out their challenging childhoods. Both Kat and Dakota had absent parents, and were brought up by loving grandmothers. Even though Dakota is now a superstar, there is a part of her that still feels like an unwanted little girl.
There were several possible perpetrators of the crimes, and the book kept me guessing. I enjoyed the Nashville country music atmosphere for a change of pace in my reading. Kat's cynical humor regarding some of the lowlifes she encountered kept me laughing. Since the book was written in 1996, it was a little jarring when Kat kept stopping at pay phones, but otherwise the book could have been written in modern times.
Kat questions Dakota about suspicious people in her past who might be holding a grudge, and also brings out their challenging childhoods. Both Kat and Dakota had absent parents, and were brought up by loving grandmothers. Even though Dakota is now a superstar, there is a part of her that still feels like an unwanted little girl.
There were several possible perpetrators of the crimes, and the book kept me guessing. I enjoyed the Nashville country music atmosphere for a change of pace in my reading. Kat's cynical humor regarding some of the lowlifes she encountered kept me laughing. Since the book was written in 1996, it was a little jarring when Kat kept stopping at pay phones, but otherwise the book could have been written in modern times.
July 15, 2014
Kat Colorado needs everything she knows about sleuthing in this case. If she gets it wrong, one of her oldest and closest friends will be dead.
Dakota Jones has finally made it. She's in Nashville. She's become a huge country-music star. But she also has a huge problem - a stalker has become more than a nuisance, going beyond death threats to acts of violence. Dakota turns to a friend who has always been there for her: through a terrible childhood, at her side the first time she ever sang professionally, and now Dakota needs her more than ever at the blossoming of her singing career. She calls her most reliable and loved friend - Kat Colorado, Sacramento private detective.
This mystery is a zigzagging maze full of menace at every turn. There are many suspects - from an ex-husband to a current, but philandering boyfriend, from a needy cousin to a father who had abandoned her when she was two years old but has now turned up with his hand out, and not to mention it could be any fan or hired stage hand, along with her professional staff of managers and accountants. Jones came from a dysfunctional family that had few relatives with any clue about love, so her judgement about people can be off. The only good thing about such relatives is she has a wealth of material from which to write songs.
But she has Kat, too. And Kat has NEVER let her down. So far...
Dakota Jones has finally made it. She's in Nashville. She's become a huge country-music star. But she also has a huge problem - a stalker has become more than a nuisance, going beyond death threats to acts of violence. Dakota turns to a friend who has always been there for her: through a terrible childhood, at her side the first time she ever sang professionally, and now Dakota needs her more than ever at the blossoming of her singing career. She calls her most reliable and loved friend - Kat Colorado, Sacramento private detective.
This mystery is a zigzagging maze full of menace at every turn. There are many suspects - from an ex-husband to a current, but philandering boyfriend, from a needy cousin to a father who had abandoned her when she was two years old but has now turned up with his hand out, and not to mention it could be any fan or hired stage hand, along with her professional staff of managers and accountants. Jones came from a dysfunctional family that had few relatives with any clue about love, so her judgement about people can be off. The only good thing about such relatives is she has a wealth of material from which to write songs.
But she has Kat, too. And Kat has NEVER let her down. So far...
May 21, 2020
A friend from Kat’s childhood and early twenties surfaces in her life, now a famous country-music star named Dakota Jones. Threats have been made against Dakota’s life and she needs Kat to sort it out—so Kat joins the tour. There were a plethora of suspects here, and I was not really sure at the end how Kat figured out who, among the suspects, was the attempting murderer. But fun.
[2020]. I think it is time to revisit the 1990s via this series.
[2020]. I think it is time to revisit the 1990s via this series.
July 31, 2018
The author delivers what is promised - a good mystery, snappily written, wrapped in comfortable chic lit boundaries.
Terrific to pack on a summer vacation. Especially when you're heading to Nashville.
Terrific to pack on a summer vacation. Especially when you're heading to Nashville.
August 29, 2024
I struggled through this book. Granted it's the first Kat Colorado book but it will be my last.
Irritating stereotypical characters. Too much back story (many pages skipped). Too many obvious decoys then a sudden and unsatisfactory ending.
Irritating stereotypical characters. Too much back story (many pages skipped). Too many obvious decoys then a sudden and unsatisfactory ending.
August 8, 2018
This book had a lot of characters to follow so pay attention if you are reading another book at the same time! Karen writes a good story.
October 29, 2018
I love Kat Colorado! The books are page turners and keep me hooked until the end. The characters are believable.
January 30, 2019
Best one so far.
May 29, 2019
Fun reading with very amusing dialogue & a colorful plot.
July 19, 2020
Picked this up on a whim at a LFL, enjoyed it more than I thought I might.
January 8, 2025
Kat hooks up with country star Dakota, a friend from her youth. Country music and Nashville abound
August 31, 2015
#7 in the Kat Colorado series.
