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 enlarge | Author: Alice Kimberly
Publisher: Berkley
Category: Book
List Price: $6.99
Buy New: $2.48
You Save: $4.51 (65%)
New (36) Used (15) from $2.13
Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 6127
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 235
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.8
ISBN: 0425218384
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780425218389
ASIN: 0425218384
Publication Date: May 6, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New and Factory Sealed Item Fast Shipping
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| Customer Reviews:
 Spirited Cozy Mystery June 10, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
When her local movie theater holds a Film Noir Festival, Penelope Thornton-McClure agrees to hold several signings at her bookstore. While she is looking forward to the festival, Pen didn't think it would be quite as exciting as it turns out to be - legendary screen actress Hedda Geist is almost killed during a surprise appearance at the theater. The near miss is considered an accident, but Pen isn't sure and when others start to die, she is convinced that there is a murderer on the loose. The police don't believe Pen and she sets out to prove she's right. It won't be an easy task, but luckily she has the ghost of PI Jack Shepard to help her.
"The Ghost and the Femme Fatale" is the fourth book in Alice Kimberly's Haunted Bookshop Mystery series, a series that gets better with each book. I love the concept of a ghost helping to solve mysteries and Kimberly does a good job of pushing boundaries. At this point, Jack can not only "talk" to Pen when she's in the bookstore (where he was murdered), but with the help of a buffalo nickel, he can communicate with her anywhere as long as she carries the nickel. He also has the ability to have Pen dream of his past cases that relate to the current one. This is an intriguing, if at times odd premise - Pen is an active part of his past in the dreams and the romantic chemistry between the two during the dream sequences is sizzling. The Film Noir setting is perfect and sets up a great murder mystery plot line, in both the past and the present. There are a number of murders and a number of suspects and readers will have a hard time figuring out who the murderer is.
"The Ghost and The Femme Fatale" is a nicely done cozy mystery.
Excellent series June 8, 2008
I really enjoyed reading this cozy mystery by Alice Kimberly. I loved the Cleo Coyle books, and this book lives up to their standards, and is fun to read. Seymour and Brainert were my favorite characters in this one, even though the main two, Pen and Jack, are finely tuned and work well together. Looking forward to the next installment and a return to Buy the Book on Cranberry St.
New England haunted bookstore series... May 18, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Another wonderful read from Alice Kimberly. This is an ingenius combination of a typical cozy mystery (with a bookshop owner like a young Miss Marple, solving crimes) and a hard-boiled detective story, starring the tough-talking private detective named Jack, who worked the mean streets of the city when he was alive.
Ghost and the Femme Fatale was just a pleasure to read from cover to cover (witty dialog and a fast-moving plot). Not only do I get to visit my favorite New England bookstore again (that happens to be haunted) I also get the chance to visit with some of my favorite friends - Aunt Sadie, Bud Nap, Seymore the postman, Fiona the innkeeper (love the Victorian Inn that she runs and in this episode of the series, we get to visit the beautiful, converted lighthouse on her property), I also enjoy Brainert the college prof and his witty asides...But the absolute best character in the show is Jack Shepard, the ghost of the dead private detective who haunts the bookstore.
I really like the growing relationship between Jack and Penelope (the bookshop owner who is haunted by Jack). I think it is nice to read a series in which the characters grow and change as the books progress. Start with the first book in this series, The Ghost and Mrs. McClure (Prime Crime Mysteries)and read them all. Highly recommended for anyone looking for something fresh or anyone who enjoys a clever, well-plotted mystery (there are several plots actually - a very good puzzle of a murder mystery that starts in the ghost's past and continues into Penelope's present-day life as a local bookseller).
 Kinda slow... May 17, 2008
11 out of 16 found this review helpful
I have been a fan of this cozy series from the beginning and was looking forward to this one but it didn't grab me like the previous books. Before writing this, I was trying to discern if it was more an issue of me not being in the mood for the book or was the book really a bit plodding. I think quite a bit of the tedium for me was the considerable amount of silly (and far-fetched) romance (even if they are just dreams) between Jack and Pen. Not sure...but I can honestly say that I had to make myself finish about the last third. Personally, I far more enjoyed the series' original premise about a ghost haunting a bookstore rather than the silly and improbable romantic direction it has taken.
 Dressed for Success May 16, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I saw this in a bookstore and thought it sounded interesting. I didn't know it was a series, otherwise I probably would've looked for the first book. Anyway, I haven't finished the book yet but I will say it is interesting enough that I'll consider the other books. So far I'm just past half-way and it's not obvious who dunnit.
There are a couple of nitpicks I have, though. First: why does everyone in the book have to wear name brand clothes? I mean, can't a guy just have a raincoat? It has to be J. Crew. And that's mentioned more than once, already. I hope this is just the author trying to add atmosphere to the story and is not product placement advertising run amok. I just finished a media studies course and this kind of thing really distracts me from the storyline. I want to stop and analyze the writing, which I really don't want to do on a pleasure read.
Second: the characters seem very snippy and are always trading insults. Perhaps this is something the first three books of the series build up, so I'm coming into something that has a long history. Still, I don't think I'd want to move to that town. I'd probably get a ticket for having a dirty car and wearing off-brand jeans. ;)
My comments may sound harsh, but all in all, I don't think either of these things are negative enough to keep me from reading more from the same author. I am curious about the ghost and how the protagonist met him. (Oh, and I like the cover artwork.)
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