The Next Ex

I don't know anymore what I was expecting when I read THE NEXT EX, but this book wasn't it. The book just works on so many levels. First, it's a mystery and the plot is twisty but it satisfies in the end. There is a financial component to the book and I enjoyed reading about day trading and the stock market. It was also interesting reading about how movie stars really live. I know it's fiction, but it's obvious that Richards knows what she's writing about and some of this stuff was pretty scary. The story opens on the dead wife of a Hollywood producer who ex-stockbroker Madeline Carter stumbles across at a party. Madeline already knew Keesia and had gotten to be friends with her so she's very sad that the other woman is dead and when Madeline is drawn into finding out how Keesia died, the reader understands. But Madeline keeps finding more dead wives and ex-wives of this same producer and, along the way, discovers another mystery more than 30 years old. I loved this book! I didn't want it to end and I can hardly wait for the next book in the Madeline Carter series.

Former stockbroker Madeline Carter is now a daytrader in Los Angeles. She lives in the guesthouse of movie director Tyler Beckett and his wife, the actress Tasya Saranova. Tyler asks Madeline to tudor the current wife of the famous film producer Maxi Livingston in daytrading. Hollywood thrives on doing favors and cashing in on favors. Favors are, in a way, a currency among the elite social set. Madeline teaches Keesia Livingston the basics on stocks. Maxi agrees to do Tyler's film. Tyler updates and expands Madeline's kitchen and bathroom. See how it works? Madeline knew almost nothing about the Livingstons until she began teaching Keesia about the market. Surprisingly, Keesia is very smart and picks things up quickly. Madeline and Keesia are on the way to becoming very good friends. But the friendship ends when, during on of Maxi's parties, Madeline comes across Keesia's dead body. This is not all, Keesia was Maxi's FIFTH wife. Shortly thereafter, Maxi's previous wives are being murdered - and Madeline is one of the top suspects. ***** When Madeline finds Keesia's body on page one, the author makes sure that she stabs the hook so quickly into her readers' guts that they never even feel it. The story is told in such a way that I, as the reader, felt able to get into Madeline's head. I could actually see the wheels in her mind working. I could tell what path "Mad" was going down and why. All the clues needed to solve the mystery were available to me, but the author never insulted my intelligence. She even gave me the opportunity to figure it out before the main character did. But will you be able to? Keep your eye on this author. She will go far! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

In Los Angeles, former stockbroker turned day-trader Madeline Carter lives in the guesthouse owned by married couple movie director Tyler Beckett and actress Tasya Saranova. Tyler asks Manhattan transplant Madeline to teach day-trading techniques to Keesia, the fifth wife of film producer Maxi Livingston, as a favor, the most prevalent means of exchanging services in town. Thus Madeline teaches Keesia day-trading while Maxi will produce Tyler's newest film project and Madeline receives additional kitchen and bathroom privileges Keesia proves to be a fast learner and the teacher and student become friends. That is until Madeline finds her pupil's corpse at a party hosted by Maxi. Not long afterward, other spouses of Maxi are murdered with Madeline considered by the police a prime suspect. Realizing that the cops are looking at her as a possible killer, Madeline investigates the murder of her buddy figuring she did very well in clearing her name to a degree in her previous Hollywood adventure (see MAD MONEY). This is a fun amateur sleuth tale in which Madeline once again is a magnet for murder in which she must prove her innocence as her "record" as well as opportunity makes her a prime suspect. The key to this intelligent who-done-it is that Linda Richards lays out the clues yet most of the audience will not "read" them as they instead follow the stumbling "Mad" detective fumble her way on the case. Fans will enjoy this fine Hollywood mystery starring a likable protagonist struggling to find who made Keesia THE NEXT EX of multiply married Maxi. Harriet Klausner