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Charlie Parker #21
Road Trips Can Be Murder
Charlie receives an assignment to drive a teen runaway girl back to her home in Arizona. It’s about a six hour drive each way, and all she has to do is deliver the girl back to her mother, enjoy a night in a nice hotel, turn around and drive back. She’ll be home in plenty of time to bake the Thanksgiving pies with Elsa and settle into the holiday season back in Albuquerque. Or not.
From the get-go, the trip is fraught with problems. Traffic is horrible, weather is moving in, and the only motel they can get into is a dump. Sophie is a 13-year-old with attitude, challenging Charlie to keep her cool at every step. Basically, everything that can go wrong, does go wrong, and the quick job turns into a stress-filled trip. And then there’s a murder.
The girl’s mother is a no-show and the dead guy is mom’s boyfriend, leaving Charlie to figure out what she’ll do with this obstinate teen.
Things brighten up when Charlie meets a group of five Arizona women who have a bit of experience at the mystery game themselves. The Heist Ladies are on a case with tentacles that overlap with Charlie’s. Working together, can they find the missing mom and get the young teen settled, and will Charlie make it home in time for the holiday?
Praise for this USA Today bestselling
“Charlie is just what readers want.” –Booklist
“The Heist Ladies series is going to be off the charts! Thank you Connie Shelton for such an awesome book.” – 5 stars, Goodreads reviewer
“A page turner!” - K. Coonce, 5 star review (for Escapes Can Be Murder)
“I always love Charlie’s escapades. She keeps me glued to the story, unable to put it down. Love the mixture of humor and suspense. Can’t wait for the next adventure!” – Meg, 5 stars on Amazon
“Each book in the series just keeps getting better and better.” – Vine Voice reviewer on Amazon
“Charlie is a fabulous amateur sleuth!” – Midwest Book Review
From the get-go, the trip is fraught with problems. Traffic is horrible, weather is moving in, and the only motel they can get into is a dump. Sophie is a 13-year-old with attitude, challenging Charlie to keep her cool at every step. Basically, everything that can go wrong, does go wrong, and the quick job turns into a stress-filled trip. And then there’s a murder.
The girl’s mother is a no-show and the dead guy is mom’s boyfriend, leaving Charlie to figure out what she’ll do with this obstinate teen.
Things brighten up when Charlie meets a group of five Arizona women who have a bit of experience at the mystery game themselves. The Heist Ladies are on a case with tentacles that overlap with Charlie’s. Working together, can they find the missing mom and get the young teen settled, and will Charlie make it home in time for the holiday?
Praise for this USA Today bestselling
“Charlie is just what readers want.” –Booklist
“The Heist Ladies series is going to be off the charts! Thank you Connie Shelton for such an awesome book.” – 5 stars, Goodreads reviewer
“A page turner!” - K. Coonce, 5 star review (for Escapes Can Be Murder)
“I always love Charlie’s escapades. She keeps me glued to the story, unable to put it down. Love the mixture of humor and suspense. Can’t wait for the next adventure!” – Meg, 5 stars on Amazon
“Each book in the series just keeps getting better and better.” – Vine Voice reviewer on Amazon
“Charlie is a fabulous amateur sleuth!” – Midwest Book Review
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2023
24 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Connie Shelton
94 books309 followersMy love of books started with weekly trips to the library as a child and from the moment I learned to read I can't remember a time that I didn't have at least one book going. For the past 25 years, that list has grown to include what I'm reading and what I'm writing at any given time.
I began writing my Charlie Parker series when my husband and I lived on Kauai, then continued them in my home state of New Mexico. Charlie lives in Albuquerque and manages to travel to a variety of locations, wherever her investigation business and her husband's helicopter business take them. My second series featuring Samantha Sweet, the 50-ish woman who breaks into houses for a living, is set in Taos, New Mexico.
In addition to reading and writing, I've traveled quite a lot, taught writing courses, and been a speaker at a whole lot of mystery conventions and writing conferences. In my spare time I also love to paint, draw, cook and spend time at the beach.
Series:
* Charlie Parker Mystery
I began writing my Charlie Parker series when my husband and I lived on Kauai, then continued them in my home state of New Mexico. Charlie lives in Albuquerque and manages to travel to a variety of locations, wherever her investigation business and her husband's helicopter business take them. My second series featuring Samantha Sweet, the 50-ish woman who breaks into houses for a living, is set in Taos, New Mexico.
In addition to reading and writing, I've traveled quite a lot, taught writing courses, and been a speaker at a whole lot of mystery conventions and writing conferences. In my spare time I also love to paint, draw, cook and spend time at the beach.
Series:
* Charlie Parker Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 3, 2024
i paid 99 cents for this ebook 10 30 2024
i like this series
she is a pi with her brother and flies helicopters with her husband. they have a puppy
she was supposed to take a teen girl runaway home to her mom from soc services
she borrowed her brothers car which was better for long trips than her jeep
it broke down in a small town with no car rental and 2 days to get parts
they spent the night, a man wanted in their room but she said she was going to call 911 and he left
the next morning they were going to go to a used car dealer to rent a car and the old man in the next room said his car was stolen. he needed to get to his wife of 65 yrs who was in a nursing home he couldnt remember the name of
the car lot wouldnt rent to him, he was too old and his license was expired
so she took him too
at breakfast they met some ladies who were looking for a man who scammed women out of money
that man was the girls moms boyfriend, they were always fighting
they couldnt get ahold of the girls mom, when they got to her house she wasnt home
she texted she would be there at noon the next day so they got another motel and spent the night
the next day she still didnt answer the phone so they had the girl break into the house. they found the boyfriend dead in the kitchen with a knife in him
they called 911
she enlisted the help of the friends she made, the heist ladies, and they figured out where the stolen money went after the widow died and got it back for her daughter
they found the girls mom, who was kidnapped and drugged. they were caught, but law enforcement showed up and saved them
she turned in the car she borrowed and got her brothers mustang back and made it home in time for thanksgiving dinner
i like this series
she is a pi with her brother and flies helicopters with her husband. they have a puppy
she was supposed to take a teen girl runaway home to her mom from soc services
she borrowed her brothers car which was better for long trips than her jeep
it broke down in a small town with no car rental and 2 days to get parts
they spent the night, a man wanted in their room but she said she was going to call 911 and he left
the next morning they were going to go to a used car dealer to rent a car and the old man in the next room said his car was stolen. he needed to get to his wife of 65 yrs who was in a nursing home he couldnt remember the name of
the car lot wouldnt rent to him, he was too old and his license was expired
so she took him too
at breakfast they met some ladies who were looking for a man who scammed women out of money
that man was the girls moms boyfriend, they were always fighting
they couldnt get ahold of the girls mom, when they got to her house she wasnt home
she texted she would be there at noon the next day so they got another motel and spent the night
the next day she still didnt answer the phone so they had the girl break into the house. they found the boyfriend dead in the kitchen with a knife in him
they called 911
she enlisted the help of the friends she made, the heist ladies, and they figured out where the stolen money went after the widow died and got it back for her daughter
they found the girls mom, who was kidnapped and drugged. they were caught, but law enforcement showed up and saved them
she turned in the car she borrowed and got her brothers mustang back and made it home in time for thanksgiving dinner
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2023
Charlie and the Heist Ladies are an awesome team
From the moment I read the first sentence of this book I knew this would be a special Charlie Parker. Except for a few breaks I was unable to put this book down all afternoon as I followed Charlie's abortive attempts to get back home from a never-ending road trip. I look forward to the next installment and possible reunion with the Heist Ladies and Charlie.
From the moment I read the first sentence of this book I knew this would be a special Charlie Parker. Except for a few breaks I was unable to put this book down all afternoon as I followed Charlie's abortive attempts to get back home from a never-ending road trip. I look forward to the next installment and possible reunion with the Heist Ladies and Charlie.
April 16, 2023
Excellent!!
What a wonderful “mash-up” of series! Connie Shelton has done cross-overs in her other series, but never this in-depth. This proved to be an excellent story and gives me hope that she can (and will) continue to use the Heist Ladies-either collectively or and few at a time-in her future writings. They are my favorite of her series and I hated to see it end! Thank you, Connie, for listening to your fans!! ❤️
What a wonderful “mash-up” of series! Connie Shelton has done cross-overs in her other series, but never this in-depth. This proved to be an excellent story and gives me hope that she can (and will) continue to use the Heist Ladies-either collectively or and few at a time-in her future writings. They are my favorite of her series and I hated to see it end! Thank you, Connie, for listening to your fans!! ❤️
April 1, 2025
This one is a bit sudden, not enough setting to start the story, not enough hints as to when the book is set in time.
then when I finally got that it was around the holidays, next chapter is on total different people. first time around, I was confused as to where did this come from. 2nd time around I got it.
It is just not how Charlie's stories are written in. its always Charlie's POV, so the abrupt change was a bit off putting.
great story in the end.
then when I finally got that it was around the holidays, next chapter is on total different people. first time around, I was confused as to where did this come from. 2nd time around I got it.
It is just not how Charlie's stories are written in. its always Charlie's POV, so the abrupt change was a bit off putting.
great story in the end.
April 25, 2023
Another Great Book in the Charlie Parker Series
I've read all the books in this series, and this is one of the best. There are several mysteries, and all are solved in a satisfying manner. Charlie is a great character, a heroine who isn't afraid to take on trouble.
I've read all the books in this series, and this is one of the best. There are several mysteries, and all are solved in a satisfying manner. Charlie is a great character, a heroine who isn't afraid to take on trouble.
April 10, 2023
Fun read with characters I know and really enjoy!
April 22, 2023
Not so good.
March 19, 2025
Love Charlie. Now have to try Heist Ladies!
April 18, 2023
This was a fun, quick read - but I miss the earlier books in the Charlie Parker series. These later stories do not have the same amount of details in the writing.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews