Clutches and Curses

Haley Randolph #4

by Dorothy Howell

Life is looking good for amateur sleuth/professional fashionista Haley Randolph. She's even close to getting her hands on the Delicious, the season's hottest purse - until she's hit with a curse from an irate customer at Holt's department store. When things start to go really wrong, Haley transfers to the new store near Las Vegas - and promptly finds the body of Courtney Collins, an old classmate, sprawled across the floor of the menswear department. Now Haley is suspect number 1. Everyone knows Haley was once jealous of Courtney, and Courtney was about to launch a spectacular line of designer bags. And, well, there weren't any witnesses when Haley actually found the body. Since she doesn't look good in prison stripes, Haley will have to get to the bottom of this mystery. Finding the killer won't be easy ...and getting rid of this curse may mean going against everything a real fashionista stands for.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fashion, Chick Lit, Murder Mystery

308 pages, Hardcover

Published June 1, 2011

About the author

Dorothy Howell writes for two publishing houses, in two genres, under two names. She writes mysteries as Dorothy Howell historical romance novels under the pseudonym Judith Stacy.

Reviews

[Sara Feldman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is like watching a car accident happen, terrible but you can’t look away. Two stars for the entertainment value alone.

[Miki · Rating 1 out of 5]

This heroine makes a mud puddle look deep and clear. Shallow, unlikeable, not so awfully bright, and mean on top of it. The phone book would be a better read.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I have figured out why I love Haley Randolph so much. I am her.
Well, not exactly. I attend law school, don't carry a purse, and actually know where Dubai is. But at a gut reaction level, I am her.
I think that means I'm calling myself a ditz.
I'm an ENFP in law school. ENFPs do not, traditionally, go to law school. It doesn't automatically play to our strengthens. (Put things in boxes? Eww no, flip the box around and bang on it like a drum!) So I've spent the last year and a half working on my weaknesses. Organization. Clarity. Predictability.
But I'm still an ENFP. And while I don't really want to claim Haley Randolph as a fellow ENFP, even a literary one, a part of me (an ignored part of me) relishes her outlook on life. Call it self-absorption. Call it supreme confidence. Something about her, "I'm me" attitude towards life resonates with me.
Especially every time she introduces a character and follows it up with, "I hate her."
Sometimes, it feels quite refreshing to just irrationally dislike a person.
Anyway, enough analysis. Point is: still love this series, still reading.
Didn't love this book as much. The murderer was way, way, way predictable. And the confession-of-murder scene? It made Scooby-Doo look like Cops.
I also never really bought the whole "curse" plot line. It was kind of confusing. I feel like it works better when really random things keep happening to Haley and she just rolls with it. Maybe the psychic will make another appearance later? That is the only purpose I can think of for her character.
Haley is still surrounded by a random gaggle of hot guys...but I'm growing increasingly more irritated with her boyfriend. I like Ty because he doesn't fit the typical chick-flick hunk mode. He's awkward and not around when he's needed. But after 4 books of this, "awkward and not around when needed" starts to lose its charm. Mix in his attempts at buying Haley's love and...well...
It is official. I'm shipping her with the detective. Or possibly the cop. Literally anyone but Ty. (Not literally anyone. The UFO guy was funny but also made me want to bash my head against the wall. Ty beats him.)
Mostly I want to read book 7 to find out what happened after book 6. (This skipping around thing is not working.) But I also don't like reading books out of order, so I will give 5 a try. Ty is really going to have to hustle if he plans to redeem himself in my eyes. And possibly Haley's, too. (I just feel like she isn't in to him. Which is fine by me.)
But see how much fun this is? Someone read this series and waste countless hours analyzing a fictional character's love life with me. I need to feed my ditzy, ENFP, girly side for a bit.

Also, Haley drinks a ton of mocha fraps. Now I'm craving mocha fraps. I drink my coffee black. But this series has me dreaming of chocolate and caffeine...

[Nikki E. · Rating 2 out of 5]

All in all not a bad book. It was a bit repeatative and a bit silly. I haven't read any of the previous books in this series and I don't really think I will. A good murder mystery is always fun but all the fashion nonsense is a turn off for me. I'll bet there are many many women who would love this book but with not knowing anything about the fashion things she's talking about, makes this book kind of annoying.
Plus the attitude of the heroine is obnoxious. I know that there are people out there who are like that ...... ugh. I seriously dislike people who behave that way in real life so reading about a horrible slacker with no priorities irks me.
The story itself is good though. i like the author's twists and the way her character responds to certain situations. I would recomend this book to a couple people because there isn't a whole lot of commitment needed to read this one and it's right up the alley of alot of females. Definately not for me though.