Kat Colorado series - Murder mixes with those country-music familiars, booze and cheating, when the grown-up problems of a childhood chum draw PI Kat Colorado (last seen in Alley Kat Blues) into the rhinestone world of the C&W tour scene. Despite her years with a thieving, wandering ex-husband, country singing star Dakota Jones remains the warm person Kat remembers. Dakota even agrees to help aspiring singer Hope Delaney, a previously unknown relative who, Kat suspects, is not the simple, down-home girl she seems. So why is Dakota receiving threatening notes and bunches of dead roses? And why was her Memphis audience stampeded by a flash grenade? Enhanced security and Kat's reassuring presence enable Dakota to keep performing until a singer who resembles her is murdered, the body left with a note saying, ``Now we're even, Dakota.'' As the intimidation continues and Kat drags information out of Dakota's minimally helpful friends and associates, the singer gets an offer that's about as welcome as the threats: Clyde T. Jones, Dakota's no-account father who walked out on her as a child, wants to help his daughter in her time of need.
Kat Colorado series - Murder mixes with those country-music familiars, booze and cheating, when the grown-up problems of a childhood chum draw PI Kat Colorado (last seen in Alley Kat Blues) into the rhinestone world of the C&W tour scene. Despite her years with a thieving, wandering ex-husband, country singing star Dakota Jones remains the warm person Kat remembers. Dakota even agrees to help aspiring singer Hope Delaney, a previously unknown relative who, Kat suspects, is not the simple, down-home girl she seems. So why is Dakota receiving threatening notes and bunches of dead roses? And why was her Memphis audience stampeded by a flash grenade? Enhanced security and Kat's reassuring presence enable Dakota to keep performing until a singer who resembles her is murdered, the body left with a note saying, ``Now we're even, Dakota.'' As the intimidation continues and Kat drags information out of Dakota's minimally helpful friends and associates, the singer gets an offer that's about as welcome as the threats: Clyde T. Jones, Dakota's no-account father who walked out on her as a child, wants to help his daughter in her time of need.
September 26, 2008
HONKY TONK KAT - G
Kijewski, Karen - 8th in Kat Colorado series
Private eye Kat Colorado hits the road with childhood friend turned country superstar Dakota Jones. Kat recalls that Dakota always did have rotten taste in men, but would any of them be bad enough to bomb the theater where Dakota is playing in Memphis, drop a stage light on her in Atlanta and shoot a singer who looks just like her in Nashville? As the two renew their friendship on the road and endure the scary adoration of desperate fans, Kat slogs through a trail of no-account men and boozy dives, hoping to find the perpetrator before Dakota sings her last song.
It was good, but not as good as previous books in the series.
Kijewski, Karen - 8th in Kat Colorado series
Private eye Kat Colorado hits the road with childhood friend turned country superstar Dakota Jones. Kat recalls that Dakota always did have rotten taste in men, but would any of them be bad enough to bomb the theater where Dakota is playing in Memphis, drop a stage light on her in Atlanta and shoot a singer who looks just like her in Nashville? As the two renew their friendship on the road and endure the scary adoration of desperate fans, Kat slogs through a trail of no-account men and boozy dives, hoping to find the perpetrator before Dakota sings her last song.
It was good, but not as good as previous books in the series.
September 30, 2025
Private Eye Kat Colorado meets her childhood friend, country superstar Dakota Jones, on her hit tour. Dakota has been receiving threatening messages, and some dangerous events have occurred at several concert venues. Kat uses her knowledge of growing up with Dakota and their friendship through the years to narrow down the suspect list.
I will preface this review by saying that I jumped into this mid-series. This book just didn't do it for me. It was a very quick read but lacked an exciting and enticing mystery plot line. It felt a bit wordy and lacked enough exciting moments to engage me. Not my cup of tea, and I will not be reading any others in the series.
I will preface this review by saying that I jumped into this mid-series. This book just didn't do it for me. It was a very quick read but lacked an exciting and enticing mystery plot line. It felt a bit wordy and lacked enough exciting moments to engage me. Not my cup of tea, and I will not be reading any others in the series.
November 26, 2011
I live in Sacramento California. I simply loved this series. "Kat" is a spitfire PI and the series is enjoyable and it is fun to recognize landmarks. Read the entire series because the author has disappeared from the market. She did this series and suddenly stopped.
August 8, 2012
Snappy style, like Evanovich. The development of her characters was great. The plot revolves around Kat's childhood friend, a country western superstar named Dakota who is getting unnerving letters, which esclates to murder. Had me guessing till the end.
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April 6, 2014The principle character in this series is Kat Colorado, a private detective in Sacramento, California.
Kat Colorado is a wise-cracking, thirty-something California bartender-turned-P.I., a curious cat with nine lives.
Kat Colorado is a wise-cracking, thirty-something California bartender-turned-P.I., a curious cat with nine lives.
August 7, 2008
If anyone knows what happened to this author, please write to me.
January 19, 2019
One of the better female sleuth mysteries.
August 24, 2009
Very Good; Continuing character: Kat Colorado; Kat acts as bodyguard to her country music star friend who is receiving death threats.
March 31, 2011
interesting issues about abandonment & family
October 17, 2019
Tedious.
December 21, 2013
Country/western girl-PI book - more for the "20-something" in all of us.
April 9, 2015
OK.
Country western singer friend.
Country western singer friend.
August 8, 2015
I started reading this series as a joke but i actually enjoyed it
February 20, 2021
Karen Kijewski is a very talented writer, but this mystery was bloated with "chick lit" features than I don't like in a story.
March 17, 2016
Karen Kijewski is a fun read. Her character is Kat Colorado, a bartender turned P.I., who loves to solve the mysteries she gets involved with throughout her life.
March 13, 2013
My most un-favorite of them all.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews