This series is one of my top cozy favourites and I always look forward to the next one. A Little Night Murder, though - this one was just chock full o' surprises.

Lexie's back! Nora's (the MC) best friend is out of prison early for reasons unexplained and Nora's helping her hide from the press and all the former clients who lost their fortunes when Lexie's partner's embezzlement came to light. Nora is 7 months pregnant and her constant financial worries have reduced her to wearing her sister's old maternity t-shirts sporting such gems as "Let Me Out, It's Dark in Here!" Nora and Mick are trying to prepare for the birth of not only their biological daughter, but for the adoption of Nora's grand-niece whose biological mother is in prison and due the week after Nora. Speaking of biological mothers: Mick's mom is in town and Nora's meeting her for the first time.

Nora's sisters aren't left out of the angst either: Libby is imploding over becoming a grandmother and Emma has reached the pinnacle of unsuitability in her lovers.

Those are just the things mentioned on the front flap. I'm not mentioning anything else because if you enjoy this series, I don't want to take anything away from the surprises awaiting you. Suffice it to say there are more than a fair few.

In the midst of all of this, Lexie's neighbour, an old showgirl has-been is trying to revive her career, claiming she has found an unpublished musical left in her late husband's papers. He was famous for his musicals and everybody is buzzing about this new find. Until the man's daughter is found dead and oddities and absurdities surrounding the production become apparent. Nora's editor has given her an ultimatum: a story about Lexie and her whereabouts, or a story about Jenny's murder.

Generally speaking, this was a wonderful romp of a story and I didn't want to stop reading it once I started. The mystery plotting is always well done, but my investment is 100% in the characters. The sisters and the people surrounding them are all fleshed out characters with realistic lives, if sometimes their names are a little out there. (I went to school with a Binky and Bubba (sister and brother) so I won't say the names are unrealistic.)

My only harumph: Nora's boss/editor is an Aussie and perhaps in an attempt to avoid the cliched Aussie slang terms such as Bonzer!, Fair Dinkum! etc. etc., the author has chosen to skate a bit close to the obscure. The one that sticks out the most is "dinger" - which I had to look up. It's recognised slang for "condom" but my Aussie born-and-bred husband has never heard of it. Perhaps some of my BL Aussie friends are more familiar with it? There were a couple of others as well, but I forgot what they were and I'll never find them again. Also, in a book with no swearing, I snickered over the author's liberal use of "bugger", but I'm assuming she's well aware of the word's meaning and is banking on most of her readers being unaware. I'm choosing to see it as a quiet little rebellion on her part. :)

The mystery is tied up at the end but the characters are left with a shock - not a cliffhanger, but definitely a story to be continued. Which makes me happy, because it means there's another Blackbird Sister adventure on the horizon. Somebody pass me the champagne and a tacky t-shirt.

NB: I've been googling the surprise at the end of this book and personally I think it's a tissue paper dragon based on the holes apparent after a quick search. But such a thing does exist, who knew? ( )

MINUS - ? ? ? ? ?

When you are stuck and you don't know what to write.... Then DON'T!

Such a piece of schlock...... Poorly written, schmaltzy plot, too much going on, too many detestable characters that you have no choice but hate, and the usually delightful protagonist, Nora Blackbird, has become a blithering idiot....

Nora is pregnant and still a fashion maven (except for her maternity wear). She & Mick are about to be married (Friday). His mother (a bitch-on-wheels) shows up. Her friend, Lexie, is out of prison; working w/ Mick on a project; and on the lam from the press....

Nora's two sisters as whacked as usual... Emma, the alcoholic is still drinking, but in a "controlled" manner (not even possible) and still refuses to see her child, which Mick & Nora are caretaking. Libby, the baby-machine, is seeing an older man whom she intends to marry for his money and is not speaking to Nora.

Nora's boss is still an unmitigated *#&@, and is more odious than ever...... Nora refuses to stand up to him.

Then there is the murder, which seems to be written as an "aside".... The characters are also odious. These nutcakes are in the midst of staging a musical that recently was recently "discovered" and written by a famous broadway writer/producer. His wife (now blue from too much colloidal silver & supplements) wants the lead, his daughter (who actually wrote the work) is now deceased (murdered as is the "nurse"), the understudy is nasty & sociopathic, the mysterious "backer" is off who-knows-where, the main producer (he's marrying Libby ) isn't putting his money up on a sure-losing project.

Like I said, the murder (which is suppose to be the main plot line) is merely an aside and it is never clear who the suspects are. The conclusion to "who-done-it" (as with this book) is weak and forgettable......

I am finished with this series....... ( )

A Little Night Murder is the tenth book in the A Blackbird Sisters Mystery series.

Nora Blackbird life is a busy one, once again. Nine months pregnant and her and Michael are planning their wedding, hoping that her sister, Libby doesn't learn about it and turn it into a three ring circus.

Nora's friend Lexi has gotten out prison and they are relaxing by the pool of Lexi's mother's home. While catching up with their lives they hear music coming from the neighbor's home next door. When they hear a scream coming from the house, they go to see what might be the problem. They soon learn that the body of Jenny Tuttles has been found, dead, in her bedroom. Jenny was the daughter of the legendary music composer, “Toodles” Tuttle. She had been putting together a new musical, using songs that were recently found that Toodles had supposedly written. Michael's mother soon arrives claiming she is to star in the musical. Of course Nora can't help but to begin to investigate whether Jenny has committed suicide or was in fact murdered.

This book wouldn't be complete without the other sister showing up. Emma seems to have dealt with her pass abuses and is heading down the road to recovery and has been able to find a top notch horse to train. Libby… well Libby is still Libby. Looking for a man to let her live a life she would like to be accustomed to. Forever laughing and shaking my head at her antics.

Looking forward to the next book in the series. ( )

I have to be honest; I love a good Blackbird Sisters Mystery. And this one was no exception and probably the best one in the entire series so far.

Nora is finally pregnant with Michael’s baby, and they are planning a secret wedding, but there are so many things in the way. Nora’s job is a journalist for a Philly paper, that may or may not always tell the truth, but Nora is determined to make her part of the paper a success by being honest in her columns, even though her boss continually wants her to dig up dirt, even if she has to make it up. She attends parties and charities galore and then writes about the elite in the society and entertainment pages. Nora seems to know everyone who is anyone.

In this particular book, Nora has stumbled on yet another murder while visiting her best friend, Lexie, who has just been released from prison for manslaughter. But this time it’s the daughter of a deceased Broadway legend, Toodles Tuttle. Jenny and her mother, Boom Boom, and a cast of characters from previous Broadway shows, has set up rehearsals in Jenny’s home for a play that was supposedly written by Toodles before he died. But Jenny knows something about this play that no one in the cast wants to come out, and someone wants to keep her quiet….. permanently. Her death looks like a heart attack, but the clues don’t add up.

Enter Nora’s outrageous soon to be Mother-in-law who may or may not be involved in this murder, a boss Nora constantly spars with and has to fend off, an older sister who can’t stop talking or trying to plan things, including Nora’s wedding, and a younger sister who wants nothing to do with the little boy she gave birth to with a married man. Now this man can’t handle it, so he’s asked Nora and Michael to take care of him for a few years. Pretty soon she’ll have 3 children under the age of 1 since she is also adopting her nephew’s baby after it’s born in a few weeks.

Michael, being the son of the New Jersey Mob boss, is now trying to disband his mob family now that Big Frankie, is in prison, but it has also put many people out of business and they are not too happy with him. Which puts Michael and Nora in constant danger. Michael is also keeping a few secrets of his own, and working with Lexie on a project that they can’t share with Nora, which makes her nervous. Are they headed down a dark path together? Should she trust that they know what they are doing? But she is used to worrying about Michael’s safety, so instead focuses on the murder and begins to investigate. As she gets closer and closer to the truth, her safety and the safety of her unborn baby are jeopardized; she’s not sure who to turn to. She seems to be the only sane person in this mess, but even she has doubts about that.

I loved this book and with a madcap cast of characters, with names like Toodles Tuttle and Boom Boom Tuttle how could it not be a fun ride? I’ve enjoyed each of the Blackbird Sisters books, and highly recommend them. The ending was quite a surprise, though. Very unexpected. I like a book that can keep you on your toes. I look forward to the next one in the series. If you haven’t read them, start with book one. How to Murder a Millionaire ( )