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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated Design for Murder in Books

Nov 15, 2020  
Design for Murder
Design for Murder
Carolyn G. Hart | 1987 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Needed a Better Design
Bookstore owner Annie Lawrence is thrilled when she is asked to plan a murder mystery for a neighboring town’s event. However, Annie soon finds herself embroiled in a bunch of local politics, hurt, and anger. When that boils over into a real murder, Annie is once again cast as a suspect. With her fiancé, Max, along for the ride, she sets about clearing her name. Can she figure out what happened?

Unfortunately, this was a disappointment after the fun series debut. We spend too long with Annie planning the fictional mystery with multiple ideas discarded before she settles on one. The book and author name dropping is especially tedious here, too. We are meeting suspects and learning motives, so when the body does finally drop, the book picks up. It was still a bit of a struggle to keep the suspects and the parts they played in the fictional murder straight. Even so, the suspects are strong, and both mysteries are wrapped up well. Annie and Max are wonderful main characters, and I definitely enjoyed spending time with them. I’m looking forward to more of their adventures even if this wasn’t quite as good as the first one.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated The Clue of the Broken Locket (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, #11) in Books

Jul 20, 2021  
The Clue of the Broken Locket (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, #11)
The Clue of the Broken Locket (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, #11)
Carolyn Keene | 1934
8
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hunting for an Inheritance on a Haunted Lake
Nancy Drew and her friends are traveling to Misty Lake. It’s supposed to be an overnight stay, but they quickly extend it when they hear that an old tour boat that sank is now haunting the lake. Meanwhile, they meet a young woman who is searching for a family inheritance that was lost over 100 years ago. Will they solve these mysteries?

This is one I know I read years ago, and parts of it came back to me as a reread it. I quickly got caught up in the action and danger again. There is a lot going on here, and I knew it would all tie together. The biggest mystery to me was how. I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes a bit at all the coincidences involved, but I was having fun. Nancy and her friends get a bit of time to have some character development early on, but they are still pretty thin characters. Some of the elements in the book are dated since the version I read came out in the 1960’s. Still, I think kids of all ages will enjoy the action and mystery of this book.
  
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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Summoned to Thirteenth Grave (Charley Davidson, #13) in Books

Jan 12, 2021  
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave (Charley Davidson, #13)
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave (Charley Davidson, #13)
Darynda Jones | 2019
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
So this continues where book 12, The Trouble with Twelfth Grave, left off. Charley has been banned from Earth for bringing someone back from the dead after their soul had already left the body. It's been over 100 years and she's sad that she's missed the passing of all of her friends and family. She lands in the middle of the desert and within seconds can feel Reyes seductive heat surrounding her. Turns out that, on Earth, she's only been gone for ten days and she has to help destroy the hell dimension that they accidentally opened when Reyes broke the God glass a few books ago.

Hmm... I did enjoy this but I do feel like the series has not been fully completed. There's still the whole Beep facing Lucifer thing and where did Osh disappear to?

Nevertheless, this was once again full of Charley craziness and I do love her and her gang of friends. There were several mysteries thrown in to the mix for her to solve including one to do with her birth, secrets came out of the woodwork and a few little shocks thrown in too.

I can't say I'm disappointed with how the author finished this series... I just feel it hasn't been fully ended as mentioned above.