Death by Inferior Design: A Domestic Bliss Mystery #1

Leslie Caine

Oct 2004 · NYLA

About this ebook

A Domestic Bliss Mystery #1
“Sparkles with charm, design lore, and a sleuth with a great mantra. Cozy fans will embrace the Domestic Bliss series.” —Carolyn Hart, Edgar Award-winning author of Letters from Home
“TREND: For killer decorating tips, pick up Death by Inferior Design...advice is woven into this whodunit featuring rival designers as sleuths.” –House and Garden Magazine
“This story is delightful in every way...entertaining, humorous, serious, and totally engrossing from the first page to the last. And sprinkled throughout are tasty decorating tips.” –Midwest Book Review
“Her latest decorating job will make you feel like you’ve stumbled across the deadly side of HGTV.” —Jerrilyn Farmer, #1 Los Angeles Times bestselling author of the Madeline Bean mysteries
Interior decorator, Erin Gilbert heads to picturesque Crestview, Colorado for a friendly (if sharks are friendly) competition: She’ll design a room in one home; and the impossibly handsome Steve Sullivan—her main rival—will do a room in another. The prize? A big feature in Denver Magazine, showcasing their interior design business.
Who could have dreamed the uproar to ensue in a neighborhood full of eccentric homeowners, jealously hidden secrets and a few marriages in need of total makeovers. Trapped together in the midst of chaos, could the charming Steve turn out to be a...friend?
But between her custom, cushy pillows and dramatic drapery, Erin uncovers a very undecorative dead body, too many suspects, and a killer who seems to have designs...on her!

Ratings and reviews

A good book that had me turning pages and trying to guess who did what/who. Nice to read a story that although has a romantic thread, it's not too gushy or unrealistic, it will be interesting to read further books to see how it develops.

Overall a good read. Would have rated slightly higher but felt it was trying too hard with too many suspects popping up at every turn, confusing and convoluted at times. Nevertheless, a good read and entertaining.

The book was really well written other than a few minor editing flubs, however, and I think this may be a glitch in my app, but the cute little black cat page break sometimes was placed over words in the book. I really loved the book, but I hope that the little cat isn't placed over the words for anyone else.

About the author

Leslie Caine was once taken hostage and gunpoint and finds that writing about crimes is infinitely more enjoyable than taking part in them. She is author of three cozy mystery series: the Molly Masters Mysteries, writing as Leslie O’Kane, featuring Leslie's alter ego: a mother of two cartoonist who creates eCards; the Allie Babcock Mysteries, writing as Leslie O’Kane, featuring a dog therapist; and the Domestic Bliss Mysteries, writing as Leslie Caine, featuring interior designers Erin Gilbert and Steve Sullivan.