Docketful of Poesy

Grace Hollister is in the States attempting to finalize things to move to England permanently. But along the way, she's gotten involved in a movie. At first it was supposed to be a documentary of the book based on her first adventure with Peter Fox, but it looks like it has as much fiction as fact to it. Grace is rattled when Peter shows up in LA after someone attempts to kill him in England. But a fatal accident only makes her fears worse. Surprisingly, the entire production moves with Grace back to the Lake District. But she just can't shake the feeling that something is very wrong. What is really happening? I must admit that the first bit of the book was a bit surreal to me. Grace being in LA and the book being written in first person threw me. But that didn't last for more than a chapter or two as I got caught up with some characters I really love. Unfortunately, the plot stalls near the middle. There was just too little happening for a while. But once it picked up again, it was a mad dash to the climax. The ending doesn't spell every plot point out for you, but if you think about it, everything that happens does make sense. It was so nice to see these characters again after being gone for so long. From the ending, I'm not sure if more books are planned or not. If this ending isn't happy ever after, I'll enjoy catching up with them again.

I was thrilled when the series was continued with a fourth book after hearing that it was going to be canceled. The mysteries are intriguing and well planned. Although there are certain quirks that I question (two years before they slept together!!) and I wonder if the police are going to continue to blame Peter for every single crime that occurs in Innisdale, over all the series is wonderful. It was great in this book to finally get some perspective on Peter's feelings. It was rather skillfully done too, especially since this book was written in first person. I can't wait for the next installment.

All the books in this series are absolutely excellent. The mysteries unfold in an exiciting and realistic way. My husband and I both loved them. The action and the personal relationship between Grace and Pete is dynamite. Top notch mystery spurred us into reading nonstop until the end. MORE!!!!!

I've adored Grace Hollister - and more specifically, the dashing Peter Fox - since I read the first Poetic Death mystery, "High Rhymes and Misdemeanors," way back in 2004 or so. When I heard the series had been discontinued, I was horribly disappointed, and when I got word that Perseverance Press had picked it up and there'd be a new installment, I started pestering the author for an early read. I didn't get one, but I'm happy to say that it was worth the wait. "Docketful of Poesy" is a great read, and a worthy follow-up to the other books in the series. The switch from third person to first person point of view was interesting, in that it allowed me to connect with Grace on a more personal level than in the other books. And this fourth installment is really all about Grace's feelings: about Peter, about her other love interest, Detective Brian Drummond, about her parents, about England... The book opens in California, for a sort of fish-out-of-water feeling. Grace is dealing with her family, and with Detective Drummond, while Peter is far, far away in England. It isn't until the action moves there, and all the players are together again on their home turf, that the book really starts to pick up speed. (Although I have to admit that the scene where Peter meets Grace's mom is pretty darned funny!) Most of the cast of characters from the earlier books are here, including my favorites, the dangerous Catriona, and biker-librarian Roy Blake, and the way the plot loops back to previous books, and to Peter's dangerous past, is great. The background information on poetess Letitia Landon is fascinating, and the plot twist at the end of the book is masterful, and opens up for some very interesting vistas of possibility for future books. A few things get settled at the end of this one, and some loose ends get tied up very neatly, but not so many that there isn't plenty of scope to do it all over again. And again. I'm waiting!

Byronic scholar Grace Hollister is excited with the cable film adaptation of her memoir Dangerous to Know. Invited to the set, she travels from Los Angeles to the movie location in the Lake District thinking this will be a fun English country holiday. However when the TV movie's screenwriter dies in a hit-and-run, the producer hires Grace as the script doctor. Upon arrival on location, Grace notices several questionable incidents, but initially assumes it is a coincidence until a poisoning occurs. When her lover reformed jewel thief turned antiques dealer Peter Fox informs her someone broke into his shop, she begins to investigate thinking there is a link to the shop's B & E and the film's misfortunate happenings though she cannot see what that is and even doubts her theory. As she researches her next forgotten literary star project, Grace makes inquiries into the film crew. The latest literary scholar amateur sleuth Grace Hollister (see SONNET OF THE SPHINX) is a terrific tale as the heroine holds together several intriguing subplots. Besides her research into a poet, she investigates the break-in into the antiques shop and the problems on the movie set. She also has some issues with Peter accentuated by a cop who wants her. DOCKETFUL OF POESY is a wonderful mystery as Grace uses her literary research skills to investigate HIGH RHYMES AND MISDEMEANORS. Harriet Klausner