What do you think?
Rate this book
A Ginger Barnes Mystery #7
Lie Like A Rug
Writer's Digest Award-Winning AuthorWhile escorting Bryn Derwyn Academy's most infamous student downtown to be scared straight by a Federal judge, Ginger Barnes is shocked to find her childhood babysitter, textile professor Charlie Finnemeyer, on trial for fraudulently aging an Oriental rug. Even more alarming, Gin learns that two witnesses against her beloved "Uncle Wunk" suffered suspiciously convenient heart attacks.Eager to assist the professor's attorney, the veteran amateur sleuth pries secret information from a university president and uncovers past transgressions of a TV craft show host--all while acquiring an overnight education in early American textiles from experts at Winterthur and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Others guilty of questionable two antique dealers, and Charlie's overprotective wife. Yet damning evidence can't be swept under a rug. Before Gin can persuade anyone else that Charlie is innocent, she must first convince herself.
- GenresMysteryCozy Mystery
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 15, 2001
About the author
Donna Huston Murray
18 books113 followersSince real life doesn’t always end well, Donna Huston Murray makes sure her mysteries do. STRANGER DANGER, the third in her female sleuth, crime/thriller series was awarded the Global Book Awards’ Silver Medal for thrillers, and became a Finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. The first two novels in the series each received Honorable Mention in genre fiction from Writer’s Digest..
The author’s Ginger Barnes cozy whodunits feature an amateur sleuth much like herself, a DIY headmaster's wife with a troubling interest in crime. The eighth, FOR BETTER OR WORSE, became a Finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. Donna has also been inducted into her high school’s Lifetime Achievement Hall of Fame.
When she isn’t plotting mayhem, Murray assumes she can fix anything until proven wrong, calls trash-picking recycling, and, even though she should know better by now, got a new puppy. Check her socials and you’ll understand.
Donna and husband, Hench, live in Gwynedd, PA, USA.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 17, 2019
The seventh book in the Ginger Barnes mystery series by Donna Huston Murray. Ginger Barnes is a wife and mother, who occasionally acts as amateur sleuth to solve mysteries. Her husband is headmaster at a private school, and she often helps out at the school. This novel opens with Gin escorting a troublemaker student to the courthouse, and ends up spotting a familiar face in a courtroom.
Gin discovers an old family friend is on trial for antiquities fraud. She doesn't believe him to be guilty of the charges, so Gin uses her amateur sleuthing skills to help. Unfortunately, the evidence seems to be against her friend, and the dead key witnesses are not helping his case.
This book is in a series, but it can be read as a standalone. I have read book 1 of the series, The Main Line is Murder, but not the other books. This book was originally published years ago (2001), but has been updated by the author.
An entertaining cozy mystery with some humor. Likable characters in an enjoyable, light mystery.
I received a free ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Gin discovers an old family friend is on trial for antiquities fraud. She doesn't believe him to be guilty of the charges, so Gin uses her amateur sleuthing skills to help. Unfortunately, the evidence seems to be against her friend, and the dead key witnesses are not helping his case.
This book is in a series, but it can be read as a standalone. I have read book 1 of the series, The Main Line is Murder, but not the other books. This book was originally published years ago (2001), but has been updated by the author.
An entertaining cozy mystery with some humor. Likable characters in an enjoyable, light mystery.
I received a free ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2019
Lie like a rug is a cozy mystery where Ginger Barnes finds out her old babysitter is on trial for faking an antique rug. While she's investigating, a couple of the key witnesses turn up dead and things look worse for him and his wife.
This was a fun read, but as with all cozy mysteries, requires the suspension of disbelief at coincidences. Ginger is an interesting character as the wife of a private school headteacher and her interactions with her husband were a strong point of the book for me.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
This was a fun read, but as with all cozy mysteries, requires the suspension of disbelief at coincidences. Ginger is an interesting character as the wife of a private school headteacher and her interactions with her husband were a strong point of the book for me.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
February 1, 2019
GN Donna Huston Murray brings us a fast paced mystery based on the textile antiques trade - the basis for authentication and the responsibility of the seller and the buyer to know what they have. The necessity to actually authenticate your own sales or purchases or trust the professional you hire in that capacity has never been more important. However, this novel while emphasizing those facts was both entertaining and compelling.
I found this a very interesting story, one that kept me engrossed through its entirety. Ms. Murray is an author I will watch for in future, and the Ginger Barnes Mystery's and Lauren Beck Crime novels are series I must catch up on.
I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Donna Huston Murray, and IBPA in exchanger for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
pub date Jan 18, 2019
rec Dec 22, 2018
IBPA
I found this a very interesting story, one that kept me engrossed through its entirety. Ms. Murray is an author I will watch for in future, and the Ginger Barnes Mystery's and Lauren Beck Crime novels are series I must catch up on.
I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Donna Huston Murray, and IBPA in exchanger for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
pub date Jan 18, 2019
rec Dec 22, 2018
IBPA
June 17, 2022
Not my favourite mystery. At only 240 pages it should not have taken that long to read. But I felt it stalled out midway and failed to keep my attention for long periods of time. iPhone games called me instead! Anyway, I didn’t like most of the characters and I would have liked to read more about the schoolboy Ryan. Yes, I know he wasn’t part of the real mystery but his behaviour and his parents intrigued me more than the murders and the fraud case.
January 19, 2019
Lie Like a Rug is another wonderful mystery with sleuth Ginger Barnes. The veteran sleuth and her family are all vividly portrayed. The author's knowledge of textiles is amazing. Ginger happens upon the fraud trial of an old neighbor/former babysitter. Of course, she has to get involved while also helping her husband with a problem student. Two deaths of witnesses and many plot twists later, will Ginger figure this out before the student pulls more pranks and more witnesses die? This book is very well written. It is not to be missed.
April 26, 2019
Ginger Barnes knows a thing or two about investigating homicides but when she blithely volunteers her time to act as escort for the least liked student at her husbands prep school and her husband is fast to accept her offer.....well, little did she expect that another homicide - or two - would be the result.
Arriving at the courthouse and delivering her charge to the federal judge who will attempt to scare the little creep straight, Ginger has time on her hands and decides to sit in on a case underway in one of the courtrooms. To her great surprise, she realizes that she knows the defendant. He used to babysit her and was a professor. Now he is on trial for antiques fraud involving an antique rug. Being certain that he is innocent, she starts to investigate and, before long, several witnesses turn up dead.
I was drawn to this mystery because of the textile theme and it didn't disappoint me. Now that I have read this, book #7 in the series, I will go find the remaining seven that I somehow missed when the were first published from 1995 to 2001. They have been updated and repackaged for a new mystery reading audience.
My thanks to the publisher, IBPA and to NetGalley, for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Arriving at the courthouse and delivering her charge to the federal judge who will attempt to scare the little creep straight, Ginger has time on her hands and decides to sit in on a case underway in one of the courtrooms. To her great surprise, she realizes that she knows the defendant. He used to babysit her and was a professor. Now he is on trial for antiques fraud involving an antique rug. Being certain that he is innocent, she starts to investigate and, before long, several witnesses turn up dead.
I was drawn to this mystery because of the textile theme and it didn't disappoint me. Now that I have read this, book #7 in the series, I will go find the remaining seven that I somehow missed when the were first published from 1995 to 2001. They have been updated and repackaged for a new mystery reading audience.
My thanks to the publisher, IBPA and to NetGalley, for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 24, 2019
Helping her headmaster husband by escorting Bryn Derwyn Academy’s most infamous student Ryan Cooperman to Philadelphia to be scared straight by a Federal judge, Ginger "Gin" Barnes sits in at another trial to keep occupied. Gin is shocked to recognize the accused as her childhood babysitter, textile professor Charlie Finnemeyer on trial for fraudulently aging an Oriental rug. When a key witness is found dead in his car and another dies in suspicious circumstances, Charlie's attorney Eric needs help. Eager to aid Eric, who is also a former college schoolmate of her husband, Gin seeks the truth behind Charlie's early retirement and uncovers a scandal involving a quilt made by one of his prized students.
This is a revised version of the 2011 novel and was a quick fun read. Gin is a stubborn determined amateur sleuth.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and the publisher with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
This is a revised version of the 2011 novel and was a quick fun read. Gin is a stubborn determined amateur sleuth.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and the publisher with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
March 7, 2019
Paul Drake to the Rescue
Academia has its own culture, especially the private schools. One's background becomes less important than a student's ability to hold his own within the cloistered culture, and the friendships forged in school carry forward through life. Ginger ("Gin") is the headmaster's wife, himself a product of Main Line schooling and influence, and tendrils reach out from past and present to engage sympathy and interest in the travails of Gin's childhood babysitter. Textiles figure prominently. (I found myself planning a field trip to Philadelphia to visit the museum (as seen in "Rocky"), and now have Winterthur on my "must see" list, too.) Into the midst of all this history and culture drops a body--or two. The game's afoot! Well-drawn characters, wonderful details, and an intriguing plot make this a winner for me.
Academia has its own culture, especially the private schools. One's background becomes less important than a student's ability to hold his own within the cloistered culture, and the friendships forged in school carry forward through life. Ginger ("Gin") is the headmaster's wife, himself a product of Main Line schooling and influence, and tendrils reach out from past and present to engage sympathy and interest in the travails of Gin's childhood babysitter. Textiles figure prominently. (I found myself planning a field trip to Philadelphia to visit the museum (as seen in "Rocky"), and now have Winterthur on my "must see" list, too.) Into the midst of all this history and culture drops a body--or two. The game's afoot! Well-drawn characters, wonderful details, and an intriguing plot make this a winner for me.
June 7, 2019
This is the seventh book in A Ginger Barnes Mystery series. This is the first in this series that I have read. I saw this in the read me now section on Netgalley after publication. I was intrigued by the cover and the description.
This can be read as a standalone book. I found humor in Gin’s opinions of what she deemed insanity at her husband’s work place.
I would pick up another of this author’s works.
Thank-you Netgalley & St Martin’s for allowing me to read this book.
This can be read as a standalone book. I found humor in Gin’s opinions of what she deemed insanity at her husband’s work place.
I would pick up another of this author’s works.
Thank-you Netgalley & St Martin’s for allowing me to read this book.
January 10, 2019
An entertaining and enjoyable cozy mystery.
I liked the cast of characters, likable and relatable, and the style of writing.
The plot was good, no plot hole, and it keeps you guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
I liked the cast of characters, likable and relatable, and the style of writing.
The plot was good, no plot hole, and it keeps you guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
January 18, 2019
Despite dealing with issues at the local prep school run by her husband, the main character is brilliant at solving problems. And what does an antique rug with a shaky provenance have to do with murder? You'll have to read this fun, fast-reading cozy mystery to find out! I'd definitely read more books with these characters set in Main Line Pennsylvania settings.
January 16, 2019
Very well written story about a housewife sleuth doing a sort of indirect murder investigation. Great characters and good plot, and it's very easy to get into the setting with the side stories.
June 14, 2020
Great mystery story. Kept me thinking and reading. Not drawn out. Thanks for the suggestion, Sheila!
July 12, 2011
As my friend calls it, this is definitely "brain candy." It's fast, it's fun, you never really get a chance to dwell on the murder portions, and the main character is kicky without being totally inaccessible to those of who not in understanding of the stay-at-home job. Also, being in academics/education, I love the tidbits of insanity from Gin's observations of her husband's job as headmaster at a private school.
I bought this lo these many years ago because of the title, actually. I used to say that people would lie like rugs and I was so delighted to find that not only did someone else use that phrase but enough so to have it as a title that I bought the book. Ah, the beauty of secondhand bookstores.
The thing about this book, about this writer, is that there are some great one-liners:
"Ryan Cooperman was fifteen going on thirty to life, and he was mine for the next couple of hours." (1)
"The receptionist seemed intent on transcribing some dictation into a computer. That, or she was listening to Led Zepplin through little earphones while she wrote her boyfriend in the Navy." (128)
"We pondered Monet and Marlboro country respectively for a couple minutes while listening to the 'Winter Wonderland' rendition commissioned by The Weather Channel for its corporate 'hold' button." (243)
They're just fluffy and fun lines, showing an appreciation of simile and description. I don't know that I'll hang on to this, but I'll track down the rest of the series and see what else Gin and Rip get themselves into.
I bought this lo these many years ago because of the title, actually. I used to say that people would lie like rugs and I was so delighted to find that not only did someone else use that phrase but enough so to have it as a title that I bought the book. Ah, the beauty of secondhand bookstores.
The thing about this book, about this writer, is that there are some great one-liners:
"Ryan Cooperman was fifteen going on thirty to life, and he was mine for the next couple of hours." (1)
"The receptionist seemed intent on transcribing some dictation into a computer. That, or she was listening to Led Zepplin through little earphones while she wrote her boyfriend in the Navy." (128)
"We pondered Monet and Marlboro country respectively for a couple minutes while listening to the 'Winter Wonderland' rendition commissioned by The Weather Channel for its corporate 'hold' button." (243)
They're just fluffy and fun lines, showing an appreciation of simile and description. I don't know that I'll hang on to this, but I'll track down the rest of the series and see what else Gin and Rip get themselves into.
November 16, 2014
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
May 24, 2020
Brilliant as usual.
The author brings to life the characters in the book. The ups and downs of how we all interact with each other.
The author brings to life the characters in the book. The ups and downs of how we all interact with each other.
June 19, 2020
Interesting investigation. Easy read
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews