Red, White & Dead (An Izzy McNeil Novel, 3)

by Laura Caldwell

Book Overview

Izzy McNeil is hot on the trail of one of Chicago's most notorious gangsters. Not that he realizes the crimson-tressed enchantress, a self-proclaimed "lapsed lawyer," is moonlighting as a private... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0778326667
• Release Date: July 2009
• Publisher: MIRA
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.6" x 0.9" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Lubricious rather than lugubrious

Of the three Izzy McNeil mysteries, this one was my favorite. It is fast-paced, suspense-filled, and cleverly plotted. Chicago and the midwest seems even fresher and more appealing because the novel also takes us to the winding streets of decadent Rome and Naples. It (thankfully) dispenses with the most lugubrious aspects of the romance with Izzy's former fiance, Sam (well, except for one maudlin scene) in favor of the youthful tattooed hi-tech millionaire Theo, who demonstrates that he is not only an athlete in the bedroom but can be a sweet boyfriend for the coltish Isabel. (Yes, there is a bit a chick-lit here, but tempered by the forward driving narrative of the mystery.) We learn more about Isabel's family than in previous books; indeed there are loose ends in the family plot by the novel's finish, but those just make me hope there will be more red hot novels to tie them up. I'm amazed that Laura Caldwell, who has written ten books since 2002, was able to come out with the three novels that make up the Izzy McNeil trilogy (Red Hot Lies, Red Blooded Murder, and this one) all in 2009, one on the heels of the other, after publishing "The Good Liar" in 2008. She is a pro.

Red, White and Dead - better than all 3

I think each book got better & better. Izzy became more human with each book. I wanted to be her friend. I live in Chicago and I'll be looking out for her, for sure! haha... I hope Laura Caldwell keeps Izzy alive for a long time to come.

Red, White & Dead

After reading the first two books in the series, I couldn't wait to start this one. I read it over Labor Day weekend, and I couldn't put it down. Izzy once again finds herself in hot water, this time with the mob. In addition to that, she finds herself wondering about the death of her father, and if he really is dead. In her quest for answers, the mob trouble and the search for her father become entangled. She also begins to understand herself better and her romance heats up. I can't wait for more Izzy adventures!

enjoyable mystery

In Chicago, since losing her job as an entertainment lawyer, Izzy McNeil works for private investigator John Mayburn. After her undercover work exposed Michael DeSanto as a crook (with the help of his wife), she is working on his associate Dez Romano, head of the family business. However, her identity as Suzanne is exposed when Michael sees her with Dez. They chase after her into a garage when a man calls out to "Boo" enabling her to escape. Mayburn, who loves Michael's wife, tells Izzy to leave town. She decides to head to Rome to talk to her paternal Aunt Elena because only her mom and her late dad called her "Boo". Mayburn agrees to conduct research in the States. In Italy, Izzy is joined by her best friend Maggie and two hunks as she learns of her family connection to the Camorra mob, but remains ignorant to how deep and that they are aware of her presence in Rome and Naples. The third Izzy "Red" thriller (See RED HOT LIES and RED BLOOD MURDER) takes a family spins on both sides of the Atlantic. The story line is fast-paced as the Italian mobsters try to scare the heroine back to Chicago so the American side of the family can quietly silence her; a killing of a red headed Yank in Italy would be international headline news as opposed to just local in the Windy City. Although lacking the humor and anti-noir feel of the previous two story lines, RED, WHITE AND DEAD is an enjoyable mystery with a few terrific twists as fans and Izzy try to figure out what is going on. Harriet Klausner