Designed for Death

By: Jean Harrington

Narrated by: Gayle Hendrix

An Eye for Detail, a Nose for Trouble

Interior designer Deva Dunne's latest project comes to a screeching halt when blood on the carpet leads her to the body of her client, an exotic dancer with a mysterious past. But the murdered woman is not the only resident of the posh beachfront condominium with secrets, and investigating officer Lieutenant Victor Rossi considers them all suspects.

Though wary of working in the killer's midst, Deva continues decorating the unit for the new owner. When she stumbles upon clues that might help crack the case, she can't resist doing a little digging of her own, despite Rossi's orders to quit meddling. Now, she's juggling the investigation, her career and sexy neighbor Simon Yaeger, who seems interested in more than her etchings.

Deva can't help but be flattered by all the male attention - ;that is, until she realizes the killer has designs on her, too...

©2011 Jean Harrington (P)2011 Harlequin

Worth Hanging In There

Caution: If you're like me, you'll find the first chapter tough to endure. The narrator starts out rather flat and the storyline fails to entice.

But hang in there! By the middle of the second chapter, the narrator gets some fun new characters to wok with -- and the plot starts to get juicy. Settle back and enjoy what turns into a delightful and silly little mystery.

Solid Start

This is a very good start for a series. It's full of twists and turns throughout the book that will keep you from guessing the murderer. The characters are interesting, quirky, and likable. I look forward to the next in the series.

ACTRESS MAKES SLEUTH COME ALIVE

What made the experience of listening to Designed for Death the most enjoyable?

The story intrigued me, first of all. Loved the idea of an interior designer out solving crime. And the voice of Gayle Hendrix was excellent. She didn't just read, she enacted the book, changing her voice for the various characters, speaking the dialogue as if she were on stage. Thoroughly enjoyable all around.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Designed for Death?

Oh the ending, by far. The Florida hurricane and apprehending the murderer came together as a perfect storm.

Which scene was your favorite?

Hmmm, probably the several scenes at the Foxy Lady. I've never been to a kinky bar, so to experience it in writing was great fun.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The devil's in the details, and this devil's out to kill.

Any additional comments?

Designed for Death is a tongue-in-cheek look at murder, and the audio version brought out both the fun and the fury in this story.

Familiar storyline

if this were the first book of this kind I had read I might have loved it but it was just too similar in storyline for me - slightly bumbling heroine, multiple love interests, quirky characters. Too many gasps and gulps of air as well.

Narrator sounds older than 32

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Selected a narrator that had a younger voice and better acting skills

How could the performance have been better?

I just did not find the narrators voice good for the story, it ruined it for me