Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die

Blackbird Sisters Mystery #4

by Nancy Martin

You could say my sisters and I are hot-blooded bluebloods with a flair for fashion—and for solving crimes. But things have NOT been going well for us Emma has busted out of a very exclusive clinic. Libby’s hormones are in overdrive from selling paraphernalia for Potions and Passions, a company that promises its customers full satisfaction. And I’m still dating mobster’s son Mick Abruzzo, which keeps me in a permanent tizzy. At least, nobody in my vicinity has been knocked off lately. Oops—looks like I spoke too soon… A TEMPEST IN A C-CUP Nora’s next journalistic the unveiling of the most miraculous bra in fashion history. But before Nora can hand in her uplifting story, her boss is found shot execution-style and trussed up in expensive panty hose—an Abruzzo family trademark. Now Nora must find the killer before her innocent lover takes the rap. That means shadowing the most glamorous suspects in Philadelphia—including a bad-boy designer, a former child star, a high-strung ad exec, and a pair of luscious twin models. Though Nora’s accustomed to upper-crust murder, cross your fingers for the Blackbird sisters, because this time, high society has never seemed so low-down dirty.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Romance, Fiction, Cozy, Chick Lit, Humor

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Winner 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.

Reviews

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be careful what you wish for - you just might get it. Nora gets her wish this time around and comes to realize she really didn't mean it. I love this series! With book number four, it is really hitting its stride and delivering on every level. The cozy romance is great, but Nora and Nick still have major problems to work out. The mystery was a real head scratcher, and the characters deliver on the humor front.

It isn't like Nora Blackbird doesn't have enough problems with a massive tax debt, a falling down wreck of a house and a job that barely covers the bills, Nora's sisters aren't helping her on the emotional support front. Libby is starting a new business as a sales rep for a company specializing in sex toys and such and she wants Nora to have a party, kinda like Tupperware. Emma has left rehab and is hooked up with a fading country star and pushing a wonder bra for a very sleazy character. Bad Boy, Nick Abruzzo, has all but moved in and they are serious about making a baby. Of course, Nora can't marry him, the Blackbird curse and all that, but that isn't stopping the old bio clock. Nora's boss is constantly nagging her, and her latest assignment puts her in the same space as two of her least favorite people from her youth.

About that "careful what you wish for" . . . Nora's boss is found dead in her backyard and Nick is a prime suspect. Nora has to find the real killer fast or her main squeeze won't be around much longer. Lucky for Nora there is no shortage of suspects including an entitled preppy, a nasty would-be designer, an ad executive and twin overly endowed models. On top of all that and more Nora's "little" New Year's Eve party guest list is exploding, and she has definitely lost control.

[Lollyletsgo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure how I feel about the ending, but that little cliffhanger might give one a reason to see what happens next.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of my favorites of the series, but I will continue on with this series. I do enjoy the escapades of The Blackbird Sisters. This book was just not as funny as the previous books.

[Hannah Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

So action packed!! Loved this book and how Nora ends up involved in another investigation to save Michael!

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die (Blackbird Sisters Mystery, Book 4)
Nancy Martin

This is the story of three sisters, Nora, Libby & Emma. They come from a distinguished Pennsylvania family. Their parents take off with their inheritance and leave the women to take care of themselves. Libby seems do be doing fine with her new potions business, Emma is out of rehab and holding her own , and Nora has a new job as a journalist. Things heat up a bit when Nora finds her boss dead on her doorstep.She finds herself in the middle of this investigation.

Light mystery, a bit slower than I prefer. I was not too fond of the characters, they lacked "personality" they just were not that "likable". The story line was OK, but I did not feel a connection with Nora or her sisters. I really did not care what the outcome was. I just went with the read, because RARELY do I not finish a book...

I may check out the other books in the Blackbird Sisters series. I did enjoy "Slay Bells" Drop-Dead Blonde, So when I saw this one I thought I would like it, but was a bit disappointed. This just was not the book for me, others may enjoy it.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Journalist Nora Blackbird is sent to cover the unveiling of the new Brinker Bra, an undergarment that is sure to change the fashion industry. But the morning after the big party, Nora finds her boss, Kitty Keough, dead on her porch. Nora's boyfriend with mob connections, Michael Abruzzo, is the chief suspect in the murder. Nora knows Mick is innocent and decides to investigate on her own to help clear Michael's name.

This is the fourth book in the Blackbird Sisters Mystery series and the best one yet. Nora, with the help of her little dog, Spike, decides she must trace Kitty's last steps in order to find the murderer. She also receives assistance from her older sister, Libby, who is currently selling adult sex toys to make extra money. Her other sister, Emma, has left rehab to become the current model for the Brinker Bra. I loved the humor in this book and thought the mystery was top-notch. My rating: 4.5 Stars.

[Lizz · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are fun books, but I wish that Nora and Mick would get their act together!!!

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Swati · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mindless read. Libby annoyed me to the core. I don’t think any characters ever annoyed me as much as her. Every lines she spoke was about her sex toys business. There wasn’t much of a mystery and at no time they spoke to detective or police for help.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just ok. I think I was sick of the series by the time I got to this one.

[Kristen Post · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but not as good as the first few, especially since it didn't include as many wonderful dresses.

