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Mac Faraday Mystery #10

Open Season for Murder

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“It’s Ashton. Robin, it’s me, Ashton.” Spring is in the air. In Deep Creek Lake, the burst of blossoms on the trees has the effect of a starting pistol in the race to get the resort area ready in time for the seasonal residents return to Spencer, Maryland. This year, the Spencer Inn, Mac Faraday’s five-star resort, has the added duty of preparing for the Diablo Ball, an annual benefit event that used to kick off Deep Creek Lake’s summer season. The exclusive gala has drawn in A-listers from across the country—including suspects and witnesses connected to Ashton Piedmont, a young woman who had disappeared while skinny dipping in Deep Creek Lake five years earlier—days after the last Diablo Ball. Intrigued by a mysterious phone call from a young woman claiming to be Ashton, retired homicide detective Mac Faraday can’t resist diving head first into the cold case. But he’s not the only one. Someone behind the scenes has gone to a lot of trouble to bring Ashton Piedmont’s friends and enemies to the Diablo Ball—which promises to be a gala event to die for!

318 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2015

100 people are currently reading
97 people want to read

About the author

Lauren Carr

53 books401 followers
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

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5 stars
273 (53%)
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158 (30%)
3 stars
59 (11%)
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8 (1%)
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13 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Lindsay.
607 reviews25 followers
July 17, 2017
Book Tour: Open Season for Murder by Lauren Carr Open season for Murder, Get you involved with a cold case from the beginning. You get brought in with a mysterious phone call to Mac. Who is the caller? We get all kinds of killers. We also get deaths at every turn. Why the Diablo ball?
 
Who wants Carlyle dead or anyone else for that matter. Brian Galestar, comes about and his he as suspects to Lindsey York death? Who wanted Lindsey York dead and Jasmine Simpson? Reva Saint Clair is around as well. Who killed Aston Piedmont?
 
You go for a ride with Mac and David on an adventure. We sure find out who good at solving mysteries around Spencer Maryland. Lauren Carr plots are good and you are invested throughout the book.  There's a story inside the main story. You get captive into the story and you will not want to leave these charters from this series or any of Lauren Carr mysteries.
Lauren Carr is one talented writer. She brings you along to find out who the killer is. One thing I love about her mysteries is that you never know who the murderer is? I have read a few of her books already and reviewed a few of them. You are welcome to read my reviews that are part of this audiobook palooza. My reviews are Cancelled Vows, A Fine Year for Murder, Killer in the Band, The Murders at Astaire Castle, Candidate for Murder, 3 Days to Forever, Kill and Run, Old Love Die Hard, 12 To Murder.
Profile Image for Annette.
1,768 reviews10 followers
May 23, 2015
This is another terrific book in the Mac Faraday mystery series. If you have not read the previous books, this can be a stand alone mystery that is filled with action.

Mac is a millionaire because he inherited a huge amount of money and property from his biological mother. She was a successful author and she wanted to provide for Mac after having given him up for adoption when she was very young.

Mac has a half brother, David, who is police chief in the small town of Spencer, Maryland. The town is an enclave for millionaires and lots of intrigue.

This time the investigation starts with an old mystery. A young girl disappeared after a night of heavy partying. She has never been found but the assumption is that she drowned while too impaired to take care of herself.

The old investigation leads to the introduction of a group of people who have been invited to the Spencer Inn in order to solve the long ago mystery.

Many of the people who are assembled are not nice people. There are Hollywood types who are only interested in making a name for themselves. And it appears they would do anything at all to become a headliner. There are others who were involved in one way or another with the young woman who has disappeared.

The plot in this book is like the other books in the series, the action is quick and the mystery draws the reader to try to answer questions. Ms Carr is a master at construction. As things move along, each new twist and turn is a wonderful surprise.

Characters are well constructed and complete. Mac and David, the two main characters in this story, are good friends who share a strong sense of justice and are willing to work hard to solve mysteries. The humor and affection they share comes through to the reader.

The secondary characters, including suspects, are strongly developed and add a great deal to the atmosphere of the story. There are many people who are introduced into the story and each of them is part of the texture of the action. The reader is led to each clue as they are found by the authorities.

The only complaint I have about this book is Gnarly does not get enough time in the story. Gnarly is a German Shepherd who flunked out of military training because he was too smart for his own good. He also is a thief and a food hog. He is a terrific character in every Mac Faraday book.

If you like mysteries that lead the reader on a merry chase, this is a book you will love. There is never a time when the reader will be bored. But there are many times when the reader will be on the edge of their seats.

I am a fan of Mac Faraday and a fan of Lauren Carr.

I received this Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher in the hope that I would write a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.


2,323 reviews38 followers
May 3, 2015



5 stars





You wait for a good book and then you hurry and read it and now I have to wait all over again for more from Lauren Carr.


I love Mac Faraday Mysteries. The main characters are fun, hard working and likeable. They have good traits but are human.





Mac Faraday inherited on the day he divorced 270 million dollars from his birth mother a famous mystery writer Robin Spencer. Mac was a homicide detective. Now he helps solve murders for a hobby in Spencer, Maryland.





Archie Monday is now married to Mac. She used to be his mother's editor and research assistant. She came with the house Mac inherited.





Gnarly is a German Shepherd who is very smart. He fights the bad guys and eats whatever he can find. He brings a lot of humor to the story. Mac inherited him from Robin too.





David O'Callaghan is Spencer police chief. He is Mac's friend and half brother.


Mac and Archie are going to host a fundraiser that his mother Robin started the Diablo Ball to raise funds for the animal shelters. Everyone wants a invite it is the social invite of the year. It takes place in Spencer Inn a 5 STAR resort that Mac owns now too.





5 years ago Ashton Piedmont disappeared. Everyone assumes she drowned in Deep Creek Lake. Now someone wants Mac to look for her. A news show wants to interview everyone about Ashton . Someone is forging the invitation to the Diablo Ball.





Everyone who was around Ashton's life 5 years ago is back now. Some come back every summer and some were being blackmailed to come back. Some just want to create trouble for others. Plus a new reality show is being filmed at the same time.





There is lots of drama, crimes , murders and laughter that surrounds the Diablo Ball. As usual Gnarly is in the middle of everything. Hated to have to keep putting the book down. I loved reading Open Season for Murder.





I am excited to read Lauren Carr new series Thorny Rose mystery too.





I was given this Arc to read by Lauren Carr and I agreed to give honest review of it.
116 reviews1 follower
June 23, 2015
This is a fine addition the Mac Faraday collection by Lauren Carr. If you liked the others then you will like this one. I happen to like these stories and cannot tell you exactly why. The premise is that a divorced cop inherits millions from his mother that he didn't know about (was adopted). Along with his money, he inherits a former army dog that the army won't talk about, a 5 star resort Inn and a mansion complete with live in cutie. Discovers his half brother who is the local police chief and together they solve mysterious crimes. Often irreverent and oddly humorous but always a frolicking good time.
Profile Image for Black Butterfly.
2,642 reviews39 followers
June 5, 2015
OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER 5* 6/3
I’VE READ 15 BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR WHICH INCLUDES THE ENTIRE MAC FARADY PLUS OTHERS. SO I GUESS YOU COULD SAY SHE IS ONE OF MY FAVS. RETURNING TO SPENCER MT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE FOE ME, LIKE GOING TO ON VACATION TO A FAVIRITE SPOT. I LOVE ALL OF THIS SERIES SO FAR AND CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE. MS. CARR YOU DID IT AGAIN FOR ME. ;D
22 reviews1 follower
April 7, 2020
This was difficult book to read: there were too many characters with Names that preclude identification of sex: Alex, Mac, A.J. and several more. There were three generations of families, and the present incident and a past incident. The writing is fine but the complexity is difficult to sort, sorry.
3 reviews
June 7, 2015
Excellent

Love the dog and the never knowing who did it or why. Excellent read! Please write more of this caliber soon.
Profile Image for Marcia Witherspoon.
180 reviews1 follower
June 14, 2015
Really enjoyed it!!!

As usual I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to begin another by this author. If you're a fan of Lauren Carr Collection you'll understand why.
Profile Image for Mary Ambs.
8 reviews
August 20, 2015
Wow!

Lauren,Lauren you have done it again. I couldn't put it down! Hurry with the next one! I have already ordered Kiss and Tell.
Profile Image for Julie Howard.
Author 2 books31 followers
June 22, 2022
This is another enjoyable mystery in the Mac Faraday series. Once again the author weaves a complicated plot with so much going on and does it with what seems very little effort. With two or even three murders, you would think it would get confusing, especially with so many characters but it doesn't. The characters have so much personality and background stories that they stand out as individual and likeable characters, even the side characters (or suspects) are easy to tell and understand. The dog also has a big personality that you just have to love. The mystery was good and took a number of twists that all come together in one dramatic and unsuspected conclusion. I love starting a new Mac Faraday mystery, I just hate it when I reach the end because I don't want the fun and entertainment to stop.
Robin Spencer's charity event for the animals has turned into a big gala that is eagerly anticipated by the rich and famous as the must go to yearly event. After her death her son and his wife set up to continue the good work. But somebody is using the event to solve a murder, when a group of friends receive an invite not sent by Archie. Ashton was killed not long after the event five years previously and now with a tv crew opening up the old case the friends have been collected together for the first time. Mac
as owner of the Spencer inn and an ex police detective he gets involved in the cold case when somebody start to pick off the friends one by one. In order to find the killer he will have to solve the first murder that brought them all together.
I liked the narrator. He might not have had a wide range of voices to choose from but the ones he used were right for the characters.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.
Profile Image for Dawn.
1,571 reviews19 followers
June 13, 2022
I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from iRead Book Tours. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I have read almost all of the Mac Faraday books by Lauren Carr. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to read all of the books in order, so now I’m catching up. This is the tenth book in the series, and now I’m ready to read the latest book.

Five years after Ashton’s disappearance, everyone who was possibly involved receives a fake invitation to the exclusive Diablo Ball at Spencer Inn. Someone has deliberately piqued Mac’s interest in the case and he and his brother, David, decide to re-open the cold case. There are multiple suspects, more murders, twists, related cases, and a surprise murderer.

There are so many characters! There are usually a lot of characters in Lauren’s books, but I think this one has more than usual. There is a list of characters at the front of the book, though, which helps. Most of the people Ashton knew are rich kids of millionaires and billionaires. It’s difficult to get the truth from them, so this is a whole new challenge for Mac and David. Luckily, they have a lot of help from David’s girlfriend, Mac’s wife, the police force, Gnarly, and more.

This is the first Lauren Carr book I’ve read that needs proofreading. The words that really stand out are a couple of words that are incorrect, but they wouldn’t be picked up by a spell checker. For example, several times drool was spelled droll.

I definitely recommend Open Season for Murder. If you like murder mysteries with intrigue along with romance and humor, this is the series for you.
Profile Image for Brent Soderstrum.
1,654 reviews23 followers
January 24, 2024
This is the 10th Mac Faraday novel by Lauren Carr.

I always enjoy Carr's stories. They tend to be pretty complex stories with a lot of characters but they are very entertaining. This one is similar to the rest. If you enjoy Carr's other works you will enjoy this one. Thankfully she includes a "Cast of Characters" at the front of the book so you can keep the characters straight, especially if you can't read big chunks in one sitting.

This is the story of the disappearance of Ashton Piedmont five years ago. Ashton was drinking it up with her buddy, Carlisle Green. When Carlisle woke up naked on the dock the next morning Ashton was gone. What happened? Mac and crew get involved in the mystery which has been ignored for five years when he starts getting calls and notes from someone who is encouraging him to look into it again.

It is the perfect time to look into it because the Diablo Ball is taking place again after a 5-year hiatus, and many of the characters who were around when Ashton disappeared are coming back to Deep Creek Lake for the Ball. Archie is in charge of getting the Ball going again. Mac is pulled into the event which was run by his mother, Robin Spencer, and hadn't been taking place since she died.

Fun to see all of the returning characters in the series evolve in their lives. David, Mac, Archie, Chelsea, and the loveable Gnarly. Looking forward to reading the next installment.
228 reviews20 followers
April 12, 2021
It’s like old home week with a lot of former residents coming back to mix it up with new ones. Add in a bunch of Hollywood characters and you have a free for all. There were some great lines uttered at the end of convoluted and dramatic scenes in front of guests at the inn. For instance, Mac at a charity ball holding a gun after he had chased and shot a notorious drug dealer saying “Anyone else want to leave without making a donation?” I love the humor in this series but the mysteries are top notch too.
Profile Image for Misty.
498 reviews241 followers
June 13, 2022
Open Season for Murder by Lauren Carr was a great addition to eh series!! James C. Lewis did a simply phenomenal job with the narration especially as he went between the different characters' voices. I really liked the way a cold case was used and how someone invited a bunch of people connected to the case to the Diablo Ball. It made me keep listening to find out who invited them, if the victim was actually dead, and how Mac would solve the case!

9 reviews2 followers
September 2, 2017
Love it

I love how e get to know the characters and again and show how each of them know someone that is mixed up in the murder. Great summer read
4,416 reviews28 followers
February 6, 2020
Open Season for Murder review

Open Season for Murder is the tenth fast paced action book in the Mac Faraday Mystery series written by author Lauren Carr.
Profile Image for Nancy.
1,316 reviews
March 16, 2023
Kind of a convoluted plot, but it plays out well. As I said, I like the characters. I had a hard time getting past the 30 plus proofreading mistakes I found, especially from an author who is also editing books for others. I had the same issue with an earlier book in the series. I doubt I'll read more unless they are free.

3/15/2023 Feel the same way today. I decided to read all the books in the series, including this one. Mistakes in every book that should have been caught. My favorite was the one where a character had a daughter in the list of characters and in the actual story, it was a son.
Profile Image for Harry Lane.
940 reviews16 followers
October 8, 2015
I really like Lauren Carr's slant on the whodunit genre. In this one she loads us up with a batch of young rakehells (some reformed), some pretty sleazy show biz types operating on both sides of the camera, and just a smidgen of romance. The crux of the story lies with a five year old death, and various sorts of mayhem result from various parties trying to deal with that. Throw in some heavy duty plagiarism and drugs and non stop action ensues.
Profile Image for Marie Shirley Griffin.
808 reviews10 followers
April 7, 2016
One of the better Mac Faraday mysteries

You really have to pay attention to All the names, etc. Most of the people are new to the "area", all returning for a special fund raising ball.

There's at least 10+ new people and 2 or more murders. As always, it's well written and at least one surprise for regular readers of the series.

Gnarly has some great scenes. Personally, Gnarly and Molly are my favorite cast members.
Profile Image for Michele bookloverforever.
8,336 reviews39 followers
June 2, 2015
a presumed accidental drowning turns into a murder by blunt trauma....then there's the poisoning of a viperous young woman, the murder of another and far too many suspects. add in the shooting of a violent drug lord, a very shady and ultimately murderous doctor and the miraculous turn around of a former infamous party girl into a clean living philanthropist and you have a really good story.
5 reviews
August 4, 2016
time consumer

I couldn't put the book down. Messed up my normal schedule and work. Knew the obvious weren't the bad one But surprised at who did it and why. Lauren Carr can't write enough for me. Problem is l have to be sure my schedule isn't on overload as I always put off what needs to be done and read 'til I finish.
1,507 reviews7 followers
June 3, 2015
Open Season for Murder

This is book ten of the Mac Faraday Mystery. It was as great as the other nine. I recommend this series highly. As far as I know this is the last book in the series. Hopefully Lauren Carr will write more books to this series
1,278 reviews
November 30, 2015
Great series

Putting on a fancy fund raiser, the question of who was responsible for a murder five years before makes things get messy. More murders more trouble. Gnarly gets into his share of trouble also.
Profile Image for Susan.
7,297 reviews69 followers
January 15, 2016
Mac Faraday answers a phone call from a young woman claiming to be Ashton, who he discovers is presumed dead from drowning five years ago.
But who is bringing all the suspects to Deep Creek Lake in time for the Diablo Ball, the first Ball since Ashton disappearance.
Profile Image for Judith D. Williams.
4 reviews
June 5, 2015
Summer reading

Good story too many characters the dogs were my favorite characters. Guess I'm just a dog lover. The locale is very good
55 reviews
Read
December 15, 2015
Open Season for Murder

Almost to many characters to remember. Was a bit predictable as to who did what and why. Wasn't one of my favorite novel of Mac Faraday
Profile Image for Shirley Flesher.
2 reviews
December 14, 2016
Mystery!

The author keeps you interested with every page. It is hard to put down. The more I read, the more I dread reaching the end of the series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews

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