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Beth Kennedy #1
Murder at the PTA
A brand-new series in which murder is anything but elementary
After Tarver Elementary School's unpopular principal is murdered, PTA secretary and mother of two Beth Kennedy puts aside bake sales and class trip fund-raisers to catch a killer. And when members of the PTA become suspects, she realizes solving this murder will not be as easy as ABC...
After Tarver Elementary School's unpopular principal is murdered, PTA secretary and mother of two Beth Kennedy puts aside bake sales and class trip fund-raisers to catch a killer. And when members of the PTA become suspects, she realizes solving this murder will not be as easy as ABC...
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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956 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
April 9, 2016
For a mystery, this one was kind of weak. The principal of the elementry school gets murdered because she wants to add onto the school. The main character, Beth, hardly even knew the lady, but as always in these kinds of books, took it upon herself to find out who the killer was. Also, because her stupid best friend was getting death threats because of her local blog. As much fun as it is to gossip, when your life is in danger, you should probably stop. Mostly I was annoyed by how nice Beth was. I want a series where the character has a backbone and doesn't let everyone walk all over her.
I usually like mystery books because the chapters are short and quick, but these were long and there was just to many people, I got confused. And once you find out who the killer is, I had no idea. But maybe I zoned out and missed some info that wouldn't hinted that it was this person.
Hopefully I'll remember to not read anymore from this series again.
I usually like mystery books because the chapters are short and quick, but these were long and there was just to many people, I got confused. And once you find out who the killer is, I had no idea. But maybe I zoned out and missed some info that wouldn't hinted that it was this person.
Hopefully I'll remember to not read anymore from this series again.
March 17, 2011
Well, I'm sorry to say that this book just didn't do it for me.What annoyed me most was the fact that the main protagonist, Beth, was a huge pushover and never objected to what the others, and especially her idiotic best friend, Marina, asked her to do. Moreover, the story was full of mundane details about everyday life in a single mother's life, i.e. the whole process of choosing a puppy.Even the mystery in this story was almost non-existent, as only a relatively small part of the book was dedicated to the murder investigation.In my opinion, this book would appeal to readers who are more interested in learning about everyday life in a small community and less in solving a mystery.
April 25, 2013
Spoiler: Anyone who gets stuck in a basement and only screams, yet doesn't try to break a window or try to get out thru a bulkhead door, that just annoys me to no end. And she takes a nap, she doesn't even look for a weapon? Also, in this day and age a 30 something cannot operate a basic computer system? Well hello that's not the real world anymore unless you are living under a rock. I also had a hard time keeping the characters straight, and when the killer was revealed, the name was not recognizable to me until another page in. Have book 2 already so will see if the series improves
January 7, 2011
Beth Kennedy, a single mom with 2 kids, owns her own children's bookstore and is perfectly happy with her orderly life in Wisconsin. When her best friend, Marina, talks her into becoming secretary of the local PTA, Beth is a little hesitant but Marina talks her into "getting out there" and being more adventurous. Who knew the local PTA would be a hotbed of dissent and conflict that would lead Beth to more adventure than she ever bargained for?
So when Marina called Beth after the first meeting to tell her that Agnes Mephisto, the school principal, has been found murdered, Beth is not surprised. With a last name of Mephisto, Agnes is seen by many as the devil incarnate of the PTA. It seems Agnes has ruffled more than just a few feathers in the Tarver Elementary School system but her latest dictates has managed to add to the impressive list of enemies who have motives galore. Thanks to the gossipy blog titled WisconSins, everyone in town knew there were many suspects and rumors are running rife. Beth becomes a little too involved and thinks she needs to find out who the murderer really is so she starts digging into Agnes's life not without repercussions, of course!
Murder at the PTA is Laura Alden's first in the series and is an auspicious start for this promising writer. I really liked the way Alden developed the characters and how well they played off of each other; their personalities complemented each other. The mystery was well plotted and I was surprised at the ending. Always a good thing! I'll be most interested to read the next book in the series.
Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest opinion.
So when Marina called Beth after the first meeting to tell her that Agnes Mephisto, the school principal, has been found murdered, Beth is not surprised. With a last name of Mephisto, Agnes is seen by many as the devil incarnate of the PTA. It seems Agnes has ruffled more than just a few feathers in the Tarver Elementary School system but her latest dictates has managed to add to the impressive list of enemies who have motives galore. Thanks to the gossipy blog titled WisconSins, everyone in town knew there were many suspects and rumors are running rife. Beth becomes a little too involved and thinks she needs to find out who the murderer really is so she starts digging into Agnes's life not without repercussions, of course!
