Bowled Over
by Kasey Michaels
Published by Kensington Books
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Reviewed by Kathy Perschmann
Bowled Over is the sixth in the delightful Maggie Kelly series (and sadly, it is INDEED THE LAST!). Michaels is the author of over 100 books, some historical and contemporary romances, and the Maggie Kelly/Viscount Saint Just mysteries.
Struggling romance author Maggie Kelly lives in New York. She decides she needs a change and combines the Regency era setting with mystery, and invents the luscious Viscount Saint Just–a true gentleman who dazzles the ladies and solves mysteries with the help of his sidekick, Sterling Balder. Life is good–the books are successful, and then suddenly one day Alexandre Blake, Viscount Saint Just, and his sidekick Sterling POOF! just appear in her apartment. (The first in the series, Maggie Needs an Alibi). In this sixth book the trio is adapting to life in the present day, and while she is house hunting with the guys, she trips and breaks a bone in her foot.
Now she must go home to New Jersey in a cast for the dreaded Christmas visit. Her father, Evan Kelly, is being arrested for murder as the trio arrives at his bachelor apartment (her parents are recently estranged). Despite her difficult relationship with her dysfunctional family, Maggie and Alex are on the case, trying to figure out why her father would want to kill his bowling team buddy Walter Bodkin–and who else might have had a motive. As it turns out, quite a few people did as Walter was rather a lothario, with a new woman every few weeks! A club had even been formed, sort of a support group, of all of Walter’s discarded loves. Maggie learns more than she can handle about her family, but with Alex’s help, she is able to hobble on her walker through it all.
You can imagine how hard it must be for a Regency era gentleman to adapt to modern life in New York and the liberated women–and the misconceptions and adjustments are truly hysterical. All the books in the series are delightful; it helps to read them in order as the characters develop and change.
Armchair Interviews says: Get out the black armband as we bid this series farewell.
Author’s Web site: http://www.KaseyMichaels.com