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The Next Ex
A Madeline Carter Mystery
Linda L. Richards
Mira (Paperback Original)
ISBN: 0-7783-2240-8 (0778322408)
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 the ARC of The Next Ex for
this review.
Review Copyright © 2005 Hidden Staircase Mystery Books
Other mysteries by Linda L. Richards:
Mad
Money
A Madeline Carter
Mystery
Harlequin (2004)
ISBN: 0778321037
Calculated Loss
A Madeline Carter
Mystery
Mira (2006)
ISBN: 0778323455
