In this page-turning sequel to Stalking Susan, TV reporter Riley Spartz pursues a curious story of a bride left at the altar and finds herself caught in a dangerous missing-person case.
When Riley Spartz sees a want ad reading “Wedding Dress for Sale: Never Worn,” her news instincts tell her that the backstory might make an intriguing television sweeps piece.
The groom, Mark, last seen at the rehearsal dinner, never showed up for the wedding, humiliating his bride, Madeline—and her high-strung, high-society mother—in front of 300 guests. His own mother, eager to spare him further embarrassment, waited weeks before filing a missing-person report and then learned how difficult it is to get police, or the media, interested in missing men.
Now Riley is up against a boss who thinks that finding a famed missing fish will net the station higher ratings, a meth cartel trying to assassinate a K-9 dog because of his powerful nose for drugs, and a neighbor who holds perpetual garage sales that attract traffic at odd hours.
When her missing-person case leads to a murder investigation, Riley discovers a startling motive for Mark's disappearance—and a TV exclusive guaranteed to win the ratings . . . if she lives to report it.
I almost didn't get this book because in general, I don't have much use for investigative reporters as a species. They are generally an insufferably rude, exploitive, and arrogant lot, prone to the belief that they are the saviors of mankind when the reality is, they are just looking for the next big story that will improve their ratings and net them fame and a larger bank account.
However, this is fiction and not reality ;-) and I'm really glad I got this book. It was funny and quirky--just the way I like a mystery.
This is the second book in a series about an investigative reporter, Riley Spartz. In "Missing Mark" she is looking for a story to hike up rating during sweeps month. As a character, Riley was quirky enough and *honest* enough to see the humor and pathos in both her job and the world around her. She's fully aware that she's intrusive and exploitive, but there is enough sympathy and humor to make her a fun character.
The mystery starts with a ad for a "Wedding Dress for Sale: Never Worn" and Riley immediately realizes that might be a story in that simple line. And quite possibly a story for sweeps month that may hike up their ratings. What Riley finds is a mystery. The wedding dress was never worn by its sophisticated, rich owner because the groom, Mark, disappeared on the wedding day.
But selling the story to her boss isn't a piece of cake because Riley's abrasive supervisor decides that a big bass kidnapped from an aquarium at the mall is more interesting and important (are there ever any kind, supportive bosses in the fiction? Maybe fiction really is more real than life.) However, Riley is determined to discover why Mark, the missing groom, is missing. Did he just run off? Did his socialite bride-to-be decide she couldn't stand the thought of waking up to find his face on the pillow next to her every morning for the rest of her life? After all, pictures of Mark reveal a face that's not exactly movie-material.
Riley is determined to find the truth. But Kramer doesn't make it easy for her.
Just to make sure that Riley gets a good workout, Kramer's convoluted subplots include: a murder (or is it another murder, i.e. is Mark missing or actually dead?); a fish-napping; a weird neighbor holding yard sales at all hours of the day and night; a might-be love interest; and a strange psychological disorder afflicting the ex-bride-to-be.
There are enough twists to keep you turning the pages until late into the night and it's definitely worth a few bags under the eyes.
"Missing Mark" is an entertaining and fast read. And I may still despise investigative reporters, but I'll make an exception for Riley. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book.
This is a fun series with an appealing heroine. The background of the world of a TV news reporter feels authentic and informative.
I have read a LOT of mysteries, and this is the first one to feature face blindness. It was a very compelling plot point.
One caveat: I had not read Stalking Susan, the first entry in this series. Missing Mark contained many references to the earlier case (no spoilers, however, at least I don't think so). Some readers, e.g., my spouse, are very particular about reading series in order so as not to be distracted by these shout-outs to previous cases. While it usually doesn't bother me, I did feel like Missing Mark contained an excessive number of such references. It almost felt like the author was doing a hard-sell to get readers to pick up a copy of Stalking Susan. I guess it worked - I have purchased SS for my Kindle - but only because I like the protagonist and Kramer's breezy style.
I was immediately drawn into this book and read it in no time. It was predictable in such a way that I think my nine year old could have figured it out himself. It is not as funny as an Evanovich book, and not as suspenseful and well-written as a Grafton book, but I enjoyed it nontheless.
At times witty and at times numbingly predictable, I can't even say why I enjoyed this book, but I did. It was an easy read, like watching a repeat of a favorite television show...entertaining, sometimes funny, easy on the brain. Not a big mystery or great literature, but a fun read.
