@GoddessFish Review: And Justice for Some by Joanne Sydney Lessner

And Justice For Some


Isobel Spice, #3
Joanne Sydney Lessner


Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Dulcet Press
Date of Publication: September 16, 2014
Number of pages: 252
Cover Artist: Linda Pierro

Available at the following retailers:
Amazon     BN     Kobo

Book Tour, Guest Post & Giveaway: The Temporary Detective by Joanne Sydney Lessner

Temporary Detective

Temporary Detective
An Isobel Spice Novel, Book 1
Joanne Sydney Lessner

Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Dulcet Press

Date of Publication: April 9, 2012

Number of pages: 282

Cover Artist: Linda Pierro

Available at the following retailers:
Amazon     B&N     Kobo

Phones, light typing…and murder.

Think breaking into show business is hard? Try landing a temp job without office skills. That’s the challenge facing aspiring actress Isobel Spice when she arrives in New York City, fresh out of college and deficient in PowerPoint. After being rejected by seven temp agencies for her lack of experience, Isobel sweet-talks recruiter James Cooke into letting her cover a last-minute vacancy at a bank. New to his own job, and recently sober, James takes a chance on Isobel, despite his suspicion that she’s a trouble-magnet. His misgivings are borne out by lunchtime, when she stumbles across a dead secretary in a bathroom stall. With her fingerprints on the murder weapon, Isobel sets out to prove her innocence by investigating the crime herself. While learning to juggle phone lines and auditions, she discovers an untapped talent for detective work—a qualification few other office temps, let alone actresses, can claim.

Be sure to check out my reviews of:
The Temporary Detective and Bad Publicity. 

Guest Post: 

I Was a Musical Theater Geek
By Joanne Sydney Lessner

I was a geek before it was cool. Not only was I a bona fide school geek, I was a musical theater geek. It all started with Gilbert & Sullivan, and believe me, when it comes to musical theater, there is no geekier quarter. Just spend some time around a group of G&S fans: it’s like a Trekkie convention, except instead of conversing in Klingon, we pepper our conversation with obscure dialogue quotes like ‘I think—mind I say, I think’ and congratulate ourselves for our ready, encyclopedic knowledge of such details. I say this with the utmost affection for my tribe and as a longtime member of the Blue Hill Troupe, New York’s oldest G&S company. My history with them dates back to when I was six, and I saw their production of The Grand Duke, the least well-known G&S operetta (extra geek points!). I used to tie up my babysitters (figuratively, of course) and make them listen as I sang along with the record to Iolanthe or The Gondoliers. Not for me the “big three” of Pirates, Pinafore and Mikado; I was a pint-sized aficionado. I recall a first grade playground smackdown with some poor boy who was bewildered into defeat by my boast: “I bet you’ve never seen The Grand Duke!”

From G&S I moved on to Sondheim, which is de rigeur for any self-respecting musical theater geek. It started with A Little Night Music, which my clever parents pushed on me, knowing I would respond to its operetta-like feel. Then came Sweeney Todd, which, by the time I saw it on Broadway, I had completely memorized. And then, when I was thirteen, I discovered theater camp, where sports are optional and rehearsals are mandatory. If you’ve ever seen the movie Camp, you’ll understand what a haven it is for those of us who never fit into our high schools’ sports-oriented culture. Ever hear a twelve year-old belt out “I’m Still Here” from Follies with all the world-weary gravel of a life survivor five times her age? At theater camp they may not be a dime a dozen, but they’re hardly unicorns. When I returned to school that fall, having had an actual boyfriend, as well as several leading roles, I’d gained the kind of confidence that only comes from being with others who prize your passion. My years at theater camp culminated in my performance as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd with a twenty-five piece orchestra. One friend, who played viola in the pit and is now a prominent Broadway conductor, still maintains it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.

