Death of a DJ

Cat Austen is the entertainment writer for South Jersey magazine. She is to interview radio personalities Jerry Dudek and Tom Hopper. Their radio show, the Six A.M. Circus, was just that. They pulled a lot of gags and were planning a segment called "The Perfect Murder." Unfortunately before that could start, Jerry is killed. Right before he is killed, he tells Cat that he wants to give her some information. Cat has six brothers. Five are cops. All of them are very protective of her. Her husband was a State Patrol officer but was killed.Lieutenant Victor Cardenas is assigned to investigate the murder. He is very attracted to Cat. This really adds to the story.Cat has a friend, Ellice Watson, living with her. Ellice often helps with Cat's two children. Her character is terrific.Then there is Ritchie, Cat's boss. He is so excited that Cat was an eye witness to the murder. Cat begins looking into who could have killed Jerry. As she gets closer to the truth, she find herself and her family in danger. This is the first book I've read in this series. I really like the characters. Her brothers are so protective of her, but they want the best for her, too.I like the Jersey setting. The author appears to truly know this area.This is a fast read. It is a great cozy mystery. I recommend it to everyone.

Cat Austen and Lieutenant Victor Cardenas try to solve the case of a murdered DJ. And it seems the sooner the better because Cat is the next victim. But with the size of her protective family, whom I enjoyed getting to know, I'd say the odds are stacked against the murderer.Ms. Rubino has some well-written, full-bodied, realistic characters. The subject matter of this particular title is touchy or maybe I should say taboo. But Ms. Rubino seems to have handled it tactfully.

Before I started reading Jane Rubino's "Death of a DJ" I had my doubts about how much I would enjoy it considering I have never been a mystery fan. However I must say that even though I usally stick to the same types of book that I have always read, I found this story a wonderful transition into a new genera of reading. Not only did the story intrigue me with the thrill of a mystery but it is also filled with humor which made it impossible to stop reading once I started. This story has definitely turned me into a mystery reader.

Cat Austen, a widow with two children, has seven excessively protective, older brothers, of whom six are police officers and one is a priest. She soon lands a job as an entertainment reporter at her local newspaper. Her first assignment is to interview two DJs, Jerry Dudek and Tom Hopper, who run a local "shock jock" radio talk show. It's not easy to get Jerry to open up about his past. The vulgar individual is a master in the art of manipulation and evasiveness. He is the type of person who would enjoy pulling the wings off a butterfly. Apparently, Jerry goes to far in his cruelties because he is shot dead in a parking lot, with Cat being the only witness. During the investigation, Cat crosses paths with Lt. Victor Cradenas, a handsome specimen of a man who makes Cat question her decision to fly solo. Victor is also stunned by the feelings Cat generates in him, but before they can do anything about it, they have to catch a murderer before he kills them. This is a brilliant debut by an author whose talent will take her to the top of her chosen profession. This exciting mystery, leavened with healthy doses of humor and romance, is gritty, realistic, and lots of fun. Harriet Klausner