A Grand Murder by Stacy Verdick Case - book review

A Grand Murder
Author:  Stacy Verdick Case

Genre:Adult Suspense, Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: Before The Fall Books

Publication Date: August 9,2011

Pages: 207 

Purchase:Amazon~Barnes&Noble~Powells 

Source:  a copy was provided by the author, which she kindly inscribed for me, and Partners in Crime Tours in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Synopsis:

A Grand Murder is the first book in the Catherine O'Brien mystery series.  When a prominent local businessman and friend of the chief of police is murdered on the front steps of his post Grand Avenue Hill home, Catherine O'Brien, a pithy, vertically challenged, St. Paul, Minnesota homicide detective with a monstrous coffee habit and her  partner Louise are given two days to find his killer.  They soon discover their victim had a list of people with motives to murder him, including his fashion designer ex-wife, his mistress' husband, and the chief of police.  The only evidence they have to go on is a missing cell phone, a stolen book, the victim's letter opener, and an ugly pair of Alpaca wool mittens. 

My Review:

It is not often that I come across a laugh-out-loud book that also provides that sense of mystery and drama that I crave, but author Stacy Verdick Case has filled all that criteria with A Grand Murder!  I absolutely loved this novel, hated to put it down, and especially hated for it to end!  

Catherine O'Brien is a cheeky police detective who, with her partner Louise, has a limit of two days to discover who murdered the chief of police's friend and subsequently the victim's business partner.  Two days to piece together a puzzle which typically lasts weeks, months, or sometimes, years.  As unrealistic a goal that is, Catherine and her police partner Louise tackle the case, sleeping little, consuming caffeine to stay awake, and find that the initial victim has an enormous list of potential suspects who wanted him dead.  

"You see I am a very busy woman, and I hate to be kept waiting.  I'm trying to figure out who killed Mr. Forster's business partner.  I'm sorry that the killer didn't give us advance warning so we could make an appointment...." [Catherine O'Reilly in response to the receptionist who explained they would have to wait a while to see Mr. Forster as they didn't have an appointment.]   "Mr. Forster is very busy this morning, and you didn't have an appointment.  I'm sure you can understand." [said the Este Lauder-esque secretary.] (page 17, A Grand Murder)

Catherine has a bit of a tendency to just say what pops in her mind, which can and does create problems for her but it makes for a very entertaining read.  On pages 106-113, as Catherine and Louise are about to interview/question a Mr. Philip Carter to ascertain possible motives, the most funny of scenarios takes place regarding Mr. Carter hiding behind the door of a conference room and subsequently getting accidentally slammed by the door as Louise walks in looking for him.  He falls to the floor, nose bloody and unconscious!  The dialogue that follows between the two detectives had me enjoying a rather good chuckle.  I was so amused I turned over the corner of the page so I might find it again to enjoy it once more. 

"Neither of us made a move toward him.

He didn't move.

Lousie pressed her hands into the small of her back.  'Why the hell was he hiding back there?'

'Maybe you should ask him,' I said.

Still neither of us moved.  We just stared at Philip Carter, unconscious at our feet.

'I am not taking any of the blame for this.  This one's all yours Louise.  I think you killed him.'

....[after calling his name and getting no response, Louise proceeded to shake him] with enough force to make his head flop around like a rag doll.

'I don't think you're supposed to jar a victim like that, Louise.  What if you broke his neck?'

..."He doesn't look good,' I plopped my ass into a soft conference chair and leaned over him to get a better look. 'At the very least, you broke his nose.' (page 106, A Grand Murder)

The above quote from the dialogue between Louise and Catherine is just a minuscule taste of the "back and forth" between these two detectives who actually have a great deal of respect for each other.  I love the banter between the two of them.  The entire novel is full of entertaining if satirical humorous interaction and situations.  Despite some errors in spelling, A Grand Murder is a well-written debut novel.

One might call A Grand Murder a cozy mystery as it certainly is an easy book to curl up with and read in one sitting.  If ever you want something light and highly entertaining in a mystery, I definitely recommend A Grand Murder!  I'm happy to inform you that it is but the first in what will be here-to-fore known as the "Catherine O'Brien Mysteries".  The next in the series to be released soon is Murder is a Family Affair, and Stacy is currently working on the third.

Warning to sensitive readers:  some language

Attention Philippa Gregory Fans!!!

Like Philippa Gregory on Facebook to read an extended excerpt from her new novel, The Lady of the Rivers.

http://www.facebook.com/PhilippaGregoryOfficialFanPage?sk=app_190322544333196

Christopher Moore is Coming to Edmonton April 25, 2012!!!

In Person: Christopher Moore

About this event:
Meet internationally bestselling author Christopher Moore as he signs his newest novel! Part mystery, part history (sort of), part love story, and wholly hilarious, Sacre Bleu takes on the Great French Masters in a quest to unravel the mystery behind the supposed "suicide" of Vincent van Gogh.

Event Guidelines:
• Line-up will be first-come, first-served.
• Must have a copy of Sacre Bleu to be in line. Proof of purchase required from any Indigo, Chapters, WBB or Coles location or indigo.ca.
• Candid photos – please have your camera ready. 
• Personalizing Sacre Bleu. Signature only for any other titles. 

Location:  Indigo South Edmonton

When:  Wednesday, April 25 @ 7pm

Follow @indigogreenroom on Twitter for up-to-the-minute event updates.

The Month of Cinder

Over at The Book Life, you will find The Month of Cinder.  An entire month about Marissa Meyer's young adult fiction novel, Cinder.  Cinder is now being published in various new countries including Spain (see the cover here), Italy (see the here) and, just announced on GoodReads today, rights have been sold to publishers in Hungary, Netherlands and Taiwan!!!  World wide domination!! 

Jump over to The Book Life for your chance to win a copy of the hardcover Cinder and a signed bookplate!!!

Charlotte's Web 60 Years Old This Year!

Harper Kids wrote the following to accompany the YouTube video:  "Sixty years ago, on October 15, 1952, E.B. White's Charlotte's Web was published. It's gone on to become one of the most beloved children's books of all time. To celebrate this milestone, the renowned Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo has written a heartfelt and poignant tribute to the book that is itself a beautiful translation of White's own view of the world—of the joy he took in the change of seasons, in farm life, in the miracles of life and death, and, in short, the glory of everything.

We are proud to include Kate DiCamillo's foreword in the 60th anniversary editions of this cherished classic."  (Anniversary edition available April 24th, 2012)



Share your love for Charlotte's Web at http://www.facebook.com/CharlottesWebByEBWhite

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OLkY9DTx9I&feature=youtu.be

Titanic 100th Anniversary WP Commemorative Series

 Titanic

100th Anniversary

WP Commemorative Series

9771839212002

Author:  Jess Lomas

Published by Wilkinson Publishing Pty Ltd

Available in bookstores near you.

Included are a couple photos to give you an idea of the beauty of this publication.  For all Titanic fanatics, this commemorative edition is highly prized.  Titanic 100th Anniversary explores the history and building by 3000 workers over a three year period, while exploring the decks and amenities, complete with photos of first and second class menus dated April 2, 10 and 14 (two separate menus for the second and first class passengers, none could be found for the third class).  The photography often graces full page and two sheet spreads in colour and in black and white.

From the building, the voyage and the fateful night to finding the Titanic, it is all covered, albeit not in great detail.  There is mention of a few of the survivors, with photographs and a write-up of their experience.  Also mentioned is Ismay, Captain Smith and Astor.  James Cameron's movie, Titanic, receives some coverage as well.  (a commemorative issue wouldn't be complete without mentioning the famous film starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio)

Finally, this edition includes a list of those lost at sea (which may not be all-inclusive), a time-line and Titanic folk-lore.

