Murder, Mayhem & Fine Man

Amanda Bell Brown is a forensic psychologist that is in dire need of some fun and excitement. Amanda is all set to spend another birthday alone until her sister drags her out to a birthday dinner. Amanda's world is sent into a tailspin when she suddenly ends up at the scene of a murder. She thinks she knows who the killer is, and she's trying to do everything possible to solve this case. Things become a little more interesting when the lead detective of the case named Jazz asks her out. But as Amanda becomes more involved in the case, the more dangerous it becomes. Will Amanda be able to solve this crime without becoming a victim herself? Murder, Mayhem, and a Fine Man is a riveting mystery from Claudia Mair Burney. Mair Burney expertly created an intriguing mystery with colorful cast of characters. This storyline pulls readers in deep into the twisted world of the cult and how it can be detrimental to its members. You will feel the heart-stopping drama as Amanda gets closer to solving this disturbing case. You also feel the romantic sparks between Amanda and Jazz. Mair Burney does an excellent job of illustrating the inner religious conflicts of Amanda and Jazz as they become closer to each other. There is also a good dose of humor that makes this novel all the more enjoyable. Murder, Mayhem, and a Fine Man is a suspenseful page-turner that is the perfect start to the Amanda Bell Brown mystery series. Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert for Urban Reviews

In Claudia Mair Burney's, Murder, Mayhem & A Fine Man, it is Amanda Bell Brown's 35th birthday and what began as dinner with her sister turns out to be much more than she bargained for. Bell, who would rather have been at home watching CSI, finds herself, in a hot, little birthday dress and heels, doing some real crime scene investigation of her own. Carly, Bell's sister and medical examiner, gets a call and takes Bell along to the crime scene. On the scene, Carly introduces Bell to Jazz Brown, lead detective and oh so fine man. Bell is immediately smitten, as is Jazz, but tries to keep her cool when he asks her to take a look at the scene and give her professional opinion as a forensic psychologist. What unfolds next, amidst dead bodies and cult connections, is linked to Bell. She and Jazz then set out to find a killer and not only find the connection between Bell and the victims but between each other. Claudia Mair Burney has written a charming and most enjoyable story. Murder, Mayhem & A Fine Man, the first in the Amanda Bell Brown Mystery series, is christian fiction, mystery, comedy and romance all rolled up into one cool package. Burney's writing style is fresh and witty, also reflective and thought-provoking without being over-the-top. Amanda Bell Brown is a riot. She is hilarious and very real. The seriousness and dangers of murder and religious cults were weaved in, seemingly effortlessly, with the plight of a single woman who tries to balance her faith, her desire for a husband and child, and some serious sexual tension all at the same time. Besides Bell and Jazz, there are other characters you will love as well. Rocky, Bell's pastor, and ex-boyfriend, will crack you up. I highly recommend this entertaining story. If this is not your usual genre, I suggest you give this story a shot. There is something here for everyone. Reviewed by Donielle APOOO BookClub

Amanda Bell Brown is celebrating her thirty-fifth birthday by having dinner out with her sister, Carly, who is a medical examiner. Carly gets a call to go to a crime scene and has to take Amanda, a forensic psychologist, with her. The investigation interests her and Jazz Brown, the detective in charge, is one fine man who also interests her. She looks over the scene and offers some suggestions to Jazz, who wants nothing more than a date with her. During the course of the investigation, they manage to get together, but both have trust issues with the opposite sex, as well as remembered pain from past relationships. In addition, Jazz, who was previously married, has religious beliefs which conflict with becoming involved with another woman. MURDER, MAYHEM, AND A FINE MAN by Claudia Mair Burney, also explores cults and the deviousness involved. Amanda has first hand knowledge with cults and uses it to help solve the murder. Her only problem is, she gets very close to the cult responsible for the mayhem. Will she survive? And if she does, will she and Jazz be able to bury their old pain and move on? Claudia Mair Burney has written a wonderful mystery that keeps you guessing about everything right up to that very last page. It is well written and the characters are so well-developed I could actually feel their emotions. The novel brought out love, hate, religion, as well as cults and I found myself reacting to the emotions of the characters. I alternately wanted to slap them, rejoice with them and urge them to move on with their lives. It is a novel that is extremely hard to put down. Reviewed by Alice Holman of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

If you like mystery, a litle madness and a more than fine man, you've come to the right place. This book made me laugh, cry and really think about how we relate to each other as women, as Christians and as friends. Bell is an engaging character with a cute dress, a sexy sister and a raging case of endometriosis. Oh and did I mention she just turned forty? Enter Jazz Brown, tall and smooth just like the music in his name. Mix those two with a a mysterious group suicide and Bell's cool emergent church and its pastor, Rocky and you're in for one delicious ride. A page turner that you won't forget, MUDER, MAYHEM AND A FINE MAN is a must have. Go ahead and pre-order the next one too and save yourself some time. I can't wait for more of the Bell Brown Mystery series.

Despite a great title and cover, I was unsure if I would like this book. Would it be too chick-lit, too romance-oriented, for an average white male? Within a few pages, my doubts were erased. By the end of the book, I became a loyal Burney fan. Amanda Bell Brown is one sassy, funny, and independent woman--Dr. Brown to her counseling patients. Her psychology experience draws her into a murder mystery, which soons threaten her life in a number of ways. First, she is assailed by a spontaneous combustion of the romantic kind, in her initial encounter with Jazz, a likeable cop. Second, she is drawn into the dark corridors of a Scripture-twisting cult, which seems to have been involved on some level with the murder victims. Third, she must face her own painful past or risk losing even more than she has already. Humor keeps the book well-balanced, and there are some sassy, realistic handlings of the romantic moments. At the point in which I thought things would turn saccharine, Burney kicked things into a darker, grittier gear, never shrinking from some heart-wrenching scenes. Told with style and heart, these parts of the story are all too real, and Burney unveils the deceptions with masterful skill. What's not to like? If you're searching for suspense, humor, romance, or Biblical truths applied to real-life scenarios, you'll find them all in this wonderful debut. I can't wait for the next Amanda Bell Brown mystery.