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miad3's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
3.0
A Book Club to Die For by Dorothy St. James is the third A Beloved Bookroom Mystery. For those new to the series, the book can be read as a standalone. A Book Club to Die For is easy to read and it has steady pacing. There is an interesting cast of characters (they would fit right into any small Southern town). I do not blame Tru for trying to save the library’s books and opening a secret library (any booklover in her position would do the same). Tru is having a hard time, though, keeping the secret library a secret. I cannot imagine a library without physical books. I just love Tru’s cat, Dewey (who could resist that cute face). The mystery is amusing. Tru is asked to speak at the elite Arete Society (a fancy book club). When the president of the group ends up dead before the meeting begins, the police zero in on the hostess of the event. Unfortunately, the hostess is Hazel Bailey who happens to be Jace’s mother (and Tru is dating Jace). Jace is not allowed to investigate. Tru dons her detective cap and sets out to expose the killer. Tru asks questions and soon learns that here are plenty of people who wished the victim dead. There is misdirection to keep readers off the trail of the true killer. I wish the solution had been more challenging. It can be deduced soon after the murder (before if you are an avid mystery reader). Everything comes together for Tru, and she sets out to capture the killer. When Tru is not busy working or trying to clear Jace’s mother, she is on the hunt for her father. He has disappeared and no one seems to know where he is located. Tru must also keep the basement library a secret from Mrs. Farnsworth, her boss (and the fact that Tru brings Dewey to work with her each day). A Book Club to Die For is told in the first person which leaves us privy to all of Tru’s thoughts. She tends to ramble. There are repetitive details (I lost track of how many times we are told that Flossie is dying to become a member of the Arete Society). I am baffled as to why Hazel would serve tuna noodle casserole at what is supposed to a classy event. There is humor scattered throughout. I especially found the Tech Bros latest creation hilarious (there is one scene involving yellow dust that cracked me up). A Book Club to Die For is an upbeat tale with a bag of books, a dead diva, a metal menace, a clever cat, a caffeine conundrum, a missing man, and a casserole killer.
natmenard's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
katreader's review
5.0
A BOOK CLUB TO DIE FOR by Dorothy St. James
The Third Beloved Bookroom Mystery
Invited to speak at the exclusive Arete Society Book Club, librarian Trudell Becket knows the night will be a disaster, she just doesn't know how bad it will actually turn out to be. When she agreed to speak to the women about how she's circumventing the no book policy of the town's all electric library, Tru forgot that her boss was a member of the group. The boss who doesn't have an inkling about the secret real book library Tru runs. The excitement of her friend, Flossie, and the rudeness of the book club president have Tru in a state, but the biggest shock comes when she finds the club's president dead in the kitchen. Now her boyfriend's mother is the prime suspect, she's having doubts about Flossie's innocence, her father is missing, and robots have invaded the library!
The idea of a library without books and a book club that censures you for reading unapproved books is an anathema to me. Fortunately, Tru is of the same mind as are many of the citizens of Cypress. I love how "good girl", rule follower Tru continues to break the rules to share the joy of reading books, whatever the genre.
In the third Beloved Bookroom mystery we see elitism and literary snobbishness as well as cliques and the desire to belong. Duplicitous behavior makes for a confounding mystery that had me captivated. Subtle clues, and not so subtle ones, provide readers with many aha moments...which in one case led me to think I had it solved...and I did solve something, just not the main thing. Doubts about loved ones amp the anxiety while help from unexpected places eases the tension.
A BOOK CLUB TO DIE FOR is a delightful mystery that captures both the humor and pathos of technology and book clubs. The story and characters engaged me from the start and never let go. I absolutely love this series and can't wait to see what happens next!
The Third Beloved Bookroom Mystery
Invited to speak at the exclusive Arete Society Book Club, librarian Trudell Becket knows the night will be a disaster, she just doesn't know how bad it will actually turn out to be. When she agreed to speak to the women about how she's circumventing the no book policy of the town's all electric library, Tru forgot that her boss was a member of the group. The boss who doesn't have an inkling about the secret real book library Tru runs. The excitement of her friend, Flossie, and the rudeness of the book club president have Tru in a state, but the biggest shock comes when she finds the club's president dead in the kitchen. Now her boyfriend's mother is the prime suspect, she's having doubts about Flossie's innocence, her father is missing, and robots have invaded the library!
The idea of a library without books and a book club that censures you for reading unapproved books is an anathema to me. Fortunately, Tru is of the same mind as are many of the citizens of Cypress. I love how "good girl", rule follower Tru continues to break the rules to share the joy of reading books, whatever the genre.
In the third Beloved Bookroom mystery we see elitism and literary snobbishness as well as cliques and the desire to belong. Duplicitous behavior makes for a confounding mystery that had me captivated. Subtle clues, and not so subtle ones, provide readers with many aha moments...which in one case led me to think I had it solved...and I did solve something, just not the main thing. Doubts about loved ones amp the anxiety while help from unexpected places eases the tension.
A BOOK CLUB TO DIE FOR is a delightful mystery that captures both the humor and pathos of technology and book clubs. The story and characters engaged me from the start and never let go. I absolutely love this series and can't wait to see what happens next!
stephanien's review
3.0
A Book Club to Die For reminds me a bit of a cozy locked room mystery as we have a woman who is killed in a kitchen, with a variety of suspects and clues available to pursue if you know where to look. All of the regular characters are present in the book, and while I do find some of them particularly annoying, including Tru herself, the overall mystery was engaging and I always enjoy a mystery that features a book at its core.
First of all, the main characters True and Jace, while I do like them, are kind of wimpy in my estimation. Tru is controlled by her mother while Jace is controlled by his relationship with Tru and some of her behaviours, something that always rubs me the wrong way. And to keep blaming everything on Southern manners and traditions drives me bonkers. Tru is a grown-ass woman who can decisions for herself and to have her mother constantly nagging at her about what she eats, what she buys at the grocery store, and threatening to come to her house and clean out all her food is annoying. And to have to hide food in your own house from your mother? Maybe I don't understand southern thinking, but really? And Jace. To threaten someone's position on a force because of your relationship? I did think the other characters were interesting and really enjoyed the relationship Tru has with her best friend.
I did find the mystery to be interesting as there are book snobs to be found all over the world, and I love how the author includes that in her mystery. To have the mystery focused around an elite book club was fun, and I definitely enjoyed the irony and sarcasm around the comments in the book about people's reading preferences and styles and what they should be reading. And I liked how in a small town, such a book club could be incorporated into social status and be used to further one's career prospects. Philosophical clubs were used this way in the past (elite men's clubs), so it's not surprising to see them used this way in today's society, and the pressure to conform would be enormous.
The plot moved along rather quickly, and the pacing was even. Because of the nature of the murder, Jace was not allowed to investigate, so Tru got involved simply because she was there when it happened and people like to talk to her. The flow of conversations felt natural and Tru doesn't do stupid things like in other books or hinder the police in any way. I did find the solution to the mystery to be a bit bland, and wished it had been more complicated than it was so I felt a bit let down. The book does suffer from repetition, especially concerning the hidden library, something I still find a little silly, but I do love that cat. I think the discussions surrounding the use of technology versus the use of physical books to be quite fascinating, but the hidden library thing needs to be better developed. Anyone with an eye could figure out what was going on with that. And I'm still wondering if I should be upset at who died as she was a miserable piece of work. For the life of me, I just could have garner an ounce of sympathy.
Verdict
A Book Club to Die For is a light, cozy read that was fairly predictable and did have a tendency to ramble on at times, especially when it came to that secret library. The characters were typical, no one actually stood out, although I think Flossie's job needs to be explored more as that kind of rankled, and the mystery was light, fun, but so, so easy to figure out. If you are looking for a light, fun read, then this is definitely for you.
fairywyvern's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
This was my first Dorothy St. James book and I am very happy to have been sent a copy by her. This book was very well written and had a rich mystery that kept me guessing until the end. The characters were very well developed. I had no trouble remembering them as I read the story. I usually get lost if there are too many. This was a mystery with a couple of simple questions added in for a little spice. It kept you wondering what was related and what wasn’t. I will definitely be putting this author on my buy list. This book has cozy vibes with a sweet cat that makes the story.
sdevine's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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
3.75
shamrox's review
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0