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Rebecca Robbins #1
Skating Around the Law
Rebecca Robbins is a woman on a mission---to sell the roller rink she inherited from her mother and get back to Chicago. Fast. However, when she discovers the dead body of the town’s handyman headfirst in a rink toilet, potential buyers are scared off. Now Rebecca is stuck in a small town where her former neighbors think she doesn’t belong, living with her scarily frisky grandfather, Pop, and relying on a police department that’s better at gardening than solving crimes.
Eager to move forward with her life, Rebecca begins investigating the murder herself, reluctantly accepting help from Pop and his extensive social network, which includes a handsome veterinarian and a former circus camel named Elwood. Nevertheless, someone isn’t happy she’s looking into the case, and their threats will have her questioning whether playing sleuth was such a good idea after all.
Joelle Charbonneau’s debut is a sheer delight---a laugh-out-loud mystery with plenty of heart.
Eager to move forward with her life, Rebecca begins investigating the murder herself, reluctantly accepting help from Pop and his extensive social network, which includes a handsome veterinarian and a former circus camel named Elwood. Nevertheless, someone isn’t happy she’s looking into the case, and their threats will have her questioning whether playing sleuth was such a good idea after all.
Joelle Charbonneau’s debut is a sheer delight---a laugh-out-loud mystery with plenty of heart.
274 pages, Hardcover
First published September 28, 2010
5 people are currently reading
759 people want to read
About the author
Joelle Charbonneau
35 books2,669 followersI am a storyteller at heart. I have performed in a variety of operas, musical theatre and children's theatre productions across the Chicagoland area.
While I'm happy to perform for an audience, I am equally delighted to teach private voice lessons and use my experience from the stage to create compelling characters on the page. I am the author of the Rebecca Robbins mystery series (Minotaur Books), The Paige Marshall Glee Club mysteries (Berkley) and The Testing YA triology (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).
While I'm happy to perform for an audience, I am equally delighted to teach private voice lessons and use my experience from the stage to create compelling characters on the page. I am the author of the Rebecca Robbins mystery series (Minotaur Books), The Paige Marshall Glee Club mysteries (Berkley) and The Testing YA triology (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
March 29, 2016
A fluffy, cute mystery. I don't like the 'dreamy' veterinarian – if a guy treated me that way, forget it.
RE-READ: OCTOBER 21, 2014
I remember correctly - the love interest: veterinarian Lionel Franklin - is a putz. I don't like him. When I read the book this time, I kept careful track of how many times I told him to go flip himself.
# OF TIMES CARMEN TOLD LIONEL TO GO FLIP HIMSELF: 9
I can't believe the main character puts up with this crap. Well, actually I can, since she seems a little.... Hmmm, I don't want to say 'ditzy' because I feel like that's mean. But she definitely acts in ways that would never even occur to most people.
For one thing, this book is a cutesy cozy mystery-comedy, in the vein of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. The main character, Rebecca Robbins, has a grandpa who is sexually active. This is supposedly hilarious. The guy is really callous, though. I mean, he's bringing home a different lady every night and he's making his dates cry when they realized that he only used them for sex. I hate seeing old ladies cry, so this wasn't exactly tickling my funny bone.
Why don't I like Lionel? Well, he withholds information from Rebecca more than once, he does things like call her stupid and then immediately afterwards is trying to get some nookie from her, he treats her like a child, he calls her stupid AT LEAST twice, he invades her personal space when he doesn't have permission, and he often makes disparaging comments about women. Is that enough for you? It is for me.
But as for his disparaging remarks about women, Rebecca goes around slamming men all the time, so I guess they're even on that front. Examples:
LIONEL: "It might be interesting to play poker with a woman.
REBECCA: Men. A guy could be a lying, cheating swindler, but as long as he could play cards, men would think the jerk was worth his weight in gold.
LIONEL: "Next time your boss attacks me, I'd appreciate you staying out of it. I don't like women fighting battles for me." He turned on his heel and stalked back to the barn,...
Also, he frequently asks her on dates in order to get information from her. Which is DISGUSTING. I just lectured Cormoran Strike (Rowling's character) for this. It's despicable.
Oh, and he kisses her on the forehead. I HATE FOREHEAD KISSES. When did this become romantic or sexy? It is neither. It reminds me of fathers and uncles - two things I do NOT ever want to think about with my romantic partner. I blame the 1999 film THE BEST MAN for this hideous trend. If you're going to kiss a woman, do it right, gosh darn it.
I would be staying the heck away from this guy, but oh no no no, it's "he's so dreamy" and "over six feet of intense maleness." Intense maleness??!?!? *rolls eyes*
There's also mild fat shaming (I can think of two incidents that stick with me) and countless incidents of "old people are dumb/funny/silly/cute etc. etc." I have a LOT of friends who are over the age of 65, and let me tell you: they are sharp, funny, skilled, and definitely not the butt of anyone's jokes unless that person is cruisin' for a bruisin'. Turning 70 doesn't instantly make you a moron, you know.
Rebecca is a TERRIBLE detective who messes up evidence, messes with crime scenes, steals stuff to use as evidence, lies constantly, puts herself in dangerous situations without even REALIZING that they're dangerous, jumps to conclusions, etc. etc. etc.
ANYTHING GOOD?
The vet has a cute camel as a pet.
Rebecca is great at making friends with everyone. Even people who start out not liking her or being enemies with her become her friend in the end. She is very sweet, forgiving, and friendly.
Lionel wants marriage and kids; Rebecca recoils in horror at the very thought. I found this realistic and understandable.
TWO REAL STARS, TWO ROMANCE STARS
RE-READ: OCTOBER 21, 2014
I remember correctly - the love interest: veterinarian Lionel Franklin - is a putz. I don't like him. When I read the book this time, I kept careful track of how many times I told him to go flip himself.
# OF TIMES CARMEN TOLD LIONEL TO GO FLIP HIMSELF: 9
I can't believe the main character puts up with this crap. Well, actually I can, since she seems a little.... Hmmm, I don't want to say 'ditzy' because I feel like that's mean. But she definitely acts in ways that would never even occur to most people.
For one thing, this book is a cutesy cozy mystery-comedy, in the vein of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. The main character, Rebecca Robbins, has a grandpa who is sexually active. This is supposedly hilarious. The guy is really callous, though. I mean, he's bringing home a different lady every night and he's making his dates cry when they realized that he only used them for sex. I hate seeing old ladies cry, so this wasn't exactly tickling my funny bone.
