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Merissa (14013 KP) created a post
Nov 10, 2025
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated Cocaine Blues (Phryne Fisher, #1) in Books
Oct 5, 2020
After reading many reviews filled with praise for Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher mystery novels, I finally decided to give them a look. The idea of a 1920s amateur sleuth in Australia was certainly a draw. That the sleuth is a woman was also attractive, particularly since I always loved Miss Marple, as well as Christie's books staring the adorable duo of Tommy and Tuppence. The question is could Greenwood's debut of this series live up to the creative twists mixed with charm and elegance that made Christie so famous and beloved. Find out in my review of "Cocaine Blues" here.
https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2017/10/01/looking-for-the-next-agatha-christie/
https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2017/10/01/looking-for-the-next-agatha-christie/
Sue (5 KP) rated Hair of the Dog in Books
Aug 13, 2018
Winery owner and amateur sleuth Penny Lively is knee deep in another murder. There is trouble at the veterinarian’s office where Cousin Annie is being accused of murder. She is found standing over the body of her business partner and holding the murder weapon. It is not what it looks like so Penny is on the case to find the real murderer and clear Annie’s good name.
The book has a lot of great suspects to choose from; the grieving widow, the fired vet tech, an old friend that’s in love with the grieving widow, a flirty business rep, and a bookkeeper with memory problems. Just when you think you know who the murderer could be, another murder takes place. The characters are quirky and enjoyable, the pace of the book is good, and the plot/mystery has enough twists and turns.
This is the third book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone without much confusion.
The book has a lot of great suspects to choose from; the grieving widow, the fired vet tech, an old friend that’s in love with the grieving widow, a flirty business rep, and a bookkeeper with memory problems. Just when you think you know who the murderer could be, another murder takes place. The characters are quirky and enjoyable, the pace of the book is good, and the plot/mystery has enough twists and turns.
This is the third book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone without much confusion.
Vegas (725 KP) rated Murder, She Wrote in TV
Sep 10, 2018
Easy going (1 more)
Fun
Formulaic (1 more)
Occasional fetched plots
A TV classic
America's answer to Miss Marple...
In the little village of Cabot Cove, Maine lives retired school teacher, writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher, who uses her skills and annoying persistence to get to the bottom of the murders that follow her around - from Cabot Cove to the big cities she travels to and resides in from time to time.
She appears to know or get in the confidence of police chiefs, detectives and other high ranking officials worldwide who for some reason let her get involved in their investigations..
The easy going 'cozy' mysteries are a nice casual watch, that isn't too taxing on the brain, but they do follow a very set formula most of the time which can make them a little predictable.
Created by the duo of Levinson and Link who created classic television detective series such as Columbo, Ellery Queen and Scene of the Crime along with Peter S. Fischer...
In the little village of Cabot Cove, Maine lives retired school teacher, writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher, who uses her skills and annoying persistence to get to the bottom of the murders that follow her around - from Cabot Cove to the big cities she travels to and resides in from time to time.
She appears to know or get in the confidence of police chiefs, detectives and other high ranking officials worldwide who for some reason let her get involved in their investigations..
The easy going 'cozy' mysteries are a nice casual watch, that isn't too taxing on the brain, but they do follow a very set formula most of the time which can make them a little predictable.
Created by the duo of Levinson and Link who created classic television detective series such as Columbo, Ellery Queen and Scene of the Crime along with Peter S. Fischer...
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated A Dark and Stormy Murder (A Writer's Apprentice Mystery, #1) in Books
Feb 21, 2018
This cozy mystery is dedicated to Mary Stewart, and that should tell you something! A fan of gothic romantic suspense, the author has done a great job of incorporating the common elements of that genre into a cozy mystery.
I've always loved Mary Stewart, Phyllis Whitney, Victoria Holt, and similar authors, so I was very excited to hear about this cozy. I was not disappointed. There's the young heroine, living in an unfamiliar house, the "is he good or is he bad" guy, and the "he must be good but there's something we don't like about him" guy, and lots of other suspicious characters for us to distrust. All of these elements, combined with a modern mystery and a likable amateur sleuth, created a story I didn't want to put down.
This one also wrapped up a little differently than most cozies - the reader is left with a pretty good idea of what the characters will be doing at the beginning of the next book. I can't wait for it!
I've always loved Mary Stewart, Phyllis Whitney, Victoria Holt, and similar authors, so I was very excited to hear about this cozy. I was not disappointed. There's the young heroine, living in an unfamiliar house, the "is he good or is he bad" guy, and the "he must be good but there's something we don't like about him" guy, and lots of other suspicious characters for us to distrust. All of these elements, combined with a modern mystery and a likable amateur sleuth, created a story I didn't want to put down.
This one also wrapped up a little differently than most cozies - the reader is left with a pretty good idea of what the characters will be doing at the beginning of the next book. I can't wait for it!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2572 KP) rated Murder on the Marlow Belle in Books
May 15, 2026 (Updated May 15, 2026)
Murder is Dramatic
Verity Beresford seeks out Judith Potts when Verity’s husband, Oliver, never returned from the maiden voyage of the Marlow Belle. The boat had been rented by the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, which Oliver heads. But then Oliver’s body turns up, and Judith can’t help but wonder if Verity was trying to divert suspicion from herself by asking for help. Can Judith and her friends figure out what really happened?
While Judith is the main sleuth, Becks and Susie are still active and contribute a little toward the solution. Becks also gets a strong subplot, and I still laughed at the antics of all three characters. I wasn’t as big a fan at some of the comments that seem to be bashing men. The mystery kept me guessing with strong suspects, but I found the climax weaker than I would have liked. The plot gets Judith involved in the drama group’s latest play, which I enjoyed. And that ending makes me very glad the next in the series is due out in a couple of months. Fans will definitely be glad they picked this book up.
While Judith is the main sleuth, Becks and Susie are still active and contribute a little toward the solution. Becks also gets a strong subplot, and I still laughed at the antics of all three characters. I wasn’t as big a fan at some of the comments that seem to be bashing men. The mystery kept me guessing with strong suspects, but I found the climax weaker than I would have liked. The plot gets Judith involved in the drama group’s latest play, which I enjoyed. And that ending makes me very glad the next in the series is due out in a couple of months. Fans will definitely be glad they picked this book up.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2572 KP) rated The Rocky Road to Ruin in Books
Jul 28, 2021
Murder Served Ice Cold
Riley Rhodes has returned home to Penniman, Connecticut, for the funeral of her best friend’s mother. After the service, she sees that Caroline and her brother, Mike, are fighting over what to do with the property that the two of them were left, including Udderly Delicious, the ice cream shop where Riley worked as a teen. The next morning, Riley finds Mike dead. Knowing that Caroline will be a prime suspect, Riley tries to figure out what happened. Can she do it?
Riley has a fun background for an amateur sleuth – CIA librarian. And yet this is definitely still a cozy, and the warmth pulled me in right away. This book has a bit of a bittersweet vibe. We get the wonderful characters and setting we love in a cozy, but the beginning is appropriately somber. It really works well. The pacing was a little uneven in the middle, but the book had a strong beginning and ending that make up for it. I had a hard time putting the book down the closer I got to the climax. There is more than enough talk to ice cream to make you drool, and two recipes inspired by the more creative contributions are in the back of the book. Now’s the time to enjoy this debut. Me? I’ll be having a second helping of ice cream while I wait for the sequel.
Riley has a fun background for an amateur sleuth – CIA librarian. And yet this is definitely still a cozy, and the warmth pulled me in right away. This book has a bit of a bittersweet vibe. We get the wonderful characters and setting we love in a cozy, but the beginning is appropriately somber. It really works well. The pacing was a little uneven in the middle, but the book had a strong beginning and ending that make up for it. I had a hard time putting the book down the closer I got to the climax. There is more than enough talk to ice cream to make you drool, and two recipes inspired by the more creative contributions are in the back of the book. Now’s the time to enjoy this debut. Me? I’ll be having a second helping of ice cream while I wait for the sequel.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Sherlock, Jr. (1924) in Movies
Jan 28, 2021
I have seen and very much enjoyed the work of Buster Keaton in the past, most notably The General, which knocked me sideways by how inventive and genuinely funny it was. My main movie love for the silent era is Charlie Chaplin, and much like it is possible to like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones but only truly love one, Keaton will always be second best for me. But what a second best. Genius is an overused word, of course, but pioneer says it better anyway. The sheer volume of invention per minute is magnificent – from the technical editing techniques that were created just for this film, to the forms of visual comedy that broke the mould and raised the bar in every scene.
