Shoes to Die for

About 30 pages into this book I was tired of the main character's "I didn't really say that" shtick, but I made an effort to continue. After several more times of Jaine saying something then admitting she didn't really say whatever, I was ready to be done with this book. Bad enough that the character uses the same line over and over again, but I was also annoyed that she "bought" a $3000 suit and planned to wear it twice for job interviews and then return it. I don't like dishonest main characters, and I really didn't like the main character in this book. Not funny. Just annoying.

This was a fun book; it had comedy, mystery, and a little bit of everything...even made me hate a few characters, which usually doesn't happen. It's a good, funny read, with lots of twists.

Jaine Austen - freelance writer extraordinaire - is the farthest thing from your typical Los Angeles beauty. Case in point - she's living paycheck to paycheck, celebrities mean nothing to her, she's semi-plus size, and she spends her days - and sometimes nights - working as an amateur sleuth, and coming across more and more carbs to inhale in the form of delicious foods. This time, however, Jaine's fabulous next-door neighbor, Lance, has decided that Jaine must finally throw away her elastic-waist pants, and opt for something more stylish. More trendy. Less trailer park - if you know what I mean. So he takes her to Passions - a hip boutique that stocks clothing that wouldn't even fit one of Jaine's thighs, let alone her entire waist. And, while a new wardrobe isn't discovered there, Jaine is lucky enough to get an interview as Passions' new magazine ad writer. But then the universe shifts, and, suddenly, kind Grace is no longer the owner of Passions, but has placed ownership into the hands of Giselle aka Frenchie - a nasty blonde who makes fun of customers and cheats on her husband left and right. Ordinarily, Jaine would avoid this woman like the plague, but she needs the money - so she takes the job. However, when she arrives at Passions the next morning to pitch her ideas, she finds Frenchie among the land of the dead - a stiletto Jimmy Choo sticking out of her neck. Now Jaine has decided to toss the ad campaign, and dive headfirst into a sea of dangerous fashionistas, in an attempt to find Frenchie's killer, and protect herself from being next on the list of victims. In the superficial land of Los Angeles, Jaine is a diamond in the rough, whose elastic-waist pants separate her from all of the plastic Barbie dolls traipsing around Rodeo Drive. Her dry wit, and sarcastic comments leave readers cackling in delight, while the different mishaps and scrapes she manages to get herself into - and out of - keep you on edge from beginning to end. Laura Levine is, without a doubt, one of the most entertaining mystery writers on the market to date. Her combination of humor, mystery, semi-romance, and la-la land are delightful, and leave the reader dying to accompany Jaine through the streets of LA, as she navigates her way through murderers, speed dating, friends, and fashionistas. The perfect book for a day at the beach - or a day at home. No matter where you are, you'll be able to enjoy Jaine Austen's misadventures - both in the dating world, and the world of high crime. Erika Sorocco Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

Shoes to Die For.This is one of the funniest books I've read in ages. If you're feeling blah, tired or just plain bored, you owe it to yourself to read it. Laura Levine uses the same wit and creativity she used to write top sitcom series like The Newhart Show and Laverne and Shirley to cook up this funny, slightly raunchy page-turner that will have you up all night reading it. The sub-plot about Jaine's retired parents, and their emails is as involving and humorous as the main plot. I laughed so much, my cat came over to see what was happening! The characters are well developed, the plot yanks you in, and food-challenged detective Jaine Austin's asides are so funny, you'll be giggling every time you pick the book up.

One of the things that makes Laura Levine my favorite among the newer crop of mystery writers is that her books not only have a happy ending, but a happy beginning: The person she bumps off always richly deserves it. This latest volume in Levine's Jaime Austen series is no exception, as the ever-beleaguered heroine's current nemesis discovers that the phrase "killer pair of shoes" can take on a whole new meaning, and the reader is drawn into a highly entertaining, witty whodunit. Levine is a consistently lively, clever, and hilariously funny author, and I can unreservedly recommend this book to anyone looking for summer reading material--whether you are normally a fan of detective fiction or not. I recommend, however, reading this book wearing flat-heeled slippers. Your designer stilettos will never look the same to you again.

Jaine Austen enters the world of fashion when her neighbor Lance decides to give her a make-over. Visiting his favorite high end fashion boutique, Jaine doesn't find any clothes, but does land a potential client for her writing business. Coming in early to pitch ideas one morning, Jaine finds the body of Frenchie with one of the woman's own stiletto heels stuck in her neck. To know Frenchie was to loath her, so the list of suspects in long. The police are zeroing in on a woman who wouldn't hurt a fly, literally. When Becky hires Jaine to find the real killer, Jaine drops all her current writing assignments (ok, she had none anyway) to pursue the clues. Meanwhile, her father has his heart set on the lead in a play at her parent's retirement village, one of her memoir writing students suffers a heart attack, and Kandi signs both herself and Jaine up for speed dating. Fans of this series will love the latest entry. All the charm and sarcastic humor of the others is present. I smiled, giggle, and laughed my way through the entire book. The book is very well set up. By the time the murder takes place, you are aware of several suspects. And how can you not love such an inventive murder weapon? The ending felt a little rushed to me and definitely could have used a few more pages to better flesh things out. This book will appeal to those who love light mysteries. If that's you, this series is in fashion.