Dying To Sing (Charlie Plato Mysteries (Paperback))

Dying to Sing starts off with an earthquake and keeps going and going! This is a great story with characters you can believe in all the way. Charlie Plato is wonderful and I'd love to have her for my friend. I wouldn't slam the door on Zack either. If you love country, you'll love Dying to Sing--it's the real thing. If you don't like country, you'll love it anyway. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

I had never read anything by this author before, so based on the different reviews I read on this website I picked it up. It was really very good! It read smoothly and did not lag in any spots. It kept you guessing to the end. Usually, I don't have any problems picking out who did it, but I did with this one. I am definitely looking forward to reading her second book.

Charlie Plato, 30 yr. old, divorcee, is starting life over. Charlie, Savanna Seabrook, and Angel Cervantes, each own one-sixth of CHAPS, a country and western bar and dancehall, along with Zack Hunter, ex-TV actor, and owner of the other half of CHAPS. Everything is going fine until an earthquake strikes, severely shaking CHAPS, and several other nearby businesses. Fortunately, no one is seriously injured, but when Charlie is checking for damage, she discovers a skeletal foot emerging from a fissure in the flower bed, in front of CHAPS. Charlie and Zack report the grizzly find to Det. Sergeant Bristow, of the Bellamy Park, PD , and the medical examiners office exhumes the skeletal remains the next morning. After the post-mortem, the victim was discovered to be a mal-nourished, toothless, six ft., Caucasian, aproximately 70-75 years, who was murdered by a blow to the head.. An anonymous caller threatens Charlie, and demands five thousand dollars, he/she claims Charlie must have taken when she discovered the murder victim. If she doesn't come up with the money in one month, she will be killed! If Charlie goes to the police, she'll be killed! Charlie's scared, but determined to discover who the murderer is, or die trying. Who can Charlie trust? Everyone's a suspect, and acting suspicious! She finally enlists the aid of Zack, and together they lead us on a trail of lies and deception, false trails, and too many suspects. Eventually Charlie ties it all together , and leads us to the surprising truth. I really enjoyed watching the 'sparks' fly between Charlie and Zack, but their timing leaves much to be desired. Maybe they'll both start feeling romantic, at the same time, in the sequel. I also enjoyed the competitiveness between Charlie and Sergeant Bristow. An exciting mystery debut from the 'queen' of romance. JoAnne M. Bowers