The funny thing is, as I pursued my professional performing career, my musical theater geekitude began to fade. Perhaps, like so many aspects of show business, it had to do with timing. I arrived in New York along with the big through-composed pop operas, which didn’t suit my talents the way traditional musical comedies did. And as a teacher of mine once said, “An actor’s job is to audition.” It’s true—performing is the bonus—and when anything starts to feel like a job, it becomes a lot less fun. Especially when it’s a means to an end.

After my son was born, I auditioned for the Blue Hill Troupe, and suddenly I had the opportunity to sing all the roles I grew up practicing on my babysitters. I had returned, full circle, to the specific brand of musical theater—and the very group—I started with. And in one of those strange life coincidences, The Grand Duke was my daughter Phoebe’s first exposure to G&S and the Blue Hill Troupe, when she was three. What was different? I was playing the leading role. What was the same? Another musical theater geek was born.

(E-Book giveaway to the first person who correctly identifies the G&S opera my daughter’s name comes from!)

Excerpt: 

“I wouldn’t go back if I thought there were an insane murderer on the loose,” Isobel said. “On the contrary, whoever did this was very sane. Let me tell you, I wanted to kill that woman after three hours.”

Delphi looked askance at Isobel. “You…didn’t, right?”

For some reason, Delphi asking her point-blank bothered her less than James’s confused hinting. “Of course I didn’t. But I don’t blame you for asking. You hardly know me.”

“It sounds like whoever did it also wanted to humiliate her,” Sunil mused. “I mean, think about it. Captured for all eternity on the pot!”

“Could it have been somebody from outside who came in, waylaid her in the bathroom, pulled the emergency bell and left?” Delphi asked.

Isobel shook her head. “She was such an unpleasant person that it just doesn’t seem random.”

“Then you definitely should not go back there, paycheck or no paycheck,” Delphi said.

Sunil nodded. “Delphi’s right.”

“You’re sweet to be so concerned, but I’ll be fine.” Isobel smiled. “It was really nice meeting you both. Good luck with everything.”

“I think you need it more than we do,” Sunil said.

As Isobel rode south on the subway, sardined between a bike messenger in need of deodorant and a young mother juggling twin toddlers, she wondered whether to take her new friends’ advice. No job was worth risking her life. But what about the other people at the bank? They were all continuing to show up for work, weren’t they? They had no choice. They all had jobs to do.

Well, so did she. She needed the money. James didn’t have anything else for her, and even if he did, he might not send her out again. She still hadn’t proven herself, not really.

And that was what she had come to New York to do. Prove herself.

Giveaway: 

Joanne will be giving away the following prizes: At each stop, one ebook copy of her novel Pandora's Bottle, inspired by the world's most expensive bottle of wine. 

A grand prize of a $25 Amazon GC will be awarded to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

So follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Please make sure to leave your email address so that you can be contacted if you win. :)

Book Tour Info: 
Don't forget to check out the other stops on the Book Tour:

Blurb Blitz for The Temporary Detective:

June 10: My Devotional Thoughts
June 11: Straight from the Library
June 12: Sharing Links and Wisdom
June 13: Deal Sharing Aunt
June 14: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer
June 14: fuonlyknew

Standard tour (includes interviews or guest blogs) for The Temporary Detective:

June 17: The Dan O'Brien Project
June 18: Musings and Ramblings
June 19: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
June 19: Fantasy Powered by Love
June 20: It's Raining Books
June 21: Welcome to My World of Dreams
June 21: Read Your Writes Book Reviews

Blurb Blitz for Bad Publicity:

June 24: Brianna Lee Book Reviews
June 25: Book 'Em North Carolina
June 26: Bea's Book Nook
June 27: Fantasy Powered by Love
June 28: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer
June 28: fuonlyknew

Review tour:

July 08: Kaisy Daisy's Corner
July 09: Beckstar Reviews
July 10: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
July 12: The Muse Unleashed
July 12: Shelley's Book Case

Author Bio:

Joanne Sydney Lessner is the author of BloodWrites Award-Winner and Awesome Indies Mystery Pick The Temporary Detective, which introduces Isobel Spice, aspiring actress and resourceful office temp turned amateur sleuth. Isobel’s adventures continue in Bad Publicity. Joanne’s debut novel, Pandora's Bottle (Flint Mine Press), which was inspired by the true story of the world’s most expensive bottle of wine, was named one of the top five books of 2010 by Paperback Dolls. No stranger to the theatrical world, Joanne enjoys an active performing career, and with her husband, composer/conductor Joshua Rosenblum, has co-authored several musicals, including the cult hit Fermat's Last Tango and Einstein's Dreams, based on the celebrated novel by Alan Lightman. Her play, Critical Mass, received its Off Broadway premiere in October 2010 as the winner of the 2009 Heiress Productions Playwriting Competition.

To connect with the author online:

Website      Facebook      Twitter     Goodreads

Book Tour, Review & Giveaway: Bad Publicity by Joanne Lessner

Bad Publicity

Bad Publicity
An Isobel Spice Novel, Book 2
Joanne Sydney Lessner

Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Dulcet Press

Date of Publication: April 2, 2013

Number of pages: 248

Available at the following retailers:
Amazon     BN     Kobo

In the world of PR, there’s only one crime worse than killing a deal—killing a client.

Aspiring actress and office temp Isobel Spice finds a warm welcome at Dove & Flight Public Relations, thanks to her old school friend Katrina Campbell. However, the atmosphere chills considerably when Isobel unwittingly serves an important client a deadly dose of poisoned coffee. Her stalwart temp agent, James Cooke, rushes to her aid, but balks when he learns that the victim was the fraternity brother who got him expelled from college. News that Dove & Flight is being acquired by an international conglomerate quickly supplants the murder as the hot topic of office gossip, but Isobel is convinced the two events are related. When all roads of inquiry lead back to Katrina, Isobel is forced to consider the possibility that her friend’s killer instincts go beyond public relations.

Please note: this is a cozy mystery with an edge; contains some adult language.

Review: 

This is the second book in the Isobel Spice Series by Joanne Sydney Lessner.  This story takes place approximately 4 months after the ending of the first book and opens with Isobel finding a man dead in the conference room of her current temp job at the PR firm of Dove & Flight.  At first Isobel is concerned that the coffee that she had served him was poisoned, but then it appears that Jason Whiteley, a fit 28 year old, has had a heart attack. Of course, Isobel later finds out that the heart attack was helped along by via medications. When another life is claimed at the PR firm and a corporate merger is threatened, Isobel's instincts tell her that she needs to figure out what is going on - and fast.

I was so thrilled that this book was even better than the last.  I really enjoy seeing things from Isobel's temp agent, James Cooke's perspective as well as her own. The way that Isobel and James each gather information that leads to catching the killer is unique and so very interesting.  Plus, Isobel has the possibility of a romance in this book.  It was totally not what I wanted for her, but things get complicated and the budding romance is put on hold.  Also, the return of some of the secondary characters from the first book were a welcome addition.  Isobel getting to meet Jayla, James' ex, face to face was priceless.  The pacing continues to be spot on and move smoothly from scene to scene.  I missed Isobel's younger brother Percival, though he did get a mention.  Hopefully we will see more of him in the next book.

I am giving this book 4 stars on Goodreads.  This is a good solid follow up to a great first novel.  I can't wait to see what book 3 brings.

Giveaway: 

THREE (3) Kindle copies of Bad Publicity by Joanne Sydney Lessner to three random commenters during the tour. Contest is tour-wide and ends May 27.

So follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Please make sure to leave your email address in the comment section, because if you win, we want to be able to contact you! :D

Book Tour Info: 
Don't forget to check out the other stops on the Book Tour:

May 20 - Chloe Gets a Clue
May 21 - Omnimystery
May 21 - Thoughts in Progress
May 22 - Musings and Ramblings
May 23 - Traveling with T
May 24 - According to Squenn
May 25 - A Blue Million Books
May 26 - The Self Taught Cook

Author Bio:

Joanne Sydney Lessner is the author of PANDORA'S BOTTLE, a novel inspired by the true story of the world's most expensive bottle of wine (Flint Mine Press, 2010), which Paperback Dolls named one of the top five books of 2010. THE TEMPORARY DETECTIVE (Dulcet Press, April 2012) introduces Isobel Spice, aspiring actress and resourceful office temp turned amateur sleuth. Isobel's adventures continue in BAD PUBLICITY. No stranger to the theatrical world, Joanne enjoys an active performing career, and with her husband, composer/conductor Joshua Rosenblum, has co-authored several musicals, including the cult hit FERMAT'S LAST TANGO and EINSTEIN'S DREAMS, based on the celebrated novel by Alan Lightman. For more information, please visit http://joannelessner.com.

To connect with the author online:

Website      Facebook      Twitter

Review: The Temporary Detective by Joanne Lessner

This is the first book in the Isobel Spice Series by Joanne Sydney Lessner.  We meet Isobel Spice, aspiring actress during a job interview at the temp agency Temp Zone, as Isobel is trying to convince recruiter James Cooke to give her a shot.  Isobel is fresh out of college from the state of Wisconsin, having only been in New York for about a week and has had absolutely no luck signing on with a temp agency thus far.  All the good ones want experienced workers, but without an actual job she is never going to get any experience.  That is until she convinces James Cooke, newly hired recruiter at Temp Zone to give her a chance.

Isobel gets what should have been a 1/2 day job at InterBank Switzerland - just some phones and light typing.  It should have been easy, except that Isobel finds one of the secretaries murdered in the bathroom during an emergency drill.  Now Isobel is staying on and finding more and more trouble in the Procurement Support department for InterBank Switzerland. She is not sure who to trust, but she knows that things aren't adding up.  And despite numerous warning from friends, she just can't let things go.  Isobel has a burning curiosity to find out exactly why the murder happened.

As Isobel's recruiter, James Cooke and finds himself worried about the mess Isobel seems to have gotten involved in.  But James has his own problems to deal with as well.  As a recovering alcoholic Columbia University drop-out black male, James feels that his opportunities are limited, both career wise and relationship wise.  His girlfriend Jayla is smothering him by pushing him to fit into a role that James is not sure that he is ready for - that of husband and provider.  But he's not sure how or even if he should, let her go. She is also extremely jealous and suspicious of any woman James talks to. James is uncertain of how to handle things with Jayla, but he can't help but do what he can to assist Isobel and make sure that she is safe.

The story is told from the varying view points of Isobel and James.  There seems like there might, some day, far, far in the future be some hint of romantic leanings.  But it is very vague and neither is at a point of admitting those kinds of feelings to themselves, let alone each other.  However, I enjoyed the hints of tension that promise to develop in their relationship.

I really enjoyed Isobel's friendships and how she interacts with the world.  Especially with her new friends Delphi and Sunil.  The brief appearance of her brother Percival was adorable and I can't wait to see more of him.  James also had some interesting relationships and seeing the juxtaposition of how different James and Isobel's lives were really added a very nice dimension to this story.  The pacing was good and the twists and turns were quite awesome.  I was really surprised a couple different times.  This book was a 4 star Goodreads read.

Phones, light typing…and murder.

Think breaking into show business is hard? Try landing a temp job without office skills. That’s the challenge facing aspiring actress Isobel Spice when she arrives in New York City, fresh out of college and deficient in PowerPoint. After being rejected by seven temp agencies for her lack of experience, Isobel sweet-talks recruiter James Cooke into letting her cover a last-minute vacancy at a bank. New to his own job, and recently sober, James takes a chance on Isobel, despite his suspicion that she’s a trouble-magnet. His misgivings are borne out by lunchtime, when she stumbles across a dead secretary in a bathroom stall. With her fingerprints on the murder weapon, Isobel sets out to prove her innocence by investigating the crime herself. While learning to juggle phone lines and auditions, she discovers an untapped talent for detective work—a qualification few other office temps, let alone actresses, can claim.