Dating Can Be Deadly [Paperback]

I enjoyed this book, and read it in one sitting. It kept me up late, and kept me from falling asleep easily. The storyline with clairvoyance and satanism is a little creepy, but the author manages to find a happy balance between the fluffy chick lit issues of what to wear and the fear of a local murderer who worships Satan, and haunts her dreams. Add two hot men, one blonde and an attorney, and the other, wickedly hot, and dark, and with the name Lucien, perfectly suited to run an occult shop. But what else does he dabble in? The author has written a lively, fast-paced fun story. My only quibble, that keeps me from giving 5 stars, is that I didn't get into it right away, because of the somewhat young tone. But, overall, this one is a winner.

I used to be a big fan of Red Dress Ink books before I realized that all of the stories were too similar and felt like I was experiencing a literary deja vu. But when I read the back cover blurb of Wendy Roberts's Dating Can Be Deadly I knew I had to give it a whirl. The idea of an RDI paranormal whodunit fascinated me. Tabitha Emery is the typical twenty-something chick with job problems, dating woes and a circle of friends she can rant and rave with during drinking excursions. So far this all sounds like a typical chick-lit novel, but Tabitha has a rather unique gift: she is a clairvoyant. She is able to perceive things and events unlike any other human can. She has never liked having a second sight that can often see unpleasant things, and things only get worse when she becomes a suspect of an investigation centered on the murder of a woman who appears to have been killed during a satanic ritual sacrifice. She is able to gather clues by way of nightmares and visions -- and the only way to make things better is either using a scrying mirror or getting involved in various forms of magic. There are various twists throughout the novel.

The paranormal aspect of the novel drew me in as much as the whodunit part did. This novel is a great departure from the same old single-girl-with-job-and-dating-troubles-meets-with-friends-in-the-city books. Not only was the mystery part of it fun to follow, but I also had a great time trying to guess which hunkster would end up with Tabitha -- gorgeous lawyer Clay or darkly sexy Lucien, a magic practitioner and owner of the Scrying Room. The author kept me guessing on both accounts. The subject matter of this book may seem dark and creepy, but it is also quite clever and, like I said before, a great departure from traditional chick-lit. The characters are great. I loved Tabitha's friends and thought both Clay and Lucien sounded delicious. The heroine got on my nerves every now and then because she comes across as whiny and petty at times. All in all, Dating Can Be Deadly is a great, unique chick-lit novel with a clever mix of mystery, romance and paranormal and you should give it a whirl. I hope Red Dress Ink continues to release oddballs like this one.

Tabitha is a clairvoyant receptionist at a Seattle law firm. Just a simple touch or feeling can invoke premonitions. When her purse is snatched, and she pursues the 50 year old smoker who outruns her, she gets that feeling, and comes across a mutilated cat in a pentagram. A few nights later, while leaving the theater (her second job), she gets that same feeling, and finds a dumpster with the same pentagram. Her friend calls 911, the cops come and determine that it is human blood.

When she is visited by a detective, Clay Sanderson, the lawyer she has a crush on is there to provide counsel. The cynical detective thinks that Tabitha may be involved, especially since he thinks psychics are phony (and there is no body). Clay gets frustrated with Tabitha, because she keeps talking to the cops without him to provide counsel, and investigates the crime, despite his requests no to.

She soon hooks up with Lucien Roskell, the owner of a paranormal shop who wants to help her with her "gift." He sends her a gift of a scrying mirror, which is supposed to help her with her psychic visions. He also is attracted to Tabitha, much to her gay friend Jeff's delight. When it appears that she is now a target of violence, both men in her life become concerned, and she is forced to move in with a friend temporarily.

"Dating Can Be Deadly" is cleverly written, and is suspenseful - you never really know who the bad guy is until the end. Roberts also does a good job presenting two totally opposite but wonderful men that have feelings for Tabitha. Who she ultimately chooses is also a mystery until the end.