THE HOT LADIES MURDER CLUB – Ann Major
MIRA
ISBN: 1-55166-741-X
November 2003
Romantic Suspense

Corpus Christy, Texas - Present Day

Hannah Smith is being sued.  As a Realtor, Hannah does everything she can to make sure her clients find the right home.  But now a pair of unscrupulous clients, the O'Connors, and their attorney, Joe Campbell, are suing her for selling them a house infested with mold.  Hannah's friend Taz takes her out to cheer her up, and they end up at a biker bar with another of Hannah's clients, Zoe, and Zoe's boss, Veronica.  All four women are being sued for different reasons and are angry at the lawyers who've brought these spurious cases against them.  After a few drinks, some laughs, and a sexy dance with a stranger, the Hot Ladies Murder Club is born as these four women plot what they would do to kill the opposing lawyers.  Hannah is reluctant to add to the list.  She kind of liked Joe Campbell.  Still, it's all in fun, right?

Joe Campbell has to win his case for the O'Connors against Hannah Smith.  Since he was almost disbarred when his best friend's company experienced an Enron-like collapse a few years ago, and he just had another disastrous loss on a malpractice case, Joe is on thin ice with his law firm.  But something about Hannah calls to his protective instincts.  Even though he knows she's lying to him, Joe wants to take care of her.

Suddenly the Hot Ladies list goes public, and the joke isn't funny anymore.  Someone is gunning for Joe, and Hannah is being stalked.  Is it her husband Dom, from whom she has been hiding since he threatened to kill her?  Is he after Joe because Hannah is dating him?

THE HOT LADIES MURDER CLUB is a story of romance, mystery, and suspense with lots of action and adventure.  Hannah has made so many bad choices about men that she is afraid to open herself up to Joe.  All she wants to do is lie low and protect herself and her daughter.  Believing that Hannah is like his ex-wife, Joe tries to avoid thinking about her.  But when his son, Joey, re-enters his life, Joe falls in love with Hannah as she helps them settle in with one another.

Although at first glance the premise of a list made in fun becoming public may sound similar to MR. PERFECT by Linda Howard, Ann Major has crafted a very different tale.  Unlike MR. PERFECT, the hot ladies are not friends to begin with, and the idea for the hit list is not their own.  Ms. Major weaves the lives of Joe, Hannah, and the secondary characters in such a way that you have to keep on top of things to understand who knows who and who's stalking whom.  Fans may find themselves reading well into the night to see what happens next.

For a nail-biting thriller filled with plenty of action, adventure, and romance, don't miss THE HOT LADIES MURDER CLUB.

Kathy Samuels