Kris Neri Books

I found this collection of short stories to be amazingly gripping and enjoyable. Each of the stories were well written and kept my attention from start to finish. I've not been a fan of locked room mysteries, however, I must admit that Phil Mann's "Touch Of A Vanish'd Hand" not only kept my attention but spurred me to purchase more books in this specific genre. Joan Myers' "Copycat" was another personal favorite. I tip my hat to each of these authors as well as the three editors. Thank you for such a wonderful piece of modern literature.

Although I'm a voracious mystery fan, I tend to shy away from short stories as they never seem well developed enough. This anthology, however, has changed my mind. Each story is exceptionally well crafted with well defined characters, clever plot lines and lots of twists along the way. There is a mystery here to satisfy every taste and type. And there isn't a red herring in the bunch. Plaudits to the members of SinCLA - keep 'em coming!

The Los Angeles chapter of Sisters in Crime has released a captivating short story collection centering on what else: murder and mayhem. The twelve stories are fun to read as they vary in methods, means, and motives, but share a common background: the LA area and a common theme: of entertaining the reader. Characters run the gamut from the underbelly of society to the elite, but act as culprits dispensing murder. Though this is the "sisterhood", two of the collaborators are males, but the audience would not know gender if the stories were contributed anonymously because they are all strong entries.

Fans of murder and mystery anthologies will fully relish this collection. For the most part, the authors are just starting to become known, but in some cases, this reviewer has never previously read a work by a particular contributor. That error will be corrected as each writer holds up his or her end of the book, making for a wonderful reading experience.

Harriet Klausner

A Deadly Dozen is a compilation of short stories, naturally involving murders, written by the Sisters in Crime in Los Angeles, California. Featuring a deadly dozen stories from such authors as: Kris Neri, Cynthia Lawrence, Cory Newman, Lisa Seidman, and others, these stories provide a platform for these writers to dip their pens into stories with a twist. This group, which formed in 1986, led by Sara Paretsky, Sisters in Crime is now a respected national organization. The Los Angeles Chapter was formed by Phyllis Miller in 1989. In recent years, male writers have been welcomed into the organization. A Deadly Dozen is the second anthology published by this group.

The problem...and the thrill...of short stories is that the characters have to introduce themselves to the reader early and completely. The reader has to immediately descend into the world that the author has created, and be ready for a real jolt at the end. Kris Neri's chilling "Sentence Imposed" does just that:

"Call it fate, call it chance--either way, it'll change your life. Sometimes you just find yourself staring into a crowd, your gaze floating aimlessly over a sea of faces you won't remember the instant you look away--until one person's eyes seem to grab hold of yours and you make a connection. You can't explain it, but somehow your life and that stranger's become bound together. When I made that link, it was with a little girl."

Whatever the subject, these writers know how to pull no punches. "Wifely Duties" is a Hitchcockian tale of a wife who plots to kill her husband, and ends up as a victim herself. "Push Comes to Shove" is a wrestler's nightmare. "Fatal Tears" is a classic sibling rivalry piece. A Deadly Dozen exposure is like taking in several episodes of "Night Gallery," with cataloging students catching a murderer in "Miss Parker and the Cutter-Sanborn Tables."

Shelley Glodowski, Reviewer

A DEADLY DOZEN (TALES OF MURDER FROM LOS ANGELES ) is the third anthology following the 1997 DESSERTICIDE (DESSERTS TO DIE FOR ) and 1998 MURDER BY THIRTEEN.

The Los Angles chapter of Sisters in Crime has released a book of twelve short stories, based on murder and mayhem. I usually do not like to read short stories, but these stories were fully contained with well-crafted plots and well defined characters. My favorites were Wifely Duties, because every woman can identify with Lucy and her discontent with her marriage, but I would like to think that we would not go to the lengths that she did, and with such a startling conclusion. Cats and Jammer was another favorite, it's about a teen-age detective that finds a body and the suspects are many.

