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Sharon McCone #29
Looking for Yesterday
Three years ago, Caro Warrick was acquitted for the murder of her best friend Amelia Bettencourt, but the lingering doubts of everyone around Caro are affecting her life. Sharon McCone is confident that she can succeed where other detectives have failed (though at times it's hard to shake her own misgivings about what happened), but when Caro is brutally beaten right at Sharon's doorstep, the investigation takes on a whole new course. How many more people remain at risk until Amelia's murderer is finally caught?
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
104 people are currently reading
841 people want to read
About the author
Marcia Muller
165 books725 followersMarcia Muller is an American author of mystery and thriller novels.
Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel. Muller had been nominated for the Shamus Award four times previously.
In 2005, Muller was awarded the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master award.
She was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, and graduated in English from the University of Michigan and worked as a journalist at Sunset magazine. She is married to detective fiction author Bill Pronzini with whom she has collaborated on several novels.
Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel. Muller had been nominated for the Shamus Award four times previously.
In 2005, Muller was awarded the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master award.
She was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, and graduated in English from the University of Michigan and worked as a journalist at Sunset magazine. She is married to detective fiction author Bill Pronzini with whom she has collaborated on several novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
August 21, 2012
I believe Marcia Muller is the best American woman mystery ever as she continues to be consistent in the solidness of the Sharon McCone mysteries and her character development is nonpareil. Quite frankly, I think I now read these because Sharon McCone has become a part of my book family and I can't wait to find out where life is leading her, and this book did not disappoint. One confession finally answered one question I had about McCone, and near the end of the book a catastrophic event happens that had me near tears.
If you are thinking of reading this series, start with about the 3rd or 4th book in as it took Muller about that long to hit her stride with McCone, but after that you willl want to devour them one right after the other.
Thanks to Hachette for providing a print galley for my advance reading pleasure.
If you are thinking of reading this series, start with about the 3rd or 4th book in as it took Muller about that long to hit her stride with McCone, but after that you willl want to devour them one right after the other.
Thanks to Hachette for providing a print galley for my advance reading pleasure.
September 3, 2023
Sharon McCone Mystery #29
Three years ago, Caro Warrick was acquitted for the murder of her best friend, Amelia Bettencourt. She still feels that the public opinion deems her a murderer, so she hires detective, Sharon McCone to dig deeper to find the real killer. But things turn south when Caro is brutally murdered. The investigation takes on a whole new turn, and soon, McCone realizes she's on the hit list, too.
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Awe, man. This book was so boring. I think it would have been a lot more enjoyable if the author took out chunks of paragraphs that were not related to the story or didn't add anything to the plot. I really wanted to love this mystery, but sadly, it fell short for me. 👎
Three years ago, Caro Warrick was acquitted for the murder of her best friend, Amelia Bettencourt. She still feels that the public opinion deems her a murderer, so she hires detective, Sharon McCone to dig deeper to find the real killer. But things turn south when Caro is brutally murdered. The investigation takes on a whole new turn, and soon, McCone realizes she's on the hit list, too.
______________________________________________
Awe, man. This book was so boring. I think it would have been a lot more enjoyable if the author took out chunks of paragraphs that were not related to the story or didn't add anything to the plot. I really wanted to love this mystery, but sadly, it fell short for me. 👎
October 13, 2015
Tuesday, January 3. Sly Lane, a short block above the Embarcadero, below Tel Hill and Coit Tower. That’s where Marcia Muller’s 29th Sharon McCone mystery begins. San Franciscans and others who love the city will love the many references to restaurants, landmarks, and a miserable damp northern California winter. In Looking for Yesterday, a woman who was acquitted three years earlier of killing her best friend hires private investigator McCone. Caro Warrick is working with a publisher to complete a book about her version of the murder of Amelia Bettencourt and the attempted murder of Amelia’s boyfriend (who was also Caro’s ex), Jake Green. Caro claims that she cannot get a good job or clear her reputation unless she finds the truth. Despite some reservations and nagging doubts about Caro’s veracity, Sharon agrees to take the case. Before she can delve too deeply into the past, however, she returns home one night to find a beaten and battered Caro on her doorstep. A torn envelope labeled with McCone’s name and a smattering of papers are strewn about the steps. Who attacked Caro Warrick? Would the papers hold a clue to the attack? Was this a random assault, or was it related to Amelia’s death?
I found it extremely helpful to have read most of the previous Sharon McCone books because I was familiar with the names and personalities of characters like her husband Hy, nephew Mick, and office manager Ted, as well as Sharon’s background with the All Soul’s Collective, a legal group where she first had her office. Muller writes in first person from Sharon’s perspective, so we know everything that is going through Shar’s head. In this book, I think there may be enough background on family members – and she has been with her staff so long that she considers them family as well – that this book could possibly be read as a stand-alone, but I don’t know if that would be satisfactory. I think there might be too many gaps in the characterizations. As a long-time fan of the McCone series, though, this was rather like a homecoming for me.
In terms of other characters – whoa – there is a lot going on! The family of Carolyn “Caro” Warrick is dysfunctional to the max. The most reasonable member is her brother Rob, who accidentally shot their four-year-old sister when he was a child. This sent the entire family into a tailspin, from which Rob seems to be the only one who has managed to somewhat recover, despite lingering feelings of guilt. Then there are acquaintances and friends, plenty of them. That makes for a good number of suspects. I have read some reviews that are critical of this, saying that it makes the plot overly complex and difficult to sort out. Yes, it does. Sort of like real life, isn’t it? But I do understand the criticism. Do we really need to know about Mick’s personal problems? I didn’t mind, honestly. As I mentioned above, this felt like a reunion where I had some catching up to do. One minor detail that has always bugged me about McCone – does anyone ever say “cellular” phone anymore?
Some of the plot was a bit unbelievable. I won’t mention which parts, but some things did seem rather far-fetched. Sharon inevitably finds herself in grave danger, although she in this case, she generally is wise enough to have Mick with her as backup. Also, she still manages to stretch the limits as far as what she can legally do as an investigator.
Throughout the novel, there is an underlying theme of gun control. The client considers herself to be a strong opponent of the NRA. This stems from her family history. Her brother, too, shares her views, although he is not politically active. He blames his father for keeping a loaded gun in the house where a young child could get his hands on it. McCone and her husband, Hy Ripinsky, both need guns for their professional lives, and this case spurs a discussion between them about the responsibilities of gun ownership, as they consider themselves to be responsible gun owners. As the story continues, we see someone who is at the other end of that spectrum. Muller doesn’t belabor the point, but she does put the issue out there in black and white.
The other point the author makes is that even though someone may be found innocent of a crime, there is still a price to pay. Caro Warrick may not always have been completely honest in the tales she told, but she deserved to have the truth about her friend’s murder discovered and exposed and to have her own name cleared. Sharon McCone was the right person for the case. Again.
3-1/2 stars
I found it extremely helpful to have read most of the previous Sharon McCone books because I was familiar with the names and personalities of characters like her husband Hy, nephew Mick, and office manager Ted, as well as Sharon’s background with the All Soul’s Collective, a legal group where she first had her office. Muller writes in first person from Sharon’s perspective, so we know everything that is going through Shar’s head. In this book, I think there may be enough background on family members – and she has been with her staff so long that she considers them family as well – that this book could possibly be read as a stand-alone, but I don’t know if that would be satisfactory. I think there might be too many gaps in the characterizations. As a long-time fan of the McCone series, though, this was rather like a homecoming for me.
In terms of other characters – whoa – there is a lot going on! The family of Carolyn “Caro” Warrick is dysfunctional to the max. The most reasonable member is her brother Rob, who accidentally shot their four-year-old sister when he was a child. This sent the entire family into a tailspin, from which Rob seems to be the only one who has managed to somewhat recover, despite lingering feelings of guilt. Then there are acquaintances and friends, plenty of them. That makes for a good number of suspects. I have read some reviews that are critical of this, saying that it makes the plot overly complex and difficult to sort out. Yes, it does. Sort of like real life, isn’t it? But I do understand the criticism. Do we really need to know about Mick’s personal problems? I didn’t mind, honestly. As I mentioned above, this felt like a reunion where I had some catching up to do. One minor detail that has always bugged me about McCone – does anyone ever say “cellular” phone anymore?
Some of the plot was a bit unbelievable. I won’t mention which parts, but some things did seem rather far-fetched. Sharon inevitably finds herself in grave danger, although she in this case, she generally is wise enough to have Mick with her as backup. Also, she still manages to stretch the limits as far as what she can legally do as an investigator.
Throughout the novel, there is an underlying theme of gun control. The client considers herself to be a strong opponent of the NRA. This stems from her family history. Her brother, too, shares her views, although he is not politically active. He blames his father for keeping a loaded gun in the house where a young child could get his hands on it. McCone and her husband, Hy Ripinsky, both need guns for their professional lives, and this case spurs a discussion between them about the responsibilities of gun ownership, as they consider themselves to be responsible gun owners. As the story continues, we see someone who is at the other end of that spectrum. Muller doesn’t belabor the point, but she does put the issue out there in black and white.
The other point the author makes is that even though someone may be found innocent of a crime, there is still a price to pay. Caro Warrick may not always have been completely honest in the tales she told, but she deserved to have the truth about her friend’s murder discovered and exposed and to have her own name cleared. Sharon McCone was the right person for the case. Again.
3-1/2 stars
March 12, 2013
There are two authors whose books I anticipate like a kid on Christmas morning: Sara Paretsky, who writes the long-running V.I. Warshawski detective series, and Marcia Muller, author of the even-longer-running Sharon McCone mysteries. Unlike movie franchises that get old after the second or third installment (George Clooney as Batman, anyone?), but Muller’s series, like Paretsky’s, has only improved with age. Through some hard lumps, Muller’s hero Sharon (Shar) McCone has matured from a kid with good instincts into a modern detective about to merge shops with a multi-national security firm.
That’s right – big changes are afoot at McCone Investigations. Long-time characters have taken on new roles in the background while others rotate into the spotlight. The businesses at Pier 24-1/2 have all moved on and the agency needs a new home. Ted Smalley, Shar’s office manager, has located “charming” new digs in a historic building with a dark history. Long time readers will recognize the resemblance to the old Victorian that was the backdrop of early McCone. But this is definitely not a return to the hippie-grass roots agency of 35 years ago.
On the first day in the new location, McCone picks up a new client, Caro Warrick, who is out to prove she didn’t kill her best friend three years before. Warrick is not a particularly likeable person, which causes Shar to continually question whether Caro’s declarations of innocence are truth or mere theater. Nonetheless, she is intrigued and sets out to find the truth, whatever that may be. She just didn’t quite imagine that so much theatrics would get in the way – like finding Caro Warrick, beaten and left for dead on Shar’s own doorstep.
Soon after moving in, the historic charm of the old elevator gives way to increasingly cranky and uncooperative machinery. The parking garage, which at the time had seemed like an nice amenity, becomes a dark and scary place, even for someone used to the sinister. As these problems close in and the investigation gets personal, McCone has decisions to make and questions to answer. Is her client innocent, as she claims to be? And what is the future for McCone Investigations?
That’s right – big changes are afoot at McCone Investigations. Long-time characters have taken on new roles in the background while others rotate into the spotlight. The businesses at Pier 24-1/2 have all moved on and the agency needs a new home. Ted Smalley, Shar’s office manager, has located “charming” new digs in a historic building with a dark history. Long time readers will recognize the resemblance to the old Victorian that was the backdrop of early McCone. But this is definitely not a return to the hippie-grass roots agency of 35 years ago.
