Customer Reviews

The Christie Caper (Death on Demand Mysteries, No. 7)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

THE CHRISTIE CAPER is one of my all time favorite cozy mysteries. I first read it when it came out in 1991 and it has been on the top of my favorites list ever since. I have also read it once a year since that first reading.

Interestingly, Hart provides a cast of characters -- names and descriptions -- at the beginning. From the very first the victim, Neil Bledsoe, proceeds to make himself thoroughly obnoxious. Leading characters are introduced, one at a time -- Victoria Shaw, Henny Brawley, Kathryn Honeycutt, John Border Stone... until we get to Annie Darling, who is the sleuth/protagonist. By this time the setting has been set, the battle lines drawn and the story is well underway. Hart has structured the story along the lines of Christie's work and she has provided well-rounded, distinctive characters to make the reader's experience an amusing and informative romp.

I love the references to Christie's books, her mentions of mysteries by other writers, Annie's ever-present watercolor competition in which her bookstore customers compete in recognizing paintings of famous mysteries, the last scene where all is revealed in classic Christie fashion . . .all these details combine to weave a contemporary tale into the traditional form and fascinate the reader.

If you're not a mystery fan you can learn a lot about the Dame of traditional mysteries from THE CHRISTIE CAPER and have great fun doing it.

Those readers who enjoy a good Agatha Christie book will love this intricately detailed story. The more fond of Christie you are, the better you can appreciate this book. There are countless references to the great author's life, her books, and her characters. The book is set at a gathering for Christie fans and the story that embroils Max and Annie and the Broward's Rock crew is really well executed. The events are tied together well and the mystery itself is not a predictable one so curl up with this book and enjoy. It is a book you can love even without detailed knowledge of Agatha Christie or having read the other Death on Demand books.

Annie Laurence Darling, the proprietor of the south's leading mystery bookstore, plans a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Agatha Christie's birthday. When someone is murdered, the celebration changes to a real whodunit,which is really fun for all. If you are just starting to read mysteries,start with this one,because of the trivia. Ms. Hart has spiced her tale with authors and titles of books "to die for." It makes the next trip to the bookstore a blast

If I have counted correctly, this is the 7th book in the Annie and Max Darling series and is just as good as the earlier ones. I especially like the references to other mysteries giving me hints as to other good reading.

Although I'm no longer that fond of Agatha Christie, this book was a real pleasure. The plot was clever, and Annie and Max were as enjoyable as ever. The ending of this book made it one of the most satisfying of Caroyn Hart's books.

This is the book that not only solidified my love for Carolyn Hart's work (it was the 3rd book I read by her) but it prompted me to read Agatha Christie's books as well. It makes a lot more sense to me now that I've read many of Dame Agatha's books, but a knowledge of her is not necessarily mandatory for enjoying The Christie Caper. The ending of this book is one of the more enjoyable of any of the mystery books I've ever read.

I enjoy the Carolyn Hart mysteries, particularly the ones about Max and Annie.

Annie is a normal, average every day person with her own set of problems who just happens to solve murders. Max is a rich guy who loves Annie enough to do the things she asks (like work!)

This mystery is enjoyable. One of the things about reading the Max and Annie stories is you walk off with a lot of other titles that might be fun to read, as Annie is always talking about other mystery books. This book is no exception. As an AC fan I enjoyed the book and it's mystery. I found the end to be particularly satisfying.

Enjoy.

And what better birthday present for the Queen of Mysteries than a conference in her honor that is littered with red herrings and dead bodies?

This is the 7th book in the DEATH ON DEMAND series of cozy mysteries which feature book store owner Annie Laurance Darling, her family and friends in the island resort community of Broward's Rock Island.

As the story opens Annie has organized a weeklong conference to honor Agatha Christie's 100th birthday. The conference will be an elaborate event for mystery writers, book editors and publishers and mystery lovers. Everything has been arranged, attendees have begun to arrive and things are proceeding according to plan. Or at least they were until Neil Bledsoe, the most despised critic in America turns up at the conference. All too soon it becomes apparent that many attendees have their own personal reasons for hating him, far beyond his caustic reviews. The depth of someone's hatred for the man is driven home when shots are fired at him during a welcoming party at Annie's bookstore. As the conference continues there are additional attempts and a few corpses before the final pages when all is revealed.

As is common with comic romantic cozy mysteries there is more emphasis on the recurring characters than on the actual mystery. Most dedicated mystery readers will be a step or two ahead of Annie on this one although there will likely be a twist or two that will surprise. Fans of the series will be happy to see what old friends are up to although it is possible to read and enjoy this novel (as this reviewer did) without having read any others in the series. The series is reminiscent of Donna Andrews' Meg Lanslow series - there is a large array of eccentric recurring characters, there are some hilarious plot details that border upon the absurd and, like Meg Lansow, Annie might be temporarily led astray but will ultimately triumph even while managing other matters on the domestic and professional fronts.

An additional element to this series is the continued mention of other mystery series. At times this can be a bit tedious but it also is an excellent way for a mystery lover to get additional reading suggestions.

Annie and Mac Darling along with all the in-laws and friends sponsor a convention of Christie fans for the best mystery bookstore outside of Atlanta. This effort from the Death on Demand series requires a little fate as Agatha Christie loses her luster under too much Christie and not enough mystery.
The biggest mystery for this one is why Max's mother keeps talking about Edgar Allen Poe. In trying to pay tribute to a favorite writer Hart gets lost in what brings her many fans--a good and clever murder.
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS.

This was the first Death on Demand book I read. I picked it up because I love Agatha Christie mysteries. After reading it, I went back and read all the others in the series. Annie Laurance Darling is a wonderful character and her mother-in-law Laurel is hysterical. I was stumped by some of the puzzles even though I have read all of Agatha Christies books.