Stories included are: Sentience Imposed by Kris Neri Wifely Duties by Cory Newman Push Comes To Shove by Nathan Walpow Fatal Tears by Ekaterine Nikas Miss Parker and the Cutter Sanborn Tablets by Gay Tolti Kinman Driven To Kill by Jamie Wallace Touch Of A Vanish'd Hand by Phil Mann Ai Witness by Kate Tornton Over My Shoulder by Lisa Seidman The Cats And Jammer, by Gayle McGary Copy Cat by Joan Myers Midnight by Dorothy Rellas

This book is well worth the read.

I found the book a little hard to follow. When the murderer was revealed, I didn't really even remember who he/she was and didn't much care. I guess maybe the setting wasn't something I could relate to. The "smart aleck" tone turns me off too.

What do you do when your mother is found, alone, with the bloody remains of a corpse and won't tell you or any one else what happened? Dem Bones Revenge, Kris Neri's new hilarious look at murder, mayhem, mystery and parents, mystery writer Tracy Eaton, whose mother, Martha is a famous film star accused of murder, must defend her mother. Never mind that her mother doesn't want to be defended and impedes Tracy's efforts at every turn. Add to that trying to meet a publishing deadline, dealing with a double-dealing editor, a father that can't or won't be found, and decades old scandals and you have a story that is will have you laughing out loud, squealing with delight when you solve the murder, only to turn the page and find out you are wrong and feeling very good that Martha isn't your mother. And the more Tracy digs into the past, the more she realizes that she really doesn't want to do this as she finds herself suspecting everyone from her dad to her own husband. A book that will make you very grateful for your mother's idiosyncrasies, because whatever they are, they can't be this bad.

Kris Neri garnered spectacular success with her first Tracy Eaton mystery, Revenge Of The Gypsy Queen. Nominated for Anthony, Macavity and Agatha awards for Best First Novel, it was apparent that Kris Neri was an up and comer. Kris had published numerous short stories of the mystery genre in magazines and is currently at work on Tracy's next adventure: Revenge For Old Times Sake.

Picture a "Postcards from the Edge" type of relationship between mother and daughter. Mother is a combination of Elizabeth Taylor and Debbie Reynolds. Tracy is more of a combination of Calamity Jane and Princess Leia. Throw in Tracy's husband, who could be a mix of Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis in a suit. But Tracy is a struggling writer about to be cut off by her publisher. She has two days to "fix" her latest novel, and suddenly Mother is the prime suspect in the murder of Vince Sperry. Did Martha Collins commit murder, or did she just stumble into the thick of things? Did she want to save her mother? From the start, Neri sets up a hilarious dialogue between Tracy and Martha:

"Mother sidled close to my ear. `There's a telephone number everyone in Beverly Hills is talking about. You order a servant you can keep forever for little more than a few years' salary. I heard about it from Rico, my hairdresser. As I reeled away from her into a pile of skiwear, I shook my head. `Please tell me I'm adopted.'"

Needless to say, Dem Bones Revenge is a hilarious mystery because it so closely resembles the real deal between mothers and daughters. Tracy's character struggles with her desire to euphemistically murder her mother while trying to save her. Martha Collins is the stereotypical aging actress who can't quite get over her case of the pampered movie star blues. The plot pulls the reader from one near-miss to another as Tracy stubbornly peels away the layers of facade, pulls her husband Drew into the act, and saves Martha from herself.

Neri's characters are unique, fresh, and yet somehow are people we all know and love. She knows her territory, being a Southern Californian, which gives the plot a unique perspective.

Shelley Glodowski, Reviewer

Tracy's life is in an uproar. Her publisher has just called to say that they are dropping her mystery series unless she drastically changes her latest book, the advance for which has already been spent. The contractor shows up two days early to enlarge her closets. Her husband is panicked because he's starting the biggest case in his legal career that morning. And that's all before her mother, movie star Martha Collins, calls to say she's been arrested for murder. What a way to start a Monday.

To Tracy's frustration, Martha doesn't seem interested in proving her innocence, so, despite promises to the contrary, Tracy begins to investigate. With Uncle Philly along to help, she starts finding connections and clues that lead back 30 years. But what do they all mean? And is Martha really innocent?

As you can probably guess, this book is loads of fun with hilarious goings on all over the place. Tracy's sarcastic narration also adds to the humor level. The plot itself twists every which way. I hadn't read it for a couple years and was just as confused as the first time, even if I did remember the ultimate ending. And the characters are well developed and pull you further into the story.

