The Why This Book? Review

posted by Doranna Durgin

Nope, don't bother to check your calendar--it's actually Leann's Friday blogday.  And nope, you haven't seen my phosphors for a while.  8)  But Leann is feverishly writing, and although I'm still hanging out on a recovery sabbatical, I thought it was time to dig my fingers into the fertile Writers Plot garden dirt again...remind myself what it feels like.  The two moments came together, and here I am!  And with so many of us releasing books this spring, a book review seemed just about the right place to start.

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Okay, so it's not exactly a book review, because I'm not exactly objective, am I?  Not with a book written by one of my blog pals.  So nope, this is a Why This Book review...that is, the reasons I liked this book and the reasons I think you'll like this book.  Because let's face it...I think you'll like this book.  Here’s the set-up:

Murder is Binding, by Lorna Barrett (AKA Lorraine Bartlett!)

Stoneham, New Hampshire, was a dying town until community leaders invited booksellers to open shop. Now, its streets are lined with bookstores--and paved with murder…

When newcomer Tricia Miles finds Doris Gleason dead in her own cookbook store, killed by a carving knife, the atmosphere seems more cutthroat than cordial. Someone wanted to get their hands on the rare cookbook that Doris had recently purchased--and the locals think that someone is Tricia. To clear her name, Tricia will have to take a page out of one of her own mysteries--and hunt down someone who isn't killing by the book…

And here are the things I liked, because these are the things that are important to me as a reader (and writer):

The characters are complete, three-dimension people who aren’t always perfect--and yet they’re likeable.  Even in their flaws, they’re people with whom I can identify, and whom I can understand.  As a bonus, the supporting characters--Mr. Everett in particular--are far from cardboard, and they add significantly to the feel of the story.

The book’s voice is real.  It’s a comfortable voice to read, yet personable and unique.  It’s the voice of a writer comfortable in her own craft-skin.

The pace is crackin' fast.  It took me right along--without making me feel rushed.

The setting is so cool--and it feels very real. The bookstore isn’t just a token background; it’s a living, breathing place, and it needs (and gets) attention, without taking away from the pacing.

Meanwhile, all the pieces are there, but they aren't daring you to sort them out.  I'm not one of those who treats mysteries as a puzzle; I do this plotting thing for a living.  I want events to unfold before me, and to discover the stories and characters along the way--it's actually disappointing to me when the pieces fall into place in spite of my desire to go along for the ride. Speaking as someone who figured out the Big Secret of The Crying Game in the first five minutes of the movie, it is a joy to me when I don't anticipate the big plot pieces--as long as the foundation is properly laid. It's no good if you get to the end and the author goes, "Look, see?" and you respond to yourself, "Say what?" Well, happily, that doesn't happen here.  Happily, I went "Oh, right!" because the book kept just the right balance of putting the pieces out where they ought to be, but not making them so obvious that I put them together even though I really try to avoid doing that.

So there it is, all the reasons why I liked this book, and why I think everyone else will like it, too!  And look, here's the cover:

   I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did!

Comments

[Lorraine Bartlett]

Thanks, Doranna, for the lovely overview/review! Like you, many of my readers have singled out Mr. Everett as their favorite supporting character. I thought Frannie would be the favorite.

Go figure!

::Drools:: It sounds fabulous. I'll have to go get me a copy!

Adrianne

[Elise]

Exactly right, Doranna. One of the hazards of trying to write your own mystery is that you start reading like a writer, not like a reader. You've studied how a mystery is put together so you see the "bones" of the books you read. You notice the little - and sometimes not so little - errors and slips in every one.
Despite this handicap I've developed, Murder is Binding is so well done that I ignored most of that. I found myself thinking at least once a day that I needed to get back to reading it until, of course, I was finished.
Thanks for a great read, Lorraine.

[Doranna]

I often read books where I can see the "bones," but that's not for pure reader entertainment...that's part of staying aware of how other people do things so I can improve my craft. It's a gleeful thing to find something I can just...READ.

8)