Review of SIZE 14 IS NOT FAT EITHER by Meg Cabot (see her website)

A HEATHER WELLS MYSTERY

Avon Trade, November 2006

Assistant Dorm Manager (and former pop star) Heather Wells just wants to practice her guitar, figure out a way to make her sexy landlord fall in love with her, and avoid her ex-fiance, Justin--who is getting married but still wants to be 'friends.' Since the last time she and Justin tried to be friends they ended up rolling on the floor together, possibly damaging the relationshp Heather wants with sexy Cooper, she knows that's a bad idea--especially just days before he's supposed to marry someone else. With all this going on plus shifting roommates in the dorm, Heather doesn't need more problems. Then again, nobody really needs to find a severed head boiling in a pot in the cafeteria.

Heather really doesn't want to get involved in this case. Still, she can't really help herself when she knows that the police aren't pursuing the right leads. It starts with innocent questions, just so she can share the information with the police. But before she knows it, she's deep in the middle, one of her coworkers has been attacked, and she might even be in danger herself.

Author Meg Cabot (see more BooksForABuck.com reviews of mysteries by Cabot) brings a chick-lit style to mystery and makes the combination work. Heather, with her inclination to dove bars, bagels with cream cheese and bacon, and coffee that's half cocoa, worries about her weight, and the stage fright that came from the brutal end of her pop career, makes a sympathetic character in a world of size two girls. Perhaps appropriately given how self-obsessed Heather is (she's sympathetic, not perfect), most of the other characters remain fairly one-dimensional.

SIZE 14 IS NOT FAT is not a thinking mystery. Cabot delivers a linear plot with no red herrings in sight. That doesn't keep the story from being entertaining, however. If you're looking for a book to kick back with on the beach and don't want to have to work too hard at your reading, this one just might be perfect.

Three Stars

Reviewed 6/02/07

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