Release Day Feature + Giveaway! Lucky Bastard (Lucky O’Toole series #4) by Deborah Coonts

I received this book free from Netgalley, the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Lucky Bastard by Deborah Coonts
Series: Lucky O'Toole #4
Published by Forge Books on May 14th 2013
Pages: 350
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Romance
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley, the Publisher
Amazon
Goodreads

Also by this author: Wanna Get Lucky?, Lucky Stiff

Lucky O’Toole, the newly promoted vice president of Customer Relations for the Babylon, Las Vegas’s primo Strip property, has never met a problem she couldn’t handle. But when a young woman is found dead, sprawled across the hood of a new, bright red Ferrari California in the Babylon’s on-site dealership, a Jimmy Choo stiletto stuck in her carotid, Lucky’s skills are maxed out. Of course her life is already on overload. Her mother, Mona, is pregnant, hormonal, and bored — a triple threat. A song that Teddie, Lucky’s former lover, wrote for her is getting national airplay as he hits the talk shows, pleading for her forgiveness. Lucky is less than amused by the high-powered “infotainment” spotlight on her personal life. She’s having enough trouble fending off Chef Jean-Charles Bouclet, the Babylon’s tasty new dish. All of this and The Smack-Down Poker tournament, the second-largest poker tournament in the world, is holding its final round at the Babylon. Hookers, thieves, players, cheaters, media, and hangers-on descend, looking to win or to score. When one of the players turns up dead, Lucky starts to make connections between the two murders, putting her in the crosshairs of the killer. After a revelation by someone close to her sends her world reeling even further, Lucky struggles to keep her life in balance, and a murderer from killing again as bodies pile up. Then, just when she’s losing control… life deals another major complication to her personal life… and it’s not going to be pretty. Lucky struggles to keep her life in balance, and a murderer from killing again as bodies pile up.

The Lucky O’Toole series

Wanna Get Lucky? (Lucky O’Toole series #1) {Purchase}
Lucky Stiff (Lucky O’Toole series #2) {Purchase}
Lucky in Love (Lucky O’Toole series #2.5) {Purchase}

So Damn Lucky (Lucky O’Toole series #3) {Purchase}
Lucky Bang (Lucky O’Toole series #3.5) {Purchase}

Lucky O’Toole is the Vice President of Customer Relations of the affluent Babylon casino in Las Vegas. She’s a busy woman and her plate is always full but after recent events even Lucky has bitten off more than she can chew. After a woman is found on the hood of a Ferrari in the Babylon’s dealership with a stiletto stuck in her neck and the evidence points to a close-friend being the killer, Lucky knows there’s more evidence to be found. Once she begins digging though she finds far more than she bargained for.
In addition to her work issues, she’s dealing with a broken heart after her long-time love Teddie has chosen a life on the road and fame instead of a comfortable life at home with her. The new French chef Jean-Charles Bouclet has kept her thoughts occupied as he continues to pursue her. Lucky just doesn’t seem to have time to sort through her personal problems as the bodies are piling up and evidence starts pointing to her.

I’ve gotta say, all of the Lucky O’Toole mysteries have left me unaware throughout the book. There are always a crazy amount of facets to these stories, it always keeps you guessing and leaves you questioning everything. Exciting and thrilling, these are definite page-turners.

Lucky has had a crazy love life from the very first installment. What I love is despite that, I can definitely appreciate that it doesn’t consume the story completely. The detailed mystery is first and foremost with snippets of Lucky’s personal life added in as something extra. The romance definitely took the forefront towards the end setting up for some emotional drama in the next installment.

What didn’t work for me (and has been a common trait in this series) is how Lucky completely takes on the police work involved in solving murders. I would be more apt to accept this if she was a member of a security team with the Casino but she’s the Vice President of Customer Relations, tasked to maintain the happiness of the hotel guests. Lucky is one chick that definitely goes above and beyond the call of duty. Lucky doesn’t always make the most genius decisions but they aren’t so outrageous that they’re not forgivable. She usually realizes (in retrospect) that she makes some pretty dumb decisions so at least she realizes it, albeit a tad late. Regardless, these books are definitely fun reads.

This series would likely fall under the terms of a ‘cozy-mystery’ except the mystery itself manages to be quite serious. Killing people with stilettos, people getting cyanide thrown in their face, etc. Despite the seriousness though, Lucky possesses a sarcastic humor throughout which lightens the story considerably and makes it a lot of fun.

Lucky Bastard is my fourth Lucky novel, fifth if you count a novella, and I’ve really enjoyed watching the character growth in Lucky. She’s a hard-working woman who’s had her heart broken but doesn’t let it get her down. Her actions are honest and understandable. The Lucky O’ Toole series is a must for cozy mystery fans and readers looking for a fun, memorable heroine.

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