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There are currently 27 member reviews
for One Death at a Time
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Claire M. (Wrentham, MA)
One Death at a TIme, Two for the Road
One Death at Time wears its heart on its sleeve. The story opens into a group discussion where intimate details of personal struggles are brought forward in fits and starts, the propulsive beat of the plot begins to build momentum and never stops. In fact, half the action takes place racing around in classic cars and high-end vintage designer clothes with witty dialogue and Los Angeles as the backdrop. Abbi Waxman presents a funny, contemporary madcap romp with edge.
Irresistible characters dash across the page non-stop. When legendary Oscar winner Julia Mann offers temporary sponsor Natasha Mason a job as her as personal assistant it's clear there is more to both these women than meets the eye. An eclectic team of Hollywood writers, agents, and investigators race to find the killer who set up Julia Mann and there are more plot twists than impressive housekeeper Claudia can conjure in pastry. With side excursions to Palm Springs and the underside of burlesque theater, more characters are piled onto the investigative mayhem.
None of this would add up to much if not for the engaging intelligence and vulnerability of Mason and Julia. Mentor and mentee, sponsor and sponsee, they trade roles back and forth as they work together. There is no generational divide as they focus on finding the truth for Julia and saving others from injustice. This team is on a roll and we will hopefully read more of their investigative adventures.
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Betcei B. (Huntsville, AL)
Be prepared to Laugh
Abbi Waxman has written a hilarious romp of a mystery. I laughed out loud numerous times at the antics of Mason becoming an investigator for Julia when all Mason was supposed to be doing was sponsoring Julia in AA. The book takes you through the streets, hills and desert of Los Angeles, into the lives of the rich and famous and why someone just might want a bunch of them dead. Mason is tough, but her innocence in the ways of the wealthy reminds the reader that we too would have the same questions about what is going on. Take the entire weekend for this delightful book.
Thank you to Net galley and Bookbrowse for this advance ecopy.
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Deborah C. (Seattle, WA)
Another great read from Abbi Waxman!
Abbi Waxman's books are all different, but each one is funny and heartwarming, with wonderful, quirky characters. One Death at a Time is no exception. Natasha Mason (who goes by her last name) is a recovering alcoholic who meets crotchety former actress Julia Mann at an AA meeting. Shortly after Mason agrees to act as Julia's personal assistant, the cops come calling. It turns out Julia is the prime suspect in the murder of a longtime enemy. Unfortunately for Julia, she has no recollection of what happened the night of the murder because she was blackout drunk.
Since the cops don't seem to be looking for any other suspects, Julia, Mason, and an assorted cast of characters have to do their own detective work to clear Julia's name.
It was a lot of fun to follow along as Julia and her gang leapt from one improbable situation to another. A very enjoyable plot together with well-drawn and interesting characters made for a great read. I wish Abbi would write more sequels, because I always want to spend more time with her characters!
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Elizabeth D. (Apple Valley, MN)
One Mystery After Another
What a fun ride! I really enjoyed this mystery, full of strong female characters and witty repartee. It made me laugh out loud several times. I really liked Mason as a character, someone who'd screwed up in the past and struggles with impulse control, but is committed to working the 12 step system and to helping her new sponsee to make choices to support her sobriety. I don't have any first hand experience with AA or with the disease of addiction, but I appreciated that the book acknowledges that people can do well for a long time, relapse, and still get back up to start again, and that it's not a straightforward path.
While their sobriety brings the two main characters together, there's much more action to the book. It kind of made me think of a great buddy-cop movie from the 80s or like the tv show Moonlighting - two strong, different characters who argue but who like and respect each other a lot.
There's also a great supporting cast of characters, all of whom fill stereotypical roles, but felt different than the usual stereotypes.
There are multiple deaths and mysteries, so a lot to untangle with this book. If this duo - and their supporting cast - went on to other adventures, I'd happily read another tale of their exploits.
The one thing that stood out to me as a semi-negative (and it isn't even a negative, just an observation) is that the book felt long. I don't know what the page count is on this book, so will be curious to see how long it is when it's released. It felt long. Not inappropriately so, just that it took me a while to get through. Still enjoyed it though!
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Linda V. (Independence, KY)
Delightful mystery!
Yes, it's a mystery but the beauty of this book is in its dialogue!! Cheeky, irreverent and totally real. You can "hear" the conversations!! Didn't want this to end because I had a wonderful time getting to know the characters and delight in their wit and attitude.
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Patricia L. (Seward, AK)
One Death at a Time
Natalie Mason is described as "an unusually pretty woman of twenty-five with extremely short hair and striking features that might have been overwhelming had they been paired with a more elaborate hairstyle…" In Hollywood everyone is judged first by their looks and second by their issues. Mason's issue is alcohol, which she is being forced to address by attending daily AA meetings while working as an Uber driver and delivery person. A child of Hollywood, Mason has been oblivious to its' glitz, glamour and underbelly. But that changes when Julia enters the room.
Julia Mann is a former Hollywood star turned convicted murderer, turned parolee, turned lawyer for the underdog, with a drinking problem. Her attendance at AA is mandated because after waking up from an alcohol induced black out, she found a body floating in her pool. She can't recall why or how it got there.
One Death at a Time is the story of Julia, Mason and friends trying to solve two murders. While Waxman's storyline may be long with extraneous details, the fast, irreverent, smart, sassy dialog moves the plot at lightening speed. Her characters are well defined and memorable. One Death at a Time is recommended for those who seek a fast read about glamourous people who aren't above a little self-deprecation and laugh out loud humor.
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Alex M. (Woodland, CA)
A fun, mysterious romp through Hollywood!
I really enjoyed this smart mystery based in LA's Hollywood scene! Abbi Waxman has the gift of creating quirky, relatable characters and this was true for main character Mason. I loved her dynamic with actress Julia, and how they bonded as recovering alcoholics.
They team up to solve the murder of a director who was found dead in the pool of Julia's mansion. Although she's 90 certain she didn't kill him, Julia has no idea how he ended up dead. They were former friends turned enemies, yet she had no strong motive to kill him. Julia enlists her team of assistants to solve the crime, and Mason gets pulled into some shenanigans that are somewhat dangerous, but highly entertaining.
This novel was a wild, enjoyable ride! I had a bit of trouble keeping track of all of the characters, but still had fun with the story. I am not a big movie buff so some of the movie details were lost on me, but could see how this aspect would appeal to many readers. I adored the house chef Claudia and the many pets that appeared throughout the story! I recommend this novel and hope Abbi Waxman writes more in the mystery genre!
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