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    A Bad Day for Pretty: A Crime Novel
    A Bad Day for Pretty: A Crime Novel
    A Bad Day for Pretty: A Crime Novel
    Ebook285 pages4 hours

    A Bad Day for Pretty: A Crime Novel

    By Sophie Littlefield

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    A New York Times Notable Book!

    A Bad Day for Pretty is the thrilling sequel to A Bad Day for Sorry, Sophie Littlefield's award-winning debut featuring Stella Hardesty, one of the most applauded and exciting new heroines in crime fiction today.

    Stella Hardesty, avenger of wronged women, is getting cozy with Sheriff "Goat" Jones when a tornado blows none other than Goat's scheming ex-wife, Brandy, through the front door. Adding to the chaos, the tornado destroys the snack shack at the demolition derby track, pulling up the concrete foundation and unearthing a woman's body. The main suspect in the woman's murder is Neb Donovan---he laid the foundation, and there's some pretty hard evidence pointing to his guilt. Years ago, Neb's wife asked Stella for help getting him sober. Stella doesn't believe the gentle man could kill anyone, and she promises his frantic wife she'll look into it.

    Former client Chrissy Shaw is now employed at Stella's sewing shop and she helps with the snooping as Stella negotiates the unpredictable Brandy and the dangerously magnetic sheriff.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateJun 8, 2010
    ISBN9781429924061
    Author

    Sophie Littlefield

    Sophie Littlefield grew up in rural Missouri and attended college in Indiana. She worked in technology before having children, and was lucky enough to stay home with them while they were growing up. She writes novels for kids and adults, and lives in Northern California. Visit her online at www.SophieLittlefield.com.

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    Reviews for A Bad Day for Pretty

    3.5/5

    79 ratings21 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Great and easy read
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed the first book in the Stella Hardesty series, A Bad Day for Sorry, but I found this book to be a bit harder getting into. So much of the wit and feistiness that charmed me in that first book is missing here, and it's due to the fact that Stella does a lot of soul-searching. It's necessary introspection because many people who read the first book may not have liked the idea of Stella taking the law into her own hands to rehabilitate abusers whom the law couldn't seem to touch. As Stella works her way through lessons she learned during her childhood and on through memories of her marriage and beyond, readers really get to see the type of person she is. Like I said, this is necessary for our understanding of the character even if it does remove some of the sparkle from the story.Chrissy Shaw, the young woman who helps Stella in her sewing machine shop, is turning into a fascinating character in her own right. Stella helped Chrissy out of an abusive relationship, and although Chrissy doesn't have much education, she's all natural-born smarts and sharp edges-- a woman to reckon with who's raising her child and working to make better lives for them both. She's also becoming increasingly important in Stella's life.The crime is a puzzler, but with two women like Stella and Chrissy hard at work to solve it, the killer doesn't have a chance. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, and I'm hoping there will be less introspection and more smart alecky feistiness.
    • 3/5
      This is a difficult book for me to review! A Bad Day for Pretty by Sophie Littlefield is full of humor many times I laughed out loud while reading it. But the use of foul language makes me shy away from reading anymore of the author’s books. I am not used to it. I admit that I grew up in a rather sheltered childhood but my objection to this language is that the book would have not suffered without the language. I am trying to decide whether it is just in character for Stella Hardesty and most of the characters to speak that way. She is after all a woman who takes the law in her own hands. That surprised me too. She draws a line at killing someone unless it is in self-defense but she is open to breaking and entering and pretending to be what she is not. She has ideals and sweet to children and dogs and does says some endearing things something.There is a mystery and I did not guess the murderer until the answer came out in the book so that is good. I really did appreciate the references to how terrible tornadoes can be because I grew up in a state where spring was always tornado season. I think I preferred Sheriff Goat to Stella! The part that I enjoyed most in this book was a demonstration of how “cute” can be overdone.“As Stella sat herself down, setting her notebook and pen on the table, she noted that little had changed in the kitchen since her last visit: a wallpaper border of teapots and strawberry runners still graced the top of the red painted cabinets. A row of porcelain canisters shaped like berry baskets lined the countertops. The theme played out on the red teapot on the stove, the tea towels hung on hooks, the tiles on the backsplash, and the ruffly curtains in the window. Even the magnets on the fridge were shaped like pump little berried.”I wish that the author had played down the foul language some so that I could relax and enjoy this book some more.
    • 3/5
      A good read -- solid book. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and to figure out their connections with each other. Took half the book to feel that I cared about what happened to them. Main character, Stella, is strong and no-nonsense. I will read more books in this series.
    • 4/5
      I love these books! When I read this author’s, Sophie Littlefield, Aftertime series I was blown away and thought this author gets people and their motivations and writes about them so well. I could not imagine she would top the Aftertime series, but …. I think the Sorry/Stella series is my favorite of Sophie Littlefield’s.Stella, the main character in this series, is a 50 year old widow who likes drinking Jack Daniels before she goes to bed and owns a sewing notions shop in a small rural Missouri town. Stella also runs a side business that scares off abusive men and protects their victims. In Stella’s earlier life she was an abused wife, overweight and insecure. She has redefined her body and her life. She still sees herself as overweight and questions her appeal – but the local Sheriff certainly does not. Have you ever seen someone else you think is more attractive than yourself and it makes you feel less than deserving of affection or attention? What about when you are in a down point in your life (maybe like Stella you have scars on your face from various knife cuts ……no?) and you come across people you think top you in certain aspects of your life? Well Stella has these encounters in Bad Day for Pretty. These interactions are beautifully written and the manner in which Stella changes her actions based on her insecurities and then her later revelations into her own personal value are so well done I think Ms. Littlefield must have studied psychology.So the Sorry/Stella series has interesting side characters that are interesting, quirky and real. I feel awkward saying this but I have to, this series reminds me of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich if Ms. Evanovich had written three dimensional characters living in a richly defined world and a storyline that has progression and character development. I had fun with the Stephanie Plum series, it is fun and sexy fluff but quickly (okay, not so quickly, I read over 15 books in that series if I include the in between books) got frustrated with the lack of character development and the fact that if I blew on the characters they would fall over due to their lack of dimensionality. Ms. Littlefield does not make that mistake. Her characters are rich in personality and background and not predictable but they are consistent with who they are. They have real life consequences. For example, if someone is shot or cut up in a fight there is a recovery period that last months. And the same thing does not keep happening to the characters over and over again. This is an action series but with emotional depth.In case I am portraying this book as all raw and rough, it isn’t. This book is fun to experience and just laugh out loud funny. In book #1, Bad Day for Sorry, Stella is helping out a sort of hapless and helpless victim of an abusive relationship. Now in book #2, Bad Day for Pretty, that former victim - -Chrissy – has become Stella’s partner in crime. She has evolved, Chrissy is more confident and clearly smart. Together they solve crime, help local residents who do not have access to help otherwise, and take care of Chrissy’s young toddler – oh and get involved in sexual and romantic dalliances. There is no explicit sex in this book, but the characters do become involved in sexual and romantic relationships.I cannot say enough about this book. I waited too long to start this series. A book about a 50 year old widow living in rural Missouri just did not appeal to me but I misread what this series was about. I waited too long. If you enjoy stories about real people, who have real life entanglements and responsibilities and you enjoy reading books about people’s lives outsides of the upper crust and urban areas then you will like this book. Ms. Littlefield gets what people are like when you take the pretty stuff away. She writes about insecurities, dependencies and responsibilities that are just so real but she still does it in an entertaining way. Small town rural life is captured so perfectly in this book, having grown up in a small rural Midwest town similar to the one Stella lives in I could relate to the fear of tornadoes and the power they have over the spring and summer. I could relate to the less shiny side of life that seems to exist outside of suburbia. And I gotta say this, Ms. Littlefield captures the love a mother has for her children so well. She did this so on target in the Aftertime series and she does it again in the Sorry series. Kids are not just a throw in this book (or in Aftertime) they actually shape the characters and the storyline.I listened to the narration of this book. The narrator does a decent job. My only complaint is that she is a very slow reader. I listened to the audio on 1.5X speed and it was perfect at that speed.
    • 4/5
      A Bad Day For Pretty is Sophie Littlefield's second book featuring Stella Hardesty, a middle-aged widow who helps women who are suffering from marital abuse. Stella kind of takes the law into her own hands when it comes to abusive husbands. She also owns a sewing machine shop in town. Stella has feelings for the local sheriff, "Goat" Jones, but as the two are having a romantic dinner, there is a knock on the door and it's no other than Goat's estranged (and trashy), soon to be ex-wife, Brandy. To top it all off, there is a tornado in town that unearths a woman's body. Stella's friend Nebuchadnezzar Donovan...a.k.a. Neb, is accused of murdering the woman. Chrissy, a young single mom, is one of the women that Stella has helped escape an abusive husband. Chrissy now lives above Stella's sewing shop and works for her as well. She is helping Stella solve the mystery of the 'mummy' that has been unearthed by the tornado. As the story unfolds, there are twists and turns as Stella and Chrissy try to figure out 'who dunnit'. I liked Stella from the start. She's exactly what you want in a heroine. She's smart, sassy and doesn't take crap from anyone. I also liked that Stella is your average, every day girl, with her own natural beauty. She doesn't look like a barbie doll, nor does she want to. I was rooting for her to win Goat's heart, solve the murder mystery and live happily ever after. I enjoyed the supporting characters as well. Chrissy amused me using her charms as the two women tried to get clues in solving the case. Goat was sweet and couldn't help always trying to save damsels in distress, meanwhile the women in his life are driving him nuts. If you enjoy a good mystery with some humor and romance, grab a copy of A Bad Day For Pretty.
    • 3/5
      I'm really torn on this one. On the one hand, the main character, Stella Hardesty, is a likeable tough chick with witty, snappy dialogue. On the other hand, I thought there was more talk than action and both the plot and the characters (especially Brandy) were unbelievable. Everyone in the book seems a little short in the intelligence department. I'll have to call this one only so-so.
