Customer Reviews

Death's Door: A Leigh Girard Mystery (Five Star First Edition Mystery)

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

 

 

Having vacationed in Door County many times, I really enjoyed the accuracy of this book's environmental setting. The mystery is not solved until the very end of the book, so I rarely put it down, wanting to reach the conclusion as quickly as possible. The main character, Leigh Girard, reminded me a bit of Sara Paretsky's V.I Warshawski--bold, brash, and a real risk taker. I could even see this story translate into a TV movie, along the lines of the series, "Mrs. Columbo." Definitely fun to read.

Two thumbs up for this thoroughly enjoyable five star murder mystery. Just as Tony Hillerman brings the Arizona landscape to life, Lukasik engages the reader to become intimately involved with the natural beauty of Door County (Chicago's playground), as her main character Lee Girard interacts with the Wisconsin resort environment. She portrays strong characters with such perceptive descriptions that we begin to both love and loathe them. Reporter Lee Girard is a determined and courageous woman facing many personal obstacles as she doggedly pursues possible suspects. Masterfully employed literary analysis and references are used cleverly as clues in the mystery. What great entertainment! We loved this book!
Death's Door (Five Star Mystery Series).

Judi and John Jennetten

I just finished reading Lukasik's book about a murder set in Door County, and I could not put it down. A great summer read. Her main character Leigh Girard is tough, literary, but very down-to-earth, who's difficult to pin down, and a little moody with a chip on her shoulder about something. Maybe it's her breast cancer or her estranged husband or her boyfriend who also happens to be her boss. I couldn't figure out who the killer was until the very end, and the book is filled with so many twists and turns, just like the rivers and estuaries of Door County. I loved all the detailed description of the location. I've only been there twice, but Lukasik made it all come alive again for me. I bet the locals would love this book. Another aspect of the book that is so enjoyable, at least for a high school English teacher like myself, is the abundance of literary allusions -- King Lear, Macbeth, Hamlet, Maclean's A River Runs Through It, Annie Dillard's nature memoir, and somehow it all fits together. A must read!