Dying To Sing

Charlie Plato Mystery #1

by Margaret Chittenden

When an earthquake unearths a skeleton in the backyard of Chaps, California's hottest country-western bar, lively divorce+a7e Charlie Plato, who lives upstairs, turns sleuth with the help of her business partner, Zack Hunter, to find out which of her Bellamy Park neighbors is hiding a deadly secret. Reprint.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Cozy Mystery

295 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Margaret Chittenden has also published works under the name Meg Chittenden.

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time author for me. Margaret Chittenden's series features Charlie (Charlotte) Plato, part-owner of Chaps, a country-western dance club/bar in the San Francisco area. Chittenden started out w/ romanaces prior to this 1996 mystery release. A mild earthquake reveals a skeleton buried on the grounds of Chaps & Charlie sets out to find out who Mr. X is & then who had it in for him. She presents quite a few possibilites among the local residents & business owners & keeps you guessing. There were a couple of cringing moments for mre -- didn't really go for the attraction that Charlie has for the self-absorbed major owner of Chaps. Zack, a former TV star, altho' he's pleasing to the eye too full of himself to be attractive. All in all, it was entertaining & I would give the series another go.

[Lindig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why, y'all, everybody is just so quirky and amusing and nosy and full of secrets! My stars, the plot is just so convoluted! Lawsy me, and to think it's set at a country bar with line dancing and all. And shucks if it ain't set in the Bay Area, to boot.

Okay okay, it's not really that stereotypical. And I've read a few others in this series, too. I'm just not sure I really like the protagonist, Charlie Plato. Or her business partner Zack. So put this down in the okay-to-read category, especially if nothing better is around.

[Grey853 · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started out with an interesting notion. There's an earthquake. A body is uncovered by a fissure outside the club where Charlie works and is a part owner. Then it's downhill from there. There's tons of repetition and not a lot of action. Plus, some of the things that she does, well, they don't make a lot of sense to me.

I gave it a two instead of a one because Charlie has a pet rabbit, and I like rabbits.

Otherwise, it's a miss for me.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

ugh. Now that I've started, I'm stuck.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a difficult start, took till 1/2 thru to finally start cooking, I'll reserve a better score until I see how book #2 goes.

[Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

okay to go to bed with. Not very well written

[Wayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vivid characterizations, interesting story. Third reading.