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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
True crime club solves a murder, fun but not a reread
I liked this, although the main character did not do much detective-work, tbh. More like, was in the wrong place at the right time.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Well written (all of Charlaine Harris’ books are) but a little on the slow side. Overall I did enjoy the story and will try the next in the series.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this book, the mystery was good, i didn't guess who the murderer was and that always makes for a better read for me as i love to be surprised.
My main problem with the book was just the lack of character development. My copy of this book was just over 200 pages and i really felt like the characters, particularly the protagonist Aurora Teagarden, could have been fleshed out further without making the book overly big. I feel like i don't know very much about Aurora or her motivations. Having said that i assume that Aurora's character will becomes further fleshed out as the series progresses.
Definitely going to check out the rest of the books in this series.
I enjoyed this book, the mystery was good, i didn't guess who the murderer was and that always makes for a better read for me as i love to be surprised.
My main problem with the book was just the lack of character development. My copy of this book was just over 200 pages and i really felt like the characters, particularly the protagonist Aurora Teagarden, could have been fleshed out further without making the book overly big. I feel like i don't know very much about Aurora or her motivations. Having said that i assume that Aurora's character will becomes further fleshed out as the series progresses.
Definitely going to check out the rest of the books in this series.
I gobbled up over half the Aurora Teagarden series last week b/c I was intrigued by the idea of the "Real Murders Club" in this particular book.
While I enjoyed this book and its sequels, there were a few things that bothered or puzzled me, most of which I believe to be a direct result of the series having been begun in the late 1980s in the Deep South.
1) There's a moment where Aurora looks at two characters who are known to be dating each other and is somehow like surprised or shocked to realize that they're Having Sex. These characters are unmarried independent adults in their late 20s and everyone knows they're soon to be engaged. Yet repeatedly people allude to or are surprised by the fact that one person's car was at the other person's house! OMG! Sex! Between consenting adults in a relationship! (I was utterly baffled by this. Is it a function of the novel being set in a small town? In the South? In 1988 or so? I mean, have things *really* changed THAT much?)
2) Throughout the series, race is ... weird. I have never read any other Charlaine Harris novels, so I have no idea if this is usual for her or if it reflects the attitudes of small-town Georgia in the late 80s/early 90s, or if I'm just missing something, but every. single. character. who is black is *immediately* and *repeatedly* described as black. It's never "so-and-so, who worked with my mother." It's always "So-and-so, who was the black realtor in my mother's office." On the one hand, Harris isn't pretending that her characters don't notice race, or that racism isn't still a real, pervasive problem. (In one novel, said lone black realtor is suspected of a crime largely because he is black.) Yet at the same time, there are no main characters of color at all. Every black character (and as of yet, I can't recall any non-white characters who are not black) is very much Other. In that sense, the books (and I'm speaking of the series, as far as I've read it) seem to me to contribute to issues of racial division. But, again, I readily acknowledge that this book is set in a time and place that I don't have access to.
3) This isn't relevant to this particular book, but rather to several of the later sequels....but speaking of weirdness, the storyline surrounding Aurora's husband (she does eventually acquire one) is weird beyond the telling of it.
While I enjoyed this book and its sequels, there were a few things that bothered or puzzled me, most of which I believe to be a direct result of the series having been begun in the late 1980s in the Deep South.
1) There's a moment where Aurora looks at two characters who are known to be dating each other and is somehow like surprised or shocked to realize that they're Having Sex. These characters are unmarried independent adults in their late 20s and everyone knows they're soon to be engaged. Yet repeatedly people allude to or are surprised by the fact that one person's car was at the other person's house! OMG! Sex! Between consenting adults in a relationship! (I was utterly baffled by this. Is it a function of the novel being set in a small town? In the South? In 1988 or so? I mean, have things *really* changed THAT much?)
2) Throughout the series, race is ... weird. I have never read any other Charlaine Harris novels, so I have no idea if this is usual for her or if it reflects the attitudes of small-town Georgia in the late 80s/early 90s, or if I'm just missing something, but every. single. character. who is black is *immediately* and *repeatedly* described as black. It's never "so-and-so, who worked with my mother." It's always "So-and-so, who was the black realtor in my mother's office." On the one hand, Harris isn't pretending that her characters don't notice race, or that racism isn't still a real, pervasive problem. (In one novel, said lone black realtor is suspected of a crime largely because he is black.) Yet at the same time, there are no main characters of color at all. Every black character (and as of yet, I can't recall any non-white characters who are not black) is very much Other. In that sense, the books (and I'm speaking of the series, as far as I've read it) seem to me to contribute to issues of racial division. But, again, I readily acknowledge that this book is set in a time and place that I don't have access to.
3) This isn't relevant to this particular book, but rather to several of the later sequels....but speaking of weirdness, the storyline surrounding Aurora's husband (she does eventually acquire one) is weird beyond the telling of it.
...OK...
The action and story were interesting and engaging, with enough twists to keeping the reader guessing. Sadly, I found the main character, Roe, annoying and unsympathetic.
The action and story were interesting and engaging, with enough twists to keeping the reader guessing. Sadly, I found the main character, Roe, annoying and unsympathetic.
Audio
These people from a small town/wealthy suburb have a real murders club where they make presentations about famous murders. Guess what happens?
It's been more than a month since I finished this, and all I can remember is that it was not good. Maybe not totally terrible either because the murder mystery genre is hard to mess up that bad, but still, a no from me.
The main problem is the poor writing.
The first thing that annoyed me was the sterile setting. I had no idea where or when the book was set aside from generic "small town for vaguely rich white people" vibes. Maybe it's that the book was first published in 1990, but it seemed sort of unimaginative and bland.
The second thing was the pure cringe of Aurora Teagarden herself. Her friend gets brutally murdered. But don't worry, this will not have a negative impact on the TWO love interests she decides to pursue. No human tragedy will stop her from trying to decide which bland middle aged dude is right for her.
Finally, the plot itself was sort of random. But will probably be acceptable for most people.
But on the plus side, it's not too long! 6 or so hours later, and you'll be done.
These people from a small town/wealthy suburb have a real murders club where they make presentations about famous murders. Guess what happens?
It's been more than a month since I finished this, and all I can remember is that it was not good. Maybe not totally terrible either because the murder mystery genre is hard to mess up that bad, but still, a no from me.
The main problem is the poor writing.
The first thing that annoyed me was the sterile setting. I had no idea where or when the book was set aside from generic "small town for vaguely rich white people" vibes. Maybe it's that the book was first published in 1990, but it seemed sort of unimaginative and bland.
The second thing was the pure cringe of Aurora Teagarden herself. Her friend gets brutally murdered. But don't worry, this will not have a negative impact on the TWO love interests she decides to pursue. No human tragedy will stop her from trying to decide which bland middle aged dude is right for her.
Finally, the plot itself was sort of random. But will probably be acceptable for most people.
But on the plus side, it's not too long! 6 or so hours later, and you'll be done.
I think I'm just as hooked on the Aurora Teagarden series as I am with the Sookie Stackhouse series. Great summer reading! :)
Quick read. I liked the premise that the murder suspect group was small and very defined. But honestly it was pretty boring.