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Tattoo Shop Mystery #2
Pretty in Ink
Murder in the city of sin...
Brett Kavanaugh is a tattoo artist and owner of Vegas's hottest tattoo shop, The Painted Lady. And in her spare time, she does some sleuthing. After Brett and company ink Sin City's newest drag queens, they're invited to opening night at the strip's glamorous Nylon and Tattoos show-which ends in disaster when a stranger with a Queen of Hearts tattoo fatally injures Britney Brassieres with a champagne cork. And when another drag queen is found poisoned, it looks like someone's targeting Vegas's fabulous femmes...
Brett Kavanaugh is a tattoo artist and owner of Vegas's hottest tattoo shop, The Painted Lady. And in her spare time, she does some sleuthing. After Brett and company ink Sin City's newest drag queens, they're invited to opening night at the strip's glamorous Nylon and Tattoos show-which ends in disaster when a stranger with a Queen of Hearts tattoo fatally injures Britney Brassieres with a champagne cork. And when another drag queen is found poisoned, it looks like someone's targeting Vegas's fabulous femmes...
299 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 19, 2010
13 people are currently reading
624 people want to read
About the author
Karen E. Olson
18 books287 followersI am the author of the Black Hat Thrillers and the Annie Seymour and Tattoo Shop mystery series. My new book AN INCONVENIENT WIFE, a Modern Tudor Mystery, is a modern retelling of Henry VIII and his wives as a crime novel. The sequel, A DEFIANT WOMAN, will be published in March 2026.
My first book, SACRED COWS, won the Sara Ann Freed Award for best first mystery and my fourth book, SHOT GIRL, was shortlisted for a Shamus Award.
My first book, SACRED COWS, won the Sara Ann Freed Award for best first mystery and my fourth book, SHOT GIRL, was shortlisted for a Shamus Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
September 16, 2017
3.5
I was wondering if the second book would be as entertaining as the first. The answer? It was entertaining, but I liked the first more (it was a good start for the series). I did have a couple of nitpicks for the first book too, but I enjoyed it so much I didn't want to list them. I am not sure if I will list all those in this book either because I still like the main character (yes, with all the flaws).
All throughout the book I was afraid it will turn out to be one of those oh, my, if media finds out the truth, someone will pay type of stories. The thing is, when I see something happening in the world, I read the news, then go out of my way to find completely opposite source and read that too. What they have in common is the only thing I accept as real (or close to it). But I digress.
Pretty in Ink has a couple of really good red herrings. Even though you'll probably be glad by the who in the end and some might not even be surprised, the distractions were well placed in the story.
After a couple of suspicious drag queens' deaths, it becomes clear that there is something seriously wrong. Brett gets entangled into it right from the start because she is the one who inked a bunch of them. The book starts with Joel, Bitsy, Charlotte and Brett having fun watching a drag show. The show is interrupted when a guy injures one of the performers who dies soon after that. Then they find another performer dead and Brett is in the middle of it.
Add to the list a detective who seems to be stalking her and tries really hard to make her life hell and her troubles multiply.
I love how non-whiny Brett is. Something happens to her, she just rolls with it. Sometimes she isn't happy about the situation, but what can you do.
What I loved the most is the role Jeff Coleman played in this book. The author is subtly and slowly changing Brett's relationship with him. I like him a lot.
Another thing (connected to the non-whiny comment) is the way we find out what happened to Simon from the previous book. Brett lets us know the events from the first book happened a couple of months ago, she dated Simon after that and they are not dating anymore. That's it. She broke it off before it got messy. Zero whining. Too often these types of books turn into dramas, triangles an such. I hope she stays like this.
I was wondering if the second book would be as entertaining as the first. The answer? It was entertaining, but I liked the first more (it was a good start for the series). I did have a couple of nitpicks for the first book too, but I enjoyed it so much I didn't want to list them. I am not sure if I will list all those in this book either because I still like the main character (yes, with all the flaws).
All throughout the book I was afraid it will turn out to be one of those oh, my, if media finds out the truth, someone will pay type of stories. The thing is, when I see something happening in the world, I read the news, then go out of my way to find completely opposite source and read that too. What they have in common is the only thing I accept as real (or close to it). But I digress.
Pretty in Ink has a couple of really good red herrings. Even though you'll probably be glad by the who in the end and some might not even be surprised, the distractions were well placed in the story.
After a couple of suspicious drag queens' deaths, it becomes clear that there is something seriously wrong. Brett gets entangled into it right from the start because she is the one who inked a bunch of them. The book starts with Joel, Bitsy, Charlotte and Brett having fun watching a drag show. The show is interrupted when a guy injures one of the performers who dies soon after that. Then they find another performer dead and Brett is in the middle of it.
Add to the list a detective who seems to be stalking her and tries really hard to make her life hell and her troubles multiply.
I love how non-whiny Brett is. Something happens to her, she just rolls with it. Sometimes she isn't happy about the situation, but what can you do.
What I loved the most is the role Jeff Coleman played in this book. The author is subtly and slowly changing Brett's relationship with him. I like him a lot.
Another thing (connected to the non-whiny comment) is the way we find out what happened to Simon from the previous book. Brett lets us know the events from the first book happened a couple of months ago, she dated Simon after that and they are not dating anymore. That's it. She broke it off before it got messy. Zero whining. Too often these types of books turn into dramas, triangles an such. I hope she stays like this.
May 23, 2018
Another fun tattoo shop mystery. Love the lead character. She's a 6 foot tall redhead, too!
April 4, 2010
I did a little happy dance when I received Karen E. Olson's second book of the Tattoo Shop mystery series in the mail last month. I loved the first book in the series, The Missing Ink, and was excited to see what Brett and friends were up to now.
