Murder by Syllabub

Ellen McKenzie #5

by Kathleen Delaney

A ghost in Colonial dress has been wreaking havoc at an old plantation house in Virginia. The house is owned by Elizabeth Smithwood, the best friend of Ellen’s Aunt Mary. Mary is determined to fly to the rescue, and Ellen McKenzie has no choice but to leave her real estate business and new husband to accompany her. Who else will keep the old girl out of trouble? When Ellen and Aunt Mary arrive, they find that Elizabeth’s “house” comprises three sprawling buildings containing all manner of secret entrances and passages, not to mention slave cabins. But who owns what and who owned whom? After Monty—the so-called ghost and stepson of Elizabeth’s dead husband—turns up dead in Elizabeth’s house, suspicion falls on her. Especially when the cause of death is a poisoned glass of syllabub taken from a batch of the sweet, creamy after-dinner drink sitting in Elizabeth’s refrigerator. Monty had enemies to spare. Why was he roaming the old house? What was he searching for? To find the truth, Ellen and her Aunt Mary will have to do much more than rummage through stacks of old crates; they will have to expose two hundred years of grudges and vendettas. The spirits they disturb are far deadlier than the one who brought them to Virginia. Murder by Syllabub is the fifth book of the Ellen McKenzie Mystery series.

Genres: Mystery, Amazon, Cozy

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2013

About the author

Kathleen Delaney has recently moved from CA to S Carolina to write full time. She found a wonderful old historic house with a wonderful wrap around porch, which both she and her dogs put to good use. She will be on tour during August, Sept and October, signing her latest myster, And Murder For Dessert. "

Reviews

[Lelia Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different aspects of a book of fiction appeal to readers in varying degrees and a local setting is one that can really get me. When I found out that this entry in the Ellen McKenzie series—of which I was already a fan—is set in Colonial Williamsburg, I was immediately hooked. That lovely spot is right down the road from me, maybe an hour if I take the scenic route down Route 5 and I’ve been there many times. I’m a history junkie to start with and I feel privileged to live in a state where so much of the beginnings of our country took place.

The early plantations (many of which can be seen on the aforementioned Route 5) also appeal to me and, serendipitously, my daughter and I took a day trip just this past Saturday to tour one of them and drive around the grounds of several others. At one time or another in my lifetime, I’ve visited most of them but I never get tired of them so I was delighted to find that a fictional plantation is a central character in Murder by Syllabub. The author does a terrific job of letting the reader “feel” this plantation, Smithwood, and I had no trouble picturing in my mind where everything was happening. I really enjoyed all the authentic historical touches the author includes, such as how baking was done “back then”, as well as contemporary activities like the preservation of rare breeds.

Murder by Syllabub is a mixture of several mystery subgenres. It teeters on the edge of being a locked room mystery, it mixes police procedural with amateur sleuthing, it includes shades of historical fiction, it has a cold case as well as a current murder. There’s a strong hint of racial tension but also racial acceptance. Many would categorize this book, and the rest of the series, as cozy but I don’t really think that fits. For one thing, there is the blending of amateur and police, but I also think the settings take them out of the cozy domain, especially this one because Ellen is not finding bodies in her own small town, there isn’t a lot of humor (although there are light touches) and she doesn’t run around doing stupid things. (Don’t get me wrong, I love cozies but I just don’t think this is one.) So, I call this a traditional mystery.

Ms. Delaney has incorporated lots of characters in her story and we get to know just enough about the non-regulars to realize that any one of them MIGHT be the killer. I already am fond of Ellen, Dan and Aunt Mary but now I like some of these new folks and I hope Ellen will have a chance to see them again sometime in a future book. We also have a plethora of potential motives so it’s fair to say that red herrings are scattered around to make the reader have to do a bit of thinking, something I always appreciate. Does Cora Lee seem to be a little too defensive? Does Lt. McMann have a reason for dropping the search for Louis all those years ago? Is the shadow of slavery someone’s motive or could it be the desire to own property? Is a family name sacred enough to warrant murder or is this all about simple greed?

