When Kate Reilly arrives in Long Beach, California, a week ahead of the Grand Prix, she's immediately plunged into a new social scene--as well as a murder investigation. Her cousin Billy is found dead, with Kate's card in his pocket. The cops want to know why, and sponsors and race organizers--anxious to keep racing's image clean--want Kate to investigate. Doubting she can solve another murder, especially that of a relative she despised, Kate reluctantly agrees. At the same time, coaching a gorgeous and talented actress for a celebrity race brings Kate into the orbit of Hollywood's hottest bachelor. And then a local FBI agent takes notice of more than her driving and sleuthing skills. She goes from Sony Studios to Venice Beach and from Rodeo Drive to the Hollywood Hills, attending parties, power-shopping, and dodging unwelcome paparazzi. Kate's ballooning media exposure generates national commentary, testing her composure and forcing her to get ahead of the stories--whether critical or flattering. Kate's professional dreams are also coming true. The upcoming Grand Prix is her first race with a new sponsor that's also funding an IndyCar test drive and a ride in next year's Indy 500--along with future possibilities in NASCAR. The downside? New sponsor Frame Savings is owned by her family, and its management, outside of her long-estranged father, is unfriendly to her...even rivalrous. Kate must stay on her toes as the Long Beach race weekend begins. She's negotiating the next steps in her career, driving two racecars and coaching a third, discovering more about the disreputable members of her father's family than she wanted to know, and juggling questions and suspects. On track, red flags fly to warn her of danger. Off track, Kate struggles to interpret warning signs and stay out of a killer's grasp.
Industry Reviews
Another racetrack, another murder for a driver who'd rather be racing than sleuthing. Kate Reilly has a busy schedule at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. Her racing prospects have been improved by her new sponsor, Frame Savings, a bank owned by her largely estranged family, which has chosen to finance her activities and give her a chance to break into IndyCar and possibly NASCAR. Raised by her grandparents, Kate has only recently met her father, James Hightower Reilly, the only member of her newfound family who's nice to her. A dead body with her business card in its pocket turns out to be that of her cousin Billy Reilly-Stinson, who, with his father, Edward, and cousin Holden Sherain, has been particularly hateful to her. It's lucky that she can produce an alibi when Edward accuses her of killing Billy. Although Kate would love to ignore the murder and concentrate on driving and coaching movie star Maddie Theabo for a celebrity race, Grand Prix owner Nikki Gray and race president Don Kessberg beg her to solve the crime. Reality star Nikki is wealthy and smarter than she looks, even if she was having an affair with the much younger Billy. Kate must also deal with FBI agent Ryan Johnston, who may be investigating the racing crowd and who's interested enough in Kate to ask for a date. Also asked out by a movie-star heartthrob, Kate, living the high life in Hollywood, tries to understand her father's wobbly support as she does her best to impress the IndyCar team she's testing with. Despite her attempts to ignore the murder, she's dragged into situations that may make her the next victim. In the fourth in this character-driven series, Kaehler (Avoidable Contact, 2014, etc.) complements its exploration of Kate's problems and triumphs with a better mystery and plenty of suspects you love to hate.-- "Kirkus"
First of this series read by me. I enjoyed the mix of motor car racing, West Coast US society and family tension. The pace both inside and outside the cars was good. in the UK we are used to F1 but Tammy wet my appetite for NASCAR.-- "NetGalley"
Good read. Will read more books by this author.-- "NetGalley"
If you can't tell already I highly recommend this book- fiction lovers, mystery lovers and race fans all will get a thrill out of Tammy Kaehler's page turner. As I mentioned at the beginning of this review- this is the fourth book in a series and while you could likely read it as a stand alone I would HIGHLY suggest reading the whole series- starting with the first book.-- "BadGroove"
In the fourth Kate Reilly mystery, the professional race-car driver is in California for 10 days, participating in the Grand Prix of Long Beach. But Kate, who has a habit of wandering into dangerous situations, is unsettled by the murder of her cousin, a man she barely knew. Because of that family connection, and because her family's bank is sponsoring her at the race, she feels she's under some pressure to find out who killed the man. This novel--and, in fact, this series--is proof that an author doesn't have to break any new ground to tell a good mystery story; in most ways, it's a familiar amateur-sleuth tale (even a tad predictable in places), but because the author has a sprightly, engaging style, and because Kate is a charming heroine in an unusual career, we really don't mind that we've seen these story elements before. Readers looking for a new amateur-sleuth series--especially those who find the car-racing frame intriguing--should definitely check out the Kate Reilly mysteries.-- "Booklist"
Kaehler has a breezy writing style that is very engaging, and her characters reflect an underlying sense of good humor. Except for the bad guys, of course. Kate's PR person and best friend, Holly Wilson, provides a sounding board and easygoing dialogue. Aside from the fact that there are so many characters to keep track of, RED FLAGS is a good read that will show you the workings behind one of America's favorite sports.-- "BookReporter"
Kaehler seamlessly integrates the racing world into her writing, giving those who are unfamiliar with racings' intricacies a peek behind the curtain. One does not have to be a race fan to enjoy reading this book. Racing is the backdrop of all of the novels, but the heart of every one is Kate Reilly: a no-nonsense female heroine who happens to stumble into danger both on and off the track. As with every book in this series, our protagonist, Kate Reilly, is an up and coming female drive in the IMSA series with the desire to drive in both the IndyCar and NASCAR series. In Red Flags, Kate is finally seeing her dreams realized. She has a spot on a championship contending IMSA team and not one but two major sponsors with her newest sponsor paying for oval testing with an IndyCar team and plans for her to race in the most coveted of all races, the Indianapolis 500. Those in the industry will find that she has brilliantly captured the psyche of racing and will identify with the balancing act that the Kate faces throughout the series. Mystery fans will enjoy the intriguing characters and the complexity of story which will keep them guessing until the end. Red Flags is a fast paced murder-mystery with a splash of romance and a big dose of women kicking ass.-- "Trackside Online"
Kaehler's exciting, pedal-to-metal fourth Kate Reilly mystery (after 2014's Avoidable Contact) takes the race car driver to California, where she's been hired to coach movie star Maddie Theabo, who's participating in the celebrity group in the Long Beach Grand Prix, in which Kate is racing in the professional group. Meanwhile, the Long Beach police ask Kate to identify the body of her contemptible cousin, Billy Reilly-Stinson, whom she scarcely knew but who had her business card in his pocket. Kaehler keeps the suspense high as she shifts among Kate's turbulent history with her father and his family, the investigation of Billy's murder, the Hollywood scene, and the anticipatory buildup to the big race. Technical terms related to the racing world may baffle some readers, but everyone will root for Kate, a strong, likable heroine, all the way to the finish line. Agent: Lucienne Diver, Knight Agency. (Apr.)-- "PW"
Kaehler's fourth book in the Kate Reilly Mystery series continues to be a standout with its completely original exploration of a woman competing in the world of professional car racing. The very technical aspects involved in taking turns at over 200 mph are made fascinating and compelling, as are the minutiae involved in the racing association itself. While previous entries have delved into Kate's role as a woman competing in a man's profession, here the author expands on her unasked-for responsibility of representing her entire gender in a sport that may never fully accept her. The novel has fun with Kate's introduction to Hollywood paparazzi, tabloids, and the obsession with celebrities, but at the core is Kate's struggles with her family and how she still finds herself feeling rejected and unworthy. The reward for readers will be following Kate as she succeeds not only as a skilled driver, but in realizing that the only approval she needs comes from within. This is a unique mystery series as thrilling as it is intriguing, and readers will delight in the adventures of a resilient, funny, and strongly independent woman.-- "KingsRiverLife"
Really entertaining - she repeats often that she is not an investigator but really simply a racing car driver but she presses on and were glad too - along the way there's a bit of romance and mucho excitement in experiencing life of drivers - from difficulties of sponsorship to hanging onto a wheel at high speeds; I'd say those are highlights since to be honest crime plot is slow in unwinding. But I'm hooked and I'll be looking for earlier ones in series.-- "NetGalley"
The protagonist is a race car driver, and in reading this mystery, you learn about the mechanics of being in the racing world. The plot is well-paced and the dialogue is sassy. A fun read.-- "NetGalley"
This is my first book in this series; it will not be my last. As a racing fan, and a particular fan of female racers--Danica Patrick notwithstanding--I'm amazed I haven't heard of these novels before, featuring a female racer who's always finding bodies or being asked to investigate murders. Those parts are okay, but what thoroughly impresses me are the racing scenes. This book takes place at my hometown (temporary) track, Long Beach, which I've photographed the last fifteen years, so I'm very familiar with it all and can say this author gets everything right. First and foremost, I am loving Kate! She's serious when it comes to racing, a bit of a goof with her friends, and insecure when it comes to all the guys chasing her. There's plenty of snark opportunities for her in SoCal; she goes to the Troubador, walks on the beach--at least it wasn't Malibu--and does other El Lay things, making it obvious the author is contemptuous of the City of Beautiful Angels. This is one of those rare books I wish I could read again for the first time, especially the Fontana test scene. The only disappointment was the lack of description of the IndyLights race. 4.5 pushed up to 5/5-- "NetGalley"
This series just keeps getting better and better. Kate Reilly is becoming more and more interesting. I loved this book and anxiously wait the next one. The author has gotten more adept at the suspense with each book. I highly recommend this series, and this one is the best yet!-- "NetGalley"
This unconventional cozy mystery perfectly combines the mystery elements with family relations and romance as well as Kate's dedication to her career.-- "MyBookViews"
