Review: Deadly Advice by Roberta Isleib

So back on December 14th, Roberta Isleib read my blog reviews, commented, and asked me if I'd like a copy of a book she'd written called Deadly Advice. Wow! The blogosphere can be a weird place, so I went to her website, and she seemed to be a legitimate person. "Of course", I said, "I'd love a copy of your book! I'll even review it!" I worried about the last. What if it was terrible? I didn't promise a great review, and I have to be honest about my book opinions. Cross that bridge if it comes I thought.

I got the book (signed!) amazingly fast, and delved in. I promise you, readers, I'm not just saying this because I was a victim of random kindness -- I really loved the book! It's good. Mind you, it's not a literary tome that will be discussed in graduate literature. No, this is the little mystery you grab when you are going to the beach, or waiting for some interminable appointment and you just want to be entertained, darn it!

The main character is a clinical psychologist. I'm not a psychologist, I'm a psychotherapist (M.A. instead of a Ph.D.) but still, I could relate. I must say, though, I usually hate books where there is a therapist as the main character, because the authors usually get it so wrong. I find myself saying "She can't reveal that!" or "She would never say that!" through the whole book. Roberta got it spot on. Silly me, it took me half the book to glance at her bio and realize she is a clinical psychologist! No wonder she has it so right! duh. These clinical details don't mire you down, but even if you have a faint interest in the therapy world, you'll be glad that it's done right.

I also like mysteries where the main character isn't necessarily a sleuth or detective, just a normal person finding themselves swept up in investigating something. Roberta does this very realistically, not making it seem like the main character is excessively nosy or bizarre. Of course, at the end, her motivations are even more clear. And then there's the very end, which of course leaves you hanging deliciously so that we can look forward to the next in the series.....

There will be a next, right, Roberta?

She also has a golf mystery series that I might check out. I just love having small, easily readable paperback mysteries on hand for those occasions where a book in the purse is just what you need....