...Deadly Pleasures is a fast paced whodunit that takes a few unexpected twists and turns. If you like your mysteries with a bit of romance, then you will enjoy this debut novel by Mary Firmin. To read my review in its entirety, please visit http://www.bookreviewsandmorebykathy.com/2012/08/07/deadly-pleasures/ ( )

In Deathly Pleasures, you are invited to explore a culture where the darker a pleasure is—the more delight is to be found in it. Witness the collusion between the seemingly stable world of wealthy yacht club members, and the gritty, risqué world of BDSM clubs. Of the many characters, who is the Bondage Murderer, and which of the two worlds does he—or she—come from?

The author, Mary Firmin, aims for a fun, action filled delivery that will leave you at the edge of your seat. Her female protagonist, Megan Riley (a struggling real estate agent) is a woman who learns to find her strength. She takes risks, which makes her a dynamic character, and no less intense than the male protagonist, Matt Donovan (an LAPD detective.) Many of the reviews have given a plot summary already. Instead, I will focus on the writing.

The story is crafted, for the most part, in brisk utterances, short paragraphs. Leading up to the cinematic climax, Megan has to compose herself, and figure out her surroundings. “Then it all came back. She was on the Grants’ yacht. She was in the hallway. She’s been attacked from behind. She was hit on the head, over and over… Whoever it was had done a real number.”

The author punctuates her story, ever so cleverly, with clues, some of which are red herring, for the fun of keeping you guessing until the last twist of the plot. When she does offer descriptions, they are crafted with economy, and reflect her many days of sailing up and down the California Coastline: “Sliver-lined clouds hovered above the island, hiding the moon. From where she stood, Megan could see the anchor lights of the boats repeat themselves in the blackness of the water and glimmer like reflected stars.”

Five Stars. ( )

Mary Firmin debut novel is fantastic, the character development, plot and her writing draws you in and doesn’t let you go till you reach the end. This is a great murder, mystery and romance novel and was so well written you don’t want to put it down. I for one will be keeping my eye on anything Mary Firmin writes.

Megan Riley, the main character is struggling, she has addictions problems, struggling at work due to the bad economy and worse she has just ended her relationship. Her girlfriends who are bored wealthy women are sick of their cheating husbands and decide to take matters in their own hands and hire a stripper named Michael Harrington to service their many needs. Mean while women are being murdered and Detective Matt Donovan is on the case. When Megan and Matt’s paths cross during the investigation you instantly feel the chemistry between these two.

This story is a fantastic read, you have murder, mystery and romance, and you get a glimpse into the darker side of things, blackmail, escort services, the bdsm lifestyle. Mary Firmin’s writing is excellent, easy to follow and she throws a twist here and there just to throw the readers off. I have rated this Deadly Pleasure’s 4 starts and cannot wait to read more of Mary’s work.

I recommend this novel to anyone who loves a great murder/mystery novels.
( )

This cover totally got my interest & the synopsis didn’t sound too bad either! & you guys know me, I’m extra picky about what I read!

This book wasn’t at all like I thought it was going to be. I was expecting it to be one of those Romance books that knocks your socks off – with just a hint of suspense it in! – She totally flipped the script on me! This is mainly a murder/mystery with some romance thrown in. Which, is also totally okay with me, seeing as to how I love me some suspense.

I love me some Megan. She is everything you want in a leading lady! She’s driven, stronger than she realizes, has morals from here to next year and has some awesome taste in men! Well, minus the ex-fiance that just won’t leave her alone! She is, in all aspects of the word, a fighter. – Throw in some friends who feel it’s a “brilliant idea” to “time-share” a man – and you get the amazingly funny stuff that is, Deadly Pleasures.

Men do it all the time right? Share women? So this makes it okay for women to do it too, right? This is the logic Megan’s friends used. Already iffy on the idea, Megan meets Detective Matt Donovan, the lead detective in charge of the murder investigation. Talk about REALLY not wanting to be a part of it now!

Donovan is a “swoon” factor of his own. Yes, I said swoon. I mean really, read the description of him and then tell me you don’t agree! :) His determination to find the killer drives him in just about everything he does. Upon meeting Megan; he finds himself questioning himself. Is he good enough for her, this high society woman? Add into that the fact that his trust in Megan is slipping each and every time something happens in this case.

I did find myself wanting to shake some people in this book though. There were alot of “OMG – YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER!” and “NO YOU DIDN’T” moments. This made for some laughs though! I loved the pace of this book. It wasn’t too slow and it wasn’t so fast that you find yourself confused for most of the book. The ending was a surprise to me. Here I thought I had the whole thing figured out and then NOPE. Better luck next time! lol

This is an awesome book for the murder/mystery readers! ( )

Description:

What do you do when you are a high class, rich, entitled, yacht-owning woman who finds out that her husband has a mistress on the side? For spurned wives Alex, Rachel, Kathleen, and Megan the answer is clear - get a "timeshare boytoy"; aka hire and share sexy stripper Michael Harrington!
Recovering addict and victim of a bad break-up, (and a crappy real estate market), Megan has her doubts about this new venture - but friends know best, right? Unfortunately, their plans go awry when prostitutes start turning up dead at Bayside Yacht Club, and everyone's a suspect - even their husbands. What is the killer's real agenda? Will Megan's growing feelings for widower Detective Matt Donovan protect her from the killer's twisted game? Or will her proximity to the case leave her and her friends sliced stern to bow?

Review:

When I first spotted the cover of Deadly Pleasures, I couldn't help but wonder what I was getting myself into. I am not usually a fan of the semi-erotic paperback romances that my grandmother enjoys, but from chapter one I sensed a difference. Mary Firmin is a very talented writer. Her attention to detail, the fast-paced sinuosity of the story-line, and her well-written characters immediately caught my eye; but for me, the smart balance of humor tied the whole book together. I ended up starting the book at 11, fully intending to take my time, and went to bed at 3:45 craving a sequel. The story goes from light and lively on one page to dark, twisty and surprise-full on the next. I did manage to figure out who the murderer was before the reveal, but the possibilities were endless. Admittedly, Mary Firmin's ability to introduce well-developed and realistic characters mid-story had me second-guess myself a couple of times. Back to the cover, I am not a fan, but I get the idea. The adage,"Don't judge a book by its cover", comes to mind - the murder mystery far outweighs the eroticism insinuated by the cover image. I recommend this book to adults (17+) of both genders who enjoy a mystery that will leave them satisfied. Now all I have to do is wait for the sequel...

Rating: On the Run (4/5)

*** I received this book from the author (Lightning Book Promotions) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. ( )