Murder at the PTA is Laura Alden's first in the series and is an auspicious start for this promising writer. I really liked the way Alden developed the characters and how well they played off of each other; their personalities complemented each other. The mystery was well plotted and I was surprised at the ending. Always a good thing! I'll be most interested to read the next book in the series.
Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest opinion.
August 14, 2017
The focus is definitely more on the characters than the mystery, which is fitting in a cozy. The characters actually behave as if they've known each other for years, instead of talking to each other as if they were new acquaintances.
But exchanges like this (paraphrased) are weird.
Mom 1: "Wow, you really did well in this crisis!"
Mom 2: "I am a mom, so I know how to deal with crisis!"
But the first person was a mom, too! THIS MAKES NO SENSE!
But exchanges like this (paraphrased) are weird.
Mom 1: "Wow, you really did well in this crisis!"
Mom 2: "I am a mom, so I know how to deal with crisis!"
But the first person was a mom, too! THIS MAKES NO SENSE!
January 23, 2013
I picked this book because the title made me laugh. I'm the PTA treasurer this year at my school so i thought it would be a fun book to read and it was!
June 13, 2022
Better than covid
June 4, 2020
Ugh. I've had this book for years. My mom gave me a copy when I served as treasurer of the PTA. It's supposed to be a cozy mystery. OK, I could use a cozy mystery right now to take my mind off of everything awful that's happening. The only problem was that I didn't just not like this book. I hated this book. But I'm a completionist, and even though this is a book I should have abandoned, I read it anyway.
The main character was boring. She's a single mom raising two kids in elementary school. She studied journalism in college, got married, and worked at a community newspaper because her husband didn't want her working in the Big City. She got divorced and purchased a children's bookstore. On paper, she shouldn't be as boring as she was. She's got the makings of a strong, independent woman. Only she definitely is not. I could count on one hand the number of decisions she made for herself in the book. She didn't decide to join the PTA. Her best friend pushes her to do it because her friend thinks she needs a life. She can't think of a name for her bookstore, so she just keeps the name from the former owner. She adopts a dog named Spot (even though he doesn't have any spots) and thinks, "Hm, we should change his name," but never does. She's so indecisive and passive, and it was maddening.
I also could not stand a number of other things about this book, including:
- the fact that a character mentioned in passing had apparently contracted a horrible skin disease while on a cruise but wasn't mad about it because she was losing weight. What a terrible message!
- the main character referred to sausage and pepperoni as pizza toppings for men.
- the main character is locked in a basement during the climax of the mystery, and instead of trying to figure out how to get out of the basement, she thinks about the time her husband listed everything she worried about (like pages and pages) and then told her she needed therapy. And I think he was right. This lady has an anxiety disorder. Go get some therapy. But she said, no, all women are like this because "estrogen."
- the main character claims that she can investigate mysteries because she was a journalist and therefore has "special skills." Then she proceeds to write a list of suspects, do a couple of cursory Google searches, and ask people a couple of questions. What special skills?? What an insult to journalism. She's not even good at making observations. There's a foundation that exists named after a guy, and she's like, "Who's that?" And it's the same guy her kids' school is named after. She didn't even make a connection between his last name and the name of the school.
Clearly, I am ranting. If you enjoyed this book, then great! I'm glad you liked it. It was not for me. And I won't be reading the rest of the series.
The main character was boring. She's a single mom raising two kids in elementary school. She studied journalism in college, got married, and worked at a community newspaper because her husband didn't want her working in the Big City. She got divorced and purchased a children's bookstore. On paper, she shouldn't be as boring as she was. She's got the makings of a strong, independent woman. Only she definitely is not. I could count on one hand the number of decisions she made for herself in the book. She didn't decide to join the PTA. Her best friend pushes her to do it because her friend thinks she needs a life. She can't think of a name for her bookstore, so she just keeps the name from the former owner. She adopts a dog named Spot (even though he doesn't have any spots) and thinks, "Hm, we should change his name," but never does. She's so indecisive and passive, and it was maddening.
I also could not stand a number of other things about this book, including:
- the fact that a character mentioned in passing had apparently contracted a horrible skin disease while on a cruise but wasn't mad about it because she was losing weight. What a terrible message!
- the main character referred to sausage and pepperoni as pizza toppings for men.
- the main character is locked in a basement during the climax of the mystery, and instead of trying to figure out how to get out of the basement, she thinks about the time her husband listed everything she worried about (like pages and pages) and then told her she needed therapy. And I think he was right. This lady has an anxiety disorder. Go get some therapy. But she said, no, all women are like this because "estrogen."
- the main character claims that she can investigate mysteries because she was a journalist and therefore has "special skills." Then she proceeds to write a list of suspects, do a couple of cursory Google searches, and ask people a couple of questions. What special skills?? What an insult to journalism. She's not even good at making observations. There's a foundation that exists named after a guy, and she's like, "Who's that?" And it's the same guy her kids' school is named after. She didn't even make a connection between his last name and the name of the school.
Clearly, I am ranting. If you enjoyed this book, then great! I'm glad you liked it. It was not for me. And I won't be reading the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2010
Beth Kennedy is a divorced mother of two who owns a children bookstore in the small town of Rynwood, Wisconsin. So when her best friend Marina suggests that Beth might want to run for the position of PTA secretary, her initial response is that she doesn't have the time. But Marina finally talks her into it, and Beth is unsurprised when she finds out she's the only candidate, since it's well-known that the PTA is a hotbed of dissension.
But at her first meeting, the unpleasant (and generally unpopular) principal of the school insists on pushing through a privately funded addition to the school without taking a vote, even she is taken aback. Beth is even more shocked when Principal Agnes Mephisto is found at home a few days later with her head bashed in.
After an emergency meeting of the PTA, Beth is elected to contact Agnes' next-of-kin, her sister Gloria. Gloria asks Beth to check Agnes' house, suddenly Beth finds herself wanting to find out why Agnes was so disliked and what prompted someone to kill her so violently.
As a single mother trying to manage with two children under 12 who is also trying to keep a small business afloat, Beth is an eminently believable character, as are the descriptions of the extremely insular nature of a small suburban town.
This is an absorbing, well-written story. The cover indicates that this is the first in a series, though there is no indication of when further books might appear. Out of the plethora of new mysteries that are released each season, this one certainly deserves to continue.
But at her first meeting, the unpleasant (and generally unpopular) principal of the school insists on pushing through a privately funded addition to the school without taking a vote, even she is taken aback. Beth is even more shocked when Principal Agnes Mephisto is found at home a few days later with her head bashed in.
After an emergency meeting of the PTA, Beth is elected to contact Agnes' next-of-kin, her sister Gloria. Gloria asks Beth to check Agnes' house, suddenly Beth finds herself wanting to find out why Agnes was so disliked and what prompted someone to kill her so violently.
As a single mother trying to manage with two children under 12 who is also trying to keep a small business afloat, Beth is an eminently believable character, as are the descriptions of the extremely insular nature of a small suburban town.
This is an absorbing, well-written story. The cover indicates that this is the first in a series, though there is no indication of when further books might appear. Out of the plethora of new mysteries that are released each season, this one certainly deserves to continue.
January 3, 2012
I loved 'Murder at the PTA' by Laura Alden. It is a great start for a new cozy series. I got into the story immediately, maybe because I know people who are very much like the main characters. This time the relationships starred more than the mystery.
Beth Kennedy is a recently divorced, overweight mother of two young children and owner of a children's book store. She lives in a typical small town, Rynwood, Wisconsin where gossip spreads quicker than you can tap a computer key.
Beth's best friend is Marina who drops scrunchies as easily as I do. She runs a daycare center for young children and strongly believes that children should get plenty of fresh air. She snares Beth into being the local school secretary. She thought that Beth needed to get out more. On her own, she writes a blog about Rynwood, enriching the local gossip and wants to remain anonymous.
Evan Garrett is Beth's romantic interest but she may not be aware of that until later in the series.
When the principle of Tarver elementary is found dead, a multitude of secrets are gradually revealed about woman who didn't seem to have any friends. There must be many people you meet in life and tuck away into a cubby hole and you do not really know them. I loved the uncovering and revealing of the real principal of the school. It makes you wonder about people.
This book is loaded with a lot of humor and wit, a mysterious principal, a murder mystery, some romance and female friendships. I highly recommend it to cozy mystery readers for those reasons.
Beth Kennedy is a recently divorced, overweight mother of two young children and owner of a children's book store. She lives in a typical small town, Rynwood, Wisconsin where gossip spreads quicker than you can tap a computer key.
Beth's best friend is Marina who drops scrunchies as easily as I do. She runs a daycare center for young children and strongly believes that children should get plenty of fresh air. She snares Beth into being the local school secretary. She thought that Beth needed to get out more. On her own, she writes a blog about Rynwood, enriching the local gossip and wants to remain anonymous.
Evan Garrett is Beth's romantic interest but she may not be aware of that until later in the series.
