What do you think?
Rate this book
Britt Montero #7
You Only Die Twice
The Los Angeles Daily News has dubbed Pulitzer Prize winner Edna Buchanan "the Queen of Crime." The number one New York Times bestselling author Patricia Cornwell calls her "outrageous and unrivaled." Nearly every reader and reviewer who has gotten a good taste of her exceptional Florida noir agrees: No one captures the steamy, vibrant, and lethal intensity of Miami better than the unsurpassed Edna. And no fictional investigator has more life, depth, character, and savvy than her peerless creation, crime reporter Britt Montero.
The perfect, nude corpse of a beautiful woman washes up on a pristine Miami Beach -- her body tanned and shapely, her nails elegantly manicured. The problem is that the victim, Kaithlin Jordan, was murdered ten years ago. And her convicted killer -- her husband, R. J. Jordan, scion of a wealthy and powerful South Florida family -- sits on death row, just weeks away from his execution.
Newspaper reporter Britt Montero recalls the high-profile murder trial that heated up a volatile tropical city like the merciless August sun. Even without a body, the prosecution's case against Jordan seemed airtight and the jury enthusiastically bought into it. Now R.J. is preparing to walk -- benefiting from the murderous "largess" of whoever drowned his wife in the ocean off Miami Beach -- and Britt's boundlessly curious nature is energized once more by a slew of questions that suddenly need answers. Did Kaithlin frame her husband for murder -- or did she simply efficiently flee an abusive marriage? And why, after successfully reinventing herself, had she returned to South Florida, only to meet a very bad end in deep turquoise water?
Impulsive and explosive, with a turbulent love life and a unique, highly charged relationship with this singular metropolis erected between swamp and sea, Britt is only truly happy when she's involved in a juicy murder story. And this one has the right smell and feel...and threat. Because somewhere in the tangle of an enigmatic beauty's bizarre life and even stranger rebirth -- somewhere between the sparkling gold coast glamour and flashing neon sleaze -- are secret passions and buried solutions that could doom an overly inquisitive journalist with a tendency to leap before she looks. After all, this is Miami, where anything is possible...even dying twice.
The perfect, nude corpse of a beautiful woman washes up on a pristine Miami Beach -- her body tanned and shapely, her nails elegantly manicured. The problem is that the victim, Kaithlin Jordan, was murdered ten years ago. And her convicted killer -- her husband, R. J. Jordan, scion of a wealthy and powerful South Florida family -- sits on death row, just weeks away from his execution.
Newspaper reporter Britt Montero recalls the high-profile murder trial that heated up a volatile tropical city like the merciless August sun. Even without a body, the prosecution's case against Jordan seemed airtight and the jury enthusiastically bought into it. Now R.J. is preparing to walk -- benefiting from the murderous "largess" of whoever drowned his wife in the ocean off Miami Beach -- and Britt's boundlessly curious nature is energized once more by a slew of questions that suddenly need answers. Did Kaithlin frame her husband for murder -- or did she simply efficiently flee an abusive marriage? And why, after successfully reinventing herself, had she returned to South Florida, only to meet a very bad end in deep turquoise water?
Impulsive and explosive, with a turbulent love life and a unique, highly charged relationship with this singular metropolis erected between swamp and sea, Britt is only truly happy when she's involved in a juicy murder story. And this one has the right smell and feel...and threat. Because somewhere in the tangle of an enigmatic beauty's bizarre life and even stranger rebirth -- somewhere between the sparkling gold coast glamour and flashing neon sleaze -- are secret passions and buried solutions that could doom an overly inquisitive journalist with a tendency to leap before she looks. After all, this is Miami, where anything is possible...even dying twice.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
94 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
Edna Buchanan
55 books161 followersEdna Buchanan knew she wanted to be a writer since she was 4 years old. She moved to Florida where she got a job at a small newspaper. Ms. Buchanan became a reporter for the Miami Beach Daily Sun in the late 1960s.