    • 4/5
      No rest for the wearyOkay, there’s a little bit of rest. Sophie Littlefield’s second Stella Hardesty novel opens about three months after the events of A Bad Day for Sorry. Readers of that novel will realize that Stella was in no shape to rush back into the thick of things, so there was just a bit of rest and recuperation. And it looks like there may be a bit of relaxation in store with the last person Stella should be cozying up to, Sheriff “Goat” Jones. However, this is quickly solved by the inopportune arrival on the scene of Goat’s not-quite-ex-wife, Brandy.Now, Brandy is a pain in the patootie, and she brings a host of trouble with her, but Stella has other concerns. An old friend and client is in trouble. One of the few worthwhile men that Stella has ever had to scare straight is a suspect in a murder. Stella has a hard time imagining the gentle man is a killer, but all signs point to his guilt. Stella launches an investigation in her own inimitable fashion, assisted—you’ll be glad to hear—by Chrissy Shaw, a character far too entertaining to have been left behind in book one. Actually, in this novel we meet several more of the people in Stella’s support network. The mysteries that Sophie Littlefield spins are well-plotted and compelling, but I’ll be honest, it’s these characters and the relationships of this quirky tribe that will keep me coming back for more.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book (after A Bad Day for Sorry) starring Stella Hardesty, the 50-something avenger of wronged women. In this adventure, Stella has just started to recover from the events of the first book, when a tornado blows into Prosper, bringing it with it her love interest, Sherriff Goat Jones's, ex, and a mummified dead body at the local fairgrounds. What follows is, in turns, heart-stopping action, dark humor, and further fun with Stella, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite tough girls. Less violent and more funny than the first book, this is a winner. Four stars.
    • 4/5
      Funny, unpretentious book. A cozy with bite appeal.
    • 4/5
      When one visualizes the protagonist of a noir book, one thinks of Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade or even Spenser or Dave Robicheaux, but not of Stella Hardesty, a 50-year old former victim of domestic abuse from tiny Prosper, Missouri. I say 'former victim' because Stella, the star of Sophie Littlefield's new series of mysteries, shelved the term 'victim' for good and all when she shot and killed her no-good, wife-beating husband Ollie and convinced a jury that it was self-defense. Once she discovers that she is free of Ollie, Stella takes it upon her self to share her good fortune by guiding other battered wives & girlfriends to the light and sending their abusive men folk to, well, wherever.In the latest installment, Stella’s designs on Sheriff 'Goat' Jones are foiled by the unexpected return of Goat’s estranged wife, Brandy, who had left Goat years before. Brandy has been talking to some of Stella's clients and strongly suggests that tales of her extracurricular activities might reach Goat’s ears if she didn’t keep away from her husband. This becomes hard to do when a tornado uproots the snack bar at the local drive-in revealing the mummified remains of a young woman buried in its foundation. Called on to prove the innocence of the contractor who built it, Stella is again thrown together with Goat, Brandy, and a host of other characters both good & bad. Sophie Littlefield is great at describing characters and their interactions. Despite the seriousness of the subject, she still manages to inject a bit of humor and lightheartedness into her stories.‘A Bad Day for Pretty’ is the second Stella Hardesty book penned by Littlefield and the first that I’ve read. At a recent book signing the author assured me that I would have no problems picking up the series at book two, a statement I found to be only partially true. While I was completely able to follow the story of this book I fear she revealed way more than I would have liked about events that transpired in book one. Because of this, I think it is best to read ‘A Bad Day for Sorry’ first.
    • 4/5
      The sequel to A Bad Day for Sorry. Stella is still hot and bothered by the sheriff's attention, which is progressing nicely, it seems. That is, until they are interrupted by his ex-wife claiming that the divorce was never finalized. Stella beats a hasty retreat only to receive a call from a former client about her "rehabilitated" husband. No, he hasn't fallen back into his old ways, but he seems to be the main suspect in the death of a woman whose body was just discovered.In the beginning, I thought this book was falling short of the earlier one. Gone are the humorous touches. But also gone is most of the violence. In the end, I liked it. Chrissy, the client from the first book, is shaping up to be a reliable sidekick for future books. Stella's daughter, Noelle, and several other characters barely mentioned in the first book were also more fully introduced in this one. The mysteries were just a little convoluted, but overall a solid, and fun, read. Looking forward to more.
    • 4/5
      Stella Hardesty makes her living "convincing" abusive males they really don't want to be abusive any more. Her methodology is best described as extra-legal, and she withholds most of the details from her beau the local sheriff. This episode of her adventures is the sequel to A Bad Day for Sorry, which I have not read, but I don't think that created any problem in understanding and enjoying this one.Stella is called by a former client to help prove that her husband is not guilty of a murder he is suspected of. While she's investigating this, Stella is still recovering from physical wounds suffered in a shooting during her previous adventures, and she is dealing with the sudden reappearance of Goat's ex-wife Brandy. Or is she an ex-wife? She's also breaking in a mysteriously adopted dog, training a new partner, and feeling quite jealous at the sudden arrival of a female forensic team member who obviously has her sights set on Goat also.The plot in this one is somewhat convoluted, but I loved the characters, and I adored Stella's smart-ass take on life. She is not going to let any man get the better of her, having already killed abusive husband #1. Nuf said. I don't want to ruin a solid read. It's not great crime fiction, but it's more than just chick-lit. Littlefield has given us a character who has much potential for future adventures. Think Kinsey Milhone with a chip on her shoulder.
    • 2/5
      This is the second of Littlefield's mysteries starring Stella Hardesty, a woman who once had an abusive husband until she did something terminal about it, and who now moonlights as a "last resort" for other abused women. Despite that basic premise of Stella's activities, this second book in the series has nothing to do with battered women—Stella is trying to exonerate a friend who is accused of a murder and exploring a romance with the local sheriff.I don't recommend this book. It was readable but I won't remember it a month from now. The plot was pretty shallow and the characters extremely thin. Even the villains in the story failed to evoke any real emotion. Perhaps my biggest disappointment is Stella, herself. Littlefield just didn't manage to convince me that this somewhat bumbling owner of a sewing shop really has the chops to get away with fairly regular and serious felonies. My thought upon finishing the book was that the author tried to take Stephanie Plum down south and make her totally kick-ass...somewhat of a contradiction in terms, and it shows.
    • 4/5
      Sara Hardesty returns after her adventures in "A Bad Day for Sorry."She had been abused for years and finally killed her abusive husband with a wrench. Now she helps other women get out of abusive situations.She's having dinner at Sheriff "Goat" Jones' home. The two of them have been building up to something more physical and things are just looking good when the Sheriff's scheming ex-wife, Brandy, arrives.Brandy hasn't seen Goat in three years and each claims that the other neglected to sign the divorce papers so they're still legally married.At the same time, a tornado rips theough the town and blows over the snack shop at the demolition derby in the fairgrounds. Under the rubble, the body of a dead woman is found.Neb Donovan had been in charge of construction of the snack shop and he becomes the main suspect. His wife, Stella hires Sara to look into things and clear Neb's name. She had asked Sara to intervene in the past when Neb had been addicted to Oxyconton. It appeared that his recovery had gone well, until now.This is another entertaining novel from the author. There are some laugh out loud moments and the author keeps the reader's attention as layers of the puzzle are peeled away and a possible solution is arrived at.It is refreshing to see a woman who had been abused stand up for herself and Sara along with her new assoicate, Chrissy, show they have the strength to take matters into their own hands.
    • 4/5
      Avenging angel, Stella Hardesty, is at it again. Stella was introduced to readers in Sophie Littlefield’s debut novel, "A Bad Day for Sorry," a novel that Stella barely survived. Now, in "A Bad Day for Pretty," Stella is nearing full recovery from her injuries and is again ready to take on any man foolish enough to physically abuse his wife. The fact is, Stella has more potential business than any dedicated avenging angel can be expected to handle but she is more than willing to do what she can to help out a sister in trouble.Stella, though, is not your typical vigilante. First, she is 50-something years old; second, she still runs the sewing machine shop she was left with when she ridded herself of her abusive husband in the first novel in the series. The resulting, and rather misleading, image allows Stella to maintain a low profile with local cops (she is even semi-romantically involved with the local sheriff as this new one begins) but, within the closed community of abused women, she is well known - and available to help.In an unusual twist, Stella now finds herself defending, not trying to intimidate, a man. Neb Donovan, whose wife begs Stella for help, is suspected of having murdered the woman whose body is unearthed when a tornado strikes the local demolition derby track. Stella has a history with the man, having already helped him kick a vicious oxycontin habit, and she finds it hard to believe that he could have killed anyone and buried them in a concrete-filled hole. Stella takes on Neb’s case and, with the help of Chrissy Shaw (also a first novel survivor) and a cast of colorful characters, she sets out to prove his innocence."A Bad Day for Pretty" is a wild ride. It mixes hardcore vigilante justice with humor in a way that keeps the reader rooting for Stella and Chrissy despite their easy way with breaking the law - and a few arms and legs if that will get the job done. Stella’s appeal is her ability to see and accept herself for what she is. She is a woman’s advocate who understands that the justice system cannot always protect a woman from the man she lives with - that there is a point, if a woman is to survive, when justice comes from the blunt end of a baseball bat. She also recognizes that, despite what she suffered at the hands of her former husband, she is ready for a new romance - and that the clock is ticking. She is every abused woman’s idea of Superwoman, and that is pretty cool.Rated at: 3.5
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this one. It's second in the series, but works as a stand alone. It's sort of a cozy (all the elements are there - amateur detective, small town, kooky assistants) but it's a little darker than most cozies. Stella Hardesty's husband abused her. She took care of the fellow, and now earns her living by convincing other men that they shouldn't abuse the women in their lives. Her methods are not exactly legal, but she gets results. That, however, is not the main plot in this book. One of Stella's reformed abusers is now being accused of a murder he didn't commit. His wife asks Stella to find the real killer. Stella agrees, but she's got to work around the town's sheriff - who she's also dating.There are enough twists to keep things interesting and the ending is satisfying. I'm looking forward to hearing more from Stella.
    • 4/5
      A great suspense novel! Now I have to go get the previous book. Full review TK.
    • 3/5
      Stella Hardesty has learned to be a creative problem solver late in life. The victim of an abusive relationship, Stella solved her first problem with the assistance of a very large wrench applied to her husband's head. Her covert reputation has spread and now Stella runs an illicit business readjusting the attitudes of other abusers. Stella's commitment to her new line of work presents a bit of a problem as she has an enormous crush on Prosper, Missouri's biggest law abider, sheriff Goat Jones. In A Bad Day for Pretty, the sequel to A Bad Day for Sorry, Stella is called in to protect a previous client's husband, Neb Donovan, from an accusation of murder. A tornado has unearthed a mummified body in a foundation he poured years ago while in an oxycontin haze. Stella is convinced of his innocence and with some mild breaking and entering, computer hacking, gossiping, and applied torture she's able to illicit a confession from the true killer and a smooch from Goat Jones.Billed as a crime novel this is really mystery-lite. A fast read with an interesting mix of self deprecating humor, girly gossip, and mothering delivered with a southern drawl and a small quotient of violence and suspense.
    • 3/5
      This was interesting. I'm not sure I would call this book a full-fledged cozy. It was minus blood and gore but had more "saucy" language than the typical cozy. Stella Hardesty has a side business where she helps battered women take care of their brutal boyfriends/husbands. She, herself, had taken a wrench to the head of her husband several years ago. Stella's side business is hush-hush, whispered in back rooms of salons or behind closed doors. She wouldn't want her potential boyfriend, the town sheriff, to find out. The series is set in tornado-alley Kansas where Stella still has nightmares about her uncle's death. There's a lot of humor in "Pretty" and every time Stella spoke I was hearing The Closer's Lt. Brenda Lee Johnson's voice in my head. Stella is asked to clear a friend of murdering a woman and burying her in concrete, something the man doesn't remember since he was heavy into drugs the time the woman disappeared. As if she doesn't have enough to do, Stella also is confronted by her boyfriend's not-so-ex wife. There's a cast of colorful characters to round out this enjoyable read.
    • 3/5
      In the second of this series Stella is still fighting the cause of abused wives. I am glad there is less graphic abuse and a little less drinking in this one. Stella is a woman with spunk and she fights a righteous fight. The story starts with Stella having dinner with her sort of beau Sheriff Goat Jones only to have his ex. appear on the scene. The next day a tornado touches down at the local track and reveals a dead body, the main suspect is a friend and Stella feels he is not guilty. So starts the story. It is fast paced and good reading. Will Stella win over Sheriff Jones wife, will she be able to clear Neb from a murder charge? You will have to read to find out. And I suggest you do. Don't let the cover fool you, this is not chick-lit. I love Stella as a fifty something real woman with heart.I received this book as a ARC

    Book preview

    A Bad Day for Pretty - Sophie Littlefield

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