Design for Murder

"It was finished, as neat a design for murder as could be envisioned. Murder with malice."

Audio book. It wasn't a bad cozy mystery - I enjoyed the humor and personality of Annie. She's a very fiery owner of a book store called Death On Demand. She is asked to host a big murder mystery for nearby small town. The town is full of small town gossip and rumors and drama, something Annie walks into but doesn't full know about - because she's an outsider, which is something a lot of the locals like to remind her.

When setting up for her murder mystery by placing the weapon and fake body, an actual dead body is found. It's the local busy body - horrible, pushy, nasty woman. And many of the locals have reason to want her dead. But the local show more bumbling detective doesn't want to look beyond the 2 out-of-town visitors - Annie and another gentleman. So Annie must figure out who the killer is just to clear her own name.

It was an silly mystery but I loved the prep of the actual murder mystery party. I also enjoyed the banter with Max and how silly Annie could be. it was cute, light and fun. show less

I adored the idea of the murder mystery weekend, and the clashing characters were amusing. There's ample humor, as much as the first, maybe more. The main character's temper is as strong and fiery, but she doesn't get on my nerves in this one, which is good. Some of the switches to Max's point of view weren't needed, but he's a suitable love interest/boyfriend. The culprit ending was well done. I have no idea why it took so long to read this one, something about it - while I can't find flaws by itself - just wasn't grabbing my attention for long periods.

Digital audiobook read by Kate Reading.

Book # 2 in the Death on Demand series, featuring mystery bookstore owner Annie Laurance. Annie’s been invited to stage a Mystery Night for the annual antebellum house tour of the Historical Preservation Society in Chastain, South Carolina. But there is some personal drama going on among the board members and Annie is used to embarrass the grande dame of the group. Annie and her fiancé Max have just about cleared her name in that kerfuffle when she finds a body on the grounds of the estate. The weapon is one of the props Annie brought along for the game and suddenly she’s the number one suspect.

Hart writes a fast-paced cozy mystery with a great central cast of characters and a wonderful show more premise. I love the mystery bookstore, though I did get a little irritated by how often an author / book was mentioned. I very much liked the Mystery Night puzzle going on at the same time that a real murder was being investigated, though I sometimes got confused about which “clues” referred to the game vs the actual crime. I didn’t have a copy of the text handy when I was listening; I’m sure I’d have had a easier time keeping it straight in text rather than audio.

Kate Reading does a marvelous job reading the audiobook. She’s a talented voice artist and was able to differentiate the many characters. For a short while I was listening at double speed and her diction was still clear and understandable. show less

This was a good mystery featuring bookstore owner Annie Laurence and her fiance Max Darling. There were lots of suspects and clues which Annie and Max had to sift through to find the killer. I liked the references to other mystery authors and stories sprinkled throughout the book.

February 19, 2000
Design for Murder
Carolyn Hart

Book #2 in the “Death on Demand” series. This one doesn’t center around the bookstore.

Annie’s been asked to stage a “Mystery Night” for the annual antebellum house tour of the Historical Preservation Society of Chastain, South Carolina” (why is there one of these in every cozy mystery series? The protagonist-planning-a-mystery-night-thing? Not that I’m complaining!).

The person who asks her to do it does so reluctantly, and with considerable distaste – she thinks the whole thing is supremely tacky, but the other members of the HP Society outvoted her. Corinne Webster is a bona fide snob, and everyone hates her - including her husband, who’s having an affair with a much show more younger local schoolteacher. Of course, right before the Mystery Night is to begin, Corinne is found murdered down by the pond, having been done in by one of the Mystery Night props, no less.

Again, Annie is one of the main suspects (this could get a little old, but it’s a common thread in this series), so she and Max have to piece it all together.

Carolyn Hart has been referred to as “the American Agatha Christie”, but I don’t see it. That’s not a negative statement. I like Christie, but Hart’s style is completely, utterly different. The characters are warmer and more fleshed out, the stories light and very modern – not dry and acerbic like Christie. Totally different. Hart also doesn’t use anything similar to Christie’s complex machinations – it’s all pretty upfront and uncomplicated. show less

This book took a bit to plow through. Although it had a good plot, and good characters, the story didn't grab me as the previous book I read from this author.

Some of the better points were the intricate details and constant changing of the most likely suspect. In fact, I didn't guess till close to the end who the real culprit had been.

The storyline puts our heroine in the position of setting up a mystery night at a neighboring town's house and garden show event. The main characters were portrayed are involved in the historical preservation society, and many of them are high society types. The relationships between the characters are complex, and not readily divulge to a town outsider.
Max Darling is there to help sort out the details, show more as Annie is tied up as a suspect and running the mystery night programs during much of the story.

Can't think of anything bad in particular about this story... but it just seemed to go quite slowly. show less

Just couldn't get into this - something about the writing was annoying this time. Have read others in the series and enjoyed. There was too much description and it just annoyed me.