As a reporter, she’s used to covering the news. Now she’s the headline. Alex Vlodnachek has been a reporter for 12 years, a P.R. rep for three months, and a murder suspect for all of 24 hours. When her agency’s double-dealing CEO is stabbed, scheming co-workers cast the new redhead as a compelling red herring. The story is media catnip—especially her salacious nickname: Vlod the Impaler. Even … catnip—especially her salacious nickname: Vlod the Impaler.
Even Alex has to admit she looks guilty.
Out of a job and under suspicion, Alex is running low on cash, when she’s visited by a second disaster: her family. Soon her tiny bungalow is bursting with her nearest and not-so-dearest. To keep herself out of jail—and save what’s left of her sanity—Alex returns to her reporting roots. She goes undercover to reclaim her life, break the story, and unmask a murderer. Pretty much in that order.
What she doesn’t know: The killer also has a to-do list.
And Alex is on it.
more
When I started this book I wasn’t too sure if I was going to like the story or characters…it seemed to drag (but could have been my mood). But once I was better acquainted with the characters and the story picked up steam, I fell in love with it all. The term “red herring” takes on a whole new meaning with this book. This book has it all – crazy family members, insane former employers, humorous situations, and a wild mystery all rolled into one. I don’t know if I can choose a favorite character, but Baba (Alex’s Russian grandmother) and Trip top the list.
This mystery confirmed that if you royally piss off an employer it could be dangerous to your health and life. One of my favorite scenes is where Alex is at the unemployment office because her former employer is contesting her unemployment pay. Let’s just say, don’t piss off government workers. That’s all I’m going to say but trust me when I say you’ll want to pick up this book to read this scene! There are other scenes that left me dumbfounded at the actions of others, but it takes all types in this world.
I think this is going to be one of my new favorite series and I cannot wait for the next book to come out.
We give this 5 paws up.
Synopsis:
As a reporter, she’s used to covering the news.
Now she’s the headline.
Alex Vlodnachek has been a reporter for 12 years, a P.R. rep for three months, and a murder suspect for all of 24 hours. When her agency’s double-dealing CEO is stabbed, scheming co-workers cast the new redhead as a compelling red herring. The story is media catnip—especially her salacious nickname: Vlod the Impaler.
Even Alex has to admit she looks guilty.
Out of a job and under suspicion, Alex is running low on cash, when she’s visited by a second disaster: her family. Soon her tiny bungalow is bursting with her nearest and not-so-dearest. To keep herself out of jail—and save what’s left of her sanity—Alex returns to her reporting roots. She goes undercover to reclaim her life, break the story, and unmask a murderer. Pretty much in that order.
What she doesn’t know: The killer also has a to-do list.
And Alex is on it. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Alex is fiesty and spunky and does not let much slow her down. When the CEO of her company gets murdered, she is considered a person of interest. It is a good thing that she used to be a reporter. She will need all of her skills to clear her name. I enjoyed getting to meet her crazy zany family and they added a lot of humor to the book. Her two brothers and her grandmother were quite a handful and I had to laugh at some of their antics.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and those descriptions drew me into the story. The language was a little harsher than most cozies but not offensive in any way.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a humorous lighthearted cozy mystery. If you like funny you have to give this book a try.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Alex Vlodnachek’s Monday morning could not get any worse. She calls in sick from her job in a P.R. Firm, Coleman & Walters, after a disastrous Friday business dinner where her boss, Everett Coleman, offers her up as desert to sweeten a deal with a new client. After a heated public argument at the dinner, taking off Monday is a relief. That relief is short lived though when police officers show up knocking on her door giving her the news that Everett Coleman has been killed and she is wanted for questioning into the murder. The police, co-workers, and her neighbors thinks she did it. So, the best way of getting out of a murder investigation is finding the murderer yourself. With twelve years as a reporter under her belt prior to taking on the job with Coleman & Walters, she sets out to clear her name and get her life back. But, with so many suspects in question, finding the real killer is starting to look daunting. Will Alex manage to stay out of jail long enough to find the real person responsible?
Confessions of a Red Herring by Dana Dratch is the first book in the Red Herring Mystery series and it does not disappoint. The story start off strong and keeps on running. Alex is such a great character given her circumstances. She does not take the cloud of suspicion surrounding her laying down. Instead, she becomes proactive as her life is spiraling down the toilet. With help from a colorful cast of characters, better known as her friends and family, they set out to clear her good name. With a lot of laughs and some sleuthing, the team get themselves in situations that have you flipping the pages wondering how they never get caught. The problem they are finding though is that there are a lot of suspects in the pool to choose from and most of them are happy enough to pin the blame on Alex with their fabricated lies.
I love a plot that takes off right from the first page and Confessions of a Red Herring never faltered from its strong beginning. I found myself invested in Alex and really liking her spunkiness and stubbornness. She is a great heroine that will do anything it takes from disguising herself as the cleaning crew to gain entrance into the Coleman and Walter’s building to working the funeral dinner of her murdered boss in order to gather information. Each scene felt like a slow build up which kept me glued to the pages trying to find out the mystery behind the murder.
Confessions of a Red Herring is a five star read full of humor, characters you wish were part of your own family, and a heroine you are rooting to win right from the start. I really can’t wait to see where this series takes us. I, for one, will certainly be following up with Alex in the next installment to the series.
Well written with an intricate plot, CONFESSIONS OF A RED HERRING is a good debut book for author Dana Dratch.
Ms. Dratch wasted no time getting to the murder in this whodunit. And, her protagonist, Alex Vlodnachek , found herself to be the lead suspect in the before the end of first chapter! While I love a fastmoving book, I would like to haven gotten to know Alex a bit more. As for the victim, I didn’t need any time to get to know him.He was very smarmy, and any number of people would have been happy to do him in.
Some of the language wasn’t necessary for a cozy. Not a lot of it, but enough for it to stick out at me. I’m finding more and more “cozy” authors using cursing in their books. Be it mild or not, it simply isn’t needed in this type of book.
I didn’t solve the mystery in CONFESSIONS OF A RED HERRING, but when I read the killer’s name it all because clear and I couldn’t believe I must have overlooked some clues that would have helped me guess successfully. All those red herrings the author through in really did a number on me.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Alex Vlodnachek’s life is a mess, she left a job she had for years that she loved for a job that pays extremely well that she hates. She can’t believe her boss tried to get her to entertain a client in his hotel room. She turned her boss down flat and walked away. She even called in sick to work on Monday to try to wrap her head around the insanity and plot a new future. That was until the police knocked on her door to tell her that her boss had been killed and she was their prime suspect. Say What??
She tries to return to the office to find out what the heck is going on but she is escorted out by security. How is she going to clear her name when she doesn’t even know the whole story? She decides to use what she learned as a reporter and start doing her own investigation. Even going undercover in the building where she was unceremoniously booted out.
If being out of a job and being a murder suspect isn’t enough she has to deal with family members that have come to visit unannounced. Her tiny little house is exploding at the seams but what’s a girl to do. Maybe they will be able to help. She just hopes she doesn’t get them killed in the process.
What a great start for this series. First of all, I absolutely love Alex and her grandmother, Baba. Don’t ask me to choose, they are both wonderful characters. In fact, the entire cast is fantastic including dog Lucy. Alex’s best friend “Trip” is the perfect best friend. We all need a Trip in our lives. Her brother, Nick, a former emu farmer, has also come to town, hoping Alex can help him smooth something over with their family. The last person they expected to arrive on the doorstep was Baba. She takes over the house, cleaning and “cooking” and she takes the job of protecting her granddaughter very seriously. Alex is a strong woman but Baba can bring her to her knees. These are strong characters and very well developed for the first book in a series.
So much happens in this story. At times, I felt my head was spinning, but the author brought everything together for one fantastic ending. I was drawn deeply into the story following leads with Alex. What was happening at that P.R. firm was just crazy, but Alex stuck with it, trying to show police there were many other suspects. She was also dealing with her old firm messing up her life in unbelievable ways. There was drama at home to stay on top of too. Alex was a real superwoman to keep juggling all those balls in the air.
This book was suspenseful and also funny. The title really fits the story. The characters were engaging and eclectic. The dialogue was realistic, there was a bit of explicit language, minimal. I really enjoyed this book start to finish. I am more than excited to see where the author takes this series.
If you are looking for a new cozy series with a fun protagonist, look no further. The one is a perfect escape!
A twisted story that will keep the reader on their toes. Red Herring in this story has a whole new meaning.
Alex has switched over from being a reporter to a P.R. It turned out not to be the bet move she has done. She has been set up of a murder and with her brother Nick, friend Trip, Her grandmother, Baba he is going to find out what happened.
The characters were great and I love Baba. You can’t beat a great grandmother with frying pans. Alex is spunky and stubborn which I like about her the most. The author does a great job with the story that you want to keep reading. I will be looking for the next book in the series.
Where to begin. First I have to say for a new series this one is gonna be ‘Killer’! From the first page I was drawn in and I could
not put this one down.
I was cheering Alex all the way! While she desperately tried to
figure out what the heck was going on I felt I was one step ahead of her yelling ‘Go girl.’
Being a person of interest in a murder isn’t a great way to start a week. And then as the week goes on things get worse as Alex becomes a prime suspect. And then the victim when the
wife of the deceased decides Alex is the murderer because she is ‘the other woman’.
Things seem to go from bad to worse when her younger brother and his wife(?) and puppy appear on her doorstep. Followed shortly by their Russian grandmother when she hears all the drama on the news.
But there just might be a little light at the end of the tunnel and maybe a little glimmer off hope in the form of the hot new neighbor across the street. Who is turning his house into a B&B.
There are some great characters running around and helping Alex out.
There are also a bunch of suspects.
Dana did a great job of introducing everyone and the story just flowed.
Dana’s family even the ones that aren’t around are introduced and flow into the story. They’ll be a big part I expect of future
installments.
There’s another brother living in NYC who sends money to help Dana out. The super model sister who now owns a modeling agency and is in Paris with the mom. Thank goodness for that
mom home during a murder investigation would have driven everyone nuts.
Dana’s brother went from being dead broke and out of a job to pastry chef for the new B&B.
The girlfriend was quite the # a waitress he met in Vegas. She turns out to be a good sleuth and very willing to help solve the crimes.
If I had to choose a favorite character it would really be hard.
I loved them all.
From the grandmother who was a bad cook but could take out the bad guys with an iron skillet.
To Alex’s best friend Trip. He was a great guy and always ready to help except when asked to pretend to be Alex’s fiance. As much as he loves Alex as his best friend it’s not in the cards.
He already has a partner that I expect we will meet in future installments maybe. He was left completely out of the drama and only mentioned in passing. Hmm what might be up with that?
Ian the new neighbor is British and charming and is in the wings waiting to get to know Alex better.
I have to say the only thing I didn’t like about the story/plot was
that in the end Gabby the Las Vegas girlfriend decided to return to her previous boyfriend in Vegas. She was a great part of the
story and I’ll miss her. Maybe she won’t find true love there after all. We can only hope.
Confessions of a Red Herring was filled with fun and funny
characters. A good ‘ole mystery(s) and a great twisty turning plot that keeps you interested all the way to the end when Grandma
clobbers one of the villains with her skillet.
It was a great read. I can’t wait for the next one! The author included a preview of Seeing Red. How long do we have to wait?
Confessions of a Red Herring is a 5+ star start to a new Cozy series.
I received a complimentary copy.
Confessions of a Red Herring by Dana Dratch is the first book in A Red Herring Mystery series. Alex Vlodnachek is a former reporter now working at the D.C. public relations firm of Coleman and Walters. After an incident with managing partner, Everett P. Coleman on Friday, Alex decided to call in sick on Monday. She is surprised when two detectives come knocking on her door to question her about Everett’s murder and Alex is their prime suspect in his death. When Alex goes into work, she is promptly fired. As if her week could not get worse, her younger brother, Nick shows up looking for a place to stay with Gabrielle, his new lady friend from Vegas, as well as a puppy named Lucy. Then Baba, her Russian grandmother, arrives which means inedible cooking (they will have to sneak in snacks). To escape the chaos in her tiny home and clear her name, Alex puts her investigative reporting talents to work. Coleman and Walters is working overtime to throw Alex under the bus in the court of public opinion. Who inside the agency wanted Everett dead? The wife, the business partner, and the mistress are all viable suspects. Someone, though, is attempting to thwart Alex with unscrupulous tactics (stealing her mail, turning off her electricity). Can Alex expose the killer before her death is the next media sensation?
Confessions of a Red Herring is full of off-beat characters. Alex is spunky go-getter. She is not going to let the PR firm set her up for murder. Nick, the younger brother, goes from one job to another. He does not know what he wishes to do with his life. His last venture (an emu farm) was sabotaged by his pot smoking partner. Gabriele is Vegas waitress that Nick picked up on his way to Alex’s house. She is a pickpocket with a questionable online business. We have Lucy the puppy who is destructive with Alex’s belongings. Baba, the Russian grandmother, who cooks grey, slimy food (the descriptions will put you off your next meal). I wish the author had taken the time to establish her main character and provide a thorough backstory. The book consisted of one madcap incident after another. The murder occurred in the first chapter and solving it was a snap. There was a great deal of speculation and repetition of details (not needed). My favorite scene in the book was the showdown at the unemployment office. I found it entertaining. The description of a banks fee system was spot on. My rating for Confessions of a Red Herring 3 out of 5 stars. I do want to mention that there is foul language in the book along with the mention of intimate scenes, drugs and copious amounts of alcohol. Those readers who prefer their cozy mysteries to be light and humorous, then Confessions of a Red Herring is for you.
This book had it all. A great mystery with twists and turns, a wacky family that provided some humour and chuckles without being over the top and a sassy, fun and interesting heroine.
There were some great suspects and I was all over the place with my guesses of who could have been the murderer. It was a fast paced mystery and Alex kept me hooked until the last page on her actions to discover the truth.
A great start to a new series and I am already looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I requested this book at Netgalley and am thankful that the publisher and author provided me with a copy.
Confessions of a Red Herring by Dana Dratch is a lively and twisted mystery that I hope is only the beginning of a new series.
Alex Vlodnachek is a ex-reporter that thought she was making the right move into P.R. but it turned out to be a bad choice almost from the start. I really liked Alex. She is smart, spunky, stubborn and determined. She’s been set up for a murder and she will find out who is behind it all. Her friend, Trip, is an absolute doll; and I want him for a best friend, too. Her brother, Nick, her grandmother, Baba come to visit which only adds to the chaos. The plot moved smoothly with plenty of suspects who have motives for wanting the man dead. I was on track with Alex as to who the real culprit(s) were but the reveal was still enlightening. Beware of grandmothers with cast iron frying pans. There were often humorous moments and a few sad ones, too; but I found that be realistic. I look forward to meeting Alex’s sister and mother and getting to know them better – hopefully in the next book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.