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Iris Reid Mysteries #1
Conundrum
When a Harvard Architecture School superstar plunges off the balcony at a graduation party, the police see an accident, not foul play. But fellow-student Iris Reid knows that any jealous member of the ruling clique would have relished pushing him off.
Twenty years later, a reunion is luring the same cast of characters back to Cambridge. The opening night dinner is being held in a Modernist house that Iris has designed. She hopes to untangle the events that led to her friend's death. But the murderer has other plans. When a long-ago boyfriend turns up dead the night of the dinner, all the incriminating evidence points to Iris.
What began as an attempt to avenge her old friend, turns into a desperate race to avoid being framed by the clever killer - a killer capable of twisting the truth into a bloody conundrum.
Twenty years later, a reunion is luring the same cast of characters back to Cambridge. The opening night dinner is being held in a Modernist house that Iris has designed. She hopes to untangle the events that led to her friend's death. But the murderer has other plans. When a long-ago boyfriend turns up dead the night of the dinner, all the incriminating evidence points to Iris.
What began as an attempt to avenge her old friend, turns into a desperate race to avoid being framed by the clever killer - a killer capable of twisting the truth into a bloody conundrum.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2012
184 people are currently reading
816 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
September 1, 2012
I hated coming to the last page of this book. This murder mystery is set in the greater Boston area. Architect Iris Reid has designed a masterpiece home for Norman Meeker one of her fellow graduates from the Harvard Architecture School. The grand unveiling of the home is a double celebration. A housewarming of sorts and the opening night dinner for the class's 20th reunion. Iris hopes to use the event to gather information about the death of a fellow classmate. One who died on graduation eve. Before long two more classmates are dead and Iris is the prime suspect. Iris is able to use her architetural skills, knowledge of the culture of the School of Architecture and native intelligence to solve the current and past murders and clear her name. Cory deftly weaves the past and present lives of one class of graduates from Harvard Architecture School together to bring this book to life. I have to admit, I pride myself on knowing "who dun it" before the middle of a book. I didn't get this one right until the end, but when I looked back, the groundwork was seamlessly laid. Great read.
July 14, 2015
"A Good Murder Mystery and Start of a Series"
CONUNDRUM was a good murder mystery set in Cambridge where a twenty year reunion is about to take place. Iris is the architect who designed the house where the reception is to be held before the reunion and she's also one of the alumni. Her ex was planning to attend but turned up dead. This set off a chain of events including two more murders that make it look as if someone is setting Iris up.
When I first began this audiobook, I thought it had a strange, almost tense feel to it but I quickly found myself drawn into the characters and the story. Like the Riesling, it had a dry but sort of sweet flavor to it. I thought the idea of it being an architectural mystery was fresh and it was cohesive with the title.
I'd recommend giving this a listen. SUSAN CORY did a nice job with this book. I was very pleasantly surprised and the narrator was a bonus. I look forward to listening to more in the IRIS REID MYSTERIES.
LISA FLANAGAN did a terrific job reading this audiobook. I enjoyed her approach. Again, I compare it to the Riesling. She had wonderful voice inflections and made this a suspenseful listen with her narrative style. I'll look for more audiobooks read by her.
Audiobook received in exchange for an honest review from audiobookblast dot com
December 8, 2015
I LOVED this book!It was fresh and kept me interested all through!
20 years ago Iris graduated from Architecture school at Harvard.On the night of the party her best friend dies at her feet.She has been trying to find out who might have killed him ever since.Present day and it's reunion time.She's building a house for one of her former classmates and he is holding the festivities.Iris and her friend hope to figure out 'who dunnit'. The twists and turns and even more deaths lead us on a merry chase.
Lisa Flanagin does a wonderful job mnarrating!"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast or MalarHous
20 years ago Iris graduated from Architecture school at Harvard.On the night of the party her best friend dies at her feet.She has been trying to find out who might have killed him ever since.Present day and it's reunion time.She's building a house for one of her former classmates and he is holding the festivities.Iris and her friend hope to figure out 'who dunnit'. The twists and turns and even more deaths lead us on a merry chase.
