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Charlotte LaRue Mystery #5
Married to the Mop
BOOK GENRES ; MYSTERY MASS MARKET PAPERBACK
Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
7 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Colley
16 books54 followersBarbara Colley is an award-winning author whose books have been published in sixteen foreign languages. A native of Louisiana, she lives with her family in a suburb of New Orleans. Besides writing and sharing her stories, she loves strolling through the historical New Orleans French Quarter and Garden District, which inspired the setting for her Charlotte La Rue mystery series.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 13, 2021
Eight in the series, I have and now completed the first five of Charlotte LaRue mysteries. They are cozy, fast reads that if I come across the last three in any of my second hand book stores I shop at, I'll buy, but I won't go out of my way in seeking them out on Amazon or any other online book place.
I've been reading each book in between a different book, so the repetition of the author going over can get on the nerves, but I also understand why she has to do it. It seems to be the same type of theme: where she gets a new client, someone is murdered and though she wants to mind her own business, she always never does. In fact she always gets into the middle of it, and ends up solving the mystery.
It can also grate on my nerves that Charlotte is a goody two shoes and it was very noticeable this time around how naive she is. Too naive for a woman of 60! But I also like that she is a strong woman and can stand up for herself.
This time around she unknowingly takes on a temporary weekend job for Emily Rossi as she is hosting a huge bash for out-of-town guests. And it's only after she's said yes that she realizes Emily is the wife of the mob boss of New Orleans. Guess who dies? Guess who is framed?
It isn't too difficult to figure it all out.
I've been reading each book in between a different book, so the repetition of the author going over can get on the nerves, but I also understand why she has to do it. It seems to be the same type of theme: where she gets a new client, someone is murdered and though she wants to mind her own business, she always never does. In fact she always gets into the middle of it, and ends up solving the mystery.
It can also grate on my nerves that Charlotte is a goody two shoes and it was very noticeable this time around how naive she is. Too naive for a woman of 60! But I also like that she is a strong woman and can stand up for herself.
This time around she unknowingly takes on a temporary weekend job for Emily Rossi as she is hosting a huge bash for out-of-town guests. And it's only after she's said yes that she realizes Emily is the wife of the mob boss of New Orleans. Guess who dies? Guess who is framed?
It isn't too difficult to figure it all out.
August 16, 2020
When Charlotte answered the phone for "Maid for a Day" she had know idea she would be working at a house owned by a mobster. Since she had said yes to his wife and it was temporary she figured nothing would happen, she would be there for a short time. Of course, everything that could go wrong did and the mobster is murdered. Charlotte can't help looking around as she was sure his wife did not do it. Very good reading.
June 25, 2022
This is a light hearted mystery set in New Orleans. I love the inside look into the culture and the main character is fun. Charlotte is asked to clean at house and get it ready for a house party. The house party is interrupted by the murder of the lady of the house husband who has ties to the mob. Several suspects later we arrive to the conclusion.
August 16, 2018
3 - Good
August 19, 2020
Loved the setting of New Orleans Garden District and the voice of the lead character. Good read.
April 25, 2012
Fluffy, funny, mindless
Plus side: someone in another review disliked the many discussions on housekeeping. And there are a lot of them in the series. But they are not pedantic, long-winded and really don't repeat that much (other than start at the top, but that is given more as perspective as Charlotte moves through rooms/houses than a discussion on methods). I have say, to given the genre, the housekeeping seems much more light handed than the endless obsession with recipes or scrapbooking or crafting than I find in many fluffy mysteries. Many times the hook is thrown with much info dumping or long exposition that is unnecessary and not integral to the story. The hook is to attract a flavour of reader. Kill the hook and story isn't interesting enough for anyone to read.
But the housekeeping in this series, so far, has been handled with a lighter touch. No history of dustmops or soliloquy about organic vs. chemical cleaners. Just enough to keep it in character, not enough to derail the page.
Minus side: coulda, woulda, shoulda is the theme of every book so far. Perhaps it's because they aren't meant to be read back-to-back in quick succession. So the repetition is required to bring the reader back into the story-verse. But the tenth time of "I should call my niece and tell her about......", you know it won't happen. You know, like Jessica Fletcher coming to visit, every time Charlotte gets a customer, someone will be killed (a simple robbery or assault isn't enough). And you know Charlotte will continue to do the wrong thing to put herself in danger. But there needs to be a little randomness in it. Not " I found this, I heard this, and forgot to tell anyone". Let someone do the finding and Charlotte do the not telling for once.
Plus side: for once it isn't the new, hulky, gorgeous man as the primary cop, it's the niece. There is a love interest (maybe?) but it isn't the to-the-rescue-cop/retired cop/PI for once (okay, he is a retired cop but not really in the plot action). This is a breathe of fresh air in fluffy, mindless mysteries.
Minus side: for a woman who spends a lot of her time fretting over getting older, and Alzheimer's, and her son wanting her to retire, Charlotte is VERY dismissive of older women, especially if they are single. They are losing it, crazy, lonely, chatty, out of their mind, etc. That seems very forced and just flat out wrong
Plus side: someone in another review disliked the many discussions on housekeeping. And there are a lot of them in the series. But they are not pedantic, long-winded and really don't repeat that much (other than start at the top, but that is given more as perspective as Charlotte moves through rooms/houses than a discussion on methods). I have say, to given the genre, the housekeeping seems much more light handed than the endless obsession with recipes or scrapbooking or crafting than I find in many fluffy mysteries. Many times the hook is thrown with much info dumping or long exposition that is unnecessary and not integral to the story. The hook is to attract a flavour of reader. Kill the hook and story isn't interesting enough for anyone to read.
But the housekeeping in this series, so far, has been handled with a lighter touch. No history of dustmops or soliloquy about organic vs. chemical cleaners. Just enough to keep it in character, not enough to derail the page.
Minus side: coulda, woulda, shoulda is the theme of every book so far. Perhaps it's because they aren't meant to be read back-to-back in quick succession. So the repetition is required to bring the reader back into the story-verse. But the tenth time of "I should call my niece and tell her about......", you know it won't happen. You know, like Jessica Fletcher coming to visit, every time Charlotte gets a customer, someone will be killed (a simple robbery or assault isn't enough). And you know Charlotte will continue to do the wrong thing to put herself in danger. But there needs to be a little randomness in it. Not " I found this, I heard this, and forgot to tell anyone". Let someone do the finding and Charlotte do the not telling for once.
Plus side: for once it isn't the new, hulky, gorgeous man as the primary cop, it's the niece. There is a love interest (maybe?) but it isn't the to-the-rescue-cop/retired cop/PI for once (okay, he is a retired cop but not really in the plot action). This is a breathe of fresh air in fluffy, mindless mysteries.
Minus side: for a woman who spends a lot of her time fretting over getting older, and Alzheimer's, and her son wanting her to retire, Charlotte is VERY dismissive of older women, especially if they are single. They are losing it, crazy, lonely, chatty, out of their mind, etc. That seems very forced and just flat out wrong
March 14, 2010
This is a book that nearly jumped off the shelf at the library and into my hands. I so enjoy browsing the "Mysteries" section; the bright colors and funny title grabbed my attention and I thought "why not?" even though I hadn't heard of the author before.
Voilla! A new fan is born.
I liked so much about this book - the main character (Charlotte LaRue), the setting (pre-Katrina New Orleans), the delicateness of the situations (working for a mob family), and the broad cast of characters in Charlotte's circle of family and friends. I liked the fact that there was absolutely no foul language (except for one bullsh___ that Charlotte hushed). I liked that Charlotte and her family attended church. She seemed like the best kind of genuine person - someone trying to be the best she could, while having flaws just as we all do.
The main reasons I read "cozy" mysteries: (1) an escape, (2) seeing justice being served in the end - the criminal is always caught, and (3) the character and the aspects of his/her relationships that are revealed as he/she works to solve the case. When it comes to the mystery itself, of course I am interested but I usually find that I either figure out fairly early who the murderer was, or I don't figure it out but I feel that the author has gone way out of the way to surprise the reader to the point of unbelievability.
Barbara Colley's book delivered on all of the reasons I like to read this genre. And as for the mystery itself, yes, I did figure out relatively early WHO did it, but what I didn't see until the very end was WHY.
Fun, light, and entertaining, I recommend this one to cozy mystery lovers.
Voilla! A new fan is born.
I liked so much about this book - the main character (Charlotte LaRue), the setting (pre-Katrina New Orleans), the delicateness of the situations (working for a mob family), and the broad cast of characters in Charlotte's circle of family and friends. I liked the fact that there was absolutely no foul language (except for one bullsh___ that Charlotte hushed). I liked that Charlotte and her family attended church. She seemed like the best kind of genuine person - someone trying to be the best she could, while having flaws just as we all do.
The main reasons I read "cozy" mysteries: (1) an escape, (2) seeing justice being served in the end - the criminal is always caught, and (3) the character and the aspects of his/her relationships that are revealed as he/she works to solve the case. When it comes to the mystery itself, of course I am interested but I usually find that I either figure out fairly early who the murderer was, or I don't figure it out but I feel that the author has gone way out of the way to surprise the reader to the point of unbelievability.
Barbara Colley's book delivered on all of the reasons I like to read this genre. And as for the mystery itself, yes, I did figure out relatively early WHO did it, but what I didn't see until the very end was WHY.
Fun, light, and entertaining, I recommend this one to cozy mystery lovers.
September 29, 2007
#12 01/31/06 MARRIED TO THE MOP by Barbara Colley
RATING: 4/B
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Mystery, 2006, 244 PGs
CHARACTERS: Charlotte Rue/owner of Maid for a Day
TIME/PLACE: present, New Orleans
COMMENTS: 5th in the Charlotte LaRue series. Charlotte,
is owner of Maid-for-a-Day and cleans homes in the Garden
District of New Orleans. She's booked up and short of help
but when she gets a call from Emily Rossi, w/ a strong
referral from a long-time customer, she takes the temporary job to help out in the pre-Mardi Gras season. She didn't realize Emily's husband is the infamous mobster Robert Rossi. She's taken by sweet Emily and stays on to help but doesn't like Mr. Rossi, and w/ the # of constant bodyguards in the home Charlotte is not alone in her feelings. A good addition to this series. harlotte is a very likeable character.
RATING: 4/B
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Mystery, 2006, 244 PGs
CHARACTERS: Charlotte Rue/owner of Maid for a Day
TIME/PLACE: present, New Orleans
COMMENTS: 5th in the Charlotte LaRue series. Charlotte,
is owner of Maid-for-a-Day and cleans homes in the Garden
District of New Orleans. She's booked up and short of help
but when she gets a call from Emily Rossi, w/ a strong
referral from a long-time customer, she takes the temporary job to help out in the pre-Mardi Gras season. She didn't realize Emily's husband is the infamous mobster Robert Rossi. She's taken by sweet Emily and stays on to help but doesn't like Mr. Rossi, and w/ the # of constant bodyguards in the home Charlotte is not alone in her feelings. A good addition to this series. harlotte is a very likeable character.
March 12, 2012
Oh, what a lovely title. Charlotte LaRue, proprietress of Maid For a Day in New Orleans, takes on a short-term job for a woman who turns out to be the wife of a mafia don.
People in disguise. Bad guys. Missing treasures. Mardi gras parties. Mysterious women. Are you getting the idea?
To quote Dorothy Parker: "Had she told the dicks/How she got in that fix/I would be much apter/To read the last chapter." Except I read it all the way through, despite Charlotte's completely unbelievable insistence on not telling the police anything. Well, I got the book for free, and it took no time to read, so I can't really complain. And that's about all I can say for this book.
People in disguise. Bad guys. Missing treasures. Mardi gras parties. Mysterious women. Are you getting the idea?
To quote Dorothy Parker: "Had she told the dicks/How she got in that fix/I would be much apter/To read the last chapter." Except I read it all the way through, despite Charlotte's completely unbelievable insistence on not telling the police anything. Well, I got the book for free, and it took no time to read, so I can't really complain. And that's about all I can say for this book.
February 3, 2010
Okay, every once in a while you just need pure escape in a quick to read, I can solve that, mode with a main character who you can enjoy and relate to and that's when you can turn to Colley's Charlotte LaRue series. This maid of New Orleans (bad historical pun, but apt description) has yet to fail for cozy reading.
August 11, 2012
This book was a pleasant read. Apparently, it is part of a series. While I liked this book, I won't be searching out the whole series. I wouldn't turn my nose up at other books in the series.....it's just a light, fluffy read.
March 17, 2016
I love the character Charlotte, she is a sassy kick butt older lady who everyone loves. The book moves along at a good pace. I picked up the first one in this series and have read five of these books in less than a week. Looking forward to more of Barbara Colley's books.
October 13, 2008
Not bad for a basic mystery. Not complicated but had good pacing and interesting characters.
June 30, 2009
This author was a book club read and now I am reading her other books. She writes what I like to call the American Cozy. A good mystery and a good read
March 20, 2010
funny. enjoyed
June 16, 2012
Looking forward to reading more by her.
June 12, 2013
It was an interesting book. A good quick read
November 1, 2013
Clever southern cozy mystery...fun to read.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews