Book Review: Death By Chick Lit by Lynn Harris

SOMEONE IS KILLING ALL THE IT-GIRL AUTHORS. BUT LOLA’S STILL ALIVE, AND FRANKLY, SHE’S A LITTLE OFFENDED.
You’ve heard of Lola Somerville. Or not. Her first novel, much anticipated by her mother, was promptly eclipsed by…everyone else’s first novel. These days, seems no one Lola knows can write a letter to the editor without having it optioned for a major motion picture. Sure, Lola thinks, I have a great geek-hottie husband and a cool apartment in “up and coming” Brooklyn—but just once, can’t I write some random article and have Jodie Foster call me for the film rights? Or jeez, okay, Minnie Driver. Just *something?*Then one night at a swanky book party, Lola finds her frenemy Mimi McKee, author of Gay Best Friend, dead in the basement, throat slashed with a broken martini glass. And when the bodies of It-Girl writers begin to pile up, Lola starts asking dangerous questions: Are the murders connected? Am I next? If not, um, why not? If I solve the mystery, then will my agent remember my name? And as Lola digs deeper, the stakes get higher. Will getting her hands on the killer—and the book deal bound to follow—mean losing the people she loves most?

This book was a delicious read for me...everything the reviews promised and proclaimed. Witty, filled with satire, and a good old-fashioned murder mystery. Lynn Harris writes about Lola Somerville's life and her relationships with husband Doug and best friend Bella with such authenticity I felt like she was writing about me. (Ok, so I'm not married, nor living in Brooklyn any longer.) But being a frustrated writer, trying to get a book deal...I could relate to Lola's angst about her colleagues. All the characters seemed true-to-life, such as the geeky husband, and Lola's absorbing his love of Sci-fi and collectible knowledge. The relationship and genuine concern she has for her best friend was very genuine. And the worries and concerns which Lola faces (IE: Do I want to have a child? Am I ready to be a parent? Have I lost my identity since I've become a married woman? Should I settle down or play the field?) are what we face....especially when in our mid 30's.

As for the mystery portion of this novel, it keeps you wondering who in deed is the culprit. There are some obvious choices and some red-herrings. Will you guess who the killer is? I didn't see it coming, so was pleasantly surprised. I originally selected this book for several reasons: (a) the title was catchy, (b) I have a dog by the name Lola, (c) I am a writer myself, and (d) I'm taking this Chick Lit challenge.

Death By Chick Lit is an easy read of only 242 pages. And I will definitely be reading more of Lynn Harris's work. You can purchase Death By Chick Lit thru the author's web site by clicking on the link 'Lola Somerville' above, or online, at Amazon. This novel is available both in hard copy or for your e-reader.

This is book review # 3 for the Chick Lit Plus 2011 Challenge. Remember, it's never to late to start to read!