In 1970, she was hired as a general assignment and police-beat reporter at the Miami Herald. In 1973, Ms. Buchanan became a police beat reporter, which coincided with the rise of Miami as a center of the international drug trade.
Winning a Pulitzer Prize, Ms. Buchanan became one of the best-known crime reporters in the U.S. She discussed some of her assignments in the books, The Corpse Had a Familiar Face (1991) and Never Let Them See You Cry (1993). She has retired from journalism and writes mystery novels. The main character in her crime mystery series is Britt Montero.
In 1970, she was hired as a general assignment and police-beat reporter at the Miami Herald. In 1973, Ms. Buchanan became a police beat reporter, which coincided with the rise of Miami as a center of the international drug trade.
Winning a Pulitzer Prize, Ms. Buchanan became one of the best-known crime reporters in the U.S. She discussed some of her assignments in the books, The Corpse Had a Familiar Face (1991) and Never Let Them See You Cry (1993). She has retired from journalism and writes mystery novels. The main character in her crime mystery series is Britt Montero.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
September 4, 2024
The protagonist of this crime series has been around since 1992. That's when I met Britt Montero, fictional crime reporter for a Miami newspaper. While investigating stories for her job, she, of course, ends up solving, or at least helping the Miami police to solve, crimes. She started out back then as an attractive Cuban-American thirty-something. I had forgotten all about her until I saw this entry in the series offered at a bargain price and decided to reconnect.
Well, she's still an attractive thirty-something. But since the first time we met, I have become an almost thirty-years-older grandmother, whose oldest grandchild reaches U.S. drinking age at the end of this month. Must be nice to be a fictional character who never ages. But I'm glad we reconnected. The mystery here was enjoyable and full of unexpected twists. The characters are interesting and suitably human and flawed. I had just finished another novel with almost perfect people. They are so boring.
Well, she's still an attractive thirty-something. But since the first time we met, I have become an almost thirty-years-older grandmother, whose oldest grandchild reaches U.S. drinking age at the end of this month. Must be nice to be a fictional character who never ages. But I'm glad we reconnected. The mystery here was enjoyable and full of unexpected twists. The characters are interesting and suitably human and flawed. I had just finished another novel with almost perfect people. They are so boring.
October 12, 2013
Britt is the heroine, who is an extremely dedicated reporter covering the police beat for her Miami newspaper. She becomes deeply involved in researching a murder that happened nearly 10 years prior. Britt is on the scene of the discovery of a young woman floating in the ocean. Her identity is confirmed as that of Kaithlin, believed to have been murdered 10 years ago by her husband, R. J. Joran a department store heir who is sitting on death row. All those that new Kaithlin seem to be hiding something. Britt’s has a tenacity to dig deep looking for the truth with astounding results.
December 12, 2019
There are indeed a number of twists and turns in this mystery by Edna Buchanan. A woman's body has been found on a beach in Miami, no identification, no clues on who she is or what happened.
But its just a quick peek at what is coming up and oh so soon, reporter Britt Montero is on the case to try finding out how the woman ended up as a corpse on the beach. And the questions come even faster when fingerprints lead to the discovery that the woman is Kaithlin Jordan, who everyone thought had died a decade earlier at the hands of her husband who now sits on death row.
Edna Buchanan has been a dedicated and strong writer as a reporter and uses all her skills and talents to create a strong series of books all centered in a town she knows very well. These are easy to read and easy to enjoy. Good reading.
But its just a quick peek at what is coming up and oh so soon, reporter Britt Montero is on the case to try finding out how the woman ended up as a corpse on the beach. And the questions come even faster when fingerprints lead to the discovery that the woman is Kaithlin Jordan, who everyone thought had died a decade earlier at the hands of her husband who now sits on death row.
Edna Buchanan has been a dedicated and strong writer as a reporter and uses all her skills and talents to create a strong series of books all centered in a town she knows very well. These are easy to read and easy to enjoy. Good reading.
October 27, 2024
"All those who are still alive have different, conflicting stories, and the dead don’t talk. The past is an unsolved mystery and the truth a moving target."
This was an ingeniously crafted mystery with a breathtaking finale that floored me. My first experience with Edna Buchanan's plucky heroine Britt Montero won't be my last. The corpse found on the Miami Beach had been recently murdered. The problem was the corpse had been murdered 10 years ago and her husband was only days away from a state execution. He had been convicted of her murder 10 years previously (without a body) and on death row since. The tale contains more twists and turns and is a lot of fun to read.
This was an ingeniously crafted mystery with a breathtaking finale that floored me. My first experience with Edna Buchanan's plucky heroine Britt Montero won't be my last. The corpse found on the Miami Beach had been recently murdered. The problem was the corpse had been murdered 10 years ago and her husband was only days away from a state execution. He had been convicted of her murder 10 years previously (without a body) and on death row since. The tale contains more twists and turns and is a lot of fun to read.
December 3, 2008
i'm not a fan of the murder/mystery stuff. but that's not the sole reason for my rating: the airplane incident was enough to make me internally groan and think, "come on!" i thought the plot was a bit too soap opera-y. if you like that stuff, you'll probably like this. just not for me.
October 7, 2023
Another good mystery on this series, although I did find it a bit slower than the previous books.
December 12, 2024
I like everything I've read by Ms. Buchanan but this might be the best of her novels that I've read so far. Great story with lots of twists and turns.
April 24, 2013
WEEK 7
WORD: DAYS
BONUS: TEA
MY LETTER: Y - You Only Die Twice
Book: You Only Die Twice by Edna Buchanan
Finished: April 20, 2013
Rating & Book Review: 3 stars - Good book - lots of twists and turns right up until the end. Not a huge fan of the main character, but that was the only drawback.
BONUS WORDS
Days - page 4 - Medical examiners don't normally attend drownings these days, except in cases of mass casualties, obvious foul play, or refugee smugglers who routinely drop their human cargo offshore - sometimes way too far offshore.
Tea - page 196 - He motioned for another Bloody Mary and ordered iced tea for me.
WORD: DAYS
BONUS: TEA
MY LETTER: Y - You Only Die Twice
Book: You Only Die Twice by Edna Buchanan
Finished: April 20, 2013
Rating & Book Review: 3 stars - Good book - lots of twists and turns right up until the end. Not a huge fan of the main character, but that was the only drawback.
BONUS WORDS
Days - page 4 - Medical examiners don't normally attend drownings these days, except in cases of mass casualties, obvious foul play, or refugee smugglers who routinely drop their human cargo offshore - sometimes way too far offshore.
Tea - page 196 - He motioned for another Bloody Mary and ordered iced tea for me.
March 15, 2024
I wanted to like this. It had potential. But what threw me off was every, single character willingly talking to a journalist! Without question. Particularly when there is an active police investigation.
But at the same time, everyone who talked to her lied - constantly. Including her own mother? Why did her mother lie?
But the thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the description of Black people. Why do authors feel the need to identify Black characters as “Black woman” “Black man” when they don’t do that for anyone else? Particularly when it does not advance the plot. To add diversity?
For example, the author was describing a woman and a boy coming out of the attorney’s office. She described her as a Black woman, not much else. Then claimed she was the boy’s grandmother. Then, the author proceeded to say the boy must have robbed a store or stolen a car. Why? What purpose did this serve other than being unnecessarily offensive.
Ugh.
But at the same time, everyone who talked to her lied - constantly. Including her own mother? Why did her mother lie?
But the thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the description of Black people. Why do authors feel the need to identify Black characters as “Black woman” “Black man” when they don’t do that for anyone else? Particularly when it does not advance the plot. To add diversity?
For example, the author was describing a woman and a boy coming out of the attorney’s office. She described her as a Black woman, not much else. Then claimed she was the boy’s grandmother. Then, the author proceeded to say the boy must have robbed a store or stolen a car. Why? What purpose did this serve other than being unnecessarily offensive.
