The
Next Ex
A
Madeline Carter Mystery
Linda
L. Richards
Mira
Books (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-7783-2240-8 (0778322408)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2240-5 (9780778322405)
Publication Date: November 2005
List Price: $6.99
Synopsis (from
the publisher): Even by Hollywood standards, five is a big number if
you're counting ex-wives.
Teaching an indulged rich wife to dabble in the stock market is the
last thing former stockbroker Madeline Carter wants to do. But she's
lived among the Hollywood elite just long enough to recognize the
ubiquitous "favor for a favor" when she sees it, so she reluctantly
agrees to tutor the current wife of "A" list film producer Maxi
Livingston.
Up until a couple of days ago the only thing Madeline knew about Maxi
was what she'd read in the tabloids. But she soon learns a whole lot
more, including the fact that the current Mrs. Livingston has plans to
build a nest egg for herself -- in the stock market. Interesting.
But "interesting" doesn't begin to cover it when Maxi's ex-wives are
killed off one by one and Madeline finds herself in the middle of a
scenario worthy of the most imaginative screenwriter -- where she is
the prime suspect.
Very interesting, indeed.
Review:
On a chilly winter afternoon, start a fire in the fireplace, open a
bottle of wine, curl up in an easy chair, and be prepared to thoroughly
enjoy Linda L. Richards’ second Madeline Carter mystery, The Next Ex.
The plot here is generally along the lines of a typical Nancy Drew
mystery, right down to the Nancy (read Madeline)-in-peril chapter
towards the end. Since the characterizations and dialog are so well
written, this doesn’t detract from the overall satisfaction
of the book, especially for readers who enjoyed Nancy Drew as children
(or even now as adults!). But it does make the storyline somewhat
predictable. If there’s a weak aspect to the book, it is
Madeline’s relationship with Gus which seems a bit
superfluous and distracting to the story; maybe the author was trying
to add depth or conflict to Madeline’s persona by
unnecessarily adding a love interest.
Madeline Carter is a very appealing and interesting character and The Next Ex
a delightful mystery. It will be interesting to see where Linda L.
Richards takes Madeline on her next adventure.
Special thanks to Book Trends for providing an ARC of The Next Ex for this review.
Review Copyright © 2005 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read The Next Ex? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series ...
Mad
Money
Mira (Mass Market Paperback), December 2004
ISBN-10: 0-7783-2103-7 (0778321037)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2103-3 (9780778321033)
The Next Ex
Mira Books (Mass Market Paperback), November 2005
ISBN-10: 0-7783-2240-8 (0778322408)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2240-5 (9780778322405)
Calculated Loss
Mira Books (Mass Market Paperback), September 2006
ISBN-10: 0-7783-2345-5 (0778323455)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2345-7 (9780778323457)
Omnimystery
keywords for The Next Ex
...
Location(s) referenced: Hollywood, California.
