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Corinne Holt Sawyer

Auteur de Murder Has No Calories

12 oeuvres 344 utilisateurs 2 critiques

A propos de l'auteur

Comprend les noms: Corinne Holt Sawyer

Séries

Œuvres de Corinne Holt Sawyer

Murder Has No Calories (1994) 55 exemplaires
Murder By Owl Light (1992) 51 exemplaires
Peanut Butter Murders (1993) 47 exemplaires
The J. Alfred Prufrock Murders (1988) 45 exemplaires
Murder in Gray and White (1989) 41 exemplaires
Ho-Ho Homicide (1995) 37 exemplaires
Geezer Factory Murders (1996) 32 exemplaires
Murder Ole! (1997) 31 exemplaires
Ho-Ho Homicide 1 exemplaire
Bed, Breakfast, and Bodies (1998) 1 exemplaire

Étiqueté

Partage des connaissances

Nom canonique
Sawyer, Corinne Holt
Nom légal
Sawyer, Corinne Holt
Autres noms
Rickert, Corinne Holt
Date de naissance
1924-03-04
Sexe
female

Membres

Critiques

An enjoyable read. Holt Sawyer has created a lovable pair of protagonists, Angela Benbow and Caledonia Wingate who solve crimes from their retirement center (which seems to be a focal point for crime in their small southern California city. Completely unrealistic, of course, but I was very willing to suspend my disbelief and read through to the conclusion of this (can I call it this?) romance.

The fact that the central figures are in their "dotage" (and oh, wouldn't they dispute that description!) is not the issue in my reference to this story as a "romance". That is due to the "and they all lived happily" ending, the fact that the characters are not Bill Gates wealthy, but WELL OFF and perhaps just a little too ready to get involved in something most of us (if not all!) would consider the seamy part of life. Nor is it that I would dispute the intelligence of elderly people! Wouldn't we all like to think that we are brilliant, active and without financial worries! So, yes, this murder mystery does qualify as a romance to me.

The back cover blurb says that "Sawyer writes with wit, taste, humor and wisdom, and her plotting is impeccable." I agree with all of that, but I found myself wincing at some of the stereotyping of "old people" thinking that young people are too shallow and that "young people" think that the older generation should get out of the way, are irrelevant, expendable. Am I unique in that I honored my grandparents as best I knew how? That I grieved their loss? That I (admittedly as one over 50) grieved the loss of my father and both in-laws? I really don't think so. In fact, I do get irritated by older folks when they drive poorly and are "in the way" when I am in a hurry (which is much more often than I should admit to). So, no, I am not a saint but still find that the stereotyping is a little clichéd.

I did notice a few typesetting/typographical errors, but the book was generally well-edited and proofed. Overall, Holt Sawyer is a polished author, has created distinct and endearing characters and gives value for your money. This is escapist reading, not social commentary, not with hidden deeper resonances to ponder over.
… (plus d'informations)
 
Signalé
thedenathome | Jul 31, 2013 |
Sometime I want to sit down and make a list of all the settings for mystery series that I've read. Trailer parks, chocolate shops, bed-and-breakfasts...it's getting to be a far cry from the English country house where such shenanigans are meant to take place.

This particular series is set in a retirement community. The protagonists (ingenues?) are two little old ladies living in the home. As such, I think the puzzle comes together fairly neatly with a realistic solution, although secret drawers in furniture always seems to me a little over-the-top.

The big issue you'll have when trying to write little old lady detectives, is getting them connections to the police. So something had to be done, but Lieutenant Martinez does not come across realistically at all, seemingly spending half his time being duped out of information and giving the rest away under the pressure of innocent flirtation and chumminess. There's also a subplot with a drunken Irishman that doesn't really seem to really have relevance to the rest of the story.

So read it, or don't. It's not great, It's not bad. That's why I give it three stars.
… (plus d'informations)
 
Signalé
benfulton | Jul 15, 2012 |

Prix et récompenses

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Statistiques

Œuvres
12
Membres
344
Popularité
#69,365
Évaluation
3.0
Critiques
2
ISBN
20

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