Hot Scheming Mess (Madison Cruz Book 1)

This book needs serious rewriting. The main character too often goes from pressured to ditzy, which doesn't endear her to the reader. It's mostly the beginning that needs rewriting, but there's a serious goof toward the end. Even small hotels have more than one elevator...

Lucy Carol dubs this a "madcap mystery," and that's just a spot-on description. Madison Cruz is a struggling actress who picks up temp gigs while she waits for her big break. She does singing telegrams (even one at a funeral) and birthday parties and whatever else her agent throws at her while crossing her fingers for callbacks. Her personal life is just as messy as her professional life: her mom essentially dumped her on her grandparents when she was a kid, running off to join the FBI and leave Madison to grow up. Fortunately, her grandfather fills the parent role nicely...and when he starts acting suspicious and she comes across him having a knock-out, drag-down fight in his living room, she's concerned. In his rush out the door on the run to DC, he asks her to hide a toolbox of secrets and not tell her mom anything. Sounds easy enough, since they barely speak, but then her relationship with her mom starts up again. Meanwhile, she's interested in two guys who both offer different relationship avenues...so many choices. With mysterious guys (and a butt-kicking gal) following her to her gigs (who knew the KGB was so into singing telegrams?), Madison begins to question who is (and isn't) who they seem? Why so many secrets? Who can she trust?
A new type of mystery--lots of tangents all embroiled and culminating with a showdown at a vampire convention. Not a fluffy cozy. A fast-paced ride that throws (real and fake) punches. A laugh here, a jab there...constant action. Piles of characters introduced in this first book of the series.

As an actress, Madison Cruz faces challenges, as much as in the rest of her life. She reluctantly signs up to be part of a Fight Cabaret, an all male wrestling show, where she hangs with her friends. She's pursued by two handsome men, shut out by her FBI mom and goes through a wild ride trying to figure out the trouble her grandfather has gotten himself in. There is a cast of wacky characters who help her along the way and some dangerous ones that are looking for her grandfather's papers and photos, which she is tasked with hiding. A great, fun read. Can't wait for the next one!

This book started out stupid; totally idiotic first chapter. I kept reading, hoping it would improve. It took about a third of the way through before it started making any sense at all, but it never got to the point where I felt it was worth my time. I didn't like the main character--got so tired of hearing of her "dark silky blanket of hair" (come on, think of at least one different descriptive phrase)--and her friends were a bunch of dopes. The situations were totally unrealistic. I plodded my way through to the end, only because I hate to admit defeat, and then had to go to the author's Facebook page just to see what she looked like. Imagine my surprise when I found she was an adult; I could have sworn this thing was written by a teenage goth! The only good thing I can say about it is that she at least knows how to use spellcheck and her sentence structure was good--no run-on sentences and I only found a couple that didn't make any sense to me. Take a tip and save your money and spend your valuable reading time on something else.

Madison Cruz is an actress, trying to make a living in Seattle. Well, she wants to be an actress, but all she seems to be getting are singing telegram gigs. But a girl’s gotta pay the bills, so she does what she has to. Even if it puts even more strain on her already less than close relationship with her FBI agent mother. Now, her grandpa is in some sort of trouble, and he gives Madison a confusing set of old papers and photographs, telling her to keep them safe until he comes for them. And then, he disappears. There are mysterious people who desperately want to get their hands on grandpa’s papers, and Madison is left trying to puzzle it out, along with attempting to reach out to her mother and trying to choose between the two handsome guys vying for her attention.

This was a fun read! I don’t usually read romances, but I do like humor and mystery, so I decided to give it a try. And I was not disappointed. The romance was really a small part of the story, with the mystery taking center stage. It’s a good puzzle and had me guessing in more than one spot. The humor is almost non-stop, but not over the top.

Characters are mostly interesting, although the cast is a bit large, and I found myself confused at times, trying to keep them all straight. Madison herself is wacky and weird, and definitely in over her head with grandpa’s secret, but she pulls through in her own madcap style.

Looking for a fun, easy read to round out your year? Try this one. I think you’ll like it!

Madison Cruz, An out of work actress doing modeling and any other job she can get to make the bills. She has an FBI mother who had her as she was starting high school, and a grandfather that raised her who has secrets that are deadly not only to him but to Madison also. This story is packed with humor and intrigue. Lucy Carol has brought together characters that will make you laugh and wonder how anyone can be so inept at the same time, scared of disappointing her mother who she barely knows and worrying about her grandfather keeps Madison going to try and find out why someone is trying to kill not only him but now her also.

Absolutely Fabulous start to a new series. Madison is quirky, sassy, smart and does all the things we wish we could do. The storyline is terrific and the characters fit into their slots beautifully. It is fast non-stop action with humorous scenes. Absolutely wonderful. For all who like cozy mysteries or books with great characters. More please. Highly recommended

Great story with lots of action involving a actress working odd jobs, spies, FBI and KGB. Characters were well fleshed out and had lots of drama. Hilarious and exciting.
I received this book from Instafreebie and am so glad I took the chance on this author. Terrific

This author certainly came up with a lot of different characters to deliver a fast passed interesting mystery.. I, at first, thought I would not enjoy this type of a story; but I soon got hooked on what kept happening. Lots of funny things mixed in with the serious will keep most all of readers going back for more.....and the story will continue.

I received this book for free and am voluntarily reviewing it. I stayed up late to read this book because I enjoyed the story, the characters and the humor. I have already ordered the next in the series and can't wait to get a chance to read it. Guaranteed to brighten your day.

This is a debut "madcap" mystery that is quite good in places and falls short in others as it tries to out "madcap" itself. The editing needed a little work but didn't affect my reading enjoyment of the story. The story is funny in parts and the potential love interest(s) added interest and texture but I found the main character a little hard to like as she seem quite young for her age. The story and mystery aspect itself seemed a little over the top but perhaps that is deliberate on the part of the author. I'm not sorry I read this book, I probably won't however bother with the next one as it's just not my thing. I do see potential in this author and hope she continues to write.

I liked the characters of the book, they were fun and lively. A lot of action which is always good. I appreciated that the few romantic scenes in the book were *kiss kiss fade to black*, as I don't personally like overly detailed sex scenes. However the actual precipitating crisis that is a main part of the plot is boring. I don't understand how this is the climatic problem in the story.