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Julie O'Hara Mystery #2
Swan Song
On a foggy morning in January, the pale body of a young woman is discovered adrift in an errant swan boat on Lake Eola in the middle of a jewel-like park in Downtown Orlando. The cause of her death is a single, deep slash on her right wrist, and the knife - with her clear left handprint - is found beside her. There is no sign of anyone else having been at the scene and her car is parked by the lake. After a fruitless inquiry, the police conclude that successful and beautiful Dianna Wieland, 28, took her own life.
Body language expert, Julie O'Hara - who was out running in Eola Park that morning - isn't buying it. She volunteers to help Joe Garrett, a private investigator hired by the family.
Body language expert, Julie O'Hara - who was out running in Eola Park that morning - isn't buying it. She volunteers to help Joe Garrett, a private investigator hired by the family.
And that makes Dianna's killer very nervous, indeed...Since Julie O'Hara is the one person most likely to figure it out.
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First published August 24, 2010
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About the author
Lee Hanson
4 books65 followersI was born in Chicago and quickly transplanted to Boston. In my forties, I moved south to Orlando, a city I've truly come to love. I'm the author of The Julie O’Hara Mystery Series, including Castle Cay, Swan Song, Mystral Murder and Topaz' Trap. My novels feature an intrepid body language expert, Julie O’Hara, who has received some very lovely reviews, which make me smile... and keep me writing!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
December 17, 2010
Swan Song by Lee Hanson and Eli Blyden
This is the second book in the Julie O’Hara series, coming after “Castle Cay”. And to say that I was impressed is an understatement. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading “Castle Cay” and was worried that I might have a bit of trouble with this second novel, not knowing the characters or the author’s style. But I shouldn’t have worried. There will be no problem for you should you chose to start with this book as I did.
Julie O’Hara is a body language expert; one who has mainly worked with lawyers to aid in picking juries. Now Julie will be using her unique skills in solving what appears to all to be a suicide. After all, she is the first one to have found the victim and has seen the scene a little differently than the police did.
This novel had me hooked right from the start and the idea behind Julie and her career is a unique one (at least for me), since I’ve mainly only seen “body language experts” being used as secondary or tertiary characters. In my opinion this was a very fresh and clever way to leap into the mystery/suspense genre. This was plotted very tightly, with only just enough red herrings as was absolutely necessary. It took me by surprise when the true assailant was finally uncovered. The characters Julie and her boyfriend Joe, a private detective and her partner in this book, are engaging and very likeable.
The only flaw in this novel was that the dialogue between some of the characters seemed a bit stilted or stiff, but I think with further novels that issue will be cleared up.
Lee Hanson is an author to watch and I can’t wait to read the next novel in this series.
This is the second book in the Julie O’Hara series, coming after “Castle Cay”. And to say that I was impressed is an understatement. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading “Castle Cay” and was worried that I might have a bit of trouble with this second novel, not knowing the characters or the author’s style. But I shouldn’t have worried. There will be no problem for you should you chose to start with this book as I did.
Julie O’Hara is a body language expert; one who has mainly worked with lawyers to aid in picking juries. Now Julie will be using her unique skills in solving what appears to all to be a suicide. After all, she is the first one to have found the victim and has seen the scene a little differently than the police did.
This novel had me hooked right from the start and the idea behind Julie and her career is a unique one (at least for me), since I’ve mainly only seen “body language experts” being used as secondary or tertiary characters. In my opinion this was a very fresh and clever way to leap into the mystery/suspense genre. This was plotted very tightly, with only just enough red herrings as was absolutely necessary. It took me by surprise when the true assailant was finally uncovered. The characters Julie and her boyfriend Joe, a private detective and her partner in this book, are engaging and very likeable.
The only flaw in this novel was that the dialogue between some of the characters seemed a bit stilted or stiff, but I think with further novels that issue will be cleared up.
Lee Hanson is an author to watch and I can’t wait to read the next novel in this series.
