A Function of Murder

Sophie Knowles #3

by Ada Madison, Camille Minichino

Dr. Sophie Knowles is a math professor with a knack for creating complex puzzles that delight her students. But now, at the close of the academic year, she must solve a crime that doesn’t quite add up…

At the math department’s graduation party, Sophie hears heated arguments coming from the graduates about Mayor Graves, the commencement speaker. Not the mayor’s biggest fan, Sophie is happy to escape the drama with an after-hours campus stroll accompanied by her helicopter-piloting boyfriend, Bruce Granville. However, their date is interrupted by the mayor himself—with a knife in his back.

As it turns out, the knife is actually a Henley College letter opener—something that is gifted to every member of the graduating class. Sophie is led to a complicated puzzle of scandal and corruption, and it seems that Mayor Graves is at the apex of it all. When Sophie finds out that the mayor was seeking her help on the day he was murdered, she must use her top-notch logic to crack the puzzle and catch the killer running free on campus…  

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 31, 2012

About the author

A pseudonym used by Camille Minichino

Ada Madison is also known as Margaret Grace, Jean Flowers, Elizabeth Logan, and Camille Minichino.

Camille Minichino writes the Periodic Table mysteries under her own name, the Sophie Knowles mysteries under the pseudonym Ada Madison, the Miniature Mystery series under the pseudonym Margaret Grace, the Alaska Diner Mystery series under the pseudonym Elizabeth Logan, and the Postmistress Mystery series under the pseudonym Jean Flowers.

Reviews

[Lollyletsgo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was fun, I liked the word puzzles and the collegiate atmosphere- even the trials and tribulations of having to deal with temperamental (or petulant) students and their grades- all while trying to stay one step ahead of the murderer.

While Sophie was "investigating", it didn't feel like she was- especially with everything else going on in her life. Perhaps that's why I liked it? Don't get me wrong, she snooped, but it didn't seem an obvious snoop. If you get my drift- and I didn't catch on to whom the killer actually was till the end was in sight! Gotta love that! ;)

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the mystery and the characters but for some reason this book seemed to be such a slow read (although I still finished it in my normal amount of time). This one was very focused on the school and I feel like I should have been able to figure out who did it even though I was totally clueless.

[Suspense Magazine]

A Function of Murder
By Ada Madison
Henley College, a small, traditional school in New England, has the quaint custom of giving graduates a dagger-shaped letter opener, a custom they are bound to rethink when someone puts one to very lethal use and ends the promising political career of Henley’s young and charismatic mayor. Math professor and puzzle fanatic Sophie
Knowles finds herself enmeshed in murder once again.

This time the suspect list extends to students and faculty members as well as beyond the college confines; encompassing public school district officials who appear to have secrets to hide; city waste disposal contracts, an embattled charter school, and love affairs gone wrong.

Sophie’s hunk of a boyfriend, helicopter pilot Bruce Granville is on hand to offer support as are Fran, another math professor at the college and Virgil, the city’s top detective, though the latter would prefer that a certain middle-age college professor keep her nose in a book and out of his murder case.

Our amateur sleuth’s own preference may tend toward the famous long dead mathematicians she frequently cites, but she’s no slouch when it comes to the digital age. Google, Facebook, and smart phones are familiar tools to Sophie as she puzzles out the clues in search of the truth. Unfortunately, they also carry with them a new, modern set of problems as evidenced when Sophie becomes the target of an online flame war started by a student unhappy with her grades.

The author of seventeen novels and writing this series under the name of Ada Madison, Camille Minichino demonstrates yet again why she quickly acquiring the appellation, Queen of the Cozy.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty standard cozy fare - exactly what I was looking for. As with the other books in this series there is a sprinkle of riddles and brainteasers in addition to the mystery which can be kind of fun.

[Julie Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this light cozy mystery. This is the third book in the Sophie Knowles series and you can listen to them in any order because each book is a stand alone mystery. The characters are interesting and the setting unusual enough to keep your attention and you don't get bogged down by numbers, even though the main character a professor. The author has suck to the mystery which is what I like and the maths and puzzles are very much in the background and are a fun distraction. The mystery was good and kept you guessing, as well as giving you little clues as to the killers identity. Look forward to the next book.
Sophie is looking forward to the end another school year but when the key note speaker pulls out at the last moment, a controversial speaker is found. The mayor has the faculty and even the students divide but when he turns up stabbed by one of the graduation gifts, Sophie is the one to find him. His very words last his lips was Sophie's very own name. Sophie didn't even know he new who she was, so why would be be asking for her help? Trying to help a young naive student who is too attached to the married man, puts Sophie on the killers radar. But is it the killer or a unhappy student that seems to be targeting her?
I liked the narrator and thought she did a good job with all the voices needed to bring the story live.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Marlene Chabot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Sophia Knowles, a mathematics professor at Henley college, finds her life quite complicated after discovering Mayor Graves body in a fountain on the college campus. While trying to figure out what Mayor Graves wanted to speak with her about before he was found dead and who the murderer might be using logic and mathematical puzzles, certain people, including a student, professors, and even a middle school principal interrupt her life to seek out what she knows.

[Eleanor · Rating 1 out of 5]

The protagonist of this book eats a great deal of food, and has an erratic method of driving. There's also the inability to maintain a timeline, and for a math professor, a marked dismissal of logic. The author doesn't understand how charter schools work(?). I can't say more without posting spoilers, but I am not a fan. YMMV.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie is a new favorite character. She's interesting, enjoys delicious food, has interesting friends, and a fascinating job. All make for one delightful character who manages to get involved in mysteries and mayhem.

[Diane Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to laugh as I read the description of the graduation ceremony. So many similar experiences myself. Only our campus wasnt as nearly exciting as Henley although we had demonstrations and a convicted felon as remote graduation speaker!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

not much math, okay no math.
This was fun.
Read closely.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

B. fiction, cozy mystery, math, college, mayor, series, (Sophie Knowles, #3)

[Sybil Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really love this series. Interesting characters and a good story.

[Thiam Lieng · Rating 5 out of 5]

函數 function

[Donald E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick easy read with fun math puzzles.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Sophie Knowles is proud, but a little saddened when a new class of graduates is preparing to leave Henley College. Not all of the staff are pleased with the choice of Mayor Ed Graves for the commencement speaker, but could someone have been angry enough to kill over the decision? Sophie and her boyfriend Bruce Granville discover the mayor’s body and it’s obvious he is a victim of murder. Sophie didn’t know him well, but because the mayor had tried to contact her before his death, she feels compelled to look into the case. However, are her intelligence and cool logic enough to catch a killer?

This is the third book in this clever series and it is just as excellent as the prior books. Sophie is a wonderful main character. She is someone anyone would want as a friend or as a professor. She is supportive, kind, and hard-working. I like that her boyfriend Bruce worries about her, but doesn’t try to keep her from getting involved in all the investigations she finds herself mixed up in. He even helps her by sharing information he learns on the job as a medevac helicopter pilot with friends in the police department. Sophie is a great investigator, looking logically at the situation. However, at the end, she does act careless and end up in grave danger, which seems out of character for such an otherwise intelligent woman.

“A Function of Murder” is a clever mystery and will keep your interest until the end to find out who murdered Mayor Graves. The college setting is interesting and I enjoy the look at academic politics. The sometimes controversial charter schools play a large part in this mystery. Sometimes the books focus a lot on Sophie’s personal life with her boyfriend Bruce and her friends Fran and Arianna. However, most of this book has to do with Sophie’s relationship with her students, and one of them has information that is important to the murder investigation. I love this series as well as the author’s other series written under the names Margaret Grace and Camille Minichino. Fans of the author will enjoy “A Function of Murder” from the very first chapter to the challenging puzzles at the end. New readers who enjoy author Casey Mayes or anyone looking for a clean, intelligent, fun cozy mystery will want to get to know Dr. Sophie Knowles and the world of Henley College.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Math Professor Sophie Knowles is looking forward to some time off as this year’s class graduates, but things do not go as planned. The graduates are complaining about the mayor who gave the commencement address, one student is upset about her grade and vents on social media, and just when she is about to escape all of the drama to take a stroll with her helicopter pilot boyfriend things go horribly wrong. They are interrupted by the mayor himself as he falls into the fountain with a knife in his back. Sophie is shocked to find out the mayor was seeking her out for help before he was killed. Solving this murder in’t going to be easy but Sophie is ready to show her work as she tries delve into all the scandal and corruption that seems to connect to the mayor and find out how she fits into this criminal equation.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Sophie is such a fun protagonist. She really doesn’t want to get all wrapped up in a murder investigation but she just can’t help herself. Her boyfriend does his best to keep her safe but they can’t be together 24/7. Thankfully she has a great relationship with Detective Virgil Mitchell. The killer really surprised me. I figured it out at the same time Sophie did. It was a puzzler with quite a suspenseful ending.

The subplot of the student that is unhappy with her grades was wonderful. I am sure teachers near and far deal with this problem. With social media the student can take their issue to the masses making resolution difficult especially when “friends” take the problem to a whole new level.

Ada Madison has written three marvelous main characters, surrounded them with a group of very interesting individuals in a setting ripe for mystery. Add it all together and A Function of Murder equals an absolutely impressive whodunit.

[Bob Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Sophie Knowles may think her work for the semester is over as preparations begin for Henley College's commencement exercises. But her work is just beginning when the festivities are interrupted by a murder. The victim -- no less than the town's mayor. When not working at creating brain-teaser puzzles (her favorite hobby) she uses her police department contacts and her students to find the solution to the murder. It turns out, there are lots of candidates for the killer, both within the town and within the college community. The reader is given several alternate possible solutions before the author finally reveals the killer -- and only after resolving some students' problems along the way. Sophie's deductive reasoning may not quite reach that of Miss Marple, but she's much more actively involved heroine. This is another fun read and the third in the Sophie Knowles series. I recommend that you read them all.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Sophie Knowles, a professor of Mathematics at Henley College, MA, is preparing herself to attend the annual graduation of B.A. students. This year is different though, Sophie has overheard heated arguments, rumours of inappropriate romances, grading structures and more. Sophie is furthered unhappy by a last minute choice of commencement speakers. After the ceremonies and two meals, Sophie is thrilled to join her boyfriend, a helicopter pilot, Bruce Granville for a stroll around the campus.

This quiet moment is shocked by the figure of the Mayor struggling forward and calling out Sophie's name as he falls having been stabbed.

Sophie finds herself immersed in the search for the killer. Although I did not figure out the perpetrator until the end, when the author disclosed it, I must admit I found the lack of suspense made the story a bit of a chore to get through. This really surprised me as the first two novels in the series were a hit with me.

[Shannan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book more than I did. Math and murder should be an awesome combination. A decent murder, but Sophie Knowles just seemed constantly to be obtusely dense (see what I did there?)

The pace of the story is also way too slow. I love a good read, I love long reads, but there comes a time when something needs to happen and that doesn't happen often enough in this book. There are moments of a good pace and great story mixed in enough though to recommend giving it a go if you like cozies, academia, and very smart people who are otherwise quite dense sometimes (the socially thick professor type).

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ada Madison (Camille Minichino) is a strong, powerful woman who writes strong, powerful characters. In this, the third of the series, Math Professor Sophie Knowles once again finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. The setting is a small college in Massachusetts, very clearly depicted in Madison's prose. I loved studying math in high school and college, but it's not a required prerequisite for enjoying this series. There are several puzzles, brainteasers and riddles included, however, for those who enjoy them. A Function of Murder has a strong plot with lots of suspects and twists and turns. I'd definitely recommend this to any cozy (or other sub genre) mystery readers.

[Sandybear76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sophie is dressed up in her robe and hat and on stage for the spring commencement on Henley College's campus. The keynote speaker is the young Mayor of the town. After the ceremonies, the Mayor seems to want to talk with Sophie but the busy schedule of graduation day doesn't allow Sophie to speak with the Mayor. Later, Sophie sees the Mayor but only as he staggers towards Sophie near the campus fountain. Sophie tries to find out why the Mayor wanted to talk to her. She discovers many unpleasant ideas about the Mayor and the many business issues the Mayor had going on.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to force myself to finish this book. I knew from the beginning that the author was a mathemetician and the protagonist was a college math professor. That should have warned me. I have nothing against math, in fact am pretty good at it. BUT it overwhelms this good story. The professor, narrator, brings it into every thought she has. Math puzzles, math problems, math teaching dominate every chapter. I tried skipping the math stuff and just reading the mystery (which was pretty good) and this helped a little.
Unless you really love higher math, don't bother.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mathematics professor Sophie Knowles is, unfortunately, on the spot when the local mayor, who just spoke at Henley College's graduation, is killed. Her favorite student worked on the mayor's campaign and had, at least, a major crush on the married mayor, so Sophie can't help but be interested, despite warnings from her friend Virgil, the local police detective. Was the motive for murder something personal, or were politics involved? And why had the mayor been trying to reach Sophie, who hardly knew him, before his death?

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Function of Murder by Ada Madison is the third book in A Professor Sophie Knowles Mystery series. After finding the body of the mayor, Sophie becomes involved in the investigation when she finds that the mayor was seeking her help with something prior to his murder. I loved this book as it continues the high standards set by the previous books. We get to know more of the life and stresses of a maths professor and I loved the puzzles and teasers mentioned throughout the book as well as at the end. I look forward to reading more.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a cozy mystery, A Function of Murder was pretty good. The author got nearly all the ends tied up. (I'm still wondering who put the note under Elysse's door.) Having had extensive experience in the higher education world, just like the author, I think she got most things right, although having the whole faculty vote on a commencement speaker sounded a bit bizarre. The business about school administrators' changing student grades in the charter school was fictional; a school administrator might change test scores but never individual grades. Altogether, this was a fun read.

[P.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good reading experience that could have been better with better developed characters. Maybe if Ariana had been in town her individuality would have added some lightness to the story. It could be that I feel this way because this is the first Professor Sophie Knowles mystery that I've read. When I get a chance to start at the beginning of the series if my opinion changes, I will adjust this review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Sophie Knowles has made it through another year of classes & graduation ceremonies. After a student mishap during the after graduation party, Sophie & her beau Bruce stumble upon the mayor leaving Sophie to try to figure out who & why this happened. In the midst of this, she also had to deal with a disgruntled student and keep her wits about herself trying to get this one solved. Love Sophie Knowles and the other characters in this series!

[Sara Tuschen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author writes well. The plot line was mildly interesting. Although some characters have the potential to be interesting, they were mundane. The author was neat and tidy, which serves well telling the story, but makes the characters uninteresting. I did not find it suspenseful. Perhaps if I had read the other books in the series I would enjoy the characters more. This was the first book of this author's that I read. I probably won't read any others.

[Christa (haines) Sheridan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the characters and the setting. There's something about Sophie that I can really connect with.
Was the murderer a little obvious? I think so, and there were a few too many things happening at times.
It was frustrating to have only hints about Sophie's mother, but not enough information to understand who she was, or why Sophie always refers to her as Margaret.

[Hillary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good entry in the series, a little bit much on the number of suspects, the series is clever enough without stuffing the mystery too full. I didn't quite buy the "epiphany" that leads our main character to the answer, the first two books were more sharp.