Ugh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2015
Britt gets involved in finding out who a dead woman is who washed up on the beach. She is obsessed with finding out all about the woman. It turns out the woman was someone who supposedly had been murdered and her husband was on death row framed for her murder. She had changed her identity and was living a new life elsewhere. Many characters involved in helping her find out the truth. She breaks up with her current cop boyfriend and hooks up with someone else. She also has a woman from one of her previous stories reenter her life with a fiancé and being pregnant and wants Britt to be in the wedding. Britt has some relationship issues with her mother also.
Lots of side stories going on. Author describes Miami in vivid detail and weaves a pretty good storyline.
Lots of side stories going on. Author describes Miami in vivid detail and weaves a pretty good storyline.
November 19, 2008
I listened to this on tape while driving. It was pretty good, but the language gets a little raunchy. Britt Moreno is a crime reporter in Miami. One morning the body of a beautiful woman washes up on shore who the police can't identify. Britt takes a personal interest in the story and eventually identifies the woman. It turns out she was murdered ten years before and her supposed murderer is due to be executed within weeks. I enjoyed the mystery and didn't guess the end until the end, but at the very end it got a little overly dramatic for me. If you like murder mysteries, you would probably like this.
July 21, 2015
#7 in the Britt Montero series. Britt Montero, Miami newspaper reporter, covers the police beat.
Britt Montero is at the scene when the body of a beautiful woman is pulled from the surf. Efforts to identify her fail until finally her fingerprints are matched to a woman who disappeared 10 years earlier and whose husband is on Death Row for her murder. Britt attempts to find where the woman has been and her mother holds key information.
Britt Montero is at the scene when the body of a beautiful woman is pulled from the surf. Efforts to identify her fail until finally her fingerprints are matched to a woman who disappeared 10 years earlier and whose husband is on Death Row for her murder. Britt attempts to find where the woman has been and her mother holds key information.
November 10, 2016
I'm not a big consumer of "mystery fiction" other than the classics, however, I do indulge when I just want something light. I listened to the audiobook performed by Erin Bennett - she really brought the characters to life with excellent pace and rhythm.
The story easily held my interest with many unexpected twists and turns. In my opinion it is also better written than many run-of-the-mill mystery "best sellers". I would be inclined to read another book in the series.
The story easily held my interest with many unexpected twists and turns. In my opinion it is also better written than many run-of-the-mill mystery "best sellers". I would be inclined to read another book in the series.
October 1, 2010
Edna Buchanan's Britt Montero mysteries are a guilty pleasure. Buchanan gets the details of a newsroom and South Florida right, and her characters are dependably entertaining. The stories -- I've read three or four books in the series -- don't differentiate themselves much, however. Best served with Cuban food.
January 6, 2026
The author delivers a taut four-star mystery with twists that linger.
Reporter Britt Montero discovers Kaithlin Jordan’s remarkably preserved body washed up on a Miami beach. Police eventually identify the victim—and realize her wealthy husband, a department store heir, sits on Florida’s death row for her murder a decade earlier, with execution looming.
Britt investigates the mysterious ten-year gap in Kaithlin’s life. Her findings pull readers deep into the story. When the state releases the inmate, doubts swirl: how innocent is he, really?
A delightful subplot follows Angel Oliver, a vibrant colleague with children from different fathers. She plans to marry the newspaper’s security guard, who embraces her entire family—including the unborn baby—with pure, unconditional love. This thread offers plenty to reflect on, especially those late-night elevator encounters. Angel’s journey shines brightest if you’ve read earlier books; her growth here rewards series fans.
Buchanan brings Miami’s heat and chaos alive with her trademark crisp prose and unforgettable characters. Her cleverly twisted ending showcases her masterful skill—I never saw it coming. It solidified this as a strong four-star read. I’d have awarded five stars, but the on-again, off-again romance between Britt and her cop boyfriend feels increasingly worn. (Buchanan isn’t alone in leaning on this trope.)
Don’t let that minor fatigue deter you—this one’s too sharp to skip. It’s far from lightweight fluff yet breezes along without density. I finished it in one satisfying evening, and every minute felt worthwhile.