March 29, 2013
They call her Merlin, but while Julie O’Hara is no wizard she does have a way of reading people’s innermost secrets in their smallest unconscious movements. When Julie is the first to discover a dead woman drifting in a swan boat on Lake Eola, the successful body language expert feels an immediate connection to the case. When the woman’s death is ruled a suicide, her distraught parents hire Detective Joe Garrett to delve deeper into the case. Not only is Garrett’s office next door to O’Hara’s, but the two are also an item, though a tragic accident in Julie’s past stands in the way of true happiness.
Julie joins Joe on the case, and together the two look into the life and death of the beautiful but enigmatic Dianna Wieland. Using Joe’s gut and Julie’s honed powers of observation, the duo uncover secrets, discover Dianna’s dark past and edge ever closer to finding a killer who will do just about anything to stay hidden.
Swan Song is a smooth and enjoyable read. Author Lee Hanson is a deft writer and keeps the plot twisting and turning throughout the novel. Julie and Joe are enjoyable characters, and I especially found myself looking forward to Julie’s perspective. Hanson has done her homework, and Julie’s body language expertise was convincing and really added a fun layer to the mystery.
One thing I really appreciated was how the character of Dianna Wieland grew throughout the novel. From an anonymous dead body at the beginning of the novel, she seemed to become more and more alive as Joe and Julie put together the pieces of her life.
For anyone looking to snuggle up with a good mystery that will keep you guessing and give you a strong shot of adrenaline at the end, I strongly suggest Swan Song.
As for me, when I turned the last page (or, more accurately, pushed the ‘next’ button one last time on my Kindle) I realized that I didn’t want this song to end. I’m glad that Julie is back in the Volume 3 of the Julie O’Hara Mystery Series, Mystral Murder.
(This book was provided to Compulsion Reads for review by the author.)
Julie joins Joe on the case, and together the two look into the life and death of the beautiful but enigmatic Dianna Wieland. Using Joe’s gut and Julie’s honed powers of observation, the duo uncover secrets, discover Dianna’s dark past and edge ever closer to finding a killer who will do just about anything to stay hidden.
Swan Song is a smooth and enjoyable read. Author Lee Hanson is a deft writer and keeps the plot twisting and turning throughout the novel. Julie and Joe are enjoyable characters, and I especially found myself looking forward to Julie’s perspective. Hanson has done her homework, and Julie’s body language expertise was convincing and really added a fun layer to the mystery.
One thing I really appreciated was how the character of Dianna Wieland grew throughout the novel. From an anonymous dead body at the beginning of the novel, she seemed to become more and more alive as Joe and Julie put together the pieces of her life.
For anyone looking to snuggle up with a good mystery that will keep you guessing and give you a strong shot of adrenaline at the end, I strongly suggest Swan Song.
As for me, when I turned the last page (or, more accurately, pushed the ‘next’ button one last time on my Kindle) I realized that I didn’t want this song to end. I’m glad that Julie is back in the Volume 3 of the Julie O’Hara Mystery Series, Mystral Murder.
(This book was provided to Compulsion Reads for review by the author.)
February 20, 2011
Julie is out for a run early one morning when she notices a swan boat on Lake Eola is loose and there's a woman's body in it. The police believe the woman slit her own wrist, but Julie can't believe it, especially since Dianna seems to be urging Julie to solve her murder.
I had no idea when reading, that this was the second book in a series. I didn't feel like I was missing part of the story, but I am now anxious for Amazon to come out with a Kindle version of the first book, Castle Cay.
Merlin, Julie's working name, is a body language expert and she uses her ability when paired up with Joe, her private investigator boyfriend, to find the answers for Dianna's parents. The things Julie is seeing when interviewing various people are shared with the reader to indicate if the person is lying, anxious, angry, etc, leading the reader to do their own speculating.
The story is filled with interesting characters, many of whom have a good reason to eliminate who we learn is a really nice person. The mystery grabbed me right away and one thing that struck me was how well the author used descriptions. That sounds like such an obvious thing that everyone does, but I thought the use was very well balanced between providing a detailed visual without overdoing it.
