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Charlotte Adams #2
The Cluttered Corpse
Organization can get very messy...
When Charlotte Adams agrees to help Emmy Lou Rheinbeck organize her stuffed animal collection, she never imagines she'll find herself fending off pranksters whose shenanigans lead to murder.
When Charlotte Adams agrees to help Emmy Lou Rheinbeck organize her stuffed animal collection, she never imagines she'll find herself fending off pranksters whose shenanigans lead to murder.
274 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
10 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
Mary Jane Maffini
31 books162 followersAka Victoria Abbott with her daughter Victoria Maffini.
Mary Jane Maffini was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and has her BA (Hons) and MLS from Dalhousie University. After a career in libraries such as The Brewers' Association of Canada, Statistics Canada, the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information, and a wonderful ride as a co-owner of Prime Crime Mystery Bookstore, she has settled into a life of crime, surrounded by her two miniature dachshunds, the ghost of her beloved Corgoid Smudge, and her long-suffering husband. She's a former President of Crime Writers of Canada, and a former member of the board of directors of the Canadian Booksellers Association. She's a frequent speaker on writing mysteries and on the importance of Canadian crime fiction. In real life, although she is a member of the Ladies' Killing Circle, she has never killed anyone.
Mary Jane Maffini was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and has her BA (Hons) and MLS from Dalhousie University. After a career in libraries such as The Brewers' Association of Canada, Statistics Canada, the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information, and a wonderful ride as a co-owner of Prime Crime Mystery Bookstore, she has settled into a life of crime, surrounded by her two miniature dachshunds, the ghost of her beloved Corgoid Smudge, and her long-suffering husband. She's a former President of Crime Writers of Canada, and a former member of the board of directors of the Canadian Booksellers Association. She's a frequent speaker on writing mysteries and on the importance of Canadian crime fiction. In real life, although she is a member of the Ladies' Killing Circle, she has never killed anyone.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
September 7, 2021
I read this book for the first time almost exactly 10 years ago and definitely appreciated more this time around. Charlotte's group of friends are amazing and I love how they're still there for each other even this long after graduation. The mystery in this one was confusing for all involved and it didn't go the way I expected at all (I don't think I figured it out last time either). This book has also been updated to include her social media accounts, notably Instagram. which wasn't available the first time around. I'm glad these have been re-released and wonder if there will be more than the initial five.
I received a copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2021
I like cozy mysteries. I like discovering new authors. And I like organizing. In fact, I love things organized. This book was a hit for me. It was fun discovering this author's style, getting to know new characters and guessing who-dunnit until the very end. The Cluttered Corpse is loaded with organization tips. to boot. I will be reading another book in this series very soon!
September 14, 2021
Maffini delivers yet another fun mystery with a shocking twist ending that will leave you wide-eyed. I love the ragtag band of misfits cast of characters.
If you’re after a fast-paced cozy mystery series, I’m really enjoying this one!
*Disclaimer* I received an eARC from Beyond the Page Publishing on NetGalley. An honest review was provided.
If you’re after a fast-paced cozy mystery series, I’m really enjoying this one!
*Disclaimer* I received an eARC from Beyond the Page Publishing on NetGalley. An honest review was provided.
June 28, 2021
The Cluttered Corpse is the second in a series by Mary Jane Maffini featuring Charlotte Adams. It was a very entertaining read with stacks of humour and I readily found myself chuckling away.
Professional organiser Charlotte was a marvellous protagonist whom I find to be compassionate and smart. Set in Upstate New York, Charlotte moved back to her hometown after discovering that her fiancé was cheating. Charlotte's latest job is at the home of Emmy Lou Rheinbeck who needs help to organise her stuffed toy animal collection. Emmy Lou is also having trouble with local louts, Kevin and Tony who are making nuisances of themselves, and then one of them becomes a corpse...
The book was well-crafted, swift-paced and thoroughly entertaining. The mystery was very engaging and I was kept guessing until later on in this lively tale. I am already looking forward to catching up with Charlotte and her friends in the next instalment, 'Death Loves a Messy Desk'. Very highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
Professional organiser Charlotte was a marvellous protagonist whom I find to be compassionate and smart. Set in Upstate New York, Charlotte moved back to her hometown after discovering that her fiancé was cheating. Charlotte's latest job is at the home of Emmy Lou Rheinbeck who needs help to organise her stuffed toy animal collection. Emmy Lou is also having trouble with local louts, Kevin and Tony who are making nuisances of themselves, and then one of them becomes a corpse...
The book was well-crafted, swift-paced and thoroughly entertaining. The mystery was very engaging and I was kept guessing until later on in this lively tale. I am already looking forward to catching up with Charlotte and her friends in the next instalment, 'Death Loves a Messy Desk'. Very highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
March 12, 2022
This one irritated me. Charlotte kept insinuating herself into stuff that she had no business in. Her way of thinking was something out of this world at times. She would consider other people rude for cutting her off when she was speaking, yet she did it continuously to other people. When a certain thing happened in her apartment, she was more upset that her spices were no longer in order alphabetically, rather than what had actually happened. She made me want to pull my hair out at times.
November 9, 2009
My main criticism/observation from the first book in this series was that the main character, Charlotte, never finishes an organizational job during the book. In fact, I finished my review for Organize your Corpses by saying, "Perhaps Charlotte will be able to finish a job in the next book? Ha ha!" Well, imagine my surprise to discover the same thing happens in this book too! I just don't get it. Again, Charlotte is interrupted during a big job with a mystery, so that explains the hold up on the big job. But, she never actually finishes any other job either. This is really striking me as odd for a series with organization as a theme. Am I the only one bothered by this? I guess I just expect a little more from Charlotte than I've been given thus far. Of course, I enjoy the books overall and will continue with the series, despite this random concern. The author does throw in a lot of organizational tips, but I'd kind of like to see her complete a job from start to finish as well as help solve a mystery. Am I asking for too much here? :/
I did find parts of the mystery a little obvious to solve and other parts impossible to solve until the reveal. I had no reason to suspect who was behind everything and how it all came together, which can be both good and bad. I liked that it was a surprise, but I don't like that I had no chance of solving the case before Charlotte. What can I say? I'm competitive with these fictional sleuths and I want a chance to beat them at their own game. :)
I did find parts of the mystery a little obvious to solve and other parts impossible to solve until the reveal. I had no reason to suspect who was behind everything and how it all came together, which can be both good and bad. I liked that it was a surprise, but I don't like that I had no chance of solving the case before Charlotte. What can I say? I'm competitive with these fictional sleuths and I want a chance to beat them at their own game. :)
April 9, 2016
I hate stupid characters, and the chick in this mystery just annoyed me. This book caught my eye because Charlotte is a professional organizer who solves crimes. I love organizing, and each chapter gives a little tip. It was good up until she started sticking her nose where it didn't belong. Her client gets accused of murder so of course Charlotte decides to figure out who really did it, only to get herself into more trouble with each chapter. When will people learn that when your tires get slashed, your house gets broken into, your friend get run over, etc that you should back off. And the thing that really annoyed me is how she kept being nice to this girl who she used to be friends with. The whole time, the girl was a bitch to her and yet Charlotte goes off and risks her life to save her. The girl is a cop, a bitchy one, so I'm sure she would know what to do. I thought I might read the other book in this series, but now I'm not to sure. Something tells me she just as stupid in that one as she was in this one.
July 4, 2012
This is the second in the Charlotte Adams series.
I like Charlotte and her friends. They seem like a caring bunch.
I enjoyed the writing style ... it's fast and fun. I was buying everything that was happening until I got to the end. "Who dunnit" was a surprise but a disappointment ... I thought it was lame.
Though I'm an animal lover, I was happy to see that there was less focus on Charlotte's dogs in this second book since they were so spoiled and annoying in the first book.
I didn't get why Charlotte got so involved in solving this mystery. She'd just met Emmy Lou who had admitted she'd done it. I wouldn't risk my life for a stranger or stick my nose in. But if Charlotte hadn't gotten so involved, there'd be no book.
I found it odd that it was hard to find a decent summary of this book ... there is just a line on Chapters Indigo, Amazon and the author's site.
Despite my criticisms, I enjoyed the writing style and the characters and look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I like Charlotte and her friends. They seem like a caring bunch.
I enjoyed the writing style ... it's fast and fun. I was buying everything that was happening until I got to the end. "Who dunnit" was a surprise but a disappointment ... I thought it was lame.
Though I'm an animal lover, I was happy to see that there was less focus on Charlotte's dogs in this second book since they were so spoiled and annoying in the first book.
I didn't get why Charlotte got so involved in solving this mystery. She'd just met Emmy Lou who had admitted she'd done it. I wouldn't risk my life for a stranger or stick my nose in. But if Charlotte hadn't gotten so involved, there'd be no book.
I found it odd that it was hard to find a decent summary of this book ... there is just a line on Chapters Indigo, Amazon and the author's site.
Despite my criticisms, I enjoyed the writing style and the characters and look forward to reading the next book in this series.
June 14, 2021
I remember reading a couple of the books in this series back in “real paper book” days, shortly after they came out, and I have pleasant, if somewhat vague, memories of them. So I was pleased to receive an advance review copy of the new e-book edition of The Cluttered Corpse, which features protagonist Charlotte Adams as a “Marie Kondo” – even before the real Marie Kondo hit it big in the early 2010s. And overall, with a couple of minor issues, I enjoyed this book, which is the second in the series.
First, the good! Author Mary Jane Maffini has had a great idea for a protagonist in a mystery series: a professional organizer is, by necessity, going to be traipsing in and out of clients’ homes and getting a look at their stuff – and potentially their secrets. An organizer also needs to be logical, which can help with figuring out details of a case, and seems to need to be as much a psychologist as an actual cleaner-upper, which can help with motives. So it was fun to watch Charlotte as she applied her skills and resources to figuring out how a neighborhood lout came to be found dead in her newest client’s house. And even more puzzling, why was that client insisting vociferously that she herself was guilty?
On the down side, I struggled a bit with some of the characters in the book, including Charlotte’s. With a career that could probably get her involved with a murder in many ways, having her push (even bully) her way into her newest client’s life on only a few minutes acquaintance seemed a little off to me. And I also had trouble with her relationship with her former best friend and current Detective Sergeant, Pepper Monahan. Although we all have that friend who married someone the rest of us can’t stand, it still didn’t work for me. I may have missed some back story from the first book in the series that would help, but as it was, I was just frustrated with that relationship.
OTOH, the clean-up tips were priceless and worth a few chuckles, and I really appreciated Charlotte’s attention to the unstated needs of her clients, beyond just getting cleaned up and organized. I’ve haven’t read Marie Kondo’s book, but I sort of have the feeling that if I read all five books in Maffini’s series, I might not need to!
All-in-all, this was a fun book, and I’ll keep an eye out for more titles in the series to become available in e-book. But I did knock it down a couple of stars for my struggles with the characters, and I hope they get more a little more believable in later titles. Please keep in mind that since I'm not super generous with stars, this is still a "read" recommendation, though. And my thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy!
First, the good! Author Mary Jane Maffini has had a great idea for a protagonist in a mystery series: a professional organizer is, by necessity, going to be traipsing in and out of clients’ homes and getting a look at their stuff – and potentially their secrets. An organizer also needs to be logical, which can help with figuring out details of a case, and seems to need to be as much a psychologist as an actual cleaner-upper, which can help with motives. So it was fun to watch Charlotte as she applied her skills and resources to figuring out how a neighborhood lout came to be found dead in her newest client’s house. And even more puzzling, why was that client insisting vociferously that she herself was guilty?
On the down side, I struggled a bit with some of the characters in the book, including Charlotte’s. With a career that could probably get her involved with a murder in many ways, having her push (even bully) her way into her newest client’s life on only a few minutes acquaintance seemed a little off to me. And I also had trouble with her relationship with her former best friend and current Detective Sergeant, Pepper Monahan. Although we all have that friend who married someone the rest of us can’t stand, it still didn’t work for me. I may have missed some back story from the first book in the series that would help, but as it was, I was just frustrated with that relationship.
OTOH, the clean-up tips were priceless and worth a few chuckles, and I really appreciated Charlotte’s attention to the unstated needs of her clients, beyond just getting cleaned up and organized. I’ve haven’t read Marie Kondo’s book, but I sort of have the feeling that if I read all five books in Maffini’s series, I might not need to!
All-in-all, this was a fun book, and I’ll keep an eye out for more titles in the series to become available in e-book. But I did knock it down a couple of stars for my struggles with the characters, and I hope they get more a little more believable in later titles. Please keep in mind that since I'm not super generous with stars, this is still a "read" recommendation, though. And my thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy!
August 22, 2022
https://openbooksociety.com/article/t...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Mary Jane Maffini’s second book, The Cluttered Corpse, in the Charlotte Adams series is a delightfully engaging addition to the series.
Charlotte Adams is a 5-foot tall professional organizer, in upstate New York. She had returned to her home town of Woodbridge after a bad break up with her now ex-fiancée. Her business is on the rise and she has a new client, Emmy Lou Rheinbeck – a woman with a HUGE collection of stuffed animals. Her husband has requested Charlotte’s expertise in helping his wife get control of her collection. While getting a handle on the job at the client’s place of residence, Charlotte is exposed to a couple of neighbourhood young men pulling some shenanigans outside of Emmy Lou’s home. Subsequently, one of the young men is found dead. To muddy the waters – Emmy Lou confesses to the murder!
Charlotte methodically processes the information she gathers in an attempt to identify the true killer. In true cozy mystery fashion – there are numerous red herrings which add to the suspense and enjoyment of the book (at least for this reader) and of course, places Charlotte in harms way.
Loved the nuggets of wisdom at the beginning of each chapter interesting…. especially the following:
“Don’t bring anything new into your home unless you know you have a place to keep it. Except for books, of course.”
I found the following comment by Charlotte rather interesting and true:
“I am used to neighbors taking an interest in my clients and their projects. Often they want details. Other people’s mess and clutter is almost as interesting as their sex lives, and just as much not anyone else’s business.”
One aspect I found interesting is that I did find some portions of this mystery rather formulaic and thus obvious while at the same time, I was stumped at other parts with no clear indication of “whodunit” until the end. Which, in all honesty, is the way I like my cozy mysteries ☺So, my final analysis is that Mary Jane Maffini has done it again – another fun cozy read which kept me guessing and entertained throughout. And I got LOTS of organizing tips. Can’t wait to read book three – Death Loves a Messy Desk.
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Mary Jane Maffini’s second book, The Cluttered Corpse, in the Charlotte Adams series is a delightfully engaging addition to the series.
Charlotte Adams is a 5-foot tall professional organizer, in upstate New York. She had returned to her home town of Woodbridge after a bad break up with her now ex-fiancée. Her business is on the rise and she has a new client, Emmy Lou Rheinbeck – a woman with a HUGE collection of stuffed animals. Her husband has requested Charlotte’s expertise in helping his wife get control of her collection. While getting a handle on the job at the client’s place of residence, Charlotte is exposed to a couple of neighbourhood young men pulling some shenanigans outside of Emmy Lou’s home. Subsequently, one of the young men is found dead. To muddy the waters – Emmy Lou confesses to the murder!
Charlotte methodically processes the information she gathers in an attempt to identify the true killer. In true cozy mystery fashion – there are numerous red herrings which add to the suspense and enjoyment of the book (at least for this reader) and of course, places Charlotte in harms way.
Loved the nuggets of wisdom at the beginning of each chapter interesting…. especially the following:
“Don’t bring anything new into your home unless you know you have a place to keep it. Except for books, of course.”
I found the following comment by Charlotte rather interesting and true:
“I am used to neighbors taking an interest in my clients and their projects. Often they want details. Other people’s mess and clutter is almost as interesting as their sex lives, and just as much not anyone else’s business.”
One aspect I found interesting is that I did find some portions of this mystery rather formulaic and thus obvious while at the same time, I was stumped at other parts with no clear indication of “whodunit” until the end. Which, in all honesty, is the way I like my cozy mysteries ☺So, my final analysis is that Mary Jane Maffini has done it again – another fun cozy read which kept me guessing and entertained throughout. And I got LOTS of organizing tips. Can’t wait to read book three – Death Loves a Messy Desk.
June 14, 2021
When you are arrested for murder, especially if you confessed first, it's always good to have someone on your side. Enter Charlotte Adams who just can't help herself when anyone she knows gets themselves into any kind of trouble. After all, she is a professional organizer so who better to take centre stage and ask all those questions Charlotte thinks the police aren't able to.
Emmy-Lou has a bit of a soft toy problem. Her house is magazine beautiful until you get half way up the stairs and then the plushies start to appear and an amazed Charlotte realises there are thousands of them. As an organizer nothing should matter except the happiness of a contented customer but even she is hard pushed to work out how to achieve that this time.
As everything begins to get confusing it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems. There's a dead body to deal with but that's the least of Charlotte's problems as her friends are in danger, her business is struggling and, worst of all, she has no idea who to blame.
Charlotte Adams is an original main protagonist, an organizer who has moments when she is anything but! Mary Jane Maffini has once again written an interesting twisty and turny novel with nothing in the first few chapters to indicate how it would end. There is a core group of characters who have moved seamlessly from book one to book two and I am looking forward to what happens to them all next.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy crime novel, it is a good summer read.
Emmy-Lou has a bit of a soft toy problem. Her house is magazine beautiful until you get half way up the stairs and then the plushies start to appear and an amazed Charlotte realises there are thousands of them. As an organizer nothing should matter except the happiness of a contented customer but even she is hard pushed to work out how to achieve that this time.
As everything begins to get confusing it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems. There's a dead body to deal with but that's the least of Charlotte's problems as her friends are in danger, her business is struggling and, worst of all, she has no idea who to blame.
Charlotte Adams is an original main protagonist, an organizer who has moments when she is anything but! Mary Jane Maffini has once again written an interesting twisty and turny novel with nothing in the first few chapters to indicate how it would end. There is a core group of characters who have moved seamlessly from book one to book two and I am looking forward to what happens to them all next.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy crime novel, it is a good summer read.
October 8, 2022
The Cluttered Corpse is the second book in the Charlotte Adams cozy mystery series. Charlotte is a professional organizer. Unfortunately, sometimes while clearing up other people's clutter she just happens to get pulled into a messy murder investigation.
The basics: Charlotte has a new client. Emmy Lou is an attractive woman with a nice life....but she has a serious problem with clutter. Fuzzy, cute clutter. Stuffed animals. Everywhere. Thousands of them. Who best to de-stuffie Emmy's house? Charlotte of course! The job gets a lot more complicated though when Charlotte finds a dead body at the bottom of Emmy's stairs.....and Emmy confesses to murder. In public. In front of multiple police. At the top of her lungs.
This story reminds me of episodes of hoarding television shows -- I could picture mounds and mounds of stuffed animals filling up this woman's house. A few stuffed animals are cute -- I have a few myself. But thousands of them? That would be creepy. When it gets to be an obsession on a grand scale like that, the darn things just wouldn't be cute anymore. Perfect setting for a murder!
I enjoy this series. I like the characters, the concept and the plots are entertaining. In Cluttered Corpse, the plot moves at a nice speed, there are plenty of twists and surprises, and lots of investigation. My favorite characters? The two wienie dogs, of course! Followed closely by Jack. All tried and true friends!
I will definitely be reading the rest of this series! I enjoy this author's writing style and I have thoroughly enjoyed the first two books!
On to the next -- Death Loves a Messy Desk!
The basics: Charlotte has a new client. Emmy Lou is an attractive woman with a nice life....but she has a serious problem with clutter. Fuzzy, cute clutter. Stuffed animals. Everywhere. Thousands of them. Who best to de-stuffie Emmy's house? Charlotte of course! The job gets a lot more complicated though when Charlotte finds a dead body at the bottom of Emmy's stairs.....and Emmy confesses to murder. In public. In front of multiple police. At the top of her lungs.
This story reminds me of episodes of hoarding television shows -- I could picture mounds and mounds of stuffed animals filling up this woman's house. A few stuffed animals are cute -- I have a few myself. But thousands of them? That would be creepy. When it gets to be an obsession on a grand scale like that, the darn things just wouldn't be cute anymore. Perfect setting for a murder!
I enjoy this series. I like the characters, the concept and the plots are entertaining. In Cluttered Corpse, the plot moves at a nice speed, there are plenty of twists and surprises, and lots of investigation. My favorite characters? The two wienie dogs, of course! Followed closely by Jack. All tried and true friends!
I will definitely be reading the rest of this series! I enjoy this author's writing style and I have thoroughly enjoyed the first two books!
On to the next -- Death Loves a Messy Desk!
June 11, 2021
Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of THE CLUTTERED CORPSE (Book 2 of the Charlotte Adams Professional Organizer Mysteries) by Mary Jane Maffini in exchange for an honest review. Charlotte is moving on with her life after being accused of murdering one of her clients. Her business is recovering, and some of her clients have returned. Charlotte’s newest project is one of those clients who needs help managing her stuffed toy collection. Charlotte’s first visit to the client’s house is cut short by the shenanigans of teenagers who seem to be tormenting the client. Charlotte’s second visit is greeted with the dead body of one of the boys while her client publicly proclaims responsibility for the death. Local law enforcement happily accepts the woman’s confession, slaps on the handcuffs, and hauls her away to jail. Meanwhile, Charlotte tries to convince the officers that there is no way the woman killed the young man. Charlotte insists the woman must be covering for someone. Ignored by the police and taunted by the media, Charlotte decides that, if the woman is to go free, Charlotte will have to be the one to identify the real murderer. However, hunting a killer is a dangerous affair; the murderer, in return, soon begins hunting Charlotte.
I enjoyed this book. I recommend this novel to fans of cozy mysteries featuring murder, professional organizing, cupcakes, cookies, close-knit friends, rescue dogs, and high school mean-girl drama perpetuated into adulthood.
#TheClutteredCorpse #NetGalley
I enjoyed this book. I recommend this novel to fans of cozy mysteries featuring murder, professional organizing, cupcakes, cookies, close-knit friends, rescue dogs, and high school mean-girl drama perpetuated into adulthood.
#TheClutteredCorpse #NetGalley
June 30, 2021
4.5 Stars
This is the second book in the Charlotte Adams series by Mary Jane Maffini.
This is one of those books where you are really missing a lot of backstory so it is hard to get a good handle on what is going on in this neighborhood.
Charlotte goes to me a gal who has been married for a year to an overly happy man who is taking her plush toy obsession in stride but wanting to help her get her space organized. A couple of boys come up to the window and take a photo of the lady which really disturbs Charlotte. Then one of those boys ends up dead and the home owner with all the plush toys admits to the killing.
Charlotte spends most of the book trying to get her client off the hook for this crime she can’t imagine she had anything to do with. The police chief named Pepper has a problem with Charlotte. They used to be good friends in school but now Pepper has a big chip on her shoulder where Charlotte is concerned. It doesn’t help that Pepper’s significant other, Detective Nick is flirting with her every chance he gets.
Overall it is a good story that keeps your interest. The mystery is nice and I think all the characters are what makes this a winning book. You just want to keep learning more stuff about them. Can’t wait for the next installment.
If you love a cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. Great new must read book great series too!
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions are completely my own
This is the second book in the Charlotte Adams series by Mary Jane Maffini.
This is one of those books where you are really missing a lot of backstory so it is hard to get a good handle on what is going on in this neighborhood.
Charlotte goes to me a gal who has been married for a year to an overly happy man who is taking her plush toy obsession in stride but wanting to help her get her space organized. A couple of boys come up to the window and take a photo of the lady which really disturbs Charlotte. Then one of those boys ends up dead and the home owner with all the plush toys admits to the killing.
Charlotte spends most of the book trying to get her client off the hook for this crime she can’t imagine she had anything to do with. The police chief named Pepper has a problem with Charlotte. They used to be good friends in school but now Pepper has a big chip on her shoulder where Charlotte is concerned. It doesn’t help that Pepper’s significant other, Detective Nick is flirting with her every chance he gets.
Overall it is a good story that keeps your interest. The mystery is nice and I think all the characters are what makes this a winning book. You just want to keep learning more stuff about them. Can’t wait for the next installment.
If you love a cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. Great new must read book great series too!
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions are completely my own
August 5, 2021
Charlotte is a woman after my own heart--an organizer and an analyzer--thought with a better wardrobe. I really liked that in this cozy, Charlotte's friends actually call her out on her unrealistic efforts to solve the crime. They say things like, "this sounds totally ridiculous" and "What's wrong with you? Ask yourself why you are overly involved with this client." That adds a slight dose of reality to a cozy, which by its nature is totally unrealistic :>)
I liked the roundup of characters, and the plot works out decently. The lack of explanation of why the killer hid the important thingy where they did is a giant hole in the plot, though. (Unless I just missed something in my reading?)
I didn't read book 1 in this series, and I think this would've been a smoother read if I had. The animosity between Charlotte and Pepper feels...too made up. It feels illogical, and Charlotte's nothing if not logical. But maybe book 1 would've made that clearer. I also felt like the writing from scene to scene is a bit disjointed. I wanted to know Charlotte a little better, but the point of view feels just a tad robotic. That's not the right word, but I can't think of a better one. I guess I feel like Charlotte tells us all the important things that happen, but I'd like a bit more insight into how they affect her or how she feels about them. Everything is just stated categorically.
Overall, I give it 3.5 stars, and I'm going to give the next book a try.
Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the roundup of characters, and the plot works out decently. The lack of explanation of why the killer hid the important thingy where they did is a giant hole in the plot, though. (Unless I just missed something in my reading?)
I didn't read book 1 in this series, and I think this would've been a smoother read if I had. The animosity between Charlotte and Pepper feels...too made up. It feels illogical, and Charlotte's nothing if not logical. But maybe book 1 would've made that clearer. I also felt like the writing from scene to scene is a bit disjointed. I wanted to know Charlotte a little better, but the point of view feels just a tad robotic. That's not the right word, but I can't think of a better one. I guess I feel like Charlotte tells us all the important things that happen, but I'd like a bit more insight into how they affect her or how she feels about them. Everything is just stated categorically.
Overall, I give it 3.5 stars, and I'm going to give the next book a try.
Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2021
The Cluttered Corpse is Book 2 in the Charlotte Adams Professional Organizer Mystery series by Mary Jane Maffini.
This is the first book I’ve read in the series and it can be read as a standalone story. There are definitely relationship issues that have carried over into the 2nd book and it might be helpful to read book 1 to understand that better.
Charlotte meets with a client who needs help organizing a “collection.” While doing that, a nasty prank is payed by a neighbor. When she returns to the clients’s home, she makes an unpleasant discovery.
What I liked: Charlotte being an organizer is interesting because it will bring her into contact with a lot of different people and situations. There are organizing tips at the beginning of each chapter. I like the supporting characters Sally, Lilith, Rose, Jack, and the dachshunds. The mystery kept me guessing. A few times I thought I had it figured out and I was close, but not quite right.
What I had an issue with is when the protagonist is willing to risk her life, the lives of her loves ones, and her business to help someone she barely knows. Especially when there is no evidence that the police aren’t doing their job. I struggle to suspend my disbelief in that situation. If that isn’t an issue for you, you will probably love this book.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the free copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the first book I’ve read in the series and it can be read as a standalone story. There are definitely relationship issues that have carried over into the 2nd book and it might be helpful to read book 1 to understand that better.
Charlotte meets with a client who needs help organizing a “collection.” While doing that, a nasty prank is payed by a neighbor. When she returns to the clients’s home, she makes an unpleasant discovery.
What I liked: Charlotte being an organizer is interesting because it will bring her into contact with a lot of different people and situations. There are organizing tips at the beginning of each chapter. I like the supporting characters Sally, Lilith, Rose, Jack, and the dachshunds. The mystery kept me guessing. A few times I thought I had it figured out and I was close, but not quite right.
What I had an issue with is when the protagonist is willing to risk her life, the lives of her loves ones, and her business to help someone she barely knows. Especially when there is no evidence that the police aren’t doing their job. I struggle to suspend my disbelief in that situation. If that isn’t an issue for you, you will probably love this book.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the free copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 5, 2021
A professional organizer cozy mystery series?! I’m in heaven!
Charlotte Adams is growing her professional organizing business with the help of a new client. This client has a stuffed animal obsession that she is hoping Charlotte can display and contain. When Charlotte shows up for her first day, instead of finding stuffed animals all over the floor, she finds the body of the neighbor who played a nasty prank on her client the day before. As the police home in on her client, Charlotte knows she couldn’t have done it and there has to be something more sinister at play. Will she uncover the truth or will she be the next victim of foul play?
One of the things I loved about this book, which is book two in this series, is the fun characters. Charlotte is a quirky handful, but we also meet her best friends from childhood, and a frenemy or two. I love the bond that they all share. I also really loved the professional organizing aspect of this cozy. As a fan of all things in their place, this was a fun read. There are lots of tips and tricks included in this book which is a fun bonus.
One thing I wish I would have done is started at book one. I feel there is some backstory that I missed out on starting at book two, so I would suggest to readers new to this series to start at the beginning.
I’m so thankful to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for reissuing these books! You have a new fan!
Charlotte Adams is growing her professional organizing business with the help of a new client. This client has a stuffed animal obsession that she is hoping Charlotte can display and contain. When Charlotte shows up for her first day, instead of finding stuffed animals all over the floor, she finds the body of the neighbor who played a nasty prank on her client the day before. As the police home in on her client, Charlotte knows she couldn’t have done it and there has to be something more sinister at play. Will she uncover the truth or will she be the next victim of foul play?
One of the things I loved about this book, which is book two in this series, is the fun characters. Charlotte is a quirky handful, but we also meet her best friends from childhood, and a frenemy or two. I love the bond that they all share. I also really loved the professional organizing aspect of this cozy. As a fan of all things in their place, this was a fun read. There are lots of tips and tricks included in this book which is a fun bonus.
One thing I wish I would have done is started at book one. I feel there is some backstory that I missed out on starting at book two, so I would suggest to readers new to this series to start at the beginning.
I’m so thankful to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for reissuing these books! You have a new fan!
July 3, 2021
My interest was piqued by the promise of a story about a professional organizer turned amateur murder investigator. I got what I hoped for with an outrageous organizing job being the catalyst for a murder mystery.
The story kept me guessing right up to the end. The cast of characters is big, and nearly everyone might have had some sort of motive or involvement with either the victim or the woman who claims to have killed him, though no one believes her. Red Herrings abound!
Our protagonist, Charlotte Adams is juggling crime solving with trying to keep her clients happy and tending to her odd group of friends needs. All this activity makes for a cozily cluttered story, and I enjoyed everyone's place in the adventure—with the exception of Detective Sargant Pepper Monahan, who is beyond rude to her former friend Charlotte... and Charlotte meekly takes whatever venom Pepper spits at her. I do wish Charlotte had stood up to her and addressed that problem, but that issue would be my only complaint. In the end, I was nicely surprised. And that's what a well-crafted mystery should give a reader. Well told!
My thanks to author Mary Jane Maffini, Beyond the Page Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.
The story kept me guessing right up to the end. The cast of characters is big, and nearly everyone might have had some sort of motive or involvement with either the victim or the woman who claims to have killed him, though no one believes her. Red Herrings abound!
Our protagonist, Charlotte Adams is juggling crime solving with trying to keep her clients happy and tending to her odd group of friends needs. All this activity makes for a cozily cluttered story, and I enjoyed everyone's place in the adventure—with the exception of Detective Sargant Pepper Monahan, who is beyond rude to her former friend Charlotte... and Charlotte meekly takes whatever venom Pepper spits at her. I do wish Charlotte had stood up to her and addressed that problem, but that issue would be my only complaint. In the end, I was nicely surprised. And that's what a well-crafted mystery should give a reader. Well told!
My thanks to author Mary Jane Maffini, Beyond the Page Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.
July 7, 2021
Charlotte is a personal organiser - she helps people with cluttered cupboards, rooms, garages. She also seems to attract trouble like a moth to a flame. This time she is engaged to help a lady who has an enormous collection of stuffed toys, which are beginning to take over her life and affecting her marriage. But on meeting her, Charlotte finds Emmie Lou to be nervous and jittery, a condition exacerbated by two local lads playing tricks on her. Then a body is discovered and Emmie Lou admits responsibility.
Charlotte believes Emmie Lou is innocent, but who is she protecting, and why? A cozy mystery, but great fun and of a higher standard than many in this genre. Charlotte is a feisty and funny heroine, helped by some unlikely friends. The only one who is a little too stereotyped is her detective 'friend' Pepper, who is just plain nasty for someone who has known Charlotte for so long.
I enjoyed the book, which although part of a series can be read as a stand alone. Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Charlotte believes Emmie Lou is innocent, but who is she protecting, and why? A cozy mystery, but great fun and of a higher standard than many in this genre. Charlotte is a feisty and funny heroine, helped by some unlikely friends. The only one who is a little too stereotyped is her detective 'friend' Pepper, who is just plain nasty for someone who has known Charlotte for so long.
I enjoyed the book, which although part of a series can be read as a stand alone. Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2021
Charlotte meets with her latest client, Emmy Lou, to review an organizing problem. What she initially finds is an apparently well-put-together professional business woman with a neat and attractive home, at least on the first floor. But when Emmy Lou takes her upstairs, her secret obsession is revealed, a collection of stuffed toys in all shapes and sizes that have totally overwhelmed the bedrooms, hallways and even staircase of this impeccable home. And when an incident occurs during this visit, Emmy Lou reveals her true broken self. Charlotte is determined to help this sad individual, but a murder on the property with Emmy Lou as the acclaimed murderer, could put a damper on her efforts. An enjoyable cozy, with plenty of suspects and danger to our heroine and her friends. I enjoyed Charlotte’s relationships with her friends, both human and animals. And is there a hint of maybe a closer relationship with Jack at the end? Looking forward to the next book in this series. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book and all opinions are strictly my own.
June 27, 2021
For a cozy, this book actually has quite a complicated mystery with a few surprises. A solid "thumbs up" despite Charlotte doing more than one really stupid thing in her enthusiasm to help her client outside the range of a professional organizer.
Both book 1 and 2 in this series (the only 2 I have read so far) feature characters with brain damage or mental disability since I don't recall actually being told what the character in this book actually has. It's unusual and makes me wonder if the author has someone in her life with the disability to feature it twice in a row. It fit in well in the first book and doesn't really impact this story much other than to, perhaps, explain why one character doesn't seem to be questioned. Again, as I mentioned in my review of the first book, we're not privy to much (just a couple sentences here) the real cops are doing in terms of investigation.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Both book 1 and 2 in this series (the only 2 I have read so far) feature characters with brain damage or mental disability since I don't recall actually being told what the character in this book actually has. It's unusual and makes me wonder if the author has someone in her life with the disability to feature it twice in a row. It fit in well in the first book and doesn't really impact this story much other than to, perhaps, explain why one character doesn't seem to be questioned. Again, as I mentioned in my review of the first book, we're not privy to much (just a couple sentences here) the real cops are doing in terms of investigation.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
July 22, 2021
I love cozy new mystery series and I love organizing so this series was just right for me. The author has all the right elements for a great long running cozy series. This is the 2nd in series and can be read as a stand alone. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley . My review opinions are my own.
Charlotte is a personal organizer and has a new client that has quite a large collection of stuffed toys. The client is getting grief from her husband for her collection and is riddled with anxiety due to tricks being played on her by local mean kids. When a murder occurs her client confesses although Charlotte believes she is innocent. Charlotte is determined to save her client and find the real suspect. Clues and red herrings abound and lots of hijinks occur that are funny throughout this next in series.
I love the charcters here and the humor the author brings to this series. I highly recommend this series and look forward to the next in series.
Charlotte is a personal organizer and has a new client that has quite a large collection of stuffed toys. The client is getting grief from her husband for her collection and is riddled with anxiety due to tricks being played on her by local mean kids. When a murder occurs her client confesses although Charlotte believes she is innocent. Charlotte is determined to save her client and find the real suspect. Clues and red herrings abound and lots of hijinks occur that are funny throughout this next in series.
I love the charcters here and the humor the author brings to this series. I highly recommend this series and look forward to the next in series.
June 11, 2021
The Cluttered Corpse by Mary Jane Maffini is the second book in her Charlotte Adams Professional Organizer series. Charlotte Adams seems to have a bad case of "corpse finds." She is working with a client who needs Charlotte to organize her hundreds of stuffed animals. Arriving at her client's house for a meeting it is chaos. Charlotte finds her client in the street shouting that she "killed him." When Charlotte walks into the house she discovers a dead body at the bottom of the staircase. Charlotte was sure that her client was innocent. I really like how Charlotte didn't give up while trying to discover who the murderer was. She didn't hesitate to ask questions. Even threats didn't stop her. I really enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
June 26, 2021
This is the second book in the Charlotte Adams Professional Organizer Mystery series. I enjoyed it every bit as much as the first one. Getting to know Charlotte and her friends a little more was a lot of fun. There are short tips for better organization at the beginning of each chapter. Charlotte is hired to help a client organize an unbelievable amount of stuffed animals. Before they can get started, the client confesses to murder. Charlotte doesn't believe that her client is guilty. She enlists the help of her friends to help her prove that her client is innocent. Is she right about her client? Will she be able to find the truth before anyone else gets hurt? The characters are genuine and relatable. I can't wait to learn more about Charlotte and her friends. They make me smile.
June 27, 2021
The Cluttered Corpse is the 2nd book in the Charlotte Adams cozy mystery series. Charlotte has a business helping people get organized and getting rid of clutter. Her client Emmy Lou needs to reduce her stuffed animal collection. Really? Emmy Lou is married and lives in a house with odd neighbors. Almost everyone has secrets which are divulged as the story progresses. One of Emmy Lou's neighbors ends up dead and Emmy Lou is the prime suspect. The characters are likable and the friendship between Charlotte, Sally, Jack, Lileth and Rose adds to the story. The ending was a surprise with an added character. This was an enjoyable cozy mystery.#NetGalley #TheClutteredCorpse
June 22, 2021
I got a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
I like cozy mysteries. I am not a big fan of the protagonist-is-disliked-by-the-police trope. But in this case, I understood how the police felt. Charlotte Adams is one of my least favorite protagonists ever. I found myself actively hoping she would suffer some horrible catastrophe and one of the other characters would take over the story.
The mystery serves as a plot device for Charlotte to come up with a lot of scenarios, but I didn't really care about the resolution.
All-in-all not a book I enjoyed.
I like cozy mysteries. I am not a big fan of the protagonist-is-disliked-by-the-police trope. But in this case, I understood how the police felt. Charlotte Adams is one of my least favorite protagonists ever. I found myself actively hoping she would suffer some horrible catastrophe and one of the other characters would take over the story.
The mystery serves as a plot device for Charlotte to come up with a lot of scenarios, but I didn't really care about the resolution.
All-in-all not a book I enjoyed.
December 12, 2021
This is book 2 in the Charlotte Adams series. It's a fun easy read that has Charlotte trying to help Emmy Low decrease the size of her stuffed animal collection. When mysterious accidents start happening and people start dying Charlotte and her crazy fun friends have to scramble. This book was originally published in 2008 and has been updated. There are lots of good tips for organizing and paring down clutter around the house. It can be read as a stand alone and there are now 5 titles in the series. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 11, 2021
What a mess Charlotte found herself in when her new client ended up being charged with murder, she was adamant she was innocent of the act, no matter how loud she admitted to it, but her friend and police lieutenant who was on the case thought otherwise. Charlotte was placed in a spot because her friend’s husband was fixated on her, this caused a rift in their friendship. No matter, Charlotte did not give up on seeking the truth, which almost led to lights out for her.
June 25, 2021
Action packed story filled with details and hints that will lead to the unraveling of the plot.
The author keeps the flow of the story entertaining and guessing what is behind the events happening.
Note: I received an arc for review purposes and an honest and unbiased opinion.
The author keeps the flow of the story entertaining and guessing what is behind the events happening.
Note: I received an arc for review purposes and an honest and unbiased opinion.
July 26, 2017
I would give it 3.5 stars. Definitely some things about this story irritated me but overall it was a good read.
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