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A Darcy Cavanaugh Mystery #1
Dressed to Keel
Don't ask ER nurse Darcy Cavanaugh why she's climbing the gangway of a cruise ship--she'll mutter something about job burnout, Firefighter Sam, or that unfortunate incident with an R-rated peanut butter sandwich. The Fall Foliage Tour with champagne, melting wedges of Brie and well-stuffed tuxedoes could mean time to re-think her career, get her life together and plant her Jimmy Choos firmly back on the ground. Only trouble is, everything under Darcy's feet is moving, cruising full speed ahead toward disaster.
When mini-strokes, jewel theft, and a dubious Halloween suicide point a finger of suspicion at her best friend, Darcy dons a mermaid suit and fights a tidal wave of trouble to defend her; stowing clues in her cleavage, torching socks in the shower and even dangling from a lighthouse cliff.
She can handle the flotsam of eccentric suspects and victims: Prom Princess, Yoga Nazi, Queen Bee, Miss Bliss and the Phantom Dancer, but that gorgeous Dance Host, Luke Skyler, makes her dash for a lifejacket---why is the man so blasted baffling? Are his arms a safe berth or leading her to Tango with a killer? When Spa treatments turn deadly, a lifeboat careens overhead and Darcy is threatened with her own sexy lingerie, it looks like she may be next to walk the plank.
When mini-strokes, jewel theft, and a dubious Halloween suicide point a finger of suspicion at her best friend, Darcy dons a mermaid suit and fights a tidal wave of trouble to defend her; stowing clues in her cleavage, torching socks in the shower and even dangling from a lighthouse cliff.
She can handle the flotsam of eccentric suspects and victims: Prom Princess, Yoga Nazi, Queen Bee, Miss Bliss and the Phantom Dancer, but that gorgeous Dance Host, Luke Skyler, makes her dash for a lifejacket---why is the man so blasted baffling? Are his arms a safe berth or leading her to Tango with a killer? When Spa treatments turn deadly, a lifeboat careens overhead and Darcy is threatened with her own sexy lingerie, it looks like she may be next to walk the plank.
231 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2006
3 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
About the author
Candy Calvert
6Ìýbooks11Ìýfollowers(from author's website)
In a nutshell, I’m a veteran ER nurse, Mom, and wife. I’m a native Californian in training as a Texan and loving it; can identify a Whooping Crane and a Black Crested Titmouse, do a passable Boot Scootin� Boogie, and whip up a deceivingly decadent low-fat tiramisu. I own chili-pepper red cowboy boots and ocean cruises are hands down my favorite way to travel! Oh, you were asking about writing?
People always ask writers, “How long have you been writing?� For me, it would be more pertinent to ask when it was that I got serious about my writing. Without a doubt that would be April 12, 1997. That was the day that my horse launched me into the dirt, broke my neck in three places and gifted me with an acute awareness of the ephemeral quality of life. The neurosurgeon said that I was millimeters from the same fate as my longtime hero, Christopher Reeve. Even without the broken ribs and punctured lung, that was enough to take my breath away.
To say that a person re-evaluates her life at such times is an understatement. There was something I was meant to do, and I suddenly knew that I needed to write.
At the request of my pastor, and after I could use my arms well enough, I wrote a simple, but heartfelt account of the accident for my church. It became the basis for “By Accident,� the story published in “Chicken Soup for the Nurse’s Soul.�
Coincidentally, about that same time I was awarded my healthcare system's “Nurse Excellence Award,� which evolved into some much needed educational R&R: A Caribbean Cruise to attend an onboard seminar of “Jocularity for Nurses�--the Therapeutic Benefits of Humor. Yes, Continuing Education Credit for drinking pina coladas and laughing! Don’t ya love it?
Thus my unique blend of story material evolved--shipboard comedy mixed with mystery, and always with a rich dollop of romance and a happy ending. Because I’ve learned that what we all need--what is the best medicine of all-- is to be loved, and to laugh deeply enough to free the joy in our souls.
I hope that my stories are good medicine for you!
Candy
In a nutshell, I’m a veteran ER nurse, Mom, and wife. I’m a native Californian in training as a Texan and loving it; can identify a Whooping Crane and a Black Crested Titmouse, do a passable Boot Scootin� Boogie, and whip up a deceivingly decadent low-fat tiramisu. I own chili-pepper red cowboy boots and ocean cruises are hands down my favorite way to travel! Oh, you were asking about writing?
People always ask writers, “How long have you been writing?� For me, it would be more pertinent to ask when it was that I got serious about my writing. Without a doubt that would be April 12, 1997. That was the day that my horse launched me into the dirt, broke my neck in three places and gifted me with an acute awareness of the ephemeral quality of life. The neurosurgeon said that I was millimeters from the same fate as my longtime hero, Christopher Reeve. Even without the broken ribs and punctured lung, that was enough to take my breath away.
To say that a person re-evaluates her life at such times is an understatement. There was something I was meant to do, and I suddenly knew that I needed to write.
At the request of my pastor, and after I could use my arms well enough, I wrote a simple, but heartfelt account of the accident for my church. It became the basis for “By Accident,� the story published in “Chicken Soup for the Nurse’s Soul.�
Coincidentally, about that same time I was awarded my healthcare system's “Nurse Excellence Award,� which evolved into some much needed educational R&R: A Caribbean Cruise to attend an onboard seminar of “Jocularity for Nurses�--the Therapeutic Benefits of Humor. Yes, Continuing Education Credit for drinking pina coladas and laughing! Don’t ya love it?
Thus my unique blend of story material evolved--shipboard comedy mixed with mystery, and always with a rich dollop of romance and a happy ending. Because I’ve learned that what we all need--what is the best medicine of all-- is to be loved, and to laugh deeply enough to free the joy in our souls.
I hope that my stories are good medicine for you!
Candy
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 24, 2020
A good book. Enjoyable. Funny.
For those of you who love cozies, I would classify this a cozy as far as the violence is concerned - there isn't really any. But there's swearing and a little bit of sexiness but nothing offensive, at least not for me. (We all have our own preferences.)
It was a little harsh in the sense there are serious themes mentioned and dealt with/not dealt with. It came across as natural and sucks you in, but I like fun and entertaining books as an escape from real life. I don't want to read about real life problems that hit the heart when I'm trying to escape from those real life problems that hit my heart. :)
But it was a fun read, and I'll be picking up the second in the series.
For those of you who love cozies, I would classify this a cozy as far as the violence is concerned - there isn't really any. But there's swearing and a little bit of sexiness but nothing offensive, at least not for me. (We all have our own preferences.)
It was a little harsh in the sense there are serious themes mentioned and dealt with/not dealt with. It came across as natural and sucks you in, but I like fun and entertaining books as an escape from real life. I don't want to read about real life problems that hit the heart when I'm trying to escape from those real life problems that hit my heart. :)
But it was a fun read, and I'll be picking up the second in the series.
September 19, 2009
Silly & fun.
February 6, 2011
A very easy and entertaining read. I took this with me on vacation. I plan on reading more in the Darcy Cavanaugh series.
June 16, 2016
One of the dumber mysteries I've read - and about the only one I've ever figured out ...
August 7, 2016
Loved this first book! Can't wait to read Darcy's next adventure.
August 22, 2018
I consider this a borderline cozy. There's no graphic violence, only one sort of sexy scene, but some swearing. Otherwise, it was a nice mystery. Someone is stealing jewelry from the senior citizens on a cruise. Darcy thinks there's a connection to the winners of a spa treatment, but everything looks normal at the spa. When her nurse roommate gets taken off the ship via helicopter as a suspect, Darcy scales up her investigation. Could it be one of the staff stealing the jewels? Why is one of the dance hosts young and handsome? Why is she getting lingerie sculptures instead of towel animals?
I love the setting on a Canadian/New England cruise, but I wish it had more behind-the-scenes information. The book does have a lot on the inner works of the sick bay. I look forward to reading the next one!
I love the setting on a Canadian/New England cruise, but I wish it had more behind-the-scenes information. The book does have a lot on the inner works of the sick bay. I look forward to reading the next one!
January 22, 2023
Not my favorite.
February 10, 2013
Who would have thought that a ship full of senior citizens would be dangerous? Definitely not ER nurse Darcy Cavanaugh (I love her name!). She's on the ship for two things, relax and visit her good friend Marie who just happens to be one of the cruise ships nurses. But when a series of mishaps and the death of a crew member happen Darcy finds herself in the middle of things and she needs to find who the culprit is...And she's hopes that it's not the dance host, Luke, who just happens to resemble Matthew McConaughey.
I was actually surprised on how much I enjoyed reading this story, considering that the first couple of chapters were a bore. I'm glad that I kept with it. I found that the setting, especially the cruise ship with seniors was hilarious but considering the ending of the book I was floored when I found out who the mastermind behind the robberies and the death.
I liked Darcy, she was a fun and quirky character, although I found her self-esteem at times a little weak, but the little background that we get on her, I guess it was understandable. Luke was one of those characters that took me a while to warm up to, I wasn't too sure about him but I'm glad that he was redeemed at the end of the story.
I was actually surprised on how much I enjoyed reading this story, considering that the first couple of chapters were a bore. I'm glad that I kept with it. I found that the setting, especially the cruise ship with seniors was hilarious but considering the ending of the book I was floored when I found out who the mastermind behind the robberies and the death.
I liked Darcy, she was a fun and quirky character, although I found her self-esteem at times a little weak, but the little background that we get on her, I guess it was understandable. Luke was one of those characters that took me a while to warm up to, I wasn't too sure about him but I'm glad that he was redeemed at the end of the story.
August 7, 2008
Dressed to Keel, by Candy Calvert, features Darcy Cavanaugh as the sleuth and main character. Darcy is a nurse, considering a career change. A good friend has gotten a job as nurse aboard the ship and asks Darcy to come along, since she's in need of a some time to think. A series of thefts aboard ship has Darcy suspicious and when her friend is accused, Darcy jumps to her rescue.
This book definitely has some suggestive dialogue that might put some readers off. (Although I admit I found it funny.) There is some romantic tension but that's about all. If you get past the first chapter and want to keep reading, then you'll probably enjoy the book. It's up to you.
This book definitely has some suggestive dialogue that might put some readers off. (Although I admit I found it funny.) There is some romantic tension but that's about all. If you get past the first chapter and want to keep reading, then you'll probably enjoy the book. It's up to you.
April 5, 2013
I love cruise ship mysteries and I was reading this while I was on a cruise myself hoping to lose myself in the book and I still felt that there are so many better travel cozies out there (i.e. Maddy Hunter). This one just annoyed me. Darcy was a superficial, shallow airhead whose character wasn’t really developed at all. I did enjoy Marie’s character though, she seemed to have some substance to her, not to mention a backbone. The situations were not very funny and the plot was not really that well developed. I will give the second book in the series a try just because I so love cruise ship mysteries and hopefully, Calvert will have sorted out the “bugs� from her debut novel.
October 2, 2013
Dressed to Keel is a fun cozy mystery featuring the clumsy but cute nurse Darcy Cavanaugh. Darcy is unsure whether she wants to continue her nursing career, so she decides to take a cruise on the ship where her best friend Marie works. But the cruise is for senior citizens, and almost from the moment Darcy sets foot on the ship, bad things start happening: mini-strokes, jewel theft, and an alleged suicide on Halloween. To make matters worse, she has a series of run-ins with the irritatingly sexy dance instructor Luke Skylar, who seems to have an eye for the much older ladies. This is a great beach or cruise ship read. The ending was fun, albeit a little far out.
June 14, 2016
I like to read a mystery / crime story about once a month, but this book was a waste of time. Darcy Cavanaugh takes a senior citizens cruise with her friend Marie , the two women are nurse's and are not senior citizens . Darcy meets Luke , who is paid to dance with the senior's etc,etc -----the ship is full of outrageous character's , none of which seem to be real,however, any one of them could be a thief/ killer. Their was an awful lot of gourmet food,champagne and outrageous clothing .
This was a very silly story and I will never get the time back that it took me to read, but it was for a book discussion so I thought I should finish it.
I won't be reading anymore books by this author.
This was a very silly story and I will never get the time back that it took me to read, but it was for a book discussion so I thought I should finish it.
I won't be reading anymore books by this author.
June 17, 2012
If you like 8th grade clutsy, cliche, goofball girl humor who is boy-dumb then you may like this. The saving grace is the descriptive writing taking the reader on a great cruise with a handsome guy. Easy reading great for the beach. Had me laughing out loud in many places. But then she is a dumb girl who keeps doing more stupid stuff, which is irritating to read. The story is not believable for many reasons. The only good thing right now is the setting on the cruise ship and the ports along the eastern new England shoreline. Nice details and images.
July 6, 2010
This is a quick, "clean" mystery in an unusual setting. Darcy feels very unsure about continuing her nursing career so she signs up with a friend for a cruise. Her friend works as a cruise nurse. While her friends nurses the elderly aboard ship, Darcy finds herself trying to figure out a mystery. There is a shipboard romance too be dealt with too!
May 23, 2011
This was my first book to read by this author. It had it's moments. But I was kinda disappointed because I knew right from the start what was going on and who the villans were. I might try the next in this series but if it's not any better I will be moving on.
June 17, 2016
This book was just ok, had a lot of issues and holes but made for a fairly good book discussion and there were a few characters and scenes I will remember. Don't plan on reading the other 2 in the series but wouldn't mind if someone told me how life turns out for Darcy, Marie and Luke.
February 15, 2012
O have just started but it lookd like i will enjou it
April 13, 2010
fairly typical cozy mystery not very good lots better out there to read
dnf
June 22, 2011Quit on page 36. Last straw: celebrity namecheck.
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