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Erica Coleman Mystery
Crooked House
Quirky private investigator Erica Coleman is no stranger to murder and mystery—which is why her best friend’s daughter Megan is confident in Erica’s unique ability to unravel a disturbing mystery developing in the ramshackle old house she shares with her college roommates, Liz and Beth. In the quaint historic district of Dover, Delaware, lies Crooked House—an apt name for the once magnificent home. Following an alarming rise in the number of “accidents” surrounding Liz, the girls enlist Erica’s help to stop the mysterious assailant. Soon the mishaps become blatant attempts on Liz’s life, and Erica’s initial skepticism disappears when things go from disturbing to deadly. As she uncovers a tangled web of love, money, and greed, Erica must draw upon her investigative prowess to crack the case before she becomes an unwitting victim herself .
272 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2015
11 people are currently reading
616 people want to read
About the author
Marlene Bateman
10 books54 followersBackground
I grew up in Sandy, Utah, where my parents had a mini-farm on an acre and a half. My father raised a lot of things, but the two main ones were gladiolus and mink. Think flowers and fur coats. My mother, a creative person, was a florist. I was blessed to be raised as a Christian and I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). I’m thankful to know God lives and loves me and I’m grateful for Jesus Christ, my Savior.
Loves and Interests
I love my children and am so proud of them. They are all so amazing and wonderful, as are their terrific spouses. And although I know others brag about their grandchildren, I have to smile indulgently, because my grandchildren actually are the cutest, smartest, sweetest, and most talented kids in the world!
I have a lot of interests. For one thing, I’ve always loved animals. Right now, I only have four cats, and three dogs—a dachshund, a Westie, and a Welsh Corgi.
For fun, I like to read. A few of my favorite authors are; Maeve Binchy, Elizabeth Berg, Agatha Christie, Andriana Trigiani, and Anne Siddons. I also enjoy watching animated movies like Despicable Me, Over the Hedge, How to Train Your Dragon, Ice Age, Frozen, etc. I’m a kid at heart, I guess.
I also love to go camping, although I no longer enjoy roughing it. Must. Have. Popcorn. Which means we need to take along a popcorn popper. During the summer, my husband and I take our RV to the mountains, to explore new places, and we often travel to research new settings for my books.
I also like to garden. I love flowers and often go a little nuts planting in the spring and adding a few more tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil bulbs each fall. I’m having fun raising iris—right now I have more than 70 varieties and each year I add a few new colors.
On Writing
I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I started writing stories in elementary school and after receiving parental acclaim for one of my masterpieces, “The Old Blue Car,” felt encouraged enough to continue.
In college, I met and married Kelly R. Sullivan and my writing career was put on the back burner when we had children.
As my children got older, I began carving out some time to write and began writing short articles and stories for magazines. Then I started an LDS, non-fiction book.
When my husband and I found we needed a second income, we remodeled our garage and opened a floral shop. I enjoyed the work but regretted that it left me very little time to write. However, as the years passed, I managed to finish my first book, Latter-day Saint Heroes and Heroines.
After being a florist for ten years, I had a health scare and while waiting to learn the results of the tests, I took stock of my life. I asked myself, “If I had the chance to live my life over, would I do anything differently? Other than wishing I had been a better mother and person, I could only come up with one thing—I wished I had been able to spend more time writing. So, with my dear husband’s support, we sold the floral business and I began writing full time.
My next three books were about angelic experiences in early LDS church history; And There Were Angels Among Them, Visits From Beyond the Veil, and By the Ministering of Angels. Then I wrote Brigham’s Boys.
Around this time, I went back to college. It had always been another dream of mine to graduate. So I returned to college and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Utah.
While in college, I began working on my first novel. One thing I decided when writing fiction was that all of my novels would be “clean”—without profanity and free from inappropriate sexual scenes. Being a novice, it took me three years to write Light on Fire Island and I was thrilled when became a best-seller.
Next I wrote the LDS, non-fiction book, Gaze into Heaven; Near-death Experiences in Early Church History.
I then bounced back to writing a second novel, a fun mystery
I grew up in Sandy, Utah, where my parents had a mini-farm on an acre and a half. My father raised a lot of things, but the two main ones were gladiolus and mink. Think flowers and fur coats. My mother, a creative person, was a florist. I was blessed to be raised as a Christian and I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). I’m thankful to know God lives and loves me and I’m grateful for Jesus Christ, my Savior.
Loves and Interests
I love my children and am so proud of them. They are all so amazing and wonderful, as are their terrific spouses. And although I know others brag about their grandchildren, I have to smile indulgently, because my grandchildren actually are the cutest, smartest, sweetest, and most talented kids in the world!
I have a lot of interests. For one thing, I’ve always loved animals. Right now, I only have four cats, and three dogs—a dachshund, a Westie, and a Welsh Corgi.
For fun, I like to read. A few of my favorite authors are; Maeve Binchy, Elizabeth Berg, Agatha Christie, Andriana Trigiani, and Anne Siddons. I also enjoy watching animated movies like Despicable Me, Over the Hedge, How to Train Your Dragon, Ice Age, Frozen, etc. I’m a kid at heart, I guess.
I also love to go camping, although I no longer enjoy roughing it. Must. Have. Popcorn. Which means we need to take along a popcorn popper. During the summer, my husband and I take our RV to the mountains, to explore new places, and we often travel to research new settings for my books.
I also like to garden. I love flowers and often go a little nuts planting in the spring and adding a few more tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil bulbs each fall. I’m having fun raising iris—right now I have more than 70 varieties and each year I add a few new colors.
On Writing
I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I started writing stories in elementary school and after receiving parental acclaim for one of my masterpieces, “The Old Blue Car,” felt encouraged enough to continue.
In college, I met and married Kelly R. Sullivan and my writing career was put on the back burner when we had children.
As my children got older, I began carving out some time to write and began writing short articles and stories for magazines. Then I started an LDS, non-fiction book.
When my husband and I found we needed a second income, we remodeled our garage and opened a floral shop. I enjoyed the work but regretted that it left me very little time to write. However, as the years passed, I managed to finish my first book, Latter-day Saint Heroes and Heroines.
After being a florist for ten years, I had a health scare and while waiting to learn the results of the tests, I took stock of my life. I asked myself, “If I had the chance to live my life over, would I do anything differently? Other than wishing I had been a better mother and person, I could only come up with one thing—I wished I had been able to spend more time writing. So, with my dear husband’s support, we sold the floral business and I began writing full time.
My next three books were about angelic experiences in early LDS church history; And There Were Angels Among Them, Visits From Beyond the Veil, and By the Ministering of Angels. Then I wrote Brigham’s Boys.
Around this time, I went back to college. It had always been another dream of mine to graduate. So I returned to college and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Utah.
While in college, I began working on my first novel. One thing I decided when writing fiction was that all of my novels would be “clean”—without profanity and free from inappropriate sexual scenes. Being a novice, it took me three years to write Light on Fire Island and I was thrilled when became a best-seller.
Next I wrote the LDS, non-fiction book, Gaze into Heaven; Near-death Experiences in Early Church History.
I then bounced back to writing a second novel, a fun mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
April 29, 2015
I so ADORE the Erica Coleman series!
Delightfully FUN cases of mystery and intrigue!
When Megan's roommate, Liz, starts to have a series of "accidents"...
Megan suspects that it is more than mere coincident and calls her mom's best friend, Erica, to come investigate....
As Erica arrives to Crooked House she is fascinated at the history of the house.
Called Crooked House because it is deteriorating and therefore leaning at crooked positions it is also a historical landmark and protected.
But a menacing neighbor wants the house to be fixed up.
Liz just doesn't have the money to do that.
As Erica digs deeper the "accidents" become more sinister as shots are taken and bombs are planted...
Is Liz still the target or has Erica now made some enemies?
See if you can follow the clues and figure it out before Erica does...
A "tangled web of love, money, and greed" await in this very ENJOYABLE mystery!
WHAT A GREAT BOOK!
I LOVED IT!
I also especially loved the fact that while you are delving into the clues you also get pockets of humor and mouth-watering recipes to explore!
Do not miss out on this one!
Delightfully FUN cases of mystery and intrigue!
When Megan's roommate, Liz, starts to have a series of "accidents"...
Megan suspects that it is more than mere coincident and calls her mom's best friend, Erica, to come investigate....
As Erica arrives to Crooked House she is fascinated at the history of the house.
Called Crooked House because it is deteriorating and therefore leaning at crooked positions it is also a historical landmark and protected.
But a menacing neighbor wants the house to be fixed up.
Liz just doesn't have the money to do that.
As Erica digs deeper the "accidents" become more sinister as shots are taken and bombs are planted...
Is Liz still the target or has Erica now made some enemies?
See if you can follow the clues and figure it out before Erica does...
A "tangled web of love, money, and greed" await in this very ENJOYABLE mystery!
WHAT A GREAT BOOK!
I LOVED IT!
I also especially loved the fact that while you are delving into the clues you also get pockets of humor and mouth-watering recipes to explore!
Do not miss out on this one!
May 1, 2015
I have wanted to read on of Marlene Bateman's books for a while now. I have the first two book starring Private Eye Erica Coleman, but have not found the time to read them yet. Fortunately for me, I didn't need to read them before starting this book.
This book is full of mysterious events and danger. It appears that someone is trying to kill Liz. She is a sweet young lady. The only thing she possesses of some value is the historic home she inherited, Crooked House.
Several times she is the target of someone trying to kill her. Erica needs to get the clues sorted and solve this case before another the killer succeeds.
The book is written in a fun manner. Marlene Bateman does a good job at portraying the thoughts of the characters in a light way, yet as a reader, I still understood the danger.
The book has background religious elements, but they are not the focus of the book. It is pure and simply a mystery/suspense novel that will keep you wondering who did it and will they be caught.
The book is clean. There are murder attempts and a murder, but I did not find them to be graphic.
This book is full of mysterious events and danger. It appears that someone is trying to kill Liz. She is a sweet young lady. The only thing she possesses of some value is the historic home she inherited, Crooked House.
Several times she is the target of someone trying to kill her. Erica needs to get the clues sorted and solve this case before another the killer succeeds.
The book is written in a fun manner. Marlene Bateman does a good job at portraying the thoughts of the characters in a light way, yet as a reader, I still understood the danger.
The book has background religious elements, but they are not the focus of the book. It is pure and simply a mystery/suspense novel that will keep you wondering who did it and will they be caught.
The book is clean. There are murder attempts and a murder, but I did not find them to be graphic.
May 21, 2015
Marlene Bateman, and her OCD super sleuth, Erica Coleman, dish up another delicious LDS mystery in the author’s newest release, Crooked House, An Erica Coleman Mystery, where the abode isn’t the only thing that’s twisted.
Ms. Bateman is a bankable mystery author who consistently delivers complicated whodunnits with crisp humor and quirky characters. Bateman again sets the reader at her heroine's table by adding an appendix with ten recipes straight from Erica's personal recipe file, making this a mystery that is delicious on every level.
Bateman’s quirky female detective is once again faced with a life and death case and a full slate of potential suspects, from spurned beaus and cash-strapped relatives, to eccentric neighbors and chummy roommates, who each have motives for wanting pretty coed, Liz Johnson, dead. Plot twists, bread crumbs, and red herrings abound in Crooked House, and once again, Bateman manages to leave even the savviest armchair gumshoes guessing and reassessing the whodunnits while salivating over ten delicious Erica Coleman recipes.
From the back cover:
Someone is trying to kill Liz Johnson and it’s up to quirky private investigator, Erica Coleman, to find out who. Erica is no stranger to murder and mystery, which is why her best friend’s daughter, Megan, turns to her when unaccountable and potentially fatal “accidents” threaten her roommate’s life.
Once Erica arrives at the ramshackle old mansion known as Crooked House, matters go from disturbing to deadly as it becomes clear someone is trying to kill Liz. As Erica begins to unearth secrets, she discovers a twisted web of love, money, greed, and deception. Although the police and friends sometimes find Erica’s OCD annoying, its those very traits that help her sift through evidence and see clues that others miss. Erica must draw upon her all her investigative prowess to keep Liz safe and unmask the killer before he can accomplish his deadly objective.
