Maggie Needs an Alibi

Maggie Needs an Alibi
by Kasey Michaels

This lighthearted book is a good read on a lazy afternoon. It combines mystery and romance with a touch of fantasy. Maggie Kelly writes mysteries set in Regency England. She has put a lot of thought into her books' hero, Alexander Blakely, the Viscount St. Just and his friend Sterling Balder. Maggie made Blakely handsome, but not too handsome. She gave him charm, wit, intelligence and a touch of arrogance. Maggie bestowed Sterling with unwavering loyalty and kindness. She vividly describes these characters in her novels. Maggie does such a good job that Alex and Sterling jump off the pages -- literally. One day Maggie is standing in her living room. She turns around and is shocked to find two men dressed in clothing from the early 1800s. After reviving Maggie from her faint the men introduce themselves as the characters from her series -- Alexander Blakely and Sterling Balder. They tell her that they have decided to live with her in 21st century New York. Alex and Sterling have amusing problems adjusting to some aspects of modern day life, but they catch on quickly to other things, like using Maggie's credit card to buy stuff on the home shopping channel. Maggie explains Alex and Sterling to her friends as visitors from England. Alex is her distant cousin and Sterling is his friend. One evening Maggie has a dinner party. One of her guests, Kirk Toland, dies that night from eating poisonous mushrooms. Mushrooms were in one Maggie's dishes so she is the natural suspect. Maggie, with the dubious assistance of Alex and Sterling, works to clear her name. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, the Carlotta Wren series by Stephanie Bond, or the Wolly Shelley series by Harley Jane Kozak.] -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department

[ official Maggie page on the official Kasey Michaels web site ]

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