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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
3.0
March of Crime by Jess Lourey is the eleventh installment in The Murder-By-Month Mystery series. Mira James is at the Turtle Stew with Ron Sims, owner of Battle Lake Recall, discussing a series of articles he wants written. She is shocked when she discovers the “person” next to her is actually one of Ida Gilbertson’s life-sized dolls that she is displaying around town. When Mira attempts to flee the Turtle Stew without encountering Mayor Kennie Rogers (she might have another unusual business idea), she knocks over the doll and gets a surprise. They discover a corpse inside the dolls clothes. Chief of Police Gary Wohnt is happy to blame Mira for the crime (of course). Mira sets out to find the killer and avoid being locked up in the poky. It would be difficult to continue her career if she was in the hoosegow plus what are the chances of conjugal visits from Johnny.
March of Crime is different from the earlier books in The Murder-By-Month Mystery series. It fell outside the cozy category with the foul language, intimate relations and the crude references (phone sex line for example). I thought the pace was slow which made the book seem so very long (it was only 266 pages). I am amazed my eyeballs did not pop out from the number of times I rolled my eyes. The over-the-top characters (everyone seems “quirky” or eccentric) and Kennie Rogers idiotic business ideas were not humorous to me (my mother, though, laughed through the whole book). There is little action until the very end of the book. I felt like Mira opened her mouth on the first page (told from first person POV) and never stopped talking (what is called “verbal diarrhea”). March of Crime can be a stand-alone novel. Mira and her history is thoroughly discussed in the first chapter. The mystery is not one easily solved unless the reader is a master mystery sleuth. I will tell you that one clue is the key to solving it. My rating for March of Crime is 3 out of 5 stars (I gave it a 2 and my mother a 4). If you have a delicate stomach, I would suggest not reading the food descriptions (Minnesota Hot Dish for example). I did like Ida’s comment that dolls make people happy—I totally agree (I prefer Raggedy Ann). March of Crime is for readers who prefer zany over-the-top characters, hare-brained business ideas and ribald humor.
March of Crime is different from the earlier books in The Murder-By-Month Mystery series. It fell outside the cozy category with the foul language, intimate relations and the crude references (phone sex line for example). I thought the pace was slow which made the book seem so very long (it was only 266 pages). I am amazed my eyeballs did not pop out from the number of times I rolled my eyes. The over-the-top characters (everyone seems “quirky” or eccentric) and Kennie Rogers idiotic business ideas were not humorous to me (my mother, though, laughed through the whole book). There is little action until the very end of the book. I felt like Mira opened her mouth on the first page (told from first person POV) and never stopped talking (what is called “verbal diarrhea”). March of Crime can be a stand-alone novel. Mira and her history is thoroughly discussed in the first chapter. The mystery is not one easily solved unless the reader is a master mystery sleuth. I will tell you that one clue is the key to solving it. My rating for March of Crime is 3 out of 5 stars (I gave it a 2 and my mother a 4). If you have a delicate stomach, I would suggest not reading the food descriptions (Minnesota Hot Dish for example). I did like Ida’s comment that dolls make people happy—I totally agree (I prefer Raggedy Ann). March of Crime is for readers who prefer zany over-the-top characters, hare-brained business ideas and ribald humor.
sandyfleener's review
5.0
Love this series!
I mourn the loss of the people in this series until I see the next book is about to be released. Then I'm all excited again...
I mourn the loss of the people in this series until I see the next book is about to be released. Then I'm all excited again...
lyrareadsbooks's review
4.0
Loved the story and the always hilarious Mrs. Burns, not sure how I feel about the last few chapters.
cogsofencouragement's review
3.0
Number eleven in this fun series. Mira and Mrs. Berns are up to all sorts of silly again.
suvata's review
3.0
Advance Reading Copy disclosure:
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Before:
I have to get caught up on my ARC's plus I need something lighthearted to read. I've been reading a lot of "doom and gloom" lately. Hoping this fits the bill.
After:
A very entertaining read. One of the funnier parts is when some of residents of this small Northern town want to open up a Minnesota phone sex line. "Use your strongest Minnesota accent, and get Minnesota kinky." Too funny...think Fargo. 😂 Oh yeah, and the book centers around a very bizarre murder.
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Before:
I have to get caught up on my ARC's plus I need something lighthearted to read. I've been reading a lot of "doom and gloom" lately. Hoping this fits the bill.
After:
A very entertaining read. One of the funnier parts is when some of residents of this small Northern town want to open up a Minnesota phone sex line. "Use your strongest Minnesota accent, and get Minnesota kinky." Too funny...think Fargo. 😂 Oh yeah, and the book centers around a very bizarre murder.
mermaidsherbet's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
mystereity's review
5.0
"Gary," she said on her way out, "I got my nails done. What do you think?" He looked. She held up both her middle fingers. His nostrils flared. I tugged Mrs. Berns outside before he did anything more.
If I could give this book a standing ovation, I would. I had a serious book hangover after I finished this one; actually, I finished the last page and went "Auuugghhhaaahhhhh!!!!" Thrilling, hilarious and entertaining, it was a great comeback for Mira and the Battle Lake gang. I love Mira, she's smart and tough on the outside but so vulnerable and insecure on the inside (and dang it, girl you make some rotten decisions!) Mrs. Berns is always laugh out loud funny and like Mira, I want to be her when I grow up. The plot was fantastically creepy (dolls are creepy enough, but when you stuff corpses in them? *shudder*) and I never saw the end coming. Add in Kennie's hairbrained money making schemes (which had me rolling with laughter!) and Chief Wohnt (gaaahhhh!!) and you've got a blockbuster book.
An excellent read and I definitely recommend this series for cozy mystery fans. I can't wait for the next book (please Lord, let it be soon!)
If I could give this book a standing ovation, I would. I had a serious book hangover after I finished this one; actually, I finished the last page and went "Auuugghhhaaahhhhh!!!!" Thrilling, hilarious and entertaining, it was a great comeback for Mira and the Battle Lake gang. I love Mira, she's smart and tough on the outside but so vulnerable and insecure on the inside (and dang it, girl you make some rotten decisions!) Mrs. Berns is always laugh out loud funny and like Mira, I want to be her when I grow up. The plot was fantastically creepy (dolls are creepy enough, but when you stuff corpses in them? *shudder*) and I never saw the end coming. Add in Kennie's hairbrained money making schemes (which had me rolling with laughter!) and Chief Wohnt (gaaahhhh!!) and you've got a blockbuster book.
An excellent read and I definitely recommend this series for cozy mystery fans. I can't wait for the next book (please Lord, let it be soon!)
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