Tracy Eaton was the author of the "Tessa Graham Mystery Series". At that point in time her house was like a pig sty (due to a small redecoration project), her publisher had a lot of changes to be made to the latest book (to be completed within three days), and her husband was stressed out from trying to make partner in the law firm. When Tracy believed it could get NO worse, her mother called!

Martha Collins had been a Hollywood goddess for what seemed like forever. Yet she still looked wonderful and made people notice her. She found Vince Sperry's body, called the police, and became the number one suspect! No matter how hard Tracy tried to clear her mother of the charges, her mother kept blocking her from doing so. Tracy kept wondering just WHAT was a daughter to do in a time like that and just WHY had she not been an orphan?

***** An excellent "who-dunnit" mystery that kept me guessing right up until the end! Tossed with bits of humor that I could not help but enjoy. This is one I definitely did not want to end! Luckily for me, this is a series of mysteries that began with "Revenge Of The Gypsy Queen" and will continue. I find myself eagerly looking forward to the next mystery in Tracy Eaton's bizarre world! Highly recommended for all mystery fans! *****

What do you do when your mother is found, alone, with the bloody remains of a corpse and won't tell you or any one else what happened? Dem Bones Revenge, Kris Neri's new hilarious look at murder, mayhem, mystery and parents, mystery writer Tracy Eaton, whose mother, Martha is a famous film star accused of murder, must defend her mother. Never mind that her mother doesn't want to be defended and impedes Tracy's efforts at every turn. Add to that trying to meet a publishing deadline, dealing with a double-dealing editor, a father that can't or won't be found, and decades old scandals and you have a story that is will have you laughing out loud, squealing with delight when you solve the murder, only to turn the page and find out you are wrong and feeling very good that Martha isn't your mother. And the more Tracy digs into the past, the more she realizes that she really doesn't want to do this as she finds herself suspecting everyone from her dad to her own husband. A book that will make you very grateful for your mother's idiosyncrasies, because whatever they are, they can't be this bad.

Kris Neri garnered spectacular success with her first Tracy Eaton mystery, Revenge Of The Gypsy Queen. Nominated for Anthony, Macavity and Agatha awards for Best First Novel, it was apparent that Kris Neri was an up and comer. Kris had published numerous short stories of the mystery genre in magazines and is currently at work on Tracy's next adventure: Revenge For Old Times Sake.

Picture a "Postcards from the Edge" type of relationship between mother and daughter. Mother is a combination of Elizabeth Taylor and Debbie Reynolds. Tracy is more of a combination of Calamity Jane and Princess Leia. Throw in Tracy's husband, who could be a mix of Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis in a suit. But Tracy is a struggling writer about to be cut off by her publisher. She has two days to "fix" her latest novel, and suddenly Mother is the prime suspect in the murder of Vince Sperry. Did Martha Collins commit murder, or did she just stumble into the thick of things? Did she want to save her mother? From the start, Neri sets up a hilarious dialogue between Tracy and Martha:

"Mother sidled close to my ear. 'There's a telephone number everyone in Beverly Hills is talking about. You order a servant you can keep forever for little more than a few years' salary. I heard about it from Rico, my hairdresser. As I reeled away from her into a pile of skiwear, I shook my head. 'Please tell me I'm adopted.'"

Needless to say, Dem Bones Revenge is a hilarious mystery because it so closely resembles the real deal between mothers and daughters. Tracy's character struggles with her desire to euphemistically murder her mother while trying to save her. Martha Collins is the stereotypical aging actress who can't quite get over her case of the pampered movie star blues. The plot pulls the reader from one near-miss to another as Tracy stubbornly peels away the layers of facade, pulls her husband Drew into the act, and saves Martha from herself.

Neri's characters are unique, fresh, and yet somehow are people we all know and love. She knows her territory, being a Southern Californian, which gives the plot a unique perspective.

Shelley Glodowski, Reviewer

Revenge of the Gypsy Queen may be Kris's first book, but the lady is no newcomer to the mystery scene. Her extensive short mystery fiction résumé includes two Derringer Awards, one of which was for "L.A. Justice." That is where sleuth wannabe Tracy Eaton debuted, and Tracy's fans were soon clamoring for a full-length novel. Kris Neri was kind enough to oblige.

Tracy Eaton is the daughter of Hollywood celebrities, wife of straight-laced lawyer Drew Eaton, and a mystery writer who yearns for the cloak-and-dagger adventures her fictional sleuth enjoys. Revenge of the Gypsy Queen finds Tracy in New York City for the upcoming wedding of Drew's sister Marisa, and before long Tracy is living out her detective fantasy. The reasons, however, are unfortunate: Marisa has been kidnapped. A wealthy developer and a mobster have both taken an unusual interest in the restaurant Marisa and her fiancé Tony run. Drew's black sheep Uncle Philly is in town, behaving suspiciously, and under investigation by the NYPD's Special Frauds Squad. And Drew and the rest of his family seem to be trying to keep secrets from Tracy. The Eaton family, in fact, seems content to try to meet the kidnapper's bizarre demand-the sale of the restaurant The Gypsy Princess-without any police involvement, so it falls to Tracy to be the "sensible one" for a change and get to the bottom of the mystery.

Of course, Tracy's definition of "sensible" is a bit wide of the mark. All the more fun for the readers who follow her as she crawls beneath cars, tails suspects, dodges various instruments of death and destruction, beards VIPs in their dens, and delves into the family secrets. Neri has created in Tracy a lovable writer-turned-sleuth who takes all the horrible clichés that implies and pummels them into submission with her unique sense of humor.

The story's resolution is also fresh. The grand finale, which requires the talents of a supermodel and a small army of-well, I can't tell you what without spoiling all the fun-is only the beginning of the end. True to the book's title, Neri spins a tale of revenge that leads Tracy into the dilemma of weighing the value of the absolute truth against justice. Fortunately, Tracy has the resilience to grow from the experience without losing her impetuous spirit. And that means I'll be reading Tracy's next adventure, Dem Bones' Revenge, as soon as possible.

(adapted from a "Skullduggery" review)

Kris Neri brings a wonderfully witty new series to the contemporary mystery genre. The debut delightfully introduces the series characters in a humorous, hectic way. The lead character and sleuth is Tracy Eaton, a mystery writer with an optimistic outlook on life. Her husband Drew is an attorney and her parents are eccentric Hollywood stars that liven up the storyline.

As the mystery begins, Tracy is discussing what has already happened, but not in detail. She then takes the reader back to the beginning and later picks the story back up where the reader came in. There is nothing confusing about this at all because it is done in an amusing manner.

When Tracy and her husband Drew came to New York to attend Drew's sister's wedding, what they expected was a vacation of sorts and the usual wedding chaos. What they get is family secrets, kidnapping, panic and danger. First, a family member Tracy never heard of shows up and has the family acting odd. Then, when Marisa is kidnapped before her wedding and her fiancé is contacted about a very unusual ransom, Drew's family gets even odder, if that's possible. Tracy isn't just left out of the family decisions because she is an in-law, her ability and intelligence is also doubted. Instead of getting bent, Tracy lets the excitement of a real mystery case initiate her into finding Marisa. Along the way, she finds some engaging cohorts to help her sleuth and pull off capers.

Revenge of the Gypsy Queen is told in the first person by the lead character. Usually, when a story is written in the first person, I feel the story is being told to me. Not this time. Tracy's voice made me feel included in this madcap menagerie. It was a wonderful experience.

What a great addition to the mystery genre! Although Kris Neri has been writing mystery short stories for some time, this is the first book in the Tracy Eaton series. This book is fast moving, delightfully funny, and extremely witty. Tracy Eaton and her husband Drew fly to New York for her sister-in-law's wedding. The fun begins when her sister-in-law is kidnapped and her "overly polished" in-laws don't want to involve the police. Tracy, a mystery writer herself, has a once in a life-time chance to find the kidnappers. After all, isn't this what she writes about?! Throw in a very amusing cast of characters... movie star parents, old money in-laws, mafia bosses, a ballerina, and a miss-placed southern cop, you have a wonderful read! Tracy Eaton's smart mouth and wit will keep you smiling throughout the book. This is a refreashing debut mystery.