Monday, January 16, 2012

Review and Giveaway: Die Job

Die Job (Southern Beauty Shop - Book 3) by Lila Dare


Publication Date: January 3, 2011
Publisher: Penguin Group USA
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: Paperback, 292pp
ISBN-13:978-0425245880
ISBN:0425245888


(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)



Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound


Lila Dare on the WEB: website, facebook



Books in the Series: Tressed to Kill (2010), Polished Off (2011), Die Job (2012)


CoverArt: Click on the picture to see a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.







Excerpt from Die Job (Amazon Look Inside Feature)


Synopsis


St. Elizabeth, Georgia, offers charm, Southern hospitality - and an occasional dollop of murder. Now, rumors that a local mansion is haunted are more real than ever when an amateur ghost-hunter comes upon something quite deadly...


The Uninvited


High school senior Rachel Whitley thinks the field-trip idea - playing ghost hunter with with her class in Rothmere mansion, where the spirit of a murdered plantation owner is said to still reside - is a lark. But instead of a ghost, Rachel stumbles upon fellow student Braden McCullers, sprawled out in the very spot where Cyril Rothmere died. 


As Braden lingers in a coma, Rachel enlists the ladies of Violetta's salon to investigate the attempt on his life - and unravel the secrets that somehow link a high school student with a centuries-old crime. The intrepid team of hairdressers find themselves in a tangled and treacherous mystery where the roots to the past are very ominous indeed.


Thoughts


Die Job is the third book in the Southern Beauty Shop mystery series by Lila Dare. Dare takes readers back to St. Elizabeth, Georgia, a southern coastal town with charm and some interesting inhabitants. The gang from Violetta's Beauty Salon is back, as Grace and her friends try to figure out how a high school student could possibly have ties to a centuries old murder. Dare's use of dialogue is impeccable, in this well written cozy that will have fans on the edge of their seats from the first page to the last.

Lila Dare has created a great southern cozy series. I can just imagine the small town of St. Elizabeth and it's inhabitants battening down the hatches in anticipation of a hurricane. Dare's town is one of those small Georgia towns that could be found off the beaten track anywhere in the south. With quirky, interesting townspeople and a long and varied history. I loved the way that Dare used a murder committed over a century ago as the basis for her third book in the Southern Beauty Shop series. Die Job was well written and full historical tidbits that kept the reader wanting to know more.

The premise for this entire series is based on the fact that a woman will tell her hairdresser just about anything that's going on in her life. Southern women like many others have a penchant for beauty and going to the salon is sometimes a weekly event. And yes, as happens when you get a bunch of women together, they start talking. Talking about their neighbors, the town news, the latest gossip and I think Dare was able to bring that cozy feeling of being in the company of people you know and trust into this series. It also gave her room for some really impressive use of dialogue. Dare is so good at driving her stories through the interactions of her characters and in Die Job she is able to continue that very savvy, smart way of writing.

The mystery aspect of the story was both interesting and fast paced. The reader is treated to plethora of motives in Braden McCullers attempted murder and ties to the murder of plantation owner, Cyril Rothmere. I liked how the author weaved the past and present together to give readers a mystery that is steeped in history as well as murder. I thought I had an idea of who might be behind everything at the beginning, but Dare had me fooled which somewhat hard to do. Readers probably be able to put two and two together before Dare intends for the killer to be outed. That's a hallmark of a good mystery writer!


I hope that Dare continues this series and we get to learn more about Grace. She seems the epitome of a Southern bell but she can't seem to keep her nose out of trouble. Not only is she and her partner Stella right in the middle of this mystery, but it look like Grace might find herself in the middle of a love triangle as well. Dare's characters are full of life and vigor and readers will find themselves drawn back to this series time and time again. A new book is almost like going back to visit old friends. I'm looking forward to the next installment in the series and I think cozy and history fans a like will find Die Job to be right up their alley!



Die Job is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.


I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!






Author of the Southern Beauty Shop mysteries, Lila Dare was born in Georgia and has lived in Alabama, Mississippi, and Virginia. She currently lives west of the Mississippi with her husband, two daughters and dog, and misses Southern cooking and friendliness, but not the humidity.  


GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Die Job by Lila Dare. 


~ You must be a GFC follower or an e-mail subscriber to participate.
~ US addresses only (publisher request).
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST January 30th.


1. Please leave a comment in appreciation of the author on THIS post.
2. Please fill out the FORM

27 comments:

Wendy Newcomb said...

It sounds like Lila did a good job on this series, since my Mother was a hairdresser, beautician as they called it in her day, and now my granddaughter has signed papers to go to school for the same this August, I think I would find this book very captivating.

I am a GFC follower and an email subscriber.

wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
wrensthoughts.blogspot.com

Booklady said...

Sounds like a very interesting series. Reminds me of some of the early Murder She Wrote episodes when Jessica would meet some of the other ladies from Cabot Cove at the Beatuty Salon - except the characters from this series do more than just gossip.

Kaye said...

I've seen a lot of positive reviews and thoughts on this series. I'd love to try it! Thanks for the great giveaway.

florida982002[at]yahoo.com

The Cozy Mystery Journal said...

I haven't read this series yet, but I will definitely have to pick it up soon. Not entering giveaway (I'm in Canada) but thanks for the great review.

Myra C said...

Thanks for the great review. I have not read this series yet but need too, it sounds like a fun cozy read. Thanks for the giveaway.

Linda Kish said...

I feel like I know then just through your review. I am ready to begin reading her books.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

cyn209 said...

soooo looking forward to DieJob!!!
thank you for this giveaway!!

Theresa N. said...

I'm a southern gal and would love to read this mystery.
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com

Karen B said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Karen B said...

I loved the movie Steel Magnolias and your review reminded me of it. Sounds like a great cozy series and is going on my wish list!

Email subscriber, GFC follower.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

mamabunny13 said...

This sounds like a good series! I'm adding her books to my wish list :D

Angela said...

When I was reading the review it reminds me of my grandma and the small southern town she lives in. She knows everyone in the town and always fills us in on the local gossip when we come to visit lol. It doesn't help that my grandpa listens to the police scanner all the time either! I would love to read Die Job...it looks like it has some southern charm and mystery to it lol.

birthdaywish at gmail dot com

In Julie's Opinion said...

I read the first book in this series and LOVED it! This installment sounds like a winner too! Thanks so much for the giveaway:)

Chrisbails said...

sounds like a great book. liked the post. this is a new author for me and would love to win and read this book. thanks for the chance to win.
https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdebsbookbag.blogspot.com%2F%3Fspref%3Dfb&t=Debbie%27s+Book+Bag

ann said...

I love mysteries and being a southern based
makes me more interesting in reading it
amhengst at verizon dot net

Carol N Wong said...

I love Southern literature and think that a beauty shop is a great for a cozy series. I tend to agree that a lot of people tell their hair dresser a lot of their deep dark secrets,which can often be overheard by the other customers! LOL

Would love to read this one.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

misskallie2000 said...

I love books with Georgia locations and love Cozy Mysteries. I have lived in GA all my life (almost 69 yrs) and enjoy reading books that have GA settings. I think I am the only woman who does not go to the Beauty Shop very week.
I love this series already and have added to my wish list. Lila is new author for me and I am looking forward to reading her books.
Thanks for the opportunity to enter giveaway.

misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

Sue Farrell said...

This northern gal loves to read about the southern belles--they are quite exotic creatures to me---and putting them in a cozy should make for some real fun reading.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I love Southern Cozies. I have wanted to read the books in this series but so far have not been able to.

I am an email follower.
nlb1050@yahoo.com

Renee said...

I'm new to this series and it sounds right up my alley. Can't wait to read!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the giveaway. I would love to read this series. Tore923@aol.com

bn100 said...

This sounds like a very interesting mystery/crime book that I would be interested in reading. Thanks for the giveaway.

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

lag123 said...

This is a new series for me and I would love to read it. I adore Southern cozies!

lag110 at mchsi dot com

My Recent Favorite Books said...

This series sounds good! Ive got the first two books on my tbr shelf.

Thanks for the giveaway!

Stacie said...

I love the combination of cozy & history. :) I have this series on my TBR list. The storyline sounds really interesting for this latest installment. I was surprised & excited to hear that Joanna Campbell Slan will be writing the fourth book under the same pen name. Thanks for the giveaway!

holdenj said...

Love Lila's author pic! This looks like a great series--new to me! Thanks for the info and chance to win!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Denise Z said...

Its cozy time and this is a totally new series for me. Thank you for taking the time to share with us and my fingers are certainly crossed :)