Marry, Kiss, Kill

April 20, 2015
TV writer/producer Flett-Giordano’s first novel dishes up a delightful combination of snark, sass, and sunshine. Nola MacIntire, Deputy Chief of Detectives for the Santa Barbara, Calif., PD, knows her designer labels and can still rock a short skirt, despite the looming of the big four-zero. She and her hunky partner, Det. Lt. Anthony Angellotti, catch the early morning call when beloved busker Charley Beaufort is shot to death outside the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Two more bodies, a crew of young eco-radicals, a contested real estate deal, and some missing bioweapons later, Flett-Giordano’s chick-lit/police procedural mash-up is still going strong. Nola and Tony trade witty banter and relationship woes, while connecting the criminal dots, making the bite-sized chapters fly. This funny, sexy mystery is one to enjoy in the sun, preferably with sand between your toes and an umbrella drink close at hand. Agent: Paul Fedorko, N.S. Bienstock.

April 15, 2015
Smart cop Nola needs a Skinnygirl Margarita to get through a series of seemingly unrelated murders. The fact that she's the deputy chief detective for Santa Barbara's finest isn't going to stop the sass of Nola MacIntire's mouth as she deals with suspects in her superficial town. Luckily, her partner, Detective Lt. Tony Angellotti, is one of the few men able to match her fast talk, even though their efforts spent trying to take their relationship to the next level have completely fizzled. Their His Girl Friday, blink-and-you'll-miss-it banter serves as the background for their attempt to solve the murder of a music man, a sweet street busker found with two slugs in him without apparent reason. Before they can find anyone who might offer information-apart from the garden-variety meth fiend perseverating on the same meaningless version of events-Nola and Tony have another case on their hands: the death of a formerly wealthy businessman wiped out in the market crash. His distraught trophy wife has Tony wrapped around her finger even if, as Nola's intuition insists, she's set up her husband's murder as a suicide. Clearly, whoever's behind the fatalities isn't afraid to get dirty to make sure his or her reputation stays clean. But how are the two cases connected? Pulling that string tangles Nola and Tony in a ball of yarn they may not be able to untangle. The dialogue is the high point of TV writer Flett-Giordano's debut, though the fast-paced banter does make characters blend together and make you wonder if everyone in Santa Barbara is the same brand of smartass.

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June 1, 2015

Det. Nola MacIntire and her partner, Det. Lt. Anthony Angellotti, are called to investigate a dead body in front of the courthouse in sunny Santa Barbara, CA. The Santa Barbara Film Festival is in full swing, and corpses have a way of making the tourists and movie stars uncomfortable. The sad news is that the victim is Charles Beaufort, a street performer everyone recognized but few people knew. Two more suspicious deaths in two days raises alarm bells. Fortunately, Nola and Tony are smart enough to fit together the disparate pieces: a homeless shelter, an over-the-top mansion, and an Air Force base. VERDICT Flett-Giordano, an Emmy Award-winning TV producer and writer (Fraser; Hot in Cleveland), makes her fiction debut with this sassy and amusing whodunit that will find a home with Liza Lutz and Meg Cabot fans. The snappy repartee, charming characters, and the product name-dropping make this a perfect beach read.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2015

Nola MacIntire, age 37, is deputy chief of detectives, and though she is a fit, good-looking, tall blond, she still obsesses about aging, weight, and her single status. What does stop her from time to time is murder, and right now she and her gorgeous Italian partner, Tony Angelloti, are embroiled in several murders that are plaguing their hometown of Santa Barbara, CA. Intertwined with their brilliant crime-solving abilities is their equally smart, downright hilarious repartee. Tony is smart and teases Nola about her shoes, what she eats, and her obsession with age and looks. The perfect friend and sidekick to the smart, accomplished, and oh-so-funny protagonist, he's also encouraging and understanding, supporting her even in her romantic endeavors. The crimes are clever and involve relevant concerns, such as homelessness and the environment. Peppered with references to fashion and popular culture (that may date this book in years to come), this will appeal to a wide range of young adults. VERDICT This will be a huge hit with those who enjoy Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" series (Bantam), and sequels will be anticipated with bated breath.-Jake Petit, Library Coordinator, Istanbul, Turkey

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2015
Emmy Awardwinning television writer and producer (Frasier) Flett-Giordano's debut introduces Santa Barbara police detective Nola MacIntire. Aggressively fighting 40, the Kate Spadesporting cop and her handsome partner, Detective Lieutenant Anthony Angelotti, are working three seemingly unrelated cases. First, a street performer known for making up spontaneous songs about passersby is killed just outside the Santa Barbara Film Festival. Then, there's the suspicious suicide of the chairman of the city's powerful Coastal Commission. And, finally, an environmentalist who specializes in post-traumatic stress disorder has his skull bashed in on a deserted road. Nola and Tony banter their way through the simultaneous investigations, taking potshots at one another's grooming and romantic prospects along the way. A blurb from David Hyde Pierce sums up the book's high points: Raymond Chandler Meets Chelsea Handler. The one-liners seem more and more natural as the book goes on, and, by the end, the reader is eager for more. Recommend this enjoyable romp to fans of Evanovich and other wisecracking lady sleuths in series by Stephanie Bond, Kyra Davis, and Harley Jane Kozak.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)