In this particular novel, readers step into the Las Vegas drag queen scene where one such drag queen, Britney Brassieres, is struck by a champagne cork--on purpose--at the premiere of the Nylons and Tattoos show. Brett Kavanaugh, owner and tattoo artist at the Painted Lady, and her staff had drawn the tattoos that the drag queens are sporting and were invited to the big event. Brett is the only one who sees the cork shooter, and, while she is unable to identify him by his face, she does get a good look at the tattoo on his arm. When the queen dies mysteriously a few days later, the situation grows all the more suspicious--and complicated. One of Brett's own employees is missing and seemingly in trouble. Brett is determined to do her own investigating both to help her friend and to solve a murder, placing herself in the path of danger.
I had a lot of fun reading Pretty in Ink. I fell into the rhythm of the novel almost immediately. The book is fast-paced both in tone and action. There were comic moments, as can be expected. I love Brett's dry sense of humor. And her friends are a real hoot. Joel is one of my favorite characters. He reminds me a lot of a former coworker who was large and imposing size-wise, but was really a big teddy bear, cuddly and kind-hearted. He also loved to eat. Jeff Coleman, owner and tattoo artist of a competing tattoo business, is ever present. I wasn't sure what to think of him in the first book of the series, but he's growing on me. There's certainly more to him than meets the eye. And that Bitsy is a spitfire. She may be small, but like many of us who are short know, you shouldn't be quick to underestimate us.
This series is fast becoming a comfort read for me. It is not a series that should be taken too seriously. It has just the right amount of suspense and comedy to keep me entertained while I am reading. I cannot really think of anything I did not like about the novel. Readers interested in getting to know Brett would probably be better off starting with the first book in the series as her character is more fully developed there, although the mystery in Pretty in Ink stands on its own.
Upon completion of the book, I actually read the excerpt for the upcoming book, Driven to Ink, something I never do. I read introductions, acknowledgments, glossaries, appendices, and the dedication, but never the excerpt to the next book. And yet I did with this one. I wasn't quite ready to let go of Brett just yet come the end of the book.
Source: Book provided by author for review.
In this particular novel, readers step into the Las Vegas drag queen scene where one such drag queen, Britney Brassieres, is struck by a champagne cork--on purpose--at the premiere of the Nylons and Tattoos show. Brett Kavanaugh, owner and tattoo artist at the Painted Lady, and her staff had drawn the tattoos that the drag queens are sporting and were invited to the big event. Brett is the only one who sees the cork shooter, and, while she is unable to identify him by his face, she does get a good look at the tattoo on his arm. When the queen dies mysteriously a few days later, the situation grows all the more suspicious--and complicated. One of Brett's own employees is missing and seemingly in trouble. Brett is determined to do her own investigating both to help her friend and to solve a murder, placing herself in the path of danger.
I had a lot of fun reading Pretty in Ink. I fell into the rhythm of the novel almost immediately. The book is fast-paced both in tone and action. There were comic moments, as can be expected. I love Brett's dry sense of humor. And her friends are a real hoot. Joel is one of my favorite characters. He reminds me a lot of a former coworker who was large and imposing size-wise, but was really a big teddy bear, cuddly and kind-hearted. He also loved to eat. Jeff Coleman, owner and tattoo artist of a competing tattoo business, is ever present. I wasn't sure what to think of him in the first book of the series, but he's growing on me. There's certainly more to him than meets the eye. And that Bitsy is a spitfire. She may be small, but like many of us who are short know, you shouldn't be quick to underestimate us.
This series is fast becoming a comfort read for me. It is not a series that should be taken too seriously. It has just the right amount of suspense and comedy to keep me entertained while I am reading. I cannot really think of anything I did not like about the novel. Readers interested in getting to know Brett would probably be better off starting with the first book in the series as her character is more fully developed there, although the mystery in Pretty in Ink stands on its own.
Upon completion of the book, I actually read the excerpt for the upcoming book, Driven to Ink, something I never do. I read introductions, acknowledgments, glossaries, appendices, and the dedication, but never the excerpt to the next book. And yet I did with this one. I wasn't quite ready to let go of Brett just yet come the end of the book.
Source: Book provided by author for review.
January 19, 2020
2020 bk 26. Sometimes a book comes out of left field. Pretty in Ink was thrust into my life by a bouncy, pert nose, covered in ink young lady at half price books. "I ve been watching you" she said. I whipped my head around and realized I was trapped by large objects at either end of the aisle. I kind of grunted. "You've been pulling some of the same authors I like, and if you havn't read her - Karen Olsen is terrific and you don't have to read her books in order." (said in one breath, and she didn't even turn red or blue). I was so stunned that someone had been A)watching my choices and B)thrust a book into the middle of my book pile, that I stuttered "Thank you, I'll give her a try." One shouldn't discourage active readership in your people after all. That is a librarian mantra. So I smiled sweetly, pulled out an old favorite of mine (Amelia Peabody's first adventure.) and said "Here, try one of my old favorites. Now it was her turn to be stunned. "Uh, thanks, my mom like's these, but I've never tried one." I can only hope that she enjoyed Amelia as much as I enjoyed Karen E. Olson's fast paced mystery set among the tattoo shops and drag queens of Las Vegas, Nevada. Before it is all over the main character gets to know the ER doctor, homeland security officer, and the various parking garages of Vegas. Give it a chance. Now to find the others.
August 8, 2018
#2 in the Tattoo Shop Mystery series
I'm not sure why it took me so long to continue with this series because it's really fun. Brett is a very artistic and skilled tattoo artist who seems to get herself involved in murders through no fault of her own. This time she witnesses a champagne cork attack at a drag queen show in her home town of Las Vegas. When the victim ends up dying, along with someone else in the community, plus one of her employees goes missing, Brett takes it personally. Especially when a detective seems to want to make it personal and goes after Brett much stronger than necessary. Luckily she's somewhat protected by her brother's position in the police force, but surprisingly her nemesis Jeff Coleman of Murder Ink is taking an interest in the case...and in her. I loved the quirky characters, including Bitsy and Joel at the shop, plus the mysterious Dr. Bixby in the ER. But there seems to be a bit of a budding romance with Jeff in the making, which promises to make things very interesting in future episodes. The story was quick and fun and easy to read. The world of drag queens added a fascinating touch, as well as good descriptions of the Las Vegas strip. I'll definitely read the next in the series sooner rather than later.
