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dontmissythesereads's review against another edition
3.0
Book #48 read in 2011
This was a quick, if uninteresting, read.
This was a quick, if uninteresting, read.
domkatino's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
booksuperpower's review against another edition
4.0
Mary and Carol Higgins Clark do it again! Alvirah and the gang are back in this funny and heartwarming Christmas mystery.
"Packy " Noonan, a con man that swindled Alvirah and Wally's friend Opal out of her lottery winnings, has been released from prison. Packy has hidden a stash of diamonds in a tree chosen to grace the Rockefeller Center this year. Now Packy has to hurry to get to his tree before it gets taken to New York.
It just so happens that Alvirah and the gang are headed to Vermont on a little vacation. Naturally, they find themselves involved in this wacky caper.
Packy and his two hapless cohorts were hilarious. They couldn't do anything right. There are some really funny moments reading about these inept criminals.
The history of the tree was a sweet heartwarming story.
A light Christmas "cozy " mystery suitable for everyone. I give it an A.
"Packy " Noonan, a con man that swindled Alvirah and Wally's friend Opal out of her lottery winnings, has been released from prison. Packy has hidden a stash of diamonds in a tree chosen to grace the Rockefeller Center this year. Now Packy has to hurry to get to his tree before it gets taken to New York.
It just so happens that Alvirah and the gang are headed to Vermont on a little vacation. Naturally, they find themselves involved in this wacky caper.
Packy and his two hapless cohorts were hilarious. They couldn't do anything right. There are some really funny moments reading about these inept criminals.
The history of the tree was a sweet heartwarming story.
A light Christmas "cozy " mystery suitable for everyone. I give it an A.
andreaguess's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a fun and sweet read. I was looking for something Christmas themed. It fit the bill and I would recommend it. Nothing complicated about it just a simple little read for Christmas time.
cerim's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this 3 stories in one Christmas feast.
All of the stories were quite predictable, and were the literary equivalent of a Hallmark Christmas film. There were a lot of coincidences, many conveniences and a lot of the plot points were very contrived.
However, they felt like a big mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream and I very much enjoyed them.
One thing that really irritated me was the amount of errors and typos in the last story - I refuse to believe this book has been through any sort of editing as the sheer amount of typos was ridiculous.
All of the stories were quite predictable, and were the literary equivalent of a Hallmark Christmas film. There were a lot of coincidences, many conveniences and a lot of the plot points were very contrived.
However, they felt like a big mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream and I very much enjoyed them.
One thing that really irritated me was the amount of errors and typos in the last story - I refuse to believe this book has been through any sort of editing as the sheer amount of typos was ridiculous.
jacq03's review against another edition
3.0
I thought the concept was unusual and kind of fun, but it all felt sort of rushed (15 pages from the end I was wondering how it was going to wrap up so suddenly) and the leads that led to the mystery being solved were so improbable.
I was really distracted by the way there would be a character referenced in third person but thinking in first person for pages rather than just keeping it all in third person. It was too much.
Also, typo on the last page! :/
I was really distracted by the way there would be a character referenced in third person but thinking in first person for pages rather than just keeping it all in third person. It was too much.
Also, typo on the last page! :/
skullfullofbooks's review against another edition
2.0
It is really hard to like characters who have won the lottery and are complaining about normal life problems. I didn't connect with any of them at all. Characterization was lacking, with no real differentiation between personalities. The biggest difference was that Opal found every way to complain about losing her money as fast as she won it.
I'm also confused as to who we should be siding with here. We get a good look at the antagonist but he is made so likeable that it doesn't seem right. The protagonists were annoying and shallow.
Finally I still don't get the reason why they had to cut the tree down. It might have made more sense to check the tree first and none of this would have happened.
I'm also confused as to who we should be siding with here. We get a good look at the antagonist but he is made so likeable that it doesn't seem right. The protagonists were annoying and shallow.
Finally I still don't get the reason why they had to cut the tree down. It might have made more sense to check the tree first and none of this would have happened.
miren's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
fmoreno's review against another edition
2.0
2,5 stars
The book could have been a lot better, honestly. There was no real mystery involved, there wasn't any thrill derived from unraveling secrets so the story fell short for me but it had its moments.
The book could have been a lot better, honestly. There was no real mystery involved, there wasn't any thrill derived from unraveling secrets so the story fell short for me but it had its moments.
suerreal's review against another edition
2.0
Can't say I really cared for this one. The regulars were all too predictable and none of the new characters were the least bit sympathetic.