Jennifer Colt - Author of the McAfee Twins™ Novels

A Rripping Great Read, May 9, 2010 Star-Star-Star-Star-Star
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hellraiser of the Hollywood Hills: A McAfee Twins Novel (Paperback)

Terry and Kerry McAfee are twins -- they are also a couple of very active private investigators who find themselves embroiled in the attempted kidnapping of a music star in a seedier part of the Hollywood scene. But being bodyguards for a head case like bubble-gum-pop star like Bethany becomes as hazardous as it is complicated with past secrets, missing millions, stolen identity, blackmail, and murder. "The Hellraiser Of The Hollywood Hills" is a ripping great read by Jennifer Colt who is a genuinely gifted storyteller, and is the fifth in a series featuring these two remarkable and memorable young women. For those mystery enthusiasts for whom this is their first introduction to the mystery solving California sisters, check out their four previous titles: The Butcher of Beverly Hills; The Mangler of Malibu Canyon; The Vampire of Venice Beach; and The Con Artist of Catalina Island.

Author's Note: I know it looks like all I ever do is go online and promote my books -- but somebody's gotta! xoJ

Go to the Amazon link above for this limited-time promotion to celebrate the release of Hellraiser:

The Con Artist of Catalina Island - only $11.99 in paperback!

The Con Artist of Catalina Island - only $3.99  now ONLY $1.99 in Kindle format!

All of the McAfee Twins novels stand alone, so if you've never read one you can start at these great prices. We think you'll be hooked!

There aren't many reviews yet, so I thought it would be helpful to post these comments from the CreateSpace editor:

MASTER COMMENT
The Hellraiser of the Hollywood Hills, by Jennifer Colt

Overview
Congratulations on the well-earned recognition for this smart, witty, and highly entertaining novel. Hellraiser was a true pleasure to read and edit.

Characterization
The figures populating Hellraiser walk the perfect line between character and caricature (without a touch of the latter, it wouldn’t be Hollywood, would it?). Each person is quirky, and no one is superfluous; even the minor characters are memorable and serve to advance the plot and keep readers entertained.

Plot Flow
The intricate inner workings of this manuscript were clearly blueprinted with care and precision. Readers will appreciate the way you move the action and continually complicate each thread of the plot.

Structure
The suspense in Hellraiser is masterfully created, with small mysteries doled out just often enough to keep the stakes raised and the tension up. The action continues to rise and ultimately peaks in the climactic confrontation between (PLOT SPOILERS DELETED!).

Tone and Style
Kerry’s clever and slightly sarcastic narrative voice sets a wonderful tone for the novel, and the style is on display consistently from start to finish. Each sentence is inflected with her particular brand of humor, which lends the book a fully three-dimensional air.

Dialogue
The dialogue in this manuscript not only reveals character and advances the plot (its two most important functions), it’s also highly entertaining and it keeps the pace moving. I was especially impressed with the way characters often talk “past” each other—this makes the conversations realistic and relatable.

Point of View
Hellraiser from any other point of view simply wouldn’t be the same; Kerry is the perfect narrator, and readers will be glad to see the story unfold through her astute eyes.

Greetings, liebchens. The McAfee Twins are now available in the land of Goethe! Just click on the pictures in the carousel in the lower right-hand corner  to read alles about it. Achtung, German teachers of the world: enough with the sturm und drang. Give your students something FUN to read!