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cooperca's review
4.0
A fun (or as much fun murder can be) small town mystery.
Amy-Faye's brother has been arrested for murdering his business parter and Amy goes into PI mode to find the true killer....in between her job as owner of event planning company, Eventful!
Overall this is a fun, easy cozy murder mystery. The characters are charming, the story is interesting, and the writing is visually descriptive - all combined making one enjoy the read. When the killer (or is it killers???) is revealed the motivation and plausibility makes for a very satisfying ending.
Looking forward to reading more of Ms. DiSilverio's novels.
Amy-Faye's brother has been arrested for murdering his business parter and Amy goes into PI mode to find the true killer....in between her job as owner of event planning company, Eventful!
Overall this is a fun, easy cozy murder mystery. The characters are charming, the story is interesting, and the writing is visually descriptive - all combined making one enjoy the read. When the killer (or is it killers???) is revealed the motivation and plausibility makes for a very satisfying ending.
Looking forward to reading more of Ms. DiSilverio's novels.
bioniclib's review
4.0
Sometimes I find a cozy mystery just hits the spot.
A book like this focuses on the characters and how they live their lives; nothing fancy, nothing profound, just the daily grind.
Amy-Faye and her life remind me of Kinsey Milhone and hers. While A-Faye is an event planner and Kinsey a PI, that just means there's more focus on friends and storylines that have naught to do with the mystery of the book. The reminder wasn't one that went unacknowledged either. Ms. DiSilverio makes sure to toss out the names of many of the women authors with women protagonist as a way to pay tribute to those who've come before. And it's done in a way to flesh out A-Faye, her romantic entanglements, her forgetting to eat and the ensuing description of food, her town and its idiosyncrasies.
While it was a really good read, it was a solid example of a couple of things I don't care for. First, Lola was one of the Readaholics. And she was the only one whose skin color was mentioned. I've been reading plenty of books on and/or by People of Color and I'm more attuned to the troublesome White Straight default. She isn't a character that is painted in stereotypes, so that's something. But I felt I needed to call out the, hopefully innocuous, reinforcement of the default. The second part was the resolution to the mystery. It was unsatisfying and almost secondary. It wrapped up too easily and seemed to miss the balance between establishing a rich world and telling a good mystery.
Now for a bit of spoiler. Read only if you've read the book and want to know my thoughts on the ending.
A book like this focuses on the characters and how they live their lives; nothing fancy, nothing profound, just the daily grind.
Amy-Faye and her life remind me of Kinsey Milhone and hers. While A-Faye is an event planner and Kinsey a PI, that just means there's more focus on friends and storylines that have naught to do with the mystery of the book. The reminder wasn't one that went unacknowledged either. Ms. DiSilverio makes sure to toss out the names of many of the women authors with women protagonist as a way to pay tribute to those who've come before. And it's done in a way to flesh out A-Faye, her romantic entanglements, her forgetting to eat and the ensuing description of food, her town and its idiosyncrasies.
While it was a really good read, it was a solid example of a couple of things I don't care for. First, Lola was one of the Readaholics. And she was the only one whose skin color was mentioned. I've been reading plenty of books on and/or by People of Color and I'm more attuned to the troublesome White Straight default. She isn't a character that is painted in stereotypes, so that's something. But I felt I needed to call out the, hopefully innocuous, reinforcement of the default. The second part was the resolution to the mystery. It was unsatisfying and almost secondary. It wrapped up too easily and seemed to miss the balance between establishing a rich world and telling a good mystery.
Now for a bit of spoiler. Read only if you've read the book and want to know my thoughts on the ending.
Spoiler
Amy-Faye noticing the color of the cast on one kid matching the color of the cast on another kid, one whom she took to the Urgent Care herself and thus realizing it was Gordon's doctor sister and her husband who killed him didn't work for me. It might have been a little better had said sister not basically given herself up. Though, I will say having Amy-Faye stay in the parking lot the night of the murder and see the husband with the umbrella by his side in the middle of a downpour turn out to be so that he could hide the murder weapon, a tire iron, in it was a good gun-on-the-wall moment.drokka's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
bookhussy's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lynguy1's review
4.0
THE READAHOLICS AND THE POIROT PUZZLE by Laura DiSilverio is the second book in the Book Club Mystery series. It is a humorous cozy mystery that is well written and worked well as a standalone.
The plot takes place in and around Heaven, Colorado, a town that changed its name to try to attract more visitors to the community. The protagonist is Amy-Faye Johnson, an event coordinator. This includes all types of events ranging from weddings to birthday parties to community yard sales to the grand opening of her brother's pub. Unfortunately, a murder takes place during the pub's grand opening. With this synopsis, Amy-Faye pursues the murderer and enlists the help of her book club members.
This novel is filled with interesting characters and is an entertaining read. To me, the Poirot connection was weak and the culprit was not too hard to determine, but I have having so much fun in Heaven, Colorado that I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Additionally, the author brought in several themes that added to the heartfelt storyline besides murder including running small businesses, adoption, family dynamics and even a little romance.
While this is first book that I have read by Laura DiSilverio, I look forward to reading other books in this and her other mystery series. She has also written a young adult dystopian series and I have book one of it on my to-be-read list.
The plot takes place in and around Heaven, Colorado, a town that changed its name to try to attract more visitors to the community. The protagonist is Amy-Faye Johnson, an event coordinator. This includes all types of events ranging from weddings to birthday parties to community yard sales to the grand opening of her brother's pub. Unfortunately, a murder takes place during the pub's grand opening. With this synopsis, Amy-Faye pursues the murderer and enlists the help of her book club members.
This novel is filled with interesting characters and is an entertaining read. To me, the Poirot connection was weak and the culprit was not too hard to determine, but I have having so much fun in Heaven, Colorado that I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Additionally, the author brought in several themes that added to the heartfelt storyline besides murder including running small businesses, adoption, family dynamics and even a little romance.
While this is first book that I have read by Laura DiSilverio, I look forward to reading other books in this and her other mystery series. She has also written a young adult dystopian series and I have book one of it on my to-be-read list.
holly_keimig's review
4.0
An interesting retelling of the Mystery On the Orient Express in cozy form. Amy-Faye's brother and his new pub are in trouble! Really enjoying this series. Excited to check out the next book.
melmo2610's review
5.0
A very enjoyable read! I loved the mystery of this one, it was very entertaining and kept me guessing. I really love the characters in this series and my favorite element is all the bookish tie in and the bookish theme overall. A fantastic cozy series in my opinion.
kaczorlantz's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
paperbackstash's review
3.0
3.5 rating
Not quite as good as the first but still fun. DiSilverio has an easy writing style that's filled with natural humor and spark. It's not sanitized as some cozies are and doesn't feel awkward. Having the book club theme suits it - there were clues that tied in with their book of the month, Murder on the Orient Express. It spoils the end of the book if you haven't read that Agatha classic, so be warned.
I love how they discuss the book, watch the movie afterwards, and how the author tosses in kudos to other authors and fictional detectives. One character thinks Dorothy Sayers is dry, as an example, and one person said Agatha Christie writes well but has distant emotion to where characters are not relate-able. Kinsey Milhorn is referenced a lot by the main character Amy-Faye, and even some Stephanie Plum humor is thrown in for good measure.
The mystery wasn't quite possible to full guess, some of it kind of comes together in the end. This time Amy has to clear her brother's name when his angry, loser partner is found murdered opening night. There are plenty of suspects since the man was generally loathed, but unfortunately most of the signs point toward brother dearest.
I see a potential love triangle brewing but let's hold our breath and hope not. The small town setting gives an everyone-knows-everyone charm which complements this story type. While it's best to start with the first book in the series, it's fine to be read as a standalone.
Not quite as good as the first but still fun. DiSilverio has an easy writing style that's filled with natural humor and spark. It's not sanitized as some cozies are and doesn't feel awkward. Having the book club theme suits it - there were clues that tied in with their book of the month, Murder on the Orient Express. It spoils the end of the book if you haven't read that Agatha classic, so be warned.
I love how they discuss the book, watch the movie afterwards, and how the author tosses in kudos to other authors and fictional detectives. One character thinks Dorothy Sayers is dry, as an example, and one person said Agatha Christie writes well but has distant emotion to where characters are not relate-able. Kinsey Milhorn is referenced a lot by the main character Amy-Faye, and even some Stephanie Plum humor is thrown in for good measure.
The mystery wasn't quite possible to full guess, some of it kind of comes together in the end. This time Amy has to clear her brother's name when his angry, loser partner is found murdered opening night. There are plenty of suspects since the man was generally loathed, but unfortunately most of the signs point toward brother dearest.
I see a potential love triangle brewing but let's hold our breath and hope not. The small town setting gives an everyone-knows-everyone charm which complements this story type. While it's best to start with the first book in the series, it's fine to be read as a standalone.
carolsnotebook's review
4.0
The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle is right up my aisle. Amy-Faye is an event planner, but more importantly, she’s a member of a mystery book club. This month they’re reading Murder on the Orient Express, one of my favorites, so of course when a murder occurs, more than one of the readaholics is thinking it might be a conspiracy.
This is the first in the series I’ve read but I had no trouble jumping right into the characters and their lives. Amy-Faye has organized the grand opening of her brother’s new brewery, but his business partner is found dead in the dumpster in the middle of the party—probably not good for business, definitely not good for her brother who gets arrested. Of course, Amy-Faye and the gang have to clear her brother’s name and keep the brewery running.
Amy-Faye and her friends are fun to hang out with. They each have their own careers and quirks, they’re very different from each other but fit together well. Amy-Faye’s almost boyfriend is a cop of course, (why do so many of these amateur sleuths date police?), but they actually manage to be reasonable about the whole he had to arrest her brother thing. I’m going to ignore the ex-boyfriend who’s back in town—I’m not a fan of love triangles and would hate to see one here.
The mystery is fine. I liked how it all tied together. And our sleuth did not put herself in danger. Well, maybe she did, but it worked out without her needing saved, which is always nice.
This was a fun cozy mystery and I just enjoy that it loves mystery novels as much as I do.
This is the first in the series I’ve read but I had no trouble jumping right into the characters and their lives. Amy-Faye has organized the grand opening of her brother’s new brewery, but his business partner is found dead in the dumpster in the middle of the party—probably not good for business, definitely not good for her brother who gets arrested. Of course, Amy-Faye and the gang have to clear her brother’s name and keep the brewery running.
Amy-Faye and her friends are fun to hang out with. They each have their own careers and quirks, they’re very different from each other but fit together well. Amy-Faye’s almost boyfriend is a cop of course, (why do so many of these amateur sleuths date police?), but they actually manage to be reasonable about the whole he had to arrest her brother thing. I’m going to ignore the ex-boyfriend who’s back in town—I’m not a fan of love triangles and would hate to see one here.
The mystery is fine. I liked how it all tied together. And our sleuth did not put herself in danger. Well, maybe she did, but it worked out without her needing saved, which is always nice.
This was a fun cozy mystery and I just enjoy that it loves mystery novels as much as I do.