Lisa Ks Book Reviews

Sunday, April 10, 2016

DON'T GO HOME by Carolyn Hart

A FATAL CHAPTER by Lorna Barrett

A FINELY KNIT MURDER by Sally Goldenbaum

DON'T GO HOME

Book 25 in the Death On Demand Mysteries

by Carolyn Hart

Annie Darling, owner of the Death on Demand mystery bookstore, is hosting a party to celebrate successful Southern literary icon—and former Broward’s Rock resident—Alex Griffith and his bestselling new novel, Don’t Go Home. But after the local paper announces that Griffith aims to reveal the real-life inspirations behind his characters, perhaps the author should take his own advice. Not everyone in town is ready to give him a glowing review.

As Annie attempts damage control, her friend Marian Kenyon gets in a heated argument with Griffith. It’s a fight Annie won’t soon forget—especially after the author turns up dead.

Despite an array of suspects to match Griffith’s cast of characters—and a promise to her husband, Max, to steer clear of sleuthing—Annie’s not about to let the police throw the book at her friend when the real killer remains at large…

MY REVIEW

Before I start my review, I have good news for all the Death On Demand fans. This was supposed to be the last book in the series, but author Carolyn Hart has decided to continue! She said the characters just wouldn’t stay quiet. Thank you Annie and Max for whispering into your author’s ear! :-)

Once again Carolyn Hart has outdone herself. She pulled out all the stops with DON’T GO HOME. It’s no wonder she has won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards, along with an Amelia Award. When it comes to good ole traditional, edge of your seat mysteries, this story tops the list.

When I started reading this story, I was just going to read a few chapters than get some work done. I read the entire book without too many breaks. I just didn’t want to put it down until I knew who the killer was. The ending of the book, the reveal, was straight out of a Christie novel! I half expected Miss Marple to walk in and point her finger at the killer.

Once you’ve read DON’T GO HOME, you’ll understand why Carolyn Hart has been called America’s Agatha Christie. It’s a title very well earned.

Here’s to book twenty-six!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A FATAL CHAPTER

Book 9 in the Booktown Mysteries

by Lorna Barrett

New York Times bestselling author Lorna Barrett presents another page-turning chapter in her Booktown Mystery series as mystery bookshop owner Tricia Miles finds out that murder is no walk in the park…

While out walking Sarge, her sister’s bichon frise, bookshop owner Tricia Miles is led by the agitated dog to a man lying in a gazebo. She’s startled when she recognizes Pete Renquist, the president of the Stoneham Historical Society, who appears to be suffering from cardiac arrest. When Pete later dies at the hospital, the discovery of a suspicious bruise and a puncture mark on his arm suggests he may have been murdered.

Haunted by Pete’s enigmatic last words to her, Tricia begins to consider who had a motive to kill her friend. Did Pete take his flirting too far, only to have a jealous husband teach him a lesson? Or did he discover something in the town’s historical records that his killer wanted kept secret? Tricia is determined to get to the bottom of things before someone else becomes history…

MY REVIEW

I have followed the Booktown Mysteries since the very first book. (Being a reviewer, I sometimes start well into the middle of a series). In my recent review of book 8, BOOK CLUBBED, I declared it to be the best in the Booktown series. It was best. That was before A FATAL CHAPTER blew it out of the water!

The action started almost immediately and only slowed long enough for me to catch a breath before it was back to the edge of my recliner seat reading.

After nine books, the characters in this series feel like old friends, and some them old enemies. ;-). In A FATAL CHAPTER author Lorna Barrett really took all of them and me on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Without giving spoilers let me just say…things have changed for many of the regular characters. Big things. When reading the exciting, action packed reveal, my mouth was literally handing open.

Fans of this series are truly in for a great read!

And remember to keeping reading once the story is done so you don’t miss out on the six delicious recipes at the back of the book!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A FINELY KNIT MURDER

Book 9 in the Seaside Knitters Mysteries

by Sally Goldenbaum

Readers can't help but get entangled in this USA Today bestselling series.In the newest mystery from the national bestselling author of Murder in Merino, the sleuthing skills of Izzy Chambers Perry and the Seaside Knitters are tested as death mars the beginning of the school year…

Seaside Knitter Birdie Favazza is thrilled that her granddaughter Gabby will be visiting for the fall and attending the Sea Harbor Community Day School. Gabby loves the school, with its newly-adopted progressive curriculum, and she loves that the Seaside Knitters are teaching knitting as part of the enrichment program. It’s a huge success, and on crisp autumn days, girls camp out on the terraces, knitting up hats for charity.

But not everyone is happy with the direction the school is taking. Outspoken board member Blythe Westerland has sparked tempers with her determination to unravel the current administration. Then, on the evening of an elegant school event, Blythe’s body is found near the school boathouse.

With a killer on the loose, Birdie is determined to keep Gabby safe. Working together, the Seaside Knitters carefully unravel the layers of Blythe’s complicated life, bringing faculty members and town residents under scrutiny. Before the cast-off rows are made on the students’ projects, the knitters will need to stitch together the evidence to see if a murderer has been walking beside them all along.

MY REVIEW

After reading MURDER IN MERINO (book 8), the members of the Seaside Knitters are now one of my favorite groups of characters to read. I have no idea how to knit, but I would enjoy just sitting with them and talking. Author Sally Goldenbaum has done a magnificent job in the creation of the diverse group.

The descriptions in the story (I dare to guess, the entire series) are so fantastic, I could feel the sea breeze and smell the aromas from the restaurants and cafes.

Ms Goldenbaum also continues to pen a story with remarkable mystery and intrigue. This is only my second book by this author, but comparing this book and to the one before, her writing just continues to evolve.

I really enjoyed the fact that the murder in A FINELY KNIT MURDER came later in the story, as it did in book 8. I like the buildup and getting to know the person, good or bad, that gets killed. Spending time with them makes the death more real for me. I look forward to reading books 1-7 to see if this is how the author always writes it.

As always, check out the end of the book for a knitting pattern and a mouthwatering recipe!

If you haven’t read this series, I would encourage you to give it a try. And don’t worry, you don’t have to know how to knit to enjoy.