Crazy Fool Kills Five: A Fifi Cutter Mystery

By Gwen Freeman and Annabeth Albert

Fifi Cutter, the accidental private investigator, is back in the mystery biz in this second in the series, helping attorney V.J. Smith try a wrongful death case where the wrongful deaths continue to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0979996007
• ISBN13: 9780979996009
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Capital Crime Press
• Length: 250 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 1.0" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Snappy and Entertaining. Chick-Lit, Murder and Attitude

For those of you who love a little spice with your mysteries, or a little murder with your chick-lit, you might want to check into Fifi Cutter and her crazy little life. Gwen Freeman writes Fifi and her attitude with great flair and freshness. Fifi's voice is a blend of crusty detective and snappy sista. Some moments are laugh out loud funny as Fifi interacts with her equally dysfunctional half-brother and his revolving door of companions. The murder mystery takes a backseat to Fifi's personality but it is still a worthy mystery with plenty of red herrings and twists. Be warned that Fifi's tongue and thoughts lean toward R-rated so don't expect squeaky clean family reading. However, if language doesn't disturb you, this is a fun read. I'll keep my eye out for more Fifi Cutter and Gwen Freeman.

Another Quirky Hit

In the incident that inspires the title, an ex-employee of Skyblu Charter Jet Services stormed the cockpit of a plane, shooting the pilot and causing a crash that killed all five on board, not to mention a poor Winnebago owner who was smooshed by falling pieces of the plane while he was sitting on the couch having a beer. Hired by her friend and attorney Victoria Jane "VJ" Smith, who represents the widow of the couch victim, it's freelance insurance investigator Fifi Cutter's job to find evidence placing blame on both the airline for hiring the shooter in the first place as well as the makers of the plane for not placing a barrier between the passengers and the pilots. After a less-than-successful attempt to expose a workers' compensation claimant resulted in her getting thrown out of a gym, Fifi is desperate for a case that will keep her in her house, not to mention basic cable payments. Helped and hindered by her lazy and parasitic half brother Bosco, Fifi must prove that Skyblu, the airplane builder company Grund, and their insurance carriers are liable, and it's unfortunate that the one of Skyblu's attorney happens to be the eminently attractive Daniel Boatwright. When the defendants offer a settlement to the passengers' survivors, Fifi is immediately suspicious, and she soon discovers an elaborate scheme that leads to her own kidnapping and places both herself and her brother at risk. With a quirky cartoon cover (drawn by the author), this follow-up to Murder... Suicide...Whatever... continues to entertain with its mix of outrageousness and realism (displayed in well-written court scenes). Despite the incestuous and often confusing interrelationships between insurance carriers, their clients, and the claimants, Freeman presents and entirely original and entertaining mystery with a very believable, if crabby, heroine. A bi-racial young woman, Fifi alternately attempts to nudge her white half-brother into growing up while resisting to do the same when lectured to by her oppressively rigid other half-brother, a black policeman. Fifi is no doormat, and her perseverance, humor, and wit make her a delight to read. This is an engaging, funny, and extremely unique mystery in a series that continues to entertain.

A must read! Be prepared to laugh!

When you think of Fifi Cutter, the main character in this well-crafted, fun, tense and fast-paced mystery, you may think she is a very distant cousin to Stephanie Plum. Fifi is a struggling, one-woman entrepreneur insurance claims investigator. Often hapless, disorganized, and the center of mayhem, she discovers her cases and life are unpredictable, filled with twists and turns and often dangerous. Fifi's personal life is a disaster; she does have her eye on a good-looking attorney, but the relationship seems to stall before it gets started. However, there is one man in her life she'd actually like to see disappear, Bosco Dorff. Bosco is her total slacker, irresponsible half-brother, who sponges off of her and anyone else from whom he can profit. He plays a significant role in Fifi's investigations, if only to complicate or nearly ruin her ability to solve her case. The sibling rivalry often leads to a fast-paced, bawdy and witty dialog. Courtroom drama with sharp and smart dialog is woven, with purpose, throughout the fabric of the story. You may think the outcome is obvious, but what you think is so, isn't. Unethical practices, behind-the-scene agreements, betrayal and greed are at the center of this mystery. Fifi discovers, often at her own peril, that she is involved with characters that will do what it takes to keep her from taking her next breath. This book is a page turner. So, sit back and enjoy as Fifi takes you for a wild ride. Armchair Interviews say: This is a great read.

Fifi and Bosco Strike Again

Once again, I totally enjoyed reading a book written by Gwen Freeman. "Crazy Fool Kills Five," is a totally fun book to read. In this latest adventure, Fifi is hired by an attorney to help out on a wrongful death suit against a private charter airline company. In a series of misadventures, Fifi once again finds her life in danger. She also discovers a link between the mysterious murder of a former employee and the airline case. Fifi's brother, Bosco, manages to insinuate himself into the case. In his efforts to help Fifi, Bosco comes up with a hairbrained scheme that involves borrowing a dalmation/greyhound mix that likes to shred paperwork. This dog really livens that story up. They also have some interesting experiences with an old borrowed car. Fifi has to rely on her luck and her wit to solve this case and stay alive. I read this book on a cross country flight, and it made the trip go so much faster. I highly recommend this novel and the proceeding one in the series, "Murder, Suicide, Whatever." If you want to be entertained check this book out!

Extoling the vitrues of a woman named Fifi

Move over Kinsey Millhone and V.I. Warshawski, there's a new kid treading on your turf and her name is Fifi Cutter. Fifi, a bi-racial insurance investigator with a quirky personality, is the brain child of author Gwen Freeman. Although more vulnerable than the creations of Sue Grafton and Sara Paretsky, Fifi is resourceful and more than able to compete in the humor, sarcasm and snappy-patter departments. One of Fifi's more amusing qualities is her anti-social behavior and her tendency to blurt out whatever comes into her head, an inclination that does not serve her well in her chosen profession. Unlike loners Millhone and Warshawski, Fifi is a gal with family ties in the form of two half-brothers. The first, Bosco, is a charming, unemployed actor who has moved in with Fifi and has refined his talent for freeloading to an art form. The second, Joe is a cop with the LAPD who could be the poster child for sibling rivalry. Although this is the second book in the Fifi Cutter series, it is my first encounter with Fifi and I must admit it was a most enjoyable romp. Amusing, captivating and easy to read this tale has it all; a judge who imbibes injudiciously, a couple of ambiguous love connections, nefarious insurance company executives and their double-crossing attorneys, blackmail, fraud, kidnapping and of course, the requisite number of murders thrown in for good measure. Freeman's writing style is as cool, refreshing and effervescent as a glass of bubbly and Crazy Fool, Kills Five is an intoxicating read. It's the perfect companion to take along on your summer vacation. 4 ½ stars.