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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Entertaining Story Stars a Soapmaker Turned Sleuth, March 4, 2006
Benjamin Perkins, eldest son of a large family who own the boutique Where There's Soap, finds the dead body of one of their suppliers sprawled at the bottom of the back stairs of their small business. Ben's sister Louisa, who had been dating the deceased Jerry Sanger but recently found out he had been two-timing her, becomes the police's prime suspect in the murder. At the request of their mother, Ben investigates Jerry's murder on his own in order to clear his sister.
The very entertaining mystery is interspersed with information on hand-making soap. Ben's role in his family store is teaching classes, and throughout the book the author shares information on melt-and-pout soapmaking, the easiest type of soap-making for the home hobbyist. This soapmaking information added to my enjoyment of the book. Another fun thread to the story is Ben's love life, as he tries to juggle relationships with his sometimes girlfriend Molly, who is the policewoman in charge of the case, and a new love interest Kelly, a new lawyer in town who's representing his sister Louisa.
Author Tim Myers has written two other series, both set in North Carolina as well. I've read most of the books in the other series, and I found that Ben Perkins and his family were the most interesting characters in any of Myers' books. Sharp-eyed readers will notice references made by the characters in "Dead Men Don't Lye" to Myers' other series. Just another fun twist in the story.
I'm looking forward to more stories in this series, and I highly recommend this book to all cozy mystery fans.
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
This Book Is Hilarious!, April 2, 2006
Having read Myers' previous series, each of which features post-feminist kinda guys, even I was unprepared for the mama's boy who is the "hero" of this creampuff. I have assumed that "Tim Myers" is a pen name for a woman--at least, I hope it is, because I cannot imagine the man who could identify with, let alone create, Ben, the series protagonist. Where to start? Let's see. Ben's 30+ and works in a family business. OK, no problem there. One does wonder, though, about a 32-year-old who still brings his laundry home for mommy to wash and dry. Or who investigates a murder not out of a sense of justice or because he is driven to find the truth--not our Ben. Mamma tells him he must--so he does. Ben is a soapmaker by trade, and his work fits him exactly--soft and insubstantial. He is surrounded by strong women--the police chief, his lawyer girlfriend (whom he invites out to dinner and then lets her pay. I guess Mom shorted his allowance.), his zillion sisters, and, of course, over half his suspects. He also has a passle of brothers, not very well devloped characters, although one does point out that Ben read Nancy Drew as a child. Hmmm. But in this family, that's normal. One of the brothers (could have been the same one) is also reading one of Myers' other series--the Harrison Black one--calling it "cool." I'm sorry, but do men really read this stuff? I think not.
The answer to the mystery comes to Ben in a dream in which he is terrorized by big, scary plants. Somehow it all fits that this boyo would be petrified by immobile objects.
The big mystery here, as in the Harrison Black (candlemaking) series, is how so many marginal one-item stores manage to stay in business. In "Dead Men Don't Lye" there are three shops dedicated to hand-made soap within spitting distance of one another. Perhaps folks where Ben lives get extra dirty.
I love cozies and read them pretty much without discrimination, but this one makes Laura Childs read like Mickey Spillane. So, if you are like me and enjoy cozies--do read this one in the spirit in which it was I suspect written: parody.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
fine amateur sleuth, February 8, 2006
As the eldest Benjamin Perkins watches out for his siblings and mother and is the troubleshooter for the family owned specialty shop, "Where's the Soap?" Upon leaving the store, Ben finds a corpse on the backstairs of the shop. He recognizes the victim as the soap supplier to their store and the squeeze of his sister Louisa.
Louisa had just learned that her Jerry was stepping out on her, which led to a very public spat so Ben insists she retain a lawyer before he calls the police because she had a motive, a means, and an opportunity. He calls his police friend Kelly to help them but she is not soft on her pal's family. She intends to identity. the culprit even if it turns out that the prime suspect Louise actually committed the murder. Ben is as determined if not more so to find the real killer as he believes his sister is innocent.
So far Tim Myers has produced three successful amateur sleuth series in which each tale is an exciting entertaining cozy. His latest winner as always has the violence offstage; yet without any graphic detail readers can picture the results of lye placed on a face (think Phantom of the Opera). The family members are likable and seem genuine especially with their relationships, but this who-done-it belongs to the sleuthing pair Ben and Kelly.
Harriet Klausner
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