Heather Wells is back! Ok, I’ll admit, I had never heard of her before.
Size 12 and Ready to Rock is the latest in a fun, light-hearted series revolving around a former teenaged pop star turned detective, and combines chick-lit with murder mysteries. As with most detective series, it’s not necessary to have read earlier books to enjoy the most recent offering.
Wells is working as a dorm assistant at NYU and living with her fiance, Cooper Cartwright, whose family used to manage her music career. They are both called in to provide security for Tania Trace, a current pop sensation and star of the reality-TV show Jordan Loves Tania, which follows her marriage to Jordan Cartwright, Cooper’s brother and Heather’s former boyfriend.
When Tania’s favorite bodyguard is shot and then her other guards poisoned, it becomes apparent that someone is out for her. It’s also apparent that she knows more than she’s telling. The plan for the reality show involves the Tania Trace Rock Camp, for which thousands of teenaged girls across the country auditioned to come meet her and glean from her song-writing wisdom. The camp is to culminate in a “Rock Off” with the winner gaining a recording contract. Tania moves the rock camp to the NYU campus, which means that the building Heather’s in charge of is now housing 50 teenaged girls who want to be rock stars, along with their mothers and make-up collections. It’s a nightmare for security. Heather befriends Tania and learns of her secret past that is now threatening not only her and her unborn child, but the lives of those around her. It’s up to Cooper and Heather, working together, to find out the truth in time.
Size 12 and Ready to Rockis a quick read, fast-paced, great for those hot days of summer when you just want to sit in front of a fan and escape. (I know, for many of you poor souls, summer’s over. But give me a break–here in Oregon, we are in the hottest days of the year, and school doesn’t start for 2 more weeks.) Heather’s a sympathetic main character, not thin, not rich, but practical and down-to-earth, with a great sense of humour. For those of you looking for something light and enjoyable for these dog days of August, I recommend it.
You would never know that Elizabeth had lived in the Sahara by how she complains about the heat now. Learn more at her blog Planet Nomad.