Book Club Reading Guide for Murder in Hand (Alicia Allen Investigates Book 3) as listed on LitLovers...

Here's the Book Club Reading Guide for Murder in Hand as featured on LitLovers. To go to LitLovers please click here.

Murder in Hand (Alicia Allen Investigates Trilogy, 3
Celia Conrad, 2012  / Barchan Books / 352 pp. / ISBN-13: 9780954623340

Summary
This third book in the Alicia Allen Investigates Trilogy finds Alicia Allen—the half-Italian/half-British London solicitor with such a passion for justice it would make even Portia envious—sleuthing with her adoring cohort and fellow lawyer, Alex Waterford, in this tangled mystery of corruption on both sides of the law that spans England, New York, Sicily and mainland Italy.
When Fabio Angelino shows up in Alicia's office, the Italian American not only asks her to handle the Probate of his mother's English estate, but reveals that someone has been trying to kill him—perhaps the same person responsible for his lawyer father's disappearance in Sicily 16 years ago while working for a New York firm. The Italian police suspect the Mafia, but Fabio’s father’s death remains unsolved. Alicia and Alex have developed a comfortable relationship, and he urges her not to get too involved for her own safety. However, when Fabio's sister, Guilia, is found callously murdered, Alicia feels compelled to investigate. Her quest takes her from England to Sicily and Italy over beautiful, but sinister, terrain as she finds herself pulled into an underworld where the most dangerous and corrupt criminals are those who hide behind the law. Alicia’s Italian heritage comes to the surface as she looks for clues hidden in Italian Probate law, culture and Puccini. But in her bid to entrap the killer or killers, has Alicia Allen finally taken on malevolent forces too great, and will this be her last investigation? (From the publisher.)

This is the final book in the Alicia Allen Investigates Trilogy. A Model Murder (2011) is the first, and Wilful Murder (2011) is the second.

Celia Conrad is a British author who shares similarities with the heroine of her Alicia Allen Investigates Trilogy in her own Anglo-Italian heritage and solicitor experience (aka "lawyer" in the U.S.). Together they share an enthusiasm for crime solving, Shakespeare, All Things Italian and, of course, Pringles. A Model Murder was her debut novel, written at the suggestion of a mentor who encouraged her to write mysteries based on real-life stories she has encountered while working within the law. She followed it with Wilful Murder and Murder in Hand, Books 2 and 3, respectively in the Alicia Allen Investigates series. 


Reviews

Bone Up on Your Puccini in This Italian Crime Romp!

In this cerebral legal mystery, Celia Conrad pulls her feisty half-Italian London Probate/Estate lawyer heroine deeper into the quagmire world of unscrupulous attorneys, the unfortunates who work with them and their unsuspecting innocent victims. In this third book of the Alicia Allen trilogy, Conrad hits her stride as a bona fide puzzle master. The easy-to-follow plot line keeps readers guessing and pages turning. Great pleasures lie in Conrad's refusal--or perhaps inability--to write for the lowest common denominator of brainpower. Instead she aims for the highest. If you want to roll with Alicia Allen...better bring your A-Game (and some knowledge of Puccini opera wouldn't hurt). Murder in Hand could be enjoyed as a stand-alone book if readers don't mind not knowing the history between the justice-loving attorney and her adoring cohort Alex Waterford, and their mutual love for a potato chip that rhymes with “Tingles."
                                              Dancing in the Experience Lane Book Reviews Blog

The world of a young English woman whose life is enriched
by her Italian mother's culture.

Murder in Hand is a book I can recommend for Italophiles, Anglophiles, fans of traditional British mysteries, and fans of Cozy-Murder-Mysteries. Savor the setting details, meanderings, the theories, and the relationships. All true to the genre, along with multiple murders, investigative trails galore, an exciting ending, and a romantic Epilogue. The Alicia Allen Investigates series gives Italophile cozy-fans a look into the world of a young English woman whose life is enriched by her Italian mother's culture, If you have read the first two books in the series, you will enjoy catching up with Alicia's friends and family. If you are new to the series, you will still be able to understand and enjoy Alicia's relationships, especially the interplay and affection with her boyfriend who is Alicia's sounding board.
                                             Italophile Book Reviews

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Discussion Questions

1. How much do you feel Alicia’s Italian background and the "importance of family" influence her attitude in her personal dealings with the people she meets?

2. How did you feel about Alicia’s reaction to Fabio’s plight? Could you relate to it or not? Why?

3. What insight does Murder in Hand give you into legal family arrangements?

4. What makes Alicia a strong female protagonist?

Book Club Reading Guide for Wilful Murder (Alicia Allen Investigates Book 2) as listed on LitLovers...

