Notes from Nov 2017 group

THE GINGERBREAD COOKIES MURDER by Joanne Fluke – Discussed Wed Nov. 1, 2017, at Geneseo Public Library

When Hannah Swensen finds her neighbor Ernie Kusak with his head bashed in and sprawled on the floor of his condo next to an upended box of Hannah’s Gingerbread Cookies, she discovers a flurry of murder suspects that’s as long as her holiday shopping list. “The Dangers Of Gingerbread Cookies” is written by Laura Levine. Jaine Austen has been enlisted to help with her parents’ retirement community’s play The Gingerbread Cookie That Saved Christmas. Playboy Dr. Preston McCay is playing the role of the gingerbread cookie when he ‘accidentally’ falls to his death during the final act. Now Jaine must figure out if one of the doctor’s jealous lovers was capable of murder. “Gingerbread Cookies And Gunshots” is written by Leslie Meier. When Lucy Stone discovers the body of Rick Juergens, whose five-year-old son Nemo disappeared, she senses foul play. Crumbs from a gingerbread cookie Lucy gave to Nemo are found in the back seat of Rick’s car. With the hours quickly ticking till Christmas, Lucy races against the clock to find a killer before he strikes again.

We tried something different this month.  This book included three murder short stories by three authors.  Here are our comments:   First was by Joanne Fluke.  Our group found the recipes listed in the middle of the story distracting. Otherwise the story was ok.

Second story was by Laura Levine -   This story was laugh out loud funny despite being a murder mystery.  The characters were very interesting.  It was a murder during a Christmas program at a senior living facility in Florida.

The third story was by Leslie Meier.  This one felt like a Hallmark movie.  It was the most realistic of the three – there was a kidnapping then murder.   In all we voted that all stories were  easy to read, but the Laura Levine story was the best one and most enjoyable.