On the first day in the new location, McCone picks up a new client, Caro Warrick, who is out to prove she didn’t kill her best friend three years before. Warrick is not a particularly likeable person, which causes Shar to continually question whether Caro’s declarations of innocence are truth or mere theater. Nonetheless, she is intrigued and sets out to find the truth, whatever that may be. She just didn’t quite imagine that so much theatrics would get in the way – like finding Caro Warrick, beaten and left for dead on Shar’s own doorstep.
Soon after moving in, the historic charm of the old elevator gives way to increasingly cranky and uncooperative machinery. The parking garage, which at the time had seemed like an nice amenity, becomes a dark and scary place, even for someone used to the sinister. As these problems close in and the investigation gets personal, McCone has decisions to make and questions to answer. Is her client innocent, as she claims to be? And what is the future for McCone Investigations?
November 18, 2012
I've been reading Marcia Muller's Sharon McCone series since sometime in the early 80s. This latest offering isn't one of the best, but it is still a solid story, and leaves some interesting questions about the future of the characters (and the series) to be answered in the next installment.
Looking for Yesterday returns to the single first person viewpoint of the earlier books, moving away from the multiviewpoint of the last few books. Many fans disliked the change, but I enjoyed seeing the story unfold from the perspective of other characters. However, I have to admit there was a certain comfort in reading this book strictly from Sharon's point of view.
The mystery to be solved here--the murder of a woman acquitted of murder three years ago--quickly leads to personal danger for Sharon. So does one of the subplots, when someone Sharon sent to jail years ago gets out and seeks revenge. This subplot isn't really tied up satisfactorily. Neither are the two sublplots involving possible changes: Mick becoming a father and Sharon merging her detective agency with Hy's firm.
In fact, all of the plot events in the story seem less designed to complete this story than to set up the next one. In this book, the focus is intensely on Sharon rather than being divided among her friends and family, and her reaction to the events are as big as the events themselves.
By the end, everything seems disjointed. As Sharon herself says at one point, while she's more secure about her job, her friends, her family, and her marriage than ever before, something in her life isn't sitting right. She's always resisted change, but now change is forced upon her. And while Looking For Yesterday isn't the best of the Muller mysteries, the characters and their future are compelling enough that I plan to keep reading the series.
Looking for Yesterday returns to the single first person viewpoint of the earlier books, moving away from the multiviewpoint of the last few books. Many fans disliked the change, but I enjoyed seeing the story unfold from the perspective of other characters. However, I have to admit there was a certain comfort in reading this book strictly from Sharon's point of view.
The mystery to be solved here--the murder of a woman acquitted of murder three years ago--quickly leads to personal danger for Sharon. So does one of the subplots, when someone Sharon sent to jail years ago gets out and seeks revenge. This subplot isn't really tied up satisfactorily. Neither are the two sublplots involving possible changes: Mick becoming a father and Sharon merging her detective agency with Hy's firm.
In fact, all of the plot events in the story seem less designed to complete this story than to set up the next one. In this book, the focus is intensely on Sharon rather than being divided among her friends and family, and her reaction to the events are as big as the events themselves.
By the end, everything seems disjointed. As Sharon herself says at one point, while she's more secure about her job, her friends, her family, and her marriage than ever before, something in her life isn't sitting right. She's always resisted change, but now change is forced upon her. And while Looking For Yesterday isn't the best of the Muller mysteries, the characters and their future are compelling enough that I plan to keep reading the series.
November 10, 2012
Another interesting mystery from the reliable Marcia Muller. This time, a young woman, Caro, previously acquitted of murdering a friend several years before, asks McCone to help her restore her reputation by finding out exactly what happened when said friend Amelia was killed. What follows are a series of surprises, scares, more mysteries, more murder.
Highly recommended, a good quick read with a cast of core characters I've become comfortable joining over the past many years.
Highly recommended, a good quick read with a cast of core characters I've become comfortable joining over the past many years.
December 23, 2012
A little clunky, one of those moving-the-Big-Story-along books. Actually several of hers have been like this lately. The mystery itself was a little weird too. Maybe I read it too fast, mostly all in one day....
July 24, 2022
I got sucked into this one quickly thanks to Muller going back to giving us Sharon's singular point of view (no alternating points of view like the last handful of books...) and a cold case mystery. A woman acquitted of murdering her BFF hires Sharon to help finally clear her name once and for all - although it's discovered fairly quickly that the new client hasn't been all that forthcoming.
The mystery kept me guessing until Muller introduces a red herring that isn't all that successful and the resolution to the case felt scattershot to me. But the return visit with the characters and some personal upheaval that Muller introduces over the course of this story promises interesting developments in the next installment. 4 stars for a good chunk of the story, bumped down to a final 3.5.
The mystery kept me guessing until Muller introduces a red herring that isn't all that successful and the resolution to the case felt scattershot to me. But the return visit with the characters and some personal upheaval that Muller introduces over the course of this story promises interesting developments in the next installment. 4 stars for a good chunk of the story, bumped down to a final 3.5.
February 6, 2021
3.5 stars
October 17, 2019
easy to read
March 9, 2013
As detailed in the previous books in this long running series, Private Investigator Sharon McCone has had a quite a few cases over the years and a number of them have been a bit odd. This latest one with Carolyn Warrick has the hallmark of being odd and, as another year begins, one that may have more challenges than worthwhile.
Carolyn who goes by the name “Caro” is a very vocal advocate for gun control. Three years ago she was arrested, tried, and acquitted for the killing of her best friend Amelia who allegedly was trying to take her boyfriend. Part of her defense in this love triangle gone wrong murder case was that she came from a family shattered by gun violence and would not use a gun to kill. The opportunity to be the focal point of a media crusade for gun control during the trial failed to materialize. Now she has another chance thanks to Greta Goldstein who will co-author a tell all book on the case with Caro. Not only does Caro want Sharon McCone to definitively prove the jury got it right in her complicated case she wants vindication for their verdict.
Despite misgivings and lots of other things going on, McCone takes the case. It isn’t long before Caro Warrick is dead, a victim of a killer who is just a small part of the potential threats arranged against McCone, in this latest in a long running series.
While the actual case and investigation and other facets of the book are borderline interesting, the constant over the top pro-gun control preaching is distracting and unnecessary. Readers are hammered throughout much of the book, to the detriment of the plot and secondary storylines, on the issue of gun control. Several characters involved, including Sharon McCone, are adamantly pro-gun control with the specter of the mass shootings of recent years constantly thrown up to readers as proof of the need. Unfortunately, this is done so often that it stops the already very weak story and becomes the sole focus of the book to its detriment.
Much of Looking for Yesterday: A Sharon McCone Mystery reads like a spleen venting rant in favor of gun control. Once you get by that and her smaller rants about abortion, what is left is a weak and disjointed plot that stumbles and staggers its way to a lackadaisical conclusion. Hopefully, with this out of her system, author Marcia Muller will get back to writing mysteries that actually entertain and do not spend the majority of the book brow beating readers.
You can easily skip this one.
Looking For Yesterday: A Sharon McCone Mystery
Marcia Muller
http://www.marciamuller.com
Grand Central Publishing
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com
November 2012
ISBN# 978-0-446-57335-1
Hardback
293 Pages
$25.99
Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2013
Mind Slices and Carpathian Shadows, Volume II
Book Reviews and More http://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/
Carolyn who goes by the name “Caro” is a very vocal advocate for gun control. Three years ago she was arrested, tried, and acquitted for the killing of her best friend Amelia who allegedly was trying to take her boyfriend. Part of her defense in this love triangle gone wrong murder case was that she came from a family shattered by gun violence and would not use a gun to kill. The opportunity to be the focal point of a media crusade for gun control during the trial failed to materialize. Now she has another chance thanks to Greta Goldstein who will co-author a tell all book on the case with Caro. Not only does Caro want Sharon McCone to definitively prove the jury got it right in her complicated case she wants vindication for their verdict.
Despite misgivings and lots of other things going on, McCone takes the case. It isn’t long before Caro Warrick is dead, a victim of a killer who is just a small part of the potential threats arranged against McCone, in this latest in a long running series.
While the actual case and investigation and other facets of the book are borderline interesting, the constant over the top pro-gun control preaching is distracting and unnecessary. Readers are hammered throughout much of the book, to the detriment of the plot and secondary storylines, on the issue of gun control. Several characters involved, including Sharon McCone, are adamantly pro-gun control with the specter of the mass shootings of recent years constantly thrown up to readers as proof of the need. Unfortunately, this is done so often that it stops the already very weak story and becomes the sole focus of the book to its detriment.
Much of Looking for Yesterday: A Sharon McCone Mystery reads like a spleen venting rant in favor of gun control. Once you get by that and her smaller rants about abortion, what is left is a weak and disjointed plot that stumbles and staggers its way to a lackadaisical conclusion. Hopefully, with this out of her system, author Marcia Muller will get back to writing mysteries that actually entertain and do not spend the majority of the book brow beating readers.
You can easily skip this one.
Looking For Yesterday: A Sharon McCone Mystery
Marcia Muller
http://www.marciamuller.com
Grand Central Publishing
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com
November 2012
ISBN# 978-0-446-57335-1
Hardback
293 Pages
$25.99
Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2013
Mind Slices and Carpathian Shadows, Volume II
Book Reviews and More http://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/
November 18, 2012
Marcia Muller always manages to prevent her characters from becoming stale in her Sharon McCone series. That can be difficult when you're churning out a book every year or so. When a woman who was found not guilty of murder comes to her requesting that she look into her case, McCone is puzzled. However, despite being found not guilty, the woman has lost nearly everything. She is in the process of telling her story to a well known true crime writer hoping that the people who thought her guilty will change their minds. However, she doesn't tell the whole truth. So how will Sharon separate truth from fiction? Then her client is murdered and the publishing company asks her to continue the investigation. Sharon McCone is an interesting character. She is a Native American adopted by a white family. She runs her own investigating company while her husband also runs a high level security company. Muller always includes a little bit of political philosophy in her books. I like Sharon because, like me, she knows there are no easy answers.
February 9, 2017
Another great mystery by Marcia Muller. I've been making my way through this series for close to ten years by now I think. As one other faithful follower stated, she seems to get better. There were a few books through the series that I liked less than others, but there is still a good mystery. In this book, Muller recaps some of the history of Sharon McCone; so that a person who hasn't read all the books could reasonably understand the character. This is probably a good idea, because I image some of the early books may not be available in a library or from Amazon. Still, I'm glad I started with the series from the beginning. It's like hearing from an old friend to start another book in the series.
January 31, 2013
Not one of her best. If you have not read a Sharon McCone book do not start with this. It really seemed more about moving her PI business into it's next stage. I found the plot obvious very early on, (even with one character popped in right near the end). A very underwhelming read from a ususally good writer -and a very off-putting cover.
September 28, 2016
Caro claims she didn't kill her faithless best friend, and her trial acquittal was not just a miscarriage of justice. Sharon wonders. But someone is ruthlessly determined that the investigation not be reopened, no matter what Caro wants. Too many people are now in danger, and Sharon will not tolerate the wanton destruction.
It feels good to spend time with Sharon's extended family.
It feels good to spend time with Sharon's extended family.
November 19, 2012
I did like this story, just didn't love it. Too many different people were introduced in such a short period of time and it was difficult to keep track of who was who. It was a good story, you just need to concentrate on keeping the characters straight in your head so that everything makes sense.
August 29, 2015
Hard to rate this. 2.5, I think. Probably not a good sign that I was more interested in developments in the life of the main character than in the case she was investigating. On the other hand, maybe that's what the author intended.
September 10, 2016
I have read every book in this series. Never disappointed. Looking forward to #30 The Night Searchers coming out in 2014.
June 13, 2021
Another wonderful Sharon McCone book. The books take place in San Francisco, one of my favorite places. I love these books by the original queens of mystery!
July 7, 2025
The story kicks off with Caro Warrick, a woman acquitted three years prior of murdering her best friend, Amelia Bettencourt, hiring Sharon to clear her tarnished reputation. Caro, who’s collaborating with a publisher on a book about the case, claims lingering public suspicion has ruined her life. Sharon, despite doubts about Caro’s honesty, takes the case, only for it to spiral when someone brutally attacks Caro on Sharon’s doorstep. The investigation delves into a web of personal betrayals, past grudges, and new dangers, including a subplot involving a vengeful figure from Sharon’s past. Alongside the mystery, Sharon grapples with personal changes, including a potential merger of her detective agency with her husband Hy Ripinsky’s firm and her nephew Mick’s impending fatherhood.
With this installment in the series, you get a deeper exploration of Sharon McCone’s character as she confronts aging, change, and her resistance to it. Maybe the title has a lot to do with her resistant-to-change mindset here.
There’s a lot wrong with this book. She portrays a conservative writer as a consummate villain. The woman becomes a caricature of almost cartoonish proportions so villainous is she. Muller uses McCone to treat you to her full-on gun-control-is-essential screed, which has little to do with the plot and everything to do with the pace slowing more than it needed to through that section.
The mystery is a bit weak, and I found myself shrugging at the solution and prepping myself for the next book.
I don’t want to leave the impression that this was somehow a waste of my time; it wasn’t. I enjoyed the book, and I don’t regret the time I spent reading it. I’ve enjoyed other books in the series that were better, but that doesn’t make this one something you should ignore. I liked it—a solid three stars.
With this installment in the series, you get a deeper exploration of Sharon McCone’s character as she confronts aging, change, and her resistance to it. Maybe the title has a lot to do with her resistant-to-change mindset here.
There’s a lot wrong with this book. She portrays a conservative writer as a consummate villain. The woman becomes a caricature of almost cartoonish proportions so villainous is she. Muller uses McCone to treat you to her full-on gun-control-is-essential screed, which has little to do with the plot and everything to do with the pace slowing more than it needed to through that section.
The mystery is a bit weak, and I found myself shrugging at the solution and prepping myself for the next book.
I don’t want to leave the impression that this was somehow a waste of my time; it wasn’t. I enjoyed the book, and I don’t regret the time I spent reading it. I’ve enjoyed other books in the series that were better, but that doesn’t make this one something you should ignore. I liked it—a solid three stars.
February 25, 2023
"Looking for Yesterday" by Marcia Muller is the first book by this author that I have read. Even though I had not read previous novels in the Sharon McCone Mystery series, I did not find myself lost or confused by not reading the previous novels. There were references made to the past history of Sharon McCone (which I assume were covered in previous novels), but it was written in such a way, as to not make the reader feel that they were missing important information.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The plot was interesting and had me intrigued from the first page to the last. I love a mystery had me guessing until the end. The characters were realistic based on their actions, thoughts and feelings. I loved the San Francisco setting, as it's one of my favorite places in the world to visit! Will definitely read the additional books in the Sharon McCone Mystery series.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The plot was interesting and had me intrigued from the first page to the last. I love a mystery had me guessing until the end. The characters were realistic based on their actions, thoughts and feelings. I loved the San Francisco setting, as it's one of my favorite places in the world to visit! Will definitely read the additional books in the Sharon McCone Mystery series.
August 19, 2025
Catching up on my Sharone McCone series. I didnt realize how far behind I was.
This is a re-read as I needed to reacquaint myself to the series and where the characters were in their lives.
