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A review by alesia_charles
Arsenic and Old Puzzles: A Puzzle Lady Mystery by Parnell Hall
3.0
What this book has going for it: It's funny, it features an elderly sleuth who is unlike Miss Marple in every conceivable way (aside from being female and elderly), it revolves around a movie I've seen and enjoyed so I could actually follow the plot. And the plot was great, with a really unexpected twist that explained everything.
What it has against it: This is something like the 14th book in this series. Hall did a great job of dropping in details to give context without being obtrusive, but it's still a great deal like wandering into a conversation in progress.
Overall: Good, light fun, but the characters are so well-established that they come off to me as superficial. Maybe they'll come off to me as superficial even if I read some more of the books, but still. Not sure I'll seek out more at the library, unless I feel like I need something to cheer me up.
What it has against it: This is something like the 14th book in this series. Hall did a great job of dropping in details to give context without being obtrusive, but it's still a great deal like wandering into a conversation in progress.
Overall: Good, light fun, but the characters are so well-established that they come off to me as superficial. Maybe they'll come off to me as superficial even if I read some more of the books, but still. Not sure I'll seek out more at the library, unless I feel like I need something to cheer me up.