Secret Lives and Private Eyes

Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries #1

by Heather Weidner

Business has been slow for Private Investigator Delanie Fitzgerald, but her luck seems to change when a tell-all author hires her to find rock star Johnny Velvet. Could the singer—whose career purportedly ended in a fiery crash almost thirty years ago—still be alive?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 19, 2021

About the author

Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries.

Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, Deadly Southern Charm, Murder by the Glass, and First Come Love, Then Comes Murder, and she has non-fiction pieces in Promophobia and The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers’ Cookbook.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime: National, Central Virginia, Chessie, Guppies, and Grand Canyon Writers, International Thriller Writers, and James River Writers, and she blogs regularly with the Writers Who Kill.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a crazy Mini Aussie Shepherd.

Reviews

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts
Private Investigator Delanie Fitzgerald goes to great lengths to get her clients what they need. She puts herself out there even wearing several different disguises, changing her voice as needed. Her partner, Duncan Reynolds handles any needed computer research. He is quite an internet master. Duncan’s bulldog, Margaret, is the office mascot/rug, unless treats are involved. Delanie’s current cases involve a strip club owner and a rock star that supposedly died years ago. For one case she jumps in with her whole heart and the other investigation could end up costing her her life.

I loved this story. Delanie is a fabulous protagonist. She reminded me a little bit of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, but even better. A fiery redhead focused on her cases. She is smart but she puts herself in harm’s way to get the answers she needs. She was awfully lucky on several occasions. Duncan reminded me of my son. He is into video games and even has game nights. Delanie knows she must be in dire straits to interrupt one of those. Unlike my son at least that I know of, Duncan is also quite the internet hacker and can usually find things to move their cases forward. Which may be the reason he disappears when the police show up.

Our Private Eye really digs into many Secret Lives making the entire story is very fast paced. We travel around with Delanie as she follows clues to several cases at the same time. We meet several interesting characters in addition to the strip club owner and the man that may be Johnny Velvet. The mayor, a bouncer, a landscaper, Delanie’s brothers, 2 alpacas, assorted dogs and more. Woven within this suspenseful story in plenty of humor and the expected Southern charm too.

This was a story I started and just couldn’t put down. I tried the just one more chapter thing several times, but ended up reading it all in one sitting.

A strong plot with impressive characters set in Richmond, Virginia. I call this one a perfect escape!

[Doward Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do a dead rock star and strip club owner have in common? Their private investigator, Delanie Fitzgerald, owner of Falcon Investigations in Richmond, Virginia. Johnny Velvet was a rock sensation in the 80's and then he died in a car crash or did he. A famous tell-all novelist has hired Delanie and her computer geek partner, Duncan Reynolds to follow up on a lead that the singer had faked his crash and was living quietly in Virginia. Charles "Chaz" Wellington Smith lll has hired Delanie to find out about the mayor's secret life. City Hall has been blocking the permits for Chaz to open his second Gentleman's Club and he wants some leverage over the mayor to help get them. After Delanie gets video and eye witness documentation of the mayor's secret, he is murdered in front of Chaz's club. When Chaz is arrested for the crime, Delanie sets to work find the real killer. At the same time she is working to discover if the suspect that she has found, is really Johnny Velvet. Having had a school girl crush on Johnny clouds her judgement on the case when she starts seeing him socially. The characters are interesting and there are lots of twists and turns in both story lines that will keep you guessing. This debut cozy mystery looks to be an entertaining new series that you should check out!

I won this book in a contest from the author. This is my honest opinion and fair review.

[Kris Mehigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Were you a fan of the 80s hit TV show, Remington Steele? If so, you'll find Delanie Fitzgerald, the protagonist of SECRET LIVES AND PRIVATE EYES, a modern-day Laura Holt. She's 1 part private eye, 1 part street smart, and 1 part adorable little sister. She juggles investigation cases like the pro she is. That the story is set in Richmond, Virginia makes the mystery all the more intriguing.

No spoilers, but the bitter-sweet ending left enough of the story on the table to let readers hope for another Delanie Fitzgerald mystery soon. *fingers crossed*

[Betsy Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I asked for the ARC for this novel.

Heather Weidner has crafted a solid mystery, full of terrific characters, drama, laughs and intrigue. Delanie Fitzgerald is a private investigator in Richmond, VA, who takes on a pair of odd cases at the same time.

Chaz, the T&A king, runs into stumbling blocks when he tries to open a new up-scale strip club in a historic district. The neighbors don't want it; the mayor doesn't want it. Chaz hires Delanie to find out who is behind the problems he faces. When the mayor is murdered outside Chaz's current club, the logical suspect is Chaz himself.

Add a former rock star who may not have died in an auto accident and who is the subject of a new tell-all book. The author has a lead that Johnny Velvet of The Vibes may be living on a farm outside of Richmond. Delanie has to figure out if this solid man who has odd pets on his farm is really a glamorous rock star. These disparate cases overlap when a menacing man in a blue truck follows Delanie and threatens her life.

Weidner populates her novel with a strong central figure (think Stephanie Plum with Southern sass), well-drawn secondary characters and an office bulldog. Richmond and its environs lend a feeling of authenticity to the story. A real page turner and what this reader hopes is the first in a new series.

[Cheryl H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very entertaining read that kept me turning the pages.  The plot was engaging and the characters were interesting and well developed.  The story line regarding Johnny Velvet was intriguing and left me wanting to know what happens in his life after this book.

I enjoyed getting a feel for Richmond, Virginia.  I also appreciated the list in the back of the book that provided links to the people and locations that were mentioned in the book that are/were real.

[Lorie Ham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Male Revues and Subterfuge is the fourth Delanie Fitzgerald Mystery by Heather Weidner. P.I. Delanie Fitzgerald is once again working for strip club owner Chaz Wellington Smith, III. Chaz has opened a club called the Cheeky Monkey that caters to girls’ nights out and bachelorette parties with their all-male revue, but someone has been pulling pranks at the club that are costing him money. He wants Delanie to find the culprit and put an end to the pranks.

Delanie begins hanging out at the club and asking questions as the pranks continue to escalate. To make matters worse, someone’s dressing up creepy-looking dolls the size of small children and leaving them around town. One dressed up like a cowboy ended up by Chaz’s club. Delanie isn’t entirely convinced that the two things are related but investigates both to be sure. Her computer-savvy partner, Duncan Reynolds, helps her on the tech side of the investigations, together with his dog Margaret. Delanie also has to deal with overtures from the club’s manager, and while he is attractive, there is something about him that feels off.

Even though I hadn’t read the previous books in the series, I never felt lost. The characters are fun and the setting of the strip club with the all-male revue was interesting—I enjoyed getting to take a peek behind the scenes of that world. Delanie is a strong and likable character who can take care of herself, and Duncan and Margaret are a lot of fun. Many P.I. novels tend to be on the darker side and are more graphic with their violence than cozies, but this one was on the lighter, fun side which was nice—though it did keep me on the edge of my seat at times and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. I look forward to reading more of this series. If you enjoy a PI mystery on the lighter side, I recommend checking out Male Revues and Subterfuge.

[Petula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delanie Fitzgerald is a private eye. These new cases will be a nice change from cheating husbands. She has a strip club owner with quite a few problems to solve, and research for a biography of a dead rock star.
Our heroine and her business partner are very good at their jobs, even when the danger starts.
The characters are a lot of fun. A really good mystery to solve and plenty of action to keep us interested. I look forward to following our heroine on some more adventures.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I look forward to reading more of this author’s work. It was interesting to read about a story that takes place in Virginia and around the Richmond area. I enjoyed the descriptions of the area and thought the characters Duncan and Chaz were fun. Sometimes Delaney was a little too dumb for being a private eye. Maybe super hubris? She seemed to take chances that didn’t make sense some times. I also did not like her unprofessionalism in regards to the dna testing part of the case. Otherwise I thought it was a good read.

[Mindy Quigley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, quick read with a great cast of supporting characters. Delaney is a kinder, gentler version of Stephanie Plum.

Loved that this was set in and around Richmond, Va. I think it captures the vibe of place well. Chaz was a lovable/hateable rogue and Weidner did a great job making you simultaneously want to punch him and wanting to save him from himself. I will definitely keep my eye out for other books in this series.

[Darcee Kraus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did not have the depth I was looking for in a novel concerning a private investigator; however the emotions and intelligence portrayed in the story made up for it. I learned a lot from Delanie's relationship with John but was also slightly disappointed that Duncan's interest in Delanie was stressed but then dropped without any further discussion. Overall, a light read that was fun!

[Thomas Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like realistic PI stories, you'll love this book. It's really a procedural of the day-to-day activities of a PI, with enough mystery thrown in to make for compelling reading. Delanie Fitzgerald is a well-developed, believable character and her adventures and misadventures are very plausible. All in all. A very entertaining read.

[Cat Brennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Lives ... was great! Pleanty of action, twists and turns. This is the first full novel that I've read by Ms Heather, but it won't be the last. Delanie is fun, crazy, and crafty. Good stuff, Heather! It didn't really take me a month to read - Life got in the way as well as a book review on a deadline!

[G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delanie Fitzgerald is a gutsy and believable female private investigator. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially the little touches that bring the characters to life.

[K.L. Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delanie Fitzgerald is exactly the kind of private eye I would love to meet: smart, enterprising, and fun! This is the perfect read for lovers of mystery with a touch of humor.

[Tambra · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading her. Loved this story. Fresh fun new topic to read about. Cant wait to find them all to read.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries
A Delanie Fitzgerald Mystery (Book #1)

[Genilee Swope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed every minute of this book.

The mystery was very well done. Obviously well thought out. And layered enough to keep my interest , which sometimes isn't easy to do. Anyone in the Richmond area would love this book in particular because it is filled with landmarks recognizable to even me, who does not live in Richmond, but has visited frequently . I liked Delaney and I'm looking forward to reading more about her. And I hope Johnny comes back into the picture. I think he belongs there. I also loved the frequent references to animals. Heather Weidner is obviously a lover of animals.

[Mary Sheriff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first book in the Delanie Fitzgerald series is an engaging read. The mystery is full of twists and turns that had me wondering how all of it would come together. Delanie is a strong female character who was easy to root for. I enjoyed the splash of romance thrown in. I happen to live in the city where the book was set (Richmond, VA) so that added a bit fun to the read.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely great mystery - I guarantee you will love it to.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice start to a series. I like the characters and I see many places this can go. I have a lot of stuff on my tbr but I hope to continue this and start some of the author's other series.

[Joan Schulhafer]

Will leave you wanting more of Private Investigator Delanie Fitzgerald.