Murder, Mayhem and Mama by Christie Craig

Title: Murder, Mayhem and Mama

• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Contemporary Romance with a Paranormal element
• BN ID (Barnes & Noble ID): 2940013855229
• Publisher: BookEnds Literary Agency; Pages 278
• Publication date: 12/20/2011
• Exclusively Sold by: Barnes & Noble
• Format: eBook (only)
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'Pretty feet had been her mother's cure-all for the blues. Wearing only a towel and cotton between her toes, she heel-walked to her bed and collapsed on the mattress. Then she waited--waited for the mood-altering effect of pretty feet to kick in.'

Have you ever heard the phrase, "If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all?' Well, Cali McKay lately seemed to have nothing but bad luck and neither one, nor six coats of cherry red nail polish, were going to fix things this time. Her mother had died a week ago, and she came to the realization her current boyfriend, whom she let stay with her till his apartment was ready, may have been pulling her leg. It'd been weeks since he said he'd only need a temporary place to stay. To top it off, she finally realized she'd been using him as a crutch, an escape, if you will, to get through the stressful time she was going through in the final days her mother suffered from cancer.  She needed to break things off.  Hours after sending him packing he was back and not sounding very happy. When a bullet ripped through her door, she knew she'd hit an all time low. 

Detective Brit Lowell had also hit an all time low. His partner had been killed recently, and he had family issues. When he first saw the young woman who'd been shot at by her boyfriend, he immediately thought of all the abusive relationships his mother had been in over the years and made an erroneous judgement call. To say he wasn't pleasant was an understatement. 

Most people are used to their mamas trying to interfere in their love lives, but when their mother's have passed on to greener pastures those days are supposed to be gone. Well, fortunately for Cali, her mama was the stubborn sort... Her luck was about to change. All it would take is a little Murder, Mayhem and Mama. 

I truly enjoy Ms. Craig's books. Her writing style reminds me a little of Janet Evanovich, but with more romance, less triangle, and a touch more naughty mixed in. The books make me smile and the guys always make me swoon. 

Cali, a High School Teacher, was sweet and funny. Described as having a face as cute as the Charmin baby's, she reminded me a little of the character Sandy from Grease--very sweet. Perhaps too sweet and trusting, although I doubt she'd let anyone make her their doormat--she stands up for herself and doesn't cower. One of my favorite conversations was between her and her friend Tanya:

     "I really need to learn to be a bitch." Cali bit into the pizza with gusto and watched Tanya put the rest of the wine into her glass. They weren't drunk, but they were definitely approaching the silly stage.

    Tanya's goofy smile said the stage had already arrived. "Bitch lessons?"

     Cali leaned forward. "Yeah Can you teach me?"...

     "Are you calling me a bitch?" 

     "Yeah, but in a good way." Cali chuckled. They'd definitely hit the silly stage. "I'm too nice. Too agreeable. Ask anyone who knows me."

Brit, described as looking like a young Burt Reynolds is stubborn, but owns up to his mistakes. Once he realizes he was mistaken about Cali, his attentions go from contempt to pursuit quickly. Brit self appointed himself Cali's bodyguard and weasels his way into Cali's life and emotions. Brit, however, has his own set of issues--he's a bit gun shy when it comes to relationships and has trust issues. As Cali's mama points out, however, "You can't fix people Cali. Not even Brit. You can help him, but he has to fix himself."

The chemistry between Cali and Brit, once they got over their first encounter, was steamy. The relationship, however, is hindered a bit because officers aren't supposed to have relationships with potential witnesses. Turns out Cali's ex, Stan, was involved in a robbery and may be a potential murderer, and she might be his next victim.

The song dancing through my head as I read this book was 'You're the One That I Want' from Grease starring Olivia Newton John and John Travolta. "You better shape up cause I need a man and my heart is set on you..." You can probably guess why.

Overall, this one gets a 4 out 5 roses. I felt it was a nice mixture of humor, romance, and drama. I loved Cali's mama's involvement in this one. It just adds a little extra to the story. Plus, I didn't want to put the book down once I started and it put a grin on my face. A very enjoyable read. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating (bordering on a SHOWER rating) - too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed and are grinning from ear to ear.

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