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wildflowerz76's review
3.0
I'm not sure if my problem might be my expectation. I heard this described as a cozy mystery. And while it did occur in a small town, with a few slightly quirky characters, and a female MC, it just didn't FEEL cozy to me.
It took me a bit to warm up to this one. I felt like there should have been some kind of explanation about why the MC can see her ghost friend. I felt like we were also missed an explanation on why she was such a germophobe. I did admire her strength in turning down Michael. And I also feel like we're missing a lot with Nate. Maybe in future books?
Also, I hate when the title doesn't mean anything. I get that these all have Lowcountry in the title and what that means and that's fine. But the title isn't literal at all and there is no lowcountry boil. I suppose it could be figurative, but it's not really clever enough to be evident if it is.
It took me a bit to warm up to this one. I felt like there should have been some kind of explanation about why the MC can see her ghost friend. I felt like we were also missed an explanation on why she was such a germophobe. I did admire her strength in turning down Michael. And I also feel like we're missing a lot with Nate. Maybe in future books?
Also, I hate when the title doesn't mean anything. I get that these all have Lowcountry in the title and what that means and that's fine. But the title isn't literal at all and there is no lowcountry boil. I suppose it could be figurative, but it's not really clever enough to be evident if it is.
asroka's review
4.0
I really liked the characterization of Liz and Colleen. I had to take a break from the book for a while, somewhere near the middle, but was glad to pick it up and get back into the story. I'm actually pro-Liz and Michael, but I'm certain the way it's written she'll end up with Nate. It's whatever. I still planning on reading book 2 some time in the future, when I have more time.
shallowgal00's review against another edition
3.0
interesting location - premise was a little shaky - a ghost helping a private eye? first in the series.
setaian's review
4.0
After her grandma is murdered, Liz returns to the island off the coast of South Carolina where she grew up. Then at the reading of the will she discovers that her grandma left the house and a considerable parcel of land to her. She quickly discovers that some shysters have there eye on the island for a 5 star resort and they will do everything from blackmail to murder to get the deal through.
Cosy mysteries aren't rocket science. They tend to be formulaic and the same archetypes and tropes reappear again and again. Honestly there isn't a whole lot of difference between the best and the worst and great writers can and often do write terrible cosy mysteries.
Not this one. This book is pretty damned awesome. It's entertaining and even following all the rules, throwing in all the tropes and archetypes Susan M. Boyer still manages to write a book that is entertaining and engaging. I do have a couple of problems with the book however. It's a little like Spiderman 3. There are way too many villains and the villains are hyper-evil....almost cartoonish in their villainy.
But it's testament to how much I enjoyed the book that even with that I'm still going to rate it 4 Stars.
Cosy mysteries aren't rocket science. They tend to be formulaic and the same archetypes and tropes reappear again and again. Honestly there isn't a whole lot of difference between the best and the worst and great writers can and often do write terrible cosy mysteries.
Not this one. This book is pretty damned awesome. It's entertaining and even following all the rules, throwing in all the tropes and archetypes Susan M. Boyer still manages to write a book that is entertaining and engaging. I do have a couple of problems with the book however. It's a little like Spiderman 3. There are way too many villains and the villains are hyper-evil....almost cartoonish in their villainy.
But it's testament to how much I enjoyed the book that even with that I'm still going to rate it 4 Stars.
blacksentai's review
2.0
This one didn't really do it for me. All the parts of the south it like to romanticize are the parts I could totally do without. Just the tone of the book ddin't work for me at all.
bougainvillea's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this, but the ghost was kind of unnecessary.
quietjenn's review against another edition
2.0
Disappointing. Downloaded this after it want the Agatha for first novel and figured there'd be no better time to read it then whilst vacationing fairly near where the book was set. But, eh.
kimberlykaye23's review against another edition
5.0
Loved Liz Talbot and this book. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
suvata's review against another edition
3.0
This book reminded me of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. But Liz Talbot lives in South Carolina rather than New Jersey. Her sidekick is a ghost which gives the story an interesting twist.
When the story begins Liz hears of her grandmother's death. She travels to her home town for the funeral and learns that her grandmother has left Liz her house. She also discovers that her grandmother's death was no accident. She was murdered. She moves into her grandmother's house permanently and commences investigating the murder. She gets entangled in a local politics and family dramas.
It is an entertaining little story but I don't think I'll be reading the rest of the series. Not because I didn't like the characters, but because I kind of got burned out on these little serial adventures after reading so many of them.
If you like these types of books, you definitely will enjoy this one with its rich characters and compelling storylines full of Southern charm.
When the story begins Liz hears of her grandmother's death. She travels to her home town for the funeral and learns that her grandmother has left Liz her house. She also discovers that her grandmother's death was no accident. She was murdered. She moves into her grandmother's house permanently and commences investigating the murder. She gets entangled in a local politics and family dramas.
It is an entertaining little story but I don't think I'll be reading the rest of the series. Not because I didn't like the characters, but because I kind of got burned out on these little serial adventures after reading so many of them.
If you like these types of books, you definitely will enjoy this one with its rich characters and compelling storylines full of Southern charm.
verityw's review
3.0
I bought this after reading and enjoying the latest book in the series and wanting to see more from the characters. So being a good girl I skipped back to the beginning of Liz's adventures. And this was a lot of fun. The plot is good and it does a good job of establishing the island and the large cast of characters. It was interesting to see some characters that I hadn't come across in the later series - but I'll admit that this did make it easier for me to work out who the culprits were! Liz in this book is still a fair away away from the Liz of book 4 and I'll be looking out for more in this series (at a competitive price) so that I can fill in some of the gaps.