If you want to be transported to Bali, book a trip through Redondo Travel and find yourself enjoying the landscape, wildlife, customs, and culture of this marvelous place in Wendall Thomas's Cheap Trills. What Cyd Redondo doesn't know about booking the perfect trips for her clients isn't worth knowing, and if her agency were real, she'd definitely have all my business.

Being broiled alive in a brutal (and seemingly endless) Phoenix summer, I loved sinking into the pages of this book and losing myself in the descriptions of Balinese scenery and wildlife. Speaking of wildlife, it always plays an important role in any Cyd Redondo mystery, and in Cheap Trills, I learned about smuggling songbirds and the fight to protect the endangered Bali Starling. But-- as much as I love learning about wildlife and the customs of other countries-- I wouldn't be a diehard fan of this series if it weren't for Cyd Redondo herself. Cyd is extraordinary, from her knowledge and contacts in the travel business to her smart-alecky view of the world to her ability to kickbox in stilettos to her passionate endeavors to save wildlife. She has a Balenciaga bag that MacGyver would give his right arm for, and one of the highlights of Cheap Trills is discovering that Balinese women also know the importance of a good set of Tupperware.

Cyd Redondo is so very easy to laugh with and to love. I would willingly follow her anywhere. I could even be of assistance in a future adventure. You see, Cyd doesn't have a good relationship with bats, and it just so happens that I was the bat wrangler at a previous place of employment. Think about it, Cyd. I could really help you out!

As you can see, I've fallen head over heels for Cyd and her adventures. If you love mysteries with strong female leads that are light-hearted, visual feasts, let me steer you straight to Redondo Travel. You're going to love Cyd.

(Review copy courtesy of Net Galley and the author) ( )

Bali, cultural-differences, cultural-exploration, verbal-humor, situational-humor, travel-agent, smuggling, fish-and-wildlife-service, snark-fest, laugh-riot, research, 2007, drug-trafficking, murder, murder-investigation, amateur-sleuth, amazing-women, family-dynamics, family-drama, family, dishonest-business-practices, law enforcement*****

Brooklyn travel agent Cyd Redondo is off rescuing her mother from many things. There's the lovely man she met who got murdered, drug smugglers, smugglers of endangered Bali bird species, and an unscrupulous rival with a competing travel agency. The author's attention to detail shows meticulous research into the plight of endangered songbirds being smuggled by a network of villains. Cyd is a hoot, but the relatives and acquaintances are positively wacky.
Underground Tupperware network?!
Absolutely LOVED it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Beyond The Page Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!! ( )