[.ca] You Only Die Twice (ISBN 0380798425)

From Amazon.com:
In her seventh outing for Miami crime reporter Britt Montero, Edna Buchanan (herself an erstwhile journalist for The Miami Herald) serves up a nice twist on a standard plot. The body of a beautiful naked woman floats in on the tide practically at Britt's feet, and it turns out to be that of a woman supposedly murdered a decade before by her wealthy husband. Most of the action focuses on freeing R.J. Jordan, the convicted killer, from his cell on death row. R.J., a handsome but decidedly unpleasant guy who maintained his innocence all along, isn't the slightest bit interested in apprehending his wife's killer. He's just happy her body turned up before he died for her murder. But Britt wants to know where Lily Jordan's been for the last 10 years, and why she came back to Miami just days before her husband was due to die. To Britt's surprise, her own mother has an important clue, although it's all Britt can do to pry it out of her. Not only did the elegant, socially well- connected Montero matriarch know the victim, she even mentored Lily as she rose through the executive ranks of the Jordan family business. The new explications of the complicated relationship between Britt and her mother is a plus for fans of this bestselling series, who appreciate Buchanan's deft characterizations as well as her love for the city she has called home all her (and Britt's) life. As an extra fillip, there's Britt's growing relationship with the investigator who helped put R.J. away 10 years ago, a nice counterpoint to this ingenious updating of Double Indemnity. Buchanan's pacing is dead-on, as she stays one step ahead of even the most discerning reader right up to the explosive conclusion. --Jane Adams

You only die twice -- but will read many times:
A terrific page turner. Among the best of Buchanan.

Wow!!!!:
I can't believe that I have been reading as often and as many books that I have and never ran across her books before. I just finished "You Only Die Twice" in one day's time. I had purchased "Act Of Betrayal" from a library closeout and I liked it enough to buy this book. Now, I am searching for any and all of her books. I realize that there are a lot of Britt Montero, the reporter and that I will now be out of sequence, but that will not deter me. I intend to find them all.

Fast-paced and thrilling:
Having been fortunate to have read over the years Edna Buchanan's books, I can say "You Only Die Twice" was as good as "Contents Under Pressure" and "Miami, It's Murder." That the latest installment in the Britt Montero mystery series was as exciting as those first only showed that Ms. Buchanan had created a formidable character in Britt. Strong dialogue propelled the plot forward. Indeed, through exchanges between Lottie and Britt, it was shown that Britt was becoming insensitive in regards to people, most noticeably in her attitude toward Angel. Ms. Buchanan achieved an impressive balance between the high-octane action in her novel and the deliberately paced development of Britt. Only after Britt finally became enthralled at Angel's child birth did Britt reaffirm her faith in "happy endings." This metaphor for redemption was essential, because there has been implied a nobility in Britt's constitution. After wavering, it was reassuring to see that authenticity we have come to expect. By the end of "You Only Die Twice," Ms. Buchanan had instilled a new hope in Britt. I zipped through this book, and I hadn't been able to finish a book in over a year.

Edna Buchanan has a new fan:
This is my first Britt Montero Mystery by Edna Buchanan, and I'm hooked! The story involves a beautiful woman (naked at that) who washes onto a Miami beach, and for a while can't be identified. The police, and resourceful and beautiful reporter Britt Montero, know from the expensive jewelry, and finely tanned skin, and perfect nails this is no regular Jane Doe. Turns out she has already been reported murdered ten years ago, by her rich playboy husband who now sits on death row, and is two weeks away from the needle. Twists and turns in every chapter keep you turning the pages, and I couldn't help but be drawn in by Britt's first person narrative. I found myself finishing this book in two days, and staying awake late into the night to get to the final startling chapter! If you like fast reads, fun characters, and lots of twists this book is for you. I've already bought two more Britt Montero mysteries, and can't wait to read them!

A mystery about mothers and children:
This book is a thrill ride -- a great mystery with some terrific plot twists. But, like the more recent ICE MAIDEN, it's also about more than murder. It starts with a murder victim who has a complicated relationship with her mother. Then there's the convicted killer whose relationship with HIS mother can only be described as tortured. Our heroine, Britt, finds that her mother, with whom she has a tense relationship at best, can offer insight into the case. There's another pivotal mother-child relationship that I won't go into because I don't want to spoil the plot twist. Read this book and you'll get more than a great mystery.