Review: Homicide for the Holidays

Homicide for the Holidays Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Jane Rubino
Class/Genre: Mystery [Short Stories]
Series: Cat Austen # 5
"Fruitcake", "Miwaukee Winters Can Be Murder", "A Perfect Time for Murder"
Worldwide; 2000; $6.99; 506

I was in the mood for something Christmasy and upbeat. So many readers of RAM had said this was absolutely hilarious, it was right at the top of my list among the choices in my TBR. I did not find this book even mildly funny, nor particularly Christmasy. This is the 2nd in a series set in New Jersey others have recommended as very funny which left me laughless. I have come to the conclusion that I am a New Jersey bigot. I just plain don't like the culture of New Jersey as represented by the authors I have read. And whatever about the people of New Jersey others find hilarious escapes me.

I don't normally read cops, procedurals, or PIs. This was my first Cat Austen experience and finding she is the widow of a cop, dating a cop and has 6 brothers who are cops was just overkill for me. Other than the plot revolving around Cat Austen finding a body in a Santa suit, and the extended family having a Christmas meal or two together, I didn't think this plot really had much to do with Christmas, and could have been written in any other holiday just by changing the costume the body was found in.

Nevertheless the multi-thread plot was complex enough to keep me guessing and the characterizations were full and detailed. I think people with differernt taste in mysteries than I will find this a satisfying read. My only criticism that goes beyond my personal preferences for reading pleasure is the umpteen references to the first book in the series "Death of a DJ". There were so many of them, and so much detail appeared to be included that I wondered frequently whether if I chose to read "DJ" at a future time, these references would act as spoilers. Without reading DJ, I would still suggest that it be read first.

I'm guessing this is a first mystery and I enjoyed it immensely. It at least had a Christmasy theme and plenty of Christmas activities like Christmas shopping. Of course I had to willingly suspend my disbelief a LOT to believe that between writing legal briefs without computer skills or the ability to type (so she chooses to be a self employeed contract attorney?) Beth Hartly is able to do all her Christmas shopping quickly and easily in just a couple trips to the mall a day or so before Christmas.

Perhaps because I grew up celebrating Christmas. in Michigan I found the Christmas culture portrayed in this story much more pleasing. She writes with wonderful descriptive passages which make you see the and hear and smell the snow, fire, fear or whatever. Even though one of my pet peeves is authors who don't describe houses or settings appropriately early, I think Barrett goes extreme the other way. But its a small fault that will likely be overcome in future efforts if this was planned as a series. The repetitive use of "NordicTracked" as a verb irritated me a bit.

I felt that Beth at 42, was written as age inappropriate, immature as a character, and I kept picturing her more like a 20 year old based on her thinking and behavior. In fact I'm sure my 19 year old niece is much more mature than Beth. But these flaws were balanced out by a masterful use of the genre to imply false directions and clues the reader would assume without the author actually misleading you. You do it to yourself and then there's a "gotcha" ending.

This is the first Jeremy Ransom I have read. Its the story of a family who finds a stranger dead under their Christmas tree with an ornament they didn't own broken in his hand. It was a rather quaint short story only 15 pages long.

I enjoyed the experience of reading it. However, all the way through it, I kept saying to myself "This (certain aspect) doesn't make sense. Something isn't being shared with the reader, and when I got to the end, it was "aw shucks anybody could have figured it out quicker than the detective if only the author had bothered to share that detail with the reader." And that detail involving the identity of the dead man I felt was less true to life than average for a mystery. To tell you why however would be a spoiler. Its still worth reading, but don't expect the clues to be fairly offered to the reader.

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.

Book Review: Homicide for the Holidays

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.