When the principle of Tarver elementary is found dead, a multitude of secrets are gradually revealed about woman who didn't seem to have any friends. There must be many people you meet in life and tuck away into a cubby hole and you do not really know them. I loved the uncovering and revealing of the real principal of the school. It makes you wonder about people.
This book is loaded with a lot of humor and wit, a mysterious principal, a murder mystery, some romance and female friendships. I highly recommend it to cozy mystery readers for those reasons.
August 9, 2015
I randomly picked this one up at the used book store, looking for another cozy series to read. I liked it pretty well. I enjoyed the frequent mentions to popular YA and juvenile fiction. I liked the main character, but I didn't love her. The mystery was interesting, but not one you'd really figure out on your own. In fact, I drew an entirely different conclusion near the end with the major revelation of the principal was made. I'd definitely read more. Are there more?
September 17, 2018
I really wanted to like this book, but for the most part, sadly, I didn't. I was not overly impressed with the main character, Beth. Again, wanted to like her, but didn't. Was not too fond of her best friend either. While parts of the story were very interesting, the actual murder plot almost felt like a secondary story. A lot of this book felt like it was about Beth's life. And sadly when it came right down to the murder, I was pretty disappointed with the resolution.
September 29, 2015
Enjoyable read, pleasant protagonist, but the mystery was a bit mundane, not many twists or surprises.
July 8, 2019
It's a cute short murder mystery. However, there is more to the story and the protagonist that meets the eye. She has a deep character arch that makes her more relatable, enjoyable, and different than a regular, hardcore detective. For instance, she is a recently divorced mother who is dealing with her ex-husband who enjoys criticizing her parenting. She is attempting to rebuild her life with her two young kids, who aren't always open to her advances. Every parent can relate with her, rather or not they have gone through a divorce herself. Needless-to-say, this story can appeal to a variety of readers.
It's easy to understand why this victim kept the secrets she did. The way that Beth uncovers her secrets and past teaches that there is more to people than meets the eye. Other morals include that you should strive to achieve your goals, and that it is never too late for a fresh-start in life. The climax does not go on exceedingly, yet it contains a sufficient amount of suspense. There are also a few page breaks that help pace the longer chapters. I appreciated the fact that we got introduced to each persons' mindset and personality before the murder occurred. It is a quick read.
It's easy to understand why this victim kept the secrets she did. The way that Beth uncovers her secrets and past teaches that there is more to people than meets the eye. Other morals include that you should strive to achieve your goals, and that it is never too late for a fresh-start in life. The climax does not go on exceedingly, yet it contains a sufficient amount of suspense. There are also a few page breaks that help pace the longer chapters. I appreciated the fact that we got introduced to each persons' mindset and personality before the murder occurred. It is a quick read.
June 26, 2019
Not good. It took me forever to finish it because I found myself not really caring what happened. I don't mind cozy mysteries being far-fetched, but this one was ridiculous. And the outright errors were annoying. Within the span of two pages, during an event that was happening over about 30 minutes, she went from saying it was late October to "after Halloween." What? That makes no sense. It's also set in Wisconsin, but she talks about politicians in Washington D.C. and St. Paul making decisions that affect her ... but the capitol of city of Wisconsin is Madison. St. Paul is the capitol of Minnesota. Things like that don't make the story implausible, but they are very annoying. Also, I didn't find any of the characters likeable. I've never read a cozy mystery where the protagonist actually hopes for another murder at the end! I won't be seeking out more by this author.
April 20, 2021
I initially picked up this book because the main character's name is the same as mine. I thought it would be another ho-hum Cozy but figured, why not? It actually exceeded my expectations. The women were strong, able to take care of themselves, and did not rely on men to save them. The kids were normal, not annoyingly cute or distractingly rude. The murder seemed plausible, and the methods Beth used to discover who did it were normal and not presupposing super human abilities. There was good interaction with people on the periphery of the story too- not just suspects. I appreciated the bookish references as well. I had fun reading this- not at all the cookie cutter mystery. recommended.
September 4, 2023
Oh wow was this one lame. Our cozy super sleuth actually went to the cops and suggested that one of the motives for the victims murder might be because... she was a secret Republican. And one of the suspects was put on the list because...he was a hunter.
I know authors are liberal...but this is just ridiculous.
Also if you're going to bother making a point about politics in your book perhaps you should understand that the politicians from St Paul (Minnesota) don't have any say over what happens in Rynwood (Wisconsin.)
