Special early Nancy Martin reviews

How to Murder a Millionaire from June 2006

If you love cozies with a bit of a quirky sense of classic style, you'll enjoy the Blackbird series from Nancy Martin. Meet Nora Blackbird in Nancy Martin's How to Murder a Millionaire, the first book in the Blackbird Sisters Mystery series. She was a recent widow, down on her luck as a formal socialite and debutante.  She now lived with her two sisters, Emma and Libby with their broods, in the family farm. Set in Philadelphia, it was up to Nora to find a job and landed one working for the local newspaper's society column. When she was assigned to go to her first party, she encountered her first murder of an art collector. While she picked up the pieces to the mystery behind the murder, she met Mick Abruzzo, the son of a local mafia don, when the sparks flew between them. Little did she know she would end up closer to the truth and the next person on the murderer's hit list of being uncovered. What a delightful new cozy series debut with a sense of quirky humor and lots of drama to keep the pages turning to the end!

In this cozy debut, I loved how we get to know Nora, her sisters, and her family. We also learn more about the curse as well. It's intriguing and insightful on how they were plagued with bad luck. The chemistry between Nora and Mick was palpable at best and steamy as well. Maybe that's why trouble always followed her home. I cared about Nora in her lavish and stylish clothing, even if they were  poor and lived on the farm. Sucked in one page one, you'll enjoy this book in one sitting.

Ready for a great read? Enjoy this cozy right now!



Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds from June 2004

Nora Blackbird returned in the second installment in this cozy series, Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds,  with a helluva case on her hands. With her sister Libby, who entered the final stages of her pregnancy, she had a lot more drama on her hands. Land developers wanted to turn their farm into an outlet mall, while she continued to fall hard for Mick, and her family continued to feud along the way. As she tried to make ends meet as a society columnist for the local newspaper, a high jewel thief  had wounded up drowning at a pool. With her former flame under suspicion for the murder, it was up to Nora and her sisters to clear his name and bring the right culprit to justice. The closer they learn more about the victim, the more in peril Nora would end up in high water with the true criminal.

I continue to love the Blackbird family and care about them so more. This kept me hooked from beginning to end. With plenty of laughter of witty remarks, I became worried for Nora and her family once again. The romance between Nora and Mick continue to spark and flame between them. I also love the picturesque locations in Philly, including the Blackbird farm. A couple of times, I gasped through the book in shocking twists and turns, too.

Ready for a good cozy read? Give this  one a good shot!




Some Like It Lethal from August 2006

In Some Like It Lethal, Nora Blackbird returned to another crime scene in the third installment of this amazing cozy series by Nancy Martin.  When the husband of a wealthy dog food heiress was found bludgeoned to death at an exclusive hunt club, she was surprised as everyone was to learn about her demise. And to make matters even worse, the police suspect her sister Emma from a suspicious blackmail scheme. It was now up to Nora and Libby to discover the truth of the true culprit to clear her sister's name, while she continued to fan the flames she experienced with Mick Abruzzo.  As she did that, she uncovered some unsavory secrets of Philly's finest and mightiest of the unwanted attentions of the culprit, before she came close to danger from the killer's warpath.

I continue to root for Nora on solving the crime. This one had an interesting twist or two. You can't beat the smoldering chemistry that Nora and Mick had, since they were totally opposites. I also continued to love Nora's investigative ways, when she dug her heels in to find out the truth. I love the scenery settings in this one as well. This was a fun read, when you'll enjoy Nora and her entire family.

Ready to join the fun? Give this book a try!



Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die from March 2008

In the 4th installment of the Nora Blackbird series, Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die, she'd gotten more than she bargained for on her next case. Her sister Emma left an exclusive clinic, Libby sold potion paraphrenlia, and Nora still had the hots for Nick that went non-stop. Though Nora and her sisters loved the latest trends in fashion, her next assignment was revealing the newest bra in fashion history. And that was when her boss was killed execution-style in pantyhose, which put Mick and his family in the hot seat and under suspicion. To clear Mick's name, she came across some shadowy characters who might have an ax to grind with her and make her the next one to go down.

This was another delightful cozy in the Blackbird Mystery series.  I loved the fashion angle in this one as well. Nora was a snazzy dresser, while she tried to make ends meet. Once again, I love the chemistry between Nora and Mick. I didn't like the people who wanted to harm her, especially when her boss was killed in cold blood. I loved how Nora and her sisters worked together to solve the murder, even if it involved a family member or two. Good teamwork! I still enjoyed the settings in Philly as well.

Ready to snag a murder? Grab a copy today!

A Crazy Little Thing Called Death from February 2009

In the 6th installment of the Nora Blackbird series, A Crazy Little Thing Called Death, Nora ended up with a tough predicament of her own. First of all, she headed down the aisle with Mick Abruzzo--but first, he had to break the curse that anyone who married a Blackbird who would soon later die. Of course, their own wedding announcement had made the society pages and their engagement a household local name. Before she could say I Do, another crime ended up on Nora's doorstep. A daughter of the heiress, Penny Devine, had disappeared, while her own family were eager to declare her dead. To make matters worse, Nora had inherited her couture wardrobe, that made Nora a suspect in her own name. In order to clear her name and her sanity, she needed to scoop out the truth from the rich and unravel the true culprit.

This was another great Nora Blackbird cozy mystery. I still love the connection between Nora and Mick, though it was doomed from the start, before they had a chance to get married. I loved her stylish clothing and her sassy family members, especially her sisters. I loved the picturesque Philly setting and the family farm. I didn't like Penny's family at all. Lots of plenty of good drama and suspense in this cozy package.

Ready to get caught up in another drama? Give this one a go today!



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