Customer Reviews

Faint Praise (Jane Lawless Mystery)

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

 

 

This was a pretty good read, even if the writing was a tad simplistic. A little overblown. A lesbian murder mystery very much in the vein of Agatha Christie, with a huge cast of characters and lots of red herrings thrown in. I never did figure out the murderer with any surety. The description of the various lofts was quite intriguing, as was the well-described Minneapolis winter. Each of her characters was given a very delineated personality, but some of the conversations were stilted. This is the fifth in a string of Jane Lawless mysteries. Hadn't read a mystery in ages. Was a good choice for a vacation. I passed it on to my husband, who also read it. The title was used early on and did point to the murder. Again, very nicely drawn characters.

Haven't seen this book in years. I picked up a copy at a local mystery bookseller and re-read it. Must have come
out originally sometime in the nineties. I'm a huge fan of Ellen Hart -- both of her series -- but I like the Jane
Lawless series the best. I read Sweet Poison a few years back and liked it, then read a few more. I was hooked.
I think this one won an award in Minnesota, can't remember what. I fell in love with her characters -- especially
Cordelia Thorne. THis story has other great characters, including Amy McGee. I wish Hart would bring her back in
another book. The puzzle grabbed me from the first chapter. I liked the loft setting in downtown Minneapolis,
the creepy basement. I recommend the entire series, but this one was a standout.

As a mystery, this was pretty good. But I couldn't get interested in the main character. During the course of the novel, her life is saved by two people, but she doesn't thank them or show any sort of gratitude towards them. Nor did she feel even the slightest bit guilty about her feelings or actions. I doubt if I'll read any more of Ms. Hart's books, even if they are set in my hometown of Minneapolis.