Death in the Choir

Maybe the best compliment I can give to "Death in the Choir," like some other reviewers, is that the characters are believable. Francesca won me over from the start, with her theories of cat psychology and her feelings about leaf blowers, not to mention the all-too-familiar chorus of voices counseling her every step, but she's not the only one: there was not a single character--waitress, Priest, or next-door neighbor--without a certain depth and voice of their own. I did find myself wondering what little secrets the folks around me have to hide, but I found, too, some sympathy for the secret struggles that only they may know. There are some real human moments here, and some thrills and laughs along the way. A great story to spend an evening or two with. Probably the last mystery story I read featured my childhood hero, Encyclopedia Brown, but if there are more to come like this one, they'll be high on my list.

What a nice little mystery. I wasn't sure it would be a surprise to me but as I read on it definitely was!! I was very engrossed in it all the way through and wished it was even longer. I will enjoy reading more of this authors work..

This is a little gem of a book (I only say "little" because these days a lot of mysteries sprawl on for far too many pages: this is just the right length). It arrived about 11:00 a.m. and I had to finish it the same day (a rare occurrence for me now), begrudging every minute "lost" to real life things like having to buy food... I won't discuss the plot, as the "blurb" says everything you need to know without giving the game away, but what impressed me most was the well-rounded characters (even the pets!). I've never been in a choir (or other church group), but the interactions and personalities ring true of societies of "almost-friends" that I have belonged to and I'm sure most readers will have "I know someone just like that" moments. The best way I can think of to recommend this is to say that it reminded me of Patricia Cornwell's famous Kay Scarpetta books (though Lorraine has got off to a better start as far as different characters each having a distinctive "voice") and Arturo Perez-Reverte's "The Flanders Panel", allowing for the differences in setting etc. The best news I've had since finishing it is that there is another book in the pipeline, which I can hardly wait for. So: buy it and read it now!

Another good book from Tumblar House... Ms. Murray's characters are 'real' enough to be believable. So much so that some of them you can't stand, some you'll roll your eyes over (like your Great Uncle Sam dancing his version of hip-hop), some you just like. Francesca, the main character in this story, is a youngish widow of two years who has decided to try the dating scene by joining the Church Choir. She is warm and real and lonely and funny and has thoughts that she might feel like confessing to her Priest. The two Priests in this story are also 'real.' The author doesn't hold them in contempt, nor does she raise them up as perfect, non-sinners. Ususally in an easy-read mystery book, I can figure out who 'done' it. Not this one. I caught on only a little before she revealed. I read the book in a few hours.

Warning! This is a book you won't be able to put down before you finished reading it. It is well written and suspenseful. And another warning: As a parishioner of the author's church I can assure you that none of the characters in the book resemble our clergy or our parishioners. So, if you hope to find some juicy tidbits about them, forget it! It is good reading and better than days of receational shopping.