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Naked Came the Phoenix
The promise of discretion and pampering-and a long-overdue reconciliation with her mother-draws Caroline Blessing, the young wife of a newly-elected Congressman, to the fancy Phoenix Spa. But after her first night in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Caroline wakes to find the rich and famous guests in turmoil and under suspicion: the spa's flamboyant and ambitious owner has been murdered. As the secrets come out-and the body count rises, can Caroline keep herself from becoming the next victim?
In the tradition of such collaborative classics as Naked Came The Manatee and The Floating Admiral, each chapter in this serial novel is written by one of today's most talented mystery novelists. They include Nevada Barr, J. D. Robb, Nancy Pickard, Lisa Scottoline, Perri O'Shaughnessy, J. A. Jance, Faye Kellerman, Mary Jane Clark, Anne Perry, Diana Gabaldon, Val McDermid, and Laurie R. King.
In the tradition of such collaborative classics as Naked Came The Manatee and The Floating Admiral, each chapter in this serial novel is written by one of today's most talented mystery novelists. They include Nevada Barr, J. D. Robb, Nancy Pickard, Lisa Scottoline, Perri O'Shaughnessy, J. A. Jance, Faye Kellerman, Mary Jane Clark, Anne Perry, Diana Gabaldon, Val McDermid, and Laurie R. King.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2001
390 people are currently reading
1411 people want to read
About the author
Marcia Talley
66 books54 followersMarcia Talley is the Agatha and Anthony award-winning author of DEAD MAN DANCING and six previous mysteries featuring amateur sleuth, Hannah Ives who, like the author, is a breast cancer survivor.
Marcia is author/editor of two star-studded collaborative novels, NAKED CAME THE PHOENIX and ID KILL FOR THAT set in a fashionable health spa and an exclusive gated community, respectively. Her short stories appear in more than a dozen collections including With Love, Marjorie Ann and Safety First, both Agatha award nominees, and the multi-award-winning Too Many Cooks, a humorous retelling of Shakespeares Macbeth from the viewpoint of the three witches. A recent story, Driven to Distraction won the Agatha Award, was nominated for an Anthony, and was reprinted in THE DANGEROUS BRIDE AND 21 OF THE YEARS FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES.
Marcia is immediate past president of the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime, serves as Secretary for Sisters in Crime National, and is on the board of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America. She divides her time between Annapolis, Maryland and an antique sailboat in the Bahamas.
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Marcia is author/editor of two star-studded collaborative novels, NAKED CAME THE PHOENIX and ID KILL FOR THAT set in a fashionable health spa and an exclusive gated community, respectively. Her short stories appear in more than a dozen collections including With Love, Marjorie Ann and Safety First, both Agatha award nominees, and the multi-award-winning Too Many Cooks, a humorous retelling of Shakespeares Macbeth from the viewpoint of the three witches. A recent story, Driven to Distraction won the Agatha Award, was nominated for an Anthony, and was reprinted in THE DANGEROUS BRIDE AND 21 OF THE YEARS FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES.
Marcia is immediate past president of the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime, serves as Secretary for Sisters in Crime National, and is on the board of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America. She divides her time between Annapolis, Maryland and an antique sailboat in the Bahamas.
"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
December 2, 2009
Naked Came The Phoenix was a book selection for two of my local reading groups because we were intrigued by its unusual format. Twelve bestselling mystery and suspense author joined together to contribute a chapter to this murder-mystery, soap-opera. The catch? Each other must pick up where the last left off and continue the story using the same cast of characters, all of who get zanier as the story progresses.
The opening chapter written by Nevada Barr sets up the story and, in my opinion, was the driest, dullest entry in the entire book. It’s here that the lifeless main characters are introduced (luckily they don’t stay that way!). After the recent death of her father, Caroline, wife of a big shot Congressman, agrees to spend some quality bonding time with her difficult mother at a high-end health spa. Caroline’s fellow guests at the spa include an aging rock legend, a quirky psychic, a starving model and loads of other oddballs and Hollywood “it” types.
After the slow start, JD Robb picks up the tempo in chapter two. She breaths life into Caroline’s character by bringing her down to earth in a funny little adventure brought about by hunger. She also adds a hunky pool-boy to the ever growing list of characters and kicks things into high gear by killing off the snooty spa owner.
Things get silly as each character seems to harbor some dirty secret and the murder count becomes ridiculously high as each author adds their own little twists and turns to the story and attempts to pick up where the previous author left off. A friend of mine described the characters as “manic depressives” and she was right on. Each character switches moods and personalities from chapter to chapter which only added to the sense of fun. Eventually, all dangling threads and over-the-top plot twists were neatly brought together by author Laurie King.
I’d read another book like Naked Came The Phoenix for the fun factor alone. But would I read this one again? Umm, probably not.
The opening chapter written by Nevada Barr sets up the story and, in my opinion, was the driest, dullest entry in the entire book. It’s here that the lifeless main characters are introduced (luckily they don’t stay that way!). After the recent death of her father, Caroline, wife of a big shot Congressman, agrees to spend some quality bonding time with her difficult mother at a high-end health spa. Caroline’s fellow guests at the spa include an aging rock legend, a quirky psychic, a starving model and loads of other oddballs and Hollywood “it” types.
After the slow start, JD Robb picks up the tempo in chapter two. She breaths life into Caroline’s character by bringing her down to earth in a funny little adventure brought about by hunger. She also adds a hunky pool-boy to the ever growing list of characters and kicks things into high gear by killing off the snooty spa owner.
Things get silly as each character seems to harbor some dirty secret and the murder count becomes ridiculously high as each author adds their own little twists and turns to the story and attempts to pick up where the previous author left off. A friend of mine described the characters as “manic depressives” and she was right on. Each character switches moods and personalities from chapter to chapter which only added to the sense of fun. Eventually, all dangling threads and over-the-top plot twists were neatly brought together by author Laurie King.
I’d read another book like Naked Came The Phoenix for the fun factor alone. But would I read this one again? Umm, probably not.
June 26, 2014
I picked this up because I assumed it was an anthology of short stories, and I saw JD Robb's name on it. Rather, it's a serial mystery, each chapter written by a different author. Sounds really intriguing, right? Especially with a bunch of well known, well-liked successful authors. Totally wrong. This really sucked - the characters were awful and boring (Caroline could have been likeable, except every time she started to grow a bit of a spine they let her fall apart again). The other characters were all very unlikeable and their personalities seemed a bit disjointed - probably due to having a different author each chapter. A single author can show a different side to a character and their story still seems continuous, but it seemed like each time you saw a new facet of the character you didnt see quite enough for it to feel genuine.
January 15, 2011
Written by many different detective fiction authors (all women), this book is, at times, rather disjointed and somewhat unbelievable. All that being said, it was great fun!!! I enjoyed seeing my favorite authors writing in a different setting and even a different time.
January 3, 2018
I had fun reading this fun spoof of a novel. Learning the history behind serial novels then reading this book for a fun story and getting exactly that. It's not to be taken too seriously. Just enjoy it for what it is.
December 18, 2018
Alot of fun.
December 4, 2008
Another serial novel is out, this time written by female mystery authors. (Authoresses?)
Remember Naked Came the Manatee? This is the same sort of deal: The thirteen chapters are each written by a different author in the tradition of that 1969 book, Naked Came the Stranger.
Stranger was purportedly written by a Connecticut housewife named Penelope Ashe but was in reality written by 24 Newsday journalists. Editor Marcia Talley was approached by her publisher to do the book. She knew Val McDermid and Laurie King, and then contacted several other authors about the project, including Nevada Barr, Lisa Scottoline, and the sisters Perri (Mary and Pamela) O'Shaughnessy. Each was given a month to complete her chapter.
One of the things I really liked about Naked Came the Manatee was how each chapter demonstrated the author's style. In Phoenix, the chapters flow together so seamlessly, you forget you're reading a serial. I was particularly impressed with how well Laurie King wrapped up every loose end the others had created.
The writing is pretty light. Caroline Blessing, our heroine, takes her grieving mother to the Phoenix Spa for some R&R. It isn't long before trouble finds Caroline - the spa's owner is murdered and left in a mud bath. The story begins twisting there and keeps winding tighter until the end. The characters are colorful and witty. It's a fun read.
Mississippi author Nevada Barr is the award-winning author of the Anna Pigeon mystery series - the latest is Blood Lure. She is currently working on her tenth novel.
Mary Jane Clark is a producer and writer at CBS News, as well as the author of media thrillers Do You Want to Know a Secret? (1998), Do You Promise Not to Tell? (1999), Let Me Whisper In Your Ear (2000), and Close To You, which came out in September 2001.
Diana Gabaldon has just completed the fifth volume in her award-winning "Outlander" series - The Fiery Cross - and is heading out on tour soon.
J.A. Jance writes two police procedural series featuring Detective J.P. Beaumont (12 titles) and Sheriff Joanna Brady (9 titles).
Faye Kellerman is the author of 15 novels, including Stalker: A Novel and The Forgotten.
Laurie R. King writes two crime fiction series and has published 11 novels. Her most recent work is Folly (2001). She has won the Edgar, the Creasey, and the Nero Wolfe awards, and has been nominated for many others.
British author Val McDermid has published 15 novels and one non-fiction book, and has won the Gold Dagger and the French Grand Prix des Romans d'Aventures. Her most recent novel is A Place of Execution.
Perri O'Shaughnessy, author of 5 New York Times bestselling novels, is really two sisters who collaborate on a series of legal thrillers and short stories. Their most recent release is Writ of Execution(2001).
Author of the acclaimed Victorian series starring William Monk and Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, Anne Perry has written more than 30 novels, including the 2001-release, A Dish Taken Cold. She has won many awards, among them the Herodotus for Lifetime Achievement and the Edgar.
Nancy Pickard is the author of two mystery series. Her books include Confession and The Whole Truth, which was recently nominated for an Edgar Award.
J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) is the New York Times bestselling author of the futuristic "In Death" romantic suspense series featuring Lieutenant Eve Dallas. Her most recent is Judgment In Death.
Lisa Scottoline is a New York Times bestselling author of eight novels, including legal thrillers Moment of Truth (2000) and Mistaken Identity (1999). Everywhere That Mary Went (1994), was nominated for the Edgar Award; Final Appeal (1995), won the Edgar the next year. Her latest novel, The Vendetta Defense was released this year.
Ohio author Marcia Talley just released Occasion of Revenge. Her debut novel, Sing It to Her Bones, won the coveted Malice Domestic Grant in 1998, and was a Mystery Guild Featured Alternate for Fall 1999.
Remember Naked Came the Manatee? This is the same sort of deal: The thirteen chapters are each written by a different author in the tradition of that 1969 book, Naked Came the Stranger.
Stranger was purportedly written by a Connecticut housewife named Penelope Ashe but was in reality written by 24 Newsday journalists. Editor Marcia Talley was approached by her publisher to do the book. She knew Val McDermid and Laurie King, and then contacted several other authors about the project, including Nevada Barr, Lisa Scottoline, and the sisters Perri (Mary and Pamela) O'Shaughnessy. Each was given a month to complete her chapter.
One of the things I really liked about Naked Came the Manatee was how each chapter demonstrated the author's style. In Phoenix, the chapters flow together so seamlessly, you forget you're reading a serial. I was particularly impressed with how well Laurie King wrapped up every loose end the others had created.
The writing is pretty light. Caroline Blessing, our heroine, takes her grieving mother to the Phoenix Spa for some R&R. It isn't long before trouble finds Caroline - the spa's owner is murdered and left in a mud bath. The story begins twisting there and keeps winding tighter until the end. The characters are colorful and witty. It's a fun read.
Mississippi author Nevada Barr is the award-winning author of the Anna Pigeon mystery series - the latest is Blood Lure. She is currently working on her tenth novel.
Mary Jane Clark is a producer and writer at CBS News, as well as the author of media thrillers Do You Want to Know a Secret? (1998), Do You Promise Not to Tell? (1999), Let Me Whisper In Your Ear (2000), and Close To You, which came out in September 2001.
Diana Gabaldon has just completed the fifth volume in her award-winning "Outlander" series - The Fiery Cross - and is heading out on tour soon.
J.A. Jance writes two police procedural series featuring Detective J.P. Beaumont (12 titles) and Sheriff Joanna Brady (9 titles).
Faye Kellerman is the author of 15 novels, including Stalker: A Novel and The Forgotten.
Laurie R. King writes two crime fiction series and has published 11 novels. Her most recent work is Folly (2001). She has won the Edgar, the Creasey, and the Nero Wolfe awards, and has been nominated for many others.
British author Val McDermid has published 15 novels and one non-fiction book, and has won the Gold Dagger and the French Grand Prix des Romans d'Aventures. Her most recent novel is A Place of Execution.
Perri O'Shaughnessy, author of 5 New York Times bestselling novels, is really two sisters who collaborate on a series of legal thrillers and short stories. Their most recent release is Writ of Execution(2001).
Author of the acclaimed Victorian series starring William Monk and Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, Anne Perry has written more than 30 novels, including the 2001-release, A Dish Taken Cold. She has won many awards, among them the Herodotus for Lifetime Achievement and the Edgar.
Nancy Pickard is the author of two mystery series. Her books include Confession and The Whole Truth, which was recently nominated for an Edgar Award.
J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) is the New York Times bestselling author of the futuristic "In Death" romantic suspense series featuring Lieutenant Eve Dallas. Her most recent is Judgment In Death.
Lisa Scottoline is a New York Times bestselling author of eight novels, including legal thrillers Moment of Truth (2000) and Mistaken Identity (1999). Everywhere That Mary Went (1994), was nominated for the Edgar Award; Final Appeal (1995), won the Edgar the next year. Her latest novel, The Vendetta Defense was released this year.
Ohio author Marcia Talley just released Occasion of Revenge. Her debut novel, Sing It to Her Bones, won the coveted Malice Domestic Grant in 1998, and was a Mystery Guild Featured Alternate for Fall 1999.
June 18, 2015
This is a serial novel in the manner of "Naked Came the Manatee", " Naked Came the Stranger", "The Floating Admiral" and others. Thirteen women mystery/crime writers collaberated to write this novel and gave a portion of the royalties to breast cancer research.
Contributing authors are:
Chapter 1 - Navada Barr
Chapter 2 - Nora Roberts (J. D. Robb)
Chapter 3 - Nancy Pickard
Chapter 4 - Lisa Scottoline
Chapter 5 - Perri O'Shaughnessy (Pam and Mary)
Chapter 6 - J. A. Jance
Chapter 7 - Faye Kellerman
Chapter 8 - Mary Jane Clark
Chapter 9 - Marcia Talley (editor and contributor)
Chapter 10 - Anne Perry
Chapter 11 - Diana Gabaldon
Chapter 12 - Val McDermid
Chapter 13 - Laurie R. King
I would like to give this book more than two stars but I really can't go there. It was fun to read and I enjoyed the various twists the authors took...but did not like the ending (sorry, Ms. King).
However, I give twenty stars to the contribution to breast cancer research. Way to go authoresses!
Contributing authors are:
Chapter 1 - Navada Barr
Chapter 2 - Nora Roberts (J. D. Robb)
Chapter 3 - Nancy Pickard
Chapter 4 - Lisa Scottoline
Chapter 5 - Perri O'Shaughnessy (Pam and Mary)
Chapter 6 - J. A. Jance
Chapter 7 - Faye Kellerman
Chapter 8 - Mary Jane Clark
Chapter 9 - Marcia Talley (editor and contributor)
Chapter 10 - Anne Perry
Chapter 11 - Diana Gabaldon
Chapter 12 - Val McDermid
Chapter 13 - Laurie R. King
I would like to give this book more than two stars but I really can't go there. It was fun to read and I enjoyed the various twists the authors took...but did not like the ending (sorry, Ms. King).
However, I give twenty stars to the contribution to breast cancer research. Way to go authoresses!
June 19, 2021
A novel where each chapter is written by a different author. I was hypercritical of the chapters because there were different authors. The editor should have caught the inconsistencies. The ending was too HEA. I starred my favorite chapters.
I'm not sure this book was successful because all of the characters seemed so schizophrenic but that's because some of the authors just seemed to ignore the way the characters were in the last chapter and went with what they wanted. I'm going to give this book 2 stars.
Chapter 1 - Nevada Barr. The writing in this chapter is so unlike other things I've read by Nevada Barr. Melodramatic, a little bit gothic romance in a way.
*Chapter 2 - J. D. Robb. I'm okay with J.D. Robb's Death series. Pretty depressing. This wasn't. I liked this chapter a lot. A little playful. I liked the mom and daughter interplay.
Chapter 3 - Nancy Pickard. Back to gothic with a lot of sexual innuendo. No humor whatsoever and now the mom isn't nice again. The end of the chapter needed dramatic - duh, duh, duh on the piano.
Chapter 4 - Lisa Scottoline. First, the bathing suit was purple in previous chapters. And second, spaghettini, meatball sandwich? Third, a cop's wife wears cocktail dresses for everyday dinners? Huh? I liked the Caroline dialogue, not the Vince - which was too much.
Chapter 5 - Perri O'Shaughnessy. There's just been a murder so you go off with a stranger after he snuck in your room?
*Chapter 6 - J. A. Jance. Now the mom's nice again. Why couldn't they pick a violin instead of cello. It's kind of ridiculous. Now Vince is normal and not such a caricature. But even with all that, this was a good chapter.
Chapter 7 - Faye Kellerman. "I don't know. I'm just a simple musician." Stupid sentence. I have a feeling Faye didn't get a chance to read all of the chapters because she's forgotten what Caroline was asked for.
Chapter 8 - Mary Jane Clark. Okay, who goes to the sauna and lays there nude while the police are investigating a murder? And why did Caroline go there? Makes no sense. Why are the staff still working when the owner was murdered?
Chapter 9 - Marcia Talley. "He flushed to the lobes of his exquisite ears." What middle-aged man has exquisite ears? Now, this previously unfeeling, unconcerned man is mourning his wife? I don't think this author read the previous chapters either.
Chapter 10 - Anne Perry. An okay chapter, a little dated with the divorce dilemma.
Chapter 11 - Diana Gabaldon. Another person who doesn't know their parents? Is it 3 people now? The ending of that chapter was a surprise.
Chapter 12 - Val McDermid. The police are the worst. Another murder right under their noses. That makes 3 in one day.
Chapter 13 - Laurie R. King. I thought the thong started out purple? Unsatisfying ending.
I'm not sure this book was successful because all of the characters seemed so schizophrenic but that's because some of the authors just seemed to ignore the way the characters were in the last chapter and went with what they wanted. I'm going to give this book 2 stars.
Chapter 1 - Nevada Barr. The writing in this chapter is so unlike other things I've read by Nevada Barr. Melodramatic, a little bit gothic romance in a way.
*Chapter 2 - J. D. Robb. I'm okay with J.D. Robb's Death series. Pretty depressing. This wasn't. I liked this chapter a lot. A little playful. I liked the mom and daughter interplay.
Chapter 3 - Nancy Pickard. Back to gothic with a lot of sexual innuendo. No humor whatsoever and now the mom isn't nice again. The end of the chapter needed dramatic - duh, duh, duh on the piano.
Chapter 4 - Lisa Scottoline. First, the bathing suit was purple in previous chapters. And second, spaghettini, meatball sandwich? Third, a cop's wife wears cocktail dresses for everyday dinners? Huh? I liked the Caroline dialogue, not the Vince - which was too much.
Chapter 5 - Perri O'Shaughnessy. There's just been a murder so you go off with a stranger after he snuck in your room?
*Chapter 6 - J. A. Jance. Now the mom's nice again. Why couldn't they pick a violin instead of cello. It's kind of ridiculous. Now Vince is normal and not such a caricature. But even with all that, this was a good chapter.
Chapter 7 - Faye Kellerman. "I don't know. I'm just a simple musician." Stupid sentence. I have a feeling Faye didn't get a chance to read all of the chapters because she's forgotten what Caroline was asked for.
Chapter 8 - Mary Jane Clark. Okay, who goes to the sauna and lays there nude while the police are investigating a murder? And why did Caroline go there? Makes no sense. Why are the staff still working when the owner was murdered?
Chapter 9 - Marcia Talley. "He flushed to the lobes of his exquisite ears." What middle-aged man has exquisite ears? Now, this previously unfeeling, unconcerned man is mourning his wife? I don't think this author read the previous chapters either.
Chapter 10 - Anne Perry. An okay chapter, a little dated with the divorce dilemma.
Chapter 11 - Diana Gabaldon. Another person who doesn't know their parents? Is it 3 people now? The ending of that chapter was a surprise.
Chapter 12 - Val McDermid. The police are the worst. Another murder right under their noses. That makes 3 in one day.
Chapter 13 - Laurie R. King. I thought the thong started out purple? Unsatisfying ending.
March 20, 2025
From some of the modern queens of mystery, comes this entertaining tale of family lost and found, treachery, blackmail, and murder. Caroline and her mother Hilda are visiting the exclusive Phoenix spa, a place where the rich and famous come to hide while being alternately pampered and starved in the name of beauty and relaxation.
Caroline is determined to enjoy this break, despite her mother’s predilections for cruelty and control, when she encounters a dead body in the spa’s mud baths, the owner of the spa. This proves to be only the first of several as a number of guests, all with mysterious links to each other and the late owner, appear to be murdered by an unknown assailant, who must be hiding at the isolated resort.
The local police do their best, but the wealthy guests all have lawyers to impede the investigation. Hilda reveals that she has through covert means become the primary owner of the Phoenix, and also that the previous owner had blackmailed her over a child she gave up for adoption before Caroline’s birth.
The novel contains numerous red herrings as different contributors hint who could possibly be Caroline’s lost sibling. The story flows surprisingly well considering each chapter is written by a different author. Overall, the effect is of an engaging, sometimes shocking mystery, with a couple of twists this reader couldn’t have predicted.
I enjoyed this short novella very much, and recommend it to fans of the genre at large as well as any of the included authors. I award it four stars.
Caroline is determined to enjoy this break, despite her mother’s predilections for cruelty and control, when she encounters a dead body in the spa’s mud baths, the owner of the spa. This proves to be only the first of several as a number of guests, all with mysterious links to each other and the late owner, appear to be murdered by an unknown assailant, who must be hiding at the isolated resort.
The local police do their best, but the wealthy guests all have lawyers to impede the investigation. Hilda reveals that she has through covert means become the primary owner of the Phoenix, and also that the previous owner had blackmailed her over a child she gave up for adoption before Caroline’s birth.
The novel contains numerous red herrings as different contributors hint who could possibly be Caroline’s lost sibling. The story flows surprisingly well considering each chapter is written by a different author. Overall, the effect is of an engaging, sometimes shocking mystery, with a couple of twists this reader couldn’t have predicted.
I enjoyed this short novella very much, and recommend it to fans of the genre at large as well as any of the included authors. I award it four stars.
July 27, 2025
A fun little romp. There were some funky issues with the serial format, but for the most part, it was well-done and entertaining. The winning authors (in my humble opinion):
3rd place goes to Nevada Barr for the most lyrical writing in the book. I always loved Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series before it suddenly went too dark. She got to start the series off so I doubt it was much of a challenge for her.
2nd place goes to Anne Perry for the most clear and unobtrusive writing. I was never snapped out of the story by uneven or rough exposition in her chapter. It was very smooth and fitting for the story. I have enjoyed her other books.
AND THE WINNER IS....Laurie R. King, of course. Granted, she is one of my favorite authors anyway, but she brilliantly brought this all together. I thought the metamorphosis of Emilio was ingenious. She came up with an answer for almost everything. That is talent.
Most of the authors played well together, although some, like Lisa Scottoline, just threw her own style in there without any regard for how it would work with the rest of the authors. I found that irritating and it seemed selfish.
Only two things really bugged me: the apparent multiple personality disorder of Douglas and WHO KILLED THE FIRST VICTIM, ANYWAY???
3rd place goes to Nevada Barr for the most lyrical writing in the book. I always loved Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series before it suddenly went too dark. She got to start the series off so I doubt it was much of a challenge for her.
2nd place goes to Anne Perry for the most clear and unobtrusive writing. I was never snapped out of the story by uneven or rough exposition in her chapter. It was very smooth and fitting for the story. I have enjoyed her other books.
AND THE WINNER IS....Laurie R. King, of course. Granted, she is one of my favorite authors anyway, but she brilliantly brought this all together. I thought the metamorphosis of Emilio was ingenious. She came up with an answer for almost everything. That is talent.
Most of the authors played well together, although some, like Lisa Scottoline, just threw her own style in there without any regard for how it would work with the rest of the authors. I found that irritating and it seemed selfish.
Only two things really bugged me: the apparent multiple personality disorder of Douglas and WHO KILLED THE FIRST VICTIM, ANYWAY???
June 21, 2022
The Phoenix Spa, located deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, is the posh destination for those affluent enough to afford its services. Run by married couple Claudia and Raoul DeVries the spa is full of beautiful people at the moment including a famous model, a celebrated actress, an aging rock star, a Hollywood producer and the wife of a newly elected congressman and her mother. Not long after the doors open to this motley cast of characters, Claudia DeVries' body is found packed into a mud bath. Her death would be only the first in a series of murders that would plague the fancy spa. Everyone is a suspect and no one is safe. The detective in charge of the investigation relies on an Agatha Christie scenario as he calls all of the suspects into the library for a final showdown.
This is a 'serial novel' written by 13 female mystery writers each given a chapter to continue the story in their own way. The profits from the book were donated to breast cancer research. The story was fun with a lot of red herrings thrown in for good measure. Secrets are revealed along with myriad motives for murder.
This is a 'serial novel' written by 13 female mystery writers each given a chapter to continue the story in their own way. The profits from the book were donated to breast cancer research. The story was fun with a lot of red herrings thrown in for good measure. Secrets are revealed along with myriad motives for murder.
March 15, 2019
This book is unique in that each chapter is written by a different author. Most of the authors write mysteries, except for Diana Galbadon, and I have read books by most of them. The authors couldn't change anything that had previously happened and I could tell some of them had fun dropping bombshells for others to clean up. Nevada Barr starts things off by introducing Caroline, a congressman's wife, and her mother Hilda who have come to stay at the Phoenix Spa after her fathers death. This chapter is a bit slow but Nora Roberts comes in next and sends Caroline on a fun outing to raid the spa pantry and she introduces a barely clad pool boy and the first murder. The characters personalities change a bit depending on who is writing them but overall the book was fun. Laurie R. King does a good job wrapping everything up though I think she went a bit overboard the last few pages. An enjoyable book as long as it isn't taken too seriously.
October 12, 2019
This book is different. It's written by many different mystery writers with each author writing one chapter.
Guests have been invited to the fancy & expensive Phoenix Spa owned by Claudia de Vries. She had ulterior motives in having them all there at the same time but the guests were not aware of it.
On their first night there, Claudia is murdered. All guests are suspects. Soon other murders occur & Detective Vince Toscana has his hands full. A senator's wife, Caroline Blessing is there with her mother. They are not close but Caroline hopes to heal their relationship while at the spa.
It was just an okay book but you may find it more interesting than I did because there is a lot happening while you try to figure out who the murderer is.
Guests have been invited to the fancy & expensive Phoenix Spa owned by Claudia de Vries. She had ulterior motives in having them all there at the same time but the guests were not aware of it.
On their first night there, Claudia is murdered. All guests are suspects. Soon other murders occur & Detective Vince Toscana has his hands full. A senator's wife, Caroline Blessing is there with her mother. They are not close but Caroline hopes to heal their relationship while at the spa.
It was just an okay book but you may find it more interesting than I did because there is a lot happening while you try to figure out who the murderer is.
April 30, 2023
No conocía este libro antes de leerlo; lo encontré por casualidad y me llamó la atención por ser una novela escrita por 13 autoras del género negro/policiaco, cada una un capítulo.
La trama es algo liosa y supongo que alguna "ha jugado" más que otra metiendo detalles de culebrón (hijos secretos, traiciones, ¿incesto?, menitiras y amantes...). Tiene momentos absurdos y otros divertidos.
Es un libro curioso, entretenido, con la intriga justa y muy adecuado para un momento lector en el que no tengo mucha concentración (y mi inglés se ha enriquecido con el término blackmail y todos sus derivados jajaja)
La trama es algo liosa y supongo que alguna "ha jugado" más que otra metiendo detalles de culebrón (hijos secretos, traiciones, ¿incesto?, menitiras y amantes...). Tiene momentos absurdos y otros divertidos.
Es un libro curioso, entretenido, con la intriga justa y muy adecuado para un momento lector en el que no tengo mucha concentración (y mi inglés se ha enriquecido con el término blackmail y todos sus derivados jajaja)
July 22, 2025
You won’t put it down!
It is amazing that 14 writers, one by one, stitch together, chapter after chapter, such a seamless story-but of course, they are amazing women.
Set in an elegant spa in a beautiful setting, you meet a wide array of privileged women and men, each bringing a story that becomes a whodunit.
The wording flows from writer to writer adding nuances and depth to the backgrounds of the characters, the good and the bad, who turn out to have more connections than they know.
It is amazing that 14 writers, one by one, stitch together, chapter after chapter, such a seamless story-but of course, they are amazing women.
Set in an elegant spa in a beautiful setting, you meet a wide array of privileged women and men, each bringing a story that becomes a whodunit.
The wording flows from writer to writer adding nuances and depth to the backgrounds of the characters, the good and the bad, who turn out to have more connections than they know.
October 10, 2025
This started out promisingly, but the collaborative serial format ended up leaving the narrative an incoherent mish-mash!
The authors of each chapter obviously had a lot of fun muddying the waters for the next installment, but the bombshell moments just became too ridiculous and the final reveal didn't actually clear up many of the loose ends.
I get that this was just meant to be a bit of fun, but I did expect to at least get a decent story from this collection of talented writers - I was disappointed.
The authors of each chapter obviously had a lot of fun muddying the waters for the next installment, but the bombshell moments just became too ridiculous and the final reveal didn't actually clear up many of the loose ends.
I get that this was just meant to be a bit of fun, but I did expect to at least get a decent story from this collection of talented writers - I was disappointed.
October 14, 2025
Naked Came the Phoenix is a unique, collaborative serial mystery where 13 different authors each penned a chapter, building on the preceding story. I found it to be a quick, entertaining read—a Christie-esque mystery of over-the-top characters & packed with multiple murders that need solving. While the final reveal has a bit of a soap opera vibe, it makes for a fun, easy palate cleanser book.
The audiobook was a must-listen for me, narrated by the wonderful Susan Ericksen who is known for J.D. Robb's In Death series, which is a personal favorite.
The audiobook was a must-listen for me, narrated by the wonderful Susan Ericksen who is known for J.D. Robb's In Death series, which is a personal favorite.
July 18, 2024
naked as they say
Right up until the end…. This is a VERY convoluted story - and not because each chapter is a different author. I couldnt really tell the difference, e.g. characteristics of individual authors, but reread my fav authors to double check. There are so many red herrings, and so many pleasant and truly unpleasant characters in this book. I did like the twist and reveals at the end. A very good beach read. Not taken too seriously, and well written.
Right up until the end…. This is a VERY convoluted story - and not because each chapter is a different author. I couldnt really tell the difference, e.g. characteristics of individual authors, but reread my fav authors to double check. There are so many red herrings, and so many pleasant and truly unpleasant characters in this book. I did like the twist and reveals at the end. A very good beach read. Not taken too seriously, and well written.
April 19, 2020
I was not sure what to think of a novel written by 13 people. Many of these ladies I have read on there own. There were some chapters I liked better than others but the story overall kept me guessing until the end. I never saw that end coming.
The only thing that bugged me was the woman who did the nails, was from West Virginia and she was made to sound a little dense.
The only thing that bugged me was the woman who did the nails, was from West Virginia and she was made to sound a little dense.
April 30, 2020
I always find these books interesting that are written by multiple authors. I always wonder how difficult the process is for the writer who is writing the last chapter. These ladies handled this whole story very well. The chapters moved seamlessly from one to the other. I liked the twists and turns and the ending did not feel forced.
December 22, 2021
This book read like a soap opera, which is not something that I enjoy. Every chapter ended with its own “surprise” twist. None of them flowed seamlessly from the previous twist, which was not surprising as they were each written by a different author. The best thing about this book was that a portion of the profits benefited breast cancer research
May 1, 2022
The premise of this book (having each chapter written by a different mystery writer) is fun but it resulted in the book not being as good as it could’ve been. Most of the writers were too busy adding things to bother developing the characters and ideas that had already been introduced. The chapters written by Anne Perry and Diana Gabaldon were my favorite.
September 16, 2023
This book was SO MUCH FUN!! I wish these writers would do this kind of project again. It’s amazing how the “voices” of each character is consistent across the chapters. Love that each one had to figure out how to incorporate the previous chapters’ details into the mystery. Highly recommend for a light and easy read!
August 27, 2025
Several best selling authors come together to jointly write a book. They each get a chapter and must pick up where the previous author left off. Sounds good in theory but I found the execution a bit weak. It just got too convoluted so that by the end (which was too abrupt) it was just plain weird. All the murders and crazy family relationships were dropped in one big lump and the story ends.
April 24, 2018
I enjoyed this, the serial type books aren't always the best stories, but I am sure they aren't easy to write either.
It kept me interested enough to see where each of the female mystery writers would take the story.
Reminiscent of a soap opera, lots of drama.
It kept me interested enough to see where each of the female mystery writers would take the story.
Reminiscent of a soap opera, lots of drama.
August 29, 2018
Kept you guessing
Caroline had a different mother. She shared a father with Lauren. Emilio turned out to be an undercover plant. King David fathered both Lauren and Caroline. Ondine was Lauren's child. Doug didn't actually cheat on Caroline.
Caroline had a different mother. She shared a father with Lauren. Emilio turned out to be an undercover plant. King David fathered both Lauren and Caroline. Ondine was Lauren's child. Doug didn't actually cheat on Caroline.
July 20, 2019
Please write another one!
This book was marvelous. The twists had me eagerly turning the pages to see what would happen next. The wrench thrown into the relationship and the lovely rescue for the romantic in me. Thank you to the writer who did that.
This book was marvelous. The twists had me eagerly turning the pages to see what would happen next. The wrench thrown into the relationship and the lovely rescue for the romantic in me. Thank you to the writer who did that.
December 8, 2019
Slightly disappointing
I expected something different from this book, with Nora Roberts (J.D. Robb) and Diana Gabaldon contributing. I thought it would be individual stories, not just chapters in one book. But the story was pretty good and I did like it.
I expected something different from this book, with Nora Roberts (J.D. Robb) and Diana Gabaldon contributing. I thought it would be individual stories, not just chapters in one book. But the story was pretty good and I did like it.
February 17, 2020
Wonderfully creative
Wonderfully creative and a very intriguing storyline. The characters are very believable as well as creative. If more stories are coming I'm definitely interested!
Wonderfully creative and a very intriguing storyline. The characters are very believable as well as creative. If more stories are coming I'm definitely interested!
August 2, 2021
I have read many of the authors included in this serial novel. It was a bit hard to follow, it didn't flow as well as I'm used to. that is the nature of this type of book.
I tried to guess who wrote which chapters, but I couldn't figure any of them out.
I tried to guess who wrote which chapters, but I couldn't figure any of them out.
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