Bulletproof Mascara

A Novel

By: Bethany Maines

Narrated by: Renée Raudman

When Nikki Lanier signs up as a cosmetics rep at Carrie Mae, it’s hardly her idea of a dream job. With a degree in linguistics and a hard-core workout regimen, the 26-year-old redhead once had hopes for a real career. But unemployed and desperate to escape life at home with her nagging mother, she’ll try anything – even selling make-up to housewives. But soon, Nikki learns that the powder and lipstick are simply cover-up for The Carrie Mae Foundation: a secret organization of international espionage and high-tech mascara founded for the purpose of “helping women everywhere.”

Whisked off to Thailand with her appointed partner, the legendary Carrie Mae agent Val Robinson, Nikki is soon in over her head. Between investigating the abduction of a human rights advocate, tracking down a murderous arms dealer, keeping up with her wildly dangerous new partner, and occasionally trying to have a dating life (with a hunk who may or may not be CIA), Nikki has to use all the courage and cosmetic technology she’s got to bring down the bad guys and get out alive.

With the support of the colorful Carrie Mae crew, a handsome yet suspicious stranger, and her wickedly unpredictable partner, Nikki will overcome even the most harrowing obstacles – including incessant phone calls from her mother – or die trying.

©2010 Bethany Maines (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Ready for the next installment

This is not rocket science, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable story. Things start a little slowly as we flash back and forth between recent past and present at least while the present is new agent training. The mix of past and present is good, not too much time in either timeframe. The flavor is a little Get Smart meets Man From UNCLE. I had a wonderful time figuring out who were the good guys and who were the bad guys. The setup is great for a recurring series and I can't wait for the next book.

Charlie's Angel's with a modern twist

I bought this book because it was featured on the homepage and seemed interesting. It was a bit corny at times but actually interesting. The idea of women selling cosmetics doubling as spies was a bit much but it actually works for the story. The characters are developed nicely in the beginning so towards the end of the book when everything comes together their actions are very believable. If there is a sequel I will buy it.

Didn't Live Up To The Title

From the title, I was expecting a somewhat Stephanie Plum-type story. I guess that was my unrealistic mistake. The story took quite a bit of time for me to connect with the characters. In fact, if not for the fact that I had used one of my credits for this, I might have stopped listening to it. The last quarter of the book was interesting and had a satisfying solution. The narrator did a good job. I probably will not read the next story.

Didn't Live Up To The Title

From the title, I was expecting a somewhat Stephanie Plum-type story. I guess that was my unrealistic mistake. The story took quite a bit of time for me to connect with the characters. In fact, if not for the fact that I had used one of my credits for this, I might have stopped listening to it. The last quarter of the book was interesting and had a satisfying solution. The narrator did a good job. I probably will not read the next story.

Good idea, but took a while to get going

I've never listened/read any of this author's work before, but I really liked the title and it was on sale for $4.95. I love when Audible does that because I'm willing to try someone new for $5! This book has an interesting storyline idea, but it took awhile to get going. Once it did, I liked it. Wasn't great, but I might try one more book in the series before writing it off.

Chick lit at its best!

Easy read! I thought very entertaining. I listened to the first half while driving on a trip, and I couldnt wait to listen to the second half when I got home! Lighthearted and entertaining with a smart heroine, not just one who stumbled into trouble! I hope there are more to come!

Not even worth the money, much less the time

A lame cross between Nancy Drew and the Powerpuff Girls, except that the supportive father-figure is not her own, and the mother is a bitchy shrew. We have chubby Bess, mouthy George, and a hunky Ned, wildly improbable Powerpuff plot twists with a totally insupportable finish. Haunted by insecurities and uncertainty, the heroine still manages in all situations to perform heroically on an almost superhuman level. The jumping back and forth in time might have worked if there were secrets to have been revealed; as it is, it's merely annoying.

While purporting to have feminist themes, even characters in their fifties are referred to as "girls," career is trumped by "love," and the cast of stock female characters were hair-rippingly stereotyped and formulaic. If this is chick lit, I'm going back to dick lit. This was way too uneven to recommend even as kid lit, but that's the classification it deserves.