Murder Gets A Makeover
The Blurb
Uber-stylist Bebe Braddock plans to juice up her Instagram feed and thinks Jaine would make a perfect “Before & After” model. At Lance’s insistence, Jaine is ushered into Bebe’s sprawling Brentwood spread to await her transformation. Yet, while the surroundings are glamorous, the atmosphere is toxic as Bebe bullies her team of assistants, and even her husband, into obeying her every whim.
Having earned the wrath of everyone in her orbit, few are shocked when Bebe is found strangled with one of her detested wire hangers. But Jaine’s prints are all over the murder weapon, making her a prime suspect. The police, however, aren’t the only ones showing interest in her; so is Justin, Bebe’s very cute, very young personal assistant. While Jaine navigates a cougar-style romance, Prozac is mistakenly hailed as a feline hero and catapults into internet fame. Still, there are more urgent matters at hand than Prozac’s swelling ego. Because unless Jaine can track down Bebe’s killer and clear her own name, the only new outfit she’ll be modeling is an orange prison jumpsuit.
The Details
Series: A Jaine Austen Mystery – Book #18
Author: Laura Levine
Genre/Category: Cozy – Pet/Writer
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
ISBN: 1496728130
Page Count: 240
Rating: 
The Review
I have to admit that I have never been a big fan of the “A Jaine Austen Mystery” series, and unfortunately, Murder Gets A Makeover hasn’t changed that fact. Yes, it has moments of humor and some mystery, but for the most part, the entire series seems more about a woman who is obsessed with food and her cat and does not appear to care about her health, her family, or anything else. Added to this is a so-called best friend that is a complete bore, uncaring of Jaines feelings, and an attention hog. With friends like Lance, who needs enemies? After 18 books and countless years, the main character, Jaine, has never grown up, changed, or shown any desire to do so. Even the writing she does has an air of carelessness. You would think as a writer, she would take some pride in her work, but she doesn’t seem to care about the people she works for any more than she does anything else. Jaine definitely needs a makeover in every way, looks, habits, fashion, and personality. Her cat is far more entertaining than she is and has better hygiene.
This time around, Jaine gets involved when a horrible woman who is a fashion stylist to the stars is murdered, and Jaine is stupid enough to touch the murder weapon. For a woman who does nothing other than sit in her house eating all day and occasionally writing, she gets involved in a lot of murder investigations. The fashion stylist is giving Jaine a much-needed makeover, but when Jaine shows up to pick up her new wardrobe, she finds the stylist dead. Jaine’s cat becomes an internet star, and Jaine starts dating the dead woman’s assistant. These events should be funny, but they just fall flat.
It doesn’t take long for suspects to come out of the woodwork or motives, while the mystery itself could easily have ended the moment the police showed up. Jaine isn’t a good detective; she jumps to conclusions and suspects/accuses everyone who ever knew the victim. However, the real killer isn’t difficult to spot from the beginning. Unfortunately, the makeover ends up a disaster, and Prozac, Jaine’s cat, ends up getting its 15 minutes of fame, then is soon forgotten. As for Jaines BFF and neighbor, he is a complete nightmare and not a person I would consider a friend. I am sorry to say that I just can’t find much in Murder Gets A Makeover to get excited about. I know fans of the series will love this book, but I’m not sure new readers will even want to pick it up.
The Author
Laura Levine is a former sitcom writer (The Bob Newhart Show, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, Three’s Company, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman). As an advertising copywriter, she created Count Chocula and Frankenberry cereals for General Mills. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. Laura grew up in Brooklyn, New York, back when mastodons (and Edsels) still roamed the earth and attended Barnard College. When she isn’t working on a new book, Laura likes to read, swim, garden, and take lots of walks.
Other books in the “A Jaine Austen Mystery” series readers may enjoy include Death of a Gigolo or Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge.
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