Killer Hair: A Crime of Fashion (Crime of Fashion Mysteries)

Book Description

Home of the helmet hairdo and Congressional comb-over, Washington, D.C. is a hotbed of fashion faux pas. If anyone should know, it's "Crimes of Fashion" columnist Lacey Smithsonian. She dishes out advice to the scandal-scorched and clothing-clueless, doing her part to change this town-one fashion victim at a time...

An up-and-coming stylist, Angie Woods had a reputation for rescuing down-and-out looks-and careers-all with a pair of scissors. But when Angie is found with a drastic haircut and a razor in her hand, the police assume she committed suicide. Lacey knew the stylist and suspects something more sinister-that the story may lie with Angie's star client, a White House staffer with a salacious website. With the help of a hunky ex-cop, Lacey must root out the truth...

Customer Reviews:

A fun book.......2006-03-30

If you are looking for a soul searching, intellectually probing book best to look elsewhere, but Killer Hair is perfect for those of us who love a light read. I liked the main charachter Lacey, her loyal friends, and the hot guy Vic. I look forward to reading all of Ellen Byerrum's books.

Fashion Reporter Go A Sleuthing.......2006-01-28

Chick lit amateur sleuth series focusing on fashion reporter, Lacey Smithsonian, who extends her nosiness in obtaining scoops in journalism to investigating murders. It is a book of contrasts, mix fun & frothy fashion with the dull & monotonous world of politics.

I liked the style of narration where it reminds me of the Dick Tracey style of TV shows. The fact that Lacey loves 1940's retro fashion and even wears them reinforces that Dick Tracey atmoshphere. It has a voice over tone that blends well with the dialogue among characters.

Lacey's fashion articles on her local newspaper is bite sized and easy to read and are interspeced among the chapters. Lacey has a lot to write about and this is where the humor angle comes in poking fun at Washington DC men & women who are fashion clueless and who are described as wearing a uniform look everywhere you look in the capital city.

Lacey is very unforgiving of Washiongton DC women who wear the "helmet hair" & are ubiquitous in the capital. Fittingly, the murder scenes takes place at hair salons belonging to the same proprietor. Lacey gets involved in solving the murders egged on by her favorite hairdresser who works at one of them & credits her for her innate fashion nuances to provide vital clues in solving the murders eg why are the combs missing & why the bad hair cuts on the murder victims. I know sounds illogical but it fits in with this plot.

"Pheromone jammers" is an original concept introduced here by Lacey's best friend, Brooke, to describe the lack of love life among single Washingtonians. Brooke favors conspiracy theories and this helps both of them get over their non-romantic life much easier blaming it on external interference.

Romantic tension exists in the form of the eternal favorite, the cop, in this case an ex-cop who turned PI investigator cum security consultant, Vic Donovan.

All in all, fast paced action that keeps turning & turning.

Fun and Fashionable Start for a New Series. . ........2006-01-21

I had some doubts about this book-the characters name is Lacey Smithsonian and she is a fashion writer for one of the less respectable newspapers in Washington, D.C. One wonders how a fashion writer, becomes an amateur detective and catches the killer. In fact, Lacey expresses these doubts about herself when her stylist, Stella, insists that, Angie Wood, a co-worker, did not commit sucide, but is a homicide victim.

Killer Hair is a fun tale about life in D.C. as a reporter, hairstylist, and scandal of the week woman. The author deftly blends the hairstyle angle with the current D.C. sex scandal. The supporting characters of Stella, Mac, Vic, Marcia, Tony, Brooke, and neighborhood pyschic Marie are fun and have distinct personalities.

There is the usual cat and mouse relationship game between Lacey and Vic. Vic, a former cop from Colarado, recently moved to the DC area, and knows Lacey from when she worked the crime beat in Sagebrush. Even then the sparks were flying, but at the time Vic was married. Newly divorced and with a career change, he is around to both help and hinder Lacey in her investigation.

Other enjoyable parts include how Lacey went from being an anonymous reporter to the Fashion writer, copies of her column and articles, references to 1940's film and fashion, and a car that spends more time at the mechanics than on the road.

I will be reading the rest of the books in series and looking forward to more of Lacey's adventures in fashion, reporting, and D.C.

