I've read the other books in this series this one isn't my favorite but it's still and enjoyable and read. It's has laugh out aloud moments and twist and turns you never see coming

4 stars

Davis Way starts out the book married to Bradley and fast-forward nine months has twin babies to care for. Needless to say, she is no longer the super casino spy girl and now a full-time mommy.

The first problem that crops up is a new casino is built next door on property previously owned by the Bellissimo. They were told it was supposed to be a football stadium but there was a bit of an illusion since the entire facility was covered until it was revealed and by then it was too late. Davis blames herself for letting the construction get so far. She was distracted by her new family and let her job fall by the wayside. The new casino was built and glitzier than ever. Not to mention, it was taking all the Bellissimo’s business including most of its employees.

Davis was in a bit of a post-baby birthing fog which was finally lifted when her ex-husband’s mother shows up on her doorstep wanting to see her grandbabies. (Even though, technically, she wasn’t related to them at all.)

The aggravation of having Bea around knocks some sense into Davis. She is now out of her brain fogged stupor and ready to figure out how to save the Bellissimo from financial ruin.

I have to say that I really love this series world that Gretchen Archer has created. They are filled with a lot of suspense and nail-biting drama. Bea alone can give anyone a major case of stress headaches. Reading one title makes you yearn for more. I will always recommend anything from Gretchen Archer.

Once again there is trouble at the Bellisimo, but this time, Davis Way-Cole is not on duty, in fact almost nobody is on duty. Davis is home with her twin baby girls trying to deal with her "Smart House" while the Bellissimo is going under. A new casino has been built three miles away and it seems that whatever the Bellissimo plans, they are one step ahead. They have hardly any customers, they are laying off employees and even the Sanders have jumped ship and gone back to LasVegas. Blaming herself for all that has befallen the Bellissimo casino, she sets out to right the perceived wrongs, using what has driven all her previous capers, her intelligence, computer skills, intuition, and gut feelings.

At the beginning of the story Davis is a shut in due to the birth of her daughters. She does not want to leave them with anyone else. She also thinks everything is her fault and nobody will want to see her. Even Fanatasy has jumped ship to the new casino. There is completely laugh out loud hilarity starting with "House" and continuing when her ex-ex-mother-in-law, Bea shows up. For some reason she thinks the twins are her grandchildren and she wants to move in with Davis. When Davis sends her in to spy at the new casino, she is even more hilarious. As we finally get to know Bea, we see another side of her that is soft and loving, where she was always rather bitchy in other stories. As the action revs up, we see some of the previous characters and they also reveal some new information and show their loyalty.

Typically in this series, everything seems to be heading in one way, then there is a twist that sends Davis off in another direction. Will she be able to figure out what the new casino is up to? Will her, Bradley and the twins end up moving to LasVegas? What is going to happen to Bea? I thoroughly enjoy that while the story winds up nicely, but the ending has a lot of ways to go with the next story in this series. A fun, cozy mystery that will have you laughing at their exploits.

3.5 stars

Double Up
A Davis Way Crime Caper #6
Gretchen Archer
Henery Press, March 2017
ISBN 978-1-63511-181-1
Trade Paperback

When does chick lit turn into new mommy lit? Davis Way Cole and her husband Bradley work and live at the Bellissimo Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. They are the parents of eight month old twin girls, Bexley and Quinn. Davis was the casino’s “lead super secret spy” for four years but since the birth of her twins hasn’t left the apartment, her days spent breastfeeding and dressing the girls in elaborate designer outfits, like “Baby Gucci capes with red ladybug patches over Baby Gucci jeans with Mini Mellissa red flats and red bow headbands.”

The couple’s world is rocked when they discover that a new casino, called “Blitz,” is built only three miles away, and is luring staff and customers away. Davis feels that she should have discovered the emergence of the rival sooner—she thought that the land would be used for a football stadium. If Bellissimo goes bust, Davis will no longer be a stay at home mom, and Bradley will be looking for another job.

Things can’t any worse, Davis thinks, until she opens the door one day to her ex-mother-in-law Bea Crawford. Bea, who once won a biscuits and gravy eating contest, is convinced that her husband Melvin is cheating on her, and wants Davis’ help to find out who Melvin is stepping out with. Bea is recruited as a corporate spy by Davis, to check out the new casino.

Subplots about the malfunctions of their smart apartment, an art collection, and the development of a computer game that deals with aviation only muddy the waters. Readers of the series’ previous five books may want to follow the characters for another book, but new readers may find it all too confusing.

Reviewed by Susan Belsky, November 2017, for Buried Under Books.

Davis Way Cole is the ex-Secret Super Spy for the Bellissimo Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. 'Ex' because she's retired - now taking care of two eight-month-old baby girls, Bex and Quinn - while her husband Bradley is left to run what's left of the casino. I say this because there's a new sheriff in town: The Blitz, which has been built right across the river from the Bellissimo, and they've not only taken the Bell's staff, but most of their customers as well. They've become practically a ghost town on their own, and the owner, Richard Sanders (and his wife Bianca) have decamped for the lights of Las Vegas and left Bradley to salvage what he can.

Davis blames herself, because if she hadn't been so busy being pregnant and then motherhood, she believes she would have known what the Blitz was up to all along and none of this would have happened; she would have been at the top of her game and realized they were building a mega-casino instead of what she originally thought - a football stadium. Why a stadium? Because the person who now runs the Blitz is the grandson of the owner, Elias Johnson, and an ex-football player.

Because of this, Davis has refused to leave her lavish penthouse, and has become as reclusive as Greta Garbo. That is, until her ex-ex-mother-in-law Bea Crawford shows up and refuses to leave. At first Davis is horrified, but when things start going even further south, she realizes she can use Bea in her own scheme to put things right again, and that's when she turns Bea into a spy herself (sort of). But just when Davis thinks things are starting to look up, she hasn't got a clue as to how dark they can become...

As a great fan of the series I was really looking forward to this entry, and for the most part, wasn't disappointed. While it started out slow - it's not that interesting to follow a storyline of someone who spends all their time in an apartment with their babies - but once the plot got going - and so did Davis, it really took off (see what I did there?).

There isn't a lot I can say about the plot without giving away the crux of the story, so let it suffice to say that Davis is tired of what is going on around her and decides she's the one who needs to save the company (and her home). She learns from Bea what is going on over at the Blitz; decides she can do something even better at the Bellissimo, and sets forth on a plan to save the resort and her husband's job in the process. What ensues is quite humorous at times, suspenseful at others, there was even one scene between Fantasy and Davis that had me downright chuckling; plus Davis' reaction when she realizes why she's spending time with Bea is worth reading the book alone; not to mention what happens when Bea begins to take herself seriously as a spy.

In the end, it was a fun journey with an unexpected ending, and while not technically a murder mystery (although there is a murder, have no fear), it still gives you plenty to devour while you enjoy the book and wait for the next in the series to arrive. Recommended.

Nice Job! I really like this series. I hope that it continues. Stay tuned for more!

Gretchen Archer, where have you been all my life?

I read this book because the name of the author seemed familiar. I thought I might have read something before that I liked. After reading it, I searched my Goodreads list, my kindle library, every place I could think of. No, I had never read anything although I had the first book in this series on my "want to read" list. I am so sorry that I hadn't read it long ago!

This was fantastic! The story was so funny, not at all realistic at times, but hey, shouldn't you learn to suspend disbelief when reading a good book!

Davis Way is a stitch! Her monolog as she tells her story had me laughing out loud. The turn of the phrase, the way words just rolled right out.

Davis is the happy mother of twin girls. She hasn't left her apartment since they were born. She and her husband both worked for a casino and live in the building on an upper floor. Their home has been wired to become a "smart" home with the idea that you can say "coffee" and the coffee pot starts brewing in the kitchen. Everything is controlled and voice activated. But the sensors are set so that Davis and her husband must whisper or the house does all sorts of things. Like phone the doctor if anyone uses the word "sick." The house is slowly driving her crazy, but she just can't bring herself to leave.

A new casino built close by and all the business is being siphoned off. People at Davis' place are being laid off, the company could very well go bankrupt. Where would they go? Before she can begin to worry, her ex-mother-in-law drops on her doorstep. One thing leads to another and Davis works up the courage to go out into the world again.

Oh, the descriptions of what follows! Astonishingly there was no body until almost 3/4 of the way through the story. It was a mystery, but no death. I was loving this. And then when someone did die, it was one of the competition.

I don't want to tell who died, what happens, you just need to read it yourself. You won't be sorry. And I am going back to find all the missing books in the series. Don't be like me and wait so long to read this entertaining author!

