Roxy does salvage work from buildings about to be torn down or renovated. She is trying to get her assistant, Nooch, off probation. She is also trying to solve a murder of the son of a wealthy family whose burnt out home she was salvaging from. She was also one of the last people to speak to him before he is killed. Who did it?

I found this rollicking fun. It is over the top but with the Pittsburgh connection, I found the fun in trying to figure out where in the city and surrounding area the story takes place. Roxy is supposed to be born and raised in Pittsburgh, but she comes across more as a Jersey girl. I could see the scenes in my mind as the characters and places are described. This was just fun.

Suspend belief; sit back; and enjoy the ride. ( )

This is the first book in a spin-off series, of sorts, from the Blackbird Sisters; it involves a completely different member of the crime family Michael is the heir apparent to, and takes place in Pittsburgh, rather than Philly.

It’s also a much rougher, seedier flavour of cozy mystery, set in a low income area with a high crime rate. Roxy owns an architectural salvage company, trying to support her daughter and avoid working for her uncle Carmine in the family business.

Martin created Roxy as a deeply flawed, broken woman who uses an active sex life as a weapon, but seems to enjoy it not at all. She obviously cares a great deal, as she goes out of her way to shelter abused women, support her daughter, and keep her dim-witted friend from violating his parole, but her uber defensiveness is grating and her inability to connect with anyone makes it difficult for the reader to connect with her. It’s a very different take from the Blackbird Sisters, which didn’t shy away from dysfunction, but still managed to engage the reader.

Different too is this story’s multiple POVs. When it works, it works brilliantly, offering an ending that might not be expected, but when it doesn’t it leaves the reader wondering why Martin bothered, or at least wondering why certain POVs were included.

The parts were there for a very excellent read, but they just didn’t come together in a way that left me caring at all about any of the characters. I have the second book of what ended up being a 2 book series, but when I finished my re-read of this one, I found that I just didn’t have it in me to dip into this kind of dysfunction a second time. Maybe someday. ( )

A good read--perhaps a little too like Stephanie Plum--but still enjoyed the story. Roxy sleeps around to keep from being emotionally entangled. She's a nosy architectural object scavenger with a large, dumb, side-kick and many interesting friends. A murder of a local rich guy has her poking around in a burned out mansion and being there a little too close to the time of the murder. ( )

Roxy Abruzzo, tough & feisty, runs an architectural reclamation business, not always on the up & up, but hey, it makes her a living.

Her current client, Julius Hyde, is dead as. His wife, Monica, has been looting her mother-in-law's house of high-end artwork for years and has torched it, which is where Roxy comes in...

While salvaging the remains of the once great house Roxy stumbles upon a Greek antiquity of Achilles hidden in the garden and with the help of her loyal but not-so-bright muscle, Nooch, Roxy adds the statue to her cache of salvage items.

Then there is Dorothy (Dodo) Hyde, matriarch, Julius' mother; living in a residential home and going in and out of a coma as desired... She's willing to write off her losses, after all these are her progeny, but not Achilles. Dodo sends her attorney, Henry, to get back her treasure or else.

Also in the mix: Sage, Roxy's daughter who is living with Loretta, widowed aunt & tough-as-nails attorney; Flynn, Sage's father, ex-marine, & chef; and Roxy's Uncle Carmine, who is ill & would like Roxy to take over his business for him.

I liked Roxy, her crazy family, & friends and I didn't figure out who-done-it, but I really didn't try as I was swept away with the story.

There is no end to the action and on-the-edge humor, which can be compared to Carl Hiaasen, although not as finely crafted. But the book held my interest, I was up until 4:00 am in order to finish it.

The book seemed very familiar to me, the name Abruzzo rang a bell. Then I remembered that I had begun another series, The Blackbird Sisters (which I dropped) had a character named Nick Abruzzo in it. Turns out to be by the same author. I know I'll not be returning to complete The Blackbird Sisters but I'll give Roxy a second go around. ( )

I enjoyed this book. It was pretty fast paced and just a fun mindless read. A good beach book if you don't want anything too deep. Roxy is spunky and a little out of control but a strong character with heart who has messed up but trying to be good. I'm reading the follow up and look forward to continuing reading about Roxy's life. ( )