If you are a member of a book club or you want to set one up or you just love reading and books, then I recommend you check out LitLovers.

LitLovers features reading guides ( including discussion questions), book reviews, author bios and plot summaries and far more besides. The site was created by Molly Lundquist, a former English instructor who “loves to read and can’t stop talking about literature.” Many thanks to Molly for including Wilful Murder in the listings for book clubs and featuring the reading guide for the book. To read the full listing please see below or to go to the LitLovers website please click here.

Wilful Murder  (Alicia Allen Investigates Trilogy, 2)
Celia Conrad, 2011
Barcham Books
332 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780954623333

Summary
The second mystery in the Alicia Allen Investigates trilogy lures the justice-loving solicitor out of London and into the shadowy depths of the Land Down Under where nothing is what it seems and a risky Trust could lead to murder.

When an Australian-born heiress living in London asks Alicia Allen to draw up a Will in expectation of her forthcoming marriage and impending English fortune, she reveals that her family members have been meeting untimely deaths. After her fiancé is killed in an explosion, and her own life is threatened, she implores Alicia to investigate. Alicia soon finds herself hot on the trail of a psychopathic killer who could be responsible for the deaths and near-deaths that continue to occur in London and Australia—or are there two psychopaths working in tandem?

Alicia’s quest takes her to Australia—coinciding with an Australian friend’s wedding in Brisbane where Alicia’s old flame Alex Waterford has also been invited. Alex, a London lawyer now working in Singapore for a British firm, confesses his love for Alicia, but events conspire to make the pursuit of justice more important than personal desires, and the duo join forces to solve the crimes.

Putting questions of love on the back burner, they put their own lives on the line as they search for the answer to the murderous mystery that lies just beneath the misleadingly placid surfaces of Probate, Wills and a Trust.

This is the second book in the Alicia Allen Investigates Trilogy. A Model Murder (2011) is the first.

Reviews
Celia Conrad has composed a pastiche of cozy-cerebral murder mystery “must haves” plus a fresh blend of Travelogue, Greek Tragedy, Shakespeare and Love Story.
                                                Dancing in the Experience Lane Book Reviews Blog

Alicia Allen in Australia may seem a cuddly, fluffy, Pringle-crunching koala, but when needed she can show both class and claws! Conrad sets any number of teasing possible outcomes in motion, and reserving some daring bait-and-switch manoeuvres for the final chapters. For much of the novel Alicia is in Australia while many of the key plot developments take place in England…yet the pace never slackens.
                                             Ophideide, Amazon U.K. customer review

Discussion Questions - Partial List 
(For all, please go to our Discussion Questions page)

1.  What is your opinion of the bitter family feuds and inheritance issues as they are depicted in Wilful Murder?
2. In what ways can you relate to the concept of hostile and greedy relatives and toxic family ties?
3. Since Wilful Murder is Book 2 of the Alicia Allen Investigates Trilogy, did it strike you as a “stand-alone” mystery tale, or would you suggest readers read Book 1, A Model Murder, first? What is the reason for your answer?
4. What do you see as Alicia Allen’s strengths and weaknesses as a lawyer/detective?
5. Do you agree with Alex that Alicia’s feeling of obligation to do the best for her clients goes too far sometimes?
6. What do you think about Alicia’s on/off relationship with Alex? Why do you think Alicia pushes him away when it is evident she is so attracted to him?

Wilful Murder is currently available from:

Amazon (paperback & Kindle)
Smashwords
Itunes(iBooks)
Kobo
Barnes & Noble (Nook)

Contact details

Please contact me via the Contact Form on this Blog OR:
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

OR through the contact page on the Alicia Allen Investigates website.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
Celia Conrad

Bone up on your Puccini in this Italian Crime Romp!: New Review for Murder in Hand (Alicia Allen Investigates Book 3)...

My especial thanks to Marlan Warren for her detailed review of Murder in Hand which was first published on the Open Salon blog on 12 November 2014 entitled: “Murder in Hand”: Italian Probate, Puccini & Dead Lawyers (see below).

It's always a joy when a reader tells you that he/she enjoyed reading one of your books.

With my non-fiction legal handbooks I am pleased when a reader tells me that the book has helped because that is what the book is designed to do. With fiction it really is subjective and so it is a delight to receive a great review.

