Dying to Read

Review by Nancy

Clair’s career has not been who one would call successful. She’s been a gardener (a few days), an elf at the Mall (a few weeks) worked as a teacher (hated giving lessons!) and she’s nearly thirty! So, when her Uncle Joe takes pity on her and hires her as an assistant PI she’s a little nervous. That nervousness turns into full terror when she tries to find the young lady involved in her first (and only!) case.


Clair knows Willow Bishop is living with an elderly lady as cook and companion. She has the address and off she goes, hopes high. They fall a bit when she finds the entire Whodunit Book Club clustering at the front door of Amelia Peabody’s home. Amelia isn’t answering the door and, when they do get in it’s obvious why – she’s dead at the bottom of the back stairs. The cook, Willow is nowhere to be found and suspicions rest on her. Although a total “witch” at times, Amelia is rich – and Willow’s reputation is a bit tarnished, shall we say?

Clair dives into who killed Amelia. Each and every lady in the Book Club has motive, Willow doesn’t seem to, there’s a “sorta” fiancé who’s not a nice guy…who to follow? On top of this, Clair goes looking for Willow at her old places of employment and meets Beverly, a wheelchair bound matron who seems to be missing her wedding ring. Beverly’s handyman Mitch is luscious and ‘way too interested in Clair to pay much attention to crimes.

This book was so enjoyable! Funny, a bit romantic, good guys, bad guys, badder guys and Octavia – the totally white, deaf cat of Amelia’s who knows nothing but contributes everything to Clair’s peace of mind. There are great characters- good plots, no cursing and no real bloodshed – if you don’t count the body at the end of the stairs. A good read for summer or any other time.


“Available August 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”