[Nancy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

When an enraged customer puts a curse on Haley, she doesn't believe that it is anything, that is until her life starts to completely fall apart and she is forced to maybe? perhaps? believe that it might just be possible that the curse is real. Then when she finds the body of a former classmate, whom she hadn't even seen since high school, and yet is the prime suspect, she starts to think that just maybe her life is truly cursed. Now she has to try to find the murderer, clear her name, and find a way to lift the curse. This is a funny series, with good characters and good plots.

[Sharon W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best book in this series so far

I liked Haley for the first time. So glad I stuck with reading the series. This 4th book was a fun read and although Haley did some whining things and didn't realize she had done a selfless deed, she has grown up A LOT!!!

[Book friends are my best friends · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summer reading. No real thought needed, simple dialogue, silly characters, but still fun enough to finish.

[Phyllis M. Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder suspect in 2 murders, 4 men want her, she's self-absorbed and obsessed with designer handbags and clutches. Sounds like another wonderful Haley adventure to me!

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun romp! Love handbags and coffee just like the main character!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all her books...so funny!

[Debby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This just wasn't a story I could get into. The plot moved too slow and the lead character just isn't likeable.

[C.C Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 4 from the ongoing Mystery Series featuring 24 year old female sleuth Haley Randolph. This series has been described by critics as Jane Evanovich meets shopaholic. I purchased my copy via ipad in the ibooks app and it costs $9.99 as its the most recent release in the series. Book 1-3 can be pursed via Amazon or ibook for about $5 but the christmas novella Slay bells and Satchels is only available via Kindle app for $2. Book 5 is scheduled for June 2012



What's it about? After being cursed by an angry customer at Holt's Haley flees Los Angeles to not only escape said curse but also to free herself from her mother who is nagging her to attend a much loathed beauty queen reunion. Haley goes to Sin City to clear her mind and to help stock the new Vegas branch of her "official boyfriend's" new Holt's store. While walking the store aisles Haley spots an unusual trail that leads her to a dead body. She is the prime suspect when Vegas Detectives realize the body belongs to Haley's high school arch nemesis. Its seems the curse has really got her. She is being framed for a murder she didn't commit, on top of that she has money woes, her boyfriend and her had a huge fight, her best friend is injured and she can't seems to find the hottest purse of the season! Will the curse ever be broken? Read and find out.
What I thought about it? Like any mystery series novel there is one thing that has become predictable, or rather a few; we know the main character will at one point find a dead body, we know they will mostly be blamed for the crime or tied to the body some how and we know that they will help solve the case. These predictabilities are common and don't really bother me in these type of novels, but I often wonder, what would I do if I were to find a dead body ever few months, surely I would go mad?! Right? Since this novel was set in Vegas rather than Los Angeles we have a handful of new characters that have never been featured before, and though I missed some old faces I welcomed the change in scenery. As the series continues Haley has become smarter, a bit less shallow, somewhat more responsible and a whole lot kinder. Thus despite or on going flaws she continues to be like-able. I certainly like her 10 times more now than I did in book one. One thing that needs to happen (spoiler alert) is that Haley needs to break up with boyfriend Ty. She needs to realize that he is not the man for her and she needs to hook up with hot private investigator Jack Bishop. Ty knows it too, that is why he is trying to be sneaky and offer her all that stuff to stay! If he loves her then he needs to give her support and time not money and material good. Love rant over. If you like the Sophie Kinsella novels and you want a mystery twist added then the Haley series is for you!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Synopsis (from bn.com):

Life is finally looking good for amateur sleuth/professional fashionista Haley Randolph. Her sort-of-boyfriend Ty is now her official boyfriend, her job at Holt’s department store is going well, and she’s on track to get her hands on the Delicious—the hottest purse of the season. What could possibly go wrong?

A curse from an irate customer? Haley doesn’t believe in curses but when things start to go really wrong she jumps at the chance to pack up her wardrobe and transfer to the new store near Las Vegas. . .where she promptly finds the body of Courtney Collins, an old classmate, sprawled across the floor of the menswear department.

