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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A quick cozy mystery - enjoyed this fun read and engaging characters.
Aurora Teagarden is a librarian in a small town in Georgia. She and other true crime afficionados have created a Real Murder club where they meet and discuss real historic murders like Lizzie Borden, re-evaluating the evidence, etc. As the book opens, Aurora is on her way to the VFW for the current meeting, where she will be presenting the Julia Wallace Murder for discussion. Unfortunately, an actual murder happened at the VFW and is staged to mirror that of Julia Wallace and to be found just as the Real Murder Group is gathering. Aurora and her fellow group members are embroiled in the case, as well as a rapid series of murders all reflecting famous murders.
This is the first in a mystery series written by Charlaine Harris that predates her Sookie Stackhouse series, having been published in 1990. This series has also been made into a Hallmark Mystery Movie series staring Candace Cameron Bure and that fact made reading this a little tricky -- as I don't like the series, and Bure is nothing like the Aurora portrayed in the book IMHO. I did get past this finally, in part because I had no idea whodunit, only getting a glimmering just before the end. That's a major plus in a cozy as I do tend to solve them by about chapter 3 or 4.
Will I read more of this series? Not so sure. I did not find any of the characters all that engaging, but I did enjoy the murder mystery. I rather enjoyed also being back at a time where no one had a mobile phone, the internet wasn't at everyone's fingertips, and things were typed on typewriters that police actually are able to trace and use as evidence.
This is the first in a mystery series written by Charlaine Harris that predates her Sookie Stackhouse series, having been published in 1990. This series has also been made into a Hallmark Mystery Movie series staring Candace Cameron Bure and that fact made reading this a little tricky -- as I don't like the series, and Bure is nothing like the Aurora portrayed in the book IMHO. I did get past this finally, in part because I had no idea whodunit, only getting a glimmering just before the end. That's a major plus in a cozy as I do tend to solve them by about chapter 3 or 4.
Will I read more of this series? Not so sure. I did not find any of the characters all that engaging, but I did enjoy the murder mystery. I rather enjoyed also being back at a time where no one had a mobile phone, the internet wasn't at everyone's fingertips, and things were typed on typewriters that police actually are able to trace and use as evidence.
Librarian Aurora "Roe" Teagarden is an active member of the Real Murders Club in her small town of Lawrenceton, Georgia. Roe has prepared for the nights meeting and can't wait to share with the group but the meeting goes awry when a body is discovered of one of the members. Her death is eerily similar to another infamous murder. With suspects a plenty, Roe finds herself tying to solve the case but will it be too late?
Fun read. I thought this was a good story, Roe was not what I was expecting though. She was a bit more plain then I expected. I thought the Murder Club was realistic especially with all the true crime shows out there. Would check out the next book.
Fun read. I thought this was a good story, Roe was not what I was expecting though. She was a bit more plain then I expected. I thought the Murder Club was realistic especially with all the true crime shows out there. Would check out the next book.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Quick, enjoyable read. The mystery surrounding the murders was really interesting and plenty of characters to suspect.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Interesting mystery, but strangely old-fashioned and prim (even for 1990!) main character. It was okay.
I didn't like this as much as I have her Sookie Stackhouse books - but this is the first in the seris, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and read the next one (which I already have!) and see how it goes.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A cozy little mystery - not very remarkable but an interesting mystery.
I enjoyed this one. It's very violent, but it was a good solid read with a lot of suspense. I wasn't as happy with the rest of the series, but this one was good.
This is one of those series that I turn to when I just want to read something fun. There are several series like that for me: the Sookie Stackhouse books (also by Charlaine Harris), the Stephanie Plum books, and the Booktown books. I wouldn't want to read more than one of these books in a row, but they're great for when I'm in the mood for some brain candy. This book is the first installment in the Aurora Teagarden series. I think I've read the second and third books, so it was nice to see where it all began. We meet Aurora (or "Roe"), who is a single, twenty-something small-town librarian. She also has an intense interest in true-life murder cases, and is even part of a club (aptly named "Real Murders") that focuses on studying such cases. Things start getting a little too real, though, when club members start showing up murdered. What's worse, other club members (those who are still among the living) are being framed for the murders. Roe almost becomes a victim when the murderer sends her and her mother a box of poisoned chocolates. Though she doesn't necessarily want to be a sleuth in this situation, her fear inspires her to do whatever she can to catch the criminal. And, of course, she succeeds - apprehending the unlikely murderers in a dramatic basement show-down. (as a side note, the fact that Bankston and Melanie were the murderers totally didn't make sense to me - there wasn't any other motive for them to go on a killing spree, other than pegging them as just plain psychotic. This seems like kind of a cop-out, because they both seemed perfectly normal, and you would expect at least a hint of menace in that kind of character.) ANYWAY. I still got plenty of enjoyment out of this book - I love the library-related details, and I think Roe is a really likable heroine. Now it's time to read some more literary stuff, but I'm sure I'll return to this series in the future.