Accordingly, I'm very pleased to have received this comprehensive review of "Murder in Hand" from Marlan Warren:

“Murder in Hand”: Italian Probate, Puccini & Dead Lawyers

Lawyers aren’t the most popular people, Miss Allen…”

—Murder in Hand

In her cerebral legal mystery, Murder in Hand, Celia Conrad pulls her feisty London Probate/Estate lawyer heroine, Alicia Allen, deeper into the quagmire world of unscrupulous attorneys, the unfortunates who work with them and their unsuspecting innocent victims. In this third book of the Alicia Allen Investigates Trilogy (AAI), Conrad hits her stride as a bona fide puzzle master in the tradition of Agatha Christie. The easy-to-follow plot line keeps readers guessing and the pages turning, while great pleasures lie in Conrad’s refusal–or perhaps inability–to write for the lowest common denominator of brain power. Instead she aims for the highest.

 
 If you want to roll with Alicia Allen…better bring your A-Game (and some knowledge of the Classics wouldn’t hurt).

Murder in Hand could be enjoyed as a stand-alone book if readers don’t mind not knowing the history between the justice-loving attorney Alicia Allen and her adoring cohort Alex Waterford; her investigator friends, Jo and Will; or her cultured elderly neighbor Dorothy.
The story takes off when Alicia’s Italian American client Fabio confides that he believes someone is trying to kill him. Fabio’s family ties span New York, England and Italy/Sicily; and when his sister is killed in the midst of doing some family estate research in Italy, Alicia embarks on a quest to find the killer.

 

“I can’t leave you alone for a few hours without somebody else being murdered.”—Murder in Hand

   
As in Books 1 and 2 (A Model Murder and Wilful Murder), Alicia leaps where proverbial angels fear to tread, resisting Alex’s concerns for her safety. and soon he is helping her sort the puzzle pieces as the body count goes up (with the neat twist that as they hone in, it is lawyers or their assistants who are now dropping dead). Their relationship has matured into an easy partnership built on love, trust and the potato chip that rhymes with “Tingles.” It provides a soothing stability that contrasts with the dark, random world of mayhem they are navigating together.

 

“I generally advise my clients to make both a British and an Italian Will.“—Murder in Hand

   

Who is Alicia Allen? Introducing Alicia Allen and the Alicia Allen Investigates crime trilogy...

 Who is Alicia Allen?

Characterization is one of the key components in a novel so, for authors, it is crucial when creating a lead character that the “creation” will appeal to a wide range of readers. This is particularly important for any author writing a series featuring the same character and who wants readers to read the rest of the novels in that series.

A Model Murder is the first part of the Alicia Allen Investigates crime trilogy and introduces Alicia, the spirited Anglo-Italian, private client London solicitor with a passion for solving crime and for munching Pringles. I am often asked questions about where the idea of Alicia came from. The most common ones are:

1. Why is she a solicitor?

2. Why did I make her a private client solicitor?

3. Where did the idea to make her Anglo-Italian come from?

4. Why Pringles?

I believe that the old adage “write about what you know” is good advice and a very good place to begin when developing and shaping a lead character. I qualified and worked as a family lawyer before I became an author so it seemed natural for me to create a character who was a solicitor because I could write about her work as a solicitor from my own personal experience of working within the law and dealing with lawyers and clients on a daily basis. Knowing the ins-and-outs of office politics in a legal setting has been particularly useful in the plots of all three novels in the series.

I made Alicia a private client solicitor rather than a criminal lawyer because it was a slightly different angle. Additionally, as a private client solicitor dealing with Wills and Inheritance there is much scope for corruption and murder and something which Alicia particularly discovers in the course of her work in Wilful Murder and Murder in Hand, the second and third books in the trilogy.

The Italian influence comes from being an Italophile with a love of the language, country and culture and that is a theme running through all the books. I also have an Italian background from way back which is probably why the influence is so strong and the desire to express it on paper. When I was researching for Murder in Hand, half of which is set in Italy, I came across some very interesting cases in Italy of family inheritances vanishing in mysterious circumstances, which sparked the idea for the plot.

Why Pringles? Pringles seems a very good fit for Alicia’s personality as once you start eating them you cannot stop and in the same way once Alicia begins investigating a case she feels compelled to press on whatever the consequences. And I think it is an engaging side to her personality. She has her foibles and that makes her very human.

You can read the latest news and media on the Alicia Allen Investigates crime trilogy at the Alicia Allen Investigates website

Further details on: 

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Thank you for reading this post. If you have any comments please send them to me through this blog or contact me on Facebook or Twitter

5 STAR SEAL FROM READERS' FAVORITE FOR "A MODEL MURDER"

Knowing that Readers' Favorite reviews books for industry icons such as Random House, Penguin Group, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette and many independent authors and publishers I decided to submit my crime novel, A Model Murder, which is book 1 of the Alicia Allen Investigates trilogy to them for review.

I was delighted to receive the following 5 star review from them today and the accompanying 5 star seal.

A Model Murder by Celia Conrad is an appealing new modern crime story. Alicia lives in England and is half Italian and I quickly found myself rooting for her. Alicia is a lawyer who is starting a new job in a law firm that turns out to be not exactly what she had expected. Her neighbor Tammy, trying hard to become a model, is raped and murdered while working at a low life hostess club. Tammy’s roommate Kim is absolutely devastated by the murder and begs Alicia for her help. Dorothy, an elderly lady living in the same flat, is badly beaten for what she has seen. At Kim’s urging, Alicia investigates and is faced with threats and near death experiences. It becomes difficult to be sure which of her friends to trust and which are really not whom they appear to be. Twists and turns abound as we are taken into the sleazy nightclub world and the inner workings of a law firm looking for the killer rapist.

It took me a while to get used to some of the British dialogue and I have no idea of what the Italian phrases sprinkled throughout meant, but it made no difference in the reading of A Model Murder. I was hooked on page one and completely and pleasantly surprised when I reached the conclusion. A Model Murder is subtitled Alicia Allen Investigates 1 and I am anxiously awaiting number 2. Celia Conrad has jumped to the top of my favorite author list and Alicia Allen is without a doubt my favorite new fictional lawyer/investigator crime solver. This book should be on the top of every woman’s reading list.

To read more about Reader's Favorite click here.

A Model Murder and the other two parts of the Alicia Allen Investigates trilogy, Wilful Murder & Murder in Hand are available from:

Amazon UK
Amazon US

"Wow Review of Wow Crime Novel" as featured in the NEW BOOK REVIEW

I feel very privileged that Marlan Warren's wonderful review of "A Model Murder" has been featured on the New Book Review blog. 

As it states on the blog:

"The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read."

If you are an author seeking for a featured review you simply follow the submission guidelines on the blog. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. It is also a great way for readers to discover new authors.

Reviews are very important to authors so a blog such as this is an invaluable resource.

If you have time check it out here.

If you have any comments send me a Tweet at @Iwrite2b
Connect with me on Facebook Celia Conrad Author U.K. or message me through this site.

A Model Murder which is Book 1 of the Alicia Allen Investigates crime trilogy can be found at Amazon.

CELIA CONRAD INTERVIEW: "A Model Murder" (In hostess clubs and law firms, no one can hear you scream.)

I am happy to report that during its 3-day offer, A Model Murder had over 4,000 downloads onto Kindle devices as I participated in Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing Select program "Giveaway"!

A Model Murder is still available on Amazon in paperback and as a Kindle e-book ($4.99). Links for the paperback on Amazon are below, and the Kindle version can be found at:
http://www.amazon.com/Model-Murder-Alicia-Allen-Investigates-ebook/dp/product-description/B00A0OKLIC

THANK YOU:
Amazon, KDP, Shelf Buzz, Omnimystery News, Carolyn InJoy, Cannonball Read, and Italophile gave such amazing support. Very grateful to Shelf Buzz for featuring AMM for its June 2 "Today’s Picks—Best Free Kindle Books" (http://shelfbuzz.com/handpicked-kindle-books-jun-1-judged-covers/) , and Omnimystery News for doing the same!

DISCUSSION GUIDE:
The Discussion Guide can be located on this blog, and on the Lit Lovers website under "A Model Murder" at: http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/13-fiction/9690-model-murder-conrad

In case you missed it, here's the Interview that went out prior to the Giveaway (it was picked up off the newswire by several sites including BWW Books (Broadway World) and the BBC Record:

Title: A Model Murder (Book 1)
Author: Celia Conrad
Series: Alicia Allen Investigates Trilogy
Genre: Crime Fiction
Publisher: Barcham Books
Paperback     Pages 341                   ISBN-13: 978-0954623326   SBN-10: 0954623320
Release Date: Sept. 15, 2011
Kindle Edition   ASIN: B00A0OKLIC

File Size: 568 KB    Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Edition 1 (Nov. 1 2012)   Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English                Text-to-Speech: Enabled

Author Interview with "Tough Little Cookie" Celia Conrad: The British author speaks out on abuse of women in hostess clubs and law firms, and praises Amazon's KDP Select Program for E-Book Success of A Model Murder

"He told me he was used to getting what he wanted." 

—A Model Murder

What do law firms and hostess clubs have in common? The answer lies at the heart of British author Celia Conrad’s “A Model Murder,” a crime fiction novel featuring the murder of a young model moonlighting as a stripper and the harassed-at-work London woman lawyer who sets out to bring the murderer to justice.

The thriller appeared on the literary scene in 2011 before news events made its plot points seem positively prescient. Last April, a stripper was found murdered after work in Atlanta, Ga.; and last year, a gender discrimination lawsuit against a prominent American law firm settled in favor of its women lawyers.

Los Angeles journalist Marlan Warren (MW) caught up with Celia Conrad (CC) to discuss the origins of “A Model Murder” (AMM) and why publisher Barcham Books has decided to launch the e-book as a giveaway via Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Select program May 31 through June 2.

MW: In AMM, the moonlighting model tells someone, "He told me he was used to getting what he wanted..." when describing an aggressive club customer. Later your heroine Alicia Allen also encounters this attitude with the boss at her law firm. You had a career in London working "within the law" (as they say in the U.K.). How much of your own lawyer experiences found their way into Alicia's world?

CC: AMM is autobiographical in parts, which probably makes this story even darker because it is real. The legal profession is still male dominated despite what we are told about more women qualifying or more women reaching top jobs. I think for a young woman within the law it can still be quite hard.

MW: What kind of research did you do?

CC: While I was doing a little modeling, I met a model who worked in a club to supplement her income. To research, I talked with women at the clubs. They told me how they got treated depended on the "boss." They had to generate money for the club by being "nice," but the degree of how “nice” came from the top. Some bosses looked after their employees better than others. Some women felt pressured, and some did not.

MW: What’s your opinion of the recent lawsuits in the U.S. and U.K. that complain about gender discrimination in the workplace?

CC: I am sure there is still a lot of bullying. In terms of sexual harassment, the laws have tightened but I'm sure it still goes on and women are reluctant to speak out for fear of repercussions.

MW: Your heroine is a half-Anglo/half-Italian lawyer living in London with a passion for justice and a chip that rhymes with “Singles.” How much of yourself is in Alicia?

CC: Like me, she looks vulnerable, but she’s a tough little cookie. And I do love potato chips. We also share tenacity, passion and curiosity. I made Alicia half-Italian because I love Italy. I wanted her to be sharp-witted, warm-hearted and likeable with moral fiber, backbone and sincerity. She’s a private client lawyer as that’s the area I would have gone into if I hadn't done family law. I only wish I’d thought of her retorts when I was working within the law.

MW: What kind of feedback have you gotten from readers regarding the male characters?

CC: Some readers start out hating Ivano (an aggressive Italian character), but then he makes them cry. Alicia's Italian friend Cesare is seen as a "sweetie," and everyone enjoys the banter between Alicia and her coworker/love interest Alex.

MW: What were the circumstances surrounding the publication of AMM?

CC: I wrote AMM at the suggestion of my then-agent and mentor, Paul Marsh, who encouraged me to write a mystery based on my experiences as a lawyer; and I added my brief experiences as a model. Unfortunately Paul passed away before AMM was published. At the time of its release, my mother’s health was failing and I lost her last year. I was too immersed in personal turbulence to focus on promoting the Alicia Allen Investigates trilogy (AMM is Book 1). Hopefully the free Kindle e-book offer will attract a fresh crop of readers and stimulate interest. It will remain for sale in paperback

MW: What is your writing process?

CC: I jot down notes in pencil and then plot the book out. Then I work the plot backwards, having decided on whodunit and the red-herrings. The actual writing took about 8 weeks. I edit as I read aloud: something Paul taught me to do.

MW: How can people find the paperback?

CC: It can be ordered through Amazon, Barcham Books and Alicia Allen Investigates websites. And it’s in libraries all over the U.K.

MW: Two books follow AMM in the series: “Wilful Murder” and “Murder in Hand.” The former takes readers to Australia and has a plot that turns on a string of murdered relatives and a multimillion dollar Will, and the latter takes your heroine into the depths of corruption in Sicily. Did Paul Marsh assist in the crafting of these books as well?

CC: Yes. Before he died, Paul had read both books and was really happy with them. He believed Alicia is a great character who deserved to find her audience. That endorsement has always pushed me on.

To download the free Kindle version during the 3-day offer (5/31-6/2/14), go to Amazon at http://www.amazon.ca/Model-Murder-Alicia-Allen-Investigates-ebook/dp/B00A0OKLIC  and "buy" it for $0.