Spa Deadly

I am so thankful that the author made this book available for free during National Read an Ebook Week. Had she not done so, I would never have come across this gem. In Allie Armington, Gaylord has created an interesting, engaging, character. This story grabs you from the beginning and keep a hold of you until the very end. This is a fast-paced murder mystery, that never drags. I couldn't put it down - I finished it in one evening. Hold tight for the surprise ending - one of the best I have read in awhile! This is the 3rd book in the series, I think. I would love to read the others, I hope they become available in Kindle editions soon. One caveat: At times, I found some of the dialogue used by Allie a bit trite and out of character for her - feeling like I know her so well now and all ;)

Allie Armington just wants to relax and take her mind off her current troubles, and that's exactly what she and her sister, Angela, aim to do during their impromptu getaway at a plush New Mexico spa. Unfortunately, any hopes they have of getting a little R & R are quickly dashed when a series of bizarre murders begin to plague the local area, culminating in the cold, calculated death of the popular town sheriff. To make matters worse, Allie is ostensibly connected to each of the murders by her mere presence alone, making her the prime suspect and the target of the vengeful wrath of the newly-appointed acting sheriff - who just happens to be the nephew of the beloved murdered official. After Allie is eventually cleared of any wrongdoing, Angela decides that she's had all the "relaxation" she can take and quickly heads back home to be with her family. Allie stays behind, though, her natural inquisitiveness getting the best of her as she resolves to discover the truth behind all the suspicious activity in the area. She soon learns deadly secrets about the grimy world of drug trafficking hidden just beneath the surface of the spa's genteel façade. The deeper Allie probes, the more the mystery grows, until she finally realizes that those who pose themselves as allies are really enemies - and vice versa - and she finds herself square in the middle of more grave danger than she could ever have imagined. Spa Deadly is a well-crafted, suspenseful tale of compounded intrigue that will keep the reader riveted with each fresh turn of the page. In masterful fashion, Louise Gaylord peels back layer after layer of misleading clues and duplicitous information, leaving you with only a faint hope of discovering where the real truth behind her unfolding mystery may lie - right up until the startling, eye-opening conclusion. Her writing style is unique and engaging, and her skillful storytelling and colorful characters captivate the reader's interest from beginning to end. A highly entertaining read. Renee Washburn Apex Reviews

SPA DEADLY, by national award-winning author Louise Gaylord, continues the saga of Allie Armington, an assistant D.A. from Texas. It is the third book in the series following ANACACHO and Xs. It does not disappoint! If anything, this book takes the mystery and suspense up a notch! Allie Armington and her sister, Angela Bruce, have booked a 1 week retreat at the Cielo Azul - a spa near Taos. It seemed like a good idea when they were making the reservations as Angela was ready to give birth to child #3 and knew that she would need a relaxing break. Seemed like a good idea until they discover that the spa is managed by Selena Channing - who had once been an unpopular and unattractive girl that Angela had tormented through high school. Yes, it SEEMED like a good idea until Allie and her fiance', Bill Cotton, started having problems. Now Allie wonders if she can trust him anymore. And it definitely seemed like a good plan to relax at the spa until murder ensues and Allie is left with the proverbial "smoking gun." SPA DEADLY will keep you reading at a fast and furious pace! And frankly, you will never see the surprise ending coming! Excellent book!

This is the actual book that the publisher asked me if I was interested in... Spa Deadly, An Allie Armington Mystery:Things are rough at the resort, in fact they're murder by Louise Gaylord. They also sent along the first two books in the series, so this installment had to wait until I got through those two first. But the wait was worth it. Allie once again finds herself in deep trouble, but just can't step away from the chase. Allie's sister Angela has just had her baby, and really needs a break from everyone and everything. She drags Allie up to this ritzy spa nestled in the mountains of New Mexico. To their surprise, they find that the lady that runs the spa is a former classmate, one which Angela tormented unmercifully. That seems to be forgotten, however, and Allie tries to slow down and and settle in to a week of pampering. But that week ends prematurely with the death of another spa member, one who was overly bossy, broke many of the rules, and seemed to have a financial interest in the operation. The death mystery gets even deeper when Allie and another member stumble over another dead body while out hiking, one that doesn't look like a spa member but also didn't look like she deserved to die, either. Allie hangs around to try and discover who the murderer(s) might be, while Angela figures that heading home is a much better option. All the spa employees appear to have reasons to be involved, and she's also spooked by the appearance of a drug kingpin and her on-and-off lover Bill Cotton. Besides trying to stay alive, she has to figure out who is actually working for who in this bizarre business arrangement. Gaylord has done an excellent job in this series. Aside from having an interesting cast of characters, she twists and turns the plot so much that you really *don't* know how it's all going to fall out once the final page is turned. I'll be keeping an eye open at the library for any further adventures of Allie Armington. It's a very good series...

Allie's sister, Angela, has just had a baby and asks Allie to go with her to a spa retreat for some much needed R & R. Allie's an ex DA and lately she's been having doubts about the stability of her current relationship, she reluctantly agrees to the trip. When they arrive an old school enemy of Angela's happens to be the owner and trouble keeps landing in Allie's path. Soon she is the only suspect in a murder. Allie is a heroine who has an insatiable curiosity that lands her in trouble from time to time. She's not a bumbling or incompetent heroine though, and she faces danger head on and is able to take care of herself. The actually mystery portion of this story was as mystifying as I had hoped and there are more twists and turns than a labyrinth. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, Allie would stumble across something that would leave me unsure and off balance again. The ending was a real shocker and I think had I been with the series from the start it might have made me a little angry - lucky for me I was new to the series and was able to enjoy the ending. Although this is a series, I didn't find it at all hard to follow the story, I never felt lost with the characters or storyline. I am going to order the first two to read, however, as I enjoyed this one so much. Cherise Everhard, August 2008