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    Going Organic Can Kill You
    Unavailable
    Going Organic Can Kill You
    Unavailable
    Going Organic Can Kill You
    Ebook335 pages4 hours

    Going Organic Can Kill You

    By Staci McLaughlin

    2.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Marketing maven Dana Lewis returns home to discover that healthy living can be murder in the first Blossom Valley Mystery—“100% organic fun!” (Laura Levine).
     
    Welcome to Blossom Valley, California, home of the O’Connell Organic Farm and Spa, complete with its new marketing maven, Dana Lewis, former Blossom Valley resident, unapologetic junk food connoisseur—and soon-to-be sleuth . . .
     
    As Dana readjusts to life back home with her recently widowed mother, her latest career move isn’t exactly a piece of cake. In fact, it’s all tofu fish sticks, stuffed squash blossoms, and enough wheat grass shots to scream bloody murder—especially when Dana discovers the body of Maxwell Mendelsohn, Hollywood producer and opening weekend guest, deader than a yoga corpse pose.
     
    While Dana pens the spa’s blog and balances the attentions of the local police and reporter Jason Forrester, her escalating job duties now include finding clues, motives, and suspects. One thing’s for certain, she better catch the killer before her free-range goose is cooked.
     
    “A sprightly mix of humor and homicide, featuring an engaging heroine and a fast-paced plot that zips along to an exciting climax.” —Laura Levine, author of Pampered to Death
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Integrated Media
    Release dateJul 3, 2012
    ISBN9780758279736
    Unavailable
    Going Organic Can Kill You
    Author

    Staci McLaughlin

    Staci McLaughlin was a technical writer in Silicon Valley for eight years before becoming a freelance writer. She is currently a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of the LadyKillers, a group of thirteen writers who alternate posting daily blogs at www.theladykillers.typepad.com. Staci also blogs on her own website stacimclaughlin.com, where she offers more healthy-living tips to compliment those in her Blossom Valley mysteries.

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    Reviews for Going Organic Can Kill You

    2.5/5

    19 ratings1 review

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 2/5
      Not impressed.

      Things I didn't like:
      - I guessed the murderer at the first clue
      - Weak or unlikeable secondary characters: Her boss is supposed to be creating/running a spa to appeal to the Hollywood set and she practically needs therapy to get dressed in the morning. Her love interest comes across as a prig from the very first interaction, but we're supposed to cheer this budding romance on?!? (She spills coffee on the *outside* of his car (to avoid burning him with it when she trips) and he FREAKS out, rushing to the trunk to fetch towels to make sure the spill is all cleaned up. It's a Volvo.) Her sister acts like an immature teenager throughout most of the book and dates ex-cons and greasy haired mechanics but Dana, several times throughout the book, envies her sisters' ability to attract men. huh?? The manager of the spa is written as so hateful and rude that in NO universe is it possible to imagine him not being fired after page 13.

      Things I did like:
      - GREAT setting - I love the idea of the organic farm/spa and it's a great setting for future mayhem.
      - I like the cook, Zennia, and the housekeeper, Heather - they were the only secondary characters that felt genuine and not like caricatures.
      - The suspects were all well written characters.
      - Dana is a great heroine - she doesn't take anything from anyone and doesn't hesitate to get in someone's face and defend herself, if necessary. There's a hint of humour and snark, which I like.
      - The ending was, I thought, really well done. The author avoided the clichéd heroine-doing-something-stupid routine and managed to end the book with Dana doing something I think anyone would think was smart, but still got her into trouble.

      Overall, I'm not sure I'll buy the second book, but I'll keep my eye out for it. First books in a cozy series can often be the weakest and I hope to see significant growth in future books.