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Samantha Brennan and Annabelle Haggerty #1
High Crimes on the Magical Plane
Imagine the surprise of scam psychic, Samantha Brennan, when she encounters the real an honest-to-heavens Celtic goddess, hidden beneath the steely exterior of FBI Special Agent Annabelle Haggerty. Yet Annabelle's magical powers might not be enough when America's sweet and sexy movie star, Molly Claire, is made the centerpiece of a gangland siege that brings the City of Angels to its knees. And if Annabelle and her family of deities are no match for the Demon of Darkness that she believes is masterminding LA's own Armageddon, what chance does a poor little fake like Samantha have? HIGH CRIMES ON THE MAGICAL PLANE takes the urban fantasy-mystery trend into brand new territory - beyond vampires and werewolves - to creatures that are both wacky and wonderful.
212 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
2 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Kris Neri
41 books56 followersMy latest novel is MAGICAL MUSHROOMS, the third adventure in my Samantha Brennan and Annabelle Haggerty Magical Mystery, featuring a questionable psychic who teams up with a contemporary goddess hidden within the FBI.
The earlier books in the series are HIGH CRIMES ON THE MAGICAL PLANE and ANNABELLE HAGGERTY. Both novels were Lefty Award nominees for Best Humorous Mystery Novel and MAGICAL ALIENATION was a New Mexico-Arizona Book Award winner.
I've written one women's fiction-crime crossover, HOPSCOTCH LIFE, featuring quirky protagonist Plum Tardy. HOPSCOTCH LIFE is also a New Mexico-Arizona Book Award winner.
I also write the Agatha, Anthony, Macavity and Lefty Award-nominated Tracy Eaton mysteries, featuring the daughter of eccentric Hollywood stars, REVENGE OF THE GYPSY QUEEN, DEM BONES' REVENGE, REVENGE FOR OLD TIMES' SAKE and the latest, REVENGE ON ROUTE 66, which takes place in the quirkiest spots along the Southwestern Route 66, and which is a New Mexico-Arizona Book Award finalist.
I also write thrillers and short stories.
I've published some sixty short-plus stories, which have appeared in periodicals and anthologies in the US and overseas. I'm a two-time Derringer Award winner and a two-time Pushcart Prize nominee for my short fiction. One of my Derringer Award winners, "L.A. Justice," is the story in which my Tracy Eaton series was born. You can read that and another Tracy Eaton short story, as well as some other stories, on the Stories page of my website: www.krisneri.com.
I teach writing online for the prestigious Writers' Program of the UCLA Extension School, and other organizations.
I have been a lifelong voracious reader. My tastes are varied. I love mysteries -- both cozies and those that are darkish, but humorous mysteries are my favorites. I also read thrillers, urban fantasy, humorous urban fantasy, general fiction, and loads of personal growth books -- in short, a little bit of everything. As a former bookseller, I've read it all!
The earlier books in the series are HIGH CRIMES ON THE MAGICAL PLANE and ANNABELLE HAGGERTY. Both novels were Lefty Award nominees for Best Humorous Mystery Novel and MAGICAL ALIENATION was a New Mexico-Arizona Book Award winner.
I've written one women's fiction-crime crossover, HOPSCOTCH LIFE, featuring quirky protagonist Plum Tardy. HOPSCOTCH LIFE is also a New Mexico-Arizona Book Award winner.
I also write the Agatha, Anthony, Macavity and Lefty Award-nominated Tracy Eaton mysteries, featuring the daughter of eccentric Hollywood stars, REVENGE OF THE GYPSY QUEEN, DEM BONES' REVENGE, REVENGE FOR OLD TIMES' SAKE and the latest, REVENGE ON ROUTE 66, which takes place in the quirkiest spots along the Southwestern Route 66, and which is a New Mexico-Arizona Book Award finalist.
I also write thrillers and short stories.
I've published some sixty short-plus stories, which have appeared in periodicals and anthologies in the US and overseas. I'm a two-time Derringer Award winner and a two-time Pushcart Prize nominee for my short fiction. One of my Derringer Award winners, "L.A. Justice," is the story in which my Tracy Eaton series was born. You can read that and another Tracy Eaton short story, as well as some other stories, on the Stories page of my website: www.krisneri.com.
I teach writing online for the prestigious Writers' Program of the UCLA Extension School, and other organizations.
I have been a lifelong voracious reader. My tastes are varied. I love mysteries -- both cozies and those that are darkish, but humorous mysteries are my favorites. I also read thrillers, urban fantasy, humorous urban fantasy, general fiction, and loads of personal growth books -- in short, a little bit of everything. As a former bookseller, I've read it all!
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 27, 2011
Samantha is a fake psychic and she dresses the part. On the way to an appointment to do a reading for a celebrity client, she witnesses a carload of clowns driving away. She connects that bizarre incident with a high profile actress living in the same building as her client. Cadging a keycard, she sets herself up to do a high-profile prediction of a kidnapping, something that will "make" her. Instead she stumbles on a body and gets hijacked as a key witness by the FBI.
And in the process discovers that the uptight agent, Annabelle Haggerty, is a real live Celtic Goddess. And thus begins a mad romp to save the kidnapped actress and, incidentally, save the world from destruction.
This book is amusing and entertaining. The characters of Samantha and Annabelle are likeable. Glimpses of our ordinary world through the eyes of a Goddess is very well done. While parts of the mystery were obvious, the ultimate villan was not. Amusing, funny, and fun book.
And in the process discovers that the uptight agent, Annabelle Haggerty, is a real live Celtic Goddess. And thus begins a mad romp to save the kidnapped actress and, incidentally, save the world from destruction.
This book is amusing and entertaining. The characters of Samantha and Annabelle are likeable. Glimpses of our ordinary world through the eyes of a Goddess is very well done. While parts of the mystery were obvious, the ultimate villan was not. Amusing, funny, and fun book.
June 4, 2010
There is more on the back of the book and it's all praise. It's a veritable paranormal Who's Who on that back cover singing praises over this book: Charlaine Harris, Casey Daniels, Shirley Damsgaard, Diana Gabaldon.
I cannot remember where I saw the review or synopsis of this one, but, once again, I am so glad that I did! This turned into a 'danger book' for me..the type that keeps me up reading past my bedtime. I loved Samantha and Annabelle, then the chemistry between the two main characters made me laugh and cheer them on. The story is a good one of quirky-means-well working with straightlaced good to fight the evil that is trying to take over the world, starting with Los Angeles.
All that appears normal isn't so, as Annabelle the goddess shows Samantha the fake psychic. Samantha knows the ways of the world, how to pull a good scam and where to find nifty vintage prom dresses. Annabelle knows where the gnomes and flower faeries reside and who to call when in need of a magical recharge.
The twists and turns were fab, especially the "Whoa! Did not see that coming" moment in the end.
Please let there be more to this series!! I'll look for Kris Neri's other books, that's for sure.
Five goddess sparkly diamonds....
I cannot remember where I saw the review or synopsis of this one, but, once again, I am so glad that I did! This turned into a 'danger book' for me..the type that keeps me up reading past my bedtime. I loved Samantha and Annabelle, then the chemistry between the two main characters made me laugh and cheer them on. The story is a good one of quirky-means-well working with straightlaced good to fight the evil that is trying to take over the world, starting with Los Angeles.
All that appears normal isn't so, as Annabelle the goddess shows Samantha the fake psychic. Samantha knows the ways of the world, how to pull a good scam and where to find nifty vintage prom dresses. Annabelle knows where the gnomes and flower faeries reside and who to call when in need of a magical recharge.
The twists and turns were fab, especially the "Whoa! Did not see that coming" moment in the end.
Please let there be more to this series!! I'll look for Kris Neri's other books, that's for sure.
Five goddess sparkly diamonds....
July 21, 2012
Talk about original! Samantha is a completely wonderful character the reader cannot resist. Haggerty is a mystery, even as the reader gets to know her. And that's perfect!
Ms. Neri constructs a mystery that seems in the beginning deceptively simple. But as the pages roll by, the mystery complicates, the victims pile up, the solution the reader thought she had disappears. I love a mystery where I have an inkling who dun it by later in the book, but am fooled, then fooled again, and in the end can say- WOW!
For me, good writing is all about the characters. I have to care. And there is no way a reader cannot care about Samantha or Haggerty.
Ms. Neri constructs a mystery that seems in the beginning deceptively simple. But as the pages roll by, the mystery complicates, the victims pile up, the solution the reader thought she had disappears. I love a mystery where I have an inkling who dun it by later in the book, but am fooled, then fooled again, and in the end can say- WOW!
For me, good writing is all about the characters. I have to care. And there is no way a reader cannot care about Samantha or Haggerty.
September 21, 2014
This was light and enjoyable. I liked the main character, the fake psychic Samantha. She was aware of her own shallowness. I was okay with the other main character being a demigoddess. After all, that's the point of the pairing. There were too many other elements of fantasy for me. It made it too easy for Samantha to get her sleuthing done. It would have been nice to see Samantha using the observation skills from her psychic business more.
May 26, 2013
This is an entertaining, lighthearted paranormal mystery, in which a fake psychic who claims to be a Celtic goddess meets a no-nonsense FBI agent who really is a Celtic goddess. It's a fun read for crime-fiction lovers who enjoy some fantasy mixed in with their mystery.
August 22, 2012
High Crimes is a fun, creative and compelling urban fantasy. Definitely a unique experience featuring a fake psychic, a Celtic Goddess and a fun loving, lusty God, I give this crime mystery/adventure four stars.
January 22, 2010
I enjoyed meeting Samantha Brennan and Annabelle Haggerty. I look forward to more mystery adventures with these two.
March 24, 2010
It took me a bit to warm up to the protags, but once I did it was a great ride. Interesting twist on paras. I look forward to more in this series....I hope.
April 14, 2010
This book was decent. For those interested they can check out my full review in the sumemr issue of Tales of the Talisman magazine.
March 8, 2011
Really fun and interesting adventure with interesting characters. A new view of Los Angeles with a twist.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews