Current giveaway for this book ends July 2 at midnight!

Of all the series from Henery Press I've read so far, this one is probably my least favourite. This is a relative measurement, because I'd still recommend it to cozy mystery readers as one of the better written and plotted series.

Some of this is just a matter of personal taste: I'm not a fan of mid-century anything; I hated the styles of the 70's when I lived through them and the 60's...not my thing. So, the clothing and furniture, the movie and architectural references that are part of the setting either go over my head or leave me ambivalent.

Additionally, I'm not a fan of wounded-bird MC's. The character is strong, intelligent and independent, but in her own head, she's a victim. She's had her heart brutally broken by a man and that means all men are to be avoided because really, how can she possibly ever trust her heart to someone else ever again?!? While obviously useful to create character conflict and allow for growth, this kind of thing drives me nuts

In spite of these personal preference divergences, the first two had been really well written and had some pretty good plotting, so the characters were excellent, the details interesting and the mysteries compelling enough to keep reading.

With Vics You Get Eggroll was a bit of a disappointment though. There's a love triangle that's been brewing from the beginning and it seems to be resolved in this one, but - and this is why I hate triangles - I'm not sure I like the resolution. This is what happens when an author creates two equally attractive men.

There's also a lot of angst and an attempt to make Tex look like damaged goods but it never really works: Maddie is warned of a "dark side" but all we get is a moment where he throws a beer bottle in the sink, then immediately cleans up his own mess.

There are timing moments that don't work: Maddie and Tex leave a parking lot in his vehicle, leaving her car there with the promise that Tex will take care of it. She returns to the parking lot 10-15 minutes later (her words) and her car has already been towed to the police impound lot. Really? Because that would be the fastest damn tow truck EVER!

Most of all, I guessed the killer in the first scene he appears and that's wicked early in the book. Every other suspect (and it takes a leap of imagination to actually make them suspects, because the logic wasn't there to support it) just failed to be realistically suspicious. Maddie is never told what the murder weapon was, but she calls the police on every person she sees that has the rather unique weapon with nothing else to back up her reasoning. She accused at least three different men of being the Lakewood Abductor - 2 of them to the police and one to his face.

In conclusion, although it sounds like I slagged the book pretty badly, I'd recommend it to people who've read the first two - it's still well written, if not as strong as the first two, and there's a heap of character development going on. If you've never read the series, don't start with this one - it's not the one that shows this series to it's best advantage. I'll look forward to the fourth one and hope that the story telling gets back on track. ( )

I can usually figure mysteries out pretty quick, but this one kept me guessing until the very end. Great main character and a very fun read! ( )

Diane Vallere's Madison Night books continue to be my favorite cozy mystery series. Having read the fourth book first, I bought the first three and am happy to say that I'm all caught up and ready for book five, The Pajama Frame, which will be released at the end of February. These books have given me a new respect for Doris Day, the actress Madison Night models herself after. If that sounds too cute for words (along with the book covers), think again. Most people, if they are aware of Doris Day at all, think of the frothy romantic comedies she starred in with Rock Hudson, but there's much more to Doris than that. She was a trailblazer in her own right, and her movies run the full spectrum from musicals to Alfred Hitchcock. She portrayed an independent woman who didn't need anyone's protection, and if you think about it, she's the perfect role model for someone like Madison Night. (And I hope you've noticed that the book titles use Day's movies as inspiration.)

In With Vics You Get Eggroll, the spotlight is on Tex Allen, the other man in Madison's life. Yes, she's been dealing with one of fiction's favorite dilemmas for female characters: two men circling around her with bright eyes and hope in their hearts. We've already had a book focusing on Madison's contractor Hudson James, so now it's Tex's turn, and I have to admit that accusing someone of murder is a good way to find out what kind of person they are. Thus, in three books, Vallere solves Madison's man dilemma, and that's good news for readers like me who don't care for that particular plot device. (And no, the series doesn't weaken once Madison has made her choice.)

The mystery surrounding the Lakewood Abductor is very well-constructed and creates some lovely thrills and chills. My brain whispered to me whom the abductor had to be, but I ignored it, choosing instead to snuggle down and enjoy the book. One of the things I enjoy the most about this series is that this cast of characters is intelligent and caring-- and they don't do stupid things or run off half-cocked. Madison is forty-eight, has a bum knee, and knows she's not Wonder Woman. Throw in her adorable Shih Tzu named Rocky, and this series pretty much has it all-- including humor. In With Vics You Get Eggroll, there's a scene in which Tex vents his frustration out on an oak tree and gets taken to task by the elderly lady next-door. I loved it.

Strong mysteries, an excellent cast, chills, thrills and laughter, and an adorable dog... if you haven't read a Madison Night mystery, what are you waiting for? ( )

Protagonist Madison Night is an interior decorator, a character inspired by the irrepressible Doris Day. With Vics You Get Egg Roll is the third in the Madison Night series. Diane Vallere is an author writing her way up the mystery library shelves at a energetic, satisfying pace. Her story catches a surging wave with Madison’s friend being charged with murder. It continues on a dangerous, infectious, and page-turning ride. Fashion, the incredible sixties, a solid and suspenseful plot makes this novel worthy sport. ( )