It seems the curse also made the trip from L.A. because Haley is now suspect #1. Sure, everyone knows she was jealous of the now un-fashionably late Courtney back in the day, and Courtney was about to launch a spectacular new line of designer bags. And, well, there weren’t any witnesses when Haley actually found the body. . .

Since she definitely doesn’t look good in prison stripes, Haley’s going to have to get to the bottom of this increasingly strange mystery. Finding and catching the killer won’t be easy. . .and getting rid of this curse once and for all may mean going against everything a real fashionista stands for.

My thoughts: Haley Randolph, great lover of all things handbag, is back in this 4th book in the Haley Randolph Series. After Haley is convinced that an angry Holt’s Department Store customer put a curse on her, she decides to take the opportunity to head off to Las Vegas to help set up for the opening of a brand new Holt’s store. Imagine her surprise as she enters the menswear area and they body of an old high school classmate is found dead on the floor. Who of course is one of the main suspects but Haley herself? Haley embarks on the latest whodunit to prove she in fact is not the killer!

This is a charming cozy mystery series, especially for those of us who love a good designer handbag and thoroughly enjoy dreaming that we had all the handbags mentioned in these books – Coach, Dooney & Bourke, Judith Lieber, Prada, Louis Vitton, oh to dream . . . As I have mentioned before in previous reviews of Dorothy Howell’s books, the main character is almost too similiar to the main character in Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series and I feel like somehow I have slipped in to a Kinsella book. That being said, I still recommend these books for a fast, quirky, delightful read. There are a couple new characters introduced in this book that I would like to see in future books. And the very last page does indeed make you want to run to the next book to see what is up with the boyfriend Ty! That is all I will say, but I already have the next book “Tote Bags and Toe Tags” from the library and will be jumping right in.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haley Randolph is back and dealing with the things she's always dealing with: non-existent finances, the search to find the hottest new handbag, an overbearing pageant mom, her relationship with her official boyfriend (and owner of the department store chain where she works (although she'd never openly admit that to anyone she knows), her feelings towards her favorite way hot private detective, and, oh, yes, being the prime suspect in yet another murder. This time, the victim happens to be a former classmate of Haley's, Courtney Collins, someone she was meant to meet up with while in Las Vegas helping to set up a new Holt's store (and escape a mother/daughter weekend with her mom and other pageant parents/princesses). /unfortunately, Haley is cursed by a mad woman before leaving Los Angeles, and that curse follows her across state lines, and while she has no luck finding a Delicious handbag, she does find Courtney's body in a Holt's dressing room. Throw in a coworker who believes in the reverse world and speaks text speech, a perpetually stoned alien hunter who insists on calling her Dana, a motel stuck in the 70s and run by a man who likes to make everyone miserable, and the Russian mob, and you have another thoroughly entertaining Haley Randolph mystery.

Dorothy Howell once again does an amazing job blending murder and humor. She packs a ton of emotion into a character you sometimes feel is incapable of emotion. She takes a ditzy, self-involved shopaholic and makes her feel like the person you couldn't help but be BFFs with. The depth she develops in a character you couldn't help but describe as shallow is always refreshing. Ms. Howell's storylines are always intriguing and laugh-out-loud funny. This fourth installment in the series is no exception. If anything, it may be even funnier as we see Haley question not only suspects and the curse placed on her by an old woman in the middle of Holt's, but also begin to question more and more of her own life choices and relationships. In doing so, Haley begins to develop more as a person. While handbags are still a major part of her life, they are no longer its sole purpose or even main focus. I can't wait to see what more is to come in Haley's future.

[Carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only way to review this book is to give it one star which it DOES NOT DESERVE. I give it zero.

An accessories fashion themed mystery series. I was attracted to the book because it was set in a department store similar to a place I worked for a decade, but this is such a stinky book I hated it by page 10, and put it down at the end of Chapter 1 on page 12. There is nothing about this book worth spending time on.