[CasPerfitz~SLiTsReaD · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I'm hooked in this series and not because it's great really in a believable sense but cause I'm entertained. It's one of those where the mystery part, how its solve, on how she came up with it, is not quite believable, yet in the end I don't care as long as it's solved and I'm more interested by the drama that's going around.

The cops or detective(s) here, are close to nonexistent since they do nothing but pick the wrong person cause it's convenient, or with the previous books, the detective used and blacmailed the lead character, Nora, to do his job of solving the crime. So, just a heads up if you prefer a more serious and tight mystery suspense, this is not it. And this is on single POV and so Nora, kind of tell the reader what the other person she's talking to is doing or thinking (even when she's on the phone with them so she can't see them) cause I guess she knows them? Even with the dog! But that's just funny, funny to me. :D Which brings me to the humour, which I get despite it can be over the top, yet forgivable because: Nora, and her sisters, have a very colorful characters. Never a dull moment.



With that said, I'm off to read the next book of three series.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess I'm a little hooked on this series. There were a couple extremely funny riffs in this book but maybe I'm glad that I didn't have any sisters. Indications are that a couple characters I don't care anything about will continue in the series and a couple characters that I like probably won't be back.

Page 90 Aloe-scented tissues. What does that even mean? My aloe-scented tissue smells like ... paper. I have aloe hand cream that smells like lily of the valley and aloe soap that smells like bananas.

Page 146 ..her sari revealed one bare shoulder. I've never seen this in day wear. I guess the point is that she was dressed inappropriately but it seems like wearing a prom gown to work.

Page 174 Martin gave Nora a fear of handguns as a plot device to slow down her relationship with Michael because they have to be a little bit on-again-off-again if the series is going to last a while. Now she inserts a character who states that she "can't abide a handgun" but that sports hunting is ok and that she "enjoyed bagging the occasional partridge." The first mention was clearly a plot device. What's the point of this?

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her sisters mostly behaved themselves, but Mick seemed to be pulling away from her without a decent explanation. He's protecting her from something, but if he would just tell her what he's thinking and feeling she would probably understand.

It was nice to see Nora begin to rely on herself a little bit more. In the other books, she seems really invested in her relationships to the point where it almost isn't healthy. Here she starts to understand that they need to make their own choices.

Unfortunately, she hits her head early on in the story and gets a bruise, which makes everyone assume Mick hit her and she's protecting him.

The mystery wasn't quite a memorable because of the focus on relationships.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like the book because I love Martin as a writer and the series. Unfortunately, the mystery plot felt empty at the end. There was nothing to connect the Blackbirds with the society that'd been built up around them. Even knowing the back story, it was still lacking the heart. I wanted more on Orlando and the past, how the world worked, instead of the consistent show-don't-tell. There was a lot missing in the winding history of the Blackbird society. Not a recommended book. Sad to say.

[Katy E G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book it's has its fashionable mystery with splashes of passion and laced with humorous moments . I'm dying to know what happens next especially in the love department but also curious of the next adventure holds. Although I had a feeling I didn't have the first book of the series I just confirmed that I read the fourth book 1st and I am excited to see what I missed in the first three. I hope you enjoy it as much a I did.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed a break from all the true crime and hubby chose this one from the stacks. It was strange to say the least, but enjoyable. I was speed reading the end of it and almost kissed whodunit. I didn’t like the ending much but mostly because I’m not a huge fan of Michael. Too much gangster for a straight lady like Nora. And her sister is a big flake. Oddly enough I did enjoy it overall and will be looking for more in this series.

[Marilyn Upright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nora Blackbird and her sisters just seem to fall into murders. And Nick Abrusco her boyfriend formerly
of the Mafia is the the police departments favorite subject.
Nora's family has a curse, the men they marry are no good and they die. Nora loves Nick but turns down his marriage offers. But Nora will do anything to keep Nick from going to jail even finding the guilty party.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continue to love this series. The mysteries are always interesting and the characters very well drawn. I continue to be impressed by the authors ability to create many new characters per book that are interesting each in their own way. I'm already on to the next book as I want to know what happens to the Blackbird Sisters.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continue to love this series. The mysteries are always interesting and the characters very well drawn. I continue to be impressed by the authors ability to create many new characters per book that are interesting each in their own way. I'm already on to the next book as I want to know what happens to the Blackbird Sisters.

[Swan Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Nora and her sisters and all their quirky ways. I enjoy these jaunts with Nora and Michael and love how their relationship has grown and am sad things are going to flounder for Nora for a bit as Michael does the right thing for the family.

[Tiffany E-P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-reading this while forced to stay at home and library is closed. I needed something light-hearted and easy to read. But still with wit and a bit of an edge. This series fits the bill. Highly enjoyable

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great vacation reading!

[Liz Parissenti · Rating 4 out of 5]

These remain cute and enjoyable. Nora's sisters have fallen into predictable cliches, but the books have enough twists that the story remains engaging.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoying this lighthearted series. I find myself wondering 'who done it' and hoping for Mick to win.

[GothChickVibing · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so he whines until she opens up and let's him in but now he's unsure if this is what he wants? I hate men like that.

[Roberta]

Not my favorite in the series but I like the characters so on to the next one (after reading something serious!)

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy summer read. Light hearted - even though it's a mystery. Considering reading other books in the series.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun addition to the Blackbird Sisters series.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series but I hate what happens with Michael’s character in this book. Michael!!!