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Henrie O #2
Scandal in Fair Haven
“Cheers for Henrie O, an intelligent, engaging sleuth!”—Mary Higgins Clark
Henrie O is looking forward to a quiet holiday. Instead, the ex-journalist turned sleuth awakens in a Tennessee mountain cabin to discover her friend’s nephew, his shirt stained with blood, his handsome face stricken by fear and horror.
Craig Matthews swears he didn’t kill his wife, swears he didn’t lure Patty Kay out to the playhouse of their lavish Fair Haven estate and leave her bloodied and dead. Why, then did he run away? It’s a question that draws Henrie O into the thick of a life-and-death drama, into the lives of Fair Haven’s best families, and into a world where wealth and privilege mask a hotbed of sex, lies, and desperation.
Only when Henrie O begins to question the motives of the bereaved widower, the sullen nymphet of a daughter, the irresistible ex-husband, the venomous sister, even the ingratiating schoolmaster of the exclusive school where Patty Kay was a trustee, does the truth start to emerge. But when another corpse turns up, Henrie O knows time is running out. Now she must untangle this deadly web—or become the next victim of a mind bent on murder.
Henrie O is looking forward to a quiet holiday. Instead, the ex-journalist turned sleuth awakens in a Tennessee mountain cabin to discover her friend’s nephew, his shirt stained with blood, his handsome face stricken by fear and horror.
Craig Matthews swears he didn’t kill his wife, swears he didn’t lure Patty Kay out to the playhouse of their lavish Fair Haven estate and leave her bloodied and dead. Why, then did he run away? It’s a question that draws Henrie O into the thick of a life-and-death drama, into the lives of Fair Haven’s best families, and into a world where wealth and privilege mask a hotbed of sex, lies, and desperation.
Only when Henrie O begins to question the motives of the bereaved widower, the sullen nymphet of a daughter, the irresistible ex-husband, the venomous sister, even the ingratiating schoolmaster of the exclusive school where Patty Kay was a trustee, does the truth start to emerge. But when another corpse turns up, Henrie O knows time is running out. Now she must untangle this deadly web—or become the next victim of a mind bent on murder.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
23 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn G. Hart
126 books944 followersAlso writing as Carolyn Hart.
An accomplished master of mystery with 46 published books, Carolyn Hart is the creator of the highly acclaimed Henrie O,Death on Demand, and Bailey Ruth Raeburn series. Her books have won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. Letter from Home (2003), her standalone mystery set in Oklahoma, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is Dead by Midnight (William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2007). She is one of the founders of Sisters in Crime, an organization for women who write mysteries. She lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma."
New Books: Dead By Midnight Carolyn Hart
DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart On Sale March 29
The police say suicide. Annie Darling suspects murder. Max is unconvinced until Annie follows a trail behind the dead woman's house.
Annie unravels the mystery of a towel hidden at midnight in a gazebo, the interesting lack of fingerprints on a crystal mug, blood on a teenager's blue shirt, and the secret of a lovers' tryst. Max plunges deep into the woods to find incriminating evidence.
Annie sets the perfect trap for a merciless killer, but her cell phone rings and Death is on the line.
www.CarolynHart.com
And for cat lovers:
DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart
I love to have fun when writing a mystery. If I laugh, I think a reader will laugh. In the Death on Demand series, I especially enjoy writing about Annie Darling's ditzy mother-in-law, Laurel Roethke. Laurel is usually excited about a new interest, something that surprises and often confounds Annie.
In Dead by Midnight, Laurel creates Cat Truth Posters, which she wants Annie to hang in the bookstore. Annie thinks books should be the store's focus, but the posters enchant her.
Each poster features a cat's photograph with a caption. Here are three of the Cat Truth posters;
. . . a silky furred, mitted, and bicolored Ragdoll stretched out on a red silk cushion, looking as comfy as Eva Longoria in a Hanes ad: Go with the Flow.
A rectangular-muzzled, green-eyed, cholocolate colored cat appeared as brooding as a Gothic hero: Always Say Yes to Adventure.
