Buried by Breakfast

Hemlock Falls Mysteries #12

by Claudia Bishop

When the leader of a raucous group protesting the planned relocation of a local Civil War cemetary is killed, Meg and Sarah Quilliam must catch a killer before another local V.I.P is greeted with an untimely R.I.P. Original.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Cooking, Fiction

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 7, 2004

About the author

Claudia Bishop is the nom de plume of mystery & fantasy author Mary Stanton.

Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so not sure what to say about this book because at some points, I thought ... 'I hate all these main characters ... when is something going to happen ... so much space wasted talking about things that have nothing to do with the story'! Eventually it did pick up at certain parts and I wanted to find out how it would all turn out and ONE character I actually liked was finally introduced (unfortunately that character died quickly). In the end, there was an unexpected ending which was satisfying. Giving it a 2 only, but I was tempted to give it a 3 because of the ending. I wouldn't read another in this series though.

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has been a very long time since I have read a Claudia Bishop mystery and I had sort of forgotten the basic premise which is two sisters own a bed and breakfast. Meg is the world class chef and Quill is an artist and innkeeper. In this outing the inn is hosting a sequestered jury in a civil suit regarding a land transaction. Complicating the matter is that the land is on a Civil War cemetery. There are protesters, of course and eventually someone ends up dead. The problem with this story was the pace. It took three quarters of the book for anything to actually happen. And when it did it wasn't particularly interesting. No one was really connected to the people who got killed so there wasn't a huge reason for Meg and Quill to get involved. It was read competently but if I didn't have another book in the series already on my TBR pile, I wouldn't bother with another one.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little mystery with a great setting and cast. This is the first one of this series I have read but must say it was not to bad I feel I would of enjoyed it more if I had read other in the series. I felt that the length was to short and would love to of seen more from it. Otherwise it is a good read and love that there was a recipe in it that in it self had backstory.

[Stephanie Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good series. I'm reading it out of order (based on when I can get my hands on them). So im a little lost on the timeliness since it's been a minute since I've read the books. Anyway..... I absolutely love the sisters and the quirky characters in this book. Definitely a town you would love to visit. I was definitely caught off guard on the murderer. Kept me on my toes.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

A whole selection of exasperating charcters makes it more challenging to guess who will be the murder victim. Or, one of the victims.
I am not big on following politics at any time let alone for amusement, whether big time or small town, but the book was well crafted.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes you just want to listen to a cozy mystery. This is a very satisfying option.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cute cozy mystery

[Susan Moxley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read that will keep you on the edge of your seat guessing to the very end of the Book . If you love stories about a small town inn then you will love this book.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hemlock Falls Mystery #12, Audio Book, Libby.

[Kathy Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good!!

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book on top of a garbage can. As I have a soft spot in my heart for abandoned books, I picked it up, dusted it off, and took it home to read. Within 30 pages, I understood why it had been left there.

I have never read a book with such thoroughly unsympathetic, unlikeable characters. The main characters, a pair of middle-aged inn owners, were quarrelsome and unpleasant. The inn's support staff was stupid and inept. The residents of Hemlock falls are quarrelsome, petty and pathetic. The inn's visitors were ugly and mean-spirited. Even the inn's dog was apparently unlikeable. It took me until the middle of the book to find one character I liked - and no surprise, he didn't live in Hemlock Falls, and he didn't plan to stay.

And the main characters aren't even good at their jobs - at least, not to any visible display. The one is an artist, but she's doing everything to avoid drawing. The other is a chef whose main ability seems to be dishing out abuse. The other villagers have a very low opinion of the sisters' abilities as sleuths, and some sort of mean-spirited desire to lie to the sisters about it. And the main character apparently can't even drive well.

By the middle of the book, only one murder had occurred. I found this disappointing. I could think of at least 10 other people who should've been among the ranks of the dead. To be honest, I had read that far only out of pure stubbornness.

Ugliness of character can be and has been used to great effect in literature -- take any of Faulkner's stories, for example. But it needs to fit the theme, and it needs to have a purpose. Buried by Breakfast is set in a cozy New York inn -- the setting practically begs for you to feel some sort of warmth and connection. Instead, you want to check out -- of the inn and the story -- almost as soon as you check in. In fact, this book had so many unpleasant, nasty people in it, only a spree killer could have saved it. Unfortunately for the reader, it has none.

I couldn't bear to abandon a book to a garbage can, though.

I left it on a mailbox instead.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

March is normally quiet time for the manager and co-owner of the Inn at Hemlock Falls Sarah "Quill" Quilliam and for her sister co-owner and Chef Meg. However, this year the Inn hosts a sequestered jury working the case of Rocor vs. Meecham. Six jurors, the flamboyant Judge Moody, his bodyguard, and the court liaison are the only guests at the Inn, but this entourage keeps the siblings hopping trying to satisfy their outrageous demands. Meanwhile the town is coping with Corliss Hooker who is going to ridiculous lengths to stop Ferris Rodman, owner of Rocor Construction, from relocating a Civil War Cemetery so that he can build a golf course at its present site.

Soon after Corliss asks to speak with the Judge, Moody is found murdered; Quill is eager to find out who killed him. She hopes it is Ferris Rodman, who is supposedly planning to build an inn to rival that of the sisters. Quill convinces businesswoman Marge Schmidt to break into Rodman's trailer hoping to find dirt on him, but they get caught. Rodman agrees to not press charges and admits he plans to build an inn by the proposed golf course. The next day Marge asks Quill to help her find her ex husband Buddy who was supposed to meet them at the inn, but when they do he has been decapitated. Quill thinks the murders are connected, but struggles to find the missing link.

I just didn't enjoy this book and quit reading it right after the murder. The plot seemed to crawl, and while the author may pull it all together well as the book progressed, I got tired ot the small-town characters and their chit chat.

[Amy the book-bat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 12 of the Hemlock Falls series. My library only had books 12 & 13, so I will be going back to see if I can find/request any of the older ones. Anyway, the series centers on a pair of sisters who run an inn in the town of Hemlock Falls, New York. Apparently there are a lot of murders in this small town. Several happen in this particular novel. I liked some of the characters quite a bit, the writing style was easy to read, and I liked the twist at the end. However, it seemed too convenient the way everything was revealed at the end. The novel was kind of short, so another chapter or two wouldn't have hurt anything. I liked the book enough to pursue others in the series, so it was good enough for a summer afternoon of reading :-).

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quill and her sister and friend Marge get involved in solving a murder in their town. A judge comes to town to hear a case and the jury is staying at Quill's Inn. Marge's ex husband shows up as he is supposed to be on the jury. He ends up dead which leads them to an old accident and the reason behind some of the other deaths.
Quill deals with her boyfriend being far away and the local cops are just not quite up to his capabilities. Her cousin shows up and is acting very strange and she is supposed to be learning about the Inn and how to cook.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most important thing to me when I read a mystery is, can I arrive at the answer before the protagonist. If yes, how much before... This book was one where I determined who the killer was long before the heroine did, but ... I had the underlying reason right, but some of the other factors wrong.

There were just enough twists in the story to reduce my smugness of figuring it out - by about half. This was well worth reading!

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read by this author. There are quite a few books in this series. This was not the first one but the author clearly explained each chartacter's history and relationship to the others so I didn't feel as though I had missed anything. The book has an interesting plot with some subplots that all tie together nicely at the end. I look forward to reading more of this series in the future.

[Wikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a few books in this cozy mystery series. The storylines are OK, but I have to agree with a couple of other reviewers that some of the characters lack likeability, and are somewhat cliched. And, yes, some better proofreading, please? Pouring a glass of orange justice? Really? having said that, my main criticism of this particular book is that one of the characters persisted in using blasphemy. As a Christian, I was offended. It was unnecessary.

[Katherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's rare that I can't find something to like about a book, but this one failed me on every level: the characters are unlikable. There's a high body count for no real reason. There is zero detection, and at least three unresolved loose ends: I actually checked to make sure the book wasn't missing pages at the end. Poorly written, poorly edited, poorly proofread. Do yourself a favor and pass.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the exception of the lack of editing (spelling, punctuation and charater name changes) done to this book, it was still a good story none the less. I especially liked the twist at the end that had me stunned for a second before I rushed on to see what would happen next.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great new cozy to breeze through and read from start to finish. Great suspense and plenty of drama for each page turner for this cozy. Though I started in the middle, I hope to read the previous and new ones throughout the series. A great read.

[Diane Wachter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hemlock Falls Mystery, Bk 12, Claudia Bishop, PB-B @ 2004, 2/08. A Supreme Court jury is sequestered at the Inn, while another group is protesting the planned relocation of the Civil War cemetary. Okay.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of a series. Pretty lame but entertaining.

[scherzo♫ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doesn't work as a mystery ... more an I Love Lucy type situation comedy

[Hilda Milliken]

Did not care for the ending of this book.. Seems like they just pulled it altogether at the end just to end it.. The other books in this series have been much more cohesive.

[Shirley Lally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good mystery from this series. Good food descriptions!

[AnnieM · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not awful, I can't say I'll read another unless I'm hard up.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series!

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 - Good