Haley, age 24 has no socially redeeming characteristics. If she had worked in my real place of employment she wouldn’t have lasted a week. By page 10 I knew she hated her job, and hated most of her co-workers, She steals from her employer by overstaying her breaks complaining about how awful it would be to get a special assignment in another town working with a grand opening, and then goes immediately from the breakroom to hide from her supervisor and customers sneaking yet another break nesting in comforters in the stockroom where she consumes the entire quantity of food samples she’s been assigned to share with her customers, a special assignment she, what a suprise, hates.

On the way from the long break to the extra stolen break, she avoids as many customers as she can, hates every one of them she comes in contact with and is rude to the ones she cannot avoid. In my real world, these special assignments are plums awarded to the best of the best employees, a cherished privilege one is honored to be offered. Its not something a supervisors assigns to torture the worker bees.

Then we switch to Haley’s apartment where she is bitterly backbiting her boyfriend and other acquaintances. And by then we also know she attends college but cheats on her tests by copying from others, and didn’t learn anything in high school either.

There is nothing about this bimbo that would make me want to spend another minute with her, and I’m sorry for the 5 minutes I wasted. It is beyond me how even one book with this person as the leading character got into print, let alone five.

Usually after I have read a book I trade in as many as possible at the used book store for credit, and those not accepted I donate to a local retirement home library. This one I would not inflict on anyone else. It goes directly to the round file.

[Nancy Narma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything was going along quite uneventful for Haley Randolph. Between tolerating her job at Holt’s Dept. Store, trying to understand her relationship with “Official Boyfriend”, wealthy Ty Cameron; the fifth generation to own the Holt’s Dept. Store chain as well as her boss, and the quest for “The Delicious”, the ultimate handbag the fashion conscious only dream about, her life was as full and a bit goofy as ever. That was until an irate customer cast a spell on her! Haley scoffed in disbelief until everything started going wrong, including her romance with Ty and having to escape a spa weekend with her former beauty queen Mother which leads her to volunteer to go to Henderson, Nevada to help ready another Holt’s Dept. store for their grand opening. With the help of “BFF” Marcie and with the hope of renewing an old “friendship”, Haley “friends” a former classmate on Facebook, Courtney Collins, who resides in Henderson and is about to launch her own accessory line. The curse follows Haley to Henderson and Holt’s, where she discovers the dead body of Courtney Collins in the store’s ladies’ dressing room. With no other witnesses to the discovery, the finger is pointed at Haley as prime suspect. The twists and turns her life takes during the investigation and the cast of characters she encounters, (including the elusive “Madame Cee Cee”) make this a most enjoyable, easy read. Who committed the dastardly deed?? Courtney’s boyfriend, Tony? Somewhat disreputable Mike Ivan? Valerie Wagner, Mother of Courtney’s lost love?? Will Haley decide to move in with Ty? Or will her heartstrings be pulled by hunky Jack Bishop? Or maybe suave Detective Shuman? Will she locate the “Delicious” purse of myth and legend? You’ll smile, cheer and chuckle and the end will have you begging for more!

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ended excellent. I wasn't so sure about Haley at first, she seemed to be a spoiled woman, shopping and drinking frapps nonstop without a work ethic was driving me crazy. But somewhere along this cute little mystery, she grew on me and I am very sad it ended. I can't wait to pick up more Haley!

When Haley's mom wants her to fill in at the mother daughter week spa thing, she decided to go to Vegas on the spur to help the department store she works for get a new store together. Haley doesn't have much of a work ethic -- but that doesn't stop her from finding bodies! What is worse is the person that was murdered is a classmate from high school, one Haley was supposed to stay with. When that puts her on the detective's radar, Haley has a reason to find out as much as they do who really murdered Courtney.

This was a pretty believable story and Haley will grow on you with her milkshakes and her funny ways. She made me laugh out loud too many times, which makes it a extra thumbs up in my opinion! Can't wait to read backwards in the series now and I hope there are more Haley adventures in the future!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book I won through the First Reads program. And, one of the nicest benefits of the book give-away is that it introduces readers to authors they may not have encountered otherwise.

Dorothy Howell and her publishers have to be complimented for their chutzpah, creating a series around a character who is every employer's nightmare. Haley Randolph is a slacker; a spendthrift; insensitive; irresponsible and narcissistic------and, that is what adds spice to this very frothy mystery. Clever, huh?

I started the book somewhat dismissive of its "unbearable lightness of being" and definitely warmed to it by its end. Like Haley, I am a handbag collector, so I enjoyed her manic antics through the retail world. When I turned the last page I had a smile on my face.

