Tis The Season to Be Murdered Chapters 1-7

[Snoops]

Our story takes place just after Christmas. Amateur sleuth Susan Henshaw is engaged in a round of post-Christmas activities having hired the famed catering firm of The Holly and Ms. Ivy to cater her annual New Year's Eve party. But to Susan's shock, a few days before the party the body of "Z", one of the two partners in the catering firm, is discovered packed in among balloons in the company van. Prime suspect is Gwen Ivy, Z's partner, although she doesn't seem to have a strong motive and Susan believes she is innocent.  Susan is warned off the investigation by the local homicide detective due to her "emotional involvement" with Z (this is something I have apparently missed) yet her best friend , a former police officer is working on the case with the detective and Susan is not to be stopped.

[MC - Tina]

I should be caught up by tomorrow, Friday. 

The coffee scene reminds me of a demo I did on the Kerug brewers a year ago at Christmas.  lol

[Mark Pghfan]

I'll be ready for section 2 by next Monday.

[MC - Tina]

Monday's good with me, PI's.  Meantime, investigating a fire and possible catered event.

Did they ever give a clue as to how they selected the dog's name?  Maybe in a previous installment?

[Snoops]

Nothing in this particular one but as you say perhaps an earlier book.

Gotta love the name though!

[MC - Tina]

Z is missing and given the assault, I'd say Gwen rises to top of my suspect list.  We'll see what happens.

[Mark Pghfan]

Z is dead!  He has been since nearly the beginning!  Gwen is definitely a suspect, though.

[MC - Tina]

Pghfan, I'm afraid I'm not as far along as you two are for the page I'm on has him just missing.

An aside:  the story is okay but this book is icky.  I'm having a hard time enjoying the read for the condition of the book.  Sorry, it's just that I like clean and usually buy my reading material new.  I'm a hand washer.  It's my thing and I like it.  lol

Onward.

 

[Mark Pghfan]

My book is in terrible condition as well. I have to hold it together to read it!

Also, the action is very slow. I'm up to chapter 12 now and (Spoiler alert) there is finally another death in chapter 11.

[MC - Tina]

Maybe our future picks should be those that are available in new or e-book format.  I know that may sound silly but as I buy my books, I pref. clean copies or those that aren't priced sky-high because they're out of print.  Even on the books and authors I love.  I've a few old copies I've purchased sitting on the shelf, half read.  lol

The book may be well written but it is heavy on deets and low on clues, mystery.  I became hooked on Rhys Bowen' Royal Spyness series ever since I read her 12 Clues/Christmas.  She writes a a good whodunit.  Mystery on almost every page.

Okay, I'm at the inn having lunch.  Backdrop is yummy.

[Snoops]

First of all I started a separate thread for the nect group of chapters earlier this week not having seen your comments here- that's what I meant when I said Crimespace can be difficult to navigate. Secondly, while I agree with you both about the condition of the book -mine is probably in slightly better condition than what both of yours sound like and it's still awful- IDk how we could have known how difficult it would be to procure copies. Perhaps in the future it might behoove us to check on availability before we make a selection. All due respect MC- re your comment on Bowen, I also enjoyed the book but don't want to get locked into a particular author/series right now.

[MC - Tina]

Just found Z.  Spurned lover or maybe a disgruntled employee or customer.  Any motives to add to the list?

Gotcha, Snoops.