Snagged was okay. Like it's predecessor it was somewhat interesting and entertaining but nothing stand out. Unfortunately Snagged doesn't have any improvements to the series that I wanted to see, in fact it suffers from some of the same things the first book did. Not enough character development, especially with the supposed 'lead' Regan, too many characters that didn't have a lot to do with the main plot being given their own perspectives, and an easily guessable mystery, with not even a little mystery solving on the lead's part. tI wanted a lot more from Snagged, but I would've settled for a little more improvement. What really annoyed me was that Regan didn't develop as a character - she once again, could've been just another character in the book for all she did. I want to see her, on a case, in her own environment rather than on a Cruise or going to Florida for a wedding- doing something that makes me believe she's a competent P.I. We're told she is - but it's never shown - in fact, most of the story she's bumbling around, going with the flow, never finding anything useful out - except that Richie's in danger - which require's no brains whatsoever to figure out - she never finds out who, why or anything else, nor does she find anything out about Dolly's murder - that's revealed at the end when they (the baddies) confess. tI mean the only thing she seems to be doing in both of these two books are A) Getting in the path of the baddies - mostly by chance, B)Having them try to get rid of her because she's in the way (again by chance - though I don't really understand why they targeted her just for being around Richie - it didn't make sense), and C) Having to be rescued/assisted by her father and other nearby males. Okay, so she did get the gun away from one of the baddies and manage to shoot out a tire of the getaway car for the other baddies, but then her dad and other men came around, again at the nick of time to nab them. I was sitting there, thinking - seriously? Where are all these people coming from, would she be able to catch the bad guys if it weren't for her dad and the other manly men? Where are her investigative skills? When she knew something was up did it not occur to her to check out real-estate angle more thoroughly - like who owned the buildings nearby - could that have had something to do with Dolly's death? As far as I've seen the extent of her investigative skills are reading newspaper clippings, talking to some people (though without much results) and watching the news. It's driving me nuts. tNow the perspectives don't bother me so much, but some of them seem utterly pointless. In fact some of them are utterly pointless. Some of them could have easily been summed up in a few sentences within other perspectives - like Nadine's with the nail polish on the hose, or Regan's father Luke or her mother Nora - they don't serve to further the plot. It adds detail's that we might not have gotten otherwise but we don't really need the details they offer. The mystery was a little better (not as obvious) as the first because we're given two possibilities as motives, Real-Estate and the Pantyhose. It was rather clear for me which one it was more likely to be because - A) Dolly wasn't involved with the hose and if she was murdered there was a reason and it likely didn't have to do with the pantyhose, B) Pantyhose or Real-Estate, value wise - I'm inclined to think Real-Estate is a far greater motive (of course I may be biased because hardly ever see pantyhose being worm much less worn them myself - unless you count that one time when I was 7, and my brother and I put it over our faces to play cops and robbers with our friends). tOverall it was just okay. Would I read another one? I guess, if there is nothing else I'm interested in, or in the mood for reading at the time. I'll probably stick with the series until I see some improvement - mostly because I've been told it gets better, so I guess I'll read and see - when I have the time. 2 stars.
2.5 stars. I mentioned in my review for the first book that I had hoped to get to know more about Regan Reilly, the protagonist, because we know surprisingly little about her other than the fact that she’s a licensed private investigator. In fact, we haven’t even gotten to see her in action so far; she seems to be more like a spectator or babysitter in these mysteries, despite all these references to her having active experience in dangerous cases. Unfortunately, Regan was no more developed in this second book than she was in the first. She’s simply moved on from babysitting Lady Exner to babysitting Uncle Richie, whom someone seems to be gunning for after he announced that he’s made an unsnaggable pair of pantyhose.Technically, Regan is supposed to be in Miami getting ready to be bridesmaid at the wedding of her friend Maura. In reality, she spends the majority of the book following Uncle Richie around, pulling him out of various scrapes. Honestly, where’s the excitement in that? This is supposed to be a mystery-slash-detective novel, but there’s no real detecting. Regan goes through the motions; collecting old newspaper clippings, pondering about who might be after Richie… but when it comes down to it, she never actually reaches a point where she even has solid suspicions about anyone. Regan worries about Richie, but her attention is quickly diverted to other matters (such as his pantyhose launch party), and the “mystery” ends up solving itself when the guilty party makes a move on Richie and Regan has to run after him. Private investigator, my butt. It’s a wonder she ever solves any cases, the way she waits for everything to come to a head before she steps in so that she never actually has to figure anything out. Her parents, Luke and Nora, seem to be a more interesting pair than Regan, actually. I suspect the series would be a great deal more interesting if Nora was the detective instead of her daughter. In terms of format, it once again tells the story from multiple POVs, with most of them being inconsequential and unrelated to the mystery. For example, why must we read about Nadine shopping for audio equipment for Richie’s launch party? It doesn’t have anything to do with anything. In summary, this book was a disappointment. I could accept these faults in the first installment in the hopes that everything would be developed in due time, but when it’s still like this by the second book, I’m not exactly leaping in joy. I’m not sure I’ll be picking up the third.
What do You think about Snagged (1994)?
I liked this book. I prefer her mothers books because they have more mystery but it was good. Surprising there was mystery in it. I was surprised by that because of the book it about this panty hose thing. The author was very creative about how she tied in the mystery with it. The way that people were trying to like murder or injure the inventor of a runproof snag proof hose because they want it was kind of different. Her books aren't nearly as good as her mothers. Her plot isn't that good and could have een better. When I picked up the book I thought I was picking up one of her mothers so I just went ahead and got it. The thing I did like about it though was that when the people were trying to get the inventor, it kept you guessing who was behind it. Ialso like the unexpected person that was behind it at the end of the book. Throughout the book you could guess that it was a hose company that really wanted the hose that was behind it, but at the end ou get a surprise by finding out someone who was involved with her (the person incharge of that company) that you never would have thought and that same person was involved with trying and hurting the inventor because he was involved with her.
—Madalynn
I realized as I was reading Snagged that I had started reading this book once before. I don't remember ever finishing the book the last time and I don't know why. I believe it had belonged to someone else and I think I had just picked it up and started reading it at my old job a few years ago. Now that I have my own copy I was able to read it through. Snagged is number 2 in the Reagan Riley mystery series. When I read this one I didn't feel that you needed to read the first one prior to reading the next one. They are not as a true series just that the main character is always Reagan Riley as the detective. In Snagged you also have the supporting cast of her mother, Nora, who is an author of mysteries, her father Luke, who is a mortician, Richie Blossom who is Reagan's Uncle.Snagged is about Richie and his newest invention of the perfect pantyhose (now if only this was true!!) His pantyhose are run proof, snag proof, fit perfectly with out bagging at the ankles etc. You name it these hose are what every women dreams of owning and the pantyhose industries worst nightmare. The story takes place in Florida, There is a pantyhose convention and a mortician convention going on at the same time. Richie is trying to sell his pantyhose to save his retirement home the Fourth Quarter. So when Reagan and Richie are almost run over while crossing the street Reagan begins to think that someone is out to kill Richie so that he can't sell his pantyhose to the highest bidder.I found the book very interesting and easy to follow. The story is well written and very engaging that I felt myself getting excited and nervous at the right moments. I will be picking up more books written my Carol Higgins Clark.
—Monica
This was another fast fun read by Carol Higgins Clark. I'm working through these books in order (I really prefer reading books in order, otherwise I get very annoyed :-), and I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed Decked. Regan Reilly has a fun view of life, and I like her parents a whole lot too. I liked how there were a lot of people worked into this book who had an interest in the story line. Slowly but surely the steps they took to get to the climactic scene were shared. Finally we got to find out how they all worked together. Mysteries are fun, but I especially like mysteries that include a little bit more. This book was a mystery and a comedy rolled up together. Good fun for a summer day.
—Natalie
