Deadwaiter [Paperback]

Tina Czarnota (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 30, 2008

Still reeling from the murder at the grand opening of her B&B inn, Trina is beset with yet another mystery. While making renovations, Trina learns that the inn's dumbwaiter is in fact the tomb of someone who died years ago. Soon, Trina finds that there are several other mysteries surrounding her-- like the lovely Alexandra who keeps waiting at the inn for her husband, who never arrives; the sexy Rhiannon who meets a strange man late at night and the chanteuse at a local French restaurant who Trina observes becomes extremely upset at the appearance of Lieutenant Klonski. Throughout the story Trina tries to solve all of these puzzles, finally realizing that there's a greater mystery in the dumbwaiter than merely an old skeleton. www.tinaczarnota.com

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Novelist, Tina Czarnota has recently completed the screenplay adaptation of her Country Inn, Dead & Breakfast mystery series. Currently she lives in the south with her longtime beau and their adopted cats.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (July 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1434392104
• ISBN-13: 978-1434392107
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,607,621 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Love mysteries, country inns and B&B's -- big surprise --, train travel, good friends, great movies, film festivals. Chocolates, cats and pretty things. Honesty. My dream goal is to see my mysteries produced and in film up on the screen with an honest contract. See you at the movies!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good story line but..., April 12, 2009

By 

N. J. Wilcox (North Bend, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Deadwaiter (Kindle Edition)

I've liked the story line. What I didn't like was "the blonde woman" "the beautiful redhead" "the tall handsome man" "the plaid couch". I'm almost done with the book after a full week (it usually takes me a day or two to read a book) because I could definitely put it down, and sometimes had to. I could only take it in small sections at a time. I have had a terrible time trying to keep up with who is who because the author uses hair color to say who is coming or going, who is talking, etc. Some times it is hard enough to remember who is who and how they relate to the story when the characters names are used. With this book you have to remember the hair color and stature of each character (perhaps it was originally written as a play). It must be a total joy to look at these people since they are all beautiful or handsome. I'm afraid that is not what the world I live in looks like, and I used to live in Aspen.

This is the first heroine of a book that I have really disliked. There is no way in the world that I would want to know anyone who is so shallow and self-absorbed.

It says something about the plot that has kept me reading this book, because I don't want to be in the same room with any of these people. And what is with Mae's crush (?) on Klonski?

I would not suggest this book to anyone, but I will keep an eye on this author hoping that she can write books in the future with just as good story lines but with better characters. Hopefully Trina will turn into something more than a beautiful person (which is worthless in a book) to a person who would be someone you would want to know.

I've never felt moved to write a review like this before, and I am sorry.

5.0 out of 5 stars Didn't see that ending coming!, April 29, 2009

By 

RLS (Newton, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deadwaiter (Paperback)

Two grinning, clothed human skeletons entombed for many years start off the action in Tina Czarnota's latest thriller, Deadwaiter, as co-owners of The Tudor Grove Inn attempt to solve a murder mystery. Sassy, level-headed Trina is determined to figure it all out before she's driven crazy by her future father-in-law, the cranky curmudgeon, hard-smoking Tim. And what's with Shorty, the newly-hired hippie? Rounding out the plot with fascinating characters, suspicious behavior all around, and many LOL moments, Czarnota has delivered another winner!

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars!, September 26, 2008

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Deadwaiter (Paperback)

After surviving the disaster of murder when the inn was brand new, the Tudor Grove Inn still operates. (Of course, they still get crank calls for Murder Grove Inn though.) Now the inn is undergoing renovations. Trina and Mae are the main owners. These characters were named Katrina and Song in the first book "County Inn, Dead & Breakfast".) Trina has visions of a cheery fire during the winter - if the fireplace finally passes inspection.

Bruce is Mae's son and Trina's boyfriend. He is doing most of the renovation work with help of Shorty, a local. When their work reveals a dumbwaiter that had been walled up, the residents of Tudor Grove know that the media would soon descend upon them all over again. Yet this would not happen until Lieutenant Klonski completed his part in their newest problem. Within the shaft is what appears to be two skeletons and they have obviously been entombed for many years.

Trina believes that by investigating the original owners of the house, she may be able to figure out the murder mystery; however, Trina is short on time these days. Rhiannon, Trina's friend, and her historian husband, Randolph, arrive and check in as guests. Kim, Trina's niece, wants to move back in with plans to be the inn's hair "technician" (stylist). And then there is the Alexandra Turest, who keeps waiting for her husband to show up. How could anyone possibly find any time to look into the inn's history for clues?

***** I give this book a solid 4.5 stars. I subtracted half of one star due to the typos that I kept noticing during the second half of the book. (It was mostly missing quotation marks.) Other than this, the story is fantastic. I have always wondered what people meant when they spoke of a "cozy mystery". Now I believe I understand. In this mystery there is much more going on than simply finding out the name of the deceased. The author, Tina Czarnota, gives readers the feeling of reality by showing that life goes on. The inn's guests must be cared for, the business must be run, and time is spent with friends. I found myself sinking into Trina's life and actually slowed down my reading speed so I could thoroughly enjoy all the little dramas being played out before me. My thoughts on the over-all story are that I found it to be humorous and blissfully intriguing! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.