Trashy Chic (Bertie Mallowan Mysteries)

by Cathy Lubenski

[kimbacaffeinate]

Trashy Chic by Cathy Lubenski was a fun and suspenseful murder mystery with a cozy mystery feel. I easily consumed this in a single day and was drawn into the sometimes crazy if not funny world of fluff newspaper reporter Bertie Mallowan. I giggled my way though this and loved the clever twists involving the murder, suspects and other key players.

Things are not looking good at the newspaper where Bertie Mallowan works, but when Robert Bellingham a greedy, nasty millionaire dubbed the “King of Luxury Items" is found murdered in his foyer, things get very interesting. Bertie was the last person to interview the victim, and when her boss asks her to hand her notes over to the lead reporter, she sees a chance to get a front page piece. The tale that unfolds was hilarious, full of suspense and kept me turning the pages at a steady pace.

The protagonist Bertie is a coffee loving, Nancy Drew wanna-be who is snarky, inquisitive and I’d certainly be her friend. I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes over this protagonist and her shenanigans. The things she said and did where downright snarky and mischievous. She is a mix of confidence and self-doubt. She avoids upper management even going so far as to change her route to the water cooler and memorizing the shoes of the female executives who enter the bathroom to avoid them. Shawn the lead reporter was a first class jerk, and I really wanted to smack him. Detective Madison on the other hand was in a word- yum. The author compared his looks to a young Harrison Ford. *swoons* The suspects were well fleshed out and over the top interesting. I adored Bertie’s best friend Kate and loved the mischief they got into. Even secondary characters had their own voice in this and added to the tale.

I love snarky characters and murder mysteries and Trashy Chic delivered on both fronts. Lubenski offered not only memorable characters but a plot line with delightful twists. The pacing was well done, the characters felt genuine and the humor sprinkled throughout made this stellar. The “who, why and how” was smart and I squealed with delight. I loved how the book wrapped up and laughed aloud as I turned the last page.
I want to thank the author for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer