cat_mom's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
laurarhds's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
jodyladuemcgrath's review against another edition
3.0
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review *
Krissy Hancock and her best friend Vicki own Death By Coffee, a cafe and bookstore in one. When Krissy gets invited to a swanky Halloween party at a eccentric mansion by handsome Will Foster, she isn't sure if she wants to go or not. She knows she won't fit in. She wavers on her answer, because Will is really nice and she hasn't had too much luck in the dating department, so she agrees to go.
Will is great, but she already feels out of place as soon as she walks in. Everyone is so rich and decked out to the nines. The mansion is also completely Halloween themed, year around. The owner built it that way because he loved the holiday and the horror genre so much, but sadly he recently had passed on. Keeping with tradition, his widow throws the party this year in his memory.
When Krissy's long-time crush, Officer Paul Dalton, walks in with his beautiful date, Krissy knows this party cannot get worse. But when a body is found, brutally strangled, Krissy is horrified and excited. Solving mysteries is a favorite pastime of hers, much to the chagrin of Paul. With no one else to turn to, and the storm of the year seclude get the mansion from backup, Paul asks Krissy to help him investigate. Krissy's Halloween just got a whole lot better!
This is the third book in the Bookstore Cafe Mystery series, but it is the first one I have read. I really liked the mystery a lot. It reminded me of an old English mystery in a secluded manor house, even though there were over 100 people there. The mystery had some twists, but when a glaring clue is discovered, the reader can't help but wonder how Krissy can't figure it out. It becomes very obvious who the culprit is. I also really enjoyed the setting. The house was a permanent haunted mansion. I wish the author would have put more effort into incorporating that fact into the story. The eccentricities of the mansion were just a mentioned upon backdrop though. I felt like a giant opportunity was lost there.
The main character Krissy is very annoying. One minute she is full of self-doubt and needs to be coddled, then the next she is sassy and thinking she is Rambo. Someone give this girl some Lithium. She is also almost TSTL. She has no training at all, but she runs headfirst into dangerous situations, even when she knows she should get Paul. She thinks she is a great consultant, but really she is a Police lawsuit just waiting to happen. She is also an adult and business owner, but has a horrible time saying "slept with" or "had sex with" out loud. What? She isn't that young, but she is that immature. She was not very likable at all.
I am not sure if I would read other books in this series or not. It would depend on my mood. I would recommend it to cozy fans though, because it did keep my interest and they might be more inclined to like Krissy's Bipolar personality.
Krissy Hancock and her best friend Vicki own Death By Coffee, a cafe and bookstore in one. When Krissy gets invited to a swanky Halloween party at a eccentric mansion by handsome Will Foster, she isn't sure if she wants to go or not. She knows she won't fit in. She wavers on her answer, because Will is really nice and she hasn't had too much luck in the dating department, so she agrees to go.
Will is great, but she already feels out of place as soon as she walks in. Everyone is so rich and decked out to the nines. The mansion is also completely Halloween themed, year around. The owner built it that way because he loved the holiday and the horror genre so much, but sadly he recently had passed on. Keeping with tradition, his widow throws the party this year in his memory.
When Krissy's long-time crush, Officer Paul Dalton, walks in with his beautiful date, Krissy knows this party cannot get worse. But when a body is found, brutally strangled, Krissy is horrified and excited. Solving mysteries is a favorite pastime of hers, much to the chagrin of Paul. With no one else to turn to, and the storm of the year seclude get the mansion from backup, Paul asks Krissy to help him investigate. Krissy's Halloween just got a whole lot better!
This is the third book in the Bookstore Cafe Mystery series, but it is the first one I have read. I really liked the mystery a lot. It reminded me of an old English mystery in a secluded manor house, even though there were over 100 people there. The mystery had some twists, but when a glaring clue is discovered, the reader can't help but wonder how Krissy can't figure it out. It becomes very obvious who the culprit is. I also really enjoyed the setting. The house was a permanent haunted mansion. I wish the author would have put more effort into incorporating that fact into the story. The eccentricities of the mansion were just a mentioned upon backdrop though. I felt like a giant opportunity was lost there.
The main character Krissy is very annoying. One minute she is full of self-doubt and needs to be coddled, then the next she is sassy and thinking she is Rambo. Someone give this girl some Lithium. She is also almost TSTL. She has no training at all, but she runs headfirst into dangerous situations, even when she knows she should get Paul. She thinks she is a great consultant, but really she is a Police lawsuit just waiting to happen. She is also an adult and business owner, but has a horrible time saying "slept with" or "had sex with" out loud. What? She isn't that young, but she is that immature. She was not very likable at all.
I am not sure if I would read other books in this series or not. It would depend on my mood. I would recommend it to cozy fans though, because it did keep my interest and they might be more inclined to like Krissy's Bipolar personality.
mcquaden's review against another edition
2.0
The main character annoyed me, she has no actual detective training but is always throwing herself into dangerous situations just because she hates being left out of the action. Like she wants to go out on her own (when she has no self defense training) to look for a trained killer. And she keeps things from the police just so that they won't exclude her from interviews, which impedes investigations just to curb her curiosity
Edit: ALSO HER LACK OF OF CONFIDENCE AND LEVEL OF SELF DEPRICATION DRIVE ME UP THE WALL. Plus she was uber judgemental of the other rich guests and Margaret's lifestyle
Edit: ALSO HER LACK OF OF CONFIDENCE AND LEVEL OF SELF DEPRICATION DRIVE ME UP THE WALL. Plus she was uber judgemental of the other rich guests and Margaret's lifestyle
asanford's review against another edition
2.0
Sad to say that I’m not going to continue with this series. Which is too bad, because the crime, the settings, the motives - all enticing and enjoyable. So why am I quitting the series? If I have to read another page of Krissy whining about what boy she likes, what she thinks of other people, going on about what was learned in an interview over and over again, or how much buchanan doesn’t like her - I’m going to poke my eyes out. I had such a hard time finishing this book. The only reason I finished was because I had to know whodunit. Oh and why bring in her ex boyfriend??
I wanted to like this book.
I wanted to like this book.
kthudson15's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
zoe813's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0