When things came to a head, I have to admit I was surprised. I had my suspicions but they were only partially right and, yet, the denouement made perfect sense. Once again, Ms. Delaney and Ellen have brought mystery readers a fine story. Oh, and you should try some syllabub ;-) . Here’s a recipe from Ms. Delaney’s website—

http://www.kathleendelaney.net/recipe...

Now, a little housekeeping: I did come across one historical error but I didn’t notice anything else being off. However, while other reviews of Murder by Syllabub have been really good, I have to take exception with the reviewers that think the historical period is the Civil War (Colonial Williamsburg is all about the period from the late 1600′s through much of the Revolutionary War) and I’ll point out that Colonial Williamsburg and Virginia are not in New England although that error is probably due to the reviewer’s own location. No doubt I take umbrage at these things because it’s my home state that’s involved ;-) but none of this takes away from the fact that reviewers, including me, are loving this book.

One last note: there is no reason to be afraid of starting the series with this book as you will have no need to know what has happened in previous books. This is a terrific part of the series but serves just as well as a standalone.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, September 2013.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love cozies and you love history, then Murder by Syllabub by Kathleen Delaney. This is not the first of the series but I never felt lost so I think you can read the books in whatever order you like. Now I want to read more books by Kathleen Delaney.

Besides not having a lot of violence or graphic sex, most cozies have wonderfully developed characters that are fun to follow their lives through a series. This book shines is not an exception. I feel like I have a whole group of new women friends and each one is very unique. I loved the main character or course and all her quirky friend through the series. At the beginning, Ellen’s Aunt Mary is going to Virginia to help her friend. Her friend, Susan is an environmental activist and a history teacher. Susan had told Aunt Mary that someone had tried to push a crate over her. And this person was dressed in Colonial clothes so that it seemed like a ghost was after her. So the two go together to help Susan.

Colonial Williamsburg figures highly in this story. The mansion where the crate was thrown at Susan is next door to this important historical place. Susan would love to turn the mansion into a school for teachers so that they could learn how to make history come alive. But this book is full of delightful surprises of history. We learn how the rich and poor lived, where they lived, what they did without what their treasures were. After reading this book, I felt that I had that I would love to go back in person to learn more.

This story of feelings between the families who have and have not is very important to this mystery. Yet all this information, the quirky characters and the past customs are woven together with a sense of humor, and a true love of history. The mystery is twisty and you are puzzling along with Ellen about who pushed the crate on Susan in the basement, who killed Monty, Susan’s stepson? And why was he dressed in colonial garb? How did the killer get into the house?

I received this book by selecting a book from the Partners in Crime Tours. That in no way influenced my review. My thoughts and feeling reflected in this review are totally my own.

[Patricia Gligor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Kathleen Delaney's Ellen McKenzie Mystery series! I finished reading "Murder by Syllabub" last night. I enjoyed trying to figure out who the killer was and, although I had my suspicions, I wasn't sure until the very end. Great plot! Wonderful characters! I highly recommend this book and the others in the series.

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread this cozy, history-laden, modern-day mystery. Love the series. Not Christian-based but not offensive to Christian standards.

[Laura Ruetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good mystery, and I love history so this was a perfect blend for me. This was a fun read, great characters and kept me guessing.

[Barbara Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an Ellen McKenzie mystery set at an estate just outside Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. Ellen has traveled across the country with her Aunt Mary because Mary's good friend, Elizabeth has called and ask for help. Elizabeth has seen a ghost in her house and someone, perhaps the ghost, has tried to kill her. Since Mary never goes anywhere, let alone fly that far changing planes, etc., Ellen and her new husband decide she needs to go along.

From the time they arrive, they are confused. They keep getting half stories and being interrupted by people they don't know. Elizabeth is newly widowed and now the owner of an estate which has a main house connected by passageways to guest houses on either side of it. She lives in one of the guest houses which she and her husband had completely remodeled, and she plans to fix up the main house in eighteenth century style to use as a place to give teachers an authentic experience which hopefully will enhance their teaching. It's a great idea, but apparently Elizabeth's ghost is determined it won't happen.

Meanwhile, her late husband's stepson is trying to lay claim to the estate so he can sell it off to developers. There is also the matter of Noah and his mother Mildred who have always lived in a house there but have no deed. They are descended from slaves owned by the original owner. Elizabeth had promised to give them title to their house but has apparently forgotten. If she loses the lawsuit, they will lose everything.

The story is a cozy mystery and occasionally drags just a bit as Delaney describes colonial furnishings and cooking. That feature of the book is very interesting, especially to a history buff like me, but someone else might not enjoy it so much. The characters are either endearing or outrageously funny. No one goes foolishly down into the cellar or out in the darkness alone, or anything other than what normal people would do in the situation. It's hilarious when Elizabeth, her sister-in-law, Ellen and Aunt Mary go to the main house to find the ghost. The four of them are scared to death and armed only with a cane and a flashlight - great scene that made me laugh out loud.

I really enjoyed this book. It was perfect after finishing a long nonfiction book and when I wasn't in the mood for more serious reading material.

Recommended
Source: Publisher, through Partners in Crime Book Tours

[Fenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth is experiencing many strange, spooky things around her 18th century home. She is desperate for help, as nearly everyone in her vicinity seems to be involved in one way or another. To what extent and with what motives remains to be seen. So she turns to the one person she trusts: her old friend Mary, who comes to her rescue, together with her cousin Ellen McKenzie.

The cast of this mystery drama consist of several elderly women, Mildred, the housekeeper and her son Noah, who both have deep-rooted ties to the estate as well. And of course Ellen. Cora Lee, Elizabeth’s sister-in-law is quite a character – Ellen likens her to a rubric cube with its many sides, you never know which side is going to show up with her! A million questions rise up about the various unexplainable things that are going on in the old house. Slowly the bits and pieces of the history of the plantation are revealed. Ellen in particular is trying to make sense of it all. When a second even more shocking murder takes place, matters become even more serious.

This story is an old style detective where sleuthing by non professionals in the end solves the riddle. Detective McMann, responsible for the case is a very rude and impossible man. The characters are well-developed and I actually like obnoxious Cora Lee with all her sarcasm an off-setting statements she makes. Elizabeth plans to restore most of the estate of Smithwood back to the 18th century for teaching purposes. There are others, however, who would like to get their hands on the property for quite different purposes. Will they succeed? Who is willing to go as far as murder two people to reach their goal? What will become of the estate in the end?

As part of a series it is an easy stand alone. The historical part sounds authentic and is described in such a way that you can picture it in your mind. It doesn’t get overbearing, even with the obsessions of both Elizabeth and Hattie. To me it made the story actually more interesting. Lovers of good old-fashioned detective work will certainly enjoy this book!

[Wall-to-wall books - wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute little mystery with a great cast of characters. Mystery is not my favorite genre so it has to have a cute storyline and loveable characters and be interesting enough to hook me in... and this one was.
"Ghosts in the upstairs hall, dead men in the dinning room, people coming and going through locked doors. None of this made sense."

I loved this group of women! Great character development. Each one was so different with totally different personalities. They were all developed so well you really got to know each one.
"Is cream the strongest stuff we've got to put in this?"
"At this time in the morning, yes"
"Its five o'clock somewhere and after the night we've had I need something to get me going."

The whole time I was reading this I kept wondering what is a syllabub?? Finally on page 45 someone asked that question. I was about to google it, so they saved me the time.
"It's a drink, a sweet dessert drink. The Colonials loved it."

What I really loved about this book was the bits of Colonial history. It was all really very interesting. I love the way she stuck it in there as part of the story.
"If you wanted soup or stew or anything else we commonly eat today with the aid of a spoon, you had a problem. Rich men carried one with them, but spoons were hard to make; the castings they used were difficult to handle, and poor men couldn't afford them."
"What did they use? Anyone know?"
"A sippet, sir. What else would a poor man use?"
"A sippet is a piece of stale bread... you could use it to dip into your bowl and scoop up the liquid and - what did you do? You sipped it. Ergo - the sippet."

I thought I had this mystery figured out but I was wrong! Good little mystery!

[TAMMY CUEVAS · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Ellen's Aunt Mary receives a call from her old friend Elizabeth claiming to have seen a ghost in the family plantation, the two women fly to Virginia to her aid. When the "ghost" turns up dead, apparently poisoned by a glass of syllabub, Ellen and Aunt Mary must find who, besides Elizabeth, had motive and opportunity.

If you've ever wondered what it would have been like to have lived in Colonial times, you need to pick up a copy of Kathleen Delaney's fifth installment in her Ellen McKenzie Mystery series. This story is set on a historic plantation outside Colonial Williamsburg and features glimpses of the living history of the area. Among other things, I finally learned what syllabub is. Seriously; I've always wondered and now I know. It sounds delicious, by the way.

The view of race relations in present-day Virginia was interesting. The past has been romanticized and commercialized, but to descendants of the slaves of that era, the sins of the fathers still resonate. This is portrayed in the characters of Noah and his mother, Mildred.

Although this is the fifth novel of the series, it works well as a stand-alone. For history buffs or cozy mystery fans, this is a well-written novel with plenty of historical and regional interest.

5 stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Partners In Crime Book Tours reviewers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

[Ryder Islington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Syllabub? I'm from the South and I'd never heard of it. Turns out it's sweet drink. The book, Murder By Syllabub? Far from sweet! This is a great cozy, with lots of red herrings, several suspects, and characters who can irritate you just by walking into the room...wait...onto the page. The book is so well written, the characters so well-rounded, that they have become friends, and a few have become like some of my relatives...they can be a real pain in the *&%.

Ms. Delaney has done an excellent job with this Ellen McKenzie mystery, starring a real estate broker, married to a small town sheriff, who goes with her aunt to help the older woman's dear friend. Turns out there's more trouble than Ellen or her aunt anticipated. Murder. Theft. Ghosts. Family secrets.

As five women try to figure out who did what, the danger and intrigue build. And yes, it is a cozy, not an international spy thriller, or a maniac-on-the-loose suspense. But for a cozy, it has its share of spying, maniacs (or at least borderline idiots) and suspense.

I'd recommend this book to lovers of the good old-fashioned mystery, as well as lovers of suspense, Southern history, and modern cozies with nosey characters who get into trouble minding business best left to the police. now I have to go back and read the first two books in the series, though I thoroughly enjoyed book three without the need to read the others.

A first-rate mystery that kept me turning pages to see if I could outsmart the villan, which by the way, I didn't.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy mysteries are right up my alley, and when the author provides a fast paced plot with plenty of twists well then that makes for a page turning read in my book! Ever since the death of her husband Elizabeth Smithwood, owner of Smithwood plantation has had some weird things going on in her home, and even thinks she has a ghost, and what's more she thinks the ghost might be trying to do her in! Thankfully her friend Mary decides to come to Virginia to help her figure out what is going on, and Mary's friend Ellen is coming along to keep Mary out of trouble. Once they arrive it doesn't take long for trouble to show up though in the form of a dead body! What's going on at the Smithwood Plantation?

What a wonderful mystery. I loved that there was a historical slant with the story,and the descriptive writing the author uses to describe furniture and cooking,made it easy to see that she had done her research! I found the characters to be very endearing, and their actions were often laugh out loud funny. While this book is part of a series, it can easily be picked up and read alone, after a couple of chapters I felt like I had known Ellen and Aunt Mary forever! I found the mystery to be top notch as well, Ms. Delaney provides more than a few suspects making it difficult to figure out who-dun-it! Lovers of cozy mysteries are going to find this a must read. I know that I am hooked and will be going back to read the entire series!

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story takes place on an old plantation in Colonial Williamsburg. Elizabeth, the owner of the old plantation, thinks there is a ghost in her home. She asks her best friend Mary and her niece Ellen to come to the house and help her solve the mystery of what is going on. Only when the pair arrives the mystery turns to murder.

The main characters are all strong but elderly women. Elizabeth is the owner of the plantation home and also the suspect in this murder. Her sister-in-law Cora Lee has two sides to her coin. She appears to love Elizabeth and be on her side most times, but there is also the sarcastic and sharp tongued side. Throw in Ellen's Aunt Mary and there's a trio of elderly women prepared to defend the plantation home and everything in it.

The story takes a turn when they find out Noah, who lives on the plantation grounds, thought the house was going to be given over to Monty. Monty is the one who turned up dead and now suspicion is turning over to him. But when Noah's mother is attacked everyone knows it wasn't him who did it.

Ellen and Aunt Mary will have to dig through centuries of old grudges and hard feelings. Time is running out to find the truth and solve the mystery of Monty's murder and the ghost in the plantation house. Will they find the murderer before he finds them? Or will the murderer find what he is looking for and claim the old house and its rich history for himself?

I give this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

[Denise Zendel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ellen McKenzie and her Aunt Mary make a trip to Colonial Williamsburg to assist Aunt Mary’s friend, Elizabeth Smithwood. Smithwood, who owns an old plantation, is being plagued by a ghost. Or is she? The “ghost” turns up dead in Elizabeth’s house, after drinking a glass of syllabub (a sweet, creamy after-dinner drink Elizabeth just happens to have a large bowl of in her refrigerator). Elizabeth becomes suspect No. 1 and Ellen and Aunt Mary step in to help.

I didn’t like this book quite as much as I did the previous entry in this series, and I’m not sure why. I think maybe because Ellen and Aunt Mary are away from their home base and the interesting supporting characters in the previous book aren’t in this one. There was a lot of interesting historical information regarding colonial life, Williamsburg, plantation living, slavery and antiques, but the interaction between the Virginia characters, with the exception of a few just didn’t grab me. There were a couple I wanted to smack. Hard.

For me, this was a 3.5 star book. I liked it enough to want to see how it turned out, because I like Ellen so much, but the story didn’t keep me glued to the page. I read book four and then this one, so I’m a little out of the loop on what happened in books 1-3, but I’ll be rectifying that soon.

[Ruth Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that I struggled a little with what rating to give this book. Don't get me wrong--the book is well-written, basically clean, and quite clever. I appreciated the blending of history and mystery since both are preferred genres for my taste. I never found myself bored, and the characters were strongly developed. And I certainly didn't figure out the mystery. In fact, it was an incredibly complex mystery that still left me somewhat guessing towards the end. This is the first book I have read by this author, and she certainly writes a mystery novel that reminds us of the old mystery authors. I would easily compare her to Agatha Christie or the like.

My only misgiving in advocating this book is that it was so complex. I sometimes struggled to keep the characters straight (a cast list may help this matter), and I was still a bit nonplussed at the end of the story. There is no sex, and the profanity is very minimal (I was so happy about that--it clinched the 5-star rating for me!).

If you are looking for a cozy mystery that offers a bit of history and a robust story, this book is certainly for you!

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

[Cheryl Malandrinos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Cozies have been one of my favorite genres since I was a kid, and this one was superb. Even though this is the fifth book in the Ellen McKenzie Mystery series, I didn't feel a bit lost because this is a perfect stand alone novel.

Aunt Mary receives words from Elizabeth that she needs help with a ghost who seems to be trying to kill her, so Mary decides she must go. That means Ellen is going, too. Then Monty is found murdered in the house and all hell breaks loose. A community of quirky characters--many of whom had a reason to want Monty dead--fill the pages of this book.

As a person who is fascinated with history and the Civil War, Murder By Syllabub was the perfect kind of cozy because it explored the history of families, and the history of the house and its belongings played a role in the plot. Several twists and turns keep the reader guessing who might have murdered Monty and why. While the ending didn't come as a complete surprise to me, I still found it completely satisfying. I would love to read the previous four books in this series, and I'll be eager to see what Ellen gets involved in next.

Highly recommended.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for a fair and honest review. The opinions in this review are 100% my own.

This is the type of book that grabs your attention from the very first page. There is no lag in the story, there is always some kind of action going on.

The murder of Monty is a classic "who done it". Monty did not lack enemies that's for sure. His murder ends up with more questions than answers.

The women of the Smithwood house are complicated women. While they are trying to figure out who the murder is, they are pretty tight lipped about how they are feeling about things.

The women are different in personality but all come together to make sure Elizabeth is not falsely accused.
This book will keep you keep you on the edge of your seat to find out what happens next right to the very end.

Although this book is part of a series, this book can be read as a stand alone. This is the only book I read in the series so I can only assume they are all like that. I give this book a 5 out of 5.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had an interesting plot and well rounded characters. I had two main problems with the book. First, I get tired of stereotyped senior citizens. The women in their seventies were portrayed as barely computer literate, reluctant to travel by themselves, and physically tottering. Most seventy-year-olds were still in the workplace when computers, the internet, and email were introduced. The ones I know not only use email. but facebook and smart phones as well. A lot of them walk in 5Ks and are very active volunteers. Second, there was too much repetition and the ending took to long to wrap up. Elizabeth turned "white" or "pale" so many times, I'm not sure she was still alive by the end of the book. And the scene in the old house was confusing and dragged out. I find a villain who gives a long drawn out confession instead of escaping or finishing everyone off a little hard to swallow. There were also several editing errors.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thoroughly enjoyable cozy mystery, the fifth book in the Ellen McKenzie mystery series.

Ellen's Aunt Mary has been asked to help her old friend Elizabeth who believes a ghost has been trying to kill her. On their first evening there the 'ghost' called Monty is found murdered by a glass of poisoned Syllabub. Monty, the nasty stepson of Elizabeth's deceased husband, was found dressed as a colonial gentleman in a locked up house, but how did he get there and who would want to kill him?

As the plot deepens we learn that there are plenty of suspects and lots of motives.

For fans of colonial history and family secrets with twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end this is an entertaining read.

Taken from Carole's Book Corner

[Christa Nardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is set in Colonial Williamsburg in a plantation home. Ellen and her Aunt Mary have arrived to the plantation at the request of Aunt Mary's old friend, Elizabeth. Elizabeth is afraid the house is haunted and there's some concern as to how well she is coping with her husband's death. Then the "ghost" is found dead - by a serving of a traditional dish the Elizabeth had made for her arriving guests. Ellen and Aunt Mary get bits and pieces of plantation history and family history and try to put together what someone is looking for among the secret tunnels that make up Elizabeth's home. Interesting characters, fast pace, and lots of secrets make this an interesting read. Although part of a series, this book can be read as a stand-alone.

[Melina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those cozies that kept my attention the whole way through. I liked the plot and I liked the characters. There were lots of twists and turns in this story. I also liked the setting, Colonial Williamsburg was a very good place to set a cozy mystery. Ellen and her Aunt Mary leave California to go help Mary's friend Elizabeth when Elizabeth thinks she has a ghost in her house. It really isn't a ghost, but they do find a couple of dead bodies, one is a skeleton! I highly recommend this book, it was great. Wonderful job Kathleen.


I received a complementary copy of this book for my honest review.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever heard of murder by syllabub? I hadn't either until reading this book. Syllabub is an after dinner drink from back in Colonial days. This drink was allegedly prepared (and poisoned) by Ellen McKenzie who has accompanied her aunt Mary to help out her old friend Elizabeth living in VA. Elizabeth has seen a ghost and needs the help of amateur detective Ellen.
< br> The characters are wonderful, Aunt Mary is delightfully quirky, the storyline is fun and I could go on and on. This is a fun read filled with interesting historical facts and a ...... dead ghost!

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea of poisoning someone with syllabub caught my attention.
This is a well researched story, steeped in colonial history. It takes place in the present day, but most of it is set in Colonial Williamsburg or a similarly historically old home. The attention to details is excellent.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that a key to the solution was an historical fact mentioned at dinner.
Well done.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this mystery. I read some reviews that claimed this novel had them laughing from the beginning. I didn't really find this novel funny; the characters are quirky, but the story line is intriguing. I figured out who the killer was, but I didn't know the reasoning behind the murder and had to wait for the story to unfold. I highly recommend this story to mystery lovers.

[Jamie Eastman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quick read

I was pleasantly surprised by this read, I got it because I like mysteries, it was free, and so I thought I'd check it out, I'm glad I did, it was a pretty good way to spend a lazy day.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: An Ellen McKenzie Mystery