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Wollie Shelley Mystery #2
Dating is Murder
Wollie Shelley, the plucky amateur sleuth Kirkus Reviews called “funny, brave, smart, and altogether the fetchingest crime heroine since the early Stephanie Plum,” returns to face suspect lovers and unlovable suspects in this hilarious sequel to Dating Dead Men .
Wollie Shelley is a greeting card artist struggling to keep afloat financially and to pursue—despite a series of recent disasters—the search for the love of her life. She reluctantly agrees to be a contestant on the reality television show Biological Clock . The show’s Six eligible singles date each other, and the audience votes on which couple would make the best parents. Alas, Wollie isn’t having much luck finding a man she’d like to date “off the air,” much less father her child. As her own biological clock ticks away, Wollie gets caught up in a much more pressing demand on her time. Her friend Annika has vanished into thin air, and Wollie is convinced that she’s in grave danger.
When Wollie reports the disappearance to the Los Angeles Police Department, however, the detective assigned to the case seems more interested in dating Wollie than in finding her friend. So Wollie springs into action—and lands right in the middle of an FBI investigation into an international drug cartel. She soon finds herself being stalked by an assortment of threatening characters, including her fellow television contestants, who will stop at nothing to beat the clock.
With Dating Is Murder , Kozak delivers another sparkling treasure, a laugh-out-loud-funny, literate mystery for readers of Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton and for Kozak’s own growing legion of fans.
Wollie Shelley is a greeting card artist struggling to keep afloat financially and to pursue—despite a series of recent disasters—the search for the love of her life. She reluctantly agrees to be a contestant on the reality television show Biological Clock . The show’s Six eligible singles date each other, and the audience votes on which couple would make the best parents. Alas, Wollie isn’t having much luck finding a man she’d like to date “off the air,” much less father her child. As her own biological clock ticks away, Wollie gets caught up in a much more pressing demand on her time. Her friend Annika has vanished into thin air, and Wollie is convinced that she’s in grave danger.
When Wollie reports the disappearance to the Los Angeles Police Department, however, the detective assigned to the case seems more interested in dating Wollie than in finding her friend. So Wollie springs into action—and lands right in the middle of an FBI investigation into an international drug cartel. She soon finds herself being stalked by an assortment of threatening characters, including her fellow television contestants, who will stop at nothing to beat the clock.
With Dating Is Murder , Kozak delivers another sparkling treasure, a laugh-out-loud-funny, literate mystery for readers of Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton and for Kozak’s own growing legion of fans.
342 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
56 people are currently reading
439 people want to read
About the author
Harley Jane Kozak
23 books112 followersHarley Jane Kozak is an American actress and author. She was born Susan Jane Kozak in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Dorothy (Taraldsen), a university music teacher, and Joseph Aloysius Kozak, an attorney. She was raised in Nebraska and attended New York University.
Kozak has written four novels: Dating Dead Men (2004), Dating Is Murder : A Novel (2005), Dead Ex (2007), and A Date You Can't Refuse (2008) all of which feature greeting card designer and amateur sleuth Wollie Shelley, a woman with very eccentric friends and family. Dating Dead Men won an Agatha Award for best first novel in 2004.
Kozak lives in Agoura Hills, California. She has been married twice: a brief union in the early 1980s (1982–1983) to actor Van Santvoord and a second marriage from 1997-2007 to an entertainment lawyer Gregory Aldisert. She has three children with her second husband: daughter Audrey Valentine (b. 9 March 2000) and twins Lorenzo Robert and Giana Julia (b. 30 May 2002).
After the birth of her children Kozak retired from acting almost completely and has devoted her time to her family and writing.
Kozak has written four novels: Dating Dead Men (2004), Dating Is Murder : A Novel (2005), Dead Ex (2007), and A Date You Can't Refuse (2008) all of which feature greeting card designer and amateur sleuth Wollie Shelley, a woman with very eccentric friends and family. Dating Dead Men won an Agatha Award for best first novel in 2004.
Kozak lives in Agoura Hills, California. She has been married twice: a brief union in the early 1980s (1982–1983) to actor Van Santvoord and a second marriage from 1997-2007 to an entertainment lawyer Gregory Aldisert. She has three children with her second husband: daughter Audrey Valentine (b. 9 March 2000) and twins Lorenzo Robert and Giana Julia (b. 30 May 2002).
After the birth of her children Kozak retired from acting almost completely and has devoted her time to her family and writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
June 25, 2024
my experience suffered a bit cause i didn’t realize this was a sequel, but i don’t think i really missed anything besides the whole doc backstory. i fear the story was a bit of a snooze fest until mr fbi man came into play more lowkey wanna read the next one simply to see where that goes
June 11, 2017
Cute cozy. Wolfe is on the lookout for a missing nanny.
September 21, 2023
Dating is Murder was OK but it just didn't grab me in any way. Noting to complain about really, just noting that makes want to read another. The mystery side was pretty decent but I kept thinking it was going to go into romance naovel. It never did, though to its credit.
February 20, 2024
If I could give this one more than 5 stars I would. It was so hard to put down. Definitely one of my favorite books in a long time.
January 1, 2012
A sequel to Dating Dead Men, this mystery is just as fun and quirky as the last one, although the plot was a little more screwball. I should have a bookshelf for humor, since my most favorite books usually have to have that element, and this one does. Wollie's love interest from the first book has broken their engagement and moved to Asia to try to get custody of his daughter and Wollie is missing him and his sweet daughter and bemoaning the fact that she isn't a mother--maybe brought on by being on a reality TV show Biological Clock focusing on the trials older women face getting hooked up and having children. One of the support crew, Annika, goes missing and Wollie gets more and more embroiled trying to find her, especially since the police aren't too motivated. I was amazed at how well the author made me love Annika little by little when we never even meet her throughout the book. Wollie dates and detects and deals with her quirky family and friends, runs from stalkers and hitmen, and delights me with her goodness and resourcefulness.
August 10, 2016
I must have been the only person that did not like this book. I did not like the plot - and the only interesting portion of the book - which actually held my attention, occurred in the last 30 or so pages. I won't go into a long discussion about what the book is about - but I just felt like the plot was disjointed - as if the author was driving around in circles, getting nowhere in particular. I didn't understand the point of having the game show Biological Clock as the center theme. And for all this - who won? Maybe that was something I missed.
I honestly don't believe I'll read any other books by this author. But there is a silver lining to all this - I did like the little tidbits about Wollie and her frog paintings. I like frogs. But if you're not into frogs, I'm sure you thought that it's strange - a woman paints frogs as a part time job? Really???
I honestly don't believe I'll read any other books by this author. But there is a silver lining to all this - I did like the little tidbits about Wollie and her frog paintings. I like frogs. But if you're not into frogs, I'm sure you thought that it's strange - a woman paints frogs as a part time job? Really???
April 11, 2009
This was cute & enjoyable but i wouldn't run out to read more...or even the next installment. Kozak is an actress whose work i liked, so it's nice to see she has yet another career going. I read 1 1/2 more books in this series but haven't even rushed to get to the rest of the 1/2 book.
November 1, 2017
Quite a talented writer. The killer wasn't hard to spot, but the writing and characterizations are so well done that you really don't mind. This genre has a lot of writers who really should never have been allowed to publish - their lack of talent is cringe-inducing. It sounds like an insult to say Kozak is a little too good - this is a genre I enjoy reading, so I don't mean to denigrate it by saying she could write anything, not just a particular type, but I do think she would not need to stay within the set parameters of one genre. I certainly enjoyed the book.
December 21, 2019
Wollie Shelley is a greeting card artist who has just broken up with her fiance. She agrees to appear on the reality show Biological Clock, where 3 men and 3 women date and the audience votes on who should become parents, mainly to get health insurance. Annika, a German au pair who was tutoring Wollie in math, disappears and Wollie is determined to locate her. The book is rather humerous, especially during the family Thanksgiving. I like Woolie but for some reason the beginning of the book dragged for me. I'll still continue this series.
May 16, 2021
Breezy story of drugs, murder and home making. Wollstone Shelley (c'mon, really?) is a Hollywood resident, reluctantly appearing on a dating reality show. Her young friend, an au pair from Germany, goes missing, and Wollie and her feisty friends are determined to find her. The 'family' mom is a home making whiz, and it turns out is also making her mark on the drug industry with her ecstasy + fen fen = euphoria formula, which may explain Annika's disappearance.
March 6, 2024
Great mystery! I listened to this on audiobook and when I took the other car, I was disappointed I couldn't listen to the story. While Wollie Shelley is a contestant on a reality TV show to make some extra cash, a mystery starts to unfold. People go missing, she keeps being followed, but who is it - the Feds, the bad guys, people gambling on the outcome of the show? And, I'm certainly not going to tell you the answer to the question. You will need to read this one for yourself.
March 23, 2018
Wollie Shelley, artist and reality show contestant, becomes involved in searching for a German au pair that goes missing, which leads to a much more involved adventure including the FBI and DEA. This book started very slowly, but picked up speed as the plot thickens. A fun read if a little silly.
May 13, 2019
I skimmed through the first book and then re-read it after I read the third book for the hero parts. But the actual case also touched me and somehow I think the mystery made more sense in this book than the third one, although the third one was more entertaining than this one.
March 16, 2023
It is murder but written with humor. Wollie writes greeting cards and paints frogs. She's also on a TV reality show. All the trouble starts when her close friend goes missing and she will not give up the search for her. Great story
September 12, 2023
I bought this at a thrift store in PCB. I didn't know much about it before buying and didn't know it was the second book in the series. Overall it was a good read but all the exciting things happened at the end.
May 8, 2017
This was ok, but it seemed to be slow in starting.
December 8, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed!
August 27, 2018
Ugh. Maybe not my type of reading material. I was bored. I wasn’t interested in any of the characters. Everyone was flat.
October 18, 2019
Pleasant read filled with interesting characters. I'm looking forward to others in the series.
May 6, 2020
Another fun romp of a whodunnit!
June 11, 2021
Second book in the series. Enjoyed it immensely! It’s funny, a good murder mystery and an easy read for the cozy mystery genre. A bit of romantic suspense too!
December 8, 2022
A great vacation read. Will read more by this author.
April 30, 2023
Enjoyable read. A little slow at the start, but picked up in the middle. Not as strong as the first book, but good enough that I'll read the next.
September 2, 2023
A library find.
Written well.
Interesting characters.
Written well.
Interesting characters.
December 18, 2012
Wollie Shelley is a thirtysomething single woman living in the greater LA area. She does a variety of odd jobs from designing greeting cards and painting murals to being a contestant on a reality dating show. She’s working through the heartbreak of having her fiancé dump her and move to Asia with his daughter. This starts to take a backseat to intrigue when a friend of hers, Annika Glük, disappears.
Annika had been in LA working as an au pair for the Quinn family, plus working as a production assistant on Wollie’s show, “Biological Clock.” When Wollie investigates Annika’s life, she finds a narcissistic ex-boyfriend, jealous au pairs, and hints at a dark lifestyle that seem at odds with what Wollie and Annika’s other friends know of her. Wollie finds herself in the middle of some major intrigue with a drug czar, a new designer drug, and a federal co-agency investigation, not to mention getting over her heartbreak when a new love interest enters her life.
Kozak is touted as the new Janet Evanovich or Sue Grafton. She’s not. She is, however, a strong new talent who weaves a decent mystery around a chick lit background. Wollie is a likeable heroine, attractive but unaware of it. I couldn’t completely warm to her, however, because she embodies too many clichés. She’s a wimp. Not just in a fight-or-flight situation, but in other day-to-day things like driving. Even though she’s a voluptuous six feet, she’s also a shrinking violet. When she does drive, or stick up for herself, it’s almost an accident she makes it through. Another irritating cliché is Wollie’s baby fever. She pines over other people’s babies (but not children) and sighs over Baby Gap and strollers. Hasn’t this theme in women’s fiction grown a bit stale? And what’s with all these characters who don’t have real jobs or normal names?
Those things aside, because I’m sure they do appeal to a portion of the populace, this was an enjoyable book. I can’t say I’ll rush to my bookseller for more Kozak, but I’d pick up another one of her books if I found it lying around.
Annika had been in LA working as an au pair for the Quinn family, plus working as a production assistant on Wollie’s show, “Biological Clock.” When Wollie investigates Annika’s life, she finds a narcissistic ex-boyfriend, jealous au pairs, and hints at a dark lifestyle that seem at odds with what Wollie and Annika’s other friends know of her. Wollie finds herself in the middle of some major intrigue with a drug czar, a new designer drug, and a federal co-agency investigation, not to mention getting over her heartbreak when a new love interest enters her life.
Kozak is touted as the new Janet Evanovich or Sue Grafton. She’s not. She is, however, a strong new talent who weaves a decent mystery around a chick lit background. Wollie is a likeable heroine, attractive but unaware of it. I couldn’t completely warm to her, however, because she embodies too many clichés. She’s a wimp. Not just in a fight-or-flight situation, but in other day-to-day things like driving. Even though she’s a voluptuous six feet, she’s also a shrinking violet. When she does drive, or stick up for herself, it’s almost an accident she makes it through. Another irritating cliché is Wollie’s baby fever. She pines over other people’s babies (but not children) and sighs over Baby Gap and strollers. Hasn’t this theme in women’s fiction grown a bit stale? And what’s with all these characters who don’t have real jobs or normal names?
Those things aside, because I’m sure they do appeal to a portion of the populace, this was an enjoyable book. I can’t say I’ll rush to my bookseller for more Kozak, but I’d pick up another one of her books if I found it lying around.
December 26, 2010
Contains serious spoilers - you have been warned. This story was going okay. The previous book was better, but the author made the time-honored mistake there of relenting the sexual tension and letting the main characters hook up. She had to undo it to free up Wollie in this next situation of date fodder for a reality show. That's understandable. And we were going along just fine until the earlobe business. Yes, it was gruesome and I can tolerate a certain amount of that if we don't have to actually see it (it's just hinted at with the sausage-making imagery etc.), but no Martha-Stewartesque type person would be so inept as to let an earlobe, much less one with an identifying earring (!!!!!) get away from her. First of all, she'd probably know better than to try to kill someone by cutting their throat. That is way too messy. You'd never clean that up, no matter how Martha-Stewarty you were. If the M-S type were going to kill someone and dispose of the body, she would be much, much more organized. Kill first and then cut up. Much less messy. And she just wouldn't let an earlobe get away. An experienced cook wouldn't hack away like that. I don't have an alternative, but this did make me set the book aside and put my head in my hands.
Also, the victim went to Pepperdine and I just don't see that type with that kind of earring, especially the son of a senator.
The characters other than that are nicely realized and likable. The detecting stuff was delightfully screwball, but I didn't think much of the reality show stuff. Then again, I haven't watched tv in a couple of decades now and the author is in the bidness, so I shouldn't judge that.
Also, the victim went to Pepperdine and I just don't see that type with that kind of earring, especially the son of a senator.
The characters other than that are nicely realized and likable. The detecting stuff was delightfully screwball, but I didn't think much of the reality show stuff. Then again, I haven't watched tv in a couple of decades now and the author is in the bidness, so I shouldn't judge that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2014
Dating is Murder (Wollie Shelley, Bk 2) (Audio CD) (Unabridged)
Author: Bernadette Dunne (Narrator), Harley Jane Kozak
Wollie Shelley, a greeting-card artist in Los Angeles, California, is featured. Wollie is struggling to keep afloat financially and to pursue—despite a series of recent disasters—the search for the love of her life. She reluctantly agrees to be a contestant on the reality television show Biological Clock. The show's premise: six eligible singles date each other, and the audience votes on which couple would make the best parents. Alas, Wollie isn't having much luck finding a man she'd like to date “off the air,” much less father her child. As the biological clock ticks away, Wollie gets caught up in a much more pressing demand on her time. Her friend Annika has vanished into thin air and Wollie is convinced that she's in grave danger.
When Wollie reports the disappearance to the Los Angeles Police Department, however, the detective assigned to the case seems more interested in dating Wollie than in finding her friend. So Wollie springs into action—and lands right in the middle of an FBI investigation into an international drug cartel. She soon finds herself being stalked by an assortment of threatening characters, including her fellow television contestants, who will stop at nothing to beat the clock.
With Dating Is Murder, Kozak delivers another sparkling treasure, a laugh-out-loud funny, literate mystery for readers of Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton, and for Kozak's own growing legion of fans.
Author: Bernadette Dunne (Narrator), Harley Jane Kozak
Wollie Shelley, a greeting-card artist in Los Angeles, California, is featured. Wollie is struggling to keep afloat financially and to pursue—despite a series of recent disasters—the search for the love of her life. She reluctantly agrees to be a contestant on the reality television show Biological Clock. The show's premise: six eligible singles date each other, and the audience votes on which couple would make the best parents. Alas, Wollie isn't having much luck finding a man she'd like to date “off the air,” much less father her child. As the biological clock ticks away, Wollie gets caught up in a much more pressing demand on her time. Her friend Annika has vanished into thin air and Wollie is convinced that she's in grave danger.
When Wollie reports the disappearance to the Los Angeles Police Department, however, the detective assigned to the case seems more interested in dating Wollie than in finding her friend. So Wollie springs into action—and lands right in the middle of an FBI investigation into an international drug cartel. She soon finds herself being stalked by an assortment of threatening characters, including her fellow television contestants, who will stop at nothing to beat the clock.
With Dating Is Murder, Kozak delivers another sparkling treasure, a laugh-out-loud funny, literate mystery for readers of Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton, and for Kozak's own growing legion of fans.
September 20, 2015
Content warnings: drug mentions, alcohol use, alcohol mentions, mention of dismemberment, mention of death
So I have to say this one was a bit more interesting than the one before it. And more enjoyable.
I mean there was a bit of predictability but I come to expect that in fluff/mysteries. And Hollywood is described pretty well as far as location goes, geography, and how immune people who live in LA/Hollywood are to things being filmed. Though I really doubt things are filmed as much as the books make it out to be. But since I abhor LA and don't live in it and avoid going to LA every chance I get that may be my own bias.
Wollie's new boyfriend is interesting. But he would drive me bonkers with secrets and stuff.
Joey and Fredreeq are quite the interesting characters and friends. And personally sometimes I'd rather read about either of them rather than Wollie (since a lot of Wollie is whining about always needing money and it's the same thing over and over and it gets tired and repetitive).
There's not a lot I can really say without spoiling the book and I'm trying to avoid that so. Decent read. I could see it functioning as it's own standalone book.
So I have to say this one was a bit more interesting than the one before it. And more enjoyable.
I mean there was a bit of predictability but I come to expect that in fluff/mysteries. And Hollywood is described pretty well as far as location goes, geography, and how immune people who live in LA/Hollywood are to things being filmed. Though I really doubt things are filmed as much as the books make it out to be. But since I abhor LA and don't live in it and avoid going to LA every chance I get that may be my own bias.
Wollie's new boyfriend is interesting. But he would drive me bonkers with secrets and stuff.
Joey and Fredreeq are quite the interesting characters and friends. And personally sometimes I'd rather read about either of them rather than Wollie (since a lot of Wollie is whining about always needing money and it's the same thing over and over and it gets tired and repetitive).
There's not a lot I can really say without spoiling the book and I'm trying to avoid that so. Decent read. I could see it functioning as it's own standalone book.
September 12, 2008
Wollie is back and so are the shinanigens! Wollie, desparate for help in the health insurance dept, signs on to a botton-of-the-barrel reality show. It's bad enough that there is barely any budget and the director, creative front-runner and all around annoying pest is constantly yelling at everyone, but her best friend is there trowling on the make-up and dispensing unsolited advise on every turn.
To make things worse, her new friend and math tutor goes missing and no one seems interested. What's a Wollie to do? Go looking, of course. Enter tall, dark, and scary warning her off, her new friend's boyfriend ends up missing, her best friend engages in b&e and Wollie gets stuck in a window. The threat heats up as Wollie finds herself embroiled in an international scary scene. Good thing she's got that guardian angel looking out for her...in more ways that one!
If you're a fan of Stephanie Plum, you'll get a giggle out of Wollie. She's delightful and fun to watch bumble around only to piece everything together just from sheer determination. Makes you believe anyone can be a hero.
Great fun read.
To make things worse, her new friend and math tutor goes missing and no one seems interested. What's a Wollie to do? Go looking, of course. Enter tall, dark, and scary warning her off, her new friend's boyfriend ends up missing, her best friend engages in b&e and Wollie gets stuck in a window. The threat heats up as Wollie finds herself embroiled in an international scary scene. Good thing she's got that guardian angel looking out for her...in more ways that one!
If you're a fan of Stephanie Plum, you'll get a giggle out of Wollie. She's delightful and fun to watch bumble around only to piece everything together just from sheer determination. Makes you believe anyone can be a hero.
Great fun read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews