Calamity Jayne Rides Again

No one’s perfect.

At least that’s what Lucy Mathews tells herself. Except faced with her boyfriend’s rodeo queen ex-wife and perfectly trained Australian shepherd, she has to wonder if maybe this whole ‘no one’s perfect’ thing was made up by someone like...Lucy.

Lucky for Lucy though, things are hopping around Helena. It’s rodeo season, and she has a booth. It’s a great opportunity to expand her clientele and maybe even snag a cash prize for Kiska as the world’s first sheep herding malamute.
Except Kiska can’t herd, Lucy loses her wallet, and oh yeah...there’s that dead rodeo queen Lucy just stumbled over.

Good thing her boyfriend’s a detective. Except that’s not going so well either. A new detective is in town, and he’s convinced Lucy’s involved in the rodeo queen’s murder. Her boyfriend is no help at all and worse he’s spending a little too much time with his ex-wife.

Lucy finds herself out of money, out of love, and maybe this time, out of luck.

Who killed Helena Henry? The shorter list may be who didn’t want her dead.

Psychic Raissa Bordeaux thought she’d left her former life behind, but when a child is kidnapped, she risks her secret identity by offering the police help with the case. New Orleans Detective Zach Blanchard doesn’t believe in psychic hooey and is certain Raissa didn’t get her facts about the case from a crystal ball. He suspects her of something besides being the most intriguing and attractive woman he’s ever come across. But when Raissa’s secrets put her in danger, can Zach convince her to trust him with the truth before it’s too late?

Eleanor figures somebody must have been really mad at Richard Olsen to bury that kitchen knife in his chest. But when Kevin Hurley--her ex-boyfriend and Timber Ridge's police chief--starts eyeing her as a prime suspect, Eleanor knows she better get to the bottom of things before the gossipy townspeople decide to stop ordering her specialty pies.

With her sassy and occasionally married sister Maddy by her side, Eleanor finds the list of suspects begins to outnumber the ingredients on the Slice's famed Smorgasbord Special pizza. Like Richard's eccentric sister, who appears out of nowhere to learn she's the heir to 100 grand . . . in what looks like dirty money. Richard worked for a shredding business--and it seems he read before he shred, and very well could've been a blackmailer. What about Richard's boss, who now stands to lose his shredding company? And then there's that steamy scented letter from none other than the mayor's wife . . .

But when someone takes a shot at Eleanor on a late-night delivery run, she and Maddy know time is running out. To find the killer--and keep the pizzas rolling out of A Slice of Delight's ovens--she'll need to put it all on the line and hope that her search for the truth doesn't end in an unmarked grave . . .

"A yummy mystery chock full of savory surprises--like an extra-large pizza loaded with extra toppings!" --Leslie Meier, author of Mother's Day Murder

Everyone has warned new-minted realtor Savannah Martin that real estate is a cutthroat business. But Savannah doesn’t think she’s supposed to take the warning literally ... until an early morning phone call sends her to an empty house on the ‘bad’ side of town, where she finds herself standing over the butchered body of a competitor, face to face with the boy her mother always warned her about.

Rafe Collier is six feet three inches of testosterone and trouble; tall, dark, and dangerous, with a murky past and no future—not the kind of guy a perfect Southern Belle should want to tangle with. In any way. But wherever Savannah turns, there he is, and making no bones about what he wants from her.

Now Savannah must figure out who killed real estate queen Brenda Puckett, make a success of her new career, and avoid getting killed—or kissed—by Rafe, all before the money in her savings account runs out and she has to go back to selling make-up at the mall.

*** Contains an excerpt from HOT PROPERTY, Savannah Martin mystery #2

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:

"With a dose of southern charm and a bad boy you won't want to forget, A CUTTHROAT BUSINESS has enough wit and sexual chemistry to rival Janet Evanovich."
-----Tasha Alexander, bestselling author of DANGEROUS TO KNOW

"VERDICT: The hilarious dialog and the tension between Savannah and Rafe will delight fans of chick-lit mysteries and romantic suspense."
-----Jo Ann Vicarel, Library Journal

"... mixes up a frothy girl drink of houses, hunks and whodunit narrated in a breezy first person ... If you love an umbrella in your drink ... grab A Cutthroat Business for a quick beach read."
-----Lyda Phillips, Nashville Scene

"A delicious and dazzling romantic thriller ... equal parts wit and suspense, distilled with a Southern flavor as authentic as a mint julep."
-----Kelli Stanley, Bruce Alexander award winner, NOX DORMIENDA

"... equal parts charming and sexy, with a side of suspense. Hero and heroine, Savannah Martin and Rafe Collier, are a pairing of perfection."
-----Paige Crutcher, examiner.com

"...hooks you in the first page and doesn't let go until the last! ... There's something for every reader: tricky plot twists, rich description, and some villainous characters you'll love to hate."
-----Lynda Coker, Between the Pages

"A lighthearted Southern romp with plenty of steam beneath the surface ... prose is crisp, and protagonist Savannah Martin is a flawed but likeable heroine."
-----Jaden Terrell, author of RACING THE DEVIL

BIO:

Jenna Bennett/Jennie Bentley writes the New York Times bestselling Do It Yourself home renovation mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime and the Cutthroat Business mysteries for her own gratification. She also writes a variety of romance for Entangled Publishing, from contemporary to futuristic and from paranormal to suspense.

ALSO IN THIS SERIES:

A Cutthroat Business - Savannah Martin mystery #1 (May 2011)
Hot Property - Savannah Martin Mystery #2 (June 2011)
Contract Pending - Savannah Martin Mystery #3 (July 2011)
Close to Home - Savannah Martin Mystery #4 (October 2011)
A Done Deal - Savannah Martin Mystery #5 (December 2011)

ALSO FROM THIS AUTHOR:

Tall, Dark and Divine, Bagging a Greek God #1 - (July 2012)

Fortune's Hero, Soldiers of Fortune #1 - (November 2012)

Fatal Fixer-Upper - DIY #1 (November 2008) - written as Jennie Bentley
Spackled and Spooked - DIY #2 (August 2009) - written as Jennie Bentley
Plaster and Poison - DIY #3 (March 2010) - written as Jennie Bentley
Mortar and Murder - DIY #4 (January 2011) - written as Jennie Bentley
Flipped Out - DIY #5 (October 2011) - written as Jennie Bentley
Wall to Wall Dead - DIY #6 (September 2012) - written as Jennie Bentley