Customer Reviews

Homicide My Own

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Even if you're not a fan of mystery books you'll love this one!
The characters are wonderful, interesting and seem very "real"; before too long, in fact, you'll feel you've known them forever. It's funny, unusual, at times a little unsettling, with a tone all its own. A very easy read, I only wished it went on longer. If you are a fan of mysteries, you NEED to read this one.

What starts as a roadtrip turns into a very entertaining mystery with great momentum, colorful characters, and very surprising twists. The storyteller really transports you to this place and into her own physical dealings with her "life's change" as well. As breezy as it sometimes seems, it runs deep. It was really hard to put the book down, I recommend it!

Quinn is a grouchy 40+ year-old woman suffering of deadly hot flashes. Odd is a 20+-year old Swede who seems to be the reincarnation of a murder victim. Quinn and Odd are saddled with Charlie, his young girlfriend Stacey and her mother Gail, while trying to solve an old murder. The result is a strange, funny, and highly unusual mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed.

In Spokane, his adult girlfriend turned in systems analyst thirtyish Charles T. Houser when she caught him having carnal relations with a fourteen year-old Stacey. Rather then face the music of sex with a minor, Charles jumps bail taking his Lolita with him. However, a Native American security chief at the Shalish Island Casino near Canada catches him and locks him up. Spokane Police Department Lieutenant sends Odd Gunderson and Quinn to bring him home.

Their trip back is delayed because Charles attempted suicide and cannot travel. Odd learns of the double murders of teenage lovers Jimmy Coyote and Jeannie Olson over three decades ago that was not solved. Frightening his partner because he knows things he should not, Odd somehow seems to provide insight to what happened. Quinn, already irritable from hot flashes, wonders if her younger male partner suffers from menopause or could a supernatural happening like a reincarnation or a spirit returning have occurred; Odd and Quinn investigate the now hot cold case homicides.

This is a marvelous odd police procedural told from the perspective of grouchy Quinn who just wants a shower to cool off from post menopause but instead is picking up a sex offender suspect, which leads to a weird investigation. The story line grips the audience who like Quinn wants to know what is going on as her partner acts odd with information he should not know unless he was there, which is an age impossibility except if you believe in otherworldly occurrences or quantum physics. Ann Argula writes a quirky fun who-done-it that readers will value and demand more form this odd couple.

Harriet Klausner

One of the best mysteries I've read for a long time, and I read a lot of mysteries. It's genuinely and convincingly offbeat (not "offbeat" for the sake of being "offbeat") and so well-plotted neither my husband or I could lay it down. The characters are real and amusing at the same time. It would make a great movie - some of the scenes are laugh-out-loud but touching at the same time.

Homicide My Own has just been nominated for an Edgar as Best Paperback Original Novel. The Edgar Award is the Oscar for mystery writers. It's presented by the Mystery Writers of America, a prestigious group of writers, reviewers, and publishers. This is a wonderful and well-deserved honor for Anne Argula.

Quite good. A really engrossing read. 'Unputdownable' as they're saying in the book biz these days. I liked the characters - the main character especially. Tough gal, going through menopause (how many books have female characters going through menopause? how many mysteries? very excellent). And thought it had good pacing, always kept me interested. I'm not too big on mysteries in general but sometimes they just suck me in. They've got such drive in their stories.

I enjoyed this mystery a lot. I'm not a usual fan of mysteries, but this one is quirky, so I got into it early-on. Since I'm a northwest reader, I could relate to the location. There is a certain "noir" feeling to the cop narrator (woman) that is very apt and original; lastly, a mystery works if, well, it is mysterious. And this book is. Quite a debut novel. I look for many more great works from Ms. Argula.

I'm not easily impressed, either. Homicide My Own sucked me right in and held me right to the end. It is wonderfully well-written with a catchy voice which provides just the counter-balance to the weird nature of the story. I loved it so much I read it twice through in one sitting. It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel. Argula writes with a deftness and confidence one would expect from a well-seasoned author.

Just finished this wonderful book. It's amazingly funny, warm, intersting and also unbelievable but thats what gives it its charm. Wonderfully written, Fantastic Characters and an interesting mystery. Odd is a bit like odd thomas (steven Koontz) wonder who came first? Ir you are looking for a very funny and light mystery and one with warm paranormal overtones , this book is for you. So glad I found it.
Lisa