Lisa Flanagin does a wonderful job mnarrating!"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast or MalarHous
March 29, 2014
Great murder mystery
Great murder mystery
Susan Cory did she great job on the plot! I felt like I was in the middle of Clue, but with architects! I know nothing about architecture and still enjoyed reading about her precise descriptions of places and buildings. Definitely would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun "who done it"!
Great murder mystery
Susan Cory did she great job on the plot! I felt like I was in the middle of Clue, but with architects! I know nothing about architecture and still enjoyed reading about her precise descriptions of places and buildings. Definitely would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun "who done it"!
March 22, 2014
Well built mystery with architect as amateur detective.
I found much to like with good writing, characters, setting and plot. Having an architect as protagonist worked well as I am a sucker for new information about most subjects.
I found much to like with good writing, characters, setting and plot. Having an architect as protagonist worked well as I am a sucker for new information about most subjects.
November 23, 2014
Easy read but I couldn't put it down.
This book grabbed my interest right away. it was easy to read and the characters became real very quickly. I couldn't wait to find out who the murder really was. I really enjoyed it.
This book grabbed my interest right away. it was easy to read and the characters became real very quickly. I couldn't wait to find out who the murder really was. I really enjoyed it.
March 31, 2014
Couldn't put it down!
read the whole book in one sitting. loved the suspense and intrigue of the connection of the characters. more,more,more. excellent writing.
read the whole book in one sitting. loved the suspense and intrigue of the connection of the characters. more,more,more. excellent writing.
May 14, 2013
Interesting blend of who-done-it with interior/architectural design - two favorites of mine. Not only was I intrigued by the solving of the complex murders, but I garnered info on the design industry. Miz Cory's characters are likable and believable; the glitches minimal. If you're in to a "light" mystery, which doesn't require deep concentration, this book could be for you.
January 31, 2019
Initially I liked this book, but then the dialogue started to get longer and longer. Questions were fired off without giving the other person a chance to think, much less no opportunity to reply.
It wasn't a bad book, but it needs work.
It wasn't a bad book, but it needs work.
May 19, 2013
I am not impressed. Yes, Cambridge came off very well, and the idea of working at home in your lovely inherited house as a successful architect and dating a fantastically handsome chef (and trust me - chefs are rarely available on the fly nor are they sweet as a rule.....) is exciting and intriguing, but on the whole, it just didn't hang together. I will give the next book a shot because I fly a lot and this is a quick plane book, but the next one has to be crisper.
January 4, 2017
Great mystery
I loved how the author kept you guessing until almost the very end. Then as you started to piece things together, the story ended. I can't wait to read the next book.
I loved how the author kept you guessing until almost the very end. Then as you started to piece things together, the story ended. I can't wait to read the next book.
January 16, 2019
The dialogue is bad. People don't bombard one another with a series of questions and demands and observations....The plot was twisted and almost overdone. Some characters were stereotyped (the bartender), while others (suspects) were nearly indistinguishable from one another.
March 9, 2016
AUDIBLE AUDIOBOOK EDITION
http://audiothing.blogspot.com.au
MY REVIEW
I must say, it did take me a little while before I was hooked in to this story, but half an hour in, things picked up pace and became more interesting. The up coming Harvard twenty year reunion is to be held at a house designed by Iris for her old classmate Norman, the house is fitted out with Normans' latest ecological features. Iris must oversee the finish before the house will be completed ready for the reunion. Both Norman and Iris attended Harvard with a young man, Corey, who supposedly committed suicide by jumping of a balcony. Iris was never convinced of the suicide verdict, she believed he was murdered and, as the reunion draws closer, her suspicions and uneasy feelings are revived. When another murder occurs Iris is convinced it is related to Corey's death, she involves herself in the hunt for the truth. As the story unfolds, the true personalites of her old college friends are revealed, the good and the bad, Iris discovers some shocking truths.
Conundrum is an entertaining story with some interestingly drawn characters, but I did lose the thread once or twice as it is complicated by a large cast of players. It's also quite short, so the author had to pack an awful lot of information into a small space, sometimes at the expense of clarity. The architectural and ecological details add a little extra push to the interest level, and there just might be the start of a romance for our heroine! I liked Iris because the author hasn't bestowed upon her the usual annoying charactistics of the female sleuth, you know the sort of thing: "I am stupid, therefore I will place myself in a ridiculous and dangerous situation". If you don't know what I mean, well, you haven't read enough Cozy Mysteries!
Narrator
Lisa Flanagan is a new name to me, this is the only work by her that I can find, but having listened to her, I can't understand why she isn't all over The audiobook world. Lisa has a really rich, beautiful golden voice, so easy on the ear, such a pleasure to listen to. She gives us a performance of perfect timing, credible characters and gender changes, she portrays the emotions perfectly without being all actressy about it. Her real skill, well, gift really, is her voice and her delivery techniques. She is a storyteller, up there with the best of them and I'm certain she is destined to become an audiobook star.
This audiobook was provided by the narrator at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com
http://audiothing.blogspot.com.au
MY REVIEW
I must say, it did take me a little while before I was hooked in to this story, but half an hour in, things picked up pace and became more interesting. The up coming Harvard twenty year reunion is to be held at a house designed by Iris for her old classmate Norman, the house is fitted out with Normans' latest ecological features. Iris must oversee the finish before the house will be completed ready for the reunion. Both Norman and Iris attended Harvard with a young man, Corey, who supposedly committed suicide by jumping of a balcony. Iris was never convinced of the suicide verdict, she believed he was murdered and, as the reunion draws closer, her suspicions and uneasy feelings are revived. When another murder occurs Iris is convinced it is related to Corey's death, she involves herself in the hunt for the truth. As the story unfolds, the true personalites of her old college friends are revealed, the good and the bad, Iris discovers some shocking truths.
Conundrum is an entertaining story with some interestingly drawn characters, but I did lose the thread once or twice as it is complicated by a large cast of players. It's also quite short, so the author had to pack an awful lot of information into a small space, sometimes at the expense of clarity. The architectural and ecological details add a little extra push to the interest level, and there just might be the start of a romance for our heroine! I liked Iris because the author hasn't bestowed upon her the usual annoying charactistics of the female sleuth, you know the sort of thing: "I am stupid, therefore I will place myself in a ridiculous and dangerous situation". If you don't know what I mean, well, you haven't read enough Cozy Mysteries!
Narrator
Lisa Flanagan is a new name to me, this is the only work by her that I can find, but having listened to her, I can't understand why she isn't all over The audiobook world. Lisa has a really rich, beautiful golden voice, so easy on the ear, such a pleasure to listen to. She gives us a performance of perfect timing, credible characters and gender changes, she portrays the emotions perfectly without being all actressy about it. Her real skill, well, gift really, is her voice and her delivery techniques. She is a storyteller, up there with the best of them and I'm certain she is destined to become an audiobook star.
This audiobook was provided by the narrator at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com
February 4, 2016
Reviewed by Julia for Readers' Favorite.
Susan Cory’s first novel, Conundrum, is a modern whodunit set in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The story focuses on Iris Reid, a 40-something architect, and her forthcoming 20-year Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) class reunion. Two decades earlier, at the group’s graduation party, Iris’s friend, Carey, plunged to his death from the host’s apartment balcony and she and her friend, Ellie, have always been convinced that one of their peers was responsible, despite the police’s finding of misadventure. Iris and Ellie consider the upcoming reunion to be the perfect occasion to quiz their classmates for clues relating to Carey’s death - as well as the ideal opportunity for Iris to get her new crush, hunky chef Luc, a catering gig - but get more than they bargained for when the body count starts to rise…
Being a mystery fan, I liked the sound of Conundrum from the start, and was not disappointed. Susan Cory has created a very readable tale with engaging lead characters and an array of unpleasant suspects to choose from, with the bonus of some smart, funny lines and a warm, flirty subplot between Iris and Luc. The story itself is gently plotted and the clues sparingly laid out; the well characterised leads do an awful lot of talking about the not-so-three-dimensional suspects and a few times it was difficult to remember who exactly was who, without reading back. Cory’s own experience as a graduate of GSD and resident of Cambridge adds some interesting architecture details and some clear and vivid descriptions of the local area to what is an enjoyable and solid whodunit. Recommended.
Susan Cory’s first novel, Conundrum, is a modern whodunit set in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The story focuses on Iris Reid, a 40-something architect, and her forthcoming 20-year Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) class reunion. Two decades earlier, at the group’s graduation party, Iris’s friend, Carey, plunged to his death from the host’s apartment balcony and she and her friend, Ellie, have always been convinced that one of their peers was responsible, despite the police’s finding of misadventure. Iris and Ellie consider the upcoming reunion to be the perfect occasion to quiz their classmates for clues relating to Carey’s death - as well as the ideal opportunity for Iris to get her new crush, hunky chef Luc, a catering gig - but get more than they bargained for when the body count starts to rise…
Being a mystery fan, I liked the sound of Conundrum from the start, and was not disappointed. Susan Cory has created a very readable tale with engaging lead characters and an array of unpleasant suspects to choose from, with the bonus of some smart, funny lines and a warm, flirty subplot between Iris and Luc. The story itself is gently plotted and the clues sparingly laid out; the well characterised leads do an awful lot of talking about the not-so-three-dimensional suspects and a few times it was difficult to remember who exactly was who, without reading back. Cory’s own experience as a graduate of GSD and resident of Cambridge adds some interesting architecture details and some clear and vivid descriptions of the local area to what is an enjoyable and solid whodunit. Recommended.
November 26, 2013
I've read about four or five mysteries in my life and I've had a life long enough to have read hundreds, so that's not many, thus, I'm not much of a critic. I read this because the author is a friend of a friend and I'm familiar with the setting, Cambridge, MA, where I lived for several years and met my husband who graduated from GSD, the school featured in the book. Cambridge is a great city so it's a treat to read about it and remember it and the whole GSD thing was interesting. But, aside from all those personal connections, I did enjoy the book. It was a fast read with enough intrigue to keep me interested. I wasn't looking for great literature but the characters were all plausible and the story held together very well. The ending worked but I wasn't able to absolutely predict it which was perfect. Occasionally I wondered how come I had figured out something that the character hadn't, and there were some things that didn't seem right -- like how did the murderer get possession of a taser, but all in all, it was a very good light read. Not being a mystery reader, I don't really know how original it is, but the murders, bodies, premise and setting in GSD all seem pretty original. The architectural references and lives of the architects were also interesting. The one thing I really dislike is the title. 'Conundrum' seems supremely unoriginal. Many mysteries must turn into conundrums.
June 21, 2015
** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **
This is a cozy mystery, set in Cambridge....Iris is an architect who 20yrs prior while in grad school witnessed her good friend Keri's death....well the killer was never caught and now there is a reunion...her and her friend Ellie are still determined to figure out who murdered there friend....well as the details start to unfold and even more murders happen...it all boils down to a deadly situation for Iris...there is some romance and a ton of intrigue and I was never ever sure who the killer was...I like that...I never even guessed till it was revealed!
Good story and I will continue this series..if you like mysteries this is well worth a listen and a credit!
Thank you Audiobookblast(dot)com
This is a cozy mystery, set in Cambridge....Iris is an architect who 20yrs prior while in grad school witnessed her good friend Keri's death....well the killer was never caught and now there is a reunion...her and her friend Ellie are still determined to figure out who murdered there friend....well as the details start to unfold and even more murders happen...it all boils down to a deadly situation for Iris...there is some romance and a ton of intrigue and I was never ever sure who the killer was...I like that...I never even guessed till it was revealed!
Good story and I will continue this series..if you like mysteries this is well worth a listen and a credit!
Thank you Audiobookblast(dot)com
August 17, 2016
I enjoyed this much more than most free Kindle books. The story was fast paced, the characters were developed and seemed realistic. Others have commented that the dialogue seemed juvenile, but I found it to be believable. I've known several adults who still gossip and back stab like they're in high school!
The mystery portion was good, nothing too deep. It was entertaining without requiring a ton of deep thought.
Iris also develops a love interest. I enjoyed that she didn't "fall in love" in 6 chapters...just started dating a new guy.
Overall I would recommend this.
The mystery portion was good, nothing too deep. It was entertaining without requiring a ton of deep thought.
Iris also develops a love interest. I enjoyed that she didn't "fall in love" in 6 chapters...just started dating a new guy.
Overall I would recommend this.
October 27, 2014
This was a great mystery the story had a lot of twist and turns it was a who don't and you couldn't figure out. The character were wonderful and the story plot was to die for. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery.
July 14, 2019
Fast moving
Intelligent conversation and enough surprises to balance the logical conclusions. I’m a little confused by the romance seeming to suddenly blossom. But I liked “the good guys”, so it didn’t bother me a lot.
Intelligent conversation and enough surprises to balance the logical conclusions. I’m a little confused by the romance seeming to suddenly blossom. But I liked “the good guys”, so it didn’t bother me a lot.
March 25, 2013
Not impressed. Not a believable story. It jumped around and was hard to keep my attention. Very disappointed. Would not recommend.
November 15, 2013
Loved the Cambridge setting and the architectural insights.
March 23, 2014
Good book
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery. it was well written and just overall a good book.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery. it was well written and just overall a good book.
June 23, 2014
Enjoyable read
December 17, 2014
Tag: Mystery
July 16, 2014
Good read
Good read
this is the first Iris Aries book I've read.
I enjoyed the storyline and the development of the characters.
I recommend reading this book.
Good read
this is the first Iris Aries book I've read.
I enjoyed the storyline and the development of the characters.
I recommend reading this book.
January 3, 2017
Enjoyable Book
This is a well written story. It was interesting and held my attention. I enjoyed reading this book very much.
This is a well written story. It was interesting and held my attention. I enjoyed reading this book very much.
March 23, 2021
Killer Architecture
The 1st in a series Of murder mysteries.This series has very strong characters.I read 1 of the books further along in the series that I received free from either goodreads or book bob.
I love murder mysteries where you get to learn about new things. In this series the main character, Iris, is an architect.Her best friend Ellie she met in architecture school. I have some experience with architecture school because I had friends in it back in college. It is just as demanding and exhausting in real life as it shows in this book.
We also have a possible love interest who is the chef in his Very fancy cafe.Not the kind of food I would eat! LOL Too fancy for my disposition.I have really enjoyed the 2 books that I have read and will continue to read this series. Cheers!
The 1st in a series Of murder mysteries.This series has very strong characters.I read 1 of the books further along in the series that I received free from either goodreads or book bob.
I love murder mysteries where you get to learn about new things. In this series the main character, Iris, is an architect.Her best friend Ellie she met in architecture school. I have some experience with architecture school because I had friends in it back in college. It is just as demanding and exhausting in real life as it shows in this book.
We also have a possible love interest who is the chef in his Very fancy cafe.Not the kind of food I would eat! LOL Too fancy for my disposition.I have really enjoyed the 2 books that I have read and will continue to read this series. Cheers!
February 14, 2020
Susan Cory has a good plot with clear characters. With 10 characters, each of whom could have committed the crimes, she gives a few clues, without implicating any of the characters specifically. Eventually she points the path toward finding the assailant(s).
Ms. Cory is very intrigued with rare foods and wines, and spends some of her narrative giving the reader perhaps too much of her fascination. Fortunately, this does not really distract the reader from the story.
An easy and captivating read. Her writing ability is good, and possibly later novels may prove to be more intense.
Ms. Cory is very intrigued with rare foods and wines, and spends some of her narrative giving the reader perhaps too much of her fascination. Fortunately, this does not really distract the reader from the story.
An easy and captivating read. Her writing ability is good, and possibly later novels may prove to be more intense.
September 2, 2021
At a Harvard Design School 20th Reunion people were discussing the death of a class member which had occurred then. But now there are more deaths. People keep telling Iris, but she goes to the police. Can they figure out why Carey was killed a d now Norman and Will?
Interesting.
Interesting.
September 14, 2018
Predictable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews