2.5
The cover image above made me think it was going to be a cozy mystery, but it wasn't at all like that and I'm wondering why the publisher decided to market it that way. Anyway, for most of the book I was digging the story of Allison the image consultant, with her complicated messy life, her difficult teenage client, and a murder mystery that needed to be solved, but by the end I was getting pretty annoyed with Allison and her crazy antics. The finish just felt flat to me and kind of silly after the way the rest of the book read and I felt disappointed. ( )

I received a copy of Killer Image by Wendy Tyson in exchange for an honest review.

Allison Campbell is an image consultant in Philadelphia. She has a thriving business with a very eclectic clientele. Then her most recent client comes along – the daughter of a White House hopeful and Allison’s past and present collide. Her teen client is accused of murder and no one believes her innocence except Allison.

This was a very intriguing story – kept me guessing until the very end. The characters were great, I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite because there were quite a few that I liked, a lot. I see that this is the first in the series, I can’t wait to read the others! It was great from beginning to end…
( )

"Wake up, Al. People don't come all neatly packaged. You've spent your whole adult life trying to force people into these tidy little boxes. Things don't work that way. People mess up. They get scared. They change their minds. What's under the surface comes out, and you know what? It's not always pretty. That's okay. It's called life."

I bought this book because I was approved for the second book in the series on NetGalley and wanted to catch up before I started the second book. I was really looking forward to reading this book, I mean who wouldn't with an attorney dying from what looks like a ritualistic satanic murder. Sadly when I started this book I realized that this book concentrated a whole lot more on the characters' pasts than the investigation into the murder.

I started off reading this book and actually liking the main character, Allison Campbell. However the more that I read this book the more I began to dislike her. Allison is haunted by things that have happened in her past, with both her family life and her professional career. Allison is constantly thinking about what happened with a former patient, Violet. I understand that it needed to be revealed what happened with Violet but by god it just dragged and dragged on throughout the book. I came in to reading this book interested about the present day events and the book was swamped with the past that haunts Allison.

Allison is not the only character with a past whose past somehow ends up taking over and breaking up the plot. Readers get to find out about everyone's past in this book. There are point-of-view changes and during those pov changes it seems like we get to find out about traumatic events that the characters have gone through. Everyone in this book is messed up in their own way and has issues that they are struggling through. I understand these people have issues but did those issues really need to take over the book and break up the plot?

Probably my favorite character in those book (except for Brutus the dog) was Allison's ex-husband Jason. Jason was trying to get Allison to stop letting her past control her and wasn't having any of her excuses. I really like how he got her to open up and I like where their relationship has gone.

The thing that really saved this book for me was the ending. The ending was filled with some great action and readers finally get to know what really happened. While the investigation may have not been great for me, the final reveal at the end was really good. I am planning on reading the second book in the series as I have already been approved for it. I am hoping now that Allison has worked past some of her issues that the second book won't be as focused on them. ( )

http://www.simplystacie.net/2013/10/killer-image/
Killer Image by Wendy Tyson is an enticing mystery. The protagonist is Allison Campbell, a 33 year old image consultant and the owner of First Impressions, an image consulting firm which serves the wealthy in Philadelphia. Stylish and well versed on etiquette, Allison is more than capable of helping her clients’ makeover their outer selves. But then again, she is working from experience. She herself was once a young, dejected young lady and a few pounds too heavy and lonely, until she met her now ex-husbands mother—Mia. She taught her how to present herself to the world, and in a way, she became a second mother to Allison, more than just a mother in law. Something which she desperately needed, given her relationship with her parents, particularly her abusive father. Her experience allowed her to become a well-respected image consultant and even an author. Her successes are what eventually leads Congressman Hank Mcbride and his gorgeous wife into her office one fateful day. Desperate and relying on her as a last resort, the Mcbride’s plead with Allison to help their 15 year old daughter, Maggie. Allison’s gut instinct tells her to say no, but needing the money due to the health of her parents, she reluctantly agrees. Unfortunately, for Allison, agreeing to help Maggie may become the second biggest mistake she’s ever made in her life, especially when Maggie becomes a main suspect for the murder of the hated divorce attorney, Arnie Feldman and Allison must now fight to clear her client’s name.

The characters in Killer Image were carefully flawed, everyone from Allison to Mia and Vaughn (Allison’s business manager). Each character is dealing with some form of heartache and pain. Holding on to secrets, while attempting to not allow said secrets to handicap their everyday lives. Unbeknownst to them, those secrets are affecting them, each and every day, and will continue to do so, until faced head on. But perhaps they already know that. However, it is still too painful to face the pain from life’s past.

I enjoyed the perspectives of Mia and Vaughn. The perspectives of these two did not crowd the story, they instead, enhanced it. Which is sometimes a difficult act to pull off, but Tyson masterfully accomplished it. I also enjoyed the interactions between Allison and her ex, Jason. It was quite clear from the start that the two still had feelings for one another, and despite enduring a difficult divorce, they managed to remain extremely close. Which is really quite difficult. One other thing of note about Tyson’s abilities as they pertain to character relationships. She managed to masterfully rebuild broken relationships, Allison’s relationships with Jason and his mother serve as testament to the fact. The growth did not feel forced.

Killer Image is, surprisingly, Tyson’s debut novel. It is a treasure trove of drama, mystery, romance and thrills. There is even a bit of humor thrown in the novel at times, which further helps to ease the reader alone, as we become more engrossed in the story. Truly the best mystery which I have read this year and I look forward to reading more about Allison Campbell and her team in future installments. Killer Image is definitely worth reading, not only for fans of mystery, but fans of great writing. ( )

I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour in exchange for a fair and honest review and rated it 5 out of 5 Stars and a Recommended Read.

When I first signed on to review Killer Image by Wendy Tyson, I thought I would be reviewing a “cozy mystery”. While Killer Image is indeed a mystery, it’s also so much more; it’s a second chance romance, and it’s a psychological thriller. A well developed heroine, interesting and somewhat quirky secondary characters and good dialogue kept me turning the pages to discover what would happen next. Set in both upscale and rundown neighborhoods in modern day Philadelphia, Ms. Tyson gives us her story from multiple points of view.

A successful Image Consultant and owner of her own business, Allyson Campbell, works for executives and ex-wives who need to reinvent themselves to enter the work place and society. When a local congressman and his wife, ask Allison to take their teenage daughter, Maggie, on as a client, Allison’s first impulse is to say no, she only works with adults. Begging Allyson for help, and offering a more than healthy fee, the congressman refuses to take no as an answer. Agreeing to meet with Maggie, to see if they can work together, Allyson soon finds herself neck deep in a murder investigation where her client is the prime suspect.

Ms. Tyson does an excellent job developing her characters and letting us get to know them through glimpses into their own points of view. While Allyson remains the central character, and primary point of view, we get to know Vaughn, her young African American assistant, who’s got major secrets of his own, Mia Campbell, Allyson’s former mentor and former mother in law, who at first is a person of interest in the murder investigation, Jason Campbell, Allyson’s ex-husband who wants a second chance and Maggie McBride, the Goth dressed teenage girl, who is at the center of both the murder investigation and a reluctant trip down memory lane for Allyson.

Ms. Tyson’s world building is well done and is a major part of this first book in the series. Allyson has secrets, some major fears and unconscious desires she needs to address. While trying to get to know her reluctant client, Allyson finds herself questioning her “career choice” and how well she knows the people in her life. Realizing she needs to face her past, Allyson is also forced to deal with her family issues and what caused her to walk away from a career as a psychologist.

Will Allyson and her group of assistants discover the identity of the real killer before both Maggie and Allyson become the killer’s next victims? Will Allyson give romance a second chance? You’ll have to read Killer Image to find out, I loved it and can honestly say that this is one of the few mysteries I’ve read where I actually had tears in my eyes at the end of the story. I can’t wait to read what happens to Allyson and all of the people in her life next. ( )