ZONED FOR MURDER

ZONED FOR MURDER BY EVELYN DAVID - A REVIEW

Zoned For Murder is a good solid mystery set in Milford, an affluent suburb in New York.  Our heroine, Maggie Brooks, deals with the sudden death of her husband while juggling a job and raising her two children.

The story centers around a proposal for a new mega mall.  Funny moments abound throughout. 

My favorite parts are the encounters with her therapist, Selma - a no nonsense kind of gal - and her on-line buddy, Shelley.

The book is loaded with believable characters.  David creates people who possess both good and bad qualities.  Very realistic.

I think you'll enjoy Zoned For Murder, and (like me) you'll be waiting for the second Sound Shore Times Mystery featuring Maggie Brooks.

Not to mention the fact that it's a great title if you participate in the 2013 A-Z Reading Challenge!

Smart move, Evelyn!!!

Marshall Karp

I love it when I stumble across a new mystery series.  Well - new to me!  I just discovered Marshall Karp's police series. 

LAPD officers Lomax & Biggs are an irreverent pair of homicide detectives.  The novels are delightful reads, as the duo investigate murder with a cheeky attitude.  I love the banter and the cop humor that runs throughout the stories.  And the murders are interesting, too.

I highly recommend this series!

Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy

I stayed up til 2am reading this book - couldn't put it down!  Yes, the mystery was good and I enjoyed the action.  Set in Washington, DC, the heroine of the story is Ollie, the White House executive chef. 

The book delves into the changes due to the inaguaration of a new president. 

Ollie is nervous about keeping her job.  The new President and the First Lady have two young children. On Inaguaration Day, Ollie follows proper security protocol and makes an 'executive' decision that causes an immediate negative reaction with the First Lady and the First Kids. 

Hyzy has done her research well and lays out a compelling view of what really goes on behind the scenes with the day to day running of the WHite House.

Three thumbs up!

Scared Stiff - REVIEW

SCARED STIFF

by Annelise Ryan

This is one of my favorite series.  I love Deputy Coroner, Mattie Winston.  Ryan spins a tale in a most amusing fashion.  She has a wonderful way with words.

I highly recommend this series.  You'll want to read them all!

Twice As Dead - REVIEW

TWICE AS DEAD

SUE ANN JAFFARIAN

Great Mystery!  The heroine, Odelia Grey, is an oversized, feisty amateur sleuth.  I love Jaffarian's dry wit.  She writes clever mysteries and tells her story with a wacky, offbeat sense of humor.

I hihghly recommend her Odelia Grey series!

ENGLISH TEA MURDER - REVIEW

English Tea Murder

by Leslie Meier

I always enjoy Meier's character, Lucy Stone.  Lucy and her friends join a college group on a trip to England.

I normally don't like a lot of description in the books I read, but since I have been to England, I really enjoyed all the details of the sights they visited!  It was fun to revisit all the tourist spots through Lucy's eyes.

Stay at Home Dead - REVIEW

STAY AT HOME DEAD

by Jeffrey Allen

This was the first in a new series; a mystery set in a small Texas town.  The 'hero' is Deuce Winters, a stay at home dad taking care of his 3 yr old daughter, Carly.

Allen's way with words is beyond funny.  The mystery itself was well done and the characters (presented from Deuce's point of view) made me laugh. He handled the descriptions in a clever tongue. I laughed out loud when Deuce rode shotgun in his wife's car.

I highly recommend this cozy!

Quickstep to Murder - Review

QUICKSTEP TO MURDER

BY: Ella Barrick

The premise starts with an amateur sleuth who is half owner of a dance studio (ala Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers).  Think mystery set during Dancing with the Stars.

This novel is extremely well-written.   The story flows in a well executed manner.  The murder mystery is thought out and cleverly hidden.  I don't want to give anything away - so let me just say:
I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a good murder mystery!! 

I enjoyed it so much, that this series has catapulted to become one of my favorite series.  I impatiently wait for her next book - Dead Man Waltzing.

DEATH OF THE PARTY - REVIEW

DEATH OF THE PARTY

Author Carolyn Hart

This book is one of Hart's Death on Demand mysteries.  The sleuths in this series are Annie & Max Darling, a young married couple who live on the sea island of Broward's Rock, South Carolina.

 

Annie is looking for a get-a-way vacation since a lot of her family and friends are away from home at this time.  Max gets a case that takes them as far as Golden Silk, a private sea island off the coast of South Carolina.  (Mmm - not exactly the dramatic change of scenery Annie longed for!)

 

Golden Silk had belonged to Jeremiah Addison - a powerful media mogul.  He died a year earlier and his sister-in-law, Britt Barlow, now owns the island.  She claims Jeremiah was murdered and invites all the guests from that fatal weekend to return to the estate for a reunion.  Then she hires Max to find a murderer amongst them.

 

Stranded on the island with no way off and no way to call for help, Annie & Max have to solve the case while the guests are stalked by a killer.

Annie & Max Darling love to make lists.  Lists of suspects, of motives, of alibis...  Anyone who enjoys looking over the shoulders of these 2 lovebird detectives, will enjoy the Death on Demand series. 

An Appetite for Murder - Review

AN APPETITE FOR MURDER

Author:  Lucy Burdette  (Roberta Isleib)

This is the first in a new series featuring Hayley Snow.  The poor girl moves to Key West to follow a guy (never a good idea!) and after their breakup, she has to reinvent herself.  Hayley loves food, so she applies for a job - food critic for a new magazine.  Of course, her potential boss is her old flame's new girlfriend.  Of course, the lady is murdered.  And of course, Hayley is the prime suspect.

The story focuses on Hayley trying to find the killer, win the food critic job and start a new life for herself in funky Key West, Florida.

I especially liked the way the protagonist escaped from the killer's clutches near the end of the book.  It was very believable.  (Let's face it - these amateur detectives don't have the wiles and kung fu moves that professionals have.  It was refreshing to read a believable account)  All in all, I enjoyed this light-hearted mystery.

DEATH OF A THOUSAND CUTS

DEATH OF A THOUSAND CUTS

Author: Barbara D'Amato

A police investigation that delves into autism, D'Amato handles the subject with sensitivity.  This book is well written; a gripping page turner. 

Since I live in Chicago, it's always fun to read a book set in my city.

I enjoy D'Amato's books. 

HOW TO PARTY WITH A KILLER VAMPIRE

I have signed up for several reading challenges.  Here is my first review:

HOW TO PARTY WITH A KILLER VAMPIRE
Author:  Penny Warner

A fun read starring amateur sleuth, Presley Parker.  Presley is an event planner who throws a "wrap party" for a movie producer to celebrate his latest horror film - Revenge of the Killer Vampires.  The perfect venue to hold this event?  A cemetary, of course!  And it wouldn't be the perfect party without a fresh corpse.

The writing is well done and the story reaches a satisfying ending.  Presley is a smart, self-reliant amateur sleuth.  I enjoyed the story, as I have enjoyed Warner's earlier stories in this series.

MISC MONDAY - MURDER FOR TWO

MURDER FOR TWO at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre at Navy Pier was a hoot!  It is a very clever murder mystery.  The play features 2 actors.  One actor plays the detective in charge and the second actor plays ALL the other characters! (including the dead body)

I wasn't sure what to expect and I don't want to give too much away.  It is a musical comedy - their funny interaction and piano playing abilities put a new spin on murder.  Joe Kinosian effortlessly switched from one character to another.  This was one of the best live performances I have ever seen.  Alan Schmuckler was excellent as the detective and Joe Kinosian was brilliant as the cast of suspects.  It is a must see.  Three thumbs up!!