Speak Now: A Charley Fairfax Mystery (Charley Fairfax Mysteries Book 1)

Charley Van Leeuwen can tell by a man's kiss whether he's been drinking Taittinger or Veuve Clicquot. Not that she kisses many men, a fact her friends deplore. So imagine their surprise when she comes home to San Francisco with her new husband, Jack. Jack Fairfax is the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. But is he the mild-mannered meteorologist he claims to be? Sometime between finding a dead body in her bathtub, tagging along on a ransom drop, and getting rescued by her husband in a hail of bullets, Charley begins to believe there's more to Jack's past than he's willing, or able, to admit. So, here's Charley, used to her money as a cushion, forced to protect her family and friends and rescue her non-profit repertory theater from artistic and financial ruin. If that means dealing with kidnappings, murders, bitter ex-boyfriends, out-of-control relatives, and vicious former spies--all while staging a play--well, nobody ever said marriage would be easy

Commitment-phobic Charley Van Leeuwen shocks everyone when she returns from London with a husband, Jack Fairfax, in tow. Charley wonders about his past, and before she can settle her post-wedding jitters, Charley and Jack find a dead woman in their hotel suite.

Publishers Weekly

Short-listed for Britain's C.W.A. 2003 Debut Dagger Award, Dumas's sparkling debut should appeal to both cozy and chick-lit fans. Thirty-four-year-old Charley Van Leeuwen, who runs her own "non-profit rep company in San Francisco," has married Jack Fairfax, a dashing former U.S. Navy meteorologist (who reminds her of "Roman Holiday Gregory Peck"), six weeks after meeting him in London. Their honeymoon comes to an abrupt halt when they discover a dead body in their bathtub at San Francisco's posh Mark Hopkins Hotel. Charley must solve the mystery (which somehow involves Jack) and direct a new play while getting kidnapped and held at gunpoint along the way. Stock characters abound: the queeny, bisexual artistic director of her theater; the no-nonsense, sometimes tactless financial manager; the uptight, shy women's studies professor. At times Charley comes across as little more than a collection of references to designer labels and expensive champagne, but her engaging voice ("It would be nice if I could say I look like Aubrey Hepburn, but I'm not delusional") will keep readers turning the pages. (Oct. 1) Forecast: Blurbs from Donna Andrews and Penny Warner will alert their fans to this fresh voice. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

"Comic cozy meets crazed spy thriller in this debut novel short-listed for Britain's 2003 Crime Writer's Association Debut Dagger award."—Booklist Charley Van Leeuwen can tell by a man's kiss whether he's been drinking Taittinger or Veuve Clicquot. Not that she kisses many men, a fact her friends deplore. So imagine their surprise when she came home to San Francisco with a new husband. Jack Fairfax is the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. But is he a mild-mannered meteorologist as he claims? Sometime between finding a dead body in her bathtub, tagging along on a ransom drop, and getting rescued by her husband in a hail of bullets, Charley begins to suspect there's more to Jack's past than he's willing—or able—to admit. So, here's Charley, used to her money as a cushion, forced to protect her family and friends, and rushed to rescue her nonprofit repertory theater from artistic and financial ruin. If that means dealing with kidnappings, murders, bitter ex-boyfriends, out-of-control relatives, and vicious former spies—all while staging a play—well, nobody ever said marriage would be easy.... Charley Van Leeuwen can tell by a man's kiss whether he's been drinking Taittinger or Veuve Clicquot. Not that she kisses many men, a fact her friends deplore. So imagine their surprise when she comes home to San Francisco with her new husband, Jack. Jack Fairfax is the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. But is he the mild-mannered meteorologist he claims to be' Sometime between finding a dead body in her bathtub, tagging along on a ransom drop, and getting rescued by her husband in a hail of bullets, Charley begins to believe there's more to Jack's past than he's willing'or able'to admit. So, here's Charley, used to her money as a cushion, forced to protect her family and friends and rescue her non-profit repertory theater from artistic and financial ruin. If that means dealing with kidnappings, murders, bitter ex-boyfriends, out-of-control relatives, and vicious former spies'all while staging a play'well, nobody ever said marriage would be easy .. Wealthy Charley Van Leeuwen stuns her friends when she comes to San Francisco with a new husband, handsome Jack Fairfax, but Charley soon begins to suspect that there is more to her mild-mannered meteorologist spouse than he will admit, after finding herself dealing with the unexpected corpse, kidnapping, out-of-control relatives, bitter ex-boyfriends, and murder. Okay, here's the stereotype: A woman will date a serial killer because he has cute eyes and she's the only one in the world who truly understands him.