Murder was very well done!
580148
This is the second book in the Old School Diner Cozy Mystery series, with an even better plot than the first book. This time around the characters all seemed to be more comfortable with each other. It became clear who was always going to be the goofy one, but how underneath his convoluted theories there was genuine intelligence and understanding. I am talking about Jake Jr/Junior who managed to take a stakeout to a new level that would be fitting of Agent 007. I found many chuckles in this book between Junior's crazy theories and Mercy's mental asides that frequently were interspersed with the conversation.
I liked the addition of a new character, Ruby, who seems like a perfect compliment to Mercy's personality. They are neighbors and fast becoming best buds. There were mentions of characters who had bigger roles in the previous book, and although they weren't very active in this one,  it made the town and story seem more real, more cohesive.
The town has a sudden influx of dumpster fires, and the first one was behind Mercy's Old School Diner. Only when Smoke (the cook) went to put out the fire he made a gruesome discovery.  In the days that followed, several more dumpster fires are set, leaving Brody and Mercy more than a murder to solve.
The surprising solution to the murder touched on a subject that the author handled gently and very well. All in all I have to say the first book was a good introduction to the series, but the second book makes it a series that will have this reader anxiously waiting for the next book. Small town living is really growing on me!
2976447
I really enjoyed this movie and Heather Locklear is wonderful in the part of a woman who witnessed a brutal crime - not once, but twice.  She does a magnificent job illustrating the effects, and the plot is very well written. A worthwhile purchase!
1648603
The characters were great, some more suttle than others but all having a sugnificiance part in the story. I recommend if you enjoy and good murder mystery.
201083
Very good read, keeps you entertained right up to the end - if you can call a few murders entertainment !  Cleverly constructed .
2965680
In Death at An English Wedding, location scouts Kate and Alex are getting married at last! After a delightful wedding which includes many of their family and friends, Kate and Alex are shocked to hear of the death of one of their guests. Complicating matters even further is the fact that the victim wasn't even invited to the festivities! Suspicion quickly falls on Kate's mother, Ava, who was seen having a heated conversation with the victim and doesn't help matters by being (adorably) feisty with the local police. With their lovely Italian honeymoon departure date looming, Kate knows they must get to the bottom of this mystery if they ever want to relax. Unfortunately, the murderer has other ideas and Kate and Alex will have to scramble in order not to become the next victims.

One of the most wonderful aspects of this book is the lovely description of life in an English village. Throughout the story, I felt as if I was actually experiencing everyday life in the gorgeous area of Nether Woodsmore. Also a nice bonus was the fact that the "regulars" of Nether Woodsmore were able to mingle so well with Kate and Alex's family that we were introduced to in previous stories. I was also very pleased with the mystery itself. I felt that it was very well plotted and paced and kept me guessing to the very end. All in all, well done! I'm so looking forward to the next book in the series!
260380
Thoroughly enjoyed this 'Wee Murder'.... a murder mystery that kept a smile on my face!
Relaxing reading, already have 'signed up' for her next episode!!
4858768
What a wonderful round about murder!  More of the delicious cupcakes and a very interesting murder.  Had some hints along the way and a surprise at the end.  You will just eat up this great story!
2430841
I was very impressed with "Two Tocks." The author captured style of a Pre-Civil War time perfectly, taking me quickly back in time and immersing me in an interesting murder mystery that was very neatly "wrapped up," in the end. Very professionally done. If Sherlock Holmes had a relative living in this country, it might well be the hero of this story. Look forward to reading more from this author.
429721
This is a very well written mystery that grabbed me from the first sentence. The characters were full of personality and interesting. Without giving anything away, I was surprised at who the killers were, so it keeps you guessing! If you like mystery..try this one!!
3171988
A wonderful English mystery.  A body is exhumed and it is found that the old man died of arsenic poisoning administered over a period of time.  Who benefited from his death???  Did someone hate him enough to kill him?  Detectives Lambert and Hook  interview each subject as they piece this mystery together.  I loved following these detectives as they conduct their investigation.  I loved learning about each character including the detectives and their families.  I loved the way this story moved along so smoothly.

 Sometimes I can guess the murderer.  But not this time.  It was a surprise. J M Gregson's use of words paints such a clear picture.  It's like you're right there.
2381422
The Magpie Murders is so so good!  I enjoyed everything about this book.  It is longish, but it goes fast and is hard to put down.  You get two novels for the price of one.  Magpie Murders is a Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery that is contained within the main story.  They are equally enjoyable and puzzling.

Susan Ryeland is a book editor.  She is reading the latest book by the publishers most successful writer, Alan Conway.  This is the 9th book in the Atticus Pund series.  We get a little background on Susan and find out that Alan Conway is not the most pleasant author to publish.  We then read Magpie Murders along with Susan.  That story takes place in a small English village.  Mr. Pund and his assistant Mr. Fraser are there to solve two murders.  As Susan reads, she wonders if there is another mystery hidden in the book that involves Alan Conway due to some interesting parallels between the story and real life.  And, the final chapter of Magpie Murders is missing!  We are all left hanging.  When Alan Conway dies by apparent suicide, Susan is not convinced.  She becomes detective, trying to find both the final chapter and the real story of Alans death.

Hang on for the twists, turns, and suspense.  There are a host of suspects in both stories and a lot of red herrings.  The book is also full of clever anagrams and word puzzles.  I was not able to solve either of the mysteries and enjoyed being surprised by the endings.  Mr. Horowitz did a very good job of writing the stories in two different voices.  That could not have been easy.  If you are a lover of classic English mysteries and of more modern fare, this is an excellent choice.  I highly recommend this book!
280335
I really enjoyed this murder mystery novel, as the "surfing detective" investigated a possible murder across several islands, setting realistic island aybdventures and views along the way.

I literally could not put the book down.
989549
Overall I have loved all of the episodes of the mentalist! The cast was picked very well! If you like murder mystery this is a great series. It's also cool to have an investigator be able to mess with people's minds! The plans he has to show who the killer is are really cool and creative!
4858345
This book was wonderful. It was suspenseful without being too dark. I thought the plot and characters were very well developed. I would definitely recommend it for a good murder-mystery read.
4506251
Let me start by saying that I would have given this a 4.5 star rating if there was one. It missed a 5 by very little. I find that if it is a terrific story but once or twice my mind wanders, usually due to more description than I think necessary, then I cannot quite go with a 5. I had already read 3 a.m. by this author, and it was just a little better in terms of how it was written. However, that being said, the story was truly enjoyable. The murder mystery aspect kept me guessing, the characters were interesting, and the main character, Thomas, was developed right to the last sentence. There was a side story within the main story that also had hint of mystery, and the result was surprising and fun. On one level I was mentally solving the main mystery while on a more hidden level I was trying to figure out where this other thread was going. I was not disappointed. I will say, I am not fond of bad language so a few words could have been omitted to make it better. Fortunately,  there was not a lot of it. Excellent read beginning to end!
4384547
I got the Kindle edition at a bargain price.  It was definitely worth the price.  It reads like one of those Dateline or 20/20 whodunnit episodes, but with more depth.  And of course this murder is set back in time so that we learn something about the culture of the midwest at that time.  I thought it was very entertaining.  It is limited only by the limits in what is known about the murder, which unfortunately is quite a bit.
1990636
The story was interesting, the locale lovely. and characters well depicted. This was the first cozy mystery I've read where the murderer came as complete surprise to me. (and I've read MANY!) Only in thinking back through the story did I see how everything fit together perfectly.  A great read.