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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated Arbor Day Can Be Deadly in Books

May 4, 2023  
Arbor Day Can Be Deadly
Arbor Day Can Be Deadly
Ryan Rivers | 2021 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
It All Started on Arbor Day
Sho is on indefinite leave from his job as a nurse. In an effort to clear his head, he goes to visit his sister Jenny, who has just opened a diner in Bluebonnet Hills, Texas. He’s arrived in time for the Arbor Day festival, but he sees some strange things happening. And then he meets Levi Blue, an actor in town trying to get an update on the construction of his fan museum. When Levi drags Sho into the investigation, what will the two of them uncover?

This is a prequel novella that introduces the characters and sets up the premise of the series. Since I’ve read other stories with the characters, I already knew part of what we learned here, but I still enjoyed seeing everyone meet for the first time. The pacing is a little off because of the set up, but there is plenty of story here. In fact, there’s almost too much, but it does come to a logical climax. There’s plenty of humor and some serious issues as well, and the two are balanced perfectly. If you are looking for a fun, you’ll be glad you picked up this prequel.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated A Little Class on Murder in Books

Apr 7, 2022  
A Little Class on Murder
A Little Class on Murder
Carolyn Hart | 1989 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Annie Finds Murder in College
When Annie is asked to teach a class on The Three Grand Dame of the Mystery for the journalism department at the college in Chastain, she quickly warms to the idea. Her enthusiasm is only dimmed slightly when she sees the tension in her fellow faculty members and who decides to crash her class. However, when the student paper starts printing stories that lead to deaths, Annie and her new husband, Max, begin to investigate. Can they figure out what is going on?

This is the book where the series seems to finally be finding the right mix. There is plenty of humor, and I laughed quite a bit. The characters are still on the thin side, but they work to keep us engaged and entertained. We get plenty of references to other writers and characters, mostly the three authors Annie is teaching in her class (Christie, Sayers, and Rinehart), but they never overwhelm or feel like a list dropped into the story. And the mystery weaves all around, keeping us guessing until the end. There is still more foul language than in a typical cozy, but as long as you know this, you’ll be fine. I hope this mix continues as the series goes forward.