The Chanel Caper (Strong, Savvy Women...And The Men Who Love Them, Book #2): Chick Lit For Chicks Who Weren't Born Yesterday
About this ebook
Blake Westin is a smart, savvy, no BS New Yorker. Her darling (damn!) husband, Ralph Marino, is a très James Bond ex-cop and head of security for a large international corporation.
When Blake buys a faux Chanel bag from a sidewalk vendor, her problems start—but don’t end—with a mugging. They escalate to an encounter with a gun-toting jailbird, an iPhone obsessed Afghan war lord, a diamond-bedecked janitor, and a showdown with a beautiful woman who might—or might not—be deadly.
Meanwhile, Ralph is about to hit the Big Six O and he’s not happy about it. Neither is Blake. Especially now that she suspects Ralph might be cheating on her. Again.
At this tense time in their relationship, Blake and Ralph are forced by Ralph’s über-neurotic billionaire boss to work together to solve a murder, break up an international counterfeiting ring—and save Ralph’s job.
"Does it sound odd to call a murder mystery light and delightful? Ruth Harris gives us quotable quotes one after another making this reader laugh out loud over and over again. I truly have nothing negative to say about this novel. Reading this novel was an exercise in self-indulgence best done with your favorite glass of something rare or much loved snack infrequently eaten (I did both). If you like light and funny cozy mysteries with wonderful heart, pick this one up today." —RabidReadersReviews
A note to readers from Ruth—I’ve been looking forward to writing about a long-term marriage. In The Chanel Caper, Blake and Ralph have been through it all—the break ups and makeups, the squabbles, the spats and the stand-offs. Even so, after twenty-six years of marriage (and driving each other crazy), they are still holding hands in the movies. And they still have the hots for each other!
Add to the mix the fact that I’m a news junkie and love to write about the social and cultural background of the period during which a book is set. The Chanel Caper takes place in the fall of 2008 when the global financial system faced collapse. From Ponzi-schemer Bernie Madoff to bankers in five thousand dollar suits flying their private jets to Washington to scrounge for bail outs, the financial crisis of 2008 was a richly ironic background for The Chanel Caper.
Other characters in the story were inspired by headlines, news stories and current events:
• a washed-up Martha Steward wannabe trying to make a come back with the help of a red balconette bra
• a one-eyed, one-legged Afghan warlord who doesn’t speak a word of English
• an über neurotic, germ-ophobic billionaire freaking out as the stock market plummets and his net worth goes down—and down
• a flack-jacket-wearing gung-ho war zone reporter with a humongo pair of 36 DoubleD's
• NYC’s ubiquitous sidewalk vendors of faux designer label bags, sunglasses and scarves
• the city’s vast selection of ethnic restaurants and foods
• news reports about the deadly consequences of counterfeit drugs
• the rise of the Chinese economy and the glam and glittering city of Shanghai
• trendy gurus and hot self-help fads
Add in Bollywood movies, the world's best shade of red lipstick + one drop-dead fantastic way to deal with a cheating husband and you'll know why I had a ball writing The Chanel Caper. I hope you have a ball reading it!
Keywords: cozy mystery, mystery, chick lit, Big Apple, witty, humor, sophisticated, funny, hilarious, female sleuth, strong woman, sexy, Alpha hero, billionaire, woman detective, cop, married couple, Shanghai, China, Afghanistan, warlord, war reporter, red bra, gourmet cook, television, tv, amateur sleuth, New York, Manhattan, Pilates, wellness, James Bond, Nora Ephron, Janet Evanovich, Sophie Kinsella, debutante, copyeditor, Long Island
About the author
Ruth Harris is a New York Times and Amazon bestselling author and a Romantic Times award winner for “best contemporary.” Her emotional, entertaining novels have been praised by critics and sold millions of copies in hard cover, paperback, and ebook editions, and were prominent selections of leading book clubs including the Literary Guild and the Book Of The Month Club.
Ruth writes about strong, savvy, witty women who struggle to succeed and, when sometimes they don’t get what they want, they find something even better along the way. Critics have compared Ruth to Nora Ephron and Joan Didion and called her books "brilliant," “steamy,” "stylishly written," ”richly plotted,” “first-class entertainment” and “a sure thing.”
Readers' reviews include comments like: "I couldn't stop reading," "her plots seem so real I must keep telling myself it's fiction," "thought-provoking," "made me laugh and cry," "by far the best author I have come across in years," "suspenseful, hilarious and romantic," "wonderfully addictive," "you can't put her books down."
No surprise that Ruth is a writer. She grew up in a house filled with books, magazines and newspapers. Her Mom was an RN who had a trove of big-city hospital stories—some funny, some sad, some touching—and told them with great verve and style. Her Dad, noted for the beautiful gardens he created, loved words, word play and language, and he is remembered by those who knew him as "always reading."
As a girl, Ruth wanted to be a professional ice skater. In her teens, she wanted to be a lawyer—a summer job in a law office cured her of that delusion! :-) After college, she got a beginner's job in publishing and her career path—first as an editor and then as a writer—was set.
Ruth lives in New York City with her husband, Michael, author of two bestselling memoirs, THE ATOMIC TIMES: My H-Bomb Year at the Pacific Proving Ground and ALWAYS ON SUNDAY: An Inside View of Ed Sullivan, the Beatles, Elvis, Sinatra & Ed's Other Guests. Both are available in ebook editions.
Ruth invites you to join her newsletter for fun, freebies and firsts. Follow Ruth on Twitter and Pinterest. Check out Ruth’s blog and contact Ruth at Harris.Ruth.C@gmail.com
She is still looking for the perfect red lipstick and a universal remote that works.