Helpful Score: 1
#1 Tattoo Shop mystery featuring Brett Kavanaugh, owner of the Painted Lady tattoo shop in Las Vegas. Brett gets involved in a complex case her brother Tim, a Las Vegas police detective, is investigating when it's determined that a missing girl was last seen in her shop. She'd come in to ask about getting devotion ink with her fiance's name on it, made an appointment to get the tat, then never showed. The odd thing is, her fiance's name was Bruce Manning Jr--son and heir of a wealthy businessman, known as Chip to his friends--but she wanted her tattoo to say Matthew!
Soon the news is splashed with photos of Elise Lyon, missing bride-to-be of Chip Manning--but she had used the name Kelly Masters when she made the appointment at The Painted Lady. When a woman is found shot dead in a car near the airport--and HER name ends up being Kelly Masters, things begin to get really confusing. Soon Brett is in the puzzle up to her pretty little tattooed neck.
I liked this book okay--I've enjoyed all of Olson's books in her other series--but this one wasn't exceptional. I like her writing style--it flows, it's easy to read. But this book was cozier than her other series, and in fact had many of the elements of "just another cookie cutter cozy mystery." You have a main character with a quirky job or hobby, you have a set of slightly freaky friends or secondary characters, and you have the main character doing unbelievable things that no sane person would do which continually puts her in jeopardy. And yes, one of those things was withholding evidence from the police, even though one of the police in question was her brother.
The concept is great! As a tattooed woman, I felt it certainly had promise. I learned some interesting things. But Brett's character just didn't seem to have much depth, and the whole package didn't quite measure up--possibly because Olson's other series IS so good, I had high expectations. I will read the next in series, but I have become very disillusioned with cozies in general and it is going to have to be an improvement over this one, and Brett is going to have to develop some meat to her character and quit doing such dumb things if I'm to continue beyond that.
Soon the news is splashed with photos of Elise Lyon, missing bride-to-be of Chip Manning--but she had used the name Kelly Masters when she made the appointment at The Painted Lady. When a woman is found shot dead in a car near the airport--and HER name ends up being Kelly Masters, things begin to get really confusing. Soon Brett is in the puzzle up to her pretty little tattooed neck.
I liked this book okay--I've enjoyed all of Olson's books in her other series--but this one wasn't exceptional. I like her writing style--it flows, it's easy to read. But this book was cozier than her other series, and in fact had many of the elements of "just another cookie cutter cozy mystery." You have a main character with a quirky job or hobby, you have a set of slightly freaky friends or secondary characters, and you have the main character doing unbelievable things that no sane person would do which continually puts her in jeopardy. And yes, one of those things was withholding evidence from the police, even though one of the police in question was her brother.
The concept is great! As a tattooed woman, I felt it certainly had promise. I learned some interesting things. But Brett's character just didn't seem to have much depth, and the whole package didn't quite measure up--possibly because Olson's other series IS so good, I had high expectations. I will read the next in series, but I have become very disillusioned with cozies in general and it is going to have to be an improvement over this one, and Brett is going to have to develop some meat to her character and quit doing such dumb things if I'm to continue beyond that.
Helpful Score: 1
From Amazon:
From Publishers Weekly
The Painted Lady, a tattoo shop in contemporary Las Vegas, and its owner, artist turned tattooist Brett Kavanaugh, are central to this pleasantly jargon-free themed mystery from Olson (the Annie Seymour mysteries). When a woman requests a devotion tattoo from Brett and then vanishes, her disappearance is quickly linked to a series of murders involving tattooing equipment and rival shop Murder Ink. Brett's police detective brother, Tim, requests her expertise, and a murder at an engagingly excessive fictional hotel leads to Brett meeting its mysteriously handsome manager, Simon Chase, providing a solid base for further sleuthing and romance. Readers need not be conversant with street flash or other industry terms to enjoy the setting and follow Brett down a trail of needles and gloves to the dramatic finale. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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I thought this was a refreshing change from the usual craft, cooking, or paranormal cozies that are so popular lately. While I like those others quite a bit, this one was just so much fun to read! It even made me want to go get a tattoo :)
From Publishers Weekly
The Painted Lady, a tattoo shop in contemporary Las Vegas, and its owner, artist turned tattooist Brett Kavanaugh, are central to this pleasantly jargon-free themed mystery from Olson (the Annie Seymour mysteries). When a woman requests a devotion tattoo from Brett and then vanishes, her disappearance is quickly linked to a series of murders involving tattooing equipment and rival shop Murder Ink. Brett's police detective brother, Tim, requests her expertise, and a murder at an engagingly excessive fictional hotel leads to Brett meeting its mysteriously handsome manager, Simon Chase, providing a solid base for further sleuthing and romance. Readers need not be conversant with street flash or other industry terms to enjoy the setting and follow Brett down a trail of needles and gloves to the dramatic finale. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
-----------------
I thought this was a refreshing change from the usual craft, cooking, or paranormal cozies that are so popular lately. While I like those others quite a bit, this one was just so much fun to read! It even made me want to go get a tattoo :)
Helpful Score: 1
First Line: I've made grown men cry.
When Las Vegas homicide detective Tim Kavanaugh split with his girlfriend two years ago, his sister Brett moved in to share expenses. She also became the owner of The Painted Lady, a tattoo shop on the Las Vegas Strip.
A young woman makes an appointment for a tattoo that contains the name of her fiance within a heart, but she never shows up. The next thing Brett knows, the woman is missing, the police are looking for her, and the name she wanted on the tattoo isn't her fiance's.
Everyone on the suspect list seems to be beating a path to The Painted Lady's door (whether the shop is open or not), and Brett needs to find out what's going on while she still has a business to run.
This is a light, fun romp through the mean streets of Vegas with Brett as tour guide-- although she's not 100% sold on the city. (She has issues with the use of water, among other things.) Brett is level-headed, doesn't believe in taking foolish chances, and since her brother is a policeman, she knows how to find a dead body and not trash the crime scene.
There's also some tattoo lore and history to be learned along the way:
"I wanted to stay, to talk to her more.... just to watch her, a previous generation of tattooist, a woman tattooist who'd had to suffer far more discrimination that I ever did. Those women who came before me were pioneers, breaking into a male-dominated profession and breaking all the rules."
I liked the pace of this book, Brett's employees, and Brett's voice. The identity of the killer seemed a bit obvious to me, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of The Missing Ink. I'm looking forward to reading more of Brett's adventures.
When Las Vegas homicide detective Tim Kavanaugh split with his girlfriend two years ago, his sister Brett moved in to share expenses. She also became the owner of The Painted Lady, a tattoo shop on the Las Vegas Strip.
A young woman makes an appointment for a tattoo that contains the name of her fiance within a heart, but she never shows up. The next thing Brett knows, the woman is missing, the police are looking for her, and the name she wanted on the tattoo isn't her fiance's.
Everyone on the suspect list seems to be beating a path to The Painted Lady's door (whether the shop is open or not), and Brett needs to find out what's going on while she still has a business to run.
This is a light, fun romp through the mean streets of Vegas with Brett as tour guide-- although she's not 100% sold on the city. (She has issues with the use of water, among other things.) Brett is level-headed, doesn't believe in taking foolish chances, and since her brother is a policeman, she knows how to find a dead body and not trash the crime scene.
There's also some tattoo lore and history to be learned along the way:
"I wanted to stay, to talk to her more.... just to watch her, a previous generation of tattooist, a woman tattooist who'd had to suffer far more discrimination that I ever did. Those women who came before me were pioneers, breaking into a male-dominated profession and breaking all the rules."
I liked the pace of this book, Brett's employees, and Brett's voice. The identity of the killer seemed a bit obvious to me, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of The Missing Ink. I'm looking forward to reading more of Brett's adventures.
Helpful Score: 1
I give this 2.5 stars - I was rather disappointed with this new series of Olson's as I really enjoyed her Annie Seymour series. Brett Kavanaugh, owner of a tattoo parlor in the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, is questioned by the police about a missing young woman who had come into her shop to make an appointment which she did not keep. Turns out she is a runaway bride, or rather fiancee of a rich magnate's son. The mystery is okay, but what I found irritating was the stupid and improbable things her protagonist kept doing just for the sake of the storyline, which makes for a very contrived story. Bad enough that a tattoo artist (as an idea for a cozy series, kinda gimmicky) goes about investigating behind her cop brother's back, but withholding evidence? Repeatedly? Just does not fly for me. And the attraction to the bad boy was so cliche. The mystery is given enough twists but when it's all unraveled the denouement falls flat and borders on cheesy. Which is really a pity, because Olson can write. This one, though feels like she's trying too hard.
Helpful Score: 1
Awesome Awesome cozy!
Meet Brett Kavanagh, owner of the Painted Lady tatoo shop in Viva Las Vegas!!!! She is accompanied by her brother, detective Tim Kavanagh, Bitsy the dwarf office manager, Joel her 300 pound gay co-worker, and Ace, her pretty-boy co-worker.
Things go haywire for Brett and the gang when a client comes in for a devotional tatoo and doesnt show for the appointment. Next thing you know the cops are sniffing around, a body is found dead, and another one turns up. Someone is trying to pin the muders on her and her long time busines enemy and fellow tatooist:Jeff Coleman. Things get even more frustrating for Brett as she seems to be being followed by an unknown person who is scaring the living daylights out of her. Throw in a budding romance and something missing that everyone seems to be after, and you have yourself a perfect little cozy!!
The plot itself was a bit complicated to follow, but if you paid attention it is wrapped up nicely, with a bit of a twist at the end. All in all, I highly reccomend this book, and will continue to follow the series. I especially love the super short chapters and the backdrop of Fabulos Las Vegas!
Meet Brett Kavanagh, owner of the Painted Lady tatoo shop in Viva Las Vegas!!!! She is accompanied by her brother, detective Tim Kavanagh, Bitsy the dwarf office manager, Joel her 300 pound gay co-worker, and Ace, her pretty-boy co-worker.
Things go haywire for Brett and the gang when a client comes in for a devotional tatoo and doesnt show for the appointment. Next thing you know the cops are sniffing around, a body is found dead, and another one turns up. Someone is trying to pin the muders on her and her long time busines enemy and fellow tatooist:Jeff Coleman. Things get even more frustrating for Brett as she seems to be being followed by an unknown person who is scaring the living daylights out of her. Throw in a budding romance and something missing that everyone seems to be after, and you have yourself a perfect little cozy!!
The plot itself was a bit complicated to follow, but if you paid attention it is wrapped up nicely, with a bit of a twist at the end. All in all, I highly reccomend this book, and will continue to follow the series. I especially love the super short chapters and the backdrop of Fabulos Las Vegas!
