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AMATEUR SLEUTH/ROMANTIC/ CHICK LIT
MYSTERY
no such thing as a secret
Read A Review:
A Titillating Mystery Full of Fun and Mayhem
Shelly Fredman is a former Philadelphian who writes, teaches, elementary school, and loves chocolate, Philadelphia, and an active imagination. She has previously published CREEPS, a young-adult novel, and is presently working on a sequel to NO SUCH THING AS A SECRET. Shelly's motto is that "Reality is for people who lack imagination." Her second motto is that chocolate is good for you and you can never eat too much.
Brandy Alexander has returned from her puff reporting job in L.A. after a four year absence in Philadelphia. She left behind her love and soulmate, Robert Anthony DiCarlo, who married and had a child in her absence. While she is busy being joyfully reunited with her Phillie friends, her best friend, John, is apparently killed in a boating accident. Brandy witnesses the explosion, and her life changes dramatically. She decides to hunt down the killer, with Bobby (the police officer) challenging her every step of the way. Is Bobby involved in police graft or a coverup? Brandy enlist the aid of sexy Nick Santiago to help her as she enters the underworld of Philadelphia:
"The music pulsated in the background, permeating the air we breathed. Nick stared at me, and I flushed under his gaze. Damn, isn't there some kind of pill you can take for congenital blushing? I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Wordlessly, he stood and stretched his arm out to me. 'I'm not a very good dancer,' I apologized. 'Neither am I,' he said, as he took me in his arms. Liar."
First off, Shelly Fredman is a hilarious writer! She has such a warm style of writing that the reader can't help but be pulled in as her Phillie friends rejoice in Brandy's return. But make no mistake, this plot is serious and
confusing. Brandy Alexander takes the reader on a ride not soon to be forgotten. There is political corruption; danger everywhere; and Brandy has to transform from a feature reporter to an earnest investigator. But Fredman doesn't stop there. She surrounds Brandy with two luscious men, both vying for her attention. Brandy herself is lovably unaware of their intentions, but ultra-aware of their sexuality.
NO SUCH THING AS A SECRET is a titillating mystery full of fun and mayhem. There is a rich under-texture that separates the story from other authors and thus makes it a standout. But beware, Fredman leaves the love interest up in the air, which will guarantee that her readers will be clamoring for the next installment of Brandy Alexander. Cleverly done!
Shelley Glodowski, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
For readers who enjoy the adventures of Bubbles Yablonsky, there's a new girl in town: Brandy Alexander. (Yes, aren't parents cruel?)
A cut or two above Bubbles in social class, Brandy is a TV feature reporter who yearns for better stories than flower shows and cute kiddie contests. She gets more than she expected when she returns home to Philadelphia for a wedding and finds herself hip-deep in murder.
Determined to find out why someone tried to blow up her friend John's boat, Brandy finds a link to two other murders. Along the way she's attacked by an ax-wielding trick-or-treater, visits an S&M club with a dangerously attractive man, and fights against the rekindling of an old flame--all of this amid fittings for a truly horrid bridesmaid's gown.
By luck, guts and persistence, Brandy figures out how the murders tie in to a swag of dirty construction contracts, but not before putting herself into mortal danger, in the best investigative reporter tradition.
Brandy is a likeable protagonist with a fine supporting cast of eccentric, sometimes scruffy, friends and neighbors. The book is an entertaining read which won't leave you afraid to turn out the light.
Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader
A Titillating Mystery Full of Fun and Mayhem
Shelly Fredman is a former Philadelphian who writes, teaches, elementary school, and loves chocolate, Philadelphia, and an active imagination. She has previously published CREEPS, a young-adult novel, and is presently working on a sequel to NO SUCH THING AS A SECRET. Shelly's motto is that "Reality is for people who lack imagination." Her second motto is that chocolate is good for you and you can never eat too much.
Brandy Alexander has returned from her puff reporting job in L.A. after a four year absence in Philadelphia. She left behind her love and soulmate, Robert Anthony DiCarlo, who married and had a child in her absence. While she is busy being joyfully reunited with her Phillie friends, her best friend, John, is apparently killed in a boating accident. Brandy witnesses the explosion, and her life changes dramatically. She decides to hunt down the killer, with Bobby (the police officer) challenging her every step of the way. Is Bobby involved in police graft or a coverup? Brandy enlist the aid of sexy Nick Santiago to help her as she enters the underworld of Philadelphia:
"The music pulsated in the background, permeating the air we breathed. Nick stared at me, and I flushed under his gaze. Damn, isn't there some kind of pill you can take for congenital blushing? I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Wordlessly, he stood and stretched his arm out to me. 'I'm not a very good dancer,' I apologized. 'Neither am I,' he said, as he took me in his arms. Liar."
First off, Shelly Fredman is a hilarious writer! She has such a warm style of writing that the reader can't help but be pulled in as her Phillie friends rejoice in Brandy's return. But make no mistake, this plot is serious and
confusing. Brandy Alexander takes the reader on a ride not soon to be forgotten. There is political corruption; danger everywhere; and Brandy has to transform from a feature reporter to an earnest investigator. But Fredman doesn't stop there. She surrounds Brandy with two luscious men, both vying for her attention. Brandy herself is lovably unaware of their intentions, but ultra-aware of their sexuality.
NO SUCH THING AS A SECRET is a titillating mystery full of fun and mayhem. There is a rich under-texture that separates the story from other authors and thus makes it a standout. But beware, Fredman leaves the love interest up in the air, which will guarantee that her readers will be clamoring for the next installment of Brandy Alexander. Cleverly done!
Shelley Glodowski, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
For readers who enjoy the adventures of Bubbles Yablonsky, there's a new girl in town: Brandy Alexander. (Yes, aren't parents cruel?)
A cut or two above Bubbles in social class, Brandy is a TV feature reporter who yearns for better stories than flower shows and cute kiddie contests. She gets more than she expected when she returns home to Philadelphia for a wedding and finds herself hip-deep in murder.
Determined to find out why someone tried to blow up her friend John's boat, Brandy finds a link to two other murders. Along the way she's attacked by an ax-wielding trick-or-treater, visits an S&M club with a dangerously attractive man, and fights against the rekindling of an old flame--all of this amid fittings for a truly horrid bridesmaid's gown.
By luck, guts and persistence, Brandy figures out how the murders tie in to a swag of dirty construction contracts, but not before putting herself into mortal danger, in the best investigative reporter tradition.
Brandy is a likeable protagonist with a fine supporting cast of eccentric, sometimes scruffy, friends and neighbors. The book is an entertaining read which won't leave you afraid to turn out the light.
Karen Treanor, New Mystery Reader