Formula for Murder

You'll love it!

Fun read that will keep you guessing who done it!

Fun, Fast Read!

"Formula for Murder" is the latest in the Maternal Instincts Mystery series from Diana Orgain. She hooks the reader in right away with her clever chapter headings. Well, not chapter headings, exactly. Each chapter begins with a "To Do" list, like some of us begin our day. And as the life of first-time mom Kate Connolly-the likeable protagonist-becomes more and more complicated, so does the "To Do" list. Just like in the real world.
Kate has found what she thinks is the perfect work-from-home mommy job: private investigator. The hours are flexible, she can bring baby Laurie along on stakeouts, and if you're going to be up all night anyway, why not solve a few crimes in between feedings? Kate and Laurie are on their way to accomplish a top priority on the "To Do" list, getting Laurie's first holiday photo taken, when they are victims of a hit and run. A witness identifies the car's French diplomatic license plates. Sacre bleu! Do we have the beginnings of an international incident? When Kate and her husband Jim try to get some answers at the consulate, they're given le brush off, but not before they notice a pair of local, television reporters leaving the consulate.
A few days later, one of the reporters is found dead in Golden Gate Park. Kate the Private Investigator, suspects there's a connection to the consulate, and she's hired by the dead reporter's husband to get some answers. Then, another dead body turns up: the driver of the car that rear-ended Kate and Laurie. Ooh la la! What's going on?
This is a fun, fast read as Kate tries to juggle her new mommy status with her equally new private investigator status. I can't wait for the next one in this series!

Reviewed by Susan Santangelo author of "Moving Can Be Murder" for Suspense Magazine

Maternal Instincts mystery shines!

Once you suspend your disbelief about first time mom Kate Connolly running around with a three month old baby on stakeouts, you will be rewarded with a fresh and fun cozy mystery. Kate is very believable as a woman who wants to eventually get her PI license so she will have more time for motherhood. After Kate and her baby Laurie are victims of a hit and run, they discover the other vehicle has diplomatic plates. A visit to the French embassy results in stonewalling, but an odd sighting of a local investigative journalist piques Kate's interest. When journalist Pickett is found dead, Kate's radar is immediately on high. Kate is surrounded by great characters, her husband Jim is completely supportive, her mother able to sit at the drop of a hat and PI mentor Galigani is patient beyond belief. I enjoy the San Franscisco setting of these books and hope there will be many more to come!

One Spunky Protagonist!!

Kate and baby Laurie are on their way to get Laurie's first Christmas photos taken when their car is hit at high speed by another car and the other car doesn't even stop, just drives away. Thankfully both Kate and Laurie are physically fine. A witness to the accident gets the license plate and a good description of the offending car. The car is from a fleet from the French Embassy and of course, they claim diplomatic immunity. Kate's husband Jim wants answers and they head straight for the embassy, but get nowhere fast. As they are leaving the embassy they notice two television reporters leaving right behind them and wonder what may be so newsworthy at the French embassy.

Just a few days later, one of the reporters is found murdered in Golden Gate Park. Kate's mind goes into overdrive as she wonders if there is any connection to the death and the French embassy. Then the husband of the slain reporter contacts Kate to investigate who killed his wife. What she uncovers is a lot more than a little spilled milk, I mean formula.

I LOVED IT!!!!!

Boy, this protagonist has spunk and it is very easy to fall for her and her cute little girl in a New York minute. Her mother is priceless and her husband is so supportive and understanding. If I would have come home after giving birth to my infant and told my husband I was going to stay home and be a private investigator on the side, he would have hit the roof and then sent me to have my head examined.

Enter Diana Orgain, the author that makes this whole idea not only believable, but grabs you in such a way that you climb right in the stroller and go along for the ride.

My youngest son was in an accident last August where his car was sitting completely stopped at a traffic light when another car plowed into the back of his car at such a high rate of speed that she hit his car and spun his car around and hit his car again on the driver's side. Witnesses were shocking to see my son who is 6'5" crawl out of that car virtually unscathed except for bruises, back and neck pain that developed later.

The first chapter of this book brought it right back to my mind in living color. The feelings of wanting answers were portrayed exactly to the letter of how my husband and I felt. The driver that hit my son's car stopped but gave a bunch of false information so we had to solve a mystery ourselves, but thankfully there were no dead bodies, secret plots or French officials standing in our way.

This author's writing style is crisp and the stories are fast moving with intrigue, suspense and humor that makes this whole series wonderfully entertaining. This entire series should be on your MUST READ list!!! Hit your local bookstore or use the links below to order your copies today!



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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