Read for Books and Chat
I had no idea when reading, that this was the second book in a series. I didn't feel like I was missing part of the story, but I am now anxious for Amazon to come out with a Kindle version of the first book, Castle Cay.
Merlin, Julie's working name, is a body language expert and she uses her ability when paired up with Joe, her private investigator boyfriend, to find the answers for Dianna's parents. The things Julie is seeing when interviewing various people are shared with the reader to indicate if the person is lying, anxious, angry, etc, leading the reader to do their own speculating.
The story is filled with interesting characters, many of whom have a good reason to eliminate who we learn is a really nice person. The mystery grabbed me right away and one thing that struck me was how well the author used descriptions. That sounds like such an obvious thing that everyone does, but I thought the use was very well balanced between providing a detailed visual without overdoing it.
Read for Books and Chat
August 26, 2012
Finally a decent mystery that is well written and keeps you guessing who the killer is. Dianna Wieland is beautiful,lives comfortably and is well liked. She is found dead in a swan in the park, her wrist cut and the knife under her. Police believe suicide until Julie O'Hara, body language expert and her P.I. boyfriend Joe Garrett looks into the case on behalf of Dianna's parents. The story is written in past and present as each suspect is eliminated. Has many twists and turns, you think you know who killed Dianna and why and then it takes a different turn. Julie O'Hara and Joe Garrett works well together in solving the case. But, the best surprise is who actually saves Julie from the killer. Well worth your time.
September 22, 2012
Julie (aka Merlin) O'Hara was on a morning jog arpund her nearby lake on a foggy early morning in Florida. As the fog lifted, she was able to see a lone swan boat out on the lake and the appearance of a woman's arm hanging out of the boat. When the police arrived, they discovered a knife in the woman's now dead left hand. Eventually, the incident was ruled a suicide but Julie just didn't buy it. This was a well written mystery that kept me guessing through much of the novel. It was a quick, easy read that made for a very pleasant Sunday afternoon. I enjoyed the novel, especially in the character development of Julie and in the way layers of the dead woman's life and personality were revealed. I would definitely recommend this book.
November 15, 2018
This novel had me really worried about Julie. First Joe asked her to marry him, she said no due to a loyalty she had for deceased husband Dan. Julie, you can't stop living for someone who has died! Then, out for an early morning jog, she sees someone in a swan boat on the lake, a dead someone; real estate agent Dianna Wieland and the police think it's suicide. Julie, on the other hand, is not liking the suicide concept after helping Joe investigate it further.
The investigation reveals so many sad details in Dianna's life, and digging deeper and deeper gets Julie.....well, I can't tell you that, spoilers sweetie.
The investigation reveals so many sad details in Dianna's life, and digging deeper and deeper gets Julie.....well, I can't tell you that, spoilers sweetie.
August 29, 2013
Second book in a series. I really like the main character who is a body language specialist which I find fascinating as she uses this knowledge to solve a crime. I liked the storyline and the ending was good. So glad that the swearing was held to a minimum (such a relief after the first book). There was some fairly mild sexual content which was more than I personally needed to read, but that is coming from a self proclaimed prude. Would make a good vacation read.
April 15, 2012
Loved Lee Hanson's Swan Song, Julie O'Hara series. This second Novel
caught my attention right from the start. I thought I knew who the
killer was but there were many interesting suspects I wasn't sure if I was correct until the end of the book. I love the way Lee Hanson writes. I cannot wait for her next Novel. Great book.
caught my attention right from the start. I thought I knew who the
killer was but there were many interesting suspects I wasn't sure if I was correct until the end of the book. I love the way Lee Hanson writes. I cannot wait for her next Novel. Great book.
May 8, 2016
Another great book in the series. I love the main character and the body language expert angle. All of the characters are great, and the plot has exciting twists and turns. Thank you for another great book and I look forward to the next one.
October 5, 2012
I enjoyed this book. It is a cozy novel about a woman named Julie nicknamed "Merlin". Julie is an expert in reading body language and likes to solve mysteries. I would recommend this book for an easy, enjoyable read.
August 12, 2013
Wow. I discovered Lee Hanson's talents as a mystery writer in Castle Cay but the story she puts together this time is so much more than an awesome mystery. She delves into the painful life of the victim with whom she feels a connection. Beautifully done story with a well written mystery.
June 19, 2013
I enjoyed this book. The characters are likeable and the premise of teaming up a detective and a body language expert seems to work. I'm looking forward to reading another in this series. 4.3 stars.
February 22, 2014
Another hit by Lee Hanson.
Another hit by Lee Hanson.
Julie and Joe make a dynamic partnership, and NEVER have I been able to figure out the plot until the end! Lee Hanson has grown as a writer, and it shows in the Julia O'Hara series.
Another hit by Lee Hanson.
Julie and Joe make a dynamic partnership, and NEVER have I been able to figure out the plot until the end! Lee Hanson has grown as a writer, and it shows in the Julia O'Hara series.
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September 4, 2012Excellent read!
April 9, 2013
fantastic read, guessing right until the end as to who the killer was!
November 4, 2013
I like the microexpression and body language inclusions
January 24, 2014
Riveting! Usually I'm able to figure out who the sub is-this caught me totally off guard. Ready for more books from this author!!
February 3, 2020
Excellent mystery. Had me guessing halfway through. And several times I thought I had the killer. But boy was I wrong! It's a short easy read of 300 pages. For the most part, it has very short chapters.
The title is taken from a Madrigal called The Silver Swan by Orlando Gibbons. And is recited in the book.
The silver Swan, who, living, had no Note
When Death approached, unlocked her silent throat
Leaning her breast upon the reedy shore
Thus sang her first and last, and sang no more:
"Farewell, all joys! O Death, come close mine eyes!
More Geese than Swans now live, more Fools than Wise."
The title is taken from a Madrigal called The Silver Swan by Orlando Gibbons. And is recited in the book.
The silver Swan, who, living, had no Note
When Death approached, unlocked her silent throat
Leaning her breast upon the reedy shore
Thus sang her first and last, and sang no more:
"Farewell, all joys! O Death, come close mine eyes!
More Geese than Swans now live, more Fools than Wise."
August 15, 2018
I liked this story with good character development. Interesting how the author creates a mystery that slowly unfolds and keeps you guessing. I don’t like the profanity which adds nothing to the story.
June 30, 2019
Wonderful
I read this mystery several years ago. I picked it up again and enjoyed rereading it. It is tightly plotted with likable characters and a satisfying ending. I will look for this author’s other writings.
I read this mystery several years ago. I picked it up again and enjoyed rereading it. It is tightly plotted with likable characters and a satisfying ending. I will look for this author’s other writings.
November 18, 2024
Once again Lee Hansen knocked it out of the park.
This the second book of the series was equally as enjoyable as the first. A quick read, couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read the last book. I highly recommend this author and this series. Have fun reading.
This the second book of the series was equally as enjoyable as the first. A quick read, couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read the last book. I highly recommend this author and this series. Have fun reading.
July 11, 2018
Body language expert "Merlin"
September 7, 2020
Great follow up story! And doesn’t rehash , on and on, about the first book. Yes I will read the next one !
November 24, 2022
The second book in the Julie O'Hara mystery series. Quick and entertaining.
August 27, 2024
Good Read!!
April 24, 2014
I decided to re-read this after finishing the first book in the series - Castle Cay. It is well worth the second read, and the passage of time meant that I did not remember all the details of the story. For me this was even better than Castle Cay, which I also enjoyed. The author skilfully set up several people as potential suspects without ever misdirecting the readers. On the few occasions when the book is written in the killer's voice, there is nothing which identifies him, but usually a little to make one wonder if it might be someone whom it ultimately turns out not to be. There are several people here, who having something of their own to hide, are somewhat economical with the truth, which for a time at least, points the finger of suspicion at them. As Julie unravels the case, the reader is right there alongside her and things begin to fall into place, although for Julie the moment of realisation may have come too late as she finds herself in a perilous situation.
I started this book late last night, and only put it down when I fell asleep, this morning it has been a great distraction as I wanted to follow it through to the end. I will now be hunting for the third book in the series but maybe I had better not download it until I have got a few things done.
I started this book late last night, and only put it down when I fell asleep, this morning it has been a great distraction as I wanted to follow it through to the end. I will now be hunting for the third book in the series but maybe I had better not download it until I have got a few things done.
January 8, 2017
Officially, I am giving this 4.5 stars.
The plot was above average and the character development was good. Since I've been to Orlando (and stayed just a few blocks from Lake Eola Park), I enjoyed the setting.
The only reason I'm not giving this five stars is because I hate unnecessary distractions, or more accurately, anything that detracts from the task at hand while I'm reading. In this case, the thing that bugged me most was the inconsistent use of punctuation within quotation marks. In some instances the punctuation was inside the quotation marks; in some cases it was outside the quotation marks. The most bothersome thing was the placement of punctuation marks outside of single quotation marks. Maybe it was a formatting error.... I don't know and I don't really care.
Furthermore, I couldn't care less if it's grammatically correct; I was a reporter for more than 20 years, and in that style of writing, punctuation marks always go inside single and double quotation marks. Always.
Call it a pet peeve, call it nitpicking -- but it bugged the heck out of me and made reading this book less enjoyable than it should have been.
The plot was above average and the character development was good. Since I've been to Orlando (and stayed just a few blocks from Lake Eola Park), I enjoyed the setting.
The only reason I'm not giving this five stars is because I hate unnecessary distractions, or more accurately, anything that detracts from the task at hand while I'm reading. In this case, the thing that bugged me most was the inconsistent use of punctuation within quotation marks. In some instances the punctuation was inside the quotation marks; in some cases it was outside the quotation marks. The most bothersome thing was the placement of punctuation marks outside of single quotation marks. Maybe it was a formatting error.... I don't know and I don't really care.
Furthermore, I couldn't care less if it's grammatically correct; I was a reporter for more than 20 years, and in that style of writing, punctuation marks always go inside single and double quotation marks. Always.
Call it a pet peeve, call it nitpicking -- but it bugged the heck out of me and made reading this book less enjoyable than it should have been.
April 5, 2013
There's nothing terribly wrong with this book, but I just didn't feel as immersed in the hunt for the killer as I like to be as a reader. Weeks or months would go by where nothing really happens in the case and we're therefore not included in the characters' lives. I also happened to guess the killer immediately, and I would say if you're a crime novel buff alert to the unexpected tiny hints of the culprit, you will too. That being said, the setting of Orlando was different, and there's potential, I just wanted to go deeper with the characters. I also wanted to know why Merlin was called Merlin, and if Linc ever got to find out that Dianna was going to have his baby.
I was surprised the police worked so happily with the P.I., as I understand that's unusual. I would try again if these things were improved upon.
I was surprised the police worked so happily with the P.I., as I understand that's unusual. I would try again if these things were improved upon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2013
I had a hard time rating this one, because my feelings are very mixed. In some ways I really liked it. But I disliked the bad guy POV scenes and the numerous POV switches. The "flashback" markup caused some confusion when soon followed by thoughts and they were a little disturbing in themselves in some ways. And I absolutely HATED the dead woman POV scenes. I think a much better book would result from keeping the POV more focused and finding better ways to give the relevant info hidden in the switches and flashbacks. I also would prefer a more stable timeline, instead of all this recent history or deeper history "flashback" scenes.
August 23, 2014
Is it Suicide?
Is it Suicide?
Another good mystery. Julie is out for an early morning run when she notices a swan shaped peddle boat floating lose on a lake by her home. That's when she notices an arm hanging over the side with blood dripping from it. From there Julie is unable to get the woman out of her thoughts. Something doesn't add up. Now you will have to read the book to learn the rest.
Is it Suicide?
Another good mystery. Julie is out for an early morning run when she notices a swan shaped peddle boat floating lose on a lake by her home. That's when she notices an arm hanging over the side with blood dripping from it. From there Julie is unable to get the woman out of her thoughts. Something doesn't add up. Now you will have to read the book to learn the rest.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews