Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die (Blackbird Sisters Mysteries, No. 4)

The outrageous pink coat that Nora Blackbird is wearing on the front cover of this book really sets the tone perfectly for this hilarious romp. "Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die" is all about an innovative new bra design, Nora Blackbird's continuing struggle to make ends meet and make her relationship work with her boyfriend Mick Abbruzzo, and, oh yes, the murder of Nora's boss, the newspaper's high society editor Kitty Keough. Kitty's body is found on Nora's front porch, shot execution style and trussed up with a pair of panty hose, which just happens to be a signature of an Abruzzo family hit. Nora's boyfriend Mick Abruzzo is immediately taken to the police station for questioning, so Nora goes to work to find out who really killed Kitty Keough, and just as importantly, why Kitty was killed. The plot is an excellent one, with lots of unexpected twists and turns. Author Martin's descriptions of the moneyed society families of Philadelphia are great. The resolution of the mystery was well-done and tied the many sub-plots together nicely. My only reservation about this book is the silly job that Nora's sister Libby has taken, which is selling adult sex toys. There were a few good laughs in the book from this new job, but I though I should mention this sub-plot in case anyone might be offended by this subject. I'm looking forward to the next story in this series, as the reader is left with several cliffhangers about Nora's future.

I thought this was a great little mystery. It had it all - romance, laughs, and a great who done it. It you haven't read this series, get out to your local bookstore or library NOW and start reading!

I've read other Blackbird Sister mysteries, and this one is the best yet -- full of Nancy Martin's trademark humor. She creates another delightful collection of characters and packs the book with witty observations about the high-society people Nora Blackbird encounters on her way to solving a mystery that's full of surprise twists. This book is pure pleasure.

Used to wealth and privilege the Blackbird sisters have to find gainful employment after their parents wasted their trust funds and fled the country to a place that doesn't have an extradition treaty. Nora Blackbird works as an assistant to society editor Kitty Keogh, a relationship filled with antipathy, anger, and jealously on the employer's part because her worker has entry into the high society that closes its doors to her. Kitty wakes Nora up to have her cover a fashion show featuring the broken bra designed by Brinker Hill, a high society sadist who almost raped Nora's younger sister Emma when they were in school together. Later that night the murdered body of Kitty is delivered to Nora's front door and the police want to pin the crime on Nora's lover Michael, whose family is mafia connected. To clear his name, Nora takes many chances including breaking and entering into Brinker's office where she thinks evidence exists that could clear Michael. Michael and Nora come from two different worlds but together they make their own filled with love respect and tenderness. When the outside world intrudes, Nora is like a tiger protecting her mate and she is particularly suspicious of Brinker who couldn't invent a paper plane and is suspected of the arson of his comedy club. There are many people who hated the victim but Nora focuses on Brinker and socialite Hemmings Lamb, a submissive with a criminal bent. Both men had their names on Kitty's calendar on the date she was murdered. Nancy Martin has written a sublime who-done-it filled with laughter, heroes and plenty of action. Harriet Klausner