Sharon has a client who has already been acquitted for the murder of her best friend. But the nedia, law enforcement, most of the world, really think she got away with murder. She wants to resolve things via a True Crime book and needs Sharon to help.
Things get really weird when her client is brutally beaten just before handing over important paperwork to Sharon. It id particularly personal, because the woman is left on Sharon's doorstep. While investigating, she finds people have lied, evidence falsified and some of the interviewees are downright dirtbags.
She is also really still recovering from all the trauma that happened in previous books.
Meanwhile, her company has now moved due to her beloved previous buiding been demolished. Hy, her husband is gently hinting their businesses can cosolidate to share resources and stop avoiding the necessary confidently requirements that come with their jobs. She is hesitant.
Marcia Muller still writes a good solid story with ease.
This is a re-read as I needed to reacquaint myself to the series and where the characters were in their lives.
Sharon has a client who has already been acquitted for the murder of her best friend. But the nedia, law enforcement, most of the world, really think she got away with murder. She wants to resolve things via a True Crime book and needs Sharon to help.
Things get really weird when her client is brutally beaten just before handing over important paperwork to Sharon. It id particularly personal, because the woman is left on Sharon's doorstep. While investigating, she finds people have lied, evidence falsified and some of the interviewees are downright dirtbags.
She is also really still recovering from all the trauma that happened in previous books.
Meanwhile, her company has now moved due to her beloved previous buiding been demolished. Hy, her husband is gently hinting their businesses can cosolidate to share resources and stop avoiding the necessary confidently requirements that come with their jobs. She is hesitant.
Marcia Muller still writes a good solid story with ease.
February 4, 2019
A return to form for Muller. This is a very traditional mystery, where a client hands her the case of exonerating her for murder. It's a tight story, focused on McCone, with lots of great investigation. And, we also get any number of interrelations with her real life. In the end, there's a bit too much info dumped on us in the last few pages. Oh, it all matches up with what we've learned to date, but it's still a rather breathless expulsion. Nonetheless, this is a solid McCone novel.
February 7, 2019
Another cold case, this time because the person was acquitted but the murder was never solved and Caro hires Sharon to find out who really did it.. Then Caro is murdered and the publishing company that had planned to publish a book she was working on asks Sharon to work for them. A couple more murders, abody in a container that's been buried and finally Sharon has the culprit. Moral of the story: Don't secretly date a man who married his wife for her money....
July 24, 2020
I enjoyed this fast paced mystery with action,suspense, murder, secrets
And several different story lines. Sharon McCone investigates a murder
where the client has been acquitted and wants to know who really killed
her friend, Amelia Bettencourt. There are numerous suspects and plenty
Of people who want to try to hurt Sharon after the client was eliminated.
This is a great series with strong characters and I recommend this private
Detective series.
And several different story lines. Sharon McCone investigates a murder
where the client has been acquitted and wants to know who really killed
her friend, Amelia Bettencourt. There are numerous suspects and plenty
Of people who want to try to hurt Sharon after the client was eliminated.
This is a great series with strong characters and I recommend this private
Detective series.
May 18, 2018
Enjoyed it, but I found some repetition of information that tends to frustrate me. Hy and his company, his wealth, and how wealthy and wonderful he is for example. As I’m walking & listening and something about the story I already know is repeated in a different way, I get antsy. This is my first mystery with Muller, and I am willing to give her and Sharon McCone another try.
October 5, 2018
I will not finish this one. Not only does Muller focus too much on her politics when it comes to gun control and other issues, the dialogue is not as sharp as in the other McCone books I've read. Awkward dialogue is even more annoying when listening to audiobooks, which I do all of the time. This book feels as if Muller is phoning it in.
May 23, 2017
Dependable mystery with lots of twists and turns.
August 29, 2017
2012 pretty good
February 3, 2018
More of a 3.5 star book, this is still a good read, especially for fans of this series. Marcia Mueller is a fine writer who produces consistently good books, and frequently books that are terrific.
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