Why don't I like Lionel? Well, he withholds information from Rebecca more than once, he does things like call her stupid and then immediately afterwards is trying to get some nookie from her, he treats her like a child, he calls her stupid AT LEAST twice, he invades her personal space when he doesn't have permission, and he often makes disparaging comments about women. Is that enough for you? It is for me.
But as for his disparaging remarks about women, Rebecca goes around slamming men all the time, so I guess they're even on that front. Examples:
LIONEL: "It might be interesting to play poker with a woman.
REBECCA: Men. A guy could be a lying, cheating swindler, but as long as he could play cards, men would think the jerk was worth his weight in gold.
LIONEL: "Next time your boss attacks me, I'd appreciate you staying out of it. I don't like women fighting battles for me." He turned on his heel and stalked back to the barn,...
Also, he frequently asks her on dates in order to get information from her. Which is DISGUSTING. I just lectured Cormoran Strike (Rowling's character) for this. It's despicable.
Oh, and he kisses her on the forehead. I HATE FOREHEAD KISSES. When did this become romantic or sexy? It is neither. It reminds me of fathers and uncles - two things I do NOT ever want to think about with my romantic partner. I blame the 1999 film THE BEST MAN for this hideous trend. If you're going to kiss a woman, do it right, gosh darn it.
I would be staying the heck away from this guy, but oh no no no, it's "he's so dreamy" and "over six feet of intense maleness." Intense maleness??!?!? *rolls eyes*
There's also mild fat shaming (I can think of two incidents that stick with me) and countless incidents of "old people are dumb/funny/silly/cute etc. etc." I have a LOT of friends who are over the age of 65, and let me tell you: they are sharp, funny, skilled, and definitely not the butt of anyone's jokes unless that person is cruisin' for a bruisin'. Turning 70 doesn't instantly make you a moron, you know.
Rebecca is a TERRIBLE detective who messes up evidence, messes with crime scenes, steals stuff to use as evidence, lies constantly, puts herself in dangerous situations without even REALIZING that they're dangerous, jumps to conclusions, etc. etc. etc.
ANYTHING GOOD?
The vet has a cute camel as a pet.
Rebecca is great at making friends with everyone. Even people who start out not liking her or being enemies with her become her friend in the end. She is very sweet, forgiving, and friendly.
Lionel wants marriage and kids; Rebecca recoils in horror at the very thought. I found this realistic and understandable.
TWO REAL STARS, TWO ROMANCE STARS
August 9, 2018
I have to admit that I was surprised by this book. Some cozies are silly, and why would I want to read a book about skating right? Well, not so with this book. The characters had substance, and the skating rink is a sideline. It is set in a small town, so there is that “small-town” feel with some of the characters.
All things considered that I like in a cozy mystery is here: death in the first few pages, some twists and turns, non-annoying MC, little bit of romance. With that said, I will continue on with this series!
All things considered that I like in a cozy mystery is here: death in the first few pages, some twists and turns, non-annoying MC, little bit of romance. With that said, I will continue on with this series!
May 7, 2011
I was surprised to find that this is Joelle Charbonneau's debut novel, because it's one enjoyable read! Skating Around the Law has a great balance of characters, humour, romance and mystery; the fact that nothing feels forced or overdone is probably what I liked most about it.
A great deal of enjoyment was the result of Rebecca, who is a likeable heroine, and while she follows the general vein of amateur detectives, I love her awareness and common sense. She's a reluctant detective, investigating because murder has happened on her property and the policemen are ineffective. Rebecca clearly knows her limitations, and while she might cross a few lines, she's sensible enough to try and avoid it next time. That's one issue I have noticed about many other female amateur detectives; they seem to investigate because they simply cannot mind their own business and leave the work to perfectly competent policemen. I've even come across one character in a different cozy mystery who seemed to think breaking into people's houses is just another method of investigation. Thank god Rebecca's not that stupid!
There's a great balance between humour, romance and mystery. Fortunately, the romance never overtakes the mystery aspect, which is really the heart of the whole novel, and the humour never veers into the slapstick. Lionel and Rebecca's instant attraction is played out in a way that makes sense, and I absolutely LOVE that they don't instantly jump each other's skin (or at all, really). I almost cheered at Rebecca's restraint; she doesn't let her emotions get the better of her and guide her into a rushed relationship with a man she barely knows. Rather, she thinks before every decision, and more often than not she winds up walking away because it's the right thing to do. Hurrah for principles! It also ensures that her romance with Lionel will be have time to slowly build in later books, and that will make it far more believable.
However, it's a shame that the relationships between Rebecca and her "family" are not as well-developed as it could have been. Her interactions with Pop is mainly restricted to her exasperation over his love life, and Annette simply confused me. She's described as the best friend of Rebecca's mother and one who pulled Rebecca through her mother's death, but their conversations feel stilted and very cold. Unfortunately, the explanation that Annette was trying to drive Rebecca back to Chicago because she wanted Rebecca to make her own choice just wasn't strong enough to cover it. Perhaps this will be covered more in due time?
Either way, Skating Around the Law was an extremely engaging first entry in this series. I'm definitely picking up the second book when it comes out! It'd be interesting to get to know more about Rebecca's life back in Chicago (and her rather traitorous roommate, Jasmine, as well as her boss Neil), and I want a lot more of Elwood the camel!
A great deal of enjoyment was the result of Rebecca, who is a likeable heroine, and while she follows the general vein of amateur detectives, I love her awareness and common sense. She's a reluctant detective, investigating because murder has happened on her property and the policemen are ineffective. Rebecca clearly knows her limitations, and while she might cross a few lines, she's sensible enough to try and avoid it next time. That's one issue I have noticed about many other female amateur detectives; they seem to investigate because they simply cannot mind their own business and leave the work to perfectly competent policemen. I've even come across one character in a different cozy mystery who seemed to think breaking into people's houses is just another method of investigation. Thank god Rebecca's not that stupid!
There's a great balance between humour, romance and mystery. Fortunately, the romance never overtakes the mystery aspect, which is really the heart of the whole novel, and the humour never veers into the slapstick. Lionel and Rebecca's instant attraction is played out in a way that makes sense, and I absolutely LOVE that they don't instantly jump each other's skin (or at all, really). I almost cheered at Rebecca's restraint; she doesn't let her emotions get the better of her and guide her into a rushed relationship with a man she barely knows. Rather, she thinks before every decision, and more often than not she winds up walking away because it's the right thing to do. Hurrah for principles! It also ensures that her romance with Lionel will be have time to slowly build in later books, and that will make it far more believable.