With a dash of romance and surprising twists, this thrilling mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. As with all Erica Coleman mysteries, ten delicious recipes are included.
Set the clever plot aside, and it’s Bateman’s heroine, Erica Coleman, with her OCD ways and witty repartee, who steals the show. Erica is a “married with children” LDS-lady investigator whose law enforcement officer/husband serves as her long distance sounding board. Their evening phone calls provide insight into Erica’s unique, sometimes bizarre OCD character, and help get the reader into her head.
LDS readers will appreciate Crooked House’s clean-read status and occasional references to Erica’s LDS culture. Non-LDS readers might find these sidebars distracting, but all these elements round out this complex character, endearing her to readers.
Once again, Bateman not only “dishes” up a great story, but she literally sets a place for you at Erica Coleman’s table by including an appendix with ten recipes served in the book. These tasty extras keep you thinking about the story long after you turn the last page.
This reader found the pace of Crooked House very satisfying. So many potential leads are dangled along the way that the reveal begins early in the second half in a slow and steady cadence that demands your attention to the last page turn. You'll want to share this one with a friend.
Crooked House is the third book in Bateman's Erica Coleman mystery series, following her successful Motive for Murder, and A Death in the Family. Each book proves that Ms. Bateman has a winning franchise with this character.
Crooked House and its companion books are mysteries that will entertain readers of any age or gender, providing a few lovely hours of delicious escape.
Crooked House, An Erica Coleman Mystery, can be purchsed on Amazon by clicking the cover image, and at any LDS bookstore.
Ms. Bateman is a bankable mystery author who consistently delivers complicated whodunnits with crisp humor and quirky characters. Bateman again sets the reader at her heroine's table by adding an appendix with ten recipes straight from Erica's personal recipe file, making this a mystery that is delicious on every level.
Bateman’s quirky female detective is once again faced with a life and death case and a full slate of potential suspects, from spurned beaus and cash-strapped relatives, to eccentric neighbors and chummy roommates, who each have motives for wanting pretty coed, Liz Johnson, dead. Plot twists, bread crumbs, and red herrings abound in Crooked House, and once again, Bateman manages to leave even the savviest armchair gumshoes guessing and reassessing the whodunnits while salivating over ten delicious Erica Coleman recipes.
From the back cover:
Someone is trying to kill Liz Johnson and it’s up to quirky private investigator, Erica Coleman, to find out who. Erica is no stranger to murder and mystery, which is why her best friend’s daughter, Megan, turns to her when unaccountable and potentially fatal “accidents” threaten her roommate’s life.
Once Erica arrives at the ramshackle old mansion known as Crooked House, matters go from disturbing to deadly as it becomes clear someone is trying to kill Liz. As Erica begins to unearth secrets, she discovers a twisted web of love, money, greed, and deception. Although the police and friends sometimes find Erica’s OCD annoying, its those very traits that help her sift through evidence and see clues that others miss. Erica must draw upon her all her investigative prowess to keep Liz safe and unmask the killer before he can accomplish his deadly objective.
With a dash of romance and surprising twists, this thrilling mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. As with all Erica Coleman mysteries, ten delicious recipes are included.
Set the clever plot aside, and it’s Bateman’s heroine, Erica Coleman, with her OCD ways and witty repartee, who steals the show. Erica is a “married with children” LDS-lady investigator whose law enforcement officer/husband serves as her long distance sounding board. Their evening phone calls provide insight into Erica’s unique, sometimes bizarre OCD character, and help get the reader into her head.
LDS readers will appreciate Crooked House’s clean-read status and occasional references to Erica’s LDS culture. Non-LDS readers might find these sidebars distracting, but all these elements round out this complex character, endearing her to readers.
Once again, Bateman not only “dishes” up a great story, but she literally sets a place for you at Erica Coleman’s table by including an appendix with ten recipes served in the book. These tasty extras keep you thinking about the story long after you turn the last page.
This reader found the pace of Crooked House very satisfying. So many potential leads are dangled along the way that the reveal begins early in the second half in a slow and steady cadence that demands your attention to the last page turn. You'll want to share this one with a friend.
Crooked House is the third book in Bateman's Erica Coleman mystery series, following her successful Motive for Murder, and A Death in the Family. Each book proves that Ms. Bateman has a winning franchise with this character.
Crooked House and its companion books are mysteries that will entertain readers of any age or gender, providing a few lovely hours of delicious escape.
Crooked House, An Erica Coleman Mystery, can be purchsed on Amazon by clicking the cover image, and at any LDS bookstore.
November 8, 2016
The premise of the book sounded interesting, but the story was slow going. It's clear I don't understand OCD, with Erica's need to wipe down car seats before getting in, yet saving mice to set them free outside. How did she manage to give birth to not one but three children?!
I don't judge by the cover, but... the house on the cover was definitely not Crooked House. I realized that just a few pages in. Someone told me there house looked like the house in Psycho. So I looked it up, and it's very similar.
I don't judge by the cover, but... the house on the cover was definitely not Crooked House. I realized that just a few pages in. Someone told me there house looked like the house in Psycho. So I looked it up, and it's very similar.
January 1, 2016
I love mysteries,but only when it is done right and this one is definitely done right!
Crooked House is the third book in Erica Coleman series and now I cannot wait to get my hands on the first two books.
Erica is charming. Her determination and cleverness immediately drew me in.
I didn't guess who was the murderer :( So this book will keep you guessing... and surprised at the same moment.
Crooked House is the third book in Erica Coleman series and now I cannot wait to get my hands on the first two books.
Erica is charming. Her determination and cleverness immediately drew me in.
I didn't guess who was the murderer :( So this book will keep you guessing... and surprised at the same moment.
February 15, 2016
I pretty much suspected everyone under the sun, and even who really was behind everything at the Crooked House. Marlene Bateman is a spectacular mystery writer. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!
November 15, 2017
Lame. I couldn’t get over how cheesy the writing is. Also, sometimes it reads like the author is trying to teach me something, not tell a story. The plot outline itself is rather good, but the delivery isn’t.
October 19, 2015
Decent story. Very little Mormon cheese, which was a plus. : ) I'd read more.
November 6, 2015
I have no love for this book. I don't care about the characters. They were all annoying.
May 17, 2024
There were some weird aspects to the characters in this book that made it pretty unrealistic, but at the same time I liked how details unfolded and were not super predictable. I think some things could have been done just a little differently like Erica's friend Wendy could have been the one who called to ask for help for her daughter. It's pretty unrealistic for a woman to leave her children and husband for weeks on end to go help a friend's daughter when the girl's mother didn't even show up at critical times. If Wendy had either also been present or been indisposed somehow it would have made more sense that Erica was there. There were also clues given that seemed like really out of place comments at the time. Like Beth's parent's comments at the funeral. But the murder mystery was well planned and unraveled at a good pace.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2026
Has no one else noticed this is a complete rip off of Agatha Christie’s Peril at End House! The plot is so similar it’s like Marlene just cut and pasted:
-Main Character with family house she loves but has no money to fix
-Gets detective to investigate near death accidents happening to main character
-close friend/roommate is murdered while wearing the main character jacket/scarf
Just to name a few and then……
the outcome is exactly the same!!!
Not only does Marlene steal Agatha’s plot she named the book Crooked House, which is the name of another novel by Agatha Christie published in 1949!
This isn’t right, at the least Marlene could have acknowledged Agatha at some point in the book and referred to the story she completely used as her own book!!
-Main Character with family house she loves but has no money to fix
-Gets detective to investigate near death accidents happening to main character
-close friend/roommate is murdered while wearing the main character jacket/scarf
Just to name a few and then……
the outcome is exactly the same!!!
Not only does Marlene steal Agatha’s plot she named the book Crooked House, which is the name of another novel by Agatha Christie published in 1949!
This isn’t right, at the least Marlene could have acknowledged Agatha at some point in the book and referred to the story she completely used as her own book!!
January 22, 2018
Pretty dang good for a mystery. It kept me guessing and there were lots of twists and turns that would make Agatha Christie proud. It was a little slow at times, but it made up for it in the end when I couldn't put it down until they mystery was solved. You can tell that Bateman put s lot of thought into this because there was so much attention to detail it was kind of astounding. Then again, our detective hero was OCD so I guess it had to be that was. I'd recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery and something fun to read.
March 1, 2018
This is my first time reading an Erica Coleman mystery. Erica is a private investigator with a strong case of OCD. She uses this OCD to solve mysteries. This case involves her friend's daughter that has called her because someone is trying to kill her roommate. Erica is on the case.
#50/50BookQuest categories= book recommended by a friend, has a mystery, has death in it and chosen because of the cover.
Note: this book does contain some religious conversations between the characters that someone not of that religion may find confusing.
#50/50BookQuest categories= book recommended by a friend, has a mystery, has death in it and chosen because of the cover.
Note: this book does contain some religious conversations between the characters that someone not of that religion may find confusing.
June 13, 2023
A bit dorky. I wanted to finish, but I didn't love the writing--seemed kind of "high school." The author loved talking about the character's OCD, but then there were obvious things that an OCD person wouldn't be able to stand that didn't seem to bother her. We were reminded several times (in basically the same words) of the reason she doesn't like the dark--as if we couldn't possibly remember on our own.
Even with all of that, the story wasn't too bad.
Even with all of that, the story wasn't too bad.
October 29, 2024
3.75 stars. It was better than I expected. Good character development (even though sometimes there were things that seemed out of character for some of them), and some fun unexpected parts. But the main plot twist was pretty obvious from the get-go, even though the one character says, “no one else in the world would have figured that out!” 😜 All in all a good, maybe a little cheesy, clean Halloween read.
June 18, 2023
Ok mystery. Language was so formal when they talked to each other. Unrealistic. Things like "I thought it would be a wonderful idea if we walked next door to visit our neighbor." VS "I thought it'd be a good idea if we went over to see so-and-so."
All in all it kept me guessing.
All in all it kept me guessing.
January 6, 2025
This is the first book I've read in the series. I was surprised at how much LDS teaching was interspersed in the story. If I were Mormon, I'd probably find it a nice change.
I didn't like the teasing that Erica got from several of the other characters for being OCD.
I didn't like the teasing that Erica got from several of the other characters for being OCD.
August 6, 2018
Breathtaking, thrilling mystery.
February 5, 2019
3.5 stars
July 16, 2020
Wait, what!?! She did what? Who? So many twist. I loved it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2021
Fantastic book
May 7, 2023
A mystery that needs to be unraveled.
April 27, 2024
This book is my favorite out of the Erica Coleman Mysteries by Marlene Bateman. I was totally surprised at the ending.
September 9, 2024
LDS centered, light pretty good read.
September 11, 2024
Best of the three in the series
November 15, 2024
Writing was really bad and very cheesy. Stopped after about 70 pages.
January 7, 2025
Not top sixty, good plot & ending with too many tangents.
April 20, 2015
Erica Coleman Priviate investigator with all of her OCD quirks and tendencies is back! When Erica gets a call from her best friend's daughter Megan, saying she believes her roommate Liz is trying to be killed; Erica knows she must do what she can to help solve this mystery before it is too late.
In a historic district of town, Liz owns a historic house, nicknamed the cooked house, due to it's leaning pillars. Liz's neighbor is very upset with the state of disrepair to this historic home and is continually after Liz to fix it, but is he capable of murder? As more and more attempts are made on Liz's life, will Erica be able to solve the mystery before it is too late?
This is not the first Erica Coleman novel I have read, and I enjoyed this one just as much as the other. Erica has a lot of odd OCD quicks, that the first time I read one of the books about her bothered me; but in the end, it is the these compulsions and her keen ability to notice details that helps her solve crimes and becomes an endearing trait.
I love that the author is able to tell a suspenseful story with twists and turns, and even murder yet she keeps the books in a place that doesn't feel too dark or overly graphic. The book left me guessing to the end and my thoughts of the suspect changed several times.
If you like murder mystery books, I recommend this book and series.
Note: This book can be read as a stand alone book, but good to read the others to get to know the main character more.
In a historic district of town, Liz owns a historic house, nicknamed the cooked house, due to it's leaning pillars. Liz's neighbor is very upset with the state of disrepair to this historic home and is continually after Liz to fix it, but is he capable of murder? As more and more attempts are made on Liz's life, will Erica be able to solve the mystery before it is too late?
This is not the first Erica Coleman novel I have read, and I enjoyed this one just as much as the other. Erica has a lot of odd OCD quicks, that the first time I read one of the books about her bothered me; but in the end, it is the these compulsions and her keen ability to notice details that helps her solve crimes and becomes an endearing trait.
I love that the author is able to tell a suspenseful story with twists and turns, and even murder yet she keeps the books in a place that doesn't feel too dark or overly graphic. The book left me guessing to the end and my thoughts of the suspect changed several times.
If you like murder mystery books, I recommend this book and series.
Note: This book can be read as a stand alone book, but good to read the others to get to know the main character more.
May 5, 2015
Someone is trying to kill Liz Johnson and it’s up to quirky private investigator, Erica Coleman, to find out who. Erica is no stranger to murder and mystery, which is why her best friend’s daughter, Megan, turns to her when unaccountable and potentially fatal “accidents” threaten her roommate’s life.
Once Erica arrives at the ramshackle old mansion known as Crooked House, matters go from disturbing to deadly as it becomes clear someone is trying to kill Liz. As Erica begins to unearth secrets, she discovers a twisted web of love, money, greed, and deception. Although the police and friends sometimes find Erica’s OCD annoying, its those very traits that help her sift through evidence and see clues that others miss. Erica must draw upon her all her investigative prowess to keep Liz safe and unmask the killer before he can accomplish his deadly objective.
As with all Erica Coleman mysteries, ten delicious recipes are included.
As I read this book, I found that myself suspicious of one certain person for reasons not identifiable but that caught my imagination. At the end, when I found that I was, indeed, correct in my suspicion, I all but felt a kinship to Marlene Bateman.
Thank you Marlene, for giving me this opportunity to read The Crooked House then post it on my web site. cover:Crooked House|25128600]
Once Erica arrives at the ramshackle old mansion known as Crooked House, matters go from disturbing to deadly as it becomes clear someone is trying to kill Liz. As Erica begins to unearth secrets, she discovers a twisted web of love, money, greed, and deception. Although the police and friends sometimes find Erica’s OCD annoying, its those very traits that help her sift through evidence and see clues that others miss. Erica must draw upon her all her investigative prowess to keep Liz safe and unmask the killer before he can accomplish his deadly objective.
As with all Erica Coleman mysteries, ten delicious recipes are included.
As I read this book, I found that myself suspicious of one certain person for reasons not identifiable but that caught my imagination. At the end, when I found that I was, indeed, correct in my suspicion, I all but felt a kinship to Marlene Bateman.
Thank you Marlene, for giving me this opportunity to read The Crooked House then post it on my web site. cover:Crooked House|25128600]
May 11, 2015
Loved it! Marlene Bateman has written another fun mystery with lots of suspense. I like these kinds of mysteries because as you read you can try to gather clues and try to figure out who's guilty. It's even better when there are shocks and surprises along the way and the guilty one turns out to be someone other than who you thought. That turns out to be the case here. Early on something rather shocking and unexpected happens that really made me want to know what was going on. Erica is a fun character who reminds me of Monk (the TV OCD Detective) except with fewer emotional issues. She loves to cook as well as detect and her OCD ironically helps with the detailed nature of both of those kinds of tasks. I found it easy to empathize with some of the other characters, such as Megan, Erica's best friend's daughter who brought her in on the case as well as her roommate Beth. Liz, the seeming target of a killer, owns a cool old house that is falling down and may in fact be at the heart of the mystery. Only by reading the book can you find out. A great culinary mystery for those like me who love the genre, quite appropriate for young adults as well as adults.
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