Awful disappointment.......2006-01-21

I sorely disagree with the other reviews. this book was awful!!!!!!!! i love this type of book, but this particular one did nothing for me. it's insanely boring, dont bother!!! instead, do yourself a favor and pick up "killer heels" by sheryl j. anderson and "killer blonde" by laura levine.

Fresh new series!.......2005-05-31

This is the first in the series of "Crimes of Fashion", a column written in D.C. by the main character Lacey Smithsonian. The plots are fresh and very interesting. I love the fact that she takes old patterns from her aunt's hope chest and turns them into beautiful, memorable clothes. This is her therapy and her trademark. The writing is very good and the mystery will keep you guessing until the end. I recommend this and the second book in the series as well. The third is due out in August.
Dianne

Book Description

In a deadly game of skill and deception...A master thief is just the first wild card…

The priceless, rarely displayed Bannister collection is about to be exhibited—and the show’s director, Morgan West, can’t ignore her growing uneasiness. She’s certain she hasn’t seen the last of the infamous cat burglar Quinn. But she never expected him to turn up at her apartment one dark night in desperate need of her help—help she can’t refuse. The mysterious master thief is playing a dangerous game, and it’s a game that just might get him killed.

With Morgan’s help, Quinn sets a trap intended to catch someone far more elusive…and more deadly…than a thief. But an unseen threat shadows him in the fog-shrouded San Francisco night, an unknown adversary more cunning than any he has yet encountered. Now, just when the stakes are higher than even Quinn can imagine, no one can be trusted—and everything’s at risk.

Download Description

In a deadly game of skill and deception... A master thief is just the first wild card...

The priceless, rarely displayed Bannister collection is about to be exhibited -- and the show's director, Morgan West, can't ignore her growing uneasiness. She's certain she hasn't seen the last of the infamous cat burglar Quinn. But she never expected him to turn up at her apartment one dark night in desperate need of her help -- help she can't refuse. The mysterious master thief is playing a dangerous game, and it's a game that just might get him killed.

With Morgan's help, Quinn sets a trap intended to catch someone far more elusive... and more deadly... than a thief. But an unseen threat shadows him in the fog-shrouded San Francisco night, an unknown adversary more cunning than any he has yet encountered. Now, just when the stakes are higher than even Quinn can imagine, no one can be trusted -- and everything's at risk.

Customer Reviews:

It takes a thief to catch a thief........2007-01-14

It takes a thief to catch a thief. At least that's the logic and theme of this novel. Morgena West is a lonely woman but her life is thrown upside down when the notorious cat burglar, Quinn, drops in through her livingroom window with a gunshot wound. It's not the first time they have met, so she knows he is a dangerous man with cops searching for him in possibly every country in the world, so she has to decide if to inform the cops about his sudden appearance in San Francisco, but since her undeniable attraction for Quinn is clouding her sense of logic, Morgan calls Jared, a cop who is also a friend. Imagine her surprise when she finds out that Quinn and Jarad are actually brothers, and though normally they work on opposite sides of the law, this time they combined their sources to catch a thief was good as Quinn, but a million times more dangerous. Unlike Quinn, the other thief is also a killer! And Morgan, by lusting after Quinn, might find herself as the victim.

Always a Thief has a strong opening, and the pages keep turning as the suspenseful plot takes place. The atmosphere of the book is rather gloomy and may remind you of a noir movie, which adds to the great storytelling. But after about 75 pages, the book quickly turns into a somewhat cheesy romance novel that is trademark of "Loveswept". The story begins to drag and the love story holds no appeal. The relationship is too easy, and the whole book begins to settle around endless conversations. The action atmosphere is replaced by that of a cheep `80s series romance novel, which indeed it is. The ending couldn't have come sooner, and the ending wasn't as exiting as I wished it would be. Though the book leaves it open that a third book in the series is about to come, it hasn't arrived in 3 years so I wouldn't hold my breath for it.

If you are a fan of romantic suspense with more romance and very little suspense, you will probably find this book and it's characters enjoyable. But if you like romantic suspense with little romance and non stop mystery, this book will more then likely disappoint you.

If you liked "Once A Thief" . . ........2007-01-09

If you liked "Once A Thief", you'll love this one!!

Enjoy the reading.......2006-10-03

I can't tell you that this book is boring, but certainly is not a thriller either. You can read and enjoy the book without expecting too much of it. The love story is a notch of being pathetic and the second plot is up to another book. But I don't think I'd read the sequel of this one.

Once A Thief .......2006-08-15

Great mystery as with all of Kay Hooper's other mysterys.
Ms Hooper has a way of writing that peaks your interest.
Her books are hard to put down.

Loved It, But It Left Me Hanging.......2006-07-21

I loved the book, especially the relationship between Morgan and Quinn. I thought the writing was suspenseful, though the end was a trifle anticlimactic because the climax started and ended in the same chapter essentially. I do hate a cliffhanger ending, and this book ends with a cliffhanger leaving you wanting more. It's been a few years since it was published and there has been no 3rd "Thief" book. If there was one, I would definitely read it. I enjoy romantic suspense as long as there isn't too much brutality in the crimes. I also don't like there to be too much time spent on graphic love scenes. This book was a good combination of suspense and romance without too much sex and violence.

Average customer rating:

Always a Thief
Jeffery Wilds Deaver
Manufacturer: PaperJacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Average customer rating:

An imaginative, scary tale.
good book
The Best Book Ever!
A return to the classics
the holiday house

The Thief of Always: A Fable
Clive Barker
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060177241

Book Description

Mr. Hood's Holiday House has stood for a thousand years, welcoming countless children into its embrace. It is a place of miracles, a blissful round of treats and seasons, where every childhood whim may be satisfied...

There is a price to be paid, of course, but young Harvey Swick, bored with his life and beguiled by Mr. Hood's wonders, does not stop to consider the consequences. It is only when the house shows its darker facewhen Harvey discovers the pitiful creatures that dwell in its shadowsthat he comes to doubt Mr. Hood's philanthropy.

The House and its mysterious architect are not about to release their captive without a battle, however. Mr. Hood has ambitions for his new guest, for Harvey's soul burns brighter than any soul he has encountered in a thousand years...

Customer Reviews:

An imaginative, scary tale........2007-07-01

My son and I read this book together. He was a pre-teen at the time, and I'm glad I was there so we could talk about some of the disturbing things that happened. In spite of the frightening events, we both enjoyed the book and the time we spent together reading it. This book is not for every pre-teen, though. If your younger child reads it, you'll probably want to be there, too.

good book.......2007-06-06

nice light read, enjoyable, imaginative, not too serious, enjoyable by children but intelligent enough for adults, dark and sinister and yet still has a happy side to it, me likey. wont take you very long to get through.

The Best Book Ever!.......2004-04-14

The Thief of Always is a exciting, fun book that keeps you want to keep on reading. A little scary but addicting. The expression bored to death, which was created by Zeus when Hermes told everlasting jokes to a monster, just means your bored for a couple minutes and then you find something to do, but to this boy he is literally bored to death and is taken to a holiday house, a kid's dream! Then things begin to change......if you want to find out what happens I suggest you read the book, The Thief of Always!

A return to the classics.......2002-02-13

This is an incredable story that flows seemlessly from first to last page. It has all the elements of a classic Grim Fairy Tail and some of the best Gothic drawings I've every seen. The charecters are so real that you end up feeling for all of them, and the discription of Mr Hood as a vampire of the soul could not have been more accurate. Not quite one to read to the kids but it's definatly one to read when the kids are asleep.

the holiday house.......2001-12-10

this book was the best book that i had ever read.
although ive probably only read about a minimum of 10 novels in my life this book was the best. Also, the audio cassette version rocks your mom. if you ever listen to an audio book I'd recommend this one.

Average customer rating:

The Thief of Always
A Light, Imaginative Thriller
.eraweB
A touching fable for the young at heart
The Greatest Ever

The Thief of Always
Clive Barker
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0064409945

Book Description

Mr. Hood's Holiday House has stood for a thousand years, welcoming countless children into its embrace. It is a place of miracles, a blissful rounds of treats and seasons, where every childhood whim may be satisfied...

There is a price to be paid, of course, but young Harvey Swick, bored with his life and beguiled by Mr. Hood's wonders, does not stop to consider the consequences. It is only when the House shows it's darker face -- when Harvey discovers the pitiful creatures that dwell in its shadows -- that he comes to doubt Mr. Hood's philanthropy.

The House and its mysterious architect are not about to release their captive without a battle, however. Mr. Hood has ambitious for his new guest, for Harvey's soul burns brighter than any soul he has encountered in a thousand years...

Customer Reviews:

The Thief of Always.......2007-03-30

Once again Clive Barker has taken me on an amazing journey, perfect for adults and children (10+) alike. Definate recommendation.

A Light, Imaginative Thriller.......2007-03-27

Ten-year-old Harvey is bored. He is sitting in his bedroom one February afternoon, watching the rain outside, feeling as bored as he's ever felt. He feels like he might die of boredom. Then, to his surprise, a little person flies through his window. This little man promises Harvey a wonderful vacation where he'll have lots and lots of fun--as long as he doesn't ask any questions. Harvey isn't quite sure about going with the man.

However, a week later, the man shows back up and Harvey decides that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go with him just for a little while. So Harvey walks with him across town through a high wall that isn't really a wall, into a place of magic. Here, at the Holiday House, everyone gives Harvey everything he's ever wanted. Every day holds all of the seasons--in the morning it's like springtime, in the afternoon it's summer, in the early eveing it's fall and time to go trick-or-treating, and in the later evening it's winter and Christmastime. There are two other children there with Harvey--Wendell and Lulu. Lulu, though, has started to go a little bit crazy, so Harvey and Wendell don't spend much time with her.

Harvey intends to only stay at the Holiday House for a few days, but after a couple of reassuring phone calls to his parents when they tell him they want him to stay, he begins to relax. However, he shouldn't relax too much. There are some strange things going on at the Holiday House that aren't fun and exciting. Will Harvey figure out what is going on in time to escape?

I liked the whole idea of the Holiday House--what a perfect vacation spot for little children! I also liked the characters of Rictus, Jive, Marr and Carna. They embodied all characteristics that would be useful for keeping children there. I thought a couple of things weren't believable, though. Harvey seemed to have an undue attachment to Lulu. He barely even knew her, but he was very concerned about her, more so than most ten-year-olds would be. I also didn't buy Harvey's thievery toward the end of the story. It seemed less possible than the rest of the story.

.eraweB.......2006-12-27

A ten-year-old boy named Harvey, bored with his life, falls to the wiles of a seductively welcoming being named Rictus, and becomes a guest at a seemingly wondrous place called Holiday House. At Holiday House, each fun-filled day contains four seasons: and seasons at their very best. The springtime which comes each morning ushers in blossoming flowers and explosions of greenery; the summers that fill the afternoons are always those rare perfect kind one experiences but a few times in the school-less, cloud-less summertime of youth; the autumns that ripens as evening sets in sees the trees dyed with bright colors, as the air cools and the breeze smells sweetly of the bounty of unseen fields. And then winter takes over the night, cold, crisp, perfect for sleeping-in or sitting beside a crackling fire. It's all too good to be true---which of course it is.

Clive Barker's dark fantasy, part fairy tale and part horror story, is clearly intended as a vehicle for appreciative adults to rekindle some of the lost themes of childhood, when the world was simultaneously magical and threatening. In this the imaginative Liverpudlian nearly succeeds. The one serious flaw in The Thief of Always is the same one I've found in nearly everything Clive Barker has written, and that is...as best I can describe it...his story lacks a soul. I don't know any other way to put it. This registers in the ease with which Barker's characters can later be put out of mind, and the acceptance one experiences when something terrible happens to someone we've just spent the last however-many pages reading about. I know legions of Barker fans won't agree with me there, but I have always sensed that about Clive Barker's works, be it The Books of Blood, The Damnation Game, Weaveword, Cabal, or even here, in what was mostly a charming, dark little story.

The Thief of Always is good, it's just not THAT good. It's like a trip through a shattered looking glass; it's flat in a few spots, it's neither character nor plot-driven, and it rushes past far too fast in places where I found myself wishing we could linger. Where Bradbury or King might have gotten the dark fantasy elements right in a tale like this and rendered The Thief of Always an everlasting classic, Barker is just not up to the task.

A touching fable for the young at heart.......2006-09-10

The Great Grey Beast of February has imprisoned Harvey Swick and the young boy is bored to death. How will he ever survive that dreadfully dull period between New Year and Easter? Contemplating his misery, Harvey discovers that he is not alone in his room. Indeed a somewhat strange and scrawny figure is standing in the corner. The man makes himself known as Mr. Rictus and invites Harvey to the Holiday House. And true, Harvey does not believe his eyes: the house is filled with all the pleasures a boy can want. Delicious food, many friends, tons of toys, every day Christmas. What more do you need? Of course there is a price to be paid, but young Harvey Swick, bored with his life and beguiled by the wonders of the Holiday House, does not stop to consider the consequences. Only when he discovers that he is no longer a guest, but a prisoner does Harvey start to react. But maybe it is already too late...

Clive Barker's first attempt at writing a book for a younger audience does not go by unnoticed. As Clive is known for his very dark and fantastic tales, he indeed uses these talents to draw a magnificent place where many children surely would love to hide. But with the same zeal he deconstructs the dream and craftily let the evil seep into the story. Of course the villains are not as dark and disturbed as in his adult novels, but still he manages to portrait a series of characters that would enjoy taking permanent residence in the dreams of the younger ones.

One critique that might pop up is that the setting of the story is so rich that it begs for more than one episode. After reading the story, so many things are left untold that it leaves you wanting for more. Even the narrative itself is extremely concise with its twenty-six chapters counting on average not more than six pages each. It would probably not have hurt if more details were introduced in order to make the environment even more exciting and colorful. Nevertheless the story is exciting enough to get the stamp of a must-read. And please, do not worry if you think you are too old to read this book. You never are!

The Greatest Ever.......2006-07-28

To find a plot that intrigues so many chilren is on thing. To get an adult to read it over and over again is another. Great book.

The Sun Always Shines for the Cool: A Midnight Moon at the Greasy Spoon ; Eulogy for a Small Time Thief

Average customer rating:

Life is a one act play

The Sun Always Shines for the Cool: A Midnight Moon at the Greasy Spoon ; Eulogy for a Small Time Thief
Miguel Pinero
Manufacturer: Arte Publico Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

United States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0934770255

Book Description

A collection of three plays by the master playwright Piñero. "Cool is every bit as powerful, as supercharged with emotion, and as true to life as Short Eyes, only this time, the ex-cons are on the street shucking, jiving and plying their trade" (WRC-TV (NBC)).

Customer Reviews:

Life is a one act play.......2000-07-06

Take a trip with Miguel. Visit the bars of the Lower East Side. Visit the junkies, pimps, prostitutes, and the wannabees. Come on, take this trip and see the world of New York as Miguel saw it. Sit back and watch the dramas of everyday life of the weary unfold. Feel what it's like your first day out of prison. See the tough meet someone tougher. Don't pack any bags. Come as you are. Anything you might need will be provided to you, free of charge. Don't be surprised if you want to leave quickly, or stay longer than you intended. Miguel, the junkie christ, has a habit of doing that to people.

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Always a Thief

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739431560

2 Titles in Thief Series - Once a Thief - Always a Thief

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2 Titles in Thief Series - Once a Thief - Always a Thief
Kay Hooper
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000J4GMEA

Product Description

2 massmarket paperback titles in Thief Series - Once a Thief - Always a Thief

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Clive Barker's the Thief of Always
Clive Barker
Manufacturer: DIAMOND BOOK DISTRIB
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K33ZRM

Clive Barker's The Thief Of Always Book 2 (Thief of Always)

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Clive Barker's The Thief Of Always Book 2 (Thief of Always)
Kris Oprisko , and Gabriel Hernandez
Manufacturer: IDW Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1932382755

Book Description

When Harvey Swick discovers Holiday House's secret, he escapes into a world in which time has sped by without him. Now he must plunge inside once again to regain what's been taken from him.

Clive Barker's The Thief of Always, Book 1

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Clive Barker's The Thief of Always, Book 1
Kris Oprisko , and Gabriel Hernandez
Manufacturer: IDW Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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The Thief of Always

ASIN: 1932382690

Book Description

Within, Mr. Hood's Holiday House has stood for a thousand years, welcoming countless children into its embrace. It is a place of miracles, a blissful round of treats and seasons, where every childhood whim may be satisfied... for a price. In Book One, young Harvey Swick enters the house, mindless of the consequences.

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