I'm not sure why it took me so long to continue with this series because it's really fun. Brett is a very artistic and skilled tattoo artist who seems to get herself involved in murders through no fault of her own. This time she witnesses a champagne cork attack at a drag queen show in her home town of Las Vegas. When the victim ends up dying, along with someone else in the community, plus one of her employees goes missing, Brett takes it personally. Especially when a detective seems to want to make it personal and goes after Brett much stronger than necessary. Luckily she's somewhat protected by her brother's position in the police force, but surprisingly her nemesis Jeff Coleman of Murder Ink is taking an interest in the case...and in her. I loved the quirky characters, including Bitsy and Joel at the shop, plus the mysterious Dr. Bixby in the ER. But there seems to be a bit of a budding romance with Jeff in the making, which promises to make things very interesting in future episodes. The story was quick and fun and easy to read. The world of drag queens added a fascinating touch, as well as good descriptions of the Las Vegas strip. I'll definitely read the next in the series sooner rather than later.
September 10, 2011
Pretty in Ink is the second installment of Karen E. Olson Tattoo Shop Mystery Series.
What is it about? Brett Kavanaugh is a tattoo artist and the owner of "The Painted Lady" tattoo shop located inside the Venetian in Las Vegas. After Brett and some of her employees ink some of Vegas most glamorous drag queens, she and the gang are invited to the opening night at the glamorous “Nylons and Tattoos” show. The night ends in disaster when a man attacks one of the performers. The suspect escapes the scene but not before Brett realizes he himself is inked with a Queen of Hearts Tattoo. This will not be the first attack of its kind and with more then one member of Brett’s staff linked to the victims and suspects Brett finds herself once again playing detective.
What I thought about it? Pretty in Ink was a lot more enjoyable than the first installment and to me that is saying a lot since the first one was great! As before, the characters continue to be funny, fun, and charming. I love the way Olson ends each of her chapters, each one leaves you wanting more and leaves you itching to discover what will happen next. The plots of this series are easy enough to follow but complex enough that they don’t fall into extreme clique mode.
I really love Brett; she is a super sweet, chic, with a heart of gold and spunky personality. I love the relationship she has with her brother and I love that it’s her kind spirit that tends to get her more involved than she should be. She investigates because she cares not because she is nosy or by “accident” like so many chic lit sleuths. My favorite character in the series is Jeff Coleman, besides Brett of course. I finished reading the 3rd installment of this series soon before posting this review and I am eager to get my hands on the fourth as soon as it hits stores June 7th.
This is a great book for people who love murder mysteries, intrigues, Vegas, tattoos, comedy, romance and chic lit. I love the story line but truly was has kept me coming back for more is the characters and the desire to see what happens to them as the series progresses.
What is it about? Brett Kavanaugh is a tattoo artist and the owner of "The Painted Lady" tattoo shop located inside the Venetian in Las Vegas. After Brett and some of her employees ink some of Vegas most glamorous drag queens, she and the gang are invited to the opening night at the glamorous “Nylons and Tattoos” show. The night ends in disaster when a man attacks one of the performers. The suspect escapes the scene but not before Brett realizes he himself is inked with a Queen of Hearts Tattoo. This will not be the first attack of its kind and with more then one member of Brett’s staff linked to the victims and suspects Brett finds herself once again playing detective.
What I thought about it? Pretty in Ink was a lot more enjoyable than the first installment and to me that is saying a lot since the first one was great! As before, the characters continue to be funny, fun, and charming. I love the way Olson ends each of her chapters, each one leaves you wanting more and leaves you itching to discover what will happen next. The plots of this series are easy enough to follow but complex enough that they don’t fall into extreme clique mode.
I really love Brett; she is a super sweet, chic, with a heart of gold and spunky personality. I love the relationship she has with her brother and I love that it’s her kind spirit that tends to get her more involved than she should be. She investigates because she cares not because she is nosy or by “accident” like so many chic lit sleuths. My favorite character in the series is Jeff Coleman, besides Brett of course. I finished reading the 3rd installment of this series soon before posting this review and I am eager to get my hands on the fourth as soon as it hits stores June 7th.
This is a great book for people who love murder mysteries, intrigues, Vegas, tattoos, comedy, romance and chic lit. I love the story line but truly was has kept me coming back for more is the characters and the desire to see what happens to them as the series progresses.
December 16, 2019
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I had a good time with the first volume and I bought the second one right away. It took me a little longer to get it into the story, but I did it with great pleasure.
Our heroine, Brett, finds herself immersed in a story that is completely beyond her control. Attending an evening of a new drag queen show, someone pulls the cork out of a bottle on the singer on stage. It may seem harmless, but it’s the beginning of the problems. Between possible terrorists, politics, secrets, explosions and deaths, Brett will no longer know where to turn. And that’s not to mention the cop who seems to hate her, Jeff trying to help her, or the hot doctor she doesn’t trust.
It was a novel that made me have a good time and I must admit that I was curious to see exactly what would happen. I didn’t expect the story to turn out that way and the truth about who did it was a real surprise. If you want a cozy mystery to have a good time, all this in the tattoo world, don’t hesitate! I’m only in the second volume, but there are only four, so it’s not a long series to get into either.
I’m curious to see the next investigation and especially what will happen with all our characters!
My English review
I had a good time with the first volume and I bought the second one right away. It took me a little longer to get it into the story, but I did it with great pleasure.
Our heroine, Brett, finds herself immersed in a story that is completely beyond her control. Attending an evening of a new drag queen show, someone pulls the cork out of a bottle on the singer on stage. It may seem harmless, but it’s the beginning of the problems. Between possible terrorists, politics, secrets, explosions and deaths, Brett will no longer know where to turn. And that’s not to mention the cop who seems to hate her, Jeff trying to help her, or the hot doctor she doesn’t trust.
