aknas22's review against another edition
4.0
This book was hilarious. I like how Esther and Max aren't typical fighters of Evil. I also really liked Lucky and his conversations with Max. All in all a quick, fun read.
litwrite's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Second novel in the Esther Diamond Series. This one was stronger than the first. Resnick has cleared up some of the annoying ticks that I thought stood out in the first, she's calmed down on the cutesy dialogue, it feels more natural, and I thought that the secondary characters were altogether more interesting and well written in this follow up installment.
In this mystery, Esther has unfortunately found herself without a paying gig when her off broadway show is finally cancelled. She finds herself working at Stella's which is a restaurant that is a popular hangout for some very dangerous wise-guy types. Unfortunately, supernatural happenings are afoot when Esther witnesses a mobster getting killed right before her eyes, with no possible killer in sight.
Esther is an appealing protagonist, capable enough but also not uber powered to the point where she's getting out of situations she really has no business being able to solve. Worth a read if you liked the first book.
In this mystery, Esther has unfortunately found herself without a paying gig when her off broadway show is finally cancelled. She finds herself working at Stella's which is a restaurant that is a popular hangout for some very dangerous wise-guy types. Unfortunately, supernatural happenings are afoot when Esther witnesses a mobster getting killed right before her eyes, with no possible killer in sight.
Esther is an appealing protagonist, capable enough but also not uber powered to the point where she's getting out of situations she really has no business being able to solve. Worth a read if you liked the first book.
heyt's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this and finished it in almost one sitting. An urban fantasy mystery with a kick-ass heroine in Esther Diamond. The mystery was satisfying and had enough red herrings to make the ending have a decent payoff. The gangsters were a trifle cliche but there was enough action to the story that you didn't mind so much.
jbrooxd's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I enjoyed the characters in this one and the mystery, but the middle lagged for me. I just wanted to get to the end and find out who was behind all the strange goings on.
freevortex's review against another edition
3.0
A good beach book with fun characters, but it had that annoying trope of "there's magic but I refuse to prove it to my boyfriend/mom/whatever because reasons".
ssejig's review against another edition
3.0
Esther Diamond is back and she's once again caught up in a paranormal case. This time, she's lost her job off-Broadway so she's headed back to being a singing waitress in a restaurant frequented by the mob. Several families, actually. Which, of course, makes her almost-boyfriend, the cop, super happy. Even more "happy" when one of the frequent customers is killed by a mysterious bullet. And that's after he's come in twice. And seems very confused about whether or not he's already been there. Was he deranged? Or is there something more... paranormal going on here? Well, based on the title, I'd go with the paranormal. A fun and fluffy book that had its pacing issues but was fairly enjoyable.
karireads's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mandrella_effect's review
2.0
I didn't read the first in the series, because the friend that loaned this series to me told me that it was best skipped, and the second book is where it starts getting good. I'm hoping the third book is better than Doppelgangster was, because I almost gave up on this book altogether.
Esther has her moments, but I do not find her at all endearing. The writing overall is a bit obnoxious.
Esther has her moments, but I do not find her at all endearing. The writing overall is a bit obnoxious.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't enjoy this as much as the first, but it is good fun. Not a serious read, but nice and fun. Esther is forced to work in a singing cafe and finds herself caught up in a murder. Like the last book, one of the winning parts is the character interaction.
You are either going to enjoy this series or hate it. I love it. It is very refreshing to read an Urban Fantasy series that isn't doom, gloom, and angst.
You are either going to enjoy this series or hate it. I love it. It is very refreshing to read an Urban Fantasy series that isn't doom, gloom, and angst.