. . . a thick-furred, piebald Siberian forest cat, its white front a brilliant contrast to a charcoal back and head. Its face appeared almost angelic: Always try a Smile First.
And yes, one of the posters points to a killer.
Fun for me and fun, I hope for readers
An accomplished master of mystery with 46 published books, Carolyn Hart is the creator of the highly acclaimed Henrie O,Death on Demand, and Bailey Ruth Raeburn series. Her books have won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. Letter from Home (2003), her standalone mystery set in Oklahoma, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is Dead by Midnight (William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2007). She is one of the founders of Sisters in Crime, an organization for women who write mysteries. She lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma."
New Books: Dead By Midnight Carolyn Hart
DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart On Sale March 29
The police say suicide. Annie Darling suspects murder. Max is unconvinced until Annie follows a trail behind the dead woman's house.
Annie unravels the mystery of a towel hidden at midnight in a gazebo, the interesting lack of fingerprints on a crystal mug, blood on a teenager's blue shirt, and the secret of a lovers' tryst. Max plunges deep into the woods to find incriminating evidence.
Annie sets the perfect trap for a merciless killer, but her cell phone rings and Death is on the line.
www.CarolynHart.com
And for cat lovers:
DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart
I love to have fun when writing a mystery. If I laugh, I think a reader will laugh. In the Death on Demand series, I especially enjoy writing about Annie Darling's ditzy mother-in-law, Laurel Roethke. Laurel is usually excited about a new interest, something that surprises and often confounds Annie.
In Dead by Midnight, Laurel creates Cat Truth Posters, which she wants Annie to hang in the bookstore. Annie thinks books should be the store's focus, but the posters enchant her.
Each poster features a cat's photograph with a caption. Here are three of the Cat Truth posters;
. . . a silky furred, mitted, and bicolored Ragdoll stretched out on a red silk cushion, looking as comfy as Eva Longoria in a Hanes ad: Go with the Flow.
A rectangular-muzzled, green-eyed, cholocolate colored cat appeared as brooding as a Gothic hero: Always Say Yes to Adventure.
. . . a thick-furred, piebald Siberian forest cat, its white front a brilliant contrast to a charcoal back and head. Its face appeared almost angelic: Always try a Smile First.
And yes, one of the posters points to a killer.
Fun for me and fun, I hope for readers
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 25, 2009
I'd never heard of this author and picked the book up at a library sale. Am I ever glad I did! What a great writer. The story was engaging and kept me guessing to the end, and the protagonist was wonderful. She was not only trying to solve a mystery, but was connecting with other characters in an emotional way that doesn't usually happen in mysteries.
I'm going to be watching out for more books by this author.
I'm going to be watching out for more books by this author.
January 14, 2013
Interesting mystery whodunit, do not read much of this genre but this one was good. I liked the main character and the plot was more complex than many of those typical "I write 100 mysteries every year in my series" books. It deals with bullying, social stratification, and greed as well as the mystery. For its' genre I would give it a 4, compared to books in general, a 3.5.
March 1, 2017
Henrie O is on a roll. She is a sleuth who must find out who the murderer is in Fair Haven. Henrie O is one of my favorite characters in a book. She is an elderly woman who is good at asking the right questions and getting to the truth eventually when she puts herself in danger.
February 19, 2010
This is a fun murder mystery novel. I couldn't decide who the murderer was, and was left surprised near the end. I like this book and look forward to reading more books by Carolyn Hart.
September 4, 2011
If you like Murder She Wrote, you'll like this book. A great story about an older female non-detective who solves crimes. Recommended for a fun read.
October 3, 2019
There was something sadly irritating about this book and it took me a while to figure it out. Carolyn Hart had made a villain out of the Fair Haven cop and there was no reason to do so. And that impression stuck with me through what otherwise was an engrossing mystery with interesting characters.
Henry O is an interesting character but this stress on her as a former journalist and therefore knowledgeable about police practices, weapons and how to tell whether someone was telling the truth— well, it came across as too pretentious. I'll admit, I never worked as a reporter at a daily newspaper, never covered crime other than accidents which were usually the fault of the young, inexperienced driver, and I never came across a police officer who didn't want to come to the truth of a crime. And if I ever write a mystery (and I probably wrote, I've developed quite a respect for those who can do it very well), I wouldn't delve into things I know very little about.
