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Deadly in High Heels
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Halliday, Gemma --Deadly in High Heels informal buddy read starts July 18, 2018
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At NRBC we use three styles of buddy reads. These will be indicated in the thread title as “Buddy Read”, “Relaxed Buddy Read” or “Informal Buddy Read”.~ Buddy Style Reads ~
Three Ways to Enjoy a Book!
A “Buddy Read” has a discussion leader and a reading date is set to start the book. A reading schedule is posted prior to the start date and discussion questions are posted each day regarding that section of the book. More information about these types of reads is below. An example is here, showing a reading schedule here.
A “Relaxed Buddy Read” is similar to our usual “buddy reads” except there are less questions and break points. For example, a book may be split into three sections and those reading the book should pause at the end of the section to answer some discussion questions, make comments, or ask their own questions to other readers. An example is here.
An “Informal Buddy Read” doesn’t have a discussion leader and participants are asked to consider some generic questions when making comments about the book. An example is here.
A “Read and Watch Buddy Read” may be set up as any of the above, but we will also watch the movie or T.V. series - or even go to a play! - and make comparisons, discussing what has been left out or changed as well as the actors and actresses. There is a long debate of what one should do first: read the books or watch the movie? We usually read first, but it isn’t essential. Also, if you would like to join in, but don’t want to watch the movie, show, or play, but only read the books, that is fine, too. An example is here.
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I work in the office on the 18th, so will start this one by listening in the AM on the way. Will probably get through a chapter or two on the drive. I'll try to remember to check in once I arrive and see if I have a comment or two ;-)
I’m in for Tom Riddle. I should be able to start on time. :)
Listened to the first two chapters on the way in this morning. Kind of starts out as typical High Heels although so far Maddie hasn't done anything too stupid. yet. She did find the dead body, of course. And Marco is being his typical self.One of the things I find weird about these books is the disconnect between Maddie's life (married, babies, etc) and her sometimes TSTL antics.
LaurLa wrote: "Listened to the first two chapters on the way in this morning. Kind of starts out as typical High Heels although so far Maddie hasn't done anything too stupid. yet. She did find the dead body, of c..."Is she being stupid again? Do women really go through pregnancy as clueless as she was? And babyhood?
I'm starting in a bit, after I update my challenges with my latest finished In Death book. :)
I would be interested to know if the author has kids. I remember some baby paraphernalia being a bit off in the last 2 books, but, seriously? Pull-ups for almost-two-year-old twins? I don’t think so! They’re not ready to potty train, and pull-ups are more expensive!
Also, if she’s going out to dinner in Hawaii she wouldn’t be calling home to California and hearing the kids in the background. It’s an 8 (or so) hour time difference.
This is the last book. I’m going to be pretty upset if Ramirez doesn’t end up in Hawaii. I like Dana and Marco, but there’s never really enough Maddie/Ramirez time in most of the books.
I agree with you about not enough Maddie/Ramirez but that's kind of what I was talking about in my first post. After the first book or two, her relationship with him just became part of her background life all of which doesn't really fit in with the craziness that is Maddie and her friends. I mean, who would think Maddie would become such a well-adjusted mother of twins? Or actually an established designer? On the fun side, I did have LOL moments with her mother's Skyping, texting and phoning adventures!
I'm through chapter 8 and Maddie's still been rather tame so far - only one sneaking around escapade but she's sure asking around alot. Someone's going to get mad. And I'm thinking it's around time for another dead body to show up...I probably won't get to read much more until later tonight. I have back to back meetings all day, ugh! Then dr appt late afternoon for my 17 y/o. He has to have one last immunization shot for school before it starts in August. This will also be his last well-check appt as he turns 18 next month too. All these last things with my last baby are all starting... He'll be a senior and next week we have Sr Pictures where they'll take the official cap and gown photo. Although we have a whole school-year, I already am feeling a little weepy at it all :-(
I'm just getting started and now I really want to go to Hawaii!
Laura wrote: "Also, if she’s going out to dinner in Hawaii she wouldn’t be calling home to California and hearing the kids in the background. It’s an 8 (or so) hour time difference."It's only 3 hours. 😊 But still.......
SandyL wrote: "I'm just getting started and now I really want to go to Hawaii!"Welcome Sandy!!
I could have sworn it was more than 3 hours when my in laws went there. Well, live & learn. :)
You know what, Laura - I'm in California and it's 3 hours from here. I can't remember where Maddie is from, so it may be more....my bad!
No, you’re right. I’m in California, too. And Maddie is in Los Angeles. I just remembered wrong. :)
I’m so glad I stopped reading last night. I just wasn’t in the right mood for Maddie. I’m enjoying her much more this morning. :)
Laura wrote: "I’m so glad I stopped reading last night. I just wasn’t in the right mood for Maddie. I’m enjoying her much more this morning. :)"HA! I hear that. Although, so far, Marco is the more annoying one....
