I really enjoyed Kristen Lepionka’s debut book of the Roxane Weary series, The Last Place You Look, and I think I liked this one even better.

I’m not going to share the synopsis here because I think it gives way too much of the plot away. While I think it would be best to start with the first book in the series to have a better handle on Roxane’s relationships, romantic and otherwise, the mystery is self-contained to this book and could be read as a standalone. Roxane is a private investigator who recently closed a very high profile case. She’s taken a much more low-key job – trailing a possible cheating fiancé. The case spirals into something much more dangerous and Roxane finds herself caught up in the middle of it.

I really enjoyed the twisty mystery in this. There were just so many layers that kept being revealed. It had the potential to get really out of hand, but Lepionka juggled it all really well. In a lot of mysteries I read these days I have everything all figured out pretty early on, but this one kept me guessing. While there were a few things I might have predicted, there were lots of other things I didn’t. I kind of liked just reading it and being surprised, instead of trying to figure out every little thing. I thought the pacing was well done and there was never a time I felt like something drug on too long. I did think the ending was jut a tiny bit rushed, though, and thought there were a couple of loose ends that weren’t tied up quite as neatly as I would’ve liked them to have been.

I thought Roxane was a little more likable in this book, as well. She seems to be working on her alcohol issues (most of the time, anyways) and she appears a little more self-aware. She had some good character growth, which I appreciated. I’m still not thrilled with her romantic interests, though (yes, there’s two). I really, really disliked Catherine in the previous book. She just seemed like an awful person who was no good at all for Roxane. She was a little better and a little more self-aware, too, this time around, but I think she’s still technically married and I’m just not on that ship. I do like Tom, as a character, but he also is in a relationship with someone else. To be fair, there were not any real romantic moments between he and Roxane in this book, but there’s still obvious chemistry that seems a little inappropriate given his relationship status. If he breaks up with his girlfriend, though, I think I could really root for him to be with Roxane.

Overall, I really enjoyed What You Want to See. It was well-paced and well-written, with a really interesting mystery. I also love that this book is set in Columbus, OH and I recognized a lot of the areas mentioned. I definitely recommend this series to Mystery fans and am looking forward to reading more from Lepionka in the future.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars

What You Want to See is an outstanding sequel to The Last Place You Look. PI Roxane is back and even more compelling than before. Lepionka's writing is strong in this fast-paced, complex mystery. The well-developed characters and twisty plot are more than enough to leave you in need of a third book. Highly recommended to readers of mysteries and private investigator/detective fiction.

Who was Marin? Roxanne thought she had an easy case following Marin for her fiancé Arthur but then Marin is killed and Arthur is the chief suspect. Not so easy anymore, especially when Roxanne begins to poke around to defend Arthur. Lots of secrets here- for both of them but mostly Marin. Roxanne is the classic female PI but with an interesting romantic twist. Nicely written, a twisty plot, and good characters made this a winner for me even though I had not read the first book. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Now I'm looking forward to the next one.

This is a standard detective novel. Which right now, is a good thing, because I’m sick and tired of weird psychological thrillers. Something straight forward is exactly what the doctor ordered!

Roxanne Weary is a detective and she takes on a standard PI case, checking on a fiancée’s fidelity. When the check bounces and she stops tailing the woman, the fiancée turns up dead later that day. From there, things get really strange in a good way. This is a fast paced book with lots of action.

I haven’t read the first book in the series. To be honest, I should have paid attention to the other reviews that recommend you read it first. I liked Roxanne. She’s tough, the kind of PI that doesn’t back down when the police tell her to “uninvolve” herself. But there were some gaps in my understanding of her personal life from not having read book 1.

There are a lot of characters here and every now and then I’d have to pause to remind myself how they fit in. But overall, it’s a fast, engaging read. I’ll definitely be going back to catch up on the first book and reading the next in the series.

My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this novel.

Pretty good book. I got a little confused at times with some of the characters and trying to follow the storyline but overall a decent read.

What You Want To See by Kristen Lepionka is another one of my favorite series!

I love Roxane Weary's sassiness and her DGAF attitude :). I love the tough women that know how to handle the bad guys! ;).

A very intriguing mystery with cleverly layered characters that adds a whole lot of bang to this mystery's buck ;).

If you enjoy Robert Bryznda's series Erika Foster I definitely would recommend this one!

Roxane is a private investigator that is still struggling with her father's death along with the loss of her former lovers Catherine and Tom. Roxane is assigned a case following a woman who may be cheating on her fiance. But, of course no case is EVER easy for Roxane. Roxane soon finds herself in a whole mess of murders that keep adding up. Can she help solve this can and figure out the underlying web of lies?

I really enjoy Lepionka's writing and she definitely knows how to draw her readers in.

