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The Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Volume One
NOW IN ONE VOLUME—THE FIRST TWO AURORA TEAGARDEN MYSTERIES
The acclaimed author of the phenomenal Sookie Stackhouse novels, Charlaine Harris introduces a Southern librarian whose bookish bent for murder gets her involved in real-life mysteries…
Real Murders
Georgia librarian Aurora “Roe” Teagarden belongs to a club called Real Murders, which meets once a month to analyze famous cases. But after she finds a member dead, killed in a manner that eerily resembles the crime the club was about to discuss, Roe has to uncover the person behind a terrifying game, one that casts all the members of Real Murders, herself included, as prime suspects—or potential victims…
A Bone to Pick
When a deceased acquaintance names Roe as heir to a substantial estate, which includes money, jewelry—and a house complete with a skull hidden in a window seat—Roe concludes that the elderly woman has purposely left her a murder to solve. She must identify the victim and figure out which one of Jane’s ordinary-seeming neighbors is a murderer—without putting herself in deadly danger…
The acclaimed author of the phenomenal Sookie Stackhouse novels, Charlaine Harris introduces a Southern librarian whose bookish bent for murder gets her involved in real-life mysteries…
Real Murders
Georgia librarian Aurora “Roe” Teagarden belongs to a club called Real Murders, which meets once a month to analyze famous cases. But after she finds a member dead, killed in a manner that eerily resembles the crime the club was about to discuss, Roe has to uncover the person behind a terrifying game, one that casts all the members of Real Murders, herself included, as prime suspects—or potential victims…
A Bone to Pick
When a deceased acquaintance names Roe as heir to a substantial estate, which includes money, jewelry—and a house complete with a skull hidden in a window seat—Roe concludes that the elderly woman has purposely left her a murder to solve. She must identify the victim and figure out which one of Jane’s ordinary-seeming neighbors is a murderer—without putting herself in deadly danger…
448 pages, Paperback
Published December 31, 2014
8 people are currently reading
1293 people want to read
About the author
Charlaine Harris
203 books37k followersCharlaine Harris has been a published writer for over forty years. Her first two books were standalones, followed by a long sabbatical when she was having children. Then she began the Aurora Teagarden book, mysteries featuring a short librarian (eventually adapted for Hallmark movies). The darker Lily Bard books came next, about a house cleaner with a dark past and considerable fighting skills.
Tired of abiding by the mystery rules, Harris wrote a novel about a telepathic barmaid that took at least two years to sell. When the book was published, it turned into a best seller, and DEAD UNTIL DARK and the subsequent Sookie books were adapted in Alan Ball's "True Blood" series. At the same time, Harris began the Harper Connelly books. Harper can find the bones of the dead and see their last minute.
When those two series wound to a close, the next three books were about a mysterious town in Texas, called Midnight.
A change in publisher and editor led to Harris's novels about a female gunslinger in an alternate America, Lizbeth Rose. The Gunnie Rose books concluded with the sixth novel.
She's thinking about what to write next.
Tired of abiding by the mystery rules, Harris wrote a novel about a telepathic barmaid that took at least two years to sell. When the book was published, it turned into a best seller, and DEAD UNTIL DARK and the subsequent Sookie books were adapted in Alan Ball's "True Blood" series. At the same time, Harris began the Harper Connelly books. Harper can find the bones of the dead and see their last minute.
When those two series wound to a close, the next three books were about a mysterious town in Texas, called Midnight.
A change in publisher and editor led to Harris's novels about a female gunslinger in an alternate America, Lizbeth Rose. The Gunnie Rose books concluded with the sixth novel.
She's thinking about what to write next.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 2, 2015
I didn’t read the stories in this book when they were first published, but after seeing the Hallmark Channel movie based on the second book in the series, A BONE TO PICK, I knew I had to read them. I’ll do each review separately.
REAL MURDER
I enjoyed this first story in the Aurora Teagarden Mystery series. REAL MURDERS was fast paced and entertaining.
Lead character Aurora “Roe” Teagarden is a lot like a grown up Nancy Drew. She can’t turn her back on a good mystery, especially not when it involves the murder of a fellow member of the Real Murders club.
Aurora’s investigation is not an easy one for her, or for the reader. With so many twists and turns I wasn’t anywhere close to making a guess at the killer. I was blown away with the reveal.
After reading REAL MURDERS, I was even more excited to start that second story,
A BONE TO PICK
Having seen the Hallmark movie of A BONE TO PICK, I of course already knew the outcome of this story, but that didn’t take away from the fun of it. As in most cases, this book was better than the movie.
Author Charlaine Harris has a wonderful writing style that simply pulls you into her stories. You get a real sense of being involved in it all.
In this story, Aurora “Roe” has an old mystery to solve when she finds a skull in the window seat of the house she inherited from an acquaintance. Suddenly the excitement of owning a new house and everything else that was left to her is overshadowed with trying to solve the mystery of the skull.
I will say, of all the cozy mystery protagonist I’ve read, Aurora is a little more zealous and reckless in her investigating. I hazard from being a member of the Real Murder group no doubt. But to me it just added to the fun because I kept saying things out loud like “Seriously! You’re going to do that? You’re just asking to get yourself caught and killed!” Yes, I do talk to the characters when I read. Don’t you?
All in all, this was a wonderful, well written story that was hard to put down. And now after reading the first two books, I’m really looking forward to getting caught up on the whole series.
REAL MURDER
I enjoyed this first story in the Aurora Teagarden Mystery series. REAL MURDERS was fast paced and entertaining.
Lead character Aurora “Roe” Teagarden is a lot like a grown up Nancy Drew. She can’t turn her back on a good mystery, especially not when it involves the murder of a fellow member of the Real Murders club.
Aurora’s investigation is not an easy one for her, or for the reader. With so many twists and turns I wasn’t anywhere close to making a guess at the killer. I was blown away with the reveal.
After reading REAL MURDERS, I was even more excited to start that second story,
A BONE TO PICK
Having seen the Hallmark movie of A BONE TO PICK, I of course already knew the outcome of this story, but that didn’t take away from the fun of it. As in most cases, this book was better than the movie.
Author Charlaine Harris has a wonderful writing style that simply pulls you into her stories. You get a real sense of being involved in it all.
In this story, Aurora “Roe” has an old mystery to solve when she finds a skull in the window seat of the house she inherited from an acquaintance. Suddenly the excitement of owning a new house and everything else that was left to her is overshadowed with trying to solve the mystery of the skull.
I will say, of all the cozy mystery protagonist I’ve read, Aurora is a little more zealous and reckless in her investigating. I hazard from being a member of the Real Murder group no doubt. But to me it just added to the fun because I kept saying things out loud like “Seriously! You’re going to do that? You’re just asking to get yourself caught and killed!” Yes, I do talk to the characters when I read. Don’t you?
All in all, this was a wonderful, well written story that was hard to put down. And now after reading the first two books, I’m really looking forward to getting caught up on the whole series.
April 1, 2015
I was interested in this series, because it is soon to be on the Hallmark Mysteries and Movies channel. So I wanted to read the books first. I was surprised by the first book and how the murders were staged to look like Real Murders. Which the heroine Aurora Teagarden, libriarian and member of The Real Murders Book Club in Lawerenceton, Georgia. So when she discovers one of the members of the club killed in the manner of what the book club was going to discuss, it is all too much for Roe and her little book club especially when more murders start happening and it looks like someone is trying to frame the club members. This was a bit different than what I usually read, but Aurora Teagarden makes a great character and you soon find yourself totally wrapped up in her life.
This book had two books in it, the Second in the series A Bone To Pick, was a delightful read. Aurora finds herself inheriting a large sum of money and the house of her former friend Jane Engle, from the now disbanded Real Murders Book Club. When Aurora starts going through Janes things she soon discovers that there is a skull hidden under the window bench seat. So it is going to be up to Aurora to figure out whether or not her friend had murdered someone, or was she hiding a secret for someone else. This book was much better than the first one and you really get wrapped up with Aurora and her family, Friends, and community. I am currently looking for the third book, and can't wait to see the Hallmark Channel Movie.
This book had two books in it, the Second in the series A Bone To Pick, was a delightful read. Aurora finds herself inheriting a large sum of money and the house of her former friend Jane Engle, from the now disbanded Real Murders Book Club. When Aurora starts going through Janes things she soon discovers that there is a skull hidden under the window bench seat. So it is going to be up to Aurora to figure out whether or not her friend had murdered someone, or was she hiding a secret for someone else. This book was much better than the first one and you really get wrapped up with Aurora and her family, Friends, and community. I am currently looking for the third book, and can't wait to see the Hallmark Channel Movie.
March 13, 2018
The main character, Aurora Teagarden is 27 or 28 years old. Reading the books, I had to continually remind myself of that fact because she reads much older, in my opinion. The first book within the volume is definitely more graphic than a cozy mystery and all around a bit odd. I enjoyed the second book within the volume a little more but I just found the main character's choices unusual. Maybe this is indicative of a well written character but she was not one I could or wanted to identify with, so I won't continue the series.
March 22, 2018
These books seem to be more based on Aurora's life and what is going on verses the actually mystery. I feel like we get a taste of the mystery at the very beginning of the book and it gets solved at the very end. Their is nothing in-between. And I really don't understand how the criminals come to be the criminals. Their is no build up or indicators at all. Its just like "o and by the way, this person did it"
December 29, 2024
This was the perfect cozy read.
October 20, 2015
Whilst the Aurora Teagarden books are advertised as mysteries, I feel as though such is not the case.
These books focus more upon the soap opera that is the life of Aurora rather than the crimes that take place in the town. Oh, she certainly manages to get involved with any trouble that happens – but a large majority of the story is spent focusing upon what is going on in her life. I don’t mind knowing such details, but I’d rather those took the backseat rather than the crime aspects.
These books focus more upon the soap opera that is the life of Aurora rather than the crimes that take place in the town. Oh, she certainly manages to get involved with any trouble that happens – but a large majority of the story is spent focusing upon what is going on in her life. I don’t mind knowing such details, but I’d rather those took the backseat rather than the crime aspects.
August 2, 2015
Intrigerend, maar uiteindelijk toch onbevredigend door clichés en voorspelbaarheid, vermengd met veel terugkerende opmerkingen over kleding, make-up en ander gezeur.
Grappig is dat de schrijfster een Amerikaanse versie van Agatha Christie's miss Marple creëert, in het begin van de 21ste eeuw. Maar ze weet het beeld niet vast te houden.
Grappig is dat de schrijfster een Amerikaanse versie van Agatha Christie's miss Marple creëert, in het begin van de 21ste eeuw. Maar ze weet het beeld niet vast te houden.
May 29, 2019
2019 bk 175. Contains Real Murders and A Bone to pick. Enjoyable mysteries, but with rather abrupt ending. I purchased this because a group of librarians had gotten together to see the Real Murder Hallmark Movie. I like the character, Charlaine Harris has done a good job of setting up the background, and she has truly evil characters disguised as normal folks. I may have nightmares.
March 1, 2020
I had won book 8 of this series on Goodreads Firstreads which came with books 1-7. I got it before I watched the movies on TV but didn’t get to read them until after I watched a few of them. I was excited to read the books after that. I loved this book. I rated the first book 5/5 stars and the second book 4/5 stars.
April 12, 2022
These two mysteries are amusing and filled with quirky characters as well as a likeable protagonist. Set in a small Atlanta suburb, they are filled with murders a la Jessica Fletcher's Cabot Cove. Nothing like the skeletons (both literal and figurative) one finds in a small town. Harris keeps the pace brisk and suspense high. Definitely good for a quick and entertaining read.
Want to read
May 6, 2016I want to read this book because I want to be a murder mysterys
Read
October 26, 2016loved it
May 19, 2017
Hallmark did this series a favor.
May 30, 2019
My Rating System:
* not worth finishing, ** wouldn’t recommend, *** would recommend, **** would highly recommend, ***** have/would read again.
* not worth finishing, ** wouldn’t recommend, *** would recommend, **** would highly recommend, ***** have/would read again.
March 30, 2020
3.5 stars
April 30, 2022
Nice, light reading - but not boring!
January 28, 2023
Fun, easy read. Plus I’m a librarian who lives in LAWRENCEVILLE, GA in the Atlanta suburbs (maybe the inspiration for Lawrenceton?!). So I enjoyed that part.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews