This book was really hard for me to rate. In some ways I felt it deserved a lower rating at least compared to the rest of the novels in the series but at the same time 2 stars would have not been fair either. It is almost like 2 and 3/4 stars.I love this series. I read the last book in the series first and became totally addicted. I have since read more than half the series and honestly this is probably the worst of the bunch though in fairness it is the first. As just a cozy mystery it isn’t bad but compared to the other books in the series it is.If I had read this book first I probably wouldn’t have bothered to read anymore which would have been a real shame since the series is really amazing.My favorite aspect of the series is the humor and this books humor was underdeveloped. I didn’t think it was particularly memorable. It felt like Levine hadn’t really found Jaine’s voice yet and many of the funny aspects of Jaine didn’t emerge in this book.Jaine’s neighbor Lance was a real jerk in this book which is a shame because later he is her friend and after reading this it is hard to like him. In other books he genuinely cares for Jaine though at times he is conceited and self absorbed. This book ruined him for me and I don’t think I will be able to really like him in any future book I read in the series even though he semi redeems himself at the end of this book.The mystery itself was okay if a bit predictable. The mysteries in this series are usually hit or miss with more misses than hits. This is one of the few I have found that fell into a gray area for me. It felt like an episode of any crime show on television and was nothing special but it also was not as off the wall and unrealistic as some of the endings later in the series. It was still fairly unrealistic and coincidental.The book’s main redeeming quality is that it gives quite a bit more backstory that isn’t given in later books (at least the ones I have read).The series is great and highly recommended but this book is skippable.
Jaine Austen (no relation) is a freelance writer who spends most of her time writing promotional mailers and leaflets for various companies. When geeky Howard Murdoch approaches her to write a love letter, and then admits he's never even spoken to the object of his affections, Jaine relucantantly agrees to help. To Jaine's surprise her letter works and wins Howard a date with the gorgeous aerobics instructor Stacy Lawrence. But the next thing she knows Stacy is found bludgeoned to death with a Thigh Master, and Howard is arrested. Jaine is sure he didn't do it and, with the police sure he did, she decides to investigate. I'd noticed a story by Laura Levine in an anthology (Candy Cane Murder) but as I brought the book for the Joanne Fluke story I'd never bothered reading it. After hearing Laura's praises sung I decided to give her writing a shot with the first in the Jaine Austen series. I'm really glad I did. The plot is great - full of twists and turns, with a few red herrings thrown in. It isn't as cozy as most cozy mysteries as it's more self-aware and sex is mentioned quite frequently, but I loved it. The mystery was well thought out, with loads of possible suspects and a killer I didn't manage to figure out in advance. Having the book set in L.A. also meant that this wasn't a small-town setting so Jaine had to go out to a variety of places to snoop. I liked Jaine and her snarky sense of humour, and she was also believable in how and why she investigated Stacy's death. The possible romantic interest Cameron was well developed without taking over the storyline, although Detective Rea was a little underdeveloped. I loved the wider cast of characters, from the residents at the Shalom Retirement Home where Jaine teaches a memoir class to the potential suspects she investigates. All in all this was a great read, and I'll be looking to pick up a copy of Last Writes (the second book in the series). Plot: 10/10 Characters: 9/10 Ending: 10/10 Enjoyment: 9/10 Cover: 8/10 Overall: 46/50
I'm not completely against this book - I just thought it average. This is progress (or maybe its reverse), since a year ago I would have thrown a book at the wall whose heroine was as silly as this one. I guess as I grow older my patience for silliness increases. I felt kind of sad for Jaine though. First, she's stuck with a terrible name. Second, she acts like she's 18 when she's really 36. Third, she's so transparently desperate for a man in her life while maintaining that she's immune that it's pitiable. Eh. Anyway, the murder mystery is not much of a one. The killer is someone who the heroine does not suspect (as per usual) that the reader knows immediately who it is. There are red herrings galore, and a mildly different motive. It's ok. I guess I'll read #2 to see if it improves. 2 stars for this one.
—Chaitra
Read for Fun!Overall Rating: 3.75Story Rating: 3.50Character Rating: 4.00First Thought When Finished: What a fun read!What I Loved: Note to self: don't write love letters for others unless you want to be in the middle of a very fun mystery. Jaine Austen was such a cute character. She was sassy, fun, and kind of a mess. Her dating life sucks. Her career is a little unusual. Her neighbor is nosy. Her best friend was a total riot. All in all she was just fun to watch stumble through things. She was a hot mess as she tried to figure out how to get a nerdy client that she wrote a love letter for out of jail. It was just downright fun!What I Liked: The mystery was quirky and fun. Though it wasn't hard to figure out who was guilty. I find that is pretty much standard in cozy mysteries. It was fun to unravel the case through Jaine's eyes. There were a few twists and turns with the characters that I thought were really well done.What made me go huh?: I wanted a little more of the detective in the story though I think we will see more of him in the future. I also wanted more of her best friend--she was a riot!Final Thought: This is a perfect summer afternoon cozy mystery read!
—TheGeekyBlogger
I love a mystery and if there is humour in it even better. With the author Laura Levine's past history of writing sitcoms I had high hopes that this would be a funny book and I was right. This Pen for Hire is a fun, easy read. It is short and doesn't dwell on too many details. I like mysteries that are short mainly because I don't have to read as long to find out who the killer is. Jaine is a fun and relatable character, like everyone else out there terribly insecure about her looks and I couldn't help liking her. The mystery was good I didn't guess until closer to the end of the story, though I did have a few nagging suspicions in the back of my mind. I can't wait to read the next installment in this series and hope it's as good as if not better than this one.
—Leigh