Overall, 4 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: 5/1/18
Published to GR: 4/15/18

Sure to rank among the pantheon of hardboiled PIs, Roxane Weary is a personality not to be missed.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of What You Want To See by Kristen Lepionka that I read and reviewed.
This was the second book in the Roxane Weary series and for me it did not hold the punch the first book did. This book sort of dragged on and Roxane did not have the kick butt attitude that she did before. I felt like this case was not that well thought out and it did not flow of work or something. Maybe I was expecting more because the first book was so good.
I am giving What I Want To See three out of five stars.

4.5 stars

As good as book one!

Multilayered PI centered mystery. This series is led by a compelling heroine who has depth, heart, and a whole lot of snark!

Roxane Weary is down her luck. The buzz over her last case has died down, and she is once again struggling to make a living as a PI. Therefore, she is back to taking on small, easy cases like following a woman who appears to be cheating on her fiance. But this case has depth, and when the woman is murdered, Roxane digs for answers, and in doing so, finds herself in grave danger.

I wouldn’t say that you need to read The Last Place You Look in order to read What You Want to See, but doing so would add another layer.

I had extremely high expectations for this book. Seriously, Roxane Weary was one character that kept popping up in my head long after I read The Last Place You Look. What You Want to See does not disappoint. Roxane is back, much in the same state as book one, except for maybe not quite as drunk or dependent on alcohol. She is much more conscious about the choices she makes but still struggles with making the right choice. Her demons are very much present, she is torn between her feelings for her former lovers Catherine and Tom. Her dead father is still very much in her head, and family drama is still brewing.

What I love about this series is Roxane, which is due to Lepionka’s writing style. Roxane’s voice is extremely compelling, and I especially love her snarkiness. Lepionka writes Roxane’s character intelligently. Her voice is strong and her moxie shines through. I hope I don’t have to wait too long to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend this series!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Private Investigator Roxane Weary returns in Lepionka’s second novel and I enjoyed her character just as much this time around.

In this adventure Roxane is trying to discover Marin Strasser’s secret. Her fiancé thinks she’s having an affair and hires Roxane to prove it. Then Marin is killed and the police begin to focus on Roxane's client, so she starts to dig deeper into Marin’s life. Let’s just say that Marin is not who she seems to be and the trail leads down a path that no one suspects.

This is the second book in Lepionka’s series featuring P.I. Weary, but you do not have to read the first book to enjoy this one. However, I recommend going back to The Last Place You Look to get to know Roxane on a more personal level.

Roxane reminds me of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone. Both are single women that are tough, curious and have the need for solving the mysteries before them. Millhone has a definite sense of humor that I don’t see with Weary, but I find Weary’s cases more interesting, more shocking and intense. If you’ve enjoyed Millhone, I think you’ll appreciate Weary.

The one issue I have with this book is more on me than the author. When the action picked up, I had a bit of difficulty keeping some of the characters straight. I would have found a bit more info and development of some of them helpful. I didn’t suspect who the killer was and I appreciate being surprised and shocked at the end.

I don’t know if there are more novels featuring Weary headed our way or not but this reader hopes so. If you’re looking for a strong woman problem solver, this series is for you.

It's a trend lately to have flawed main characters, and not necessarily one I enjoyed... until Roxanne Weary came into my life. I love her. I love how honest she is with herself, I love that she constantly makes mistakes, and the mysteries are the best for reading. This mystery was involved and convoluted and really, a hot mess, but I enjoyed every minute of reading it. Can't wait for more in this series.

When I saw that Kristen Lepionka had written a follow up to [book:The Last Place You Look|31450910] I was excited and couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. Thankfully Netgalley and St. Martin's Press provided me with a copy for my honest review.

And honestly this was just as good as the first one; Roxane was still her messed up lovable self, we got to catch up with a few of the folks from the first book and best of all the mystery could not have been more different. I think the first book might have had a bit more suspense and tension but this was well played out, started out with a mundane cheating investigation and turned into a murder mystery with complex twist and turns. I think that Lepionka does a great job with her characters, they are well developed and have interesting layers to them which makes this mystery into something just a little more enjoyable.

I look forward to seeing more books from Kristen Lepionka.

Book 2 of a debut author did not disappoint me.
THANK GOD.

I love the MC so much.

Roxane is that MC that you want to see succeed and feel all the falls.

The mystery is good too. All combined I really can't wait to read more from this author.
And Id like some more Andrew thrown in there.

I really tried to keep my hate on for Catherine. I really did. But then she had to go and (view spoiler) and then my natural instinct was to feel protective. She better be good to Roxane. And the Tom storyline kinda just breaks my heart.

Cant wait for book 3

Mare~Slitsread

Roxane Weary's next case should be an easy one: follow her client's fiance to see if she is having an affair. Things get more complicated when the fiance is found shot to death on the street after having an argument with Roxane's employer. Worst yet, her employer's gun is missing and it might be the murder weapon.

Roxane has to clear her client. As she begins to dig into Marin Strasser's background more questions than answers are found. She says she's an interior decorator but her business card has only a phone number and an email address and tracking down previous clients seems to show that she was stealing from them. And it looks like she has scammed her fiance Arthur Ungless out of $75,000 for "wedding plans." Digging deeper leads to a previous marriage where she also tried some scams and left angry heirs behind.