However, it's a shame that the relationships between Rebecca and her "family" are not as well-developed as it could have been. Her interactions with Pop is mainly restricted to her exasperation over his love life, and Annette simply confused me. She's described as the best friend of Rebecca's mother and one who pulled Rebecca through her mother's death, but their conversations feel stilted and very cold. Unfortunately, the explanation that Annette was trying to drive Rebecca back to Chicago because she wanted Rebecca to make her own choice just wasn't strong enough to cover it. Perhaps this will be covered more in due time?
Either way, Skating Around the Law was an extremely engaging first entry in this series. I'm definitely picking up the second book when it comes out! It'd be interesting to get to know more about Rebecca's life back in Chicago (and her rather traitorous roommate, Jasmine, as well as her boss Neil), and I want a lot more of Elwood the camel!
October 1, 2013
Review from Backchatting Books
Rebecca Robbins wanted to sell the family roller skating rink and get back to her job as a mortgage broker when a local guy, Mack, is found dead at her rink. She decides to solve the case as an unsolved murder is a turn off for buyers and the local police are too incompetent.
Rebecca’s investigation strategies are pretty simple. I had no problem with her wearing skin-tight or revealing clothes and flirting to get information but I did wonder why she chose to repeat everything she had discovered to the camel owning veterinarian Dr Lionel Franklin. She even says at one point “just because Lionel was hot didn’t mean he was trustworthy” (logical) but can’t help herself especially when he offers her an éclair (illogical). Even when he admits that pretending to seduce her for information was “worth a shot”, she continues to feed him info. I guess I was expecting slightly more from her given her occupation which involves considering facts and weighing up different options in order to get the best deal for her customers. Revealing key information about her investigation to a possible suspect and keeping the police out of the loop isn’t the smartest.
The secondary characters are quite two dimensional even though they all have at least one crazy personality quirk – I wish there had been a few more normals just to balance things out. Rebecca’s grandfather spends the entire novel hooking up with elderly women or talking about his conquests. The police are uniformly useless, more interested in jumping to conclusions or gardening. Lionel was one exception to the rule – we are positioned to see him as a future love interest for Rebecca but he’s fairly dictatorial or dismissive of her when he’s not trying to pump her for info. He also withholds key information (sharing is caring, m’kay). I’m assuming the fact that he used the exact same technique on Rebecca that she used on others was supposed to be ironic but it didn’t endear him to me.
I had a few problems with the plot. Rebecca suspected someone of being guilty but rather than finding a way for her to confirm her suspicions, Charbonneau has the baddie confront Rebecca and then share every single detail about why and how they committed the murder. I prefer my detectives to do the grunt work rather than have the answer just handed to them so this didn’t work for me. I wanted a few more red herrings thrown in as well so the path from victim to baddie wasn’t so clearly delineated. There is also an awful lot of telling rather than showing.
This book didn’t work for me which is a shame as I enjoyed Charbonneau’s Murder for Choir. I probably won’t pick up another one in this series as I couldn’t relate to the characters or the way the investigation unfolded.
Rebecca Robbins wanted to sell the family roller skating rink and get back to her job as a mortgage broker when a local guy, Mack, is found dead at her rink. She decides to solve the case as an unsolved murder is a turn off for buyers and the local police are too incompetent.
Rebecca’s investigation strategies are pretty simple. I had no problem with her wearing skin-tight or revealing clothes and flirting to get information but I did wonder why she chose to repeat everything she had discovered to the camel owning veterinarian Dr Lionel Franklin. She even says at one point “just because Lionel was hot didn’t mean he was trustworthy” (logical) but can’t help herself especially when he offers her an éclair (illogical). Even when he admits that pretending to seduce her for information was “worth a shot”, she continues to feed him info. I guess I was expecting slightly more from her given her occupation which involves considering facts and weighing up different options in order to get the best deal for her customers. Revealing key information about her investigation to a possible suspect and keeping the police out of the loop isn’t the smartest.
The secondary characters are quite two dimensional even though they all have at least one crazy personality quirk – I wish there had been a few more normals just to balance things out. Rebecca’s grandfather spends the entire novel hooking up with elderly women or talking about his conquests. The police are uniformly useless, more interested in jumping to conclusions or gardening. Lionel was one exception to the rule – we are positioned to see him as a future love interest for Rebecca but he’s fairly dictatorial or dismissive of her when he’s not trying to pump her for info. He also withholds key information (sharing is caring, m’kay). I’m assuming the fact that he used the exact same technique on Rebecca that she used on others was supposed to be ironic but it didn’t endear him to me.
I had a few problems with the plot. Rebecca suspected someone of being guilty but rather than finding a way for her to confirm her suspicions, Charbonneau has the baddie confront Rebecca and then share every single detail about why and how they committed the murder. I prefer my detectives to do the grunt work rather than have the answer just handed to them so this didn’t work for me. I wanted a few more red herrings thrown in as well so the path from victim to baddie wasn’t so clearly delineated. There is also an awful lot of telling rather than showing.
This book didn’t work for me which is a shame as I enjoyed Charbonneau’s Murder for Choir. I probably won’t pick up another one in this series as I couldn’t relate to the characters or the way the investigation unfolded.
November 26, 2010
Charbonneau's first mystery has vivid, quirky characters, sparkly dialogue, and a feisty voice that carries the story along well.
Rebecca Robbins inherits a small-town roller skating rink from her mother and plans to sell it so she can return to her job as a Chicago mortgage broker, in spite of her boss, who thinks she's his girlfriend. Unfortunately, Mack, the local handyman, is found dead in the bathroom of the rink, and the police consider the rink a crime scene, so Rebecca can't sell the place until the crime is solved. Since the local police have the collective ambition and intelligence of a carrot, she realizes that she will have to solve the crime herself.
She has no suspects, but the cast of supporting characters give her lots of support and the story lots of color. In no time, she becomes the chaperone for her libidinous grandfather, who is actively pursued by a whole army of equally randy older women. She also meets Lionel, the hunky veterinarian, who has a pet camel with a whole collection of hats.
The characters work well with each other, and lots of the dialogue is funny without being forced. The ending of the book makes sense without being obvious, but it sags a little more than I'd like. But the book is still a solid debut and I hope to see more from this author.
Rebecca Robbins inherits a small-town roller skating rink from her mother and plans to sell it so she can return to her job as a Chicago mortgage broker, in spite of her boss, who thinks she's his girlfriend. Unfortunately, Mack, the local handyman, is found dead in the bathroom of the rink, and the police consider the rink a crime scene, so Rebecca can't sell the place until the crime is solved. Since the local police have the collective ambition and intelligence of a carrot, she realizes that she will have to solve the crime herself.
