Aloha to Laura Levine and SHOES TO DIE FOR

Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world. - Marilyn Monroe

Kensington created a new cover for Laura Levine's SHOES TO DIE FOR, released on January 7, 2014:

If clothes make the man, then what do Jaine Austen's elastic-waist trousers and T-shirts make her? A fashion nightmare, according to her neighbour, Lance. She doesn't expect Lance - who works in the designer shoe department at Nieman Marcus - to understand...which is how she ends up visiting his favourite boutique, Passions. While the couture is definitely not for Jaine, the staff's gossip is. Tiny orange-haired clerk Becky starts complaining about her co-worker Giselle - a.k.a. "Frenchie" - a brittle blonde who, when she's not making fun of customers behind their backs, adds extra-marital notches to her Chanel belt. Though Jaine doesn't land a new look, she does land a new job when Passions' owner gives her a chance to write their new magazine ads. But when Jaine arrives the next morning to pitch her ideas, she finds Frenchie pitched over, stabbed in the neck by one of her own stilettos. Now all Jaine has to do is figure out who hated Frenchie the most, in a case of death by designer knock-off...

The Jaine Austen series includes 12 full length books plus a novella.  Levine delivers laughs-a-minute in each.  Book four in the series, SHOES TO DIE FOR, is a comedic satire of the fashion industry.   Jaine Austen is an "average" woman who wears comfy clothes ... as I do!  Yet Jaine (and I) would appear on the "don't" page of any fashion magazine ....   

"Jaine, honey.  Do you realize you're the only person in the restaurant with elastic-waist pants?"

He was right, of course.  The place was filled with perfect bodies in low-rider jeans and tank tops, slender midriffs exposed.  And those were just the guys.

"So what?"  I said, reaching for the menu.   "Am I going to be arrested by the pants police?"

Likewise, Jaine actually eats in a city that doesn't.  Her realness brings on the laughter:

We both ordered a sensible dinner of chicken taos and salad.  Hold the rice and beans.  Okay, so I didnt hold the rice and beans.  And I ordered a beef burrito instead of a taco.  Which is why I happen to be so fond of those elastic-waist pains that send Kandi and Lance into cardiac arrest.

Elastic-waist pants aside, Jaine is more than the average bear, eeking out a living as a free lance writer.  Her muse ignites her creativity in writing and her curiosity when she comes across dead bodies in pursuit of a paying job.   The mystery is lighthearted, giving the supporting cast the opportunity to engage in mayhem as they stumble through life in the fast lane.  

SHOES TO DIE FOR is a fast read for a lazy day.   Recommended read for fans of cozy mysteries, sassy characters, and chuckles galore.   I received a print copy from Kensington for an honest review.

Kensington also sent me extra books to share with my readers.  To enter the giveaway of Kensington books, 

1.  What are your favorite shoes?  Mine, of course, are 'slippahs' - flip flops in Hawaii.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, February 22, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, February 23.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Laura, Jaine, and their advenutres, check out lauralevinemysteries.com.