The Crafty Teddy: A Bear Collector's Mystery [Paperback]

John J. Lamb (Author)

Book Description

Series: A Bear Collector's Mystery | Publication Date: November 6, 2007

When his wife's anniversary gift-a valuable, antique teddy bear-is stolen, retired cop Brad Lyon must discover the fur-fetched connection between the theft and the murder of a local museum curator.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Once you start, you can't bear to miss a teddy mystery." - Rita Mae Brown

"Has the potential to quickly turn into a favorite series of many." - Mystery Reader

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Berkley Prime Crime Mass-market Ed edition (November 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425218856
• ISBN-13: 978-0425218853
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #907,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Craftily Constructed, December 3, 2007

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Crafty Teddy: A Bear Collector's Mystery (Paperback)

When Brad Lyon wakes up in the middle of the night to hear someone downstairs, he's not happy. This ex-cop enjoys the peace and quiet of his new life in Virginia. Going downstairs to investigate, he finds that someone has stolen the Farnell Alpha bear from their collection.

Despite hard work from the police, no clues turn up. The police have pretty much given up on ever recovering the bear when Brad spots some Japanese gangsters in the area asking for directions to the local museum. Since even the locals don't visit the museum, Brad smells something funny. Stopping by an hour later, he discovers the museum director dead. But when his wife Ashleigh spots some counterfeit teddies on display, his curiosity is really aroused. What is happening in their little town?

This series has quickly shot to the top of my favorites list, and this is a perfect example as to why. The story combines elements of the police procedural genre with the cozy genre for a fun new mix. The story moves swiftly from one suspect and red herring to another, sprinkling in clues as it goes along. And I absolutely love the characters. Brad's humor always makes me laugh, and I love his relationship with Ashleigh. In the first two books, the first chapter was slow and dry, but here it is entertaining, giving us the introductions we need without stopping the story.

This is another delightful entry in a fun series. I can't wait to visit the Lyons again soon.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bearable Murder, February 18, 2008

By 

Judy Brown Eyes (Texas) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Crafty Teddy: A Bear Collector's Mystery (Paperback)

This the third book in the Teddy Bear Murder Mystery series and it's a fun read. Brad Lyon served as a San Francisco police offer for 25 years, until he was wounded and had to retire. Trying to put that life behind him, he and his wife Ashleigh moved back to her home town Remmlkemp Mill, Virginia. Ashliegh is a talented Teddy Bear creator, and Brad, encouraged by Ashliegh, has also begun to make his own hand crafted Teddy Bears. They also collect Teddies and have aquired some very valuable ones which are displayed in their home.

Brad and Ashlieh are asleep when he is awakened by an intruder in their home. Taking his gun with him, he goes downstairs, and finds a thief who suddenly fires a shot at him and makes off with a valuable antique Farnell Alpha Teddy. What upsets Brad and Ashliegh the most is that the Farnel was an anniversary gift to Ashleigh. The police are unsuccessful in tracking down the thief or the teddy bear. A couple of weeks later, Brad is taking a much needed manly break eating a BBQ lunch in town, while Ashliegh hosts the Teddy Bear club at their home, when he spots three Yakuza (Japanese gangsters) asking for directions to the Masssanutten Museum of History. Although he is retired from law enforcement, Brad's instincts make him follow the men to the museum. When he arrives, they are gone, but inside the museum, he discovers the dead body of the curator. The Sheriff knowing of Brad's detective expertise, asks him to help on the investigation. Brad, Ashliegh, and the Sheriff find that they have a long list of supects, the Japanese Yakuza, the curator's slovenly wife, his College professor mistress who believed he would never leave his wife, her foul tempered husband who knew of the affair, and finally the museum assistant.

THE CRAFTY TEDDY is a police procedural that is well ploted and is loaded with interesting characters. There are several red herrings thrown in and out of the mix because many people had both motive and opportunity to kill the victim. However, there are two reasons why I gave it 4 instead of 5 starts. First is Brad's annoying attempts all through the book at puns and humor that are highly inappropriate and which ring false in a professional police officer. Secondly, Ashliegh's and Brad's marriage of 27 years is just too good to be true. There is just too much cuteness and sexual inunendo and there is never any conflict or disgreement on any subject or topic between them. After 3 books this rings a little false. Other then those two minor quibbles, The Bear Collector's latest mystery is a worth while investment of your reading time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most EXCELLENT!!!, March 8, 2008

By 

critters - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Crafty Teddy: A Bear Collector's Mystery (Paperback)

This is a thoroughly enjoyable part of a new series that I can't wait to read more of. The only (piddling) part I thought just didn't fit was the word "macadamized;" the only other place I've ever seen (or heard) the word "macadam" was in a Janet Evanovich book, set in NJ. I've NEVER heard (or said) such a thing here in the Southland! That, however, was the only false note I saw in the whole book, which is a wonder in itself. The humor in the book was just right. Bring on more Bear Collector's Mysteries code 3, please!!!