About: "Former pharmaceutical researcher Maggie O’Malley is losing sleep. Her boyfriend Constantine’s aunt is a multitasking sleepwalker who, in addition to wandering her stately home, prepares meals, folds laundry and, one winter night, stumbles across her husband with his throat slit.
It’s a rude and gruesome awakening that’s upsetting to Aunt Polly. And interesting to the police.
Maggie and Constantine work to uncover who killed the cosmetic surgery mogul and why. As they dig into the lives of those who knew him best, they discover that the truth is only skin deep and doctoring perception is a treatment with deadly side effects.
A gripping page-turner with more twists than a surgeon’s suture, 39 Winks is a tale of lies, betrayals and greed that will keep you up at night. And looking over your shoulder. "
I really enjoyed the book (and the group). The book starts right off with Aunt Polly finding her husband in the kitchen, murdered. The police want to blame Aunt Polly right away and be done with it. The thing about Aunt Polly, is that she has Parkinson's and sleep walks. One of her episodes looks like it will seal her guilt. BUT, Howard has lots of people that don't like him. Maggie and Constantine work to prove Polly's innocence. In the process, Maggie has several near misses with her life.
The story has many layers, leaving room for additional books . The characters are complex and well developed. Maggie is a little impulsive. Constantine is a little funny in a goofy way, sometimes at the wrong time. There is a romantic thread with Maggie and Constantine but there is also an ex-boyfriend of Maggie's to add to the interest in that story. The story has mystery, "look out" moments, and it is also peppered with humor.
Example: " At first Polly wasn't sure what was more surprising: that her husband had been murdered or that he had been eating Life cereal. Howard was gluten free."
There is a really good twist at the end. That's all I will say about that. :)
Protocol is the first book in the series which I will go back and read.
I am ready for book three.
Kathleen Valenti:
Kathleen Valenti has been writing for more than 20 years, first as a nationally award-winning copywriter and now as the author of the Maggie O'Malley Mystery Series. A firm believer that deadpan can be dead-on, she combines funny with frightening to craft page-turners of mystery and suspense.
In Kathleen's debut novel, Agatha and Lefty Award-nominated Protocol, Maggie O'Malley examines the flaws of technology and the depths of greed to uncover what happens when the invisible among us disappear. In her second book, 39 Winks, Maggie works to help her best friend's aunt, who discovered her husband's body during a sleepwalking episode. Her third book, highly anticipated As Directed, follows Maggie as she embarks on a new career in a small town drugstore where the specter of poisoning arises, conjuring old grudges, past sins, buried secrets, and new suspicions from which no one is immune.
When Kathleen isn't making nouns and verbs play nice, she reads, camps, snowmobiles, drinks far too much coffee, and pretends to enjoy running. Kathleen lives in Oregon with her family.
"Kathleen Valenti has been writing for more than 20 years, first as a nationally award-winning copywriter and now as the author of the Maggie O'Malley Mystery Series. A firm believer that deadpan can be dead-on, she combines funny with frightening to craft page-turners of mystery and suspense.
In Kathleen's debut novel, Agatha and Lefty Award-nominated Protocol, Maggie O'Malley examines the flaws of technology and the depths of greed to uncover what happens when the invisible among us disappear. In her second book, 39 Winks, Maggie works to help her best friend's aunt, who discovered her husband's body during a sleepwalking episode. Her third book, highly anticipated As Directed, follows Maggie as she embarks on a new career in a small town drugstore where the specter of poisoning arises, conjuring old grudges, past sins, buried secrets, and new suspicions from which no one is immune.
When Kathleen isn't making nouns and verbs play nice, she reads, camps, snowmobiles, drinks far too much coffee, and pretends to enjoy running. Kathleen lives in Oregon with her family."
House of Clues is a Facebook group you may be interested in.
About: "House of Clues is a new author-reader group brought to you by writers connected through Henery Press. A different author will host the conversation daily." It looks like there are 25+ authors participating. One author hosts for the day or week, introducing their books and some fun quick trivia. There are some giveaways sometimes also. The book club is something they just started although there was a month or more notice of what book would be discussed. Kathleen Valenti hosted the hour. She led a discussion of the book and had a Q&A. She then drew for a giveaway. Should I mention that I won? Yay me. It's a fun group. If you are looking to expanding your mystery reading and "do Facebook", check it out.
I think that group sounds perfect for you, Gayle! Henery Press publishes some great books. I met Kathleen last year at Malice and I still haven't read her first book, though I own it. Sigh. Anyway, glad to hear this second one is good as well. Enjoy that group!
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