PJ Sugar receives shocking news that she’s inherited the Kellogg family mansion. Though she has no idea why, the timing is perfect—PJ has clearly worn out her welcome at her sister’s house. Unfortunately, the mansion is in shambles, and PJ is short on cash.

Rescue comes in the form of Max Smith, a mysterious handyman willing to trade his services for PJ’s investigative skills. But PJ already has a full docket with cramming for her PI license and nurturing a growing romance with her boss, Jeremy Kane. Can she take on Max’s case without dropping the ball?

From Booklist:

*Starred Review* Readers who wonder if inspirational fiction can be fun should read Warren’s hilarious tale of PJ Sugar, private-eye-in-training. PJ lives with her sister, Connie; Connie’s husband; and his oddball Russian parents. Having lost one job after another, PJ is sure she’s finally found the perfect career. Her boss, Jeremy Kane, PI, isn’t so sure, and as his interest in PJ grows, he becomes more and more concerned about her safety. PJ’s other suitor, police detective Boone Buckam, wants her to get out of the private-eye business, too, for the same reason. But PJ is her own woman, and all the misadventures and near misses in the world won’t keep her from doing what she loves. RITA Award–winner Warren’s delightful combination of humor, witty dialogue, danger, and great, quirky characters gives this novel universal appeal. There are obvious comparisons between PJ and Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum. But for readers who like their fun rollicking and squeaky clean, this book—the third in the PJ Sugar series following Nothing but Trouble (2009) and Double Trouble (2010)—is the one for them. Libraries will want the complete set.

What readers are saying:

“Licensed For Trouble” is the fabulous third installment in Susan May Warren’s witty and thoroughly entertaining PJ Sugar series. This latest adventure for PJ picks up six weeks after the kiss in book two that offered promise for a relationship between PJ and her boss, Jeremy Kane. The fact that nothing romantic has happened since that kiss has PJ guessing about the meaning of the kiss to begin with. But now, there are more changes in her family and more fumbles with cases that are weighing heavily on our heroine. Boone is exhibiting too much influence on Davy. PJ has her hands full with an inheritance, as well. And a brand new missing person case has fallen into her lap.

This is the best PJ Sugar book to date. The heat with Jeremy is turned up. The challenges are bigger – mansion sized, in fact. The narrative sparkles and the dialogue is witty. Plus, my favorite tattoo artist is back for a cameo appearance. This is a beautiful showcase of Susan May Warren’s talent. I’d love to see her write many more PJ Sugar adventures. But since SMW traditionally writes three-book series, if there are none planned for the future, this is a terrific book to end on. ~ Stacey, Amazon.com reviewer

I loved this book, the third in the series. Warren continued her great blend of light-hearted mystery, romance and growth. I appreciate the way Warren reveals PJ’s struggles with her own personality and how she relies on God both to overcome her faults and to accept herself as He made her. I also think it is rare to find a light-hearted mystery, where I’m not going to have nightmares from the horrific acts described (or even just hinted at) that many mysteries contain. Great series! ~ E. Amazon.com reviewer

I really enjoyed this entertaining novel. It was better than a bubble bath. It whisked me up into PJ’s mystery, with the fun and intriguing facts she uncovered about the house and Max. I liked the spiritual thread and struggle PJ encountered throughout the course of this book. It’s a conflict most of us could relate to. I was fascinated and enjoyed the case PJ tries to get to the bottom of, in her search for Max’s past and her attempts at catching the bail jumper. I have to say, I enjoyed every minute of reading Licensed for Trouble. Susan May Warren gave a very satisfying conclusion to this really enjoyable, tender and likeable PJ Sugar series. I’ll definitely be reading more of her books in the future. ~ Nora St.Laurent, The Book Club Network

Behind the pages:

I am adopted. It’s never been an issue for me. Whether because I had amazing adoptive parents who loved, me or perhaps my make up as a person – it’s never been an open wound in my life. Still, I growing up, the fact that I was different from my parents (especially in appearance – I had blonde hair, they were all dark-haired), didn’t escape me. Nor the fact that my personality seemed to be so much more out of the box than my parents might have expected (as you can imagine, they put up with a-lot of daydreaming!) I always wondered if perhaps my birth mother was like me – someone who liked to laugh, and embrace life, and have fun with friends, and live large and sometimes messy. For a long time, I only focused on the differences…until a friend spoke truth into my life. She said – God changed the lineage and the makeup of your adoptive family line by putting you in it. It was meant for their good, as well as yours.
 
So, in other words, God intended for my messy, exuberant, sometimes creative personality to infuse a blessing into my adoptive family’s lives. As if God, knowing who I was, and would be, added molasses to a batch of chocolate chip cookies (try it. Nummy!)
 
I love this idea.

I have great respect for my birth mother. Having my own children, I now understand how it takes such selflessness and courage to give your child into the arms of another. I wanted to convey this idea that by the Kellogg family giving PJ to the Sugars, they were giving her a new life, and an opportunity to be a blessing to the Sugar line. But her personality was still Kellogg born, and while she’d been given a new name, she could be a unique mix of both.

As I began book three, I also saw PJ wanting to become more than she was, and yet unsure of how to get there, sometimes feeling trapped by the person she’d been, not sure how to synthesize the two.

I think that Christians, despite the transforming power of God in our lives can be trapped by who we were, the identities of our past. What does it look like to be adopted by God, and then live today, with that new identity in this world? It’s just not that easy.

And, if we’re adopted by God, what does it mean to be co-heirs with Christ?

If you’ll indulge me for a moment, I believe the answers are found through a journey of looking at who Christ is, a look at His Sonship.  Throughout the gospels, Jesus points out that He and God have a unique relationship. Jesus and God are in close communion, so much so that if you’ve seen Jesus, you’ve seen God. God empowered Christ to do miracles, to obey, to live sacrificially. More than that, because of their relationship, God’s love for us poured out through Jesus, so much so that our entire destiny was changed.
 
See, when Jesus appeared to Mary that third day, after rising from the dead, he passed on his unique and mind-blowing relationship with God, to us. (John 20:17). We were no longer outsiders, but brought into the Kingdom, into the family.  When we become Christians, our adoption changes us fundamentally. We are given a new identity as children of the King, with all that entails – access to our Father, all the Kingdom power on our side, God’s love transforming our lives- so much that we could also impact our world. This is what it means to be a co-heir – this is our earthly inheritance.

The bottom line is, God gave PJ her inheritance NOT just for her. But for the Sugars, and Jeremy, and Boone, and Kellogg at large. What’s more, like Jeremy says, looking back into the past gave her life today meaning. She saw clearer God’s mercy, and grace, and love. And she passed that on to those around her.
 
If you have accepted Jesus’ payment for your sins, and joined the family of God, then you’ve been given a new identity. You don’t belong to the past anymore. But, let that new perspective change you and may you spill out ‘a little sugar’ into the world.

In His Grace,

Susan May Warren