Review of Looks Can Kill

[Diana Lowery]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Looks Can Kill" by Sylvia Mulholland.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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L​ooks Can Kill by Sylvia Mulholland is listed in the C/T/M/H category. While it meets the requirements for that genre, it is predominantly a contemporary mystery. The plot does involve a murder and a mutilated body, but the humorous events overshadow the horror of that situation. In addition, the protagonist, Kate Clark, keeps readers guessing about her love interest, which earns the novel a spot as a romance novel as well.

R​eaders who enjoy the exploits of Stephanie Plum as a bounty hunter in the Evanovich novels will also love Kate Clark's escapades as an attorney working at a prestigious law firm in Los Angeles, California. There are enough twists and turns in this story to please all puzzle lovers. Both the mystery of the murder and the romantic outcomes have unexpected conclusions.

I​ admire the author's ability to keep the suspense alive. One of my favorite parts was the fictitious newspaper headlines that were shown when the young attorney imagined the results of one of her fiascoes. The realistic dialogue added to the development of the characters and made them relatable. Even minor characters such as the maid had distinct personalities.

A​lthough this might be considered a humorous mystery, it was still hard to overlook some of the unbelievable coincidences. This negative aspect kept me shaking my head, but it didn't keep me from continuing to read. There were also some plot holes and unresolved scenarios. Those issues and some grammar errors necessitated a star deduction.

I don’t want to include any spoilers, but the title, L​ooks Can Kill, will have a different meaning once readers have finished reading this book. If you enjoy reading about strange murders, confusing court scenes, improbable courtships, and workplace drama, you need to add this book to your list. Due to the negatives mentioned above, my rating is four out of five.

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Looks Can Kill
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[Alice Heritage]

A cocktail of murder mystery, humour and romance that's tense to the last sip - and it sounds as if the title delivers on its promise of intrigue.

[Baba Thoust]

Why do murder mysteries tend to go hand in hand with romance? Perhaps one more book could answer. Nice review.

[Diana Lowery]

A cocktail of murder mystery, humour and romance that's tense to the last sip - and it sounds as if the title delivers on its promise of intrigue.

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

[Diana Lowery]

Why do murder mysteries tend to go hand in hand with romance? Perhaps one more book could answer. Nice review.

Such a great question - wish I had an answer.

[holywriter]

Great review! I appreciate how the reviewer highlighted the unique blend of genres in 'Looks Can Kill' by Sylvia Mulholland, and how it's predominantly a contemporary mystery with humorous elements. It definitely piques my interest as I love mysteries with unexpected twists!"Thanks.

[Triciat50]

I appreciate you mentioning the humor in the book in your first paragraph. Sometimes these crimes/mysteries are so glum that it sort of sucks all the joy out of reading them. Also, thanks for the heads up on unbelievable coincidences.

[Kavita Shah]

Looks can kill, that's a title many will agree with in their hearts. I love a mysteries and this one fits the bill. Thank you Diana for the great review!

[Desola Orimoloye]

It's impressive to see how the author blends elements of mystery, romance, and humor in a contemporary setting. Kate Clark's character sounds intriguing, and I'm curious to see how the plot develops with her love interest.

[NetMassimo]

Sometimes, plots rely on coincidence but there's a point when that really challenges the reader's suspension of disbelief. Maybe this novel works best if read as a humorous story that also contains a mystery and some romance, so you don't mind plot holes that much. Thank you for your great review!

[Rob Carr]

It definitely sounds like an intriguing read. I feel like making a mystery novel funny as well is quite a challenge. It's a shame about the plot holes/too many coincidental things.