Deadly in High Heels (High Heels Mysteries #9)
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About this ebook
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling series!
Death at a tropical beauty pageant spells trouble in paradise...
When fashion designer turned amateur sleuth Maddie Springer is invited to help style contestants in the Hawaiian Paradise Beauty Pageant, she jumps at the chance! The fantastic publicity coupled with a weeklong vacation with her best friends Marco and Dana, is a win-win. But trouble follows her to paradise when one of the beauty queens winds up dead. Is it a case of a personal grudge, a jealous contestant...or a jealous lover? Between a pageant director on his way out, a soap star dazzling his way in, a violent anti-fashion protester, and a whole pageant full of competitive beauty queens, Maddie has her hands full sorting through suspects! Luckily for Maddie—or unluckily?—her wacky cast of friends and family, including the sexy LAPD Detective Jack Ramirez, are there to help her wade through motives more plentiful than pineapples at a luau. With the televised crowning approaching, the danger escalating, and a killer on the loose, this is one beauty pageant that's about to turn ugly.
Rating: This story does not contain any graphic violence, language, or sexual encounters. It's rating would be similar to PG-13 or what you would find on a Hallmark Channel movie or TV series.
Books in the High Heels Series:
#1 Spying in High Heels
#2 Killer in High Heels
#3 Undercover in High Heels
#3.5 Christmas in High Heels (short story)
#4 Alibi in High Heels
#5 Mayhem in High Heels
#5.5 Honeymoon in High Heels (novella)
#5.75 Sweetheart in High Heels (short story)
#6 Fearless in High Heels
#7 Danger in High Heels
#8 Homicide in High Heels
#9 Deadly in High Heels
#10 Suspect in High Heels
#11 Peril in High Heels
#12 Jeopardy in High Heels
Here’s what critics are saying about the High Heels Mysteries:
"A saucy combination of romance and suspense that is simply irresistible."
—Chicago Tribune
"Stylish... nonstop action...guaranteed to keep chick lit and mystery fans happy!"
—Publishers’ Weekly, starred review
"Smart, funny and snappy...the perfect beach read!"
–Fresh Fiction
Gemma Halliday
Gemma Halliday is the New York Times, and USA Today bestselling author of several cozy mystery and suspense thriller novels. Gemma's books have received numerous awards, including a Golden Heart, two National Reader's Choice awards, a RONE award for best mystery, and three RITA nominations. She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her large, loud, and loving family.
Read more from Gemma Halliday
High Heels Mysteries Boxed Set Vol. IV (Books 10-12) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPlay Dead Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Deadly in High Heels (High Heels Mysteries #9)
Titles in the series (5)
Suspect in High Heels Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Peril in High Heels Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Deceit in High Heels Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Spying in High Heels Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5High Heels Mysteries Boxed Set (Books 1-5) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for Deadly in High Heels (High Heels Mysteries #9)
30 ratings21 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Had a bad day? Too much on your mind or so much work that you really can't spend too much thought or time but of course you have to read? Then this book is for you. The story is about Maddie Springer a fashion model wannabe whose height challenge helped her to decide to become a shoe designer instead. Maddie has a small problem - she may be pregnant and her boyfriend has disappeared so she decides to hunt him down. Along the way she meets a hot detective and solves a mystery with her shoe knowledge.
Maddie is the ultimate blond Valley girl so the language is not that of an English major and pretty much revolves around shoes, shopping and physical appearance. But if you can look past that and just want a light-hearted read to satisfy that book addiction this book may satisfy because it does have some funny, outrageous moments and the mystery was a little more than the writing would lead you believe. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Very good book
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Chicklit mystery set in Los Angeles. Maddie Springer is a young fashion designer who tries to track down her lawyer boyfriend when he goes missing, and finds herself in the middle of embezzlement and murder. I nearly stopped reading on the first page, wherein Maddie describes her behaviour on the freeway when she's late for a meeting with her boyfriend. Almost causing an accident by cutting into lanes and doing her make-up in the mirror at high speed was presumably supposed to make her look adorably ditzy, but I simply found it loathsome. I did keep reading, but it coloured my view of the character for the rest of the book.It's an odd one for me. The mystery plot was enjoyable if predictable, and there were things I liked a lot, with some good supporting characters; but it was hard work getting to the end and if it had been a paper edition I would have probably been high-speed skim-reading. No more than a two star for me and I'm not inclined to try anything else by this author, even if I can see why other people were bowled over by it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maddie Springer has problems - her boyfriend's disappeared, she thinks she might be pregnant and she might be losing her job if she doesn't start working at it but she's decided that since the pregnancy might be the main issue she's going to try and track down that wayward boyfriend and what does she find TROUBLE! She keeps running into a hunk of policeman who makes her start rethinking the boyfriend she has or does she? The story didn't have a lot of twists to it, just an ordinary little mystery of what happened to a wayward boyfriend but the characters were so much fun and they made me laugh. I enjoyed it tremendously.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fun, flirty, cute. Great read. If youlike the Stephanie plum books, you will like this
