From Publishers Weekly
Set in Las Vegas, Clark's seventh Regan Reilly mystery (after 2002's Jinxed) takes aim at all sorts of eminently spoofable targets, including reality TV shows, advice columnists and screen actors. Regan answers a plea from a grade school chum who's involved in a contest where someone isn't playing by the rules. The owner of the Balloon Channel (aka Hot Air Cable) is sponsoring a contest between two groups-one developing a pilot for a sitcom, the other for a reality TV show. Both, according to the whimsical rules of magnate Roscoe Parker, must have a ballooning theme. The winning group gets its show on the air and a $1 million prize. Regan's friend Danny Madley is trying to put together the reality show, with a couple of assistants, six contestants and a couple of advice columnists. Then there's the cast of the sitcom and its producer, as well as Roscoe, his girlfriend and his assistants. Even Danny's parents show up to meddle or help, as does Danny's ex-girlfriend. The wealth of eccentric characters would be at home in a Dickens novel, but is too much for this slender volume to support. While Regan attempts to figure out who's doing what to whom, Roscoe continues to add obstacles to make the competition more exciting. It all adds up to zany, if not particularly brilliant, fun in the desert, with an ending series fans will love.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Clark's latest Regan Reilly mystery has all the substance of cotton candy, but as a poolside diversion, it's perfectly amiable. Premise is all in the mystery-lite subgenre, and Clark has a doozy here. L.A. private eye Reilly is summoned to Las Vegas by an old high-school classmate, Danny Madley, who needs help desperately. His reality-TV pilot--married couples trying to rekindle the romance and win $1 million, to be awarded in a wedding-cake-shaped hot-air balloon--is being sabotaged by persons unknown. Of course, it's more complicated than that. Danny is in competition with a sitcom producer for the prize of winning a slot on the hot-air-balloon cable network. The network honcho, a crackpot millionaire, will choose the winner after viewing both shows. Clark pulls out all the stops with a cast of goofballs (seemingly borrowed from an old episode of Love American Style ) who romp through first Vegas and then Albuquerque, where the ballooning finale takes place. The writing hovers on the edge of cliche, and there is no suspense to speak of, but the silliness of it all delivers a kind of mindless good time. For Clark's devoted fans--or anyone who finds Murder, She Wrote too edgy. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
Publishers Weekly The wealth of eccentric characters would be at home in a Dickens novel.

Harlan Coben Pure delight.


Review
Harlan Coben Pure delight.


Review
Harlan Coben bestselling author of No Second Chance Carol Higgins Clark's new novel Popped is pure delight.


Book Description
It's up, up, and away with sleuth Regan Reilly in this whirlwind adventure from New York Times bestselling author Carol Higgins Clark L.A.-based private detective Regan Reilly heads to Las Vegas to help out her old school chum Danny Madley. Danny is producing a reality TV show featuring three married couples who have all suffered the proverbial "Seven Year Itch," but are now vying for a chance to renew their vows in a wedding-cake-shaped hot air balloon -- and win one million dollars! But Danny has received an anonymous letter warning him to halt production, and "accidents" start happening on the set. It's up to Regan to find out what's lurking behind the scenes....After all, the show must go on! Popped takes us from the kitschy glamour of the Las Vegas casinos and run-down hotels off the Strip to the world-famous Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta -- a funny, fast-paced romp!


