Last Writes
Series: Jaine Austen Mystery Book #2
Author: Laura Levine
Publisher: Kensington Books
Page Count: 244
My Rating:
Book Summary
Wisecracking pen-for-hire Jaine Austen is back–and she’s about to discover that working on the set of a Hollywood sitcom is no laughing matter. Jaine still hasn’t found a good man–or a way to keep all those sugary snacks from going straight to her hips. But–with a little help from her best friend Kandi–she’s finally landed a gig as a sitcom writer! True, Muffy ‘n Me isn’t going to win any Emmys, but for Jaine, being on staff sure beats writing boring brochures and bad resumes. Until the plot thickens–with murder.
Jaine figures the trouble all started when Muffy ‘n Me’s hottest star, gorgeous Quinn Kirkland, seduced the head writer–whose husband also works on the show. But when Quinn’s caught in bed with the barely-legal actress who plays his niece, things really heat up–and his many jealous girlfriends start to figure things out.
So when the no-good heartthrob drops dead after nibbling a poisoned doughnut, Jaine isn’t terribly surprised. But who could have done it? A competitive co-star and a couple of scorned lovers top Jaine’s list of suspects, but the police have zeroed in on her man-crazy pal Kandi. Now Jaine has to figure out who finally stopped Quinn’s cheatin’ heart–before her best friend ends up behind bars.
More Facts for Readers about our Sleuth:
Main Sleuth: Jaine Austen (age 36)
Physical Description: White female, curvy, brown curly hair
Best friend: Kandi Tobolowski
Location: Beverly Hills, California
Time of Year: Spring (April?)
Business: writer on a sitcom
Pet: 1 cat named Prozac
Love Interest: None specifically
Family: Mom
Cussing? Yes
Diversity? Yes and No. This book was written in the early 2000s before a time of “wokeness” so while the main sleuth is a white female who seems liberal and open-minded she is also self aware of her own stereotypical ways of thinking. For example, in this particular book she sees a man of color and assumes he is approaching her in a bad way when in fact he is a doctor who ends up being really helpful. She’s self-aware of her stereotyping and prejudice in the moment, but the fact that it was still written into the book itself implies that the author thinks this way too. Is she calling attention to the dangers of stereotyping? Yes. But does it suck that it’s still in the book? Yes.
My Review
The fun continues in “Last Writes” book 2 in the Jaine Austen murder mystery series by Laura Levine. This early 2000’s book again has tons of references to pop culture which would likely be lost on the next generation (I’m a Millenial as a point of reference). At the time it was written I’m sure this was very relevant and tapped into a vein of women who were living fast-paced, single girl lives where a little black dress was an absolute must to break into the dating scene. And I don’t say this as an insult or criticism – it’s just a different type of feminism.
This books has a lot more sex and va-va-voom than a typical cozy, but if you like your books juicy and scandalous then you’ll have fun with this series – it’s definitely a girls on the go type of thriller. The main sleuth is sassy and has tongue in cheek humor as she deals with womanizers, cheaters, and jealous girls – but she can certainly hold her own. Lovers of the Stephanie Plum series, Ally McBeal, or Melrose Place would probably get a kick out of this series. And this is another short read at only 244 pages!
