Claudia Bishop (2) (1947–)

The Quilliam sisters' Inn is suffering under two different problems. Sarah has allowed Axminster Stoker, a long term guest, to apply his TQM principles to evaluating the running of the Inn with disastrous results. And Hedrick Conway, his mother and sister have bought the town newspaper and turned it into a scandal sheet, exposing secrets and implying corruption effecting everyone in town. Into this bedlam arrives the Kipling Society. When first Hedrick's mother and then sister are murdered show more there is no lack of suspects. We also have problems in the sister's romantic relations to add to the mix. I found this a more satisfying mystery then the previous 2 and am looking forward to the next installment. show less

May 8, 1999
A Dash of Death
Claudia Bishop

Picked this up at Bookstop because the back cover synopsis read that the protagonists were two sisters who run an upstate NY inn together. It sounded wonderful. It was okay, but a little disappointing. Told from the POV of only 1 sister, mostly. Not enough sisterly interaction, and not quite “cozy” enough. Not the atmosphere I was expecting. I bought two in the series, but I won’t read the other one right away.

Sarah and Meg Quilliam own an Inn in Hemlock Falls and are having a cash flow problem. When Helena Houndswood, a celebrity lifestyle maven, arrives incognito and then indicates that she will be filming a show there in 3 weeks to award a million dollar prize to a local contest winner, things begin to look up. That is before 4 of the 5 contest winners begin disappearing or are found dead. The sisters do some sleuthing into the paint company where they all work and into the celebrity's show more questionable actions when she finds out that these women are rather déclassé. There are some humorous moments with the celebrity out of her element and with the sheriff trying to sidetrack all the amateur detectives. It is set in a fictional town near where I live so it is interesting to note the local touches. Like book one, it is OK. I probably wouldn't pursue except for the local connection. show less

Hemlock Falls Inn is preparing for the wedding of an ex-Senator and a plumbing heiress while the town of Hemlock Falls is suffering under a major political feud between the genders. Sisters Meg and Sarah are trying to run the Inn amongst the hoopla. When a TV newscaster looking for dirt is murdered and Sarah is framed the town becomes more divided.

This story was part slap-stick, part 'Godfather', and part pathetic romance. The first half of the book the heroine is mopey, whinny, and show more indecisive. When she is arrested she stands around like a dunce while first one then another tells her what to do. Then her boyfriend (ex-sheriff) who she dumped comes back to town to her rescue and suddenly she can think and tries to solve the mysteries. I almost quit the book, but some of the side characters were interesting. So far this series has been about 50/50 for me. Not sure if I'll read any more. show less