Most memorable is the cinema scene where Keaton’s love sick amateur sleuth tries to hide by actually entering the screen – a trick paid homage to in many movies since, including Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo. It is astonishing to think he not only thought of doing this in 1924, but also pulled it off with jaw-dropping special effects for the time. It’s also really funny. You don’t have to force a laugh because you feel you should, it is still clever and amusing almost 100 years later. In fact, the entire 46 minute print still looks so good it is hard to believe it is that old in any way. Surely one of a handful of half length films from the period that will always be watched for what they are and not just museum pieces.
Most memorable is the cinema scene where Keaton’s love sick amateur sleuth tries to hide by actually entering the screen – a trick paid homage to in many movies since, including Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo. It is astonishing to think he not only thought of doing this in 1924, but also pulled it off with jaw-dropping special effects for the time. It’s also really funny. You don’t have to force a laugh because you feel you should, it is still clever and amusing almost 100 years later. In fact, the entire 46 minute print still looks so good it is hard to believe it is that old in any way. Surely one of a handful of half length films from the period that will always be watched for what they are and not just museum pieces.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
May 20, 2022
Janine O (2 KP) rated The Perfect Husband in Books
Oct 23, 2017
The Research (1 more)
The Characters
The Perfect Husband is a perfect novel
I have an admission to make. I am a true crime buff.
I love reading about unsolved mysteries, solved mysteries and everything between. I read books, listen to podcasts, and belong to several amateur sleuth blogs. Yes. I even belong to the Hunt A Killer curated box mystery. There. I've admitted it.
In the world of true crime my biggest passion is serial killers. Cliche, perhaps, but it's true.
I, like many, always asked myself about the family that surrounds serial killers; both before and after they are caught. Most importantly, what about the wives of serial killers? Lisa Gardner attempts to answer this question.
The thing I love most about Lisa Gardner's work is that she takes the time and effort to research before she even puts words to page. It is clear by the lingo that she uses and the characters that she builds that Gardner talked to actual law enforcement officials, and really listens to what they do.
The main character is the abused and traumatized wife of a sadistic serial killer. She is attempting to learn to protect herself and in so doing turns tot he meanest mercenary that she can find to teach her. She wants to learn to fight and shoot so that she can handle the man that law enforcement lost, the husband who is obsessed with killing her.
I absolutely adored this book, and immediately went out and bought three more of her novels.
The main female character is suffering from battered woman's syndrome. She is trying her best to cast off the mental and physical abuse she suffered at the hands of her narcissistic and criminal spouse.
The mercenary she turns to...has issues. He is, in his own way, as broken and screwed up as our heroine. But, through her, he begins to give a damn again.
The killer, our heroine's former husband, is so fantastically well done that it is almost too easy to picture him on the front page of a newspaper, or scattered across social media blogs.
It's fantastic. I recommend this to anyone who likes female protagonists, serial killers, or thrillers.
I love reading about unsolved mysteries, solved mysteries and everything between. I read books, listen to podcasts, and belong to several amateur sleuth blogs. Yes. I even belong to the Hunt A Killer curated box mystery. There. I've admitted it.
In the world of true crime my biggest passion is serial killers. Cliche, perhaps, but it's true.
I, like many, always asked myself about the family that surrounds serial killers; both before and after they are caught. Most importantly, what about the wives of serial killers? Lisa Gardner attempts to answer this question.
The thing I love most about Lisa Gardner's work is that she takes the time and effort to research before she even puts words to page. It is clear by the lingo that she uses and the characters that she builds that Gardner talked to actual law enforcement officials, and really listens to what they do.
The main character is the abused and traumatized wife of a sadistic serial killer. She is attempting to learn to protect herself and in so doing turns tot he meanest mercenary that she can find to teach her. She wants to learn to fight and shoot so that she can handle the man that law enforcement lost, the husband who is obsessed with killing her.
I absolutely adored this book, and immediately went out and bought three more of her novels.
The main female character is suffering from battered woman's syndrome. She is trying her best to cast off the mental and physical abuse she suffered at the hands of her narcissistic and criminal spouse.
The mercenary she turns to...has issues. He is, in his own way, as broken and screwed up as our heroine. But, through her, he begins to give a damn again.
The killer, our heroine's former husband, is so fantastically well done that it is almost too easy to picture him on the front page of a newspaper, or scattered across social media blogs.
It's fantastic. I recommend this to anyone who likes female protagonists, serial killers, or thrillers.