Just because a man cheats on his wife and makes Danny DeVito look tall, dark and handsome, is that any reason to kill him? The reluctant and quirky PI, Lee Alvarez doesn't think so. But the 34-year old ½ Latina, ½ WASP and 100% detective has her work cut out for her when the man is murdered on her watch. Of all the nerve. Set in the present, Murder is a Family Business is the first in a series of humorous mysteries revolving around Lee Alvarez, a combination of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone and Janet Evanovitch’ Stephanie Plum, and rest of the Alvarez Family, detectives all. Seemingly light and frothy on the surface, the novel nevertheless explores familial love, the good, the bad and the annoying.
Completing the family is Lee’s Never-Had-A-Bad-Hair-Day aristocratic mother, Lila; computer genius brother, Richard; beloved uncle “Tio;” and her energetic orange and white cat, Tugger. When this group is not solving murders, they run Discretionary Inquiries, a successful Silicon Valley agency that normally deals with the theft of computer software. The love, humor and camaraderie shared within this family are what set this series apart from others.
The Alvarez Murder Mystery Series by Heather Haven
In my twenties and thirties, I spent my writing career in New York City creating short stories, comedy acts, plays, television treatments, ad copy, and commercials. I even ghost-wrote a book once. The idea of writing my own book didn’t occur to me until I was in my early forties. What can I say? I’m a late bloomer.
I read my first Nancy Drew book at the tender age of nine and have never looked back. I love a good mystery, in particular, humorous mysteries. Most of the time when I read a book, I like it to be on the humorous side. If I want to cry, I can pick up a newspaper and read the real estate or financial section. Tears will spring to my eyes immediately.
So I decided to write a funny murder mystery series, beginning with Murder is a Family Business. After all, a writer lives inside her or his head and if I have to be in there 24/7, I’d like to have a few laughs along the way. Also, I felt my mystery series had to include two important things: the recently immigrated, which is one of America’s natural resources, and the family unit.
Right off the bat, this wasn’t going to be a ‘classic’ family i.e., father, mother, sister, brother, and large dog, all careening around in a shiny SUV. Of course, these days a family like that is harder to find than a dinosaur with feathers. Oh, wait. Archeologists are digging those up all the time from unsuspecting peoples’ backyards. The Ozzie and Harriet family does still exist. Hello there!
But I wanted something unique. Hence, the Alvarez Family Murder Mystery Series, a family of detectives, was born. Quirky Lee Alvarez, the protagonist, along with her younger brother, Richard, are the products of a 35-year union between Roberto, a Mexican Immigrant who made good, and a Palo Alto blueblood, Never-Had-A-Bad-Hair-Day Lila Hamilton Alvarez. Roberto dies unexpectedly and like most sudden familial deaths, a realignment of the surviving members takes place. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, but as a rule, it will be different. Who would have thought another death two years later would help rekindle what this small family had lost earlier?
Lee Alvarez is a combination of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone and Janet Evanovitch’ Stephanie Plum. This 34-year old divorcee works as a private investigator in the family business, Discretionary Inquiries, a successful Silicon Valley agency that normally deals with the theft of computer software. Her beautiful ice-princess mother, Lila, has taken over as CEO and head of the business. Lee’s younger brother, Richard, is the head of Research and Information Technology. Her Uncle Tío is a retired head chef of a well-known Mexican restaurant. Even the new foundling kitten, Tugger, becomes head of the household in Lee’s small, two-bedroom apartment over the family garage.
Lee isn’t head of squat, thank you. But she’s got the heart of a lion, eyes the color of twilight, and the instincts of a first-rate PI, which is good, because she’s always getting herself into trouble.
Read what they're saying about Murder is a Family Business!
"I very highly recommend this book! It’s a great mystery with wonderful characters. I loved the Alvarez family!"
--Life in Review
"This was an enjoyable 'whodunit' book! It has tone of humor throughout so they mystery doesn't get too heavy..."
--Ashley's Bookshelf
"I really enjoyed this story and the connection between Lee and her brother Richard. It was written very well which in my opinion puts Ms. Haven up there with Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovitch and many other detective novels. By the end of the book I felt really connected with these characters and wondering what Discretionary Inquiries is up to next?"
--Community Bookshop
"The author combined mystery, suspense and family into a great detective novel. There were twists and turns throughout the book that made the plot interesting and fresh.I look forward to following the Alvarez family in the next book of the series, A Wedding to Die For available now."
--Books R Us
"I highly recommend this book with 4 star praises. It's the start of a series that is SURE to be a hit selling one, and a series that I can't wait to collect and read more about this Latino WASP investigator! Well done, Heather!"
--Book Reviews by Molly
"I quite enjoyed this new series and I think Heather Haven has found a successful and fresh approach to murder/mystery suspense novels. I look forward to reading more in the months ahead."
--One Day at a Time
Purchase your copy of Murder is a Family Business by Heather Haven at:
MuseItUpPublishing - http://museituppublishing.com/musepub/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81&Itemid=82
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Business-Alvarez-Mystery-ebook/dp/B004HYHCWO/
Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Murder-is-a-Family-Business/Heather-Haven/e/2940011170546/?itm=1&USRI=murder+is+a+family+business+by+heather+haven
Heather is a story teller by nature and loves the written word. In her career, she’s written short stories, novels, comedy acts, plays, television treatments, ad copy, commercials, and even ghost-wrote a book.
One of her first jobs as a writer was given to her by her then agent. It was that of writing a love story for a book published by Bantam called Moments of Love. She had a deadline of one week and then promptly came down with the flu. She wrote “The Sands of Time” with a temperature of 102 and delivered some pretty hot stuff because of it. Later on, she wrote short comedy skits for nightclub acts and ad copy for such places as No Soap Radio, where her love for comedy blossomed. Many of her short stories have been seen in various publications, as well as 2 one-act plays produced in Manhattan, one at the well-known, Playwrights Horizons.
Her novel, Murder is a Family Business, the first in the Alvarez Murder Mystery series, has been epublished by MuseItUp Publishing in January, 2011. The second in the series, A Wedding To Die For, debuts April 22, 2011. She is currently writing the 3rd of the series, and says they are a joy to write. Heather gets to be all the characters, including the cat!
You can visit Heather online at www.heatherhavenstories.com and her blog at http://heatherhavensays.blogspot.com/.
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