Shoulder Bags and Shootings by Dorothy Howell

Kensington Publishing
July 2010

Genre: Chick Lit, Cozy Mystery

Haley Randolph enjoys everything life has to offer. She just spent the last couple of weeks in Europe with her handsome boyfriend, Ty, who happens to be the owner of the department store where she works as a salesperson. She then gets a chance to drive his grandmother’s expensive Mercedes home from the airport and now she’s on her way to buy the latest designer pocketbook – a Sinful pocketbook. She absolutely must have one. Things don’t get better than this…until she looks in the trunk of the car. Facing her is the dead body of her business competitor, Tiffany Markham.

Haley and Tiffany have had their problems in the past since they both have purse party companies and are constantly competing with each other, but Haley didn’t want her dead. Unfortunately, the police don’t believe her and are ready to pin the crime right on her doorstep. Haley realizes if she wants to prove her innocence, she’ll have to do it on her own.

This madcap adventure will have readers laughing along with Haley’s antics, as well as trying to figure out who really killed Tiffany. Howell writes with a comedic flair and in the same vein as Sophie Kinsella’s Confessions of a Shopaholic series. Think chick lit meets cozy mystery.

Although it’s the third book in the “A Haley Randolfph Mystery” series, I have not read the previous two but that did not take away from my enjoyment of this book. I do have the first two books and intend to read them.

I totally enjoyed this book. It’s a fast-paced tale that will leave readers smiling after the last page is turned. This is one author I’m adding to my book buying shopping list.




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Chick Lit Reading Challenge
Cozy Mystery Reading Challenge
Mystery Reader Cafe Reading Challenge
Read Your Own Book Reading Challenge