Customer Reviews

Caught Dead in Philadelphia

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

 

 

This is the third book I've read by Gillian Roberts but the first in the series -- I'm doing it backwards. This was still an excellent book, but not as polished as the two later books I've read. Still, Philadelphia "detective" heroine English teacher Amanda Pepper is just as likeable and funny from the start (although I think the books get funnier), and the romantic chemistry with Louisiana-born CK (in later books boyfriend and meets her as homicide detective in tihs book) is there from the start.

Amanda's involvement with murder mysteries begin when a rain-soaked part-time teacher at her school shows up first thing in the morning on the doorstep of her charming little colonial home. The ditzy visitor (she's an actress) is not making much sense, but Amanda has to get to work and leaves the jabbering woman (unwillingly) in her home where the soon-to-be victim says she's going to take a nap. In no time at all, as the reader discovers in the first few pages, she has been killed. The police at first suspect Amanda -- it was her home, she knew the victim, was the one who found her, and has apparently been telling some untruths to the witchy school secretary. Amanda is quickly drawn up into solving this murder, in part because it becomes clear quickly that her life may be in danger.

I am looking forward to reading the whole series. OK, maybe this is a series for literate women who like funny, gutsy women "detectives" with sexy boyfriends... but the writing is high quality and the plotting improves in future books in the series (in this one, I spotted the killer about half-way through the book, but then I read a LOT of mysteries and like to think I'm good at that.)

This is the first novel I have read by Gillian Roberts, and Amanda Pepper's antics prompted me to look for more work by this author.The strength of this novel is in Roberts' characters:Amanda, a likeable but meddlesome would-be slueth,Amanda's pushy mother and older sister intent to see her married off at the earliest possible opportunity, colorful counterparts at the local prep school, and of course the delighfully impossible detective McKenzie, who is identified with the initials C.K. and deigns to reveal his first name to Amanda, who is as determined to solve that mystery as any other. I hope to see more of Amanda's relationship with C.K. The plot was fairly predictable, although not trite. The ending was no surprise (except to the cops, who don't seem to be the brightest men in Philadelphia) but was salvaged because of Roberts' humorous telling and Amanda's wit. All in all, a good read and a series worth following. Amanda is the kind of gal who could get herself into all sorts of interesting messes.

I am happy to see that the publisher re-released this wonderful Amanda Pepper caper. I tried special ordering it at my local Borders, with no success. The series is dear to me: the protagonist a no-nonsense, endearing personality; the author, a talent whom I have queried on a few occasions about the series. I will miss this interesting creator and her adventurous amateur sleuth/English teacher when the series wraps-up in January 2007 with the final Amanda Pepper adventure, ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS. Thanks for all the fun reads over the years. All best!

T.B. Grant
12/13/06

Caught Dead in Philadelphia was Gillian Robert's first mystery novel and an instant success. The story profiles high school English teacher Amanda Pepper, an attractive young woman whose life is turned upside down when a co-worker she barely knows comes to her for help, and is later found dead in her apartment. I could not figure out who the murderer turned out to be. Roberts writes in the first person with a lot of humour, although sometimes she overdoes it a little with the jokes. I will definitely be going back for more mystery novels featuring Pepper by Roberts.

I read this entire book on a long plane flight, I was unable to put it down. That's rare in a book...I look forward to the rest of the Amanda Pepper series!

This is the first novel in the Amanda Pepper series. Most reviewers agree that it is not the best novel in the series, but it is an interesting plot, and it did keep me up late to finish the novel. The writing style is very good, and it is an easy reading novel. You can guess at the guilty party and the ending, but it is not obvious, even when the motive is revealed. As in real life, there are characters in the novel you will like, and characters you will hate.

Amanda Pepper is a thirty-year-old unmarried English teacher at elitist Philadelphia Prep and an amateur detective. She is a very likeable heroine and the book is consistently funny throughout. It is easy to understand why the author received an Anthony Award for best first mystery for this novel.

Although I enjoyed the humor of Roberts' writing while I listened to this book on tape, I felt like the solution to the mystery came up a little lacking. I don't enjoy it when the motive lies within a situation that the reader can't possibly know about (and isn't TOLD about) until the end of the book). I felt like the witty writing style was annoying at times, as if it was covering up for a weak mystery.

I did, however, very much like the developing relationship between Amanda Pepper and C.K. McKenzie. I'm usually bored by the seemingly mandatory "lead character falls in love with the detective" plot, but in this case, I very much enjoyed it. Maybe it was the excellent reading of the story by the narrator?

I am holding out hope that the next book in this series will have a stronger mystery.

Amanda Pepper is a thirty-year-old unmarried English teacher at elitist Philadelphia Prep and an amateur detective. She is a very likeable heroine and the book is consistently funny throughout. It is easy to understand why the author received an Anthony Award for best first mystery for this novel.

I opened up this web page with the intent of reviewing the last book I completed. I finished the book less than a week ago, and no kidding, I had to rack my brains to remember what book it was (I looked it up under the "Your Account" link of the amazon.com page). Then I had to rack my brains to recall what the book was about. That should tell you something.

The author's writing is lively and witty but the plot was weak and forgettable. By the time I got to the end, I really lost interest in who the culprit was. I had a hard time caring throughout this book.

I would give Roberts another try, recognizing that this was a first novel.