Dying to Live in Palm Beach

by Jane Grossman

For a group of eight close-knit widows living in Palm Beach, life is for celebrating. Spending their time on lavish shopping trips, playing bridge, and exchanging witty barbs over glasses of wine about who might be looking for a new husband, these friends enjoy the good life. That is, until one of them takes the celebration a bit too far.

It all started innocently picking up someone else’s credit card by mistake, making a few charges, and hoping Bunny Boardman wouldn’t notice. And then doing it again the next week, reasoning away any lingering moral concerns.

But when Bunny does notice, things turn grave fast. The police chalk up the ensuing deaths to natural causes, but the inimitable Flossy Kane suspects it’s not that simple—and that they’re all in danger. Oxygen tank in tow and with the help of her home health aide, Frances, Flossy is determined to prove the police wrong (and save her own life) in this lighthearted whodunit.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

229 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 8, 2013

Reviews

[Melora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Marked by Mediocrity

My title for this review should have been the actual title for this book. If you'd like insipid dialogue, an unbelievable plot and equally unbelievable character motivation, poorly fleshed out characters, and a slapped together ending, this is your book. It had some funny moments, such as the jokes and quotes which mark the start of each chapter, and it had potential, but it thrashed and flailed in its efforts to escape the author's limited vision and creativity. This was just another stupid mystery, not memorable in any way.

[Gloria Mccracken · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good story; the writing was a little clunky, but not too annoyingly so. My main problem was that there were so many characters (necessarily so -- the premise was not unlike "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie) that were hard to keep track of. Had they been better developed and differentiated, this could have been a lot better. Some attempts were made, but they were a bit amateurish.

That said, I did really enjoy this book in a light way. There was fair amount of humor and the main character, with her care-giver, was likeable. The story involves a group of wealthy elder widows who start dying one by one. It is clear from the first that one of them is killing off the others for financial gain (about a third of the chapters are told from her point of view). It just would have been nice if the writing had been better.

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

great mystery and funny to boot. a group of wealthy Jewish ladies from New York have retired to Palm Beach Florida. ...well, one is not wealthy but no one else knows that. Meanwhile 3 of the ladies are bunped off by the poorer friend who made all 3 look like natural deaths. when she tries to kill a 4th, she is thwarted by the would-be victim and the latter and the rest of the ladies plan their next cruise in the Mediterranean. fun book, great story.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining murder mystery about a group of 80-something year old widows in Palm Beach...someone is killing them off one by one. Could it be one of the group? Having spent every other Christmas down there for 25+ years, I felt like I almost knew some of these ladies. They certainly fit the mold of the "Palmy Beachy" crowd.

[Sara Stein · Rating 1 out of 5]

Started out amusing, old Jewish ladies in Palm Beach, one starts killing the others off for their credit cards, old Jewish men telling jokes. Became repetitive and annoying, and cliche in an almost offensive way. It was part of an amazon $1 offer, and I don't love mysteries, so I took this as a comedic mystery choice.

[Shugga]

This was pretty good for a cheap Kindle read. The author's first novel was a cute, easily read mystery. Someone is killing the members of an eldery bridge playing group of widows in Palm Beach.
A great beach read. Hope Ms Grossman writes more novels.

[Pmcdnld2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing murder mystery centering around a group of 80 year old Jewish widows living in Palm Beach playing bridge, planning outings etc. One of the women who has not as much money starts stealing credit card numbers and then murdering her "friends" to cover up the thefts.

[Maxine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for everyone, but if you want to see what the "older" retired generation is up to, this is your book.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute light entertainment.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. Read 2013.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun Kindle Read. Seniors in Palm Beach.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute story with a little mystery about a group of elderly Jewish women living in Palm Beach, easy and nice read, no 4 letter words, etc.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not an impressive mystery. Weak characters and plot

[MB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, Jewish humor, vacation book.

[Terri Broerse · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring!! Characters were not developed. Lots of dialogue but no plot. Waste of time!!

[Cyndy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok mystery. Not much of a "who dun it" since that is known by the readers (not the other characters) early in the book. Cute little "cozy mystery," I doubt I will read more of the series.

[The Jewish Book Council]

Reviewed by Barbara M. Bibel for the Jewish Book Council http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book...

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty fun.

[Michele Yellin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sinister character was a surprise. Best part was life events that characters shared. Very funny. Book showed reality of older Floridians from their perspective.

[Pat Kappenhagen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy reading.

Light vacation/beach reading. Could put it down for a couple of days and come back easily. Read it to the end for a surprising outcome

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my normal read, but entertaining and funny

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

HIlarious! Another great vacation read.