From Publishers Weekly
A bookstore reading in a Marin County, Calif., independent bookstore turns fatal when one of the writers dies of poisoning in the talky ninth Kate Jasper tale (after 1997's A Cry for Self-Help). Kate and her fiance, restaurateur Wayne, are in the audience, having fled their skunk-infested house and troublesome human houseguest. Three authors?working in mystery and science fiction?have been invited to participate in the reading. S.X. Greenfree, the best known of the three, puts on a bracelet left at her place at the table and almost immediately keels over dead, leaving the focus of suspicion trained on the audience. Wayne and other curious attendees talk to everyone who was present, including a rare book dealer, the store owner and his teenage son and a larcenous employee. When the employee is found dead in the store's back room in what might be an accident, Kate and Wayne step up their investigation. Based on the premise that genre writers have kooky personalities, this disjointed story is long on pointless dialogue and short on action. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Series protagonist Kate Jasper (Most Likely To Die, LJ 4/1/96) shirks her home business ("Jest Gifts") in order to help live-in boyfriend Wayne investigate murder. No surprise there, though Kate and Wayne had never expected a mystery author to drop dead at a reading they attended at a friend's bookshop. The pair interrogate several bizarre suspects and trade conjecture, at the same time fending off skunks and a freeloading guest at home. Kate is more ditzy and unfocused than usual in this outing, so reserve this for series fans.Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
California's Kate Jasper, owner of Jest Gifts, which makes antic presents, in her ninth frenetic encounter with murder (A Cry for Self-Help, 1997, etc.). This time, the victim is Shayla Greenfree, writer of science-fiction mysteries, and the place is the Fictional Pleasures Bookstore, where proprietor Ivan Nakagawa has arranged a book signing for Shayla's latest work. Among others present, besides Kate and her lover Wayne, now owner of a restaurantart gallery, are: Ivan's ill-tempered assistant Marcia Armeson; nonselling author Ted Brown; Shayla's husband Scott Green and his lover, Dean Frazier; screechy writer Yvette Cassell with husband Lou; acupuncturist Phyllis Oberman, and artist Zoe Ingersoll. As all wait for Shayla to begin her talkafter she's clasped on her wrist a bracelet left on the table in front of herit's soon apparent that the speaker-to-be is dead, poisoned by curare-tipped needles inside the bracelet. Kate, as usual, feels challenged to find the killer. This time, though, she's matched in aggressive nosiness by Yvette. The possibly accidental death of Marcia Armeson will provide further excuse for more unproductive meetings of those at the signing; and torrents of inane chatter and a parade of unappetizing vegetarian menus ensue as Kate struggles to rid her house of unwanted guest Ingrid Regnary and a quartet of real-life skunks. Suspense and plot development are sacrificed to perpetual motion, cutesy chitchat, and a plethora of going-nowhere subplots. Busy but ultimately boring. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Book Description
The acclaimed author of the Kate Jasper mysteries-featuring the witty California sleuth and a host of quirky characters-returns with yet another highly entertaining adventure. Kate attends a bookstore reading that features three authors...and only slightly more people in the audience. But when one of the authors keels over dead, the ho-hum event turns into a harrowing mystery. Death Hits the Fan will definitely be a hit with those who've enjoyed A Cry for Self-Help, Most Likely to Die, Fat-Free and Fatal, and the other books in this appealing series.


Download Description
"The new Kate Jasper mystery that booksellers are dying to read! At a bookstore reading that features three authors--and an only slightly larger number of audience members--Kate is surprised to see one of the participants slump over in her chair. Kate's a bit bored herself, but falling asleep seems just plain rude. But Shayla Greenfree isn't dying of boredom...she's actually stone-cold dead--and now Kate must find out why... "

FROM THE PUBLISHER

At a bookstore reading that features three authors - and an only slightly larger number of fans in the audience - Kate is surprised to see one of the participants, the elegant Shayla Greenfree, slump over in her chair. Kate's a bit bored herself ... but falling asleep seems just plain rude. As it happens, Shayla isn't dying of boredom. She's actually stone-cold dead, and a jeweled bracelet, left as an anonymous gift, may have been what killed her. And strangely enough, just before passing out, Shayla had called out Kate's name ... though Kate's sure they never met. Who did it, Kate wonders - an obsessed fan? A disgruntled bookstore employee? It's up to her to find out - especially after the plot thickens with yet another murder ...

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

A bookstore reading in a Marin County, Calif., independent bookstore turns fatal when one of the writers dies of poisoning in the talky ninth Kate Jasper tale (after 1997's A Cry for Self-Help). Kate and her fianc, restaurateur Wayne, are in the audience, having fled their skunk-infested house and troublesome human houseguest. Three authorsworking in mystery and science fictionhave been invited to participate in the reading. S.X. Greenfree, the best known of the three, puts on a bracelet left at her place at the table and almost immediately keels over dead, leaving the focus of suspicion trained on the audience. Wayne and other curious attendees talk to everyone who was present, including a rare book dealer, the store owner and his teenage son and a larcenous employee. When the employee is found dead in the store's back room in what might be an accident, Kate and Wayne step up their investigation. Based on the premise that genre writers have kooky personalities, this disjointed story is long on pointless dialogue and short on action. (Apr.)

Library Journal

Series protagonist Kate Jasper (Most Likely To Die, LJ 4/1/96) shirks her home business ("Jest Gifts") in order to help live-in boyfriend Wayne investigate murder. No surprise there, though Kate and Wayne had never expected a mystery author to drop dead at a reading they attended at a friend's bookshop. The pair interrogate several bizarre suspects and trade conjecture, at the same time fending off skunks and a freeloading guest at home. Kate is more ditzy and unfocused than usual in this outing, so reserve this for series fans.

Kirkus Reviews

California's Kate Jasper, owner of Jest Gifts, which makes antic presents, in her ninth frenetic encounter with murder (A Cry for Self-Help, 1997, etc.). This time, the victim is Shayla Greenfree, writer of science-fiction mysteries, and the place is the Fictional Pleasures Bookstore, where proprietor Ivan Nakagawa has arranged a book signing for Shayla's latest work. Among others present, besides Kate and her lover Wayne, now owner of a restaurantþart gallery, are: Ivan's ill-tempered assistant Marcia Armeson; nonselling author Ted Brown; Shayla's husband Scott Green and his lover, Dean Frazier; screechy writer Yvette Cassell with husband Lou; acupuncturist Phyllis Oberman, and artist Zoe Ingersoll. As all wait for Shayla to begin her talkþafter she's clasped on her wrist a bracelet left on the table in front of herþit's soon apparent that the speaker-to-be is dead, poisoned by curare-tipped needles inside the bracelet. Kate, as usual, feels challenged to find the killer. This time, though, she's matched in aggressive nosiness by Yvette. The possibly accidental death of Marcia Armeson will provide further excuse for more unproductive meetings of those at the signing; and torrents of inane chatter and a parade of unappetizing vegetarian menus ensue as Kate struggles to rid her house of unwanted guest Ingrid Regnary and a quartet of real-life skunks. Suspense and plot development are sacrificed to perpetual motion, cutesy chitchat, and a plethora of going-nowhere subplots. Busy but ultimately boring.