And it was so unnecessary too. If she hadn't struck a chord early in the book, I would have overlooked the idea that she was a former journalist, the idea she knew what a .38 gun would do to a body, were things that didn't match with what she wrote. After all, there are hundreds of cozy mystery writers who write without the knowledge that takes a book from being fair to truly insightful. And as I said, she developed an interesting mystery and her characters overall were fairly interesting, if tiringly predictable.
And I would never say that she has developed the 'new' Miss Marple. Because she hasn't. I've enjoyed her death on demand series, but I don't think I will continue with the Henrie O series.
Henry O is an interesting character but this stress on her as a former journalist and therefore knowledgeable about police practices, weapons and how to tell whether someone was telling the truth— well, it came across as too pretentious. I'll admit, I never worked as a reporter at a daily newspaper, never covered crime other than accidents which were usually the fault of the young, inexperienced driver, and I never came across a police officer who didn't want to come to the truth of a crime. And if I ever write a mystery (and I probably wrote, I've developed quite a respect for those who can do it very well), I wouldn't delve into things I know very little about.
And it was so unnecessary too. If she hadn't struck a chord early in the book, I would have overlooked the idea that she was a former journalist, the idea she knew what a .38 gun would do to a body, were things that didn't match with what she wrote. After all, there are hundreds of cozy mystery writers who write without the knowledge that takes a book from being fair to truly insightful. And as I said, she developed an interesting mystery and her characters overall were fairly interesting, if tiringly predictable.
And I would never say that she has developed the 'new' Miss Marple. Because she hasn't. I've enjoyed her death on demand series, but I don't think I will continue with the Henrie O series.
June 18, 2020
For a book I picked out of a box from my parent’s house at random, this was a pretty good read! Plenty of red herrings and an interesting premise helped balance the fact that I didn’t love any of the characters-Including the main one, our heroine Henry O. Worth a read if you are down to pulling random books out of inherited boxes in the first week of summer vacation. Too gritty to be a ‘cozy’ mystery or chick lit. Maybe more a female Perry Mason type mystery.
June 22, 2023
I couldn't put it down! Beautifully written! Suspense and drama to the end. I thought I knew who the killer was. Incorrect! Didn't even occur to me to consider the killer as suspect.
I have read several of Carolyn Hart series but I think Henrie O may become my favorite one.
I don't want to give anything away so all I will say is, READ IT!
I have read several of Carolyn Hart series but I think Henrie O may become my favorite one.
I don't want to give anything away so all I will say is, READ IT!
December 12, 2017
Henrie O is looking forward to a quiet holiday. Instead, the ex-journalist turned sleuth awakens in a Tennessee mountain cabin to discover her friend’s nephew, his shirt stained with blood, his handsome face stricken by fear and horror.
Craig Matthews swears he didn’t kill his wife, swears he didn’t lure Patty Kay out to the playhouse of their lavish Fair Haven estate and leave her bloodied and dead. Why, then did he run away? It’s a question that draws Henrie O into the thick of a life-and-death drama, into the lives of Fair Haven’s best families, and into a world where wealth and privilege mask a hotbed of sex, lies, and desperation.
Only when Henrie O begins to question the motives of the bereaved widower, the sullen nymphet of a daughter, the irresistible ex-husband, the venomous sister, even the ingratiating schoolmaster of the exclusive school where Patty Kay was a trustee, does the truth start to emerge. But when another corpse turns up, Henrie O knows time is running out. Now she must untangle this deadly web—or become the next victim of a mind bent on murder.
Craig Matthews swears he didn’t kill his wife, swears he didn’t lure Patty Kay out to the playhouse of their lavish Fair Haven estate and leave her bloodied and dead. Why, then did he run away? It’s a question that draws Henrie O into the thick of a life-and-death drama, into the lives of Fair Haven’s best families, and into a world where wealth and privilege mask a hotbed of sex, lies, and desperation.
Only when Henrie O begins to question the motives of the bereaved widower, the sullen nymphet of a daughter, the irresistible ex-husband, the venomous sister, even the ingratiating schoolmaster of the exclusive school where Patty Kay was a trustee, does the truth start to emerge. But when another corpse turns up, Henrie O knows time is running out. Now she must untangle this deadly web—or become the next victim of a mind bent on murder.
July 8, 2017
In this book, Henrie O goes to Tennessee and tries to help her friends nephew , Craig Matthews, who is arrested for the murder of his wife. This all takes place in Fair Haven , a small town, that is very close. Henrie O starts asking questions because the police chief believes he has his man but some the facts just don't fit. The book was a quick easy read.
July 29, 2018
Never disappoints. Great character development and the main character’s narration (Henri O in this series) gets you into the “head” of each suspect. Always a great curve ball at the end. One of my favorite mystery writers along with Joan Hess, Louise Penny and Ruth Rendell.
June 20, 2022
I really enjoyed this book and was disappointed that apparently only two of them. The characters were interesting, the plot moved well, and the premise was believable. I'm a fairly big fan of this author.
October 2, 2024
Perfect Ending!
Another perfect crime story by my favorite author. She kept me guessing, chapter after chapter, who the evil person was. It was well concealed until the last chapter, just like her way of writing in other of her novels. This was a good one!
Another perfect crime story by my favorite author. She kept me guessing, chapter after chapter, who the evil person was. It was well concealed until the last chapter, just like her way of writing in other of her novels. This was a good one!
November 11, 2024
Great book. I loved the characters. The plot and storyline was great. Ending was a little abrupt, but the books was so well written I can ignore that detail. Lots of twists and turns. I really enjoy these earlier books before the "awoke syndrome" took over. Highly recommend.
March 17, 2018
I enjoyed this mystery.
April 16, 2018
Good ending!
November 14, 2018
A good mystery book.
March 21, 2019
Another good read. I cried at the injustice but cheered the ending.
July 24, 2019
Lots of twists and turns but very weak motive & ending. Pity
January 15, 2020
I cannot get enough of this series!
July 30, 2020
3.5 stars
November 15, 2021
This was rough and very boring till the last 30 pages or so.
February 16, 2022
Whew! Quite a ride. Great investigative mystery.
April 16, 2022
Starts out slow. By page 50 I wasn’t sure I would keep reading. Decided to give it another 50. Glad I did as it improved a lot. Great ending.
December 27, 2022
three and a half stars rounded up to four. I liked it, but it wasn't as outstanding as the first one. still, well worth reading.
December 18, 2024
Pretty good series….
May 3, 2023
HenriO2
She’s not Miss Marple, but as a mature woman, Henri O, takes her share of chances.
She’s not Miss Marple, but as a mature woman, Henri O, takes her share of chances.
March 13, 2017
A Henrie O murder mystery. Even when she wants to go away and relax with a friend she finds murder. Great story line and good read. Recommend.
January 14, 2012
Totally dug this book. I'm liking the Henrie O murder mysteries...these books keep you guessing on who the culprit is. Not like some books where it's just totally obvious who did and what is going to happen next. Unlike the Death on Demand mysteries, I enjoy Henrie O's character very much. In Scandal in Fair Haven, Henrie is to vacation with her good friend Margaret at Margaret's cabin, but Margaret has become very sick and is in the hospital. Henrie goes it alone only to find herself caught up in the unexpected mess of Magaret's nephew Craig, who comes barging into the cabin late the first night covered in blood and running from the cops. He's traumatized over the discovery of his wife's body that he found, shot to death, hence the blood on his clothes. Although Henrie doesn't want to get involved, she finds herself suddenly craig's "aunt" by one of numerous lies Craig starts stringing along. Henrie decides to go to Fair Haven when Craig is arrested for the murder of his wife and Henrie is determined to find out who the real killer is. For such a quiet, rich town, Fair Haven is suddenly having all kinds of problems; the suicide of a local teenager, the death of Patty Kay, Craig's wife, and another death of a bookstore employee. I love following Henrie O throughout the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews