Shoot From The Lip [Mass Market Paperback]

In Leann Sweeney's Shoot from the Lip, sarcastic, Houston-based, private investigator, Abby Rose, is on the case again. After being approached, well, make that harassed, by reality television's Reality Check: The Lifestyle Makeover Show to assist in finding someone's long-lost relative for an upcoming episode, Abby puts aside her initial distaste for Reality Check's smarmy and conniving producers, when she meets the amiable Emma Lopez. Abby is a PI specializing in the location of birth families for adopted individuals and vice versa.

After an anonymous letter detailing the lives of Emma Lopez and her siblings is received by Reality Check, the television show decides that Emma Lopez should be their next makeover candidate. Emma Lopez put herself through school and raised her three younger siblings after their mother abandoned them. Life has not been easy for the Lopez family and now the only thing they own, their house, is set for demolition by the city. Although the city would give them money to rebuild, the paltry amount would be inconsequential. Reality Check wants to build a house that Emma and her siblings really deserve given all of the life hardships they have endured. However, Abby quickly surmises that Reality Check's motives are less than altruistic.

Unbeknownst to Emma, a missing baby was mentioned in the anonymous letter, a fact Reality Check did not disclose prior to her signing the contract. Given the exploitative nature of the media, Reality Check producers are fully prepared to capitalize on the search for Emma's missing sibling in an attempt to increase ratings, much to Emma's chagrin. With the help of her clinical psychologist sister, Kate, and members of the Houston Police Department, Abby begins the search for Emma's missing sibling, making some shocking and gruesome discoveries along the way.

Before long, the search unfolds, baby bones are found buried under the Lopez house, and a homicide investigation also ensues. The case turns deadly and Abby soon finds her own life in danger as well as those around her: her sister Kate, her crotchety, yet well intentioned Aunt Caroline, and her homicide detective boyfriend Jeff Kline. As Abby races to find out what happened to Emma's mother and the identity of the baby bones, Sweeney creates the appropriate amount of drama around the case and keeps the reader engaged. Sweeney's characters are both believable and likable and she cleverly incorporates America's obsession with reality television and its voyeuristic nature to provide a modern day twist. Readers will find Shoot from the Lip an entertaining read and will look forward to Abby's next case in the Yellow Rose Mystery series.

Shoot From the Lip is number 4 in the Yellow Rose Mystery series of books, and you wouldn't even know you missed anything! Leann Sweeney does a wonderful job of capturing the reader from the very beginning and keeping them till the very end. Shoot From the Lip is full of emotions! Anger, sadness, fear, happiness, laughter, joy, and tears...they are all there, and you will feel them along with the characters in this book!

Abby Rose finds herself wrapped in another adoption mystery that has more twists than a pretzel, and she organizes her life around her newest client, Emma Lopez. Emma, the strong sister who has raised her brothers and sister, now leans on Abby as she is plastered across the newspapers and TV because of a mysterious body found under her house. But what will happen when Abby learns that by helping Emma, she has also seriously involved her own family? And what about Jeff, Abby's boyfriend? Will he be able to help her figure out this mystery?

Abby, the police, and the rest of the crew, do a fantastic job of narrowing down the suspects and bringing the guilty one to justice.

I truly enjoyed this book by Leann Sweeney. There were many times I kept telling myself, "One more chapter, one more chapter..." and then an hour and a half later put the book down! It drew me in and had me almost from the first page. I actually thought I had the mystery figured out, and WHAM! She surprised me with the ending! I would be truly happy to read another of the Yellow Rose Mystery series books.

Armchair Interviews says: This book's a pleasure!

This series is fast becoming one of my favorites.

The mysteries are well-written and leave you guessing until the very end. The regular characters are enjoyable and don't get on your nerves, and the supporting cast fits in well.

I look forward to the next installment.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 11 reviews  4.6 out of 5 stars