This book would be a perfect gift for a young fashionista that has yet to experience the pleasures of reading. It might have the power to convert her.

[Bertha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haley Randolph is a fashionista and an amateur sleuth & she also works at Holt's department store. After an irate customer puts a curse on her things start to go wrong in her life. She decides to volunteer to be transferred to Holt's new store in Las Vegas but the curse has followed her. She finds the body of her old school mate in the dressing room. Since she's the police's number one suspect she decides to find the killer herself. While she's doing that she's also trying to track down a "Delicious", the hottest purse of the season.
Will she find the killer? Will she locate the bag of her dreams? Read the 4th book in the Haley Randolph Series to find out.
Cozy mysteries fans will enjoy this book.

[Marianne Stehr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read any of the others in this series, but I am not sure that was necessary, there were places which stated something and then said it is a long story which I took to be told in the other books, but did not take away from the storyline in this book. This is very much Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich) meets Shopaholic (sophie Kinsella). That twist is different and it was an entertaining story of a very vain woman and the things she gets into. As long as you read it for the fluff and entertainment that it is it is a fine book, if you think too deeply about the book and look for character depth that is not there you may be disappointed. I found it humorous and fast paced.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a Goodreads giveaway.

Even though chick lit is not my favorite genre I did ultimately enjoy this light, breezy, cozy mystery. While on a temporary job at the new Holt’s department store in Las Vegas, Haley Randolph, a 20 something fashionista, self-centered and with a terrible work ethic, finds herself number 1 suspect in the murder of an old high school friend.

Clearing her name, finding the real killer, and helping a few people along the way did make her more likable and the supporting cast of off beat characters provided some laughs. A good pool side read on a hot summer day

[Marla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read the other three books in the series...but this one was painful at times. Haley got on my nerves, dropping the purse names, drinking Starbucks, having no money. She kept forgetting Trey, her "official boyfriend".

Ironically, as painful certain parts of the book were, I thought the end happened very quickly. I need Haley to mature a little in the next book...seriously go to school or commit to Trey. Something!

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was great and suspenseful and fun too! I love the character's sarcasm and the way the author mocks her when revealing her (the character's thoughts)
I think this is a great series, I have enjoyed every one of the books! I think they are much more developed than the Stephanie Plum series, and harder to figure out whodunit.
I look forward to the next book in the series, I wish it would come out quickly so I can have another good cozy read with Haley and the evolving characters!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story and the author's writing!! I did my walk-through in the local library recently and found this book on a shelf in the front. The pocketbook title and graphic caught my attention. I was delighted to have the purse theme throughout the story line (being a bit of a handbag addict myself). Of course, now I cannot wait to start the previous three novels. Kudos to Dorothy Howell!!!

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled into Dorothy Howell and Haley Randolph a few years ago and I absolutely adore this series. I really enjoyed that this book was moved to Vegas since the previous 3 were all in LA. Also I forgot how hysterical Dorothy's writing was. For anybody looking for a light, easy and entertaining read, I highly recommend this book (and the entire series)!

[Kathryn Davitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I had an option for 2 1/2 stars. I've read from this series before but always forget that I hate the portrayal of the lead character at the beginning of the book. She's portrayed as quite vapid, with moments of unethical and unkind mixed in. By the end of the books, she's much more human. It takes me about half the book to get engaged, and then I enjoy the rest.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and entertaining! I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book but it had me laughing out loud and not wanting to put the book down. Haley is only a twenty four year old amateur sleuth and I just loved her "oh, crap" moments and her penchant for needing chocolate in any form. I could definitely relate.

[Emilee]

I always love a good mystery especially one from Dorothy Howell. It was hard to put down and I already ordered the next book from the library. I especially relate to Haley Randolph (mc), although she may be a little immature. At least she has a handsome boyfriend who treats her well. Loved!

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still love the mystery aspect of theses books. It's like my guilty pleasure reading Dorothy Howell. I'm still waiting for Haley to grow up but I acknowledge that maybe this is just her. She may be turning into an updated version of her mother ... LOL

[Denielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy read. It doesn't have the depth of the mysteries I normally read, but it wasn't bad. The main character is a little flighty, but I think she does have some redeeming characteristics. I wouldn't mind reading another from the series.