She has no suspects, but the cast of supporting characters give her lots of support and the story lots of color. In no time, she becomes the chaperone for her libidinous grandfather, who is actively pursued by a whole army of equally randy older women. She also meets Lionel, the hunky veterinarian, who has a pet camel with a whole collection of hats.
The characters work well with each other, and lots of the dialogue is funny without being forced. The ending of the book makes sense without being obvious, but it sags a little more than I'd like. But the book is still a solid debut and I hope to see more from this author.
July 6, 2012
A friend of mine recommended this author to me as we have a mutual love of the show Castle (and the author is a friend of hers that self-published her first two books). I will say this, I love anyone who can write and is resourceful enough to pursuit publishing! This is a light, easy murder mystery with a colorful cast of characters (including a hat-wearing camel) and some interesting, keeps you guessing turns. I like that it is set in small-town Illinois, with references to Chicago. I read someone call it the Midwest's answer to Stephanie Plum. I would tend to agree - though there is definitely a small-town feel to this book and these characters. I think it makes them more endearing. Rebecca Robbins is a small-town girl who only wanted to get to the big city. Circumstances have brought her back to Indian Falls and the Toe Stop, the roller rink her mother loved so much. A murder means that the sale of the rink is on hold -- no one wants to buy a skating rink with a murderous past. To help speed things along, Rebecca decides to do some amateur detective work. The rest I will let you find out.
All-in-all, I enjoyed the book and am happily skating on to the next one.
All-in-all, I enjoyed the book and am happily skating on to the next one.
November 22, 2010
Rebecca returns home to sell the skating rink she inherited from her mother. When a local man is found dead in the rink, she can't sell it until the murderer is found. Since the law isn't very fast or competent, she sets out to find the killer herself.
The book has some very funny moments, especially the bits about the hat-wearing camel.
The only downside is that I didn't like how Rebecca is disgusted by her grandfather's love life. She doesn't talk about it once, but many times, which I feel is very disrespectful. Even old folks need a little lovin'.
Despite that, it's overall a fun read.
The book has some very funny moments, especially the bits about the hat-wearing camel.
The only downside is that I didn't like how Rebecca is disgusted by her grandfather's love life. She doesn't talk about it once, but many times, which I feel is very disrespectful. Even old folks need a little lovin'.
Despite that, it's overall a fun read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2010
Silly. Our heroine is more interested in hooking up with the hunky large animal vet than in finding out how the dead guy ended up in the toilet of her roller rink, thus ending any possibility of selling it in a small farm town west (south) of Rockford, IL.
The camel was a nice touch, but everything cannot be quirky.
The camel was a nice touch, but everything cannot be quirky.
May 26, 2011
Probably would have moved faster if I had time to get more into it but overall it was alright. Wondering if there will be a sequel/series? I'd be interested in reading more about Pops, Lionel, Rebecca & Elwood. Rated it as OK because I felt that it got a little distracted and random at some points.
October 10, 2010
Loved this book! Very much a Stephanie Plum feel to the book. Had a wonderful cast of characters- including the animals! Fun story line, really enjoyable to read. Little suspense at the end and a good love story- what's not to like! Can't wait for the next book!
February 9, 2011
An irritating mystery, redeemed only by the presence of several cats and a scene-stealing camel.
July 23, 2020
This story introduces Rebecca Robbins. Rebecca is back in her home town of Indian Falls to try to sell the roller rink her mother left her after her sudden heart attack. Rebecca is eager to return to Chicago and take up her life again. But before she can do more than hire a realtor, local handyman Mack is found dead in the ladies room - drowned in a toilet.
Since the sheriff seems to have Alzheimer's and is certainly more interested in taking care of his garden and the deputy isn't much more interested or capable, Rebecca feels like she has to solve the crime herself if she ever wants to get out of Indian Falls.
Someone doesn't want Rebecca to investigate. She finds a threat on the front door of the roller rink written in lipstick and someone flattens one of her car tires with a nail pulled from a crucifix at the Lutheran Church. But Rebecca is determined. She has a wide variety of suspects including a number of the town folks who were unhappy with Mack.
Could her suspect be Lionel who is the new veterinarian in town and a real hottie who argued with Mack about a job he was supposed to do for him? Or did the argument her mother's best friend Annette cause her to want him dead? What about the retired librarian who was angry at Mack for kicking one of her precious cats?
Rebecca isn't investigating alone. She is assisted - more or less - by her grandfather. Pop is quite the heartthrob among the senior citizen set which Rebecca finds intensely embarrassing. He seems to have a new lady every day and every night.
I enjoyed the humor in this story and the large cast of quirky characters. I was especially fond of Elwood the hat-wearing camel.
Since the sheriff seems to have Alzheimer's and is certainly more interested in taking care of his garden and the deputy isn't much more interested or capable, Rebecca feels like she has to solve the crime herself if she ever wants to get out of Indian Falls.
Someone doesn't want Rebecca to investigate. She finds a threat on the front door of the roller rink written in lipstick and someone flattens one of her car tires with a nail pulled from a crucifix at the Lutheran Church. But Rebecca is determined. She has a wide variety of suspects including a number of the town folks who were unhappy with Mack.
Could her suspect be Lionel who is the new veterinarian in town and a real hottie who argued with Mack about a job he was supposed to do for him? Or did the argument her mother's best friend Annette cause her to want him dead? What about the retired librarian who was angry at Mack for kicking one of her precious cats?
Rebecca isn't investigating alone. She is assisted - more or less - by her grandfather. Pop is quite the heartthrob among the senior citizen set which Rebecca finds intensely embarrassing. He seems to have a new lady every day and every night.
I enjoyed the humor in this story and the large cast of quirky characters. I was especially fond of Elwood the hat-wearing camel.
July 7, 2023
When a big city woman has to return to her old home town to try to sell a skating rink she inherited, things take a left turn when she finds a dead body in the bathroom.
Aided by her lothario grandfather and the hunky veterinarian she tries to solve the mystery. The vet has a pet camel, and that's different.
Aided by her lothario grandfather and the hunky veterinarian she tries to solve the mystery. The vet has a pet camel, and that's different.
February 14, 2021
Chicago mortgage broker Rebecca Robbins returns home to small town Illinois to sell her mother's skating rink. A dead body found in the rink's rest room derails her plans and forces her to seek out the murderer. Quirky characters and lots of twists and turns, but too much romance IMHO.
June 20, 2012
For as long as I remember, I always enjoyed mysteries. I have read quite few of them through the years. However, I’m very picky when it comes to mystery, it has captured my attention or I won’t finish it. Skating around the Law did just that, caught my attention. There was couple slow parts and reason for me giving it 4 stars; however it picked up pretty fast. I had come across the book accidently while in library, looking for some books. I was glad that I did, it was filled with a lot of action, and there wasn’t scene in book that didn’t have some sort of action going on. I also loved the idea of Roller Rink, it something I haven’t read about before, making this story pretty unique.
GOODREADS SUMMARY
Rebecca Robbins is a woman on a mission---to sell the roller rink she inherited from her mother and get back to Chicago. Fast. However, when she discovers the dead body of the town’s handyman headfirst in a rink toilet, potential buyers are scared off. Now Rebecca is stuck in a small town where her former neighbors think she doesn’t belong, living with her scarily frisky grandfather, Pop, and relying on a police department that’s better at gardening than solving crimes.
Eager to move forward with her life, Rebecca begins investigating the murder herself, reluctantly accepting help from Pop and his extensive social network, which includes a handsome veterinarian and a former circus camel named Elwood. Nevertheless, someone isn’t happy she’s looking into the case, and their threats will have her questioning whether playing sleuth was such a good idea after all.
What I had enjoyed about this novel, to me all of the characters seemed realistic and I found myself being able to easily connect with them, especially with Rebecca. Now, Rebecca was one of my favorites through the book, her attitude, also of taking the case into her own hands. Even though she didn’t want to keep the rink, I loved the dedication to her mother’s rink, to make sure that everything was running smoothly. Also how she wanted make sure that it will stay a rink, once it’s sold.
Lionel & Rebecca. Their relationship, I liked right from and a start and I knew that they were attracted to one another, from the moment that the two of them met. I could practically feel the tension between the two of them. Right from start, I was hoping for them to get together, because there was apparently something between the two of them. I liked the fact that their relationship was different then ones I read in other books, fact how they didn’t fall in love with each other, right from beginning. I liked that it kept me wondering, what was going happen between the two of them next. There were a lot of scenes between them, that made me smile, especially the kissing scenes.
Another character I adored was Rebecca’s grandfather; he made me laugh half of the time. I don’t think I seen any grandfather act the way he does, especially with women, it’s no wonder Rebecca was uncomfortable, if I was in her situation, I would too. I enjoyed his humor though and in general the humor through the book, it made the book even more interesting to read.
In general, this book is worth reading. It has a lot of action, mystery and humor added to it. I will be checking out the rest of series.
GOODREADS SUMMARY
Rebecca Robbins is a woman on a mission---to sell the roller rink she inherited from her mother and get back to Chicago. Fast. However, when she discovers the dead body of the town’s handyman headfirst in a rink toilet, potential buyers are scared off. Now Rebecca is stuck in a small town where her former neighbors think she doesn’t belong, living with her scarily frisky grandfather, Pop, and relying on a police department that’s better at gardening than solving crimes.
Eager to move forward with her life, Rebecca begins investigating the murder herself, reluctantly accepting help from Pop and his extensive social network, which includes a handsome veterinarian and a former circus camel named Elwood. Nevertheless, someone isn’t happy she’s looking into the case, and their threats will have her questioning whether playing sleuth was such a good idea after all.
What I had enjoyed about this novel, to me all of the characters seemed realistic and I found myself being able to easily connect with them, especially with Rebecca. Now, Rebecca was one of my favorites through the book, her attitude, also of taking the case into her own hands. Even though she didn’t want to keep the rink, I loved the dedication to her mother’s rink, to make sure that everything was running smoothly. Also how she wanted make sure that it will stay a rink, once it’s sold.
Lionel & Rebecca. Their relationship, I liked right from and a start and I knew that they were attracted to one another, from the moment that the two of them met. I could practically feel the tension between the two of them. Right from start, I was hoping for them to get together, because there was apparently something between the two of them. I liked the fact that their relationship was different then ones I read in other books, fact how they didn’t fall in love with each other, right from beginning. I liked that it kept me wondering, what was going happen between the two of them next. There were a lot of scenes between them, that made me smile, especially the kissing scenes.
Another character I adored was Rebecca’s grandfather; he made me laugh half of the time. I don’t think I seen any grandfather act the way he does, especially with women, it’s no wonder Rebecca was uncomfortable, if I was in her situation, I would too. I enjoyed his humor though and in general the humor through the book, it made the book even more interesting to read.
In general, this book is worth reading. It has a lot of action, mystery and humor added to it. I will be checking out the rest of series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2013
Since this is, you know, a murder mystery I won't go spoiling any of the important plot related stuff. I will however, extol the virtues of the rather fun cast of characters and give my overall opinion of the book.
The story is about Rebecca Robbins, a small town girl trying to make her way in the big city of Chicago. When her mother passes she inherits The Toe Stop, her mother's rink located in her small home town. After spending her childhood dreaming of getting out of small-town-Illinois, Rebecca's goal is to sell the rink and get back to Chicago as quickly as possible. However, when the town's handy man, Mack, winds up dead in a rink toilet, her dreams of a quick sale die with him. When it becomes apparent that the town's sheriff is essentially useless in solving the case, Rebecca takes things into her own hands. In her quest to find the killer, Rebecca shakes up the small town and makes a few enemies and a few friends. Of course, clues are found, people are questioned, and in general, hilarity ensues.
One of the great things about this book is the fun cast of characters. Written from Rebecca's first person point of view, there is snarky commentary throughout about the crazy people would would want to live in rural Illinois. Although they are all slightly stereotypical (small town girl escapes to the big city, hunky small town veterinarian, crazy old cat lady, the ladies-man grandfather, etc.) most of the time they are just plain fun. A few of the stand-out characters are George, the rink's skating instructor who would have been better suited to live in the days of the Skating Vanities and Gloria Nord, and Elwood, the hat wearing camel. Although they may not have quite the page time as some of the other characters, they are fun for the skating crowd, or just plain fun. Also, much love for Bryan and Reginald, but really, you have to read it to see why. I can't spoil the awesome on that one.
I would highly recommend this book for ages 12 and up (maybe 14 and up, depending on maturity of the kid/family values/etc). Being as how it is, you know, a murder mystery, there is some violence (*gasp* the horror!), and while, mercifully, most of the sexual content is keep off-screen, it is very very (very) heavily implied. While the plot is rather predictable, the characters rather stereotypical, and the story very straightforward, there are some exciting bits and some great laugh out loud moments. It doesn't take itself seriously and so everything just works. To sum it up in a sentence: This is Nancy Drew for the adult crowd. For grown up Nancy Drew lovers, roller skating fans, or anyone looking for a fun, fast, easy read, this is a great book.
The story is about Rebecca Robbins, a small town girl trying to make her way in the big city of Chicago. When her mother passes she inherits The Toe Stop, her mother's rink located in her small home town. After spending her childhood dreaming of getting out of small-town-Illinois, Rebecca's goal is to sell the rink and get back to Chicago as quickly as possible. However, when the town's handy man, Mack, winds up dead in a rink toilet, her dreams of a quick sale die with him. When it becomes apparent that the town's sheriff is essentially useless in solving the case, Rebecca takes things into her own hands. In her quest to find the killer, Rebecca shakes up the small town and makes a few enemies and a few friends. Of course, clues are found, people are questioned, and in general, hilarity ensues.
One of the great things about this book is the fun cast of characters. Written from Rebecca's first person point of view, there is snarky commentary throughout about the crazy people would would want to live in rural Illinois. Although they are all slightly stereotypical (small town girl escapes to the big city, hunky small town veterinarian, crazy old cat lady, the ladies-man grandfather, etc.) most of the time they are just plain fun. A few of the stand-out characters are George, the rink's skating instructor who would have been better suited to live in the days of the Skating Vanities and Gloria Nord, and Elwood, the hat wearing camel. Although they may not have quite the page time as some of the other characters, they are fun for the skating crowd, or just plain fun. Also, much love for Bryan and Reginald, but really, you have to read it to see why. I can't spoil the awesome on that one.
I would highly recommend this book for ages 12 and up (maybe 14 and up, depending on maturity of the kid/family values/etc). Being as how it is, you know, a murder mystery, there is some violence (*gasp* the horror!), and while, mercifully, most of the sexual content is keep off-screen, it is very very (very) heavily implied. While the plot is rather predictable, the characters rather stereotypical, and the story very straightforward, there are some exciting bits and some great laugh out loud moments. It doesn't take itself seriously and so everything just works. To sum it up in a sentence: This is Nancy Drew for the adult crowd. For grown up Nancy Drew lovers, roller skating fans, or anyone looking for a fun, fast, easy read, this is a great book.
October 26, 2010
When Rebecca Robbins returns home to tiny Indian Falls, Illinois she initially thinks she has one problem to deal with – selling the roller rink she inherited from her mother – but ends up with something decidedly more ominous on her hands… a dead body in one of the roller rink’s bathrooms.
Though at first it looks like an accident or suicide given the bottle of prescription pills found nearby, the town’s doctor / coroner soon rules it a homicide making Rebecca’s task of selling the roller rink even more difficult. (Who wants to buy a murder scene?)
And if a dead body throwing a monkey wrench into her plans to make a quick sale and hightail it back to Chicago wasn’t bad enough, the glacial pace – and incompetence – of local law enforcement’s investigation makes the prospect of Rebecca ever getting out of Dodge look downright grim.
What’s a girl to do? Take matters into her own hands, of course. So, with the “help” of her grandfather, Pop, Rebecca becomes a reluctant detective… and finds more than she expected.
Author Joelle Charbonneau has obviously drawn upon her extensive experience in the performing arts to give each of her characters a strong, and unique, voice. From Rebecca (who has a wonderful mix of whimsy and level-headedness), to Pop (who’s both well connected and disturbingly “active” in the town’s retired community), to Neil (Rebecca’s seriously misguided boss and would-be suitor), to Lionel (the veterinarian Rebecca loves to hate… or is it hates to love?), to Elwood the camel, every character has an incredibly rich, fully realized personality (yes, a camel can have a personality… trust me on this.)
A few of the situations Rebecca finds herself in are reminiscent of the early Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich (when they were still fresh and funny), though Charbonneau wisely never veers into the all-out slapstick territory that Plum frequently ends up in. Rather, Charbonneau has managed to deftly balance a healthy dose of comedy with a serious and engaging mystery. Add to that pitch perfect descriptions of the ins and outs of small town living and Skating Around the Law hits so many right notes it’s like reading an exquisitely conducted symphony.
Though at first it looks like an accident or suicide given the bottle of prescription pills found nearby, the town’s doctor / coroner soon rules it a homicide making Rebecca’s task of selling the roller rink even more difficult. (Who wants to buy a murder scene?)
And if a dead body throwing a monkey wrench into her plans to make a quick sale and hightail it back to Chicago wasn’t bad enough, the glacial pace – and incompetence – of local law enforcement’s investigation makes the prospect of Rebecca ever getting out of Dodge look downright grim.
What’s a girl to do? Take matters into her own hands, of course. So, with the “help” of her grandfather, Pop, Rebecca becomes a reluctant detective… and finds more than she expected.
Author Joelle Charbonneau has obviously drawn upon her extensive experience in the performing arts to give each of her characters a strong, and unique, voice. From Rebecca (who has a wonderful mix of whimsy and level-headedness), to Pop (who’s both well connected and disturbingly “active” in the town’s retired community), to Neil (Rebecca’s seriously misguided boss and would-be suitor), to Lionel (the veterinarian Rebecca loves to hate… or is it hates to love?), to Elwood the camel, every character has an incredibly rich, fully realized personality (yes, a camel can have a personality… trust me on this.)
A few of the situations Rebecca finds herself in are reminiscent of the early Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich (when they were still fresh and funny), though Charbonneau wisely never veers into the all-out slapstick territory that Plum frequently ends up in. Rather, Charbonneau has managed to deftly balance a healthy dose of comedy with a serious and engaging mystery. Add to that pitch perfect descriptions of the ins and outs of small town living and Skating Around the Law hits so many right notes it’s like reading an exquisitely conducted symphony.
June 19, 2014
The plan was simple. Come home to Indian Falls, Illinois just long enough to deal with selling her mother's old roller skating rink and then go back to Chicago and her job as a mortgage broker. But when Rebecca Robbins discovers the dead body of the town's handyman in the rink's bathroom, she realizes selling the place won't be quite as simple as she hoped for. To make matters worse, the local law enforcement is investigating the crime at a glacial pace. Knowing the rink won't be sold until the murderer is caught, Rebecca decides try her hand at some amateur sleuthing in the hopes that she can solve the mystery and get out of her small hometown as quickly as possible. Along the way, she's both helped and hindered by some of the town's quirky inhabitants, including a gorgeous vegetarian, a camel with a penchant for wearing hats, and her widowed grandfather who's juggling multiple girlfriends.
I was surprised to discover that Skating Around the Law was Charbonneau's debut novel. It's such a perfect blend of compelling mystery, humor, and romance that I was anticipating Charbonneau having written another series of mysteries prior to this one. The highlight of the novel was certainly the main character, Rebecca. I appreciated that unlike most women in amateur detective stories, she wasn't a complete idiot in her investigating. Despite being a rather reluctant detective, she still managed to be an intelligent and aware one, breaking some laws, not blatantly disregarding them. Rebecca didn't spend nearly every chapter stupidly stumbling into horrible situations of her own making that someone had to rescue her from, which helped keep the novel fun and not as frustrating as so many other female detective stories. It was also great to have such a zany collection of supporting characters, each with their own distinct voice. Even the hat-wearing camel, Elwood, was a well-written character with a huge personality. The mystery itself was relatively straightforward without being too obvious or predictable. I'm certainly looking forward to reading more in the series and getting to know the cast of characters better.
I was surprised to discover that Skating Around the Law was Charbonneau's debut novel. It's such a perfect blend of compelling mystery, humor, and romance that I was anticipating Charbonneau having written another series of mysteries prior to this one. The highlight of the novel was certainly the main character, Rebecca. I appreciated that unlike most women in amateur detective stories, she wasn't a complete idiot in her investigating. Despite being a rather reluctant detective, she still managed to be an intelligent and aware one, breaking some laws, not blatantly disregarding them. Rebecca didn't spend nearly every chapter stupidly stumbling into horrible situations of her own making that someone had to rescue her from, which helped keep the novel fun and not as frustrating as so many other female detective stories. It was also great to have such a zany collection of supporting characters, each with their own distinct voice. Even the hat-wearing camel, Elwood, was a well-written character with a huge personality. The mystery itself was relatively straightforward without being too obvious or predictable. I'm certainly looking forward to reading more in the series and getting to know the cast of characters better.
October 13, 2011
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/10/...
Rebecca Robbins has returned to tiny Indian Falls to sell the roller rink that her mother loved so much,and she’s eager to get back to Chicago where her friends and her job waits for her. Selling the roller rink may not be as easy as she thought when she finds the town handyman in the rink restroom,head in the toilet,and dead as a doornail. Rebecca has no idea who could do such a thing,but she’s determined to find out,since finding a dead guy in the bathroom really isn’t helping her sell the rink. She resolved to find the killer herself,but it seems everyone has a secret,and when she starts receiving threats to her life,she realizes she may be in over her head.
Red-headed and feisty Rebecca Robbins is my new favorite sleuth! I loved that she’s kind of a regular gal just trying to get back out of a small town that she ran from in the first place,and bewildered as to why someone would be threatening her life. She certainly doesn’t take things lying down and more than holds her own. With the distractions of a sexy local vet (who I wanted to smack a few times,but yeah,totally hot),her grandfather’s overactive libido (shudder),and an adorable camel named Elwood (who likes to wear hats),Rebecca certainly has her hands full. The local police are not much help and are well aware of Rebecca’s tendency to snoop. It’s not something they’re happy about,and certainly aren’t ready and willing to help her investigation. Sifting through the mounting clues with Rebecca was great fun,and I enjoyed getting to know the quirky inhabitants of Indian Falls. If you like a good mystery,with a small-town “cozy” vibe and a heroine you can fall in love with,you’ll adore Skating Around the Law!
Rebecca Robbins has returned to tiny Indian Falls to sell the roller rink that her mother loved so much,and she’s eager to get back to Chicago where her friends and her job waits for her. Selling the roller rink may not be as easy as she thought when she finds the town handyman in the rink restroom,head in the toilet,and dead as a doornail. Rebecca has no idea who could do such a thing,but she’s determined to find out,since finding a dead guy in the bathroom really isn’t helping her sell the rink. She resolved to find the killer herself,but it seems everyone has a secret,and when she starts receiving threats to her life,she realizes she may be in over her head.
Red-headed and feisty Rebecca Robbins is my new favorite sleuth! I loved that she’s kind of a regular gal just trying to get back out of a small town that she ran from in the first place,and bewildered as to why someone would be threatening her life. She certainly doesn’t take things lying down and more than holds her own. With the distractions of a sexy local vet (who I wanted to smack a few times,but yeah,totally hot),her grandfather’s overactive libido (shudder),and an adorable camel named Elwood (who likes to wear hats),Rebecca certainly has her hands full. The local police are not much help and are well aware of Rebecca’s tendency to snoop. It’s not something they’re happy about,and certainly aren’t ready and willing to help her investigation. Sifting through the mounting clues with Rebecca was great fun,and I enjoyed getting to know the quirky inhabitants of Indian Falls. If you like a good mystery,with a small-town “cozy” vibe and a heroine you can fall in love with,you’ll adore Skating Around the Law!
May 25, 2013
Very cute. Rebecca Robbins moves back to her hometown from Chicago to take over her mother's roller skating rink when her mom dies. Which means she's back to feeling out-of-place and unwelcome so she wants to sell the rink. Unfortunately someone dies in the rink, which means people don't want to buy it or even go skating there. (Which surprises me--I thought everyone would be ghoulishly interested.) She decides to find the killer herself so she can sell the rink. So the premise is pretty well set up, and I like that Rebecca admits to stumbling around not knowing what she's doing. She comes across as a very ordinary person who is trying to solve the mystery without being experienced in any way about it. Very appealing main character with an amusing way with words. For instance, she loves a former circus camel owned by the local vet, and the camel loves her back for some reason. I had to laugh when she said, "The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and I was riding a camel. Did life get any better than this?" Throughout the "investigation" we meet many of the quirky townspeople like Agnes the elderly cat lover, Sheriff Jackson who likes to garden rather than work, Pop her frisky grandfather who wants to be an Elvis impersonator, and Lionel the sexy vet. Although I had my suspicions, I wasn't sure who did it, so I was involved with the story until the very end when the murderer was revealed. I will definitely be reading more in this series to become better acquainted with these enjoyable characters.
April 6, 2011
I liked this mystery almost immediately. This is due to the likability of the narrator, Rebecca. She returns to her hometown of Indian Falls from Chicago to look after the skating rink she inherited from her mother. She moves in with her grandfather, who is the ladies' man in town; this understandably creeps her out.
Then, there is a murder in the bathroom of the rink & her plans to sell it are dashed unless she can find the murderer since the Sherriff's department is totally inept.
In Rebecca's quest to find the murderer, she introduces the reader to many quirky and unique characters in the town. The mystery really takes a back seat to the humor and the interaction of the characters. I love that she befriends the local vet, Lionel, and he gets information out of her by bribing her with chocolate eclairs and a ride on his pet camel. Really inventive & a lot of fun.
Recommended for the Stephanie Plum fans out there!
Then, there is a murder in the bathroom of the rink & her plans to sell it are dashed unless she can find the murderer since the Sherriff's department is totally inept.
In Rebecca's quest to find the murderer, she introduces the reader to many quirky and unique characters in the town. The mystery really takes a back seat to the humor and the interaction of the characters. I love that she befriends the local vet, Lionel, and he gets information out of her by bribing her with chocolate eclairs and a ride on his pet camel. Really inventive & a lot of fun.
Recommended for the Stephanie Plum fans out there!
September 8, 2016
This was an alright book. I found myself unable to truely relate to this story and its characters. I think a lot of it is the fact that I've never lived in a small town. They mention it a lot in this book. The main character was from this small town and moved to Chicago and now she's back, but she's forgotten what it's like with rumors and the lack of secrets in a small town. There is also an outside feel for her since everyone seems to consider her a city girl and not one of them anymore. I disliked the love interest, he seemed to go back and forth between being a likable guy and a jerk. In the end I only like the two teen girls that the main character befriends. And the camel, I like the camel too. The author did a good job of inserting sub plots, but most of them unfolded too easily and quickly for me to enjoy.
May 14, 2013
Lots of humor, a little romance, interesting/appealing characters, and an irresistible small town setting featuring a skating rink make this lively book a fun, relaxing read. Rebecca Robbins left her hometown of Indian Falls for the big city of Chicago as soon as she could, but she’s back now just long enough to sell the roller rink she inherited from her mother. Unfortunately a man is killed in the ladies room and no one wants to buy a rink with an unsolved murder. Since the local police aren’t as motivated as she would like, Rebecca figures she has to try to solve the mystery on her own. This is definitely reminiscent--in a good way--of early Stephanie Plum novels. There is even an overly enthusiastic grandfather who reminds me a lot of Grandma Mazur. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
July 29, 2013
This is what I would classify as murder mystery light. The characters other than the killer are all rather nice people. Rebecca Robbins is a mortgage broker in Chicago, who returns to a small town, she thinks, just to sell the roller skating rink that she has inherited from her late other. THe town handyman, Mack, is unfortunately found dead with his head in the toilet of a stall in the ladies' room. Who killed Mack--and why? Rebecca needs to solve this so that she can get on with her life back in Chicago after selling the Toe Stop rink. Her grandfather is a real character--an elderly lover type, who gets more action than Rebecca. The local vet has a darling camel with an extensive hat collection. Because this is numbered #1 in a series, I guess that Joelle Charbonneau wants to keep her unattached romantically.
October 6, 2011
You know what I like? A book that makes me laugh. Every page of this book shines with a zest for life and a love of its characters, and its heroine. Rebecca Robbins wants to sell her mother's roller rink and get back to her life in Chicago, but when a dead body turns up in the women's bathroom her chances at a quick sale drop to zero. With the Sheriff moving at a plod, Rebecca decides that the only way to get things done is to solve the murder herself. The characters are quirky, smalltown fun, but it's their foibles, faults and (in one instance) Alzheimer's that keep the plot moving. Throw in a handsome large-animal vet and you've got yourself a perfect curl up and ignore the world weekend read. Plus, there's a camel named Elwood - who can resist that?
December 31, 2011
Rebecca temporarily moves back home to small-town Illinois to sell the skating rink she inherited from her mother. While there, a murder is committed in the rink, which hampers its sale. So, Rebecca sets out to find the killer so she can move back to the city. Along the way, she finds romance, new friends, and a possible shift in priorities. I really liked this book even though it dragged a wee bit in the middle. It had likable characters that were easy to care about. My favorite character was most definitely Elwood, the hat-wearing camel. I also liked the vet, and would like him much better if he had a different name. I hope this book is the first in a series. I'd probably give this book a 3 1/2; normally I do the star below, but I'm feeling generous today.
August 15, 2011
This was an entertaining, lightweight piece of fluffiness. Definitely qualified as a summer read! Felt kind of like it was trying to be Janet Evanovich without the edge that Evanovich brings - wacky, woman-crazy grandpa, small town full of quirky characters, improbable situations, protag who isn't an investigator but decides *she's* the only one who can possibly solve the murder... but it was enough to keep me reading to see where it went. The hunky love interest never *quite* connected, which is also an Evanovich-ish trait.
I might pick up book 2 at some point, just to see if Rebecca stays in her hometown or heads back to the big bad city of Chicago!
I might pick up book 2 at some point, just to see if Rebecca stays in her hometown or heads back to the big bad city of Chicago!
March 14, 2013
I had looked at this series for a couple of years and finally came upon a copy for a good price (don't know why these aren't available as paperbacks!). Glad I gave it a shot as this was definitely a good start to a series that is partly based in a roller skating rink in a small Illinois town, and I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. Rebecca is likeable and I love her granddad and Elwood, the hat-wearing former circus camel! Good small town characters and a good story. It took me a little bit before I decided who the bad guy was. Will definitely the other 2 that are available in this series! RECOMMEND!
November 17, 2012
I got this book from the library because I'm supposed to review the third book in the series and I had to know what was going on first. :-) This is not my first book by this author. I read and loved Murder for Choir so I already knew I loved the writing style.
The humor was great, but Pop was a little weird. I did guess the murderer, but it was late in the story and wasn't blantantly obvious, so it didn't bother me. All in all, I'm looking forward to reading books #2 and #3 (which are already on my shelf waiting for me).
The humor was great, but Pop was a little weird. I did guess the murderer, but it was late in the story and wasn't blantantly obvious, so it didn't bother me. All in all, I'm looking forward to reading books #2 and #3 (which are already on my shelf waiting for me).
August 2, 2014
I love Joelle Charbonneau's work. After reading her glee club books, this is my first foray into her Rebecca Robbins series. As usual, she creates characters that are individual yet not so far out that they're not relatable. I found myself wanting to know more about Rebecca's late mom, whose passion was the small-town Illinois roller rink that, in the wake of her death, is now Rebecca's. I felt irritated with Rebecca for wanting to sell the beloved rink and getting back to her big-city Chicago life...but at the same time, I was rooting for her.
A very enjoyable mystery made even more awesome by rich characterization. I definitely recommend this book!
A very enjoyable mystery made even more awesome by rich characterization. I definitely recommend this book!
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