It was a novel that made me have a good time and I must admit that I was curious to see exactly what would happen. I didn’t expect the story to turn out that way and the truth about who did it was a real surprise. If you want a cozy mystery to have a good time, all this in the tattoo world, don’t hesitate! I’m only in the second volume, but there are only four, so it’s not a long series to get into either.
I’m curious to see the next investigation and especially what will happen with all our characters!
December 8, 2016
Great fun, exciting mystery with more u-turns than I can describe, but I loved it. Read enough of these and I might have to get my own ink.
August 28, 2017
I have to take off points with this one, because although it starts off doing a wonderful job with pronouns.... It goes off the rails in the same way that SO MANY cozy mysteries seem to do. Even though a character has shown the ability to handle correct pronouns, they have to keep peppering in those mental asides about OH IS IT HIM OR HER? "I couldn't imagine caking it [foundation] on like these guys--girls?--did."
This is a character who has already been switching back and forth depending on if the person is in drag or not at the time. It degrades and degrades from there, because near the end the MC talks about one of the drag queens being in drag at the time and how that means they are called ______ because that's their chosen name. Then proceeds to go with the male gendered name each and every time that she thinks about them.
Why do it wrong when you know what RIGHT is? Why have a character get worse at something they were proficient in?
Now that's the real mystery...
Apart from my complaints this was still a quick read and fairly entertaining, but this is when I started to see how repetitive some of the things are about the main cast of characters.
This is a character who has already been switching back and forth depending on if the person is in drag or not at the time. It degrades and degrades from there, because near the end the MC talks about one of the drag queens being in drag at the time and how that means they are called ______ because that's their chosen name. Then proceeds to go with the male gendered name each and every time that she thinks about them.
Why do it wrong when you know what RIGHT is? Why have a character get worse at something they were proficient in?
Now that's the real mystery...
Apart from my complaints this was still a quick read and fairly entertaining, but this is when I started to see how repetitive some of the things are about the main cast of characters.
June 5, 2025
It all started so innocently, a champagne cork hitting a drag artist called Britney Brassieres.
Before long tattoo artist Brett Kavanaugh is up to her neck in a convoluted tale of murder, blackmail, poisoning and lots of bagels.
It's a cosy at the far end of the genre, I can imagine some gentlefolk fanning themselves before reading on.
Charlotte, the newest employee at The Painted Lady is somehow involved and is AWOL for most of the book.
Brent's habit of finding dead bodies continues.
The detective in charge of the investigation seems to be shadowing her constantly and, obviously, has a chip on his shoulder where she is concerned.
In a personal note I have a fear of tattoos, I even feel slightly queasy reading about it. It all stems from getting a temporary tattoo while on holiday which turned septic. Apparently I am hyper-sensitive to some of the chemicals used.
3 Stars.
Before long tattoo artist Brett Kavanaugh is up to her neck in a convoluted tale of murder, blackmail, poisoning and lots of bagels.
It's a cosy at the far end of the genre, I can imagine some gentlefolk fanning themselves before reading on.
Charlotte, the newest employee at The Painted Lady is somehow involved and is AWOL for most of the book.
Brent's habit of finding dead bodies continues.
The detective in charge of the investigation seems to be shadowing her constantly and, obviously, has a chip on his shoulder where she is concerned.
In a personal note I have a fear of tattoos, I even feel slightly queasy reading about it. It all stems from getting a temporary tattoo while on holiday which turned septic. Apparently I am hyper-sensitive to some of the chemicals used.
3 Stars.
January 3, 2021
This was book two in the Tattoo Shop Mystery series. I normally shy away from reading a series. I just don't want that sort of commitment usually lol. However, after reading book one I immediately downloaded the second one!
I absolutely adore the main character - Brett. She is hilarious and I love her attitude. The mystery involves some drag queens, an angry cop, ricin poison, a hunky ER doctor and builds on her relationship with her frenemy Jeff from Murder Ink.
As with most cozy mysteries, there are a few red herrings thrown in, but you always kind of figure out what is going on. Regardless, its still a great read. It all comes together perfectly.
There is a book 3 and 4 which I will also read but am going to take a break and read a couple other books first.
I absolutely adore the main character - Brett. She is hilarious and I love her attitude. The mystery involves some drag queens, an angry cop, ricin poison, a hunky ER doctor and builds on her relationship with her frenemy Jeff from Murder Ink.
As with most cozy mysteries, there are a few red herrings thrown in, but you always kind of figure out what is going on. Regardless, its still a great read. It all comes together perfectly.
There is a book 3 and 4 which I will also read but am going to take a break and read a couple other books first.
January 5, 2019
A bit slower to take off than the first in the series, but it picks up soon enough. The plot is just as intricate and twisty as the first book. Brett getting a tattoo at the end seems to be a thing for the series. I hope she's got enough free space for plenty of sequels.
September 8, 2017
While a tad predictable, I enjoy these believable, honest characters and Olson leaves the corny out. I appreciate that a lot. Will read more!
April 11, 2018
A good light read. Fun, witty, chicky. A good twist at the end. Authors like Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovitch do it better but it was fun nonetheless.
June 3, 2018
Another really good story.
July 18, 2018
Love this series
August 16, 2018
I love this series and really wish there were more !!
August 17, 2018
I really enjoy reading about Brett. This was a great page-turner. I didn't guess the ending, which I always like.
August 7, 2019
Didn’t see that coming.
December 1, 2022
This series is my all time fav. Read it numerous times.
February 23, 2024
I love this series so much
February 27, 2019
Book Riot Challenge #14: A cozy mystery.
I had to laugh when I went to the bookstore to pick out a cozy for this challenge. After 10+ years in books retail I realized that pocket cozies (like pocket romance) had never been on my radar. I love mysteries, and browse those shelves all the time, but the cozies - and there were an astonishing number and variety of them - were a blank spot on my mental map of the section. "Discovering" them was a fun exercise.
Anyway, this is a Tattoo Shop Mystery (there's a cozy for everything!) and the subjects of our crime are drag queens in Vegas. The scene-setting in the tattoo shop and backstage at the drag club were the most interesting things about the book. The actual mystery was decently-crafted, and it was ... cute.
I had to laugh when I went to the bookstore to pick out a cozy for this challenge. After 10+ years in books retail I realized that pocket cozies (like pocket romance) had never been on my radar. I love mysteries, and browse those shelves all the time, but the cozies - and there were an astonishing number and variety of them - were a blank spot on my mental map of the section. "Discovering" them was a fun exercise.
Anyway, this is a Tattoo Shop Mystery (there's a cozy for everything!) and the subjects of our crime are drag queens in Vegas. The scene-setting in the tattoo shop and backstage at the drag club were the most interesting things about the book. The actual mystery was decently-crafted, and it was ... cute.
December 21, 2012
Where to start with this review? It was action filled from the first page till the last. Brett has been inking some drag star queens lately, for their new show, and now she and her colleagues are invited to opening night at Chez Tango, owned by MissTique. Brett is enjoying herself, which she had not expected, but those drag queens are very good at their job, and look fantastic.
But then some lunatic points a bottle of champagne at Britney Brassieres, who is singing on stage, and makes the cork slam straight into Britney’s chest, knocking her over. The sound of the cork popping, and the sight of the singer falling over, makes people suspect the worst, and a stampede starts for the door. Which does ruin opening night. Brett never got a good look at the guy, as he sprayed her with the champagne as well, getting it into her eyes, but she did see the tattoo on his arm, a Queen of Hearts playing card. But well, this is Vegas.
When the cops and the paramedics come in, Britney aka Trevor McKay is taken to the hospital, as he has hit his head pretty hard on the stage. Charlotte, Brett’s intern, is going with him to keep him company. To Brett’s disappointment, it is not her brother Detective Tim Kavanaugh who heads the investigation, but some other cop who seems to really dislike her, and doesn’t even give her his name.
The next morning that same cop arrives at their door (Tim and Brett are living together) and their clearly is some bad history between the two of them. Detective Frank DeBurra is dating Tim’s old girlfriend, the one who left him when he did not propose to her when she expected it. And Frank clearly resents that. But DeBurra works not for LVPD, but for Metro Homeland Security, so there must be more to this case than meets the eye.
The next morning, Trevor is released from the hospital, but Charlotte is missing. And things get worse after that, fast. Trevor gets sick in The Painted Lady, and dies shortly after in the hospital. Charlotte is wanted by the police, for something that happened in a pawn shop, involving a tacky pin owned by Trevor. Charlotte and Ace are apparently dating, and Brett never noticed it, and Ace is protecting Charlotte. But Brett needs to get to the bottom of all this, as Frank DeBurra is harassing her.
I won’t spoil everything that happens in the book, I never ever could have foreseen all those twists in the plot, and the strange happenings. And the strangest part is perhaps that Brett’s main competitor, Jeff, is helping her out when he can. Does he have his eye on her?
I enjoyed this second book in the series a lot, it kept me on the edge of my seat, and really makes me want to visit Vegas once in my life. See a drag queen show in a club, gamble a bit, and tour all the major casino’s.
I enjoyed catching up on Brett and all the other characters, and am looking forward to the next book. Karen E. Olson has written a fast paced cozy mystery, with unique characters and lots of action. There is of course also room for humor, and friendship. Romance, not so much, as Brett is not very lucky in that department. I keep being tempted to get a tattoo myself, but know I never will have enough courage for that.
8 stars
Full review on my blog, www.boeklogboek.blogspot.com
But then some lunatic points a bottle of champagne at Britney Brassieres, who is singing on stage, and makes the cork slam straight into Britney’s chest, knocking her over. The sound of the cork popping, and the sight of the singer falling over, makes people suspect the worst, and a stampede starts for the door. Which does ruin opening night. Brett never got a good look at the guy, as he sprayed her with the champagne as well, getting it into her eyes, but she did see the tattoo on his arm, a Queen of Hearts playing card. But well, this is Vegas.
When the cops and the paramedics come in, Britney aka Trevor McKay is taken to the hospital, as he has hit his head pretty hard on the stage. Charlotte, Brett’s intern, is going with him to keep him company. To Brett’s disappointment, it is not her brother Detective Tim Kavanaugh who heads the investigation, but some other cop who seems to really dislike her, and doesn’t even give her his name.
The next morning that same cop arrives at their door (Tim and Brett are living together) and their clearly is some bad history between the two of them. Detective Frank DeBurra is dating Tim’s old girlfriend, the one who left him when he did not propose to her when she expected it. And Frank clearly resents that. But DeBurra works not for LVPD, but for Metro Homeland Security, so there must be more to this case than meets the eye.
The next morning, Trevor is released from the hospital, but Charlotte is missing. And things get worse after that, fast. Trevor gets sick in The Painted Lady, and dies shortly after in the hospital. Charlotte is wanted by the police, for something that happened in a pawn shop, involving a tacky pin owned by Trevor. Charlotte and Ace are apparently dating, and Brett never noticed it, and Ace is protecting Charlotte. But Brett needs to get to the bottom of all this, as Frank DeBurra is harassing her.
I won’t spoil everything that happens in the book, I never ever could have foreseen all those twists in the plot, and the strange happenings. And the strangest part is perhaps that Brett’s main competitor, Jeff, is helping her out when he can. Does he have his eye on her?
I enjoyed this second book in the series a lot, it kept me on the edge of my seat, and really makes me want to visit Vegas once in my life. See a drag queen show in a club, gamble a bit, and tour all the major casino’s.
I enjoyed catching up on Brett and all the other characters, and am looking forward to the next book. Karen E. Olson has written a fast paced cozy mystery, with unique characters and lots of action. There is of course also room for humor, and friendship. Romance, not so much, as Brett is not very lucky in that department. I keep being tempted to get a tattoo myself, but know I never will have enough courage for that.
