Review and Giveaway: Law and Author

Law and Author (Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery - Book 5) by Erika Chase

Publication Date: 09/01/2015
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304
ISBN-10: 0425278204
ISBN-13: 978-0425278208

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, itunes

Erika Chase on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

Ashton Corners Book Club
1. A Killer Read 
2. Read and Buried 
3. Cover Story 
4. Book Fair and Foul 
5. Law and Author 

Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

Synopsis:

The author of Book Fair and Foul reconvenes the Ashton Corners book club to solve a murder in their own backyard . . .

Bob Miller, retired police chief and member of the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society, is stunned by the arrival of his twenty-one-year-old granddaughter, Darla, whom he has never seen. Bob has been estranged from his own daughter for decades and hopes to make up for his absence in Darla’s life. But some of the ladies of the book club find their Southern hospitality strained as they question the motives behind this sudden reunion.

After a dead man is found in Molly Mathews’s backyard, their concerns grow more serious. Lizzie Turner saw Darla arguing with the stranger the day before, but when the police question her, Darla proves to be an unreliable narrator. It’s up to the book club to uncover the real story . . . before another victim is written into the plot.

Thoughts:

Erika Chase brings readers the latest tale from the Ashton Corners Book Club, in her book, Law and Author. This is a great cozy series for readers who love the written word, as the author starts each chapter with a literary quote. It's a nice touch and it shows the care put into each part of the book. This one has a long lost granddaughter. A murder. Wedding Plans. Lots of personal tidbits about the heroine and her love interest and tons of things to keep the reader interested. Another great book in the series!

What I liked:

Erika Chase is a writer after my own heart. I love the quotes that precede each chapter of her books. It clues the reader in a little bit about what's to come and it shows Chases' love for literature. I find myself almost as interested to see what the quote will be as I am about what clues are going to come out in each chapter. I think that says a lot about how the author plots her stories and her influences. A great idea that a lot readers will appreciate.

This book finds the Ashton Corners Book Club in a bit of a mess. Bob Miller, a club member, is being re-united with his grand-daughter, Darla. But not everything about her visit seems on the up and up and when murder comes calling, Darla has some 'splaining' to do. The premise of the book was interesting and I couldn't help but wonder, why all of the sudden this chick would appear. Bob having been estranged from his daughter for many years and never having met said grand-daughter before, was awfully trusting. Readers probably won't be too shocked when Darla turns out to be suspect in a murder. I liked the cat and mouse kind of play with Darla's story. It was like she couldn't tell the truth in spite of herself. Fun to read and ponder over for sure.

Erika Chase always gives the reader a great mystery and this one was no exception. I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading. Trying to put the clues together in my head, right along with the characters. There was a moment when I considered the possible motive, but threw it out. So when the big reveal came it was one of those boink yourself on the head moments... LOL! The killer wasn't who I expected nor was Darla's story and motivation. It was a great surprise. Those are the best kind of mysteries aren't they?

Lizzie and the book club members were once again on the trail of a killer, but we also got to see a lot of the wedding preparations going on. There were some great moments between Mark and Lizzie and it was nice to see their relationship blooming. They are a couple that never seems to grow stagnant. They are always changing and evolving. The way a great relationship should be. I liked the personal growth of the characters and the stories of the other book club members almost as much as the mystery. It's like visiting good friends with this series and I always love going back to it.

What I Didn't Like:

I felt like Bob and Molly were a little bit naive here. This could have been any girl, posing as Bob's long lost grand-daughter. It just seemed like they would have taken anyone in. It just didn't seem too plausible to me. I would have liked a little bit of skepticism about what she was up to and the like. Probably just a pet peeve of mine and certainly not a deal breaker.

Bottom Line:

This is another engaging book from Erika Chase. Not only do readers get a good mystery, but the personal moments of the story were also poignant and fulfilling. I wanted to hear more about Mark and Lizzie and I got that in this one. I wanted to learn more about other members of the book club and I got that too. Just an all around good addition to the series!

Law and Author is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Erika Chase is the Agatha Award-nominated author of the Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery series, including Book Fair and Foul, Cover Story, Read and Buried, and A Killer Read.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Law and Author by Erika Chase.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, September 24th.

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