Download Description
"It's up, up, and away with sleuth Regan Reilly -- in a lively new caper from beloved New York Times bestselling author Carol Higgins Clark. L.A.-based private detective Regan Reilly flies to Las Vegas -- the mythic city of cash and flash, glamour and kitsch -- to help an old school chum, Danny Madley. Danny is producing the pilot of a reality TV show, Love Above Sea Level. The show features three couples who all have experienced the proverbial Seven Year Itch and are now vying for the chance to renew their wedding vows and win one million dollars. But someone is trying to sabotage the show before Danny can shoot the final scene at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Danny's show is in competition with the sitcom Take Me Higher for a coveted permanent slot on Hot Air Cable, also known as the Balloon Channel. Both shows involve hot air ballooning, and both have casts of characters who are more than capable of disrupting production of Love Above Sea Level. Regan's job is to find out who is making trouble and why. Is the culprit one of the contestants on Love Above Sea Level? Could it be the advice columnists Danny has hired -- Aunt Agony and Uncle Heartburn -- who are there to help rekindle the sparks between the husbands and wives? Is it Danny's right-hand man, Victor, a local Vegas boy Danny met while gambling? Or his cameraman Sam, who would much rather be surfing than working? Is it Bubbles Ferndale, producer of the sitcom, who is desperate to make her show the one that wins the competition? Is it Danny's ex-girlfriend, the Vegas showgirl Honey? Or her friend Lucille, a dealer in one of the casinos? Could local entrepreneur Roscoe Parker, the owner of the Balloon Channel and mastermind behind the TV competitions, be the source of all Danny's problems? There is no shortage of suspects and no shortage of mishaps.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

L.A.-based private detective Regan Reilly flies to Las Vegas - the mythic city of cash and flash, glamour and kitsch - to help an old school chum, Danny Madley. Danny is producing the pilot of a reality TV show, Love Above Sea Level. The show features three couples who all have experienced the proverbial Seven Year Itch and are now vying for the chance to renew their wedding vows and win one million dollars. But someone is trying to sabotage the show before Danny can shoot the final scene at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

Danny's show is in competition with the sitcom Take Me Higher for a coveted permanent slot on Hot Air Cable, also known as the Balloon Channel. Both shows involve hot air ballooning, and both have casts of characters who are more than capable of disrupting production of Love Above Sea Level. Regan's job is to find out who is making trouble and why.

Is the culprit one of the contestants on Love Above Sea Level? Could it be the advice columnists Danny has hired - Aunt Agony and Uncle Heartburn - who are there to help rekindle the sparks between the husbands and wives? Is it Danny's right-hand man, Victor, a local Vegas boy Danny met while gambling? Or his cameraman Sam, who would much rather be surfing than working? Is it Bubbles Ferndale, producer of the sitcom, who is desperate to make her show the one that wins the competition? Is it Danny's ex-girlfriend, the Vegas showgirl Honey? Or her friend Lucille, a dealer in one of the casinos? Could local entrepreneur Roscoe Parker, the owner of the Balloon Channel and mastermind behind the TV competitions, be the source of all of Danny's problems? There is no shortage of suspects and no shortage ofmishaps.

From their base in the Fuzzy Dice Hotel, a decidely third-rate establishment, Regan tries to help Danny keep his production on an even keel. Danny's well-meaning, meddlesome parents complicate matters. Jealousy among the Love Above Sea Level contestants escalates. Mysterious,

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Set in Las Vegas, Clark's seventh Regan Reilly mystery (after 2002's Jinxed) takes aim at all sorts of eminently spoofable targets, including reality TV shows, advice columnists and screen actors. Regan answers a plea from a grade school chum who's involved in a contest where someone isn't playing by the rules. The owner of the Balloon Channel (aka Hot Air Cable) is sponsoring a contest between two groups-one developing a pilot for a sitcom, the other for a reality TV show. Both, according to the whimsical rules of magnate Roscoe Parker, must have a ballooning theme. The winning group gets its show on the air and a $1 million prize. Regan's friend Danny Madley is trying to put together the reality show, with a couple of assistants, six contestants and a couple of advice columnists. Then there's the cast of the sitcom and its producer, as well as Roscoe, his girlfriend and his assistants. Even Danny's parents show up to meddle or help, as does Danny's ex-girlfriend. The wealth of eccentric characters would be at home in a Dickens novel, but is too much for this slender volume to support. While Regan attempts to figure out who's doing what to whom, Roscoe continues to add obstacles to make the competition more exciting. It all adds up to zany, if not particularly brilliant, fun in the desert, with an ending series fans will love. (Sept. 23) FYI: With her mother, Mary Higgins Clark, Clark is the coauthor of He Sees You When You're Sleeping and Deck the Halls. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Regan Reilly's latest clients are full of hot air-she's been asked by organizers of the nine-day Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta to find out who's threatening the event with disaster. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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