A Little Night Murder

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A Little Night Murder (Blackbird Sisters Mystery #10)

Nancy Martin

NAL Hardcover: 2014, 384 pages

Reviewed by Jessie Park

Nora Blackbird is at a good place in her life: her best friend Lexie is back home from prison and Nora is finally, finally pregnant.  She's still busting the society beat for her column but this time the news comes closer to her.  Next door to Lexie's hideout from the press is the estate of the famous Toodles Tuttle, a Broadway composer.  His widow is putting on a brand new show and everything seems peachy keen except for the dead daughter.  Nora's on the case while also trying to wrangle in her older sister Libby's libido (she's caught between a bug exterminator and a Broadway veteran) in addition to convincing her younger sister Emma to avoid her new and very dangerous beau.  Readers should be aware that this is the last Blackbird Sisters book until further notice from the author.

No Way to Kill a Lady

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No Way to Kill a Lady (Blackbird Sisters Mystery #8)

Nancy Martin

NAL Hardcover: 2012, 320 pages

Reviewed by Jessie Park

Life is a little stressful for Philadelphia socialite turned social columnist Nora Blackbird. Her oldest sister Libby seems to be gunning for tabloid worthy scandals and her younger, wilder sister Emma is pregnant with a baby whose father is a soon-to-be-married man.  Her best friend Lexie is in prison for manslaughter charges and her son-of-an-infamous-mobster boyfriend is under house arrest.  Luckily, or unluckily, there's a murder to solve! The sisters' great aunt Madeleine Blackbird leaves her estate and valuables to the sisters except that there's nothing left in the house except an old, dead body.  Nora won't rest until she figures out what happened at the estate so many years ago.  

Murder Melts in Your Mouth

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Murder Melts in Your Mouth (Blackbird Sisters Mystery #7)

Nancy Martin

NAL Hardcover: 2008, 282 pages

Reviewed by Jessie Park

Philadelphia socialite turned social columnist Nora Blackbird finds herself in a tizzy. Her best friend, noted financial wizard Lexie Paine, is accused of murdering her business partner.  To make matters worse, her parents, the ones who spent the entire Blackbird fortune and stole from friends to escape south of the border, are back.  The Blackbird sisters are all in a panic at their sudden reappearance.  It takes Nora all her patience and amateur P.I. skills to solve this one!

A Crazy Little Thing Called Death

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A Crazy Little Thing Called Death (Blackbird Mystery #6)

Nancy Martin

NAL Hardcover: 2007, 288 pages

Reviewed by Jessie Park

Socialite turned social columnist Nora Blackbird is the one making headlines as she's engaged to Michael Abruzzo, son of a notorious New Jersey mob boss.  Nora tries to avoid wedding planning with her ridiculous older sister Libby, while also trying to figure out the mysterious disappearance and possible death of ex-movie star Penny Devine.  And as per usual, her boyfriend/fiancé seems to be dealing in something unwise and secretive and Nora is really starting to wonder whether the relationship will work or if the naysayers are right: are they too different to be together?

Have Your Cake and Kill Him Too

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Have Your Cake and Kill Him Too (Blackbird Sisters Mystery #5)

Nancy Martin

Signet: 2006, 304 pages

Reviewed by Jessie Park

Philadelphia socialite turned columnist Nora Blackbird is a bit overwhelmed lately.  She's dating Richard, a well respected journalist and decent man, but she still has feelings for Michael, the son of a notorious New Jersey mob boss.  And as usual, she somehow manages to find herself in the middle of a murder involving crass aristocrats, an ambitious politician, and a self-obsessed teenager while also trying to help her friend who's being set up for the crime.  Add a huge personal emergency to the mix and all Nora can do is try to keep her head above water.

Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die

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

Nancy Martin

Signet: 2005, 288 pages

Reviewed by Jessie Park

Nora Blackbird, the socialite turned social columnist, is assigned to a fashion show that features a miracle bra.  She's barely able to write her story when she finds her boss, Kitty, dead on her front porch.  It seems that Kitty was shot execution style and bound with panty hose; nothing significant except for the fact that it is also the trademark of the Abruzzo family, a notorious Mob family in New Jersey.  Her lover, Michael Abruzzo, is the number one suspect to the police, even though Nora knows he's innocent.  As usual, it's up to Nora to find the real killer before she joins her boss six feet under!

Some Like It Lethal

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Some Like It Lethal (Blackbird Sisters Mystery #3)

Nancy Martin

Signet: 2004, 320 pages

Reviewed by Jessie Park

Nora Blackbird, socialite turned social columnist, attends a fancy party where the husband of a wealthy but stingy heiress is found dead.  The extra bad news?  Looks like her feisty sister Emma is the number one suspect.  Nora does anything and everything she can to clear her sister's name whilst also trying to figure out how to evade a blackmailer who has his sights on quite a number of Philadelphia's finest citizens.  Readers do not necessarily have to read the other two books in Nancy Martin's series but it definitely would help.

Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds

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Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds (Blackbird Sisters Mystery #2)

Nancy Martin

Signet: 2003, 272 pages

Reviewed by Jessie Park

Nora Blackbird, socialite turned social column writer, is a little unnerved to find her ex's wife suddenly looking and dressing a lot like her at a party.  She becomes even more unnerved when said wife suddenly commits suicide the very next day.  Was it really suicide?  Could her ex, Flan Cooper, be involved?  And what about the rumors that Laura Cooper was actually quite the clever kleptomaniac who whisked away fabulous jewels from the high and mighty of Philadelphia?  Nora is sure that there's more to the story and she's determined to find out the truth, even if it means putting herself in danger.

How to Murder a Millionaire

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How to Murder a Millionaire (Blackbird Sisters Mystery #1)

Nancy Martin

Signet: 2002, 266 pages

Reviewed by Jessie Park

The first in her Blackbird Sisters mystery series, How to Murder a Millionaire introduces readers to the Blackbird Sisters: Nora, Libby, and Emma.  The books are narrated by the middle sister, Nora, who considers herself the most normal.  Nora's a little down on her luck, since her parents left the country to avoid jail time for tax evasion and Nora is stuck with the Blackbird estate and $2 million owed in back taxes.  Nora takes her first real job as a society page columnist at a local Philadelphia newspaper.  Her first assignment turns out to be more than she bargained for when she finds the party host - an old family friend - dead.  Determined to find out who killed her friend, Nora plays detective by herself, since her hippie older sister Libby has four kids and a second husband to take care of and younger sister Emma is too busy being the wild child.  Although her new neighbor, the son of a New Jersey mob boss, seems very eager to help Nora out...