TV news photographer Lilly Hawkins is on the biggest assignment of her career. A deadly wildfire is racing through the California mountains toward the town of Elizabeth Lake. After barely slipping in ahead of road closures, Lilly has her hands full photographing the massive evacuation and approaching inferno. She has no time to cover the accidental drowning of a reckless party girl in the lake . . . until she learns the victim’s name.
When Lilly knew her thirteen years ago, Jessica Egan was a principled environmental activist and not a bit reckless or wild. Could she have changed that much, or is a killer exploiting the chaos surrounding the fire to disguise a murder?
Soon Lilly’s juggling the story she should be covering with the story she can’t let go. What could have been the motive for Jessica’s death? Was it sexual jealousy, long-held grudges, or just plain old-fashioned greed that got Jessica killed? Meanwhile, Lily has to contend with her station’s low-budget technology, the antics of her dodgy uncle Bud, and the alarming job offers her boyfriend is fielding from big-city competitors. Lilly is racing against the clock to get answers. If only the murderer—or the fire—doesn’t get her first . . .
A fun, entertaining mystery. Nora McFarland takes murder and adds just enough humor in the right places to keep this story more light-hearted than your usual mystery. Lilly Hawkins is a spunky heroine that will stop at nothing to get the truth. She's a little klutzy, she's impetuous, she has hair issues, she thinks bad things about people and then feels bad about it; so, she's just your average woman.
There's a very unique cast of supporting characters, though some seem so far out there as to be more like a caricature. This may be because a series of books is planned and hopefully more about the "regulars" will be revealed in future stories.
Hot, Shot, and Bothered is the second book in the Lilly Hawkins series, but it is easily read as a stand alone. I hadn't read the first book and didn't feel like I missed anything. So, start anywhere you like in the series, you'll enjoy it!
*Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher, I was not required to write a positive review.
I give this book 4 Bookworms.
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (August 2, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1439155569
ISBN-13: 978-1439155561
Format: Ebook
File Size: 706 KB
Print Length: 304 pages
Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc.
ASIN: B004G8QSCG
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