8 stars
© 2012 Reviews by Aurian
Full review on my blog, www.boeklogboek.blogspot.com
October 8, 2014
Karen E Olson's Tattoo Shop Mystery series is one of the few series I actually get soon after it comes out and read it (I have lots of other series I read but most of them I purposely stay at least one book behind-it's a thing (; ).
In Pretty in Ink, Brett Kavanaugh and the rest of her coworkers/friends from The Painted Lady, her tattoo shop in Las Vegas are back for more mystery and craziness. This is the second Tattoo Shop Mystery after last year's The Missing Ink. This time around, Brett and Co are invited to Nylon and Tattoos show to see some of Las Vegas' best drag queens perform as a thank you for doing their tattoos.
The trouble starts--as it's known to around Brett--when one of the queens, Britney Brassiers, is fatally injured by a champagne cork shot at her. A less than cooperative detective shows up on the scene, increasing Brett's woes and soon another drag queen is poisoned and Homeland Security is involved. And Brett's in the center of it all, of course.
It does sound absolutely insane to have drag queens, tattoos/tattoo shops, poison plots, and Homeland Security, along with the (more) average character relationships and struggles all in one mystery . . . But it makes for a really entertaining story. I love that while this series is not your typical mystery series--the characters are unique, the plots are definitely different--it's also a very good mystery series.
The fun and 'different' isn't used to hide things that are lacking in other parts of the book. The tattoos and the drag queens aren't a gimmick used to cover up a weak plot or characters, they're the characters in a fun to read, good mystery.
I liked that characters, plot points from the first book carried over to this second book but not so much so (and were also explained in such a way) that you couldn't read this book without reading the first book. The two books build on each other just enough to be a series that's enjoyable to read in order (and keep me wanting the next one) but where you can also read them as stand-alones.
I think my least favorite part of the book was probably the ending. It was not in the least bit bad, it just didn't stand out as much as the other nine-tenths of the book. It concluded things well, though and tied things together. And I definitely wish the third book were already out!
(A little note about the cover: I love how well they--and especially this one--seem to both fit the book and also contain little bits of the story without being obvious about it :))
In Pretty in Ink, Brett Kavanaugh and the rest of her coworkers/friends from The Painted Lady, her tattoo shop in Las Vegas are back for more mystery and craziness. This is the second Tattoo Shop Mystery after last year's The Missing Ink. This time around, Brett and Co are invited to Nylon and Tattoos show to see some of Las Vegas' best drag queens perform as a thank you for doing their tattoos.
The trouble starts--as it's known to around Brett--when one of the queens, Britney Brassiers, is fatally injured by a champagne cork shot at her. A less than cooperative detective shows up on the scene, increasing Brett's woes and soon another drag queen is poisoned and Homeland Security is involved. And Brett's in the center of it all, of course.
It does sound absolutely insane to have drag queens, tattoos/tattoo shops, poison plots, and Homeland Security, along with the (more) average character relationships and struggles all in one mystery . . . But it makes for a really entertaining story. I love that while this series is not your typical mystery series--the characters are unique, the plots are definitely different--it's also a very good mystery series.
The fun and 'different' isn't used to hide things that are lacking in other parts of the book. The tattoos and the drag queens aren't a gimmick used to cover up a weak plot or characters, they're the characters in a fun to read, good mystery.
I liked that characters, plot points from the first book carried over to this second book but not so much so (and were also explained in such a way) that you couldn't read this book without reading the first book. The two books build on each other just enough to be a series that's enjoyable to read in order (and keep me wanting the next one) but where you can also read them as stand-alones.
I think my least favorite part of the book was probably the ending. It was not in the least bit bad, it just didn't stand out as much as the other nine-tenths of the book. It concluded things well, though and tied things together. And I definitely wish the third book were already out!
(A little note about the cover: I love how well they--and especially this one--seem to both fit the book and also contain little bits of the story without being obvious about it :))
May 11, 2011
First Line: If your name is Britney Brassieres, being taken down by a tsunami of champagne might seem only fitting.
Owner of The Painted Lady tattoo shop in Las Vegas, Brett Kavanaugh is an artist who specializes in one-of-a-kind works of art. After inking some of Las Vegas's newest drag queens, Brett and her employees attend opening night at The Strip's glamorous "Nylon and Tattoos" show. Unfortunately for drag queen Britney Brassieres, the last thing that glitters is a fatal champagne cork straight to the chest. The champagne shootist, who has a distinctive Queen of Hearts tattoo, disappears into the crowd.
Brett scarcely has time to blink before she's being grilled by Metro Homeland Security Detective Frank DeBurra. Believing that the police aren't taking her information about the man with the Queen of Hearts tattoo seriously enough, Brett begins sleuthing on her own... and everywhere she goes, Frank DeBurra is there. Is the man stalking her? When another drag queen is found poisoned, Brett has another question on an endless mind loop: just what does her new employee Charlotte have to do with all of this?
With its Las Vegas setting, this series can take you to unfamiliar places-- like the drag queen scene and tattoo shops-- and provide quite a bit of insight. If you're in the mood for a plot that is devious and moves at speed, Pretty in Ink is the book for you. The characters had such a stranglehold on me that I never really had the time to figure out what was going on. Brett, who has love right under her nose and refuses to see it, aggravated me no end by constantly hiding information from the police. If Frank DeBurra (who had to be the guy who put the nox into obnoxious) were stalking me, I'd tell him everything I knew including my great-great-grandmother's maiden name in an attempt to get the jerk off my back. Brett is made of sterner stuff. Pretty in Ink also serves up its share of humor-- not only with drag queen stage names-- but with the pièce de résistance: Brett's righthand woman, Bitsy, has the most perfect putdown of a politician I've read in ages. This little person had me laughing and clapping. Way to go, Bitsy!
Devious doings in Las Vegas, wonderful characters, humor... what are you waiting for?
