Tiaras & Terror

A Kaley Kalua Aloha Lagoon Mystery (Aloha Lagoon Mysteries, Book 13)

By: Anne Marie Stoddard

Narrated by: Mary Hildebrandt

Length: 4 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's Summary

From USA Today best-selling author Anne Marie Stoddard comes a frighteningly fashionable mystery that asks the question: What do zombies, vampires, and beauty pageants have in common? They’re all about to make Kaley Kalua’s life a waking nightmare....

Happy Hula Boutique Manager Kaley is excited to celebrate Halloween with her friends at Aloha Lagoon’s upcoming Alohaween Festival - that is until her aunt Rikki drags her to a ghoul-themed beauty pageant to cheer on her longtime nemesis, Harmony Kane. The competition is stiff, and things turn deadly when the winner is found staked with her own scepter and stuffed inside a coffin on one of the floats for the annual Halloween parade. 

Kaley is even more shocked when she receives a call from Harmony, begging her to prove that she didn’t kill the woman. She reluctantly accepts, and with the help of her pal Jamie and the oh-so-tempting resort lifeguard Noa, Kaley delves into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the beauty queen’s ghastly murder. Did a scorned pageant contender take out the competition, or does one of the judges have something to hide? It seems nearly everyone has a skeleton in their closet, and someone wants theirs to stay buried. Kaley finds herself in the killer’s cross-hairs, and if she doesn’t uncover the truth soon, she may wind up in a coffin of her own. 

The Aloha Lagoon Mysteries: 

• Ukulele Murder (Book 1) 
• Murder on the Aloha Express (Book 2) 
• Deadly Wipeout (Book 3) 
• Deadly Bubbles in the Wine (Book 4) 
• Mele Kalikimaka Murder (Book 5) 
• Death of the Big Kahuna (Book 6) 
• Ukulele Deadly (Book 7) 
• Bikinis & Bloodshed (Book 8) 
• Death of the Kona Man (Book 9) 
• Lethal Tide (Book 10) 
• Beachboy Murder (Book 11) 
• Handbags & Homicide (Book 12) 
• Tiaras & Terror (Book 13) 

About Aloha Lagoon: 

There's trouble in paradise....

Welcome to Aloha Lagoon, one of Hawaii's hidden treasures. A little bit of tropical paradise nestled along the coast of Kauai, this resort town boasts luxurious accommodation, friendly island atmosphere...and only a slightly higher than normal murder rate. While mysterious circumstances may be the norm on our corner of the island, we're certain that our staff and Lagoon natives will make your stay in Aloha Lagoon one you will never forget!

©2018 Anne Marie Stoddard (P)2020 Anne Marie Stoddard

4/5 Stars

4/5 stars Tiaras & Terror by Anne Marie Stoddard
Narrated by Mary Hildebrandt
Run Time: 4 h and 57 mins

Summary: Kaley’s enthusiasm for Halloween gets dampened by a murder. She’s shocked when an acquaintance she doesn’t particularly like asks her to clear her name. I recommend NOT reading the back cover copy because it pretty much spells out the story.

Additional Comments:
- The performance wasn’t anything to write home about, but it fit the story. (The main character’s voice sometimes grated on my nerves. This too fits the character, but that doesn’t make the annoyance go away.)
- Typical cozy mystery. The MC doesn’t do a lot of investigating. She basically asks random people questions and gets into trouble. She’s sort of likable though.
- This is 13 in a series of standalone mysteries set in Aloha Lagoon.
- They’re decent fluff pieces. If you’re looking for a mystery you don’t need to think about, go for it.
- fitting for a Halloween themed book. Might fit some bingo boards or something.
- Incidentally, with that spelling I would not have pronounce the name (“Caileigh/ Kay-ley.” I probably would have gone with Kal-lee.)
- It’s missing a cat to be officially the quintessential cozy.
- Her aunt fulfills the quirky weirdo character role.
- Kaley’s relationship with her boyfriend is decently believable.
- Really wish the woman could defend herself. That would make it much more interesting.

Conclusion:
Kaley won’t ever make the top 10 of my favorite characters, but she’s plucky enough for the role she’s given.

*Found on a free code site. Freely chose to review it. All thoughts are my own.

Good

Kaley a long time e emu of hers is innocent of murder
A lot of old rivals from the pageant circuit friend and foe
Cute enjoyable cozy mystery
Given audio for my voluntary review

Competition to murder

I enjoyed this book. This series is made up by different authors writing cozy mysteries all taking place in one location and featuring different shops and characters. I think this works really well and I have listened too and enjoyed a number o the books in the series. So I jumped at the chance to visit with old friends, especially as this book was written by Anne Marie Stoddard staring Kaley Kalua, who I have met before. So glad I did because the book didn't disappoint. The mystery was interesting but it was the characters that I really liked, especially the fact that Kaley needed to help her high school nemesis and how the friendship develops between them, it leads to some funny moments. I also liked the Halloween theme throughout the book. I can't wait for the next adventure.
It's hard enough for Kaley to work with her high school nemesis Hamony everyday at work as the manager of a clothes shop but when all the employees attend the ghoul-themed beauty pageant she has no choice but to grudging go. The competition is fierce as many of the competitors have meet before and once again Harmony loses to her biggest rival. But things take a scary turn when the winner is found dead and Harmony is the number one suspect. She begs to help her clear her name but can they both out there last behind the and get to the bottom of the murder? The death seems to be connected to the pageant and the way she treated people from her step brother, the judge's and even her fellow contestants so Kaley will have work on narrow the suspect list down if she wants to catch the killer and stop Harmony from going to jail, express it looks like some one is trying there best to frame her.
I did like the narrator but had to slow the listening speed down because she talked to fast and I struggled to concentrate on what she was saying. Once slowed, I found her to be bubbly and enthusiastic.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.