Deadly Reunion

A little mystery and a little romance made for a perfect combination to read during a winter weekend. As a reader, it is key to get connected with the main character and from page one, I wanted to get to know Taci and find out what led her to be thrown from a fiery building. As an invitation to her upcoming high school reunion arrives, she ends up reconnecting to those who stayed in her home town through the mystery of a high school rival's missing child. With a former high school fling back in town working in the fire department, the romance was a good distraction to the mystery that she is trying to research for her job as a news reporter. I think their "relationship" was a nice addition to the story and didn't take away from the main story of the book. With some definite twists and turns, this book when in a direction that I wasn't expecting but still loved. One may think that the missing child is the only mystery and you turn a corner and there is more to it - of course, I can't share because you must go get this one and see what all is going on behind the scenes in this small town in Iowa.

Have you ever cringed at the thought of having to attend your high school reunion? In Amy Manemann¿s Deadly Reunion Taci Andrews has to do just that, as well as solve a mystery. Taci is a reporter for the Riverdale Times, a small town rag. Things begin to get a bit messy for her when her coworker goes missing after following up on a lead for the current big story- the disappearance of a local teen. The missing girl just happens to be the daughter of Taci¿s high school nemesis- Valerie McAllister, and her once high-school quarterback husband. The craziest part is that neither parent seems overly concerned about their only child. Valerie, one of the ¿Barbie doll¿ crowd, appears perfectly manicured and is more concerned that Taci make it to the reunion. Jason, her husband, seems to find it a nuisance to be bothered at his law office in any regard. But, even if Jason and Valerie can¿t be bothered, Jason¿s best friend from high school- and Taci¿s worst nightmare- Tony Parson¿s, is back in town to help out any way he can. Unfortunately for Taci, that means he is hanging around her office, her car, and her apartment. Manemann does a great job with character development and nuances. Taci is a familiar friend, her brother and friends all personalities that are easy to get to know. Mannemen creates the needed friction and tension in Taci¿s personal life as well. As much as Taci dislikes Tony for all his past torments, she can¿t deny the incredible attraction that exists between them. Tony is all grown up and truly interested in a serious relationship with Taci, but all she can see is the boy in high school who took any opportunity to embarrass and torment her. As things get dangerous for Taci - and Tony proves he is there for her - Taci is surprised to find she returns his feelings. Deadly Reunion has the perfect balance of witty romance and sleuthing to appeal to a wide variety of readers. I immensely enjoyed Manemann¿s first book in the Taci Andrews series- I¿m looking forward to many more! Reviewed for Tracy Riva Books and Reviews

Good book, should do the math, Valerie and Jason would have had to have been twelve when Samantha was born.

"Deadly Reunion" is a sassy, quick-paced mystery that had me laughing out loud from page one. Amy Manemann masterfully blends action, humor and smoldering romance throughout the entire book. The main character, investigative reporter Taci Andrews, is amazingly witty with just the right blend of snark and sarcasm to draw you back to the pages continuously to "hang out" with her. Her moody and ultra hot romantic interest, Tony the Firefighter, brings the sizzle to the story. Their cat and mouse flirtation is youthful enough for contemporary readers, yet strongly sensual enough so that readers will never mistake these two for anything but hot-blooded adults. In the midst of the romantic heat, Taci finds herself in serious danger during her latest investigation into the disappearance of the daughter of former high school classmates. Of course, things are not what they seem at first glance, keeping this story true to it's mystery roots, and the twists, action, and triple surprise ending do not disappoint. At the end of the book, there is a teaser for the next installment of this series and, based on the excerpt, it promises to deliver a great read just as this first one did. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Easy reading humorous small-town mystery An easy-reading mystery adventure starring twenty-something reporter Taci Andrews hot on the trail of an old schoolfriend’s missing thirteen-year-old, Deadly Reunion certainly has an exciting premise. Taci’s not quite so excited about the upcoming class reunion though, and her love-interest fireman’s a little concerned about the suspicious disappearance of the reporter whose case Taci’s just taken over. Meanwhile mother and father of missing teen have way too many things to think about, and legal shenanigans just might be password protected on a computer. What to wear and what to eat become vital concerns while threats are easily ignored and siblings spar. The sense of danger is kept to a minimum. Detailed reporter behavior lacks some conviction. And the small-town feel with everyone having been in school with everyone else is slightly claustrophobic, but perhaps I just felt that way because I wanted the small town to worry more about the missing child. Sexual tension, sassy dialog, cures for the common hangover, and a first-person narrator with more bravery than common sense, Deadly Reunion reads with the same sort of pull as the protagonist’s midnight feast of Oreos. It’s advertised as first in the reporter Taci Andrews series, so there should be more Oreos coming soon to a virtual bookshelf near you. Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel from World Literary Café in exchange for my honest review.