Book Review: Fearless in High Heels

Fearless in High Heels by Gemma Halliday

Gemma Halliday has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I was able to snag the first book in the High Heels series, Spying in High Heels, for free on my Kindle, and the box set of of the first 5 is only $9.99! The High Heels series has been increasing in popularity and even hit the New York Time's Best Seller List. It is now also being published in print format.

The High Heels series is considered a "cozy mystery". For those who are unfamiliar with cozy mysteries, this genre is basically a combination of mystery and chick lit. The main character is usually female and isn't a detective or anything of that sort. The mystery isn't gruesome and it doesn't go into much detail, most readers can figure out who the culprit is before the book ends. Books in this genre usually have the same elements of a chick lit novel: romance, love, fashion, fun, and spunk!

This is a review of the 6th and newest book in the High Heels series, Fearless in High Heels. If you haven't read books 1-5, and the 2 short stories I would suggest reading those first. At the time I don't have those reviews on the site, but you can find a short review of each on my GoodReads shelf.  Although cozy mysteries are often able to be read out of order, I always recommend starting with book 1. However, if you do decide to start reading the 6th book first you'll be okay. The author gives plenty of background information to catch you up and make sense of the story. The only potential problem with reading this book before the others is you'll know how Maddie and Ramirez's relationship progresses. Which, in my opinion, is half the fun of this series!

This book wasn't my favorite in the High Heels series. My favorites were books 1, 2, and 4, but the book did not disappoint. I found, just like the others, that it was hard to put down once I started reading and I wasn't able to figure out who the criminal was. Halliday's books always leave me guessing. Perhaps I'm just not a good mystery solver!

In this book Maddie, shoe designer and wife of a sexy copy, is pregnant. By page 3 we are already knee deep in a bad situation. After being persuaded by best friend Dana and flamboyant Marco to go out for a night on the town, Maddie finds herself face to face with a dead girl in a bathroom stall none the less. The worst part? Maddie and this girl had just been spotted fighting at the bar. Of course Maddie looks like the bad guy and no sooner do we flip the page does LAPD Homicide Detective (sexy copy and husband) Ramirez comes in to assess the situation.

Ramirez spends more time solving this crime then spending time with his wife. Therefore Maddie decides it's time to take matters into her own hands in order to get her husband back. Crime fighting trio Maddie, Marco and Dana are on the case in no time at all and just happen to be on the right path to finding the killer. Along the way they encounter vampires, crazy relatives, and attorneys.

The elements of the other High Heels books are all in the story. Ramirez getting annoyed with Maddie, Maddie poking her nose where it doesn't long, the trio ending up in a poor situation, and Ramirez saving the day as usual.

I'm sad to see that at the current time there isn't another High Heels story out there. According to Halliday's website the 7th book is due out during late summer of 2012. I can assure you I will be reading the next one, I just can't seem to get enough of this quirky cozy mystery series.

Rating: ★★★★