Well worth the purchase for collectors of memorabilia and Titanic fans.

http://missremmersreview.com/2012/04/titanic-challenge-2012.html

Queenstown locals believed Titanic touched by devil via @independent_ie

Queenstown locals believed Titanic touched by devil via @independent_ie

Titanic: a month of remembrance begins today (free ebook link)

To kick off the month of April and a tribute originating with Miss Remmers' Reviews, we take a look back at the Titanic, the greatest ship of its time, deemed unsinkable.  But the unthinkable happened when the Titanic struck an iceberg and several factors came into play .... factors that no one could have had the forethought to prevent the tragic losses that arose when the great ship arose perpendicular and slid beneath the frigid waters of the Atlantic ocean on April 15, 1912.  A century has passed since but the world still is enamoured with the legacy and the promise that is and was the Titanic.  

The loss so tragic and unexpected gives us pause to remember, to pay homage to the dead and to the survivors.  This month and  year let us recall with respect to honour those dead and those who survived and especially those who mourned the loss of loved ones on that fated day 100 years ago.

To begin this month of remembrance, I am including a link to a free e-book titled Thomas Andrews Shipbuilder, courtesy of Project Gutenberg.  Just click on the title to read.

Join me often this month for news, novels and non-fiction commemorating the Titanic.

In My Mailbox (April 2, 2012)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Each week participants share the books they've received in the mail, purchased or borrowed and link up with The Story Siren.  It's a terrific method of keeping track of our incoming books and finding among the participating blogs great new potential for our ever-growing wish lists.

This week I am catching up on a couple books that arrived recently but haven't been recorded 

In My Mailbox.  Here's the parcel including this week's new books:

The Earthquake Machine

by Mary Pauline Lowry

(Check back for my upcoming review where I reveal the new cover - it's stunning!)

(a copy was provided by the author and Bostick Communications)

The book every girl should read; 
and every girl’s parents hope she’ll never read.

The Earthquake Machine tells the story of 14 year-old Rhonda. On the outside, everything looks perfect in Rhonda’s world, but at home Rhonda has to deal with a manipulative father who keeps her mentally ill mother hooked on pharmaceuticals. The only reliable person in Rhonda’s life is her family’s Mexican yardman, Jesús. But when the INS deports Jesús back to his home state of Oaxaca, Rhonda is left alone with her increasingly painful family situation.

Determined to find her friend Jésus, Rhonda seizes an opportunity to run away during a camping trip with friends to Big Bend National Park. She swims to the Mexican side of the Rio Grande and makes her way to the border town of Milagros, Mexico. There a peyote- addled bartender convinces her she won’t be safe traveling alone into the country’s interior. So with the bartender’s help, Rhonda cuts her hair and assumes the identity of a Mexican boy named Angel. She then sets off on a burro across the desert to look for Jesús. Thus begins a wild adventure that fulfills the longing of readers eager for a brave and brazen female protagonist.

The Island Horse

by Susan Hughes

(this is a children's novel)

(a copy was provided by the author and Bostick Communications)

It's the early half of the 19th century in coastal Nova Scotia, and almost ten-year-old Ellie is adjusting to the recent death of her mother.  But just when she finally begins to feel happy again, Ellie and her father move to remote Sable Island, a tiny, windblown crescent of grass and sand in the Atlantic.

While her father works, Ellie explores the island, feeling alone and furious with her pa for making them leave their beloved home.  Even meeting a spirited island girl named Sarah does little to dispel her anger and grief.  Then one afternoon, Ellie encounters a wild stallion grazing on the dunes, and slowly forges a secret connection with the beautiful horse she names Orchid.  But Ellie soon learns that Orchid and his family are threatened, and it may be up to her to save them. 

Living Without Reservations:

a journey by land and sea in search of happiness

by Barbara Elaine Singer

(a copy was provided by the author and Bostick Communications)

After divorce and the sudden death of her fiancé, Barbara Elaine Singer was deflated.  Her only child was off to college and the excitement and allure of her successful corporate career with all its trappings - a fancy house, car and boat in Orlando, Florida - was gone.  At age 47 Barbara was alone with absolutely no idea what she needed or wanted or even how to go about finding it.

The Last Plea Bargain

by Randy Singer

(a copy was provided by Tyndale Press)

Plea bargains may grease the rails of justice, but for Jamie Brock, prosecuting criminals is not about cutting deals. In her three years as assistant DA, she’s never plea-bargained a case and vows she never will. But when a powerful defense attorney is indicted for murder and devises a way to bring the entire justice system to a screeching halt, Jamie finds herself at a crossroads. One by one, prisoners begin rejecting deals. Prosecutors are overwhelmed, and felons start walking free on technicalities. To break the logjam and convict her nemesis, Jamie must violate every principle that has guided her young career. But she has little choice. To convict the devil, sometimes you have to cut a deal with one of his demons.

Defending a King: His Life & Legacy

by Dr. Karen Moriarty

(yes, this is Michael Jackson's story)

(a copy was provided by the author and Bostick Communications)

...With previously unknown revelations, the King of Pop is disclosed as a complex and vulnerable man who lived and struggled at the pinnacle of human existence.  

In the wake of the disturbing manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray....Dr. Moriarty helps readers understand the unique struggles of this inspirational genius and worldwide humanitarian.  (this is the first published book that covers the Conrad Murray trial, including the sentencing hearing on November 29, 2011)

The Sins of the Father

by Jeffrey Archer

(a copy was provided by the publisher)

"Only Time Will Tell, the first book in Jeffrey Archer's highly anticipated Clifton Chronicles, was an instant New York Times bestseller and had reviewers raving...

Now the #1 international bestselling author returns with The Sins of the Father, the stunning continuation in Archer's most ambitious work of epic storytelling -- a multi-generational, five-part saga of love and war, family and fate.

Only days before Britain declares war on Germany, Harry Clifton joins the merchant marines to escape his past.  But his ship is sunk by a U-boat.  Rescued by an American cruise liner, Harry steals the identity of an American who has died in the night.  Unfortunately, he discovers that the man he is pretending to be is in grave danger.  Now, far from home, with no one to prove his innocence, Harry's life is about to take a stunning turn that will change his fate forever."

Healthy Hair Rehab Now

by Jacqueline Tarrant (HealthyHairRehab.com)

(a copy was provided by the author and Bostick Communications)

"Don't underestimate the impact of a 'bad hair day'.  For many women, hair is an essential part of style, identity, and self-esteem.  Everyone has experienced a 'bad hair day,' but what do you do when a bad hair day becomes a bad week, month or year?  Healthy Hair Rehab takes an informative, approachable look at the causes and solutions for problem hair. ... You'll learn about how your physical health affects hair, and many surprising factors that can play into your hair's health.  From hair-healthy nutrition to the best haircut shape for your face, Healthy Hair Rehab is an indispensable reference guide from a professional with uniquely valuable experience to share.

Borrowed:

...time will tell

by Julie Coulter Bellon

(Julie is my son's best friend's step-sister.  Julie's father proudly lent me a copy to read.)

Jason Wright is selling his country’s secrets to the highest bidder and if he is successful, his actions will set off a chain of events with worldwide repercussions. Andrew Blythe, a Canadian CSIS agent, races against time to stop the exchange, knowing that a dangerous terrorist organization is using Jason to try to gain control of the Baku oil leases in the Caspian Sea. If they win, the terrorists will have a controlling interest in the world’s energy market and be able to finance a weapon of mass destruction.

In his darkest hour he meets Ashton Carlson, a woman who is grieving the loss of her missionary son and trying to overcome the trials she’s been given. Through this chance encounter with Andrew, Ashton becomes a terrorists’ target and is swept up in the sinister world of espionage. Andrew will have to stay one step ahead of the game to keep Ashton alive and the terrorists from carrying out their plan before time runs out and all is lost.

From the rugged terrain of Turkey to the River Thames in London, this novel will take you for the ride of your life. Click here to read the Prologue and Chapter 1.  

Your turn:  What's in your mailbox?  

Opening April 4, 2012: Titanic 3D (the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic commemorated all month here)

The Titanic maiden voyage set sail April 10, 2012 but met a fate no one predicted.  This month, in conjunction with Miss Remmers' Reviews and The Titanic Reading Challenge, we commemorate the sinking of this marvellous vessel, those who perished, and those who lived to tell the tale.

Opening April 4, 2012, James Cameron's Titanic in 3D will release in theatres for a limited time.  Will you be attending?