25 Feb 2014

PLAYING JAMES.

PLAYING JAMES by SARAH MASON.

SOURCE: Ex-library stock.

Budding reporter Holly Colshannon thought things couldn't get worse than covering pet funerals. But then her boss at the BRISTOL GAZETTE hands her the poisoned chalice of a crime correspondent: a job the words 'wouldn't', 'touch' and 'bargepole' were invented for.

.Detective James Sabine is not happy to discover he is to be shadowed by a reporter: in fact, he wants his fly-on-the-wall to buzz right off. Holly, though, is not a girl to go lightly, especially when she has a daily column to write and an ailing MG to support. However, while relations between press and police continue to plunge, the reading public are starting to suspect that there's no spark without a flame. But have their audience got the wrong idea? Or is it Holly who's missing all the clues?
..... Outer back cover

FIRST SENTENCE {Chapter 1}: 'Hello, Casualty Department?'

MEMORABLE MOMENT {Page 149}: He squints at the ground. 'You tripped over a fruit gum?' He stares up at me and his voice is incredulous with disbelief.

MY THOUGHTS: Not usually a big fan of chick-lit fiction (not even if like this one it does have a crime sub-plot). I don't know if it was a case of my being in need of a light, fluffy read, the average but enjoyable plot, the, as is most likely, wonderful characters or a combination of all three but either way I found myself enjoying this debut novel (winner of Parker Romantic Novel of the Year 2003) in a way I wouldn't have believed possible.

'Promoted' from covering pet funerals surely things can only get better (can't they?) when journalist Holly Colshannon is asked to shadow Detective James Sabine in order to write a daily 'diary' chronicling his working day. 

OK, so Playing James is not exactly a masterpiece of English literature. Predictable with a premise that is hardly credible and lacking any real chemistry in the love interest stakes but the exploits of the seriously 'accident-waiting-to-happen' Holly had me chuckling from start to finish (the opening, err, incident, I'm almost embarrassed to say saw me, to use internet slang, LOL) which more than made up for anything else the novel might otherwise be lacking.



Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper. All original content on http://pettywitter.blogspot.co.uk/ is created by the website owner, including but not limited to text, design, code, images, photographs and videos are considered to be the Intellectual Property of the website owner, whether copyrighted or not, and are protected by DMCA Protection Services using the Digital Millennium Copyright Act Title 17 Chapter 512 (c)(3). Reproduction or re-publication of this content is prohibited without permission. In addition I would also urge that if you are reading this on any other page you contact the original blog owner/reviewer.

15 comments:

Kelly said...

Not usually my cup of tea, either, but you sure do make it sound appealing.

Literary Feline said...

Sometimes a book like this hits the right spot, doesn't it? I know what you mean about not typically being drawn to books like this though. I've had a lot of those moments in recent years, where I am reading books I normally wouldn't have picked up except suddenly they fit my mood.

You've made this one sound worth reading though

The Bookworm said...

Sometimes book that are "not exactly a masterpiece of English literature" are the best kind of fun reads :)
Glad you enjoyed this one and that it made you LOL!

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

It sounds like this one surprised you a bit and that is good. I love it when that happens! I might have to pick this one up. :)

Suko said...

Tracy, I'm glad you enjoyed this book and the laughs that it caused. :)

Alexia561 said...

Sometimes you just need a light, fluffy read every now and again, so glad to hear that this fit the bill!

Jess@Fairday's Blog said...

I don't read much chick lit- but the fact that this one had you laughing is a good thing. I think we all need something lighter every now and then. :)

Blond Duck said...

Sounds fun to me!

Arti said...

I love lighter reads, the ones that make me tickle. I am so glad this book crossed your expectations and you had a great time reading. Your LOL puts this in my to-pick list of books!

PS: I think there is some problem with the mobile version of Blogger. It just refuses to log you in. Same is the case at my end, I use opera mini as browser.

Betty Manousos said...

great review! definitely this one is for me.
glad you enjoyed this book, tracy.

p.s.
i'm on a blog brake. just passing by to say hi!


big hugs!

StarTraci said...

Looks like a fun, if silly, read. I like the line about tripping on fruit gum!
:-)
Traci

Shooting Stars Mag said...

this sounds good!! sometimes you just need something light and fun.

Mary (Bookfan) said...

Your review has me adding this title to my wish list. Thanks :)

Barbara said...

Hi Tracy, I enjoy a chick-lit every now and again, and this sounds like a good one! I’m the kind of person who trips over wine-gums, cigarette ends, and pavement cracks - much to the annoyance of my husband.

Yanting Gueh said...

Glad to hear you had a fun time with this one, Tracy. My youngest sister might enjoy it, too.