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kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
Ninth in the Faith Fairchild cooking mystery series set in Aleford, Massachusetts.
My Take
You know Faith, she's not willing to sit and wait for the police to figure out what's happened so she slowly works her way up from scanning the stuff of pawnshops to the mall-type antique booths on up to auction houses gathering in her evidence and her treasures until she does discover who has been organizing the B&Es. All the while she's catering, in every sense of the word, to a spoiled rich girl who keeps changing the rehearsal dinner menu.
Page really hits home on this home — the fear we can all embrace, that of the violation of our home space, our privacy, and then she turns around and gives us back some power when she has Faith searching all those different venues. I particularly liked the idea of searching those huge mall-type stores where a variety of dealers are in the same space but with their own booths as well as the show house with its bits of décor from everywhere. I'd never have thought of it.
Isaacson is very present, and we learn more about his family history. Pix appears to console Faith after the robbery and to babysit Ben and Amy. Tom appears to have acquired a particularly useful secre…oops, I mean, administrative assistant…for whom he is doubly grateful by the end of the story.
The Story
When Faith comes to the back door of Sarah Winslow's house to leave her some scones and jam, she is devastated to find her body. It's after Sarah's funeral that it hits home when Faith returns home from a day of errands to find her own back door splintered and hanging open and herself a victim of a daylight burglary.
Only the antique treasures have been taken, just as at Sarah's, and it turns out, at a number of other homes.
The Characters
Faith is a caterer, a minister's wife, and a mother. The Reverend Tom Fairchild is her husband. Ben and Amy are their children. Niki is her catering assistant.
Pix Miller is Faith's next-door neighbor and best friend. Sarah Winslow was an elderly friend with a house full of antiques. Isaacson is the chief of police.
Courtney and Stephanie are the wedding brats. Courtney is the demanding, I'll-have-it-my-way mother-of-the-bride while Stephanie is, oh lord, desperately in need of some hobbies. With luck, Binky will be able to provide her with some.
The Cover and Title
The cover was misleading. I had thought the story was going to take place in New York due to something Faith said very early in the story, especially after looking at the cover, but it does make sense as the story goes on.
The Body in the Bookcase is a bit of a misnomer as the body is found next to the bookcase.
My Take
You know Faith, she's not willing to sit and wait for the police to figure out what's happened so she slowly works her way up from scanning the stuff of pawnshops to the mall-type antique booths on up to auction houses gathering in her evidence and her treasures until she does discover who has been organizing the B&Es. All the while she's catering, in every sense of the word, to a spoiled rich girl who keeps changing the rehearsal dinner menu.
Page really hits home on this home — the fear we can all embrace, that of the violation of our home space, our privacy, and then she turns around and gives us back some power when she has Faith searching all those different venues. I particularly liked the idea of searching those huge mall-type stores where a variety of dealers are in the same space but with their own booths as well as the show house with its bits of décor from everywhere. I'd never have thought of it.
Isaacson is very present, and we learn more about his family history. Pix appears to console Faith after the robbery and to babysit Ben and Amy. Tom appears to have acquired a particularly useful secre…oops, I mean, administrative assistant…for whom he is doubly grateful by the end of the story.
The Story
When Faith comes to the back door of Sarah Winslow's house to leave her some scones and jam, she is devastated to find her body. It's after Sarah's funeral that it hits home when Faith returns home from a day of errands to find her own back door splintered and hanging open and herself a victim of a daylight burglary.
Only the antique treasures have been taken, just as at Sarah's, and it turns out, at a number of other homes.
The Characters
Faith is a caterer, a minister's wife, and a mother. The Reverend Tom Fairchild is her husband. Ben and Amy are their children. Niki is her catering assistant.
Pix Miller is Faith's next-door neighbor and best friend. Sarah Winslow was an elderly friend with a house full of antiques. Isaacson is the chief of police.
Courtney and Stephanie are the wedding brats. Courtney is the demanding, I'll-have-it-my-way mother-of-the-bride while Stephanie is, oh lord, desperately in need of some hobbies. With luck, Binky will be able to provide her with some.
The Cover and Title
The cover was misleading. I had thought the story was going to take place in New York due to something Faith said very early in the story, especially after looking at the cover, but it does make sense as the story goes on.
The Body in the Bookcase is a bit of a misnomer as the body is found next to the bookcase.
peter_gagne's review against another edition
2.0
If you read one Katherine Hall Page book, you've read enough. This book reads like a Hallmark TV special. It never really was all that engaging...just enough to not stop reading it. And if you forget that it takes place in New England, don't worry, you'll have about 5 reminders on each page. New Englandars are thrifty. New England is old money. New Englandanders like antiquing. New Englandars live in small towns with pretty white churches. New Englanders like comfort food. Oh, and there's a prim preacher's wife who likes to solve murders.
amlibera's review against another edition
3.0
Not as complex as some of the previous outings of this series but notable for the fact Faith has a deeply personal reason for pursuing the "case" - I kept thinking that the "body" at the beginning of the book was necessary only so that it could be in the title, this was less about solving a murder than it was about Faith getting her stuff back. Also, it is possible that I read this series only for the nostalgia of what was hot in the food industry in the past.
git_r_read's review against another edition
5.0
This is a very enjoyable amateur sleuth series. Everything is handled, especially the two things I look for: why the amateur sleuth starts investigating on his or her own and what happens to the kids (if the amateur sleuth has them) while said amateur sleuth is out amateur sleuthing. That has bugged me in the past when the main character has younguns and just takes off, casually dropping the kids somewhere or conveniently has someone drop by to have coffee and ends up taking care of the kids or it doesn't get addressed whatsoever. Anyway...it bugs me...This doesn't happen in the Faith Fairchild series, or at least it hasn't happened yet.
Faith always has a plan of attack and she is stubborn in taking action to find the endgame. I admire her for this. And she takes care of her kids and family.
She takes action because of the death of her elderly friend and the robbery of her own house. She feels violated and wants results faster than the police can get them. She meets plenty of shady and potentially shady characters. Makes some new friends and has old friends to help along the way.
Neat info on the antique biz is included throughout. And since Faith is a caterer, so there are recipes in the back of the book....YUM!
Five antique beans.....
Faith always has a plan of attack and she is stubborn in taking action to find the endgame. I admire her for this. And she takes care of her kids and family.
She takes action because of the death of her elderly friend and the robbery of her own house. She feels violated and wants results faster than the police can get them. She meets plenty of shady and potentially shady characters. Makes some new friends and has old friends to help along the way.
Neat info on the antique biz is included throughout. And since Faith is a caterer, so there are recipes in the back of the book....YUM!
Five antique beans.....
debjazzergal's review against another edition
4.0
Bought this used on Ebay as I was moving to Massachusetts where the book takes place. Love the characters and the charm of an old New England town. This series is fun and interesting. Really captures small town living. Will read more in the series.
taleisin's review against another edition
2.0
Not a bad mystery, interesting characters. A bit too tied up in a bow for my taste, but still an entertaining quick read.
cmbohn's review against another edition
3.0
Even being a minister's wife is no protection from crime, as Faith Fairchild finds when a rash of burglaries in her town result in a murder.
rgombert's review
2.0
I did not really enjoy this book. O found Faith Fairchild too unbelievable as a protagonist.
julieputty's review
3.0
Faith came across as a pig-headed fool in this one for me. Red herrings galore.
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