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kharris523's review against another edition
3.0
Melanie and her grandmother Liza bought and are renovating a large house into a bed and breakfast. While stripping wallpaper they come across a skeleton in the wall. Turns out it is former owners wife. Now the question is who killed her and how will this murder affect their budding B & B?
This is the first book in this series. I liked the book. The story was interesting, but a bit predictable. I had figured out the murderer pretty early. I love the interaction of the smaller town people. The characters were interesting. I'm going to try a couple more in this series and see what happens. There's a subplot in the book that I'm curious to see how it plays out.
This is the first book in this series. I liked the book. The story was interesting, but a bit predictable. I had figured out the murderer pretty early. I love the interaction of the smaller town people. The characters were interesting. I'm going to try a couple more in this series and see what happens. There's a subplot in the book that I'm curious to see how it plays out.
ihateprozac's review against another edition
4.0
Dead and Breakfast follows a grandmother and granddaughter duo who are renovating an Oregon B&B when they find a skeleton bricked up inside the walls. Frustrated by the lack of progress made by the police, they take it upon themselves to figure out what happened, but things are complicated when a second murder hits their small town.
On the surface this was fun and cute, but it had enough murder and paranormal to freak me out at the noises in my motel room. Yes, I made the terrible decision to read a cozy mystery while staying alone at a rural motel that makes weird noises, and yes I did regret it.
Mel and Liza were a bit cartoony and OTT which grated on my nerves at times. They're both birdbrained and Liza in particular reads like a caricature of an old woman which was exacerbated by the audiobook narration. I tried to take it with a grain of salt and it's possible I would have found them less annoying had I read this book physically. (Though I still question how these two daft people think they're organised enough to keep any business afloat?)
It was very cute and quaint though and was a lovely audiobook read while staying out in the country! I fell in love with the town and there was enough paranormal and murder content to justify reading more from Kate Kingsbury, even if I do find the two leads a tad annoying.
On the surface this was fun and cute, but it had enough murder and paranormal to freak me out at the noises in my motel room. Yes, I made the terrible decision to read a cozy mystery while staying alone at a rural motel that makes weird noises, and yes I did regret it.
Mel and Liza were a bit cartoony and OTT which grated on my nerves at times. They're both birdbrained and Liza in particular reads like a caricature of an old woman which was exacerbated by the audiobook narration. I tried to take it with a grain of salt and it's possible I would have found them less annoying had I read this book physically. (Though I still question how these two daft people think they're organised enough to keep any business afloat?)
It was very cute and quaint though and was a lovely audiobook read while staying out in the country! I fell in love with the town and there was enough paranormal and murder content to justify reading more from Kate Kingsbury, even if I do find the two leads a tad annoying.
adavis4461's review against another edition
3.0
I really wish I could give this 3 1/2 stars! The writing is great. It's an enjoyable and easy read. And the characters are thoroughly likeable, and I want more. But, the mystery is thin and the clues are all obvious before they should be. I love Kate Kingsbury's other series, and know I will like this series, but this first book is not her best effort. I look forward to the next one, though!
ashlynellen's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
prested's review against another edition
3.0
Melanie West is getting her life back together after a messy divorce. She has opened up a Bed and Breakfast with her grandmother and they're getting ready to open their doors when they discover a body in their walls.
Suddenly their grand opening stalls to a halt as they have to wait for the cops to finish investigating. Once they're informed that their case is on the backburner, resulting in their B & B's doors remaining closed, they decide to investigate the murder themselves.
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This was such a cozy mystery. The characterization of Melanie and Liza were really well-done but the actually plot was a little meh? Not a lot happened and the pacing was a little off? The end happened and it wasn't anything shocking, you know?
Kingsbury used a lot of red herrings but that's to be expected in a mystery book.
It's not bad but it's nothing new.
Suddenly their grand opening stalls to a halt as they have to wait for the cops to finish investigating. Once they're informed that their case is on the backburner, resulting in their B & B's doors remaining closed, they decide to investigate the murder themselves.
-------------------------------------------------
This was such a cozy mystery. The characterization of Melanie and Liza were really well-done but the actually plot was a little meh? Not a lot happened and the pacing was a little off? The end happened and it wasn't anything shocking, you know?
Kingsbury used a lot of red herrings but that's to be expected in a mystery book.
It's not bad but it's nothing new.
minkydo's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 overall
Narrator annoyed me in the beginning, but grew on me around the middle of the book. I started listening, but stopped for over a month when it didn't grab me. I had no trouble finishing it this time around. As for the characters, I like the Grandmother the best, but I think the reporter fella could become interesting. The story wasn't super intriguing. I was more invested in the actual business than murder mystery.
Starting the second book in the series tonight.
Narrator annoyed me in the beginning, but grew on me around the middle of the book. I started listening, but stopped for over a month when it didn't grab me. I had no trouble finishing it this time around. As for the characters, I like the Grandmother the best, but I think the reporter fella could become interesting. The story wasn't super intriguing. I was more invested in the actual business than murder mystery.
Starting the second book in the series tonight.
librarianinperiwinkle's review against another edition
3.0
A cute cozy mystery series featuring a 30-something divorced woman and her grandmother trying to open a B&B on the Oregon Coast. While removing ghastly wallpaper from a bedroom, they discover a hidden closet with a skeleton inside. When the police must focus on an urgent case elsewhere, the women take the investigation into their own hands to move it along so they can resume renovating and be ready for their Grand Opening. As you might expect, this isn't the wisest or safest decision, but they do figure out who the culprit is.
For reader's advisors: story and character doorways, with a setting doorway for anyone familiar with the northern Oregon coast. No sex or graphic violence. I can't recall any swearing, but there might have been something mild somewhere.
For reader's advisors: story and character doorways, with a setting doorway for anyone familiar with the northern Oregon coast. No sex or graphic violence. I can't recall any swearing, but there might have been something mild somewhere.
ameserole's review against another edition
4.0
You know.. I feel like I don't read enough cozy mystery books and I should probably do more of that in the new year. There's just something about them that makes it super easy to get connected or sucked into. Or maybe I've been watching way too many Hallmark Christmas movies and these are somehow following the same likeable pattern.
Other than that, it kind of felt like I got a lot of information in this one instead of more mystery. I guess that's okay because I would rather have the info dump in the first book than the 3rd or 4th book - ya know? Not sure if that makes sense but somehow to my brain it does. I might need more coffee tomorrow since I barely got through my own cup today.
Hoping the next book has a fun mystery that I can easily get sucked into. Also, I hope it's on audible lol.
Other than that, it kind of felt like I got a lot of information in this one instead of more mystery. I guess that's okay because I would rather have the info dump in the first book than the 3rd or 4th book - ya know? Not sure if that makes sense but somehow to my brain it does. I might need more coffee tomorrow since I barely got through my own cup today.
Hoping the next book has a fun mystery that I can easily get sucked into. Also, I hope it's on audible lol.