Friday, October 28, 2016

DEADER HOMES AND GARDENS by Joan Hess [book recommendation]

Book obtained from: Library audio book [2012]

Description: This is #18 in the Claire Malloy mystery series [I've read this one and one other].  In this book, Claire has recently married and is searching for a new home.  She finds the perfect house, which of course is implicated in a murder.

Plot:  Claire falls in love with “the perfect house,” but while the real estate agent is showing it to her, the agent disappears.  Claire goes in search of the owner, and discovers the house is the subject of a family feud.  If she wants to buy the house, she'll have to solve the feud.

Characterization:  The characters are well-rounded and have individual personalities.  Claire and her daughter Caron are many times whiny, which is understandable for Caron since she's 17.  Not so much for Claire.

Setting:  Arkansas.  Nicely described, I was able to picture every scene.

Other:  The audio book was narrated by Rachael Warren and she did a nice job.

Overall:  I think this book went on a little too long.  Cutting 2-3 chapters would have been an improvement.  I did figure out whodunnit about half-way thru the book, and it did seem to drag thereafter.

Grade: B-

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