Customer Reviews

The Body in the Big Apple

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was intrigued at the thought of a prequel to the Faith Fairchild story. However, the book turned out to be a letdown.

I was disappointed to find that Faith was the same shallow, self-centered snob she always comes across as...only it was ten times more annoying without the usual cast of characters (particularly Pix) and the small-town New England setting to even things out. And it was even worse with the book being set in New York City, and Faith's intermingling with the "upper crust." The rich society cliches and constant use of expensive brand names and designers was way overdone. The author seemed to put so much emphasis on Faith up on a pedestal (she'd always been the dumper rather than the dumpee, there were plenty of men who'd drop everything for a call from her) that after awhile she stopped seeming real and stopped being likeable.

I also found the story not up to par from this author, whose work I usually enjoy greatly. Certain branches of the storyline were never resolved. Did Todd ever manage to track her down? Why did Harvey tell his mother to make her leave? Did she ever hear from Richard again? What was the connection between Lucy and Adrian? Why did Phelps want to borrow money from Hope? And, being that this was a prequel, I seriously doubt we'll ever go back 20 years again to find out. Since the author included a present-day epilogue, it seemed that some of those minor loose ends could and should have been wrapped up for those who read the series regularly.

The main plot wasn't too bad, but by the end of the book I'd already figured out whodunnit, which doesn't usually happen in this series. We were never told how Faith figured it out and what made her realize who it was, so I was left wondering where her conclusions came from...certainly not the same place as mine (one paragraph that seemed out of place and unnecessary, and made it obvious the author was trying to work in justification for her conclusion).

I'll look forward to the next adventure of Faith, and the knowledge that as trifling as I find her at times, Tom, the kids, and especially Pix, will be back to make for a very enjoyable read.

I have read every other "Faith Fairchild" mystery and honestly, this one isn't a favorite, although I could never DISLIKE this author's work. The story is solid, the food descriptions are yummy (as always!) but I found the constant "label-dropping" very annoying in this book. Designer names mean nothing to me anyway so I found the references to them very distracting. It made Faith's character seem so much more shallow and materialistic than she is portrayed in the other books. If that was the author's intention, she succeeded, but I think it could also alienate readers who aren't privy to the world of Donna Karan et al. Can this be what a prior reviewer meant by "culture?" I hope not!

On the other hand, if this blatant display of wealth and material goods was meant as a foil for the character of Nathan Fox and his socialist values, it has a tiny bit more value in the story. In any case, it would have been nicer to read this book without constant reminders that the main character's clothes, car, house and shoes are more expensive than anything the reader owns!

THE BODY IN THE BIG APPLE is the tenth book in Ms. Page's BODY series starring catering sleuth, Faith Sibley Fairchild. Touted as a prequel, readers are taken back to where and when Faith first started catering and sleuthing. The place is New York City. The time is the late 1980s.

Is there such a thing as a cultured mystery? If there is, then THE BODY IN THE BIG APPLE is it. I found it very easy to fall into this polished whodunit. Ms. Page's words flowed effortlessly making it easy to follow the characters and the storyline. I found Faith to be a pleasant, adaptable, protagonist whose personal life is intermingled pleasingly into the mystery without it taking over. The plot was very good. The practiced mystery buff in me almost had it figured out, but had doubts and was sufficiently surprised at the end.

A young, unmarried Faith Sibley has embarked on independence and a catering business. While catering a lavish party, she runs into a close friend named Emma who she hasn't seen in a long time. Emma is in serious trouble, but doesn't want to go to the police for fear of harming her husband's political career. When Faith agrees to help her, Emma's past begins to rise and trouble starts brewing for them both.

The added bonuses to this appetizing mystery are the tantalizing menu ideas sprinkled throughout the book and the scrumptious recipes, which all include apples, offered at the end of a satisfied read. WARNING: I recommended that you approach THE BODY IN THE BIG APPLE the same way as it's recommended one should approach grocery shopping - on a full stomach, if not you may find yourself carrying this mystery back and forth to the kitchen in an attempt to find something resembling the fabulous food mentioned in this enticing whodunit.

Kathryn Hall Page's mystery novels have all been very well written and entertaining. The Body In the Big Apple is a prequel of The Body In... mystery series. In this novel, Faith Sibley Fairchild is a caterer in New York City. She bumps into an old college friend at a party. Emma Morris -- Faith's friend -- is the wife of an important politician. Exasperated, she tells Faith that she is being blackmailed. She is the daughter of 60's radical Nathan Fox -- she hadn't known that fact until recently and the media scandal could cost her husband's political career. Also, Emma has other secrets that she hasn't told her husband. And that is how Faith begins to solve mysteries.

I found this book to be enchanting. I love how she described New York City -- especially since the story took place around Christmas -- and the recipes she had written down in the book. The characters are great and Faith is a strong and smart heroine. I suggest that you purchase this entertaining and exciting book. Oh, and I also suggest that you read the whole Kathryn Hall Page mystery series. They are all very entertaining. Enjoy.

I have to admit I was somewhat sceptical when I heard that this was a "prequel" to the Faith Sibley Fairchild series, but I was amazed that the character of Faith was still so interesting even without her husband, children, and best friend, Pix. Having read all of the other books, I enjoyed seeing Faith's life in her single days! The plot was intense and I found myself staying up into the wee hours of the morning to find out the ending. Katherine Hall Page just gets better and better!

I was disappointed with this book. I like Faith Fairchild, although her gourmet attitude gets kind of annoying sometimes. I mean, reading about her life is like reading about a foreign country. But it can be very entertaining. But this time out, all we got were leftovers. It seems like the writer is getting tired of the Boston area and decided to cast around for more interesting backgrounds. We've done Paris, done Norway, done the coast, now it's time for NYC. Problem is, she left all the other characters we care about behind. By setting this book before Faith got married, all we hear about is her parents and sis (OK, kind of interesting), a boyfriend we know she didn't marry, and a friend we never heard of before. She didn't even include a epilogue that wrapped everything together and brought it back to the present. I was really disappointed.

All the ingredients are here: a gutsy heroine, money, a love interest, a mystery, a couple of murders, money, and beautiful people. Katherine Page stirs 'em all together, and even adds a cateress and a couple of recipes, just like some of the other leading mystery writers do.

And what have we got? Well, not a sumptous feast and not even a pouffy souffle. What is served to us is "The Body in the Big Apple" (ok, the food analogy doesn't work here). It's a pitiful offering: not much of a novel, not much of an entertainment, not even a particuarly good presentation. I found myself dozing off during the last ten pages--I had figured out whodunit and why, and I really didn't much care one way or the other. Even the apple recipes at the end of the book were gimmicky and not very exciting.

This book is not a good investment of your money or your time.

At a party she is catering, Faith Sibley meets an old high school crony, Emma Stanstead, nee Morris. Though Faith is elated to see an old friend, Emma seems nervous and frightened. The next day, desperate to talk with a person she trusts, Emma informs Faith that someone is blackmailing her with the fact that she is the daughter of 60's radical Nathan Fox, who was recently murdered. Apparently, Emma's spouse Michael has major political aspirations and a blot on his wife's reputation could end his dreams.

Faith begins to make inquiries to determine who killed Nathan and is extorting money from her friend. Though suspects abound throughout Manhattan, Faith also learns that more than just Emma's name is at stake. An unknown killer has murdered again and Emma appears to be on the list as a future victim unless Faith uncovers the truth rather quickly.

THE BODY IN THE BIG APPLE is a prequel that provides fans of the Faith Sibley Fairchild mysteries with the intrepid amateur sleuth's first investigation. The story line centers on Faith's inquiries. The characters are a wonderful bunch of New Yorkers and high society from the perspective of Gen-X's come across as genuine. Though the plot is thin, ye who have faith in the abilities of Katherine Hall Page will enjoy the novel that provides a glimpse into an unmarried Faith's early catering days.

Harriet Klausner

In a delightful change of pace, Katherine Hall Page, writes a prequel to this series. The book features Faith Sibley as a young, single girl in New York. Her catering business is just beginning to expand and she busily prepares delicious gourmet food for famous socialites. She is contacted by her old school chum, Emma, who is being blackmailed because of secrets in her past. In an effort to protect her husband Michael, an aspiring politician, Emma pays off the blackmailers. People connected with her past begin to commit suicide (at least according to police reports.) Emma becomes more and more distraught over these situations and Faith tries to help her solve these mysteries. It is interesting to look into Faith's past and to see how much she loved life in New York. She can almost convince the reader that New York IS a nice place to live. As always, her descriptions of the food she prepares are wonderful!

Another great book by Katherine Hall Page. It was fun to read a "prequel" to the mysteries Faith Fairchild falls into in Aleford and see her as a young single woman. The mystery was compelling and full of twists and turns and vivid characters, just like the Aleford entries in the series. If Page writes more of these, I hope we get to witness the entrance of Tom on the scene. I'd love to read about their courtship!

Fun and a quick read. One of the best in the series.