Roxane also uncovers some illegal activity going on at Arthur's printing business. Apparently an employee had decided to branch out by making illegal IDs, driver's licenses, and passports. This brought the business to the attention of a local criminal which resulted in the death of the criminal's daughter and which brings Roxane to the criminal's attention.

Throw in Marin's son who is just out of prison and eager to find another scam and you have plots and twists all over the place. Roxane has scaled back her alcohol use in this one but she is also really lonely. Her relationship with Tom, one of her father's proteges, has changed since he's found a new girlfriend and her relationship with a former girlfriend is also in a precarious situation. The girlfriend is trying to contact Roxane but Roxane isn't sure if she wants to get involved with her again.

I enjoyed the twists and turns in this mystery. Fans of the first book won't want to miss this one.

When I read Kristen Lepionka’s debut novel, The Last Place You Look, last year, I completely fell in love with the writing, the plot, and the driving force of the book, Private Investigator Roxane Weary. Once I saw that it was listed as “Roxane Weary #1” on Goodreads, I’d been hoping that meant more were coming. Enter What You Want to See, the second installment in Roxane’s story, which is being released in May. The literal second I saw this on Netgalley, I had to request it. I basically inhaled it in a day, which of course I now regret.

What You Want to See takes place months after the events of book one, and could easily be read as a standalone (but i recommend reading the first book first, it’s so good!) Roxane is hired at the beginning of the book to follow a woman named Marin, because her fiance believes she might be cheating on him. She’s been acting jumpy and strange and he can’t figure out why. After three days, nothing has turned up, Arthur’s check has bounced, and Roxane has called it quits on the whole thing. By the end of the week though, Marin is dead, and Arthur is the prime suspect.

I love this series because it’s never JUST a mystery/thriller. This book went down a path I never expected, creating a complex look at a family along the way. It looked at Roxane’s complex relationships with the people around her, and her attitude towards people who care about her. The writing is great, and Roxane’s wit and sarcasm keep you entertained even during the heavier moments of the story.

I hope this is a long series, because I absolutely love Roxane Weary, and can’t wait to see what she gets up to next.

Highly, highly recommend starting this series before the second installment comes out!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Roxane, a PI, is employed by Arthur to investigate his fiancee Marin, who he suspects might be having an affair. Roxane finds no evidence of this, but then Arthur's retainer cheque bounces, Marin is found murdered and Arthur is injured in a drive-by shooting. This is the second in the Roxane Weary series and is once again a fast-paced enjoyable read. Roxane is a likeable character, although I hope she sticks to cutting the whiskey out of her morning cup of tea, and she has believable relationships with her family and friends.

I am deducting a star for the over-complexity of the plot - there was simply too much going on (were the Pomps really necessary?) and I needed a family tree to keep a grip on the Agnes/Marin/Sam/Georgette/Nate inter-relations. Otherwise a good read.

I read the first book in this series earlier this month, and was engrossed. I immediately placed a hold on the upcoming title at my library, and then checked NetGalley, and was quickly able to gain access.

I really appreciated how this book was full of characters that represented people you might actually know, or were likely to run into in the course of your day. This author has a way of getting you to root for her characters, flaws and all. And there are flaws... no one is perfect, after all. Anyway, this was a book I didn't want to put down. I started it on a Sunday morning, and finished it that evening.

Loved this book, but you really do need to read the first book to truly understand the characters in this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

PI Roxanne Weary’s new job is a routine case of following a fiancée suspected of cheating on her fiancé. But when she is shot and killed, he becomes the prime suspect despite Roxanne ‘s doubts. As she digs deeper despite being warned away by the police, Roxanne discovers a web of deceit and family troubles that run deep.

A great follow-up to the first book. We learn more about Roxanne ‘s complicated relationships with family and friends and get a couple hints as to what might happen in the next book. Set in a fictional town near Columbus Ohio.

I would like to be Roxane's best friend, but I suspect I'm not cool enough. I loved this twisty mystery and all the demons Roxane had to face in this second installment. I can't wait to share!

PI Roxanne Weary appears in this follow up to The Last Place You Look. Roxanne has been hired by a man who believes his fiancée has been cheating on him, but before Roxanne can prove anything one way or the other, the woman, Marin, is murdered in what appears to be a random mugging. Of course the police suspect her fiance, but Roxanne has her doubts and discovers that Marin was not as lily white as she appeared. Her secrets included a criminal past, an adult son fresh out of jail, and two earlier marriages. And Marin was involved with some very shady business dealings that pissed off a lot of people. It’s turns out there’s no end of people who could have wanted her dead. Now, Roxanne just has to find the one who actually did kill her. This is such a great series, Roxanne is smart, savvy and nobody’s fool. I may just write her in on the ballot when I vote for my next government official