I can see this author has a lot of fans, so obviously this book appeals to some people. However by normal standards for comic mysteries it comes up short.

The biggest problem is that so little happens. You are literally one third of the way through the book before anything happens at all. The beginning is all flashbacks and scene setting in random order. This was my first book in the series, so I had to absorb an awful lot of names, places and events before figuring out if any of them meant anything. But if you had read the previous books, this would all be repetition. So I'm not who would appreciate these pages.

The second biggest problem is constant forced gags, like the laugh track on a sitcom. The heroine's mother texts gobbledegook, her mother in law misuses words, her voice activated house malfunctions, her former boss's wife gets her name wrong; these and other running gags are used over and over with minimal variation and no connection to the action. They're not exactly side-splitting the first time, and by the dozenth repetition they're just irritating.

In the middle third of the book, things pick up from stalled to glacial. Stuff does happen but there's so much filler that you have to pay careful attention to spot it. Clues are trotted out and emblazoned in neon. Nobody's actions make much sense, but at least they are actions. The massive set of characters introduced in the beginning winnow down to a manageable number. Unfortunately the product placements that disfigured the first third redouble in this section, a high-end name brand is featured prominently on nearly every page, with no attempt to disguise them as having anything to do with the story.

In the final third, the author crams in all the action missing from earlier portions. These rank among the worst action scenes ever written. For one random example, the heroine in a room with her father sees a woman hanged on the terrace. She runs to get two guns (why?) jumps in an elevator with her husband (what elevator? why? what floor are they going to?). The elevator door opens and shots spray in. They are not hit because they were pressed against the side (what kind of assassin misses two people in an elevator?) Her father shows up behind the shooter (he was on another floor only seconds earlier). And then it gets even more ridiculous. I'm really not leaving anything out, this happens in a couple of brief paragraphs. Either a lot of stuff got accidentally left out of the book, or this is intended to be stream of consciousness from someone with deep perceptual difficulties. In none of the action scenes does the reader have any idea of who is where, or what sequence things are happening in, or why anything is happening at all.

The technical details in the book about the commercial gaming industry and computers are not close to accurate.

So why two stars? The author does write with intensity and charm. If you ignore the plot and the crude attempts at jokes, there is a believable central character who develops in interesting ways. The setting is entertaining and skillfully drawn.

I think the people who will like this book already know who they are. For anyone else, I recommend a pass.

Double Up
Double Up.jpg
by
Gretchen Archer

A Review

Gretchen Archer knows how to write a cozy mystery. She combines murder, arson, and fraud into a fun and funny story centered on the Bellissimo Casino and, for this book, the new competitor, the Blitz, located across the bay in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Davis Way Cole’s “House” is hilarious as it attempts to meet every need the family has in it 24th floor suite - EVERY NEED to the extreme. Added to “House” is Davis’ ex- ex- Mother-in-Law and her ability to spy on the competitor’s operations. Then things only went from bad to worse when the shrimp started spoiling in the ex- ex- Mother-in-Law’s car (“yuck”).

It was obvious something was not right - and Davis Way Cole (former casino super spy) took it upon herself to find out what it was without getting herself and her friends killed in the process.

This reader was laughing from the first chapter - he needed to be careful to not wake his spouse with a giggle or two in the middle of the night. Though the mystery was obvious from the beginning, it would take nearly half the book before the first murder took place - meaning the story was a bit, though not obnoxiously, slow in developing. My biggest disappointment, having read the earlier books in the series, was the disappearance of many main supporting characters, Fantasy, No-Hair, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sanders, from most of the current book. If the reader has not read previous books in the series, their absence will hardly be noticed.

For the reader looking for a funny and enjoyable spring read, “Double Up” should fill the prescription well.
______________

This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Double Up

by Gretchen Archer

Davis Way is a former security officer and investigator for Bellissimo Casino and is currently a stay-at-home mom for twin baby girls. Blitz, Inc. buys up land in the same town for a competing casino and Davis’ home and livelihood are in jeopardy. To make it worse, Davis is convinced that it is her fault that the Bellissimo Casino is about to go under.

