Review of Murder Down the Shore: A Jersey Shore Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

I love the Anne Hardaway mystery series. I'm not exactly sure why -- it's not really one of those 'cozy' small town mysteries, nor is it one that's filled with wacky, quirky characters whose antics amuse one no end. Indeed, some of the books in this series have been angst filled and rather stark and dour in tone. So why am I such a fan? As far as I can tell, I like this series mainly because of it's detecting heroine, Anne Hardaway. A struggling ghostwriter (in her late 30s, and a bit of a loner), trying hard to make ends meet and who still lives in the same house she grew up in, Anne is an entirely appealing character, that most readers are bound to find completely engaging. And the mysteries in this series have (so far) been rather compelling and interesting ones as well.

Things are finally beginning to look up for Anne. She's currently working on book of advice for pet owners, and the authour she's currently working with has (so far) turned out to be an absolute joy. And best of all, her relationship with Detective Mark Trasker is going rather well too. So why would Anne want to borrow trouble by deciding to host a family reunion? The death of her grandmother, Betty Hardaway, four months ago has left Anne with the need to reconnect with family. And so, Anne has decided to invite her wealthy Great-aunt Hannah (from her mother's side of the family), along with the cousins she grew up with -- Henry (Great-aunt Hannah's son), Cece, Nora (Anne's favourite cousin), Alex and Millie. In her mind, it seems like a good idea: the family would be reunited again, there'd be lots of fun and laughter, with the sun and beach of Ocean Heights as the backdrop to the whole event. The reality however includes Great-aunt Hannah's new 'boyfriend' whose supercilious behaviour manages to make everyone's teeth grate, and the unpleasant fact that Hannah and her son are not speaking to one another. Things take an especially nasty turn however when Hannah is found stabbed to death on the beach, and the murder weapon turns out to be one of Anne's knives! Because of Trasker's relationship with Anne, he recuses himself from the case, which turns out to be a really bad thing for Anne. Because the detective in charge of the case happens to be small minded bully who is only all too willing to believe that Anne killed Hannah for the money she was to have inherited from her. With her freedom on the line, Anne has no choice but to start looking into Hannah's life as well as those of her cousins'as she tries to figure who set up to take the blame for Hannah's murder. What Anne discovers will both sadden and chill as she tries to figure out which one of her relatives murdered Hannah.

The mystery unfolded at a brisk, swift and smooth pace, and there were enough false trails and red herring suspects to keep most mystery addicts happily glued to the pages. My only compliant was that I wished the novel had been a longer one, so that there could have been even more plot exposition and so that certain characters could have been even more developed. Other than that "Murder Down the Shore" was a really fun read.

Product Description
It seemed like a good idea at the time to Anne Hardaway: a jolly family reunion in the sun and sand of Oceanside Heights on the Jersey Shore. But it turns out to be the last gathering of any kind for wealthy Great-aunt Hannah, who is discovered on the beach viciously stabbed to death...by a knife taken from Anne's own kitchen!

With a $50 million inheritance at stake, any one of her kin could be the culprit, but it's Anne whom the evidence accuses. A killer isn't satisfied yet, however. As the professional ghostwriter/amateur sleuth intensifies her hunt for the blood relative with a taste for blood, Anne realizes her options are growing frighteningly limited. She can spend the rest of her life in prison...or lose it right now!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Murder Down the Shore: A Jersey Shore Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

Review of The Lone Star Lonely Hearts Club (Debutante Dropout Mysteries, No. 3) (Mass Market Paperback)

A big cheer for Susan McBride and The Lone Star Lonely Hearts Club!The third installment in the Debutante Dropout books is a great addition to this series.I love the author's witty writing style and her true to life, yet, quirky characters she has created.The great dialog between Andy and Cissy, and humorous observations, provide plenty of laughs as they go through a slight role reversal of mother and daughter in this book.

Cissy has a much larger role in this book than the previous two, which I was delighted to see with this character.Cissy is convinced her dearest friends were murdered because of the evidence she discovered, a nightgown and smudged lipstick.Andy, however, is not convinced of anything, except that her mother may have just flipped out under the stress of finding her friends dead.Andy does her best to humor her mother until the tests prove her friends deaths were from natural causes, while Cissy pushes forward to investigate with help from a reluctant Andy.When things aren't adding up like they should, Andy begins to realize Cissy might be closer to a truth no one wanted to believe, which could place Cissy right in the cross hairs of the killer.

Susan McBride takes us on a great ride into her world, giving fans and new readers of the Deb Dropout Series a fun, often hysterical, and exciting journey for us to enjoy.




Click Here to see more reviews about: The Lone Star Lonely Hearts Club (Debutante Dropout Mysteries, No. 3) (Mass Market Paperback)

Review of Bannerman's Ghosts (Mass Market Paperback)

Hey, if you're going to steal, at least steal from the old masters...they're not around to complain. That opening does, however, demand a list, so here it is:

(1) The characters - John R. Maxim's characters are as real as any in popular fiction. You finish one of his books with the feeling that you really know these people, or at least would like to know them. (I personally would love to meet 'Uncle' Billy McHugh, the man formerly known as Bannerman's Monster who has now evolved into a personable, chatty bartender who just happens to be capable of incredible mayhem!) In this book Maxim brings together his popular Bannerman people, adds in the cast of his book 'Haven,' and then seasons it with the main characters from 'Whistler's Angel.' It's like going to a great reunion, meeting up with people you really liked and catching up with their lives and activities. The updates on the lives of Bannerman's people (including homes, businesses, hobbies, spouses and children) are worth the price of the book by themselves!

(2) The plot - Maxim's books in general, and his Bannermans in particular, feature enough twists and changes of direction to hold your complete attention without lapsing into 'complication for its own sake.' He also frequently has a theme for a book. In 'The Shadowbox' it was counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and the eerily prescient 'Haven' (in 1997) presented a plot where Islamic terrorists tried to mount an attack on American soil with a dirty bomb. His plot here involves bio-terrorism in a way that can make you lose sleep. As usual, Maxim presents enough realistic detail that you know he did his homework long before he started writing.

(3) The timeline - While Maxim has introduced characters from one book into another previously, here he's even dovetailing his plots. We last saw Elizabeth Stride (from 'Haven') settling into a peaceful life on Hilton Head Island. 'Whistler's Angel' came to its dramatic (and noisy and smoky) conclusion on Hilton Head Island. So how could a pro like Stride have missed such brouhaha so close to home? She couldn't. The main portion of the 'Bannerman's Ghosts' story picks up literally on the day 'Whistler's Angel' ends!

(4) The humor - For a serious book with a serious plot about very serious people, Maxim sprinkles in a healthy dose of laughs along the way. It's impossible to quote anything here, since establishing a context would take way too long. Trust me on this: you'll have a lot of fun reading this book.

This list could go on and on, but here's the bottom line: 'Bannerman's Ghosts' is great reading.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Bannerman's Ghosts (Mass Market Paperback)

Review of Out of Time: A Casey Jones Mystery (Casey Jones Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Since recently discovering this series, I have systematically worked my way through almost all of them, and love every single word of them.

Casey Jones is a big gal, which comes in handy in her line of work.Casey's a Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, PI -- unlicensed thanks to a long-ago brush with the law.In this story, Casey is hired by the no-nonsense matriarch of a no-nonsense family to try and save her granddaughter, Gail Honeycutt Taylor, from her impending date with the executioner.Gail is on Death Row for the murder of her police officer husband, and it had never occurred to Casey before to question her guilt.The more she digs into the case, however, the more she becomes convinced that Gail didn't do it.It doesn't help matters that Gail is almost suicidally apathetic and won't lift a finger to help herself.Casey's unorthodox recources and colorful associates make for a devilishly delicious story as she battles cops and bad guys -- and sometimes can't tell the difference -- while Gail's time is rapidly running out.

Casey Jones is a true-blue Southern belle, as is her creator, Katy Munger.She can come join my group of same any time!This book with its quick wit, sparkling dialogue, and stylish plot is not to be missed.In truth, the whole series is divine and I am just dying for the next one.

Product Description
Meet Casey Jones--an unlicensed, no-nonsense private detective who hides 160 pounds of muscle with an in-your-face femme fatale style. She's bold, she's bad and, most of all, she's nobody's fool. Underneath her wise-cracking, 100% Southern exterior, there beats a 14-karat heart with a definite spot for life's losers. With the brains to take on any challenge and the guts to impose her own brand of justice, Casey Jones has what it takes to be your best friend--or your very worst enemy.

This time around, Casey takes on a case that batters her once-sturdy body and threatens to expose her closest held secret. When her investigation into the case of a woman on death row sets her at odds with her hometown police force, Casey quickly learns that true blue friends aren't necessarily clad in blue. One by one, bodies begin to fall, while Casey holds her ground. She must race to uncover the truth before more people die--and before she takes the rap for their murders. With the help of an unlikely pair of bloodhounds and even more unlikely pair of bloodhounds and even more unlikely allies, Casey battles back to reclaim her client's life and her own, and to set a trap for a very clever killer. . .before time runs out.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Out of Time: A Casey Jones Mystery (Casey Jones Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Review of Nutty As a Fruitcake (Bed-And-Breakfast Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

It's Christmas time, and Judith Flynn has decided that she and the neighbors on her cul-de-sac should celebrate by decorating their houses.Eveyone thinks it's a great idea except for the crabby Enid Goodrich who seems to be lacking in Christmas spirit.She has been a detriment to the neighborhood for some time and it's hard to find genuine sympathy among her neighbors when she is killed with a hatchet just before Christmas.Of course this means that there are lots of suspects because Enid has offended almost everyone she has come in contact with.This includes her rather unsavory relatives who dislike her as much as everyone else.Judith and her cousin, Renie, do their usual sleuthing job and Judith finally comes up with the identity of the killer.This is enjoyable reading for fans of this genre.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Nutty As a Fruitcake (Bed-And-Breakfast Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)