Anyone looking for a fun, lighthearted mystery need look no further then this series. Buy it today for a romp on the wild and fun side of murder.

Tracy Eaton was the author of the "Tessa Graham Mystery Series". At that point in time her house was like a pig sty (due to a small redecoration project), her publisher had a lot of changes to be made to the latest book (to be completed within three days), and her husband was stressed out from trying to make partner in the law firm. When Tracy believed it could get NO worse, her mother called!

Martha Collins had been a Hollywood goddess for what seemed like forever. Yet she still looked wonderful and made people notice her. She found Vince Sperry's body, called the police, and became the number one suspect! No matter how hard Tracy tried to clear her mother of the charges, her mother kept blocking her from doing so. Tracy kept wondering just WHAT was a daughter to do in a time like that and just WHY had she not been an orphan?

***** An excellent "who-dunnit" mystery that kept me guessing right up until the end! Tossed with bits of humor that I could not help but enjoy. This is one I definitely did not want to end! Luckily for me, this is a series of mysteries that began with "Revenge Of The Gypsy Queen" and will continue. I find myself eagerly looking forward to the next mystery in Tracy Eaton's bizarre world! Highly recommended for all mystery fans! *****

I'm not usually a fan of this type of mystery, but Kris Neri managed to convert me. An engaging and humorous style, and a strong plot kept me turning the pages, and I really enjoyed meeting Amateur-Detective Tracy and her family. Mafia characters and a tough cop are added to the mix which should satisfy the "I only read hard-boiled" types like me. Check it out!

This book was a huge disappointment. It wasn't particularly funny, and the plot was hopelessly contrived and convoluted. Having grown up loving Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie, I'm not exactly a fanatic about stark realism -- but even I found this unthinkably unbelievable. A complete waste of time.

Tracy Eaton's trip to New York was not what she expected. Instead of quality time with her in-laws getting ready for sister-in-law Marisa's wedding, the bride-to-be in kidnapped on Tracy's first full day there. Then, the by-the-book Eatons decide to give in to the strange demands and not call the police. Tracy decides that it's up to her to find Marisa and rescue Marisa's restaurant, which her family is supposed to sell to get her back alive. But what are the Eatons hiding? Everyone has a secret, even the groom. Tracy's going to have to work fast to put all the pieces together before the wedding is ruined.

Tracy Eaton explodes on the mystery scene with a bang in this fun book. The plot never looses its way or the pace, and the ending truly surprised me. I recently reread this book, and I discovered how well plotted it truly was. Scenes that didn't mean anything to me before suddenly took on a whole different meaning when I knew the ending. The characters are very well developed, and the plot flows from character, not the other way around.

Kris Neri has a true winner on her hands with the characters in this fun series. I'm looking forward to reading about Tracy's exploits for years to come.

Revenge of the Gypsy Queen may be Kris's first book, but the lady is no newcomer to the mystery scene. Her extensive short mystery fiction résumé includes two Derringer Awards, one of which was for "L.A. Justice." That is where sleuth wannabe Tracy Eaton debuted, and Tracy's fans were soon clamoring for a full-length novel. Kris Neri was kind enough to oblige.

Tracy Eaton is the daughter of Hollywood celebrities, wife of straight-laced lawyer Drew Eaton, and a mystery writer who yearns for the cloak-and-dagger adventures her fictional sleuth enjoys. Revenge of the Gypsy Queen finds Tracy in New York City for the upcoming wedding of Drew's sister Marisa, and before long Tracy is living out her detective fantasy. The reasons, however, are unfortunate: Marisa has been kidnapped. A wealthy developer and a mobster have both taken an unusual interest in the restaurant Marisa and her fiancé Tony run. Drew's black sheep Uncle Philly is in town, behaving suspiciously, and under investigation by the NYPD's Special Frauds Squad. And Drew and the rest of his family seem to be trying to keep secrets from Tracy. The Eaton family, in fact, seems content to try to meet the kidnapper's bizarre demand-the sale of the restaurant The Gypsy Princess-without any police involvement, so it falls to Tracy to be the "sensible one" for a change and get to the bottom of the mystery.

Of course, Tracy's definition of "sensible" is a bit wide of the mark. All the more fun for the readers who follow her as she crawls beneath cars, tails suspects, dodges various instruments of death and destruction, beards VIPs in their dens, and delves into the family secrets. Neri has created in Tracy a lovable writer-turned-sleuth who takes all the horrible clichés that implies and pummels them into submission with her unique sense of humor.

The story's resolution is also fresh. The grand finale, which requires the talents of a supermodel and a small army of-well, I can't tell you what without spoiling all the fun-is only the beginning of the end. True to the book's title, Neri spins a tale of revenge that leads Tracy into the dilemma of weighing the value of the absolute truth against justice. Fortunately, Tracy has the resilience to grow from the experience without losing her impetuous spirit. And that means I'll be reading Tracy's next adventure, Dem Bones' Revenge, as soon as possible.

(adapted from a "Skullduggery" review)

Kris Neri brings a wonderfully witty new series to the contemporary mystery genre. The debut delightfully introduces the series characters in a humorous, hectic way. The lead character and sleuth is Tracy Eaton, a mystery writer with an optimistic outlook on life. Her husband Drew is an attorney and her parents are eccentric Hollywood stars that liven up the storyline.

As the mystery begins, Tracy is discussing what has already happened, but not in detail. She then takes the reader back to the beginning and later picks the story back up where the reader came in. There is nothing confusing about this at all because it is done in an amusing manner.

When Tracy and her husband Drew came to New York to attend Drew's sister's wedding, what they expected was a vacation of sorts and the usual wedding chaos. What they get is family secrets, kidnapping, panic and danger. First, a family member Tracy never heard of shows up and has the family acting odd. Then, when Marisa is kidnapped before her wedding and her fiancé is contacted about a very unusual ransom, Drew's family gets even odder, if that's possible. Tracy isn't just left out of the family decisions because she is an in-law, her ability and intelligence is also doubted. Instead of getting bent, Tracy lets the excitement of a real mystery case initiate her into finding Marisa. Along the way, she finds some engaging cohorts to help her sleuth and pull off capers.

Revenge of the Gypsy Queen is told in the first person by the lead character. Usually, when a story is written in the first person, I feel the story is being told to me. Not this time. Tracy's voice made me feel included in this madcap menagerie. It was a wonderful experience.

In San Diego triathlete Zoey Morgan is training the Touchstone Classic when a car hits her before speeding off without stopping. The paramedics work to save her life though one believes she is a DRT, dead right there while the other continues to work frantically to save her. Detectives Lou Pena and Dale Terry arrive at the scene and are shocked to recognize the victim who graces the cover of Triathlete magazine. A witness steps forward claiming the driver deliberately tried to kill Zoey and he is someone everyone knows.

As Zoey recovers in the hospital Dale asks what she remembers about the accident, but to her chagrin she recalls nothing at all. Meanwhile Doug Tomaso cannot believe the San Diego Union states his victim lived. Stunned self deprecating Dougie plans to complete the job correctly next time. Zoey ponders who truly wants her dead and why as other incidents occur leading her to trust no one not even the cop who she is attracted to and who saved her life.

Combining the rigors of training for a major iron person competition with a whodunit, Kris Neri, switching from the Tracy Eaton "Revenge" tales, provides her readers with a captivating sports mystery. The fast-paced story line uses small flashbacks that tell somewhat the past of the beleaguered heroine as well as the motive for wanting her dead starting with her reaction to the CD cover of a dead musician. The twists will surprise the audience who swim, bike, and run along side of Zoey as she tries to stay alive.

Harriet Klausner

When Zoey Morgan wakes up in the hospital, she doesn't remember the last few days. The doctor tells her she was hit by a car while out running. While she wants to dismiss it as a freak accident, something in the back of her mind makes her think it was more then that.

The accident couldn't have come at a worse time. It's just a couple weeks before a big triathlon in San Diego. Since Zoey is a professional triathelete, she has to shake off the after effects of the accident quickly and get back on her training schedule.

All the while, little accidents keep happening to her. Maybe the accident wasn't really an accident. But is she just being paranoid, or is someone really out to get her?

The book starts with a bang that quickly hooked me. Unfortunately, the pace of the story doesn't quite hold up to that promise. While the story moves along well, the scenes dedicated to the race training tend to slow things down. Still, the book does reach a thrilling and logical solution.

Zoey helps the story along. While she seems aloof at first, I quickly got past that and grew to care for her. When she faces several set backs and surprises, it effected me as well. The other major players are well defined as well.

While the pacing of the story could have been a little stronger, this is a minor complaint. Overall, I enjoyed this thrill ride from start to finish.

I highly recommend New Say Die as an addition to your mystery library.

Zoey Morgan is a strong and fascinating new character from award winning author Kris Neri. This story starts with a bang when Zoey is hit by car and it never lets the reader go! As I read, I found myself trying to dissect Zoey's complex past, adding the nuggets of information to the story line as I turned the pages and neglected household chores and work.

I also enjoyed learning about the world of the triathlete. I never knew there was a profession that allowed a person to eat so much forbidden food

I just finished reading the first in Kris Neri's new series Never Say Die and recommend it highly. It is a real page-turner and very different from her other series. Unlike her award nominated Revenge series, which I also loved (Revenge of the Gypsy Queen, Dem Bones' Revenge, Revenge for Old Times' Sake), Never Say Die is definitely not a cozy. Zoey Morgan protagonist of Never Say Die is a triathlete who is struck down by a hit and run driver as she trains for an event in San Diego. When she awakens she finds that her memory of the recent past is like Swiss Cheese. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad if the police believed her memory loss and if she didn't suspect someone is trying to kill her. Who and why plague her as does her attacker. Zoey is a multidimensional and interesting character as are the other important people she interacts with. The background of the triathlon world is new to me and a nice change from the usual settings. The book is well-written, has lots of suspense, good use of setting and interesting characters. What more could you want?

Never Say Die, the new book by Kris Neri and the first in what promises to be an excellent new series [following her Tracy Eaton mysteries], opens with a bang, almost literally, when its protagonist, Zoey Morgan, is struck by a car and, briefly, declared dead - the operative word being 'briefly.' Zoey then has to discover who wanted to kill her [as, according to a witness, this was no accident], and why. Zoey is a triathlete, in training for her next big race, and has sustained memory loss as a result of her brush with death, leaving her, and the reader, with gaps as to the days preceding the incident as well as various periods of time before that. The author allows tantalizing hints as to Zoey's backstory, leaving the reader curious as to her secrets.

The book is comprised of short, punchy chapters, most no more than a few pages long. Zoey is a strong protagonist, an independent woman loathe to trust anyone around her, a protective instrinct that almost, but not quite, betrays her in this suspense-filled story. Other incidents follow the auto 'accident,' other attempts on Zoey's life, which she finally realizes are quite real. Her lover-cum-sports agent Marty; her friend and co-triathlete, Cindy; Dale, the man who saves Zoey's life more than once, but who seems to be other than what he at first appears to be; Rob, who manages the events competition; various other athletes who Zoey has 'outed' as steroid users; any one or more of these in her circle could be involved. [The theme of Trust is a recurrent one throughout the novel.] And what of Willi Bogs, the singer/songwriter whose sudden disappearance and apparent death have brought instant stardom, but whose likeness causes a violent reaction in Zoey, the cause of which she cannot fathom.

The fascinating insights into the lives of the competitors in this sport, and the sport itself, added to the whodunit and why of the well-written tale, make this a very good read.

I tried, I really tried to like this book. It was just so hard. It had humorous moments, and a couple of memorable characters, but most were fairly stereotypical, or simply not fleshed out enough to be of much interest. The plot hinged on an awful lot of improbablities, piling up coincidences and an awful lot of sheer dumb luck for the herione, Tracy. Tracy jumped from idea to idea without a whole lot of provocation, so the book could be hard to follow.

Basically, I was a little bit lost the whole time -- plot points were sometimes almost glossed over, there were just a few too many characters, and they seemed to often either miss the terribly obvious, or draw wild conclusions from the obscure. Add in a sort of deus ex machina ending, and I was a muddle. This book could have used one more revision under the editors pen -- made slightly tighter it would have been very good.