Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die (Blackbird Sisters Series #4)

( 22 )

Overview

You could say my sisters and I are hot-blooded bluebloods with a flair for fashion—and for solving crimes. But things have NOT been going well for us Blackbirds: Emma has busted out of a very exclusive clinic. Libby’s hormones are in overdrive from selling paraphernalia for Potions and Passions, a company that promises its customers full satisfaction. And I’m still dating mobster’s son Mick Abruzzo, which keeps me in a permanent tizzy. At least, nobody in my vicinity has been ...

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Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die (Blackbird Sisters Series #4)

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More About This Book

Overview

You could say my sisters and I are hot-blooded bluebloods with a flair for fashion—and for solving crimes. But things have NOT been going well for us Blackbirds: Emma has busted out of a very exclusive clinic. Libby’s hormones are in overdrive from selling paraphernalia for Potions and Passions, a company that promises its customers full satisfaction. And I’m still dating mobster’s son Mick Abruzzo, which keeps me in a permanent tizzy. At least, nobody in my vicinity has been knocked off lately. Oops—looks like I spoke too soon…

A TEMPEST IN A C-CUP

Nora’s next journalistic assignment: the unveiling of the most miraculous bra in fashion history. But before Nora can hand in her uplifting story, her boss is found shot execution-style and trussed up in expensive panty hose—an Abruzzo family trademark. Now Nora must find the killer before her innocent lover takes the rap. That means shadowing the most glamorous suspects in Philadelphia—including a bad-boy designer, a former child star, a high-strung ad exec, and a pair of luscious twin models. Though Nora’s accustomed to upper-crust murder, cross your fingers for the Blackbird sisters, because this time, high society has never seemed so low-down dirty.

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Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble Review
The wacky, wonderful Blackbird sisters are back for another quirky foray into Philadelphia high society, murder, and more as this delightful series makes its hardcover debut.

Recently impoverished Nora Blackbird is an expert at keeping up appearances, but this time she's facing fashion emergencies. As assistant to the acid-tongued society columnist at the Philadelphia Intelligencer, Nora is used to being offered only the crumbs of the fashionable feast -- civic awards banquets, charity receptions, garden club luncheons, and the like. When her boss orders her to drop everything to cover a hot-topic fashion show, she's astonished, since she doesn't usually get such high-profile assignments.

Designer Brinker Holt is poised on the edge of fame and fortune…and his revolutionary new Brinker Bra is about to make him a style phenomenon. Nora's pleasure in attending the grand event is somewhat overshadowed by the news that her all-too-sensual sister, Libby, is launching a new career selling erotic aids and her younger sister, Emma, has checked herself out of much-needed rehab and into front-page news as Brinker's flashy equestrian model.

Things only get more complicated for Nora when the boss she loathed is found murdered execution-style, Nora's Mob-connected boyfriend instantly becomes the police's favorite suspect, and a drop-dead gorgeous newspaperman starts shadowing her every move. Nora begins to feel that her life is surrounded by police tape, as her bylines involve more murder and mayhem than fashion statements and faux pas. This time Nora must strip her story down to facts that could shake the foundations of Philadelphia society. Sue Stone
Publishers Weekly
The three high-flying Blackbird sisters make their hardcover debut in their fourth mystery (after 2004's Some Like It Lethal), a blend of fashion-forward romance and witty suspense. When not assisting Kitty Keough, a Philadelphia society columnist, former debutante Nora Blackbird strives to save the family farm after the sisters' parents "spent our trust funds faster than drunken lottery winners could buy a fleet of Cadillacs." Meanwhile, wild baby sis, Emma, escapes rehab with a media cowboy, and fertile sis, Libby, keeps popping out babies. Assigned to cover the Philly launch for Brinker Holt's revolutionary Brinker Bra ("No need for straps or uncomfortable wires"), Nora recalls Brinker was the creepy preppie who once assaulted Emma and tortured other kids for fun. When Kitty, whom Brinker barred from the show, turns up dead on Nora's doorstep, Nora's lover, Michael Abruzzo, becomes the primary suspect due to his mob connections. Nora, Libby and ace crime reporter Richard D'eath's efforts to investigate more likely suspects lead to a madcap d nouement just in time for Nora's annual New Year's Eve bash and a sparkling but bittersweet surprise. Martin's wicked tongue-in-cheek satire will appeal to fans of Jennifer Crusie, who provides a blurb, and Janet Evanovich. Agent, Meg Ruley at the Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Mar. 1) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Library Journal
With major debt as motivation and closets of vintage designer clothes as inspiration, formerly old-monied Nora Blackbird (Some Like It Lethal) writes columns for a Philadelphia newspaper. While attending a fashion show launching the self-supporting Brinker Bra, she and erotic toy-selling sister Libby witness younger rehab-escapee sister Emma riding practically naked on a horse. They all remember bad-boy designer Brinker, nasty when younger and nasty now, but nothing prepares Nora for the discovery of her fashion editor's body back home. Police suspect Nora's mob-connected boyfriend, but Nora suspects Brinker. Anyway, the resultant wide-eyed sleuthing, sisterly antics, and humorous dialog will have readers panting for more. This marks the hardcover debut of the popular paperback series. Martin lives in Pittsburgh. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
After three paperback adventures in couture and crime, Philadelphia's Blackbird sisters debut in hardcover. Bereft of the inheritance their debutante past prepared them for, the Blackbirds have coped differently. Twice-widowed Libby, a distributor for Potions and Lotions, is lining up naughty parties for her friends and relatives. Emma has bounced out of rehab to play Lady Godiva for the debut of ex-comedian Brinker Holt's revolutionary Brinker Bra. Nora, who'd seem like the downright sensible sister ("If you don't know where you'll end up at the end of the day, always choose Armani"-how's that for news you can use?) if it weren't for her romance with Mafia prince Michael Abruzzi, carries water for Philadelphia Intelligencer society columnist Kitty Keough until Kitty's corpse is dumped on her front porch. The atmosphere is as thick with suspects as innuendo. There's Hemmings Pierce, grasping uncle to preteen textiles heir Orlando Lamb; ambitious ad exec Sabria Chatterjee, who's just landed the Lamb account; Monte Bogartz, the washed-up country-and-western signer Emma's dragged home; and the nubile Finehart twins, aspiring spokesgirls for the Brinker Bra. But the cops don't need any of them, because Danny Pescara, the triggerman who's confessed to the crime, claims Michael hired him. Not a single overweight, ill-dressed, or remotely ordinary character disturbs the high gloss. The mystery, by the way, is settled before the big question: How will Nora's New Year's Eve party go?
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780451215321
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: 3/7/2006
  • Series: Blackbird Sisters Series , #4
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Edition description: Reissue
  • Pages: 288
  • Sales rank: 248,892
  • Product dimensions: 4.50 (w) x 6.82 (h) x 0.80 (d)

Meet the Author

Like her heroines, the Blackbird Sisters, Nancy Martin comes from a distinguished Pennsylvania family whose ancestors include Betsy Ross and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.  She has written numerous novels, directed a few Shakespeare plays, and raised two delightful daughters.

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Table of Contents

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 22 )
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(12)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 22 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted July 3, 2005

    A GREAT SERIES

    This is a terrific fun read. The characters are fascinating and the high society background is well written. The Blackbird sisters, children of wealth who suddenly find themselves in need of money and having to work for a living, always seem to stumble on murders. In this latest installment, Nora, the narrator and sharpest of the three sisters, investigates the murder of her publisher boss. The Blackbird books (this is the fourth in the series) are fun reads for mystery fans and general readers.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted January 25, 2013

    I Also Recommend:

    Little Black Book of Murder (Blackbird Sisters Series #9)
    Some Like It Lethal (Blackbird Sisters Series #3)
    Murder Melts in Your Mouth (Blackbird Sisters Series #7)
    Have Your Cake and Kill Him Too (Blackbird Sisters Series #5)
    Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die (Blackbird Sisters Series #4)

    You'll love it

    This is a fabulous series. The wacky antics of the Blackbird sisters will leave you wanting more and more. The adventures these sisters get themselves into is believable and realistic. Their story is heartwarming and you will fall in love with them all.

    One of the best things about Nora and her amateur sleuthing is she doesn't push it into crazy I can't believe she did that adventure that you get with a lot of the other stories in this genre. Nora is realistic in her adventure keeping the sleuthing fun and easy like you would expect from someone with out in training.

    If you want a laugh a lot kind of book without having to pull your hair out for the stupidity of the main character that never seems to learn than this is the series for you. Nora Blackbird is a smart woman that knows how to get the job done.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted October 5, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    Murder Melts in Your Mouth (Blackbird Sisters Series #7)
    A Crazy Little Thing Called Death (Blackbird Sisters Series #6)
    How to Murder a Millionaire (Blackbird Sisters Series #1)
    Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die (Blackbird Sisters Series #4)
    Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds (Blackbird Sisters Series #2)

    Light reading

    Enjoyed the entire series to date. Touches on sister relationships along with dating angst wrapped in good ole' blue blood society.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 9, 2006

    Fun & Entertaining Read

    I started Nancy Martin¿s series with this book so there is a lot of previous storyline, but overall this is a fun and entertaining read. The Blackbird sisters are all different and all fun in their special way. Nora is the heroine everyone wants to be¿smart, popular, funny & has a closet full of designer clothes (even if they are inherited)! This book is a great summer read!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 24, 2006

    Awesome story...very interesting

    I must admit I did not think this would turn out to be such a great book. Unfortunately I started off with this book and have to go back a few to get up to speed. Overall its a great read. Its the type of book that gets you hook and you just have to keep reading. Def. recommend to everyone!!!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted December 9, 2008

    more from this reviewer

    strong historical mystery

    Used to wealth and privilege the Blackbird sisters have to find gainful employment after their parents wasted their trust funds and fled the country to a place that doesn¿t have an extradition treaty. Nora Blackbird works as an assistant to society editor Kitty Keogh, a relationship filled with antipathy, anger, and jealously on the employer¿s part because her worker has entry into the high society that closes its doors to her.--- Kitty wakes Nora up to have her cover a fashion show featuring the broken bra designed by Brinker Hill, a high society sadist who almost raped Nora¿s younger sister Emma when they were in school together. Later that night the murdered body of Kitty is delivered to Nora¿s front door and the police want to pin the crime on Nora¿s lover Michael, whose family is mafia connected. To clear his name, Nora takes many chances including breaking and entering into Brinker¿s office where she thinks evidence exists that could clear Michael.--- Michael and Nora come from two different worlds but together they make their own filled with love respect and tenderness. When the outside world intrudes, Nora is like a tiger protecting her mate and she is particularly suspicious of Brinker who couldn¿t invent a paper plane and is suspected of the arson of his comedy club. There are many people who hated the victim but Nora focuses on Brinker and socialite Hemmings Lamb, a submissive with a criminal bent. Both men had their names on Kitty¿s calendar on the date was she murdered. Nancy Martin has written a sublime who-done-it filled with laughter, heroes and plenty of action.--- Harriet Klausner

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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