In the other books there has always been a justification for why Maddie feels the need to investigate. Usually it’s because she or a friend is a suspect. I noticed there’s no justification here, just curiosity.
This is true, although there was one recently, it might have been a novella, that it feels like she just dove in. Or I could be misremembering... they’ve kind of run together.
Laura wrote: "In the other books there has always been a justification for why Maddie feels the need to investigate. Usually it’s because she or a friend is a suspect. I noticed there’s no justification here, ju..."I'm in Chapter 4. It seemed at first the Marco was egging her on. Now I think she just can't help herself!
SandyL wrote: "I'm up to Chapter 7 and I'm cracking up. I like how Maddie [spoilers removed]"
That was pretty funny! And such a stereotype. :)
LaurLa wrote: "I probably won't get to read much more until later tonight. I have back to back meetings all day, ugh! Then dr appt late afternoon for my 17 y/o. He has to have one last immunization shot for school before it starts in August. This will also be his last well-check appt as he turns 18 next month too. All these last things with my last baby are all starting... He'll be a senior and next week we have Sr Pictures where they'll take the official cap and gown photo. Although we have a whole school-year, I already am feeling a little weepy at it all :-( "We homeschool, so it's not quite the same. And also my baby is only 8. But since I had gestational diabetes with her we had already decided she would be the last. So I've been aware of the lasts all along. I think they hit you the most in babyhood, and then again near the end where you are. :)
LaurLa wrote: "This is true, although there was one recently, it might have been a novella, that it feels like she just dove in. Or I could be misremembering... they’ve kind of run together."I think you might be right. The last one, I think her justification was just that she wanted Ramirez home, right?
ETA: I just read it at the end of May, but I forgot that the justification for the last investigation was because the murder happened at "Faux Dad"'s salon.
Did anyone else notice that when she first mentioned Marco's job she just said, "his job as a swanky salon receptionist"? She never mentioned that her stepdad owned the salon. No mention of him at all.
Laura wrote: "LaurLa wrote: "This is true, although there was one recently, it might have been a novella, that it feels like she just dove in. Or I could be misremembering... they’ve kind of run together."I th..."
I did notice that. Funny how those things pop in your mind.
I'm diving in again - I think I'm at chapter 6. I'll take a break and comment in awhile. With this one, I definitely don't get so into it I forget to stop and comment - which is my usual problem with buddy reads.
SandyL wrote: "I'm up to Chapter 7 and I'm cracking up. I like how Maddie [spoilers removed]"
This is funnier... I listen to my books on my commute to work but I just use a text to talk feature in my ereader. So the computer chicky is getting all the states right except Montana. The system reads ‘Miss Montana’ as abbreviation for Missoula, Montana. So every time she comes across it, that’s what I get! So in my version, Our victim is all of Missoula Montana. 😜
Laura wrote: "Through chapter 12[spoilers removed]"
Ha! Can you believe it?
Finished. Not completely obvious killer but close... and Maddie almost getting killed again after ignoring her hubby’s warnings again. Silly girl. Bed time for me!
Chapter 16: How stupid can Maddie be?Why aren’t her mom and Mrs. Rosenblatt moving to Dana’s room? That just doesn’t make sense!
Ramirez: “I can’t stick around to protect you. I have to go down to the station.”Ummmmm. He does realize that this is neither his case nor even his state, right? :)
Why are there so many shoe fittings? Once everyone has tried on all their shoes for each outfit, why does Maddie still have anything to do with it?
Laura wrote: "Chapter 16: How stupid can Maddie be?Why aren’t her mom and Mrs. Rosenblatt moving to Dana’s room? That just doesn’t make sense!"
I KNOW!!!
Laura wrote: "Why are there so many shoe fittings? Once everyone has tried on all their shoes for each outfit, why does Maddie still have anything to do with it?"I was wondering the same thing. There was never any detail about what went on in a shoe fitting. What does go on in a shoe fitting anyway? It's not like she can make alterations like with a dress. I mean, you can't make a shoe larger or smaller one it's made right? Just stuff a Kleenex in the toe if it's too big ;-)
Laura wrote: "Ramirez: “I can’t stick around to protect you. I have to go down to the station.”Ummmmm. He does realize that this is neither his case nor even his state, right? :)"
So convenient. He comes to Hawaii to save/protect her, aww how romantic... but we never get that pay-off. Author keeps sending him off screen so Maddie can do something stupid.
I GET what the author was trying to do but I don't agree with it. She should have had Ramirez working with Maddie instead working at the police station the whole time. Oh well.
My extra stuff at the end indicates more books. I'm pretty sure I'm done with this series. Certainly not going to buy anymore books.It was a fun series for the first few but the last few I've forced myself to read because they were there and helped fulfill other challenges. But as much as I like Maddie, she does do the stupid thing too often for me.
A bit like Stephanie Plum but at least Stephanie has a purpose for butting her nose in AND we get Morelli. And Ranger. Definitely Ranger. Sigh.
LaurLa wrote: "My extra stuff at the end indicates more books. I'm pretty sure I'm done with this series. Certainly not going to buy anymore books.It was a fun series for the first few but the last few I've for..."
Goodreads doesn't indicate any more books coming. And this one was published 3 years ago. So maybe she is done? Either way, I'm done, too.
I'm reminded of a blog post Ilona Andrews posted awhile back. It was about how a series can be taken in different directions. She had technical terms/names for the different ways to develop, but I don't remember what they were. But, for 2 perfect examples, you have Stephanie Plum vs. In Death. Stephanie is static. Nothing ever changes. Even when you think she has learned something in one book, she's reset to "normal" in the next one. But In Death is dynamic. Things that change or are learned in one book affect future books and character development. In case you're wondering, Kate Daniels was originally intended to be the first. After the first few books, the authors realized that they needed to be dynamic with their world. Coincidentally, people claim that the books get better after the first few. :)
I think Maddie is in between the two. Her character never changes, although her circumstances are affected by previous books. I actually think there's a lot more character development in Ramirez than any of the others. He is closer to accepting her need to investigate, and talking to her about cases.
Laura wrote: "LaurLa wrote: "My extra stuff at the end indicates more books. I'm pretty sure I'm done with this series. Certainly not going to buy anymore books.It was a fun series for the first few but the la..."
I think you're right about it being between the two types. In fact, Maddie herself has had a lot of character development but we haven't seen it on the page. While the 'idea' of her as a person has grown - she's married, has twins, has an established career - her actions in each book mostly revert back to the beginning. I think that's why I feel the disconnect I mentioned before. She's a different person than the first book but her actions and motivations really haven't changed.
Laura wrote: "Through chapter 12[spoilers removed]"
These two are hilarious! I love the messages Maddie's mom leaves!
I'm up to chapter 15. Ramirez has (view spoiler)I enjoyed the (view spoiler)
Right now Maddie is in (view spoiler)
LaurLa wrote: "I kind of thought [spoilers removed]"Yes - I'm still wondering (view spoiler)
After all the other books in the series (meaning lots of experience for Maddie) (view spoiler)
I did not (view spoiler)
SandyL wrote: "LaurLa wrote: "I kind of thought [spoilers removed]"Yes - I'm still wondering [spoilers removed]
After all the other books in the series (meaning lots of experience for Maddie) [spoilers removed..."
I know. With all of her experience, and she doesn't tell Ramirez about the text?
I didn't peg LaForge, either. I kept expecting her to look at the surfer guy at the bar and suddenly notice green eyes. I really thought it was him, for awhile. :)
Synopsis
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling series!
Death at a tropical beauty pageant spells trouble in paradise...
When fashion designer turned amateur sleuth Maddie Springer is invited to help style contestants in the Hawaiian Paradise Beauty Pageant, she jumps at the chance! The fantastic publicity coupled with a weeklong vacation with her best friends Marco and Dana, is a win-win. But trouble follows her to paradise when one of the beauty queens winds up dead. Is it a case of a personal grudge, a jealous contestant...or a jealous lover? Between a pageant director on his way out, a soap star dazzling his way in, a violent anti-fashion protester, and a whole pageant full of competitive beauty queens, Maddie has her hands full sorting through suspects! Luckily for Maddie—or unluckily?—her wacky cast of friends and family, including the sexy LAPD Detective Jack Ramirez, are there to help her wade through motives more plentiful than pineapples at a luau. With the televised crowning approaching, the danger escalating, and a killer on the loose, this is one beauty pageant that's about to turn ugly.
Rating: This story does not contain any graphic violence, language, or sexual encounters. It's rating would be similar to PG-13 or what you would find on a Hallmark Channel movie or TV series.
Books in the High Heels Series:
#1 Spying in High Heels
#2 Killer in High Heels
#3 Undercover in High Heels
#3.5 Christmas in High Heels (short story)
#4 Alibi in High Heels
#5 Mayhem in High Heels
#5.5 Honeymoon in High Heels (novella)
#5.75 Sweetheart in High Heels (short story)
#6 Fearless in High Heels
#7 Danger in High Heels
#8 Homicide in High Heels
#9 Deadly in High Heels
Here’s what critics are saying about the High Heels Mysteries:
"A saucy combination of romance and suspense that is simply irresistible."
—Chicago Tribune
"Stylish... nonstop action...guaranteed to keep chick lit and mystery fans happy!"
—Publishers’ Weekly, starred review
"Smart, funny and snappy…the perfect beach read!"
–Fresh Fiction