The motive/murderer was ridiculous and completely out of nowhere, characters annoying and unlikeable, (for God's sake Beth GROW A SPINE!!!) dialogue juvenile, and the budding romance creepy.
Removed the rest of the series from my want to read list. Just ugh.
I know authors are liberal...but this is just ridiculous.
Also if you're going to bother making a point about politics in your book perhaps you should understand that the politicians from St Paul (Minnesota) don't have any say over what happens in Rynwood (Wisconsin.)
The motive/murderer was ridiculous and completely out of nowhere, characters annoying and unlikeable, (for God's sake Beth GROW A SPINE!!!) dialogue juvenile, and the budding romance creepy.
Removed the rest of the series from my want to read list. Just ugh.
October 3, 2022
I would have liked this story a lot more except that I HATED the best friend. Like, HATED. The more she showed up, the less patience I had for this book (which I was enjoying just fine until the awful best friend drew more and more page time). Also, love interest = creepo. Generally, though, I liked the protagonist even if she was a little too nice, and I liked the writing style. But aaaaugh, that best friend.
April 22, 2020
This book was my first official cozy mystery read. It was very quaint and there were some funny parts in the story. I found the mystery part to be a bit scattered and random, and there were a few loose threads left hanging that should have been tidied up. Overall, I didn't find it to be much of a page turner until the end of the story when the action started to pick up.
July 10, 2018
Makes me want more, even as I read now.
Waiting to see more of Spot.
Waiting to see where Beth and her best friend go next.
Waiting for her bookstore to make a little money.
Laura Alden has crafted a tidy beginning. Now I need more.
Waiting to see more of Spot.
Waiting to see where Beth and her best friend go next.
Waiting for her bookstore to make a little money.
Laura Alden has crafted a tidy beginning. Now I need more.
September 15, 2019
This was a fun quick mystery to read. I loved the characters and although several aspects of the story were easy to guess, it was a nice way to spend a lazy weekend. This is not great literature but a nice cozy mystery.
November 1, 2022
It took me a while to click with this one. I felt it wasn't bad, but that it just didn't have the charm of the author's Bookmobile Cat series. Still, it was her first adult novel, so I may read another in the series another time.
July 14, 2025
Cute quick mystery read. Thought I knew the murderer but turns out I had no idea. I think some of the clues could have been fleshed out and presented better in order to give the reader better idea of the suspects. overall a fun read. Especially since I was PTA Secretary....
March 12, 2017
A new introduction to a developing Cozy series. It was likable. I enjoyed the nods to YA fiction but the main character was okay at best. I guess since I read so many books, in order for a book to 'wow' me I need to absolutely love the main character(s).
I love how Beth Kennedy (the main character) owns a children's bookstore. It's a 'homey' profession that really feels small town and cozy. Aside from that being a redeeming 'quality', she is a total pushover. At times I found myself screaming at the pages trying to get her to say no to something. Agnes Mephisto is the disliked principal at Tarver Elementary who also comes up murdered. Beth's best friend Marina pushes her to join the PTA and because of this, Beth is left with solving the murder. Lots of chaos and adventure ensue, which makes for a likable read.
It's light hearted with small town appeal. Beth isn't the greatest protagonist but she isn't the worst either. She's intelligent enough so this book wasn't a complete bore to get through. Marina is your comic relief and while it's not always NEEDED, it is nice to have and adds to the book's overall charm.
I found the 'love interest' bits entertaining and charming between Beth and Evan, her friend from kindergarten.
Not one I would spend a lot on, but one that's worth a used bookstore pick up. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon read!
May 11, 2017
It's clumsily and cheesily written, but I LOVE it! Couldn't put it down. A grocery store novel if I've ever seen one, but absolutely addictive!
September 18, 2017
I hated this damn book - had to read it in one of my book clubs - huge waste of time and money - weak story, poor writing - WIMPY, WIMPY
I have read some cozy's i liked very well, but this one is not one of them. BLEAH!!!!!
HATE BOOKS ABOUT LITTLE KIDS.....HATE LITTLE KIDS!!!!!
I have read some cozy's i liked very well, but this one is not one of them. BLEAH!!!!!
HATE BOOKS ABOUT LITTLE KIDS.....HATE LITTLE KIDS!!!!!
November 30, 2017
A really fun mystery with neat characters. Any mother can totally relate to this one.
March 12, 2019
Very enjoyable
July 27, 2019
Lesson learned.....never volunteer or let a friend volunteer you. You never know, it could result in being embroiled in solving a murder!
April 28, 2020
A pretty mediocre cozy mystery. I liked the main character but her friend was very annoying, in my opinion.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews