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Tough Luxe
6.0
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She wanted to visit an old friend. The "friend" is in jail for murder. Can Samantha find new...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2206 KP) rated The Kill of It All in Books
Jan 18, 2024
Filming a Commercial is Killer
Madison Night has recently shot a commercial to drum up customers for her recently reopened business. But she regrets it when she gets talked into filming a public service commercial for the local police department. Madison is replacing an actress who wasn’t working out, but she doesn’t expect to find the woman dead behind the building where they are supposed to film. Suddenly, the crew are looking like suspects. Can Madison figure out who committed the crime?
I let a little more time than normal go between visits with Madison, but it was wonderful to be back in her presence. The story starts quickly and doesn’t let up, with several great surprises on the way to the logical climax. The characters, both returning and new, are as strong as always, and I enjoyed seeing Madison grow a bit more here. Fans of Doris Day movies will recognize the setup from one of them, but that movie wasn’t a murder mystery. There are plenty of great surprises along the way (and another couple of fun homages). Unfortunately, there are still a few things that I wish had been caught in an edit, but they are minor irritants. If you are looking for a fun mystery, be sure to pick up this series.
I let a little more time than normal go between visits with Madison, but it was wonderful to be back in her presence. The story starts quickly and doesn’t let up, with several great surprises on the way to the logical climax. The characters, both returning and new, are as strong as always, and I enjoyed seeing Madison grow a bit more here. Fans of Doris Day movies will recognize the setup from one of them, but that movie wasn’t a murder mystery. There are plenty of great surprises along the way (and another couple of fun homages). Unfortunately, there are still a few things that I wish had been caught in an edit, but they are minor irritants. If you are looking for a fun mystery, be sure to pick up this series.
Joe Julians (221 KP) rated Murder on the Orient Express (2017) in Movies
Jan 30, 2018
Solid performances (1 more)
Beautifully shot
An average movie with some great performances
Kenneth Brannagh steals the show on Murder on the Orient Express, which is all the more remarkable when you consider he's pulling double duty here being the star and the director. His rendition of the greatest detective of all time, Poirot, is note perfect and almost always performed with a degre of a nuance that keeps him feeling like a real and grounded individual. He's backed up by a strong supporting cast that all do their best with limited screen time to bring something special to a script that doesn't always give them the most to work with.
It's the script here that I feel is the largest problem. Being a murder mystery, it's integral that all the pieces slot together so that by the time the killer reveal comes along- it feels earned. It's here where the movie really stumbles. Being an adaptation, it doesn't have much wriggle room when it comes to who the killer is, but when the movie draws to a close and we learn who's responsible, it comes across as a quite a weak resolution. The story hadn't built up to a point where it all feels real and instead it comes across as a random resolution that doesn't hold up to scrutiny.
Still though, its an enjoyable watch. I would however be interested to hear what others who are already familiar with the story feel about it.
It's the script here that I feel is the largest problem. Being a murder mystery, it's integral that all the pieces slot together so that by the time the killer reveal comes along- it feels earned. It's here where the movie really stumbles. Being an adaptation, it doesn't have much wriggle room when it comes to who the killer is, but when the movie draws to a close and we learn who's responsible, it comes across as a quite a weak resolution. The story hadn't built up to a point where it all feels real and instead it comes across as a random resolution that doesn't hold up to scrutiny.
Still though, its an enjoyable watch. I would however be interested to hear what others who are already familiar with the story feel about it.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated Off the Books (Novel Idea, #5) in Books
Feb 21, 2018
In Off the Books, Lila is helping prepare for a bridal expo jointly presented by an event organizer and the literary agency she works for. The event no sooner gets started than Lila, already nicknamed the "murder magnet" by some in town, finds yet another corpse. This one turns out to have been murdered in a way suggestive of scenes from two of her agency's authors' books. With A Novel Idea's reputation at stake, Lila's boss decides that the staff of the agency need to band together to find out who the real murderer is.
An unusual method of murder and a plethora of suspects kept me guessing until the end, and Lila's personal life kept it interesting as well. I enjoyed getting to know the staff at A Novel Idea and Lila's family and friends, and can't wait to return to Inspiration Valley to learn more about them. I've already picked up book #1 in the series so that I can catch up.
I would highly recommend this one to all cozy mystery lovers, or to anyone who has ever thought about publishing a book (or is even a little bit curious about the process). I enjoyed the glimpses into Lila's professional life - enough to give you a taste of a literary agent's life but not bog down the story with too many details.
NOTE: I received a free copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
An unusual method of murder and a plethora of suspects kept me guessing until the end, and Lila's personal life kept it interesting as well. I enjoyed getting to know the staff at A Novel Idea and Lila's family and friends, and can't wait to return to Inspiration Valley to learn more about them. I've already picked up book #1 in the series so that I can catch up.
I would highly recommend this one to all cozy mystery lovers, or to anyone who has ever thought about publishing a book (or is even a little bit curious about the process). I enjoyed the glimpses into Lila's professional life - enough to give you a taste of a literary agent's life but not bog down the story with too many details.
NOTE: I received a free copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Allison Knapp (118 KP) rated Public Secrets in Books
Jan 22, 2019
Well written and complex characters (7 more)
Covers a broad range of social topics such as addiction, domestic violence, and homosexuality in a way which is both well written and accurate with the times
Strong character dynamics
Not nearly as cheesy as the romance novels of which she is known for writing
At times creepy or psychologically disturbing in a way which makes you care even more about the life of the main character
Strong ensemble cast
Great nostalgic look at music and cinema from the 60s up through the 90s
Excellent and unpredictable plot twists
Murder Mystery set in the world of the Music Industry
The illegitimate daughter of a young rock star witnesses the accidental murder of her baby brother when she is still very young, and due to a case of isolated amnesia, cannot identify the murderer. As she grows up under the public eye, amidst the tragedy and its effects on her family, struggling to let go of her nightmares of that fateful night while struggling to find her own identity aside from the shadow of her father and the legendary status of her family, she faces many struggles and challenges just to prove an identity of her own. Yet as she grows up into a mature young woman, she learns that there are some tragedies from her past which were worth suffering through if she were to finally help bring justice for her brother and their family.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Thursday Murder Club in Books
Sep 10, 2020
Well, that was a nice surprise! I usually stay clear of celebrity writers as, in my experience, they tend to be over rated and over hyped but I have to say that this book by Richard Osman was pretty good and had me engaged from start to finish.
The plot is multi-faceted with several murders both recent and historic but rather than this causing confusion, it all seems to flow smoothly and logically despite its complexity although you do have to keep your wits about you to keep up at times. The writing style is easy to read and flows well and although the main subject matter is murder, there are snippets of humour and more tender moments too.
The setting of a rather upscale retirement village is unique as are the main characters who are engaging, appealing and, at times, amusing. I really would like to get to know Elizabeth better - she is a very intriguing character and there are teasing morsels of her previous working life which are very interesting and I want to know more.
This book is what I would call a cosy-read that could be enjoyed by anyone and I would recommend it to those who enjoy a classic murder-mystery without the violence and graphic detail.
Thank you to Penguin General UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.
The plot is multi-faceted with several murders both recent and historic but rather than this causing confusion, it all seems to flow smoothly and logically despite its complexity although you do have to keep your wits about you to keep up at times. The writing style is easy to read and flows well and although the main subject matter is murder, there are snippets of humour and more tender moments too.
The setting of a rather upscale retirement village is unique as are the main characters who are engaging, appealing and, at times, amusing. I really would like to get to know Elizabeth better - she is a very intriguing character and there are teasing morsels of her previous working life which are very interesting and I want to know more.
This book is what I would call a cosy-read that could be enjoyed by anyone and I would recommend it to those who enjoy a classic murder-mystery without the violence and graphic detail.
Thank you to Penguin General UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2206 KP) rated Murder on Lexington Avenue in Books
Jun 12, 2020
Working on Saturday is Murder
New York City Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy is called to a murder scene at a business office on a Saturday afternoon. Frank quickly learns that the man has a deaf daughter and is heavily involved with one of the deaf schools in the area. Frank’s son is deaf as well, so he already has some knowledge of the schools, but he quickly begins to learn more about the deaf community as he investigates. He also realizes that he must bring in midwife Sarah Brandt. Sarah’s involvement turns out to be a good thing since she can get close to the victim’s family. Will she learn enough so that the two of them can solve the case?
Frank gets involved in this case pretty quickly, although Sarah’s involvement takes a little longer to develop. Still, the duo once again make a fantastic team as they work together well to solve the case. Along the way, we get plenty of suspects and twists. I was sure I had it figured out several times before we reached the end. We do get some updates on Frank and Sarah’s families, including something that I think will jump start a new longer mystery arc. I also appreciated how this book explored the deaf community in the 1890’s. You really could jump in here, but whether you start this series here or go back to the beginning, you’ll be pulled back in time with these excellent books.
Frank gets involved in this case pretty quickly, although Sarah’s involvement takes a little longer to develop. Still, the duo once again make a fantastic team as they work together well to solve the case. Along the way, we get plenty of suspects and twists. I was sure I had it figured out several times before we reached the end. We do get some updates on Frank and Sarah’s families, including something that I think will jump start a new longer mystery arc. I also appreciated how this book explored the deaf community in the 1890’s. You really could jump in here, but whether you start this series here or go back to the beginning, you’ll be pulled back in time with these excellent books.
Al Dente’s Inferno
7.0
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An American chef will have to serve up more than good eats if she wants to establish a successful...
A Legacy of Murder
8.0
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American antique dealer Kate Hamilton's Christmastime jaunt to a charming English village leads to...