Owner of The Painted Lady tattoo shop in Las Vegas, Brett Kavanaugh is an artist who specializes in one-of-a-kind works of art. After inking some of Las Vegas's newest drag queens, Brett and her employees attend opening night at The Strip's glamorous "Nylon and Tattoos" show. Unfortunately for drag queen Britney Brassieres, the last thing that glitters is a fatal champagne cork straight to the chest. The champagne shootist, who has a distinctive Queen of Hearts tattoo, disappears into the crowd.
Brett scarcely has time to blink before she's being grilled by Metro Homeland Security Detective Frank DeBurra. Believing that the police aren't taking her information about the man with the Queen of Hearts tattoo seriously enough, Brett begins sleuthing on her own... and everywhere she goes, Frank DeBurra is there. Is the man stalking her? When another drag queen is found poisoned, Brett has another question on an endless mind loop: just what does her new employee Charlotte have to do with all of this?
With its Las Vegas setting, this series can take you to unfamiliar places-- like the drag queen scene and tattoo shops-- and provide quite a bit of insight. If you're in the mood for a plot that is devious and moves at speed, Pretty in Ink is the book for you. The characters had such a stranglehold on me that I never really had the time to figure out what was going on. Brett, who has love right under her nose and refuses to see it, aggravated me no end by constantly hiding information from the police. If Frank DeBurra (who had to be the guy who put the nox into obnoxious) were stalking me, I'd tell him everything I knew including my great-great-grandmother's maiden name in an attempt to get the jerk off my back. Brett is made of sterner stuff. Pretty in Ink also serves up its share of humor-- not only with drag queen stage names-- but with the pièce de résistance: Brett's righthand woman, Bitsy, has the most perfect putdown of a politician I've read in ages. This little person had me laughing and clapping. Way to go, Bitsy!
Devious doings in Las Vegas, wonderful characters, humor... what are you waiting for?
June 4, 2011
Okay, so once again, I was not (too) disappointed. This mystery is fast-paced. Once the ride begins, it seems like almost everything that happens to Brett has to do with the mystery. I was a little disappointed that once again the seemingly random love interest ended up being a suspect and was dismissed out of hand before any real romance could happen. Same device as the first book, hope the next book finds something different in the romance category for Brett.
The other similar device is that it turns out that the "victim" of the story is as much of a villan as the "victims" of the first story. It's weird when you spend the whole story "championing" the victim only to find out that he/she/they were actually scum, too.
But I really like Brett and her brother, Tim. Sylvia, Bitsy and Joel are great. Not really sure about Ace and Jeff, but they are welcome to return. And of course, the book was not only about tattoo artists, but drag queens, too. Two of my very favorite things. Not to mention two things that you rarely even see separately in books never mind together in the same book.
One thing that would have made this book much better is visual aids. There were many references to pictures, of drag queens. The references made me feel like I was blind because Brett would look at a photo and wonder where she'd seen that person before or try to see if it resembled "so and so" in drag. I wanted to SEE the photos so I could, first, enjoy seeing the boys in drag, but second, I wanted to see if I could discern who it was in the photo, too. Made me wish for the days where novels had pictures in them, too. Or hope that some day this series will be made into movies or a mini-series on TV or SOMETHING.
The other similar device is that it turns out that the "victim" of the story is as much of a villan as the "victims" of the first story. It's weird when you spend the whole story "championing" the victim only to find out that he/she/they were actually scum, too.
But I really like Brett and her brother, Tim. Sylvia, Bitsy and Joel are great. Not really sure about Ace and Jeff, but they are welcome to return. And of course, the book was not only about tattoo artists, but drag queens, too. Two of my very favorite things. Not to mention two things that you rarely even see separately in books never mind together in the same book.
One thing that would have made this book much better is visual aids. There were many references to pictures, of drag queens. The references made me feel like I was blind because Brett would look at a photo and wonder where she'd seen that person before or try to see if it resembled "so and so" in drag. I wanted to SEE the photos so I could, first, enjoy seeing the boys in drag, but second, I wanted to see if I could discern who it was in the photo, too. Made me wish for the days where novels had pictures in them, too. Or hope that some day this series will be made into movies or a mini-series on TV or SOMETHING.
January 19, 2012
3.5 stars
Just like the first book, Ms. Olson ends most of the chapters with some sort of "cliff-hanger/new information", which makes me immediately click the next button on my Kindle to see what happens next. The book doesn't immediately start with a "dead body"; in fact, first it seems like the mystery is about a drag queen being attacked by a champagne cork, but he is okay. Only several chapters later, he dies ... and after that, Brett Kavanaugh, tattoo artist and sometimes amateur sleuth, finds herself in an investigation by a Las Vegas Metro Homeland Security detective, and her latest employee Charlotte seems to be involved with an act of terrorist.
I find myself warming up to the characters, as I read this second in Tattoo Shop Mystery series. I like Brett ... while she does try to find answers of her own, she is not prone to ask for help from her friends (like Joel, another employee of hers, and Jeff Coleman another tattoo artist who is now entering a 'friendship' phase with her). She doesn't mind to share information with her detective brother, Tim, even if she postpones it couple of times. Although to be honest, nothing really change in terms of character development in this book; everyone still acts like in the first book EXCEPT for Jeff. In fact, I'm liking him as a potential romantic interest for Brett.
The mystery is pretty good too, a couple of twists that make the story keep going, with the bad villain to be not one I expect in the beginning.
I am definitely in for the next two books ...
PS: Just one thing, like one of the reviewers here said, I think not ALL drag queens are gay, and the way Ms. Olson seems to make that deducation is well, not right.
Just like the first book, Ms. Olson ends most of the chapters with some sort of "cliff-hanger/new information", which makes me immediately click the next button on my Kindle to see what happens next. The book doesn't immediately start with a "dead body"; in fact, first it seems like the mystery is about a drag queen being attacked by a champagne cork, but he is okay. Only several chapters later, he dies ... and after that, Brett Kavanaugh, tattoo artist and sometimes amateur sleuth, finds herself in an investigation by a Las Vegas Metro Homeland Security detective, and her latest employee Charlotte seems to be involved with an act of terrorist.
I find myself warming up to the characters, as I read this second in Tattoo Shop Mystery series. I like Brett ... while she does try to find answers of her own, she is not prone to ask for help from her friends (like Joel, another employee of hers, and Jeff Coleman another tattoo artist who is now entering a 'friendship' phase with her). She doesn't mind to share information with her detective brother, Tim, even if she postpones it couple of times. Although to be honest, nothing really change in terms of character development in this book; everyone still acts like in the first book EXCEPT for Jeff. In fact, I'm liking him as a potential romantic interest for Brett.
The mystery is pretty good too, a couple of twists that make the story keep going, with the bad villain to be not one I expect in the beginning.
I am definitely in for the next two books ...
PS: Just one thing, like one of the reviewers here said, I think not ALL drag queens are gay, and the way Ms. Olson seems to make that deducation is well, not right.
January 21, 2013
Vegas tattoo artist and shop owner Brett is back! She and her co-workers ink drag queens for a new show and on opening night one of them ends up dead. Brett saw the killer and finds herself once again in the crosshairs of some dangerous dudes. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t time to meet some hunky guy, but when that hunky guy is observing you for ricin poisoning it does take some of the romance out of it.
I loved the first book so much and this has the same fast pace, strong heroine, and complicated yet compelling mystery. I couldn’t figure out who was killing people or harassing Brett, but that was almost beside the point. I just loved hanging out with her and her friends for a few days.
I am a little worried about Brett, though. I mentioned after I read the first book that I am not a huge fan of tattoos. Between the last book and this one Brett has acquired quite a bit of ink. She has Napoleon on her leg! I mean really, that is not something I like to picture when reading. And if you are uncomfortable with drag queens, be prepared to be uncomfortable, there are lots of them. I don’t know any drag queens so some of it I found interesting and some of it seemed a little creepy (like those babies in the E-Trade commercials – they creep me out too). I’m pretty sure if I ever had a friend who dressed in drag or met a baby who traded stock during nap time I would embrace both.
I loved the first book so much and this has the same fast pace, strong heroine, and complicated yet compelling mystery. I couldn’t figure out who was killing people or harassing Brett, but that was almost beside the point. I just loved hanging out with her and her friends for a few days.
I am a little worried about Brett, though. I mentioned after I read the first book that I am not a huge fan of tattoos. Between the last book and this one Brett has acquired quite a bit of ink. She has Napoleon on her leg! I mean really, that is not something I like to picture when reading. And if you are uncomfortable with drag queens, be prepared to be uncomfortable, there are lots of them. I don’t know any drag queens so some of it I found interesting and some of it seemed a little creepy (like those babies in the E-Trade commercials – they creep me out too). I’m pretty sure if I ever had a friend who dressed in drag or met a baby who traded stock during nap time I would embrace both.
July 6, 2010
#2 Tattoo Shop mystery, featuring Brett Kavanaugh, who owns the Painted Lady tattoo shop in Las Vegas. Brett is at a drag queen show, an invited guest because she did tattoos for several of the stars, when one of them is attacked deliberately during the show--a champagne cork popped directly at her. When Trevor (aka Britney Brassieres) later ends up dead, the apparent victim of poison, Brett gets involved in a bizarre case involving several other drag queens, her trainee employee Charlotte, and the police detective who is now dating her brother Tim's ex-fiancee. Oh, and there's a handsome emergency room doctor in the mix as well.
Soon the FBI is involved, as the poison was nothing less than ricin, a seriously dangerous chemical often used in terrorist attacks. Somehow, Brett's employee Charlotte is mixed up in all of it, though she's not sure just how, and she begins to doubt how well she really knew the girl.
I actually liked this better than the first one. I feel like I'm getting to know Brett better, and while there is a little romance thrown in, it didn't feel like the focus of the book, and this was definitely better than your average cozy, although as usual with amateur sleuth mysteries, the main character ends up doing some pretty stupid stuff. The tattoo informaton is interesting too, of course.
Soon the FBI is involved, as the poison was nothing less than ricin, a seriously dangerous chemical often used in terrorist attacks. Somehow, Brett's employee Charlotte is mixed up in all of it, though she's not sure just how, and she begins to doubt how well she really knew the girl.
I actually liked this better than the first one. I feel like I'm getting to know Brett better, and while there is a little romance thrown in, it didn't feel like the focus of the book, and this was definitely better than your average cozy, although as usual with amateur sleuth mysteries, the main character ends up doing some pretty stupid stuff. The tattoo informaton is interesting too, of course.
June 1, 2013
Considering I don't think much of tattoos, it's a bit surprising to me that I'd like something set in a tattoo shop. Library doesn't carry the first book, and I wanted something set in Nevada that wasn't too long, so this was my choice. It was fine. I didn't need to read the first book, though I'll probably look for it now. I think what I liked about this was that Brett isn't too sly. She's got a brother who is a cop, and she's mostly got him informed about what's happening. I think that is sensible and rare. She also sort of falls into trouble, doesn't go looking for it, and that's a plus.
What I did not like was that in an attempt to make the heroine desirable, the author goes all out way into desperate zone. I mean, one would think having a dead body in the next room that you've only just learned about would dampen your libido? Nope, apparently not when there's a crazy hot hunk (who is also pretty enough to be a drag queen btw) doctor telling you about said dead body. Then you exchange numbers, get lost in each others eyes and swap innuendos. Seriously.
But whatever. She shapes up pretty ok, and the mystery is solved. I might check out the rest of the books.
What I did not like was that in an attempt to make the heroine desirable, the author goes all out way into desperate zone. I mean, one would think having a dead body in the next room that you've only just learned about would dampen your libido? Nope, apparently not when there's a crazy hot hunk (who is also pretty enough to be a drag queen btw) doctor telling you about said dead body. Then you exchange numbers, get lost in each others eyes and swap innuendos. Seriously.
But whatever. She shapes up pretty ok, and the mystery is solved. I might check out the rest of the books.
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