There are many humorous aspects to this story--both in situations and in characters. As always with books from the Davis Way Crime Caper Series, this cozy mystery is very witty with Archer frequently popping dialogue with one liners that Davis thinks, contrasting them with what she actually says. The plot moves quickly especially during the second half as extreme action kicks in. Think: explosions, auto theft, murder, decaying seafood, and dumpster diving. Two really quirky characters emerge: Bea, Davis’ ex-ex-mother-in-law, who is lacking in basic hygiene and good taste and takes physical action in her determination to set things right and “the House” which responds to voice suggestions by controlling Davis’ huge suite in a very frustrating way. All of this (and more) adds up to a fun book worth reading.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Humor, Mystery

Notes: #6 in Davis Way Crime Caper Series, but works as a standalone

Publication: March 21, 2017--Henery Press

Memorable Lines:

[Bea to Davis] “That’s one thing I like about Don Juan.” She took me into her confidence like I was her best girlfriend. “No back talking. ‘Course I don’t speak Italyish, so he could be back talking my ears off and I wouldn’t know it.”

If I’d been doing my job, I could have stopped it. Or at least slowed it down. At the bare minimum, we could have been prepared. To say I felt responsible was to say there were stars in the sky, the desert was hot, and Bill Gates had a little money in the bank.

Our daughters, who’d never known anything other than computer-generated, gender-neutral, max-volume broadcasts interrupting our lives via seventy hidden speakers followed by their parents yelling back, didn’t think a thing of it. One day they’d realize they lived in the world’s only home that spontaneously shrieked and yelled and demanded an explanation, but for now, they mostly hollered along. (“Aaagaah!” and “Gaahaah!”)

Absolutely terrific from the characters and their relationships to the exposition to the main plot. This author has writing a strong female lead down without marginalizing the male or surrounding characters. Involving plot. Not a cozy

So this was the first in this series that I had read, and although I enjoyed it, I felt like I was missing a lot of background and backstory about the characters and their relationships with each other which hampered my enjoyment of the story. It is well written though and definitely a caper and the casino setting was interesting - although being a Brit I'm not particularly well up on how casinos etc work in the US.

I suspect if you're already a fan of the series you may really enjoy this though.

I always have a laugh out loud, fun time reading a book by Gretchen Archer. This one is no different. Between giggles, chortles, sniggers and out loud laughing, my husband was intrigued enough to try to “borrow” my copy before I was done reading it. No way! I had to keep slapping his hand away like an annoying insect.

I started this series in the middle but, after this book, I went back and purchased the first three books in the series. I have to find out how Davis (not David) made her way from small town to big city casino.

In this story, Davis is at home with her children. And I do mean at home. She hasn’t stepped foot outside since she arrived home with the kids eight months before. When a new casino in town threatens her (barricaded) life, she is finally motivated to do something and (at least) leave her protective cocoon.

All of my old favorite characters are back. Bea Crawford, Davis’ ex ex mother in law, is a hoot and I hope we see much more of her in the future. There were points at which I had laughter tears streaming down my face from the hysterically funny situations and dialog. I especially liked the “road trip” that Davis and Fantasy end up taking. I don’t know if I can ever eat shrimp again.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

Gretchen Archer gets classified as Cozy Mystery but her books should be seen as Mystery with a dash of humor. Great writing, plot, and characters.

Davis Way is back!

The last we saw super spy Davis, she had been six months pregnant with twins, still working for the Bellissimo casino and Bianca Sanders. We return to find Davis is the mother of two beautiful eight-month old girls. Davis is taking her role as stay-at-home mother very seriously. And by seriously, I mean she is not leaving the house. Ever.

Now granted, she and Bradley have a spacious 10,000 square foot house (floor) at almost the top of the casino. She can order room service with whatever she needs. And she has House. (Her house has been fully wired to be a state-of-the-art technological wonder that is actually a little too much at times. Okay, most of the time.) She could be a stay-at-home mom indefinitely. Well, as long as the Bellissimo stays in business.

Davis knows that the Bellissimo is on it’s last legs – there’s a new casino in town (Blitz) that’s taking all of the business. She hasn’t spoken to her best friend Fantasy in months. And then her ex-ex-mother-in-law Bea Crawford (Davis married and divorced her son twice) appears on her doorstep needing a place to stay. Let the hijinks begin.

This is the third Davis Way I’ve read, and the sixth in the series. I really enjoy this series. The characters are just so enjoyable and fun, and always manage to get themselves wrapped up in ridiculous situations. As always, Ms. Archer had me laughing out loud throughout the book. Ms. Archer voices Davis perfectly, and the asides she puts in throughout are so funny. One of my favorite bits in this go-around are the voice-to-text messages Davis receives from her mother.

I will note that this is not your traditional mystery novel. Davis is in a postpartum funk, and the combination of the arrival of Bea and the Bellissimo’s demise is what finally kickstarts Davis back into action. Armed with (a terrible) secret spy (Bea) and a whiteboard and laptop in her home office, Davis is determined to figure out just exactly what Blitz is up to and hopefully save the Bellissimo (and her home).

Be prepared for crazy hijinks, laugh-out-loud hilarity, and shrimp. Oh, the shrimp.

This is a great book; this is the sixth book in the Davis Way Crime series written by Gretchen Archer. This book can be read as a standalone but once you read this one you will want to go back and read the other books in this great series. Davis Way Cole, is a super secret spy who lives and works on the twenty-ninth floor of the hotel Bellissimo with her husband and newborn twins. When the hotel is threatened by the competition, and her ex-ex-mother-in-law shows up, unexpected and definitely uninvited. Davis decides to put her skills to the test and recruits her ex-ex- mother-in-law to help her do a little corporate espionage work to find out what is really going on with the competition. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

Prepare to double up with laughter as Davis fumbles her way to the ending worthy of a James Bond movie. Davis can be compared with Stephanie Plum in her over the top situations and friends. Babies and gambling, neither of which are in my wheelhouse, are the central topics. That does not preclude my total enjoyment of all the antics involved. I cannot turn the pages fast enough, but then I don't really want the book to end as I am having so much fun. I do hope there are lots more Doubles to come.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I have been laughing with Davis Way for over a year now and I always, always, ALWAYS look forward to more Davis adventures.

Davis is the South’s answer to Stephanie Plum and you have to love her. Love a book that is set in a casino in Mississippi!

While Davis was busy carrying the twins, giving birth to the twins, then taking care of the twins- a new casino was planning a sneak attack on the Bellissimo. Davis, for many reasons, feels at fault. She missed the signs. Her team is broken. Everything that she held near and dear to her at Bellissimo is changed and in Davis’s eyes close to tainted.

So, when her ex-ex-mother in law comes strolling into town, it’s another problem for Davis. Except it’s a good problem. With Bea’s help, Davis gets the kick in the booty she needs to get her casino back in business.

Because over at the Blitz- trouble is a-brewing and Davis is going to figure it out.

What I liked:

Cover!

The interaction between Davis and Bea. Bea usually is a pain in the neck, but this time Bea is doing good things for Davis. I see them approaching friend-isssssssh territory. Maybe.

The ending. Wow. That’s all I’ll say.



Bottom line: Looking for a fun read? Meet Davis Way!



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*



Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Double Up by Gretchen Archer is an entertaining story that will leave you wishing for more.
I am new to this series and I started with book # 6. I immediately caught up with the cast of characters and was able to follow the story without that "lost" feeling.
Davis Way was very easy to relate too, I have twins so I could easily understand the stress & pressure she felt, as well as the lack of sleep.

I love that this story & series is set in a casino. Although I am not one to go to the casinos, it is a unique story line and kept me thoroughly entertained.
Bea Crawford is my favorite character. She had such a colorful personality and her humor kept me laughing all the way through.

In this book, the thought of losing Bellisimo Casino is too much for Davis and the lack of communication from her friend Fantasy doesn't help the situation.

Davis has a choice, let Bellisimo slip trough her fingers, or put on her big girl pants and get back to work. The thought of having to do either terrifies her and the choice is not easy to make.

I enjoyed this book so much that I had to buy book # 1 and will have to read the whole series.
I can't believe I didn't read this series sooner.

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

Books in the Davis Way Crime Caper Mystery Series:

DOUBLE WHAMMY (#1)
DOUBLE DIP (#2)
DOUBLE STRIKE (#3)
DOUBLE MINT (#4)
DOUBLE KNOT (#5)
DOUBLE UP (#6)

Davis Way is back. Along with Bradley, Baylor, Fantasy, No Hair, and Bea. Yes, you heard right, Bea! All the laughs and mystery that I've come to expect from Gretchen Archer. She's outdone herself with Double Up. I think this may be my favorite caper yet!

*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.