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5No erotica and minimal explicit violence despite two murders. Lots of OC references and boob talk. Loads of situational humor. The publisher's blurb doesn't tell you that Maddy designs children's shoes, or that her mother's idea of a bachelorette party is a male strip club. All I can say without doing the spoiler thing is that I laughed myself silly, and the suspense and plot twists were great!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5So I bought Gemma Halliday's series in bulk, something I never do. I mean what if I hate the first book, then I am out all the cash and stuck with the rest of the books in the series. But as ashamed as I am to admit it, I decided I liked her before I even read the book, because of a cover of hers a saw (shockingly enough the cover I liked was of a book I didn't even buy). Well thank goodness, I loved the first book. I have already moved onto the second book in the series and I am enjoying it, but more on that later. I've always liked a good mystery, and I have always liked an author who can paint a picture of the main character with humor. I think Halliday excels at both of these. There were several points during the book where I laughed out loud. As a character Maddie is totally a mess. But she's a great mess. She is living in LA in a studio apartment, in a relationship with a man it turns out she doesn't know as well as she thought, and spends literally the entire book avoiding finding out something that could change her entire future. But I love that she is a mess, she's quirky, has a hilarious job designing kiddie shoes, and is constantly running from one drama to the next (all of which could have been avoided if she didn't have the ever-increasing desire to find out what is going on, but where's the fun in that?)I also really love the cop in the story, Ramirez, he just rolls with the crazy that is Maddie. She follows him all the time in her bright red Jeep and she is so convinced he doesn't notice her, but of course he knew every time and thinks it's funny. I think part of the reason why I enjoy the dynamic between Ramirez and Maddie is because Halliday is so good at creating anticipation between the two of them. I found myself waiting for the two of them to be in the same room together, and then I kept pulling for them to find a way to be together. Halliday is also really good at making the reader (i.e. me) believe that Ramirez is super hot. I can only imagine how good he looks. I have to say that in terms of the mystery element, I thought I had it figured out. And to be fair, I was pretty close to being right-ish. It wasn't until like 2 pages before Halliday revealed all that I had actually figured it out correctly. It was fun reading it, and I did enjoy watching all the different elements of the mystery coming together. I would have to say just about anyone would enjoy reading this book. It's got a great mystery, a lot of fun humor, and a great steam factor that I can only hope gets better in the next book. Give it a try!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/54.5 stars.
Aw I loved this!! Easy, light and fun reading with the added bonus of a rather dashing love interest. This series should help keep me sane while I await Sophie Kinsella's next book. The styles are quite similar. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5So I bought Gemma Halliday's series in bulk, something I never do. I mean what if I hate the first book, then I am out all the cash and stuck with the rest of the books in the series. But as ashamed as I am to admit it, I decided I liked her before I even read the book, because of a cover of hers a saw (shockingly enough the cover I liked was of a book I didn't even buy). Well thank goodness, I loved the first book. I have already moved onto the second book in the series and I am enjoying it, but more on that later. I've always liked a good mystery, and I have always liked an author who can paint a picture of the main character with humor. I think Halliday excels at both of these. There were several points during the book where I laughed out loud. As a character Maddie is totally a mess. But she's a great mess. She is living in LA in a studio apartment, in a relationship with a man it turns out she doesn't know as well as she thought, and spends literally the entire book avoiding finding out something that could change her entire future. But I love that she is a mess, she's quirky, has a hilarious job designing kiddie shoes, and is constantly running from one drama to the next (all of which could have been avoided if she didn't have the ever-increasing desire to find out what is going on, but where's the fun in that?)I also really love the cop in the story, Ramirez, he just rolls with the crazy that is Maddie. She follows him all the time in her bright red Jeep and she is so convinced he doesn't notice her, but of course he knew every time and thinks it's funny. I think part of the reason why I enjoy the dynamic between Ramirez and Maddie is because Halliday is so good at creating anticipation between the two of them. I found myself waiting for the two of them to be in the same room together, and then I kept pulling for them to find a way to be together. Halliday is also really good at making the reader (i.e. me) believe that Ramirez is super hot. I can only imagine how good he looks. I have to say that in terms of the mystery element, I thought I had it figured out. And to be fair, I was pretty close to being right-ish. It wasn't until like 2 pages before Halliday revealed all that I had actually figured it out correctly. It was fun reading it, and I did enjoy watching all the different elements of the mystery coming together. I would have to say just about anyone would enjoy reading this book. It's got a great mystery, a lot of fun humor, and a great steam factor that I can only hope gets better in the next book. Give it a try!
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Maddie Springer (who doesn't seem to do much work) gets involved in murder. Her boyfriend disappears and she tries to find him. Along the way she gets involved with a detective. I found this to very reminiscent of Stephanie Plum, but less well written. I figured out who the bad guy was too soon. Amusing in places, I'm glad this was free. I'd have been annoyed if I had payed for it. Okay as a light summer read or while waiting for appointments but that's about it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The book was a solid OK. The story was pretty entertaining and I have to admit, I din't expect the ending. My biggest problem was the characters though. Ramirez was basically a chauvinistic pig and I don't understand how Maddie ended up being attracted to him. Sure he was joking most of the time, but it was a little ridiculous. I was also really confused about the names of the Ramirez family, but thankfully it got cleared up later on. The author could have looked a little deeper into Mexican families though, considering my and many of my friend's families with immigrant families don't have people who behave that way.Overall it was a fun quick book to read while working out over the week. Mindless entertainment.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Silly, formula chick lit. Children's shoe designer, who thinks she could be pregnant but manages to mess up taking a home pregnancy test 5 times, learns her boyfriend is an embezzler and missing. He later is wanted for a double homicide but she continues to believe in him even after finding out he lied to her and is married and decides to help in the investigation while silently lusting after the cop assigned to the case. She stumbles around getting in harm's way over and over again.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Not bad for a book I paid only 40 cents for... I'll take the time to read the others in the set I bought. I won't rush out to get the books beyond book 5, but as of about half way through the book, it got a bit interesting. Glad I didn't pay much.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I made it halfway through and couldn't take any more. What was entertaining behavior from the teenage heroine of Deadly Cool was unbearably annoying in the adult heroine of this novel.Also, if you've read Deadly Cool (which I have, and which is the reason I picked this one up) the story is almost exactly the same -- I had a little mental checklist going:* vacuous but charming heroine who has a hard time facing reality and a fondness for junk food matched only by her disinterest in exercise* boyfriend on the run from the police for a crime the heroine is convinced he didn't commit, despite....* condom wrapper belonging to the boyfriend found by the heroine in a location it shouldn't be if he'd used it with her* quirky best friend who tries to convince the heroine that there may be a valid reason for said extraneous condom wrapper* hot bodied potential new love interest for the heroine who's involved in the investigationThere's more, but I don't feel like going on. I'm actually so disappointed by this that I'm probably not going to pick up the next book in the Deadly Cool series, which I had been looking forward to.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maddie is a LA kids shoe designer, living a great life with her boyfriend, until the day he turns up missing. Maddie puts her shoe designing on the backburner and tries her hand at detective work, getting into some mighty sticky situations along the way. I really enjoyed this book and the characters...would definitely recommend reading it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maddie Springer is a twenty-something woman trying to earn an honest living so she can support her shoe habit. She's currently dating Richard, a lawyer, and thinks their relationship is heading somewhere. That is until she learns that one of his clients has embezzled $20 million dollars and Richard may be his accomplice. She's not sure what to think as Richard goes missing and his client's wife is found dead in her pool.Maddie decides to take matters in her own hands and starts an investigation of her own. She quickly learns that Richard isn't the man she thought he was as her digging uncovers his secrets. During her investigation, she meets cute Detective Ramirez and sparks fly. The only problem is, Detective Ramirez has a warrant for Richard's arrest. Can Maddie prove that Richard is innocent?Good start to what I'm sure will be a great series.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This was great! i love her writing style.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Didn't like it to start, but the character really grew on me. Too much of a fixation on designer duds and such in the beginning, but Maddie was funny and engaging (and pretty much a disaster) and I enjoyed the book. Nothing earth-shattering, but a silly, fun read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I downloaded this for free on my tablet and I believe I have read this book before. In fact I think I've read the entire series when it first came out. I enjoyed reading it again. It's a nice, fun chick lit book that isn't heavy, just entertaining. A good summer read. I like Gemma Halliday's books.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This was an enjoyable little mystery. Not great, but not bad either. My favorite character of the book is the cop, Jack Ramirez. He seemed the most realistic and reacted to situations in a normal fashion. Maddie, the heroine, frequently does things that made me want to yell at her. Her refusal to take a pregnancy test being one of those things. It is impossible to guess the murderer, because we aren't in possession of all the facts. (Actually, you can guess the murderer, because there are only so many characters. But the motive isn't clear until it is explained.)
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
This is the first book in the High Heels series. I have to confess that I downloaded it when Dorchester offered it for free a year ago.
It languished on my laptop, unread, until I decided to load on to my Sony and read it on my holiday in Turkey. I am glad I did, since after what happened in Oslo, I needed something light and funny. I read it on the plane trip back, and it hooked me from the start. What hooked me wasn’t the plot. No, it was the characters and how they reacted. They got worried, they made reckless decisions. But what made this book was Maddie. She was a bundle of witty determination. I loved how she continued to search after her missing boyfriend, no matter what Ramirez told her. I also loved how she did the right thing at the end, which is NOT marrying her boyfriend. The end took my by surprise, I had someone else pegged as the murderer.