Review: A Not So Model Home by David James

Description (from cover):

‘Stylish luxury realtor Amanda Thorne is feeling the pinch of the slumping economy. But the crazed world of reality television just may be her ticket to the biggest listing in Palm Springs. Too bad her co-stars are dropping like flies all over the property…

Times are tough and the real estate market is tanking, even in posh Palm Springs. So when former client Ian Forbes, the eccentric head of an international hair care empire, offers Amanda a chance to list his palatial Spanish style pad, she reluctantly takes him up on it. All she has to do is appear on the bizarre reality dating show he’s filming–and starring in–at his estate.

Under the watchful eye of chic, black-clad relationship counselor Aurora Cleft, a throng of attractive contestants descend on the mansion in hopes of winning Ian’s heart–and his fortune. With so much at stake, the competition quickly grows fierce, and it’s almost no surprise when two of Ian’s prospective lovers turn up dead.

Amanda is certain the killer is among the house’s catty cast of characters, so she enlists the help of her trusty ex-husband, Alex, and her hunky homicide detective boyfriend, Ken Becker, to wade through all the faux reality and get to the truth.

As she navigates the mansion’s screwball maze of model good looks, A-list connections, and impossibly tall stilettos, Amanda quickly discovers that everyone had a conceivable motive for murder. And now that there are two more realtors competing with her for the lucrative listing, it seems the killer won’t be the only one who’s out for blood.’

My thoughts:
           
          This is the second mystery in the Amanda Thorne mystery series, which features a realtor with a knack for solving murders. These books make me laugh. They are quite hysterical, but I will caution you that the language is crude and there are vulgar sexual references made throughout this novel. This book is not for you if you don’t like curse words to be in your books and at times the references about sex can be quite over the top. I enjoy these books, not for the storyline, but because they are humorous.

          The plot in this one was seriously lacking and unrealistic. Amanda has been asked by one of her former clients to appear on a reality show where he is trying to find love and an heir to his huge fortune. Amanda barely knows this client, but has been asked to appear on the show as a close friend of Ian Forbes and to be there and help him with choosing the right person to be with. Contestants compete with each other and are all screwball characters. They are insane and funny and made me laugh, but they really don’t have any substance to them. I really think, seriously, that the author is almost making a satirical attempt at a cozy mystery and to be honest, I really think that is his intention. This series is out of the norm for the normal cozy mystery and I think that the author uses that to separate his series from the numerous others.

        Overall, a good read if you want something witty and funny (depending on your tastes, of course) and want to be amused. Not a good read if you are looking for substantial characters you can fall in love with and a story line that is engaging. I mainly just read these book because they are humorous to me and sometimes I have a vulgar sense of humor, but that’s just me.

Overall Rating: 3

Title:  A Not So Model Home
Author:  David James
Series:  Amanda Thorne Mystery #2
Publisher:  Kensington
Publication Date:  October 30, 2012
Pages:  304
Genre:  Cozy Mystery

Disclaimer: This book was selected from the library by myself and I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.