Reporter Britt Montero discovers Kaithlin Jordan’s remarkably preserved body washed up on a Miami beach. Police eventually identify the victim—and realize her wealthy husband, a department store heir, sits on Florida’s death row for her murder a decade earlier, with execution looming.
Britt investigates the mysterious ten-year gap in Kaithlin’s life. Her findings pull readers deep into the story. When the state releases the inmate, doubts swirl: how innocent is he, really?
A delightful subplot follows Angel Oliver, a vibrant colleague with children from different fathers. She plans to marry the newspaper’s security guard, who embraces her entire family—including the unborn baby—with pure, unconditional love. This thread offers plenty to reflect on, especially those late-night elevator encounters. Angel’s journey shines brightest if you’ve read earlier books; her growth here rewards series fans.
Buchanan brings Miami’s heat and chaos alive with her trademark crisp prose and unforgettable characters. Her cleverly twisted ending showcases her masterful skill—I never saw it coming. It solidified this as a strong four-star read. I’d have awarded five stars, but the on-again, off-again romance between Britt and her cop boyfriend feels increasingly worn. (Buchanan isn’t alone in leaning on this trope.)
Don’t let that minor fatigue deter you—this one’s too sharp to skip. It’s far from lightweight fluff yet breezes along without density. I finished it in one satisfying evening, and every minute felt worthwhile.
November 19, 2020
YOU ONLY DIE TWICE by Edna Buchanan is Book #7 of the Britt Montero series.
Edna Buchanan is an American journalist and writer best known for her crime mystery novels and short stories. She won the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for general news reporting for”her versatile and consistently excellent police beat reporting.” Her books reflect the Miami crime scene to perfection.
“When the body of a beautiful woman is found floating offshore, seaweed in her hair, veteran Miami News police-beat reporter Britt Montero gets the call in an engrossing who-was-it that soon becomes an equally intriguing whodunit. Britt senses a good story in the making, and when the body remains unclaimed and foul play is established, she is sure of it. A fingerprint check identifies the well-cared-for mermaid as Kaithlin Jordan of the prominent department store family. One problem: she's been dead for 10 years, and her husband is scheduled to be executed for her murder.” (2001 Publisher’s Weekly)
Full of twists and turns and relentless, dogged investigative work on the part of reporter Britt Montero, the book is excellent reading.
This series is crime-writing, police procedural, investigative reporting, mystery writing at its very best. ****
Edna Buchanan is an American journalist and writer best known for her crime mystery novels and short stories. She won the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for general news reporting for”her versatile and consistently excellent police beat reporting.” Her books reflect the Miami crime scene to perfection.
“When the body of a beautiful woman is found floating offshore, seaweed in her hair, veteran Miami News police-beat reporter Britt Montero gets the call in an engrossing who-was-it that soon becomes an equally intriguing whodunit. Britt senses a good story in the making, and when the body remains unclaimed and foul play is established, she is sure of it. A fingerprint check identifies the well-cared-for mermaid as Kaithlin Jordan of the prominent department store family. One problem: she's been dead for 10 years, and her husband is scheduled to be executed for her murder.” (2001 Publisher’s Weekly)
Full of twists and turns and relentless, dogged investigative work on the part of reporter Britt Montero, the book is excellent reading.
This series is crime-writing, police procedural, investigative reporting, mystery writing at its very best. ****
August 28, 2019
Fun read, enjoyable ride! The premise actually works well. Not every question is answered, which mostly felt true-to-life. (I say “mostly” because there were too many questions left unanswered for my taste. Leave a couple loose ends, okay, but don’t go nuts! Especially if you’re leaning this hard on my suspension of disbelief!)
Three stars for being fun and engaging, but leaving me hanging a little at the end. (The whodunnit is solved, mind, but there is a LOT going on here.) Also, you know the thing where you read a book in the middle of a series and the author tries to find “organic” ways to catch you up on relevant moments from earlier books? That almost never works out, and this book is no exception. Every catch-up callback lands with a thud.
Three stars for being fun and engaging, but leaving me hanging a little at the end. (The whodunnit is solved, mind, but there is a LOT going on here.) Also, you know the thing where you read a book in the middle of a series and the author tries to find “organic” ways to catch you up on relevant moments from earlier books? That almost never works out, and this book is no exception. Every catch-up callback lands with a thud.
August 18, 2019
I only recently discovered Edna Buchanan's novels. Ironically she was a reporter covering crime for one newspaper while I was a reporter for another in South Florida, but not covering crime. I've now read several of her novels, but this is far and above the best so far. The story just keeps twisting and turning and getting even more intriguing. It had me up reading half the night I got so involved. And when the crime is finally solved, it isn't anyone you would have suspected. And yet all the pieces of the puzzle fit together so nicely. WELL DONE!
December 28, 2020
R.J.Jordan, heir to the department store, is on death row, convicted of killing his wife 10 years ago, though her body was never found. Now a fresh body washes up on Miami Beach that is identified as Kaithlin Jordan, the missing corpse. Of course, Britt Montero, star reporter for "The Miami News" enmeshes herself in the mystery, pursuing every clue to its final conclusion.
I would have given this book 6 stars had I been able to do so. I can't remember when I last read a book with tears streaming down my face.
I would have given this book 6 stars had I been able to do so. I can't remember when I last read a book with tears streaming down my face.
July 2, 2024
This was an interesting plot but the writing dragged for me. The main character was constantly running off on her own acting as though it was entirely up to her to solve the mystery. At least two side stories took place neither of which furthered the plot and one of them was the sort of thing anyone else would talk about for weeks and the heroine just shrugged it off.
I enjoyed this series when it first came out but it isn’t nearly as good in my re-read.
I enjoyed this series when it first came out but it isn’t nearly as good in my re-read.
May 11, 2019
I am so sorry that Ms. Buchanan has passed away. This was a very good book. It was a page-turner.
A woman is found dead on a beach, but when police figure out who she is, they discover that she died ten years ago. Britt, the intrepid news reporter is on the story. I feel just like I was riding along for the investigation.
A woman is found dead on a beach, but when police figure out who she is, they discover that she died ten years ago. Britt, the intrepid news reporter is on the story. I feel just like I was riding along for the investigation.
February 2, 2020
This is such a fun, well-plotted book - just what I needed between two much more serious reads. I had heard that Buchanan was a good writer, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Highly recommended to those who like a good detective story - with a plane crash and childbirth in an elevator just for good measure!
June 16, 2021
Came across this during my volunteer stint at the library. Spunky female news woman in Miami solves mystery, well written by a Miami news reporter.
Flows easily, not forced. Liked the writing and the characters. Plot was interesting. Bonus-it’s a series. I’m definite going back to the beginning.
Flows easily, not forced. Liked the writing and the characters. Plot was interesting. Bonus-it’s a series. I’m definite going back to the beginning.
April 17, 2022
A really fun, good read. Not too many blunders on Britt's part. A lack of romance with her man was all but gone, and the ending was a bit overdone, but a neat premise and story that held my attention.
December 5, 2024
Good . I like the intrepid reporter. This one really is about a woman who had already been declared dead and her wealthy husband was on death row for her murder. He was a despicable fellow. My only problem is that the second husband turned out to be terrible also. WTH?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2017
The first Edna Buchann mystery I've read, and I really liked it. I'll be looking for more of them in paperback or ebooks. She had me going until the end, Love It!
July 11, 2018
A twisty mystery with a decent plot.
March 11, 2019
This was ok. Not a fan of the many idioms. I would have rated it higher if they weren’t used. Many side stories. Overall this book was ok. 2.5 stars max. Hasn’t quite earned 3 stars.
October 13, 2019
This is actually the first novel I finished reading back in High School. The girlfriend I had at the time let me borrow it, saying I would absolutely love it. And I certainly did!
January 1, 2020
I wish there were more books in this series .Love the main character
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews