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May Day (Murder-by-Month Mysteries, No. 1)
 
 
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May Day (Murder-by-Month Mysteries, No. 1) [Paperback]

Jess Lourey (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

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Book Description

March 8, 2006
Minneapolitan Mira James has been taking it easy since college graduation--too easy. Due to a dead-end job and a cheating boyfriend, the Twin Cities have lost their charm, and Mira decides to begin a new life in rural Battle Lake. Right away she is offered jobs as an assistant librarian and part-time reporter, and falls into an unexpected romance with a guy who seems to be the perfect man until he turns up dead between the reference stacks her tenth day on the job.

Anxious to learn more about the man who had briefly stolen her heart, Mira delves into the hidden mysteries of Battle Lake, including a old land deed with ancient Ojibwe secrets, an obscure octogenarian crowd with freaky social lives, and a handful of thirtysomething high school buddies who hold bitter, decades-old grudges. Mira soon discovers that unknown dangers are concealed under the polite exterior of this quirky small town, and revenge is a tator-tot hotdish best served cold.

A hip, humorous, and gripping account of small-town murder, this novel is the first in a series of cozies featuring Mira James, an urban woman with rural Minnesota roots.

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May Day (Murder-by-Month Mysteries, No. 1) + June Bug (Murder-by-Month Mysteries, No. 2) + Knee High by the Fourth of July (Murder-By-Month Mysteries, No. 3)
Price For All Three: $33.03

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Jess Lourey writes a light-hearted murder mystery, and she writes it well..." -- Who-dunnit.com

"...funny and a little bit raunchy..." -- St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Nut Goodies serve as an ideal metaphor for Lourey's writing....sweet, nutty, evocative of the American Heartland and utterly addicting." -- The Strand Magazine

"This trade paperback packed a punch...I loved it from the get-go!" -- Tulsa World

"What a romp this is! I found myself laughing out loud..." -- Crimespree

About the Author

Jess Lourey is the author of the Lefty-nominated Murder-by-Month mysteries set in Battle Lake, Minnesota, and featuring amateur sleuth Mira James. Jess has been teaching writing and sociology at the college level since 1998. When not raising her wonderful kids, teaching, or writing, you can find her gardening, traveling, and navigating the niceties and meanities of small-town life. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, The Loft, and Lake Superior Writers, and serves on the national board of the Mystery Writers of America.  Jess resides in Minnesota.

Watch Jess on Showcase Minnesota (08/26/09).

Watch Jess on Twin Cities Live (09/02/09).


Product Details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: MIDNIGHT INK (March 8, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0738708380
  • ISBN-13: 978-0738708386
  • Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,982 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jess Lourey is the author of the Lefty-nominated Murder-by-Month mysteries set in Battle Lake, Minnesota. October Fest, the sixth book in the series, was released May 2011 and earned a starred review from Booklist and Library Journal, the latter saying it has "snappy jokes...edgy dialogue...clever plot. Get started on this Lefty-nominated series if you've previously missed it!" November Hunt hits bookshelves March 2012.

Jess has been teaching writing and sociology at the college level since 1998. When not raising her wonderful kids, teaching, or writing, you can find her gardening, traveling, and navigating the niceties and meanities of small-town life. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, The Loft, and Lake Superior Writers, and serves on the national board of the Mystery Writers of America. Visit her website at www.jesslourey.com.

 

Customer Reviews

21 Reviews
5 star:
 (9)
4 star:
 (7)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (21 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Sassy fun!, January 27, 2006
This review is from: May Day (Murder-by-Month Mysteries, No. 1) (Paperback)
Lourey's debut novel is zany and nonstop hilarity without being silly or unbelievable. The protagonist, Mira James, a disenchanted English graduate student, moves to Battle Lake to housesit for a friend and infiltrates small-town life through her job as an erstwhile columnist for the local paper and a part-time librarian. High jinks ensue after a romantic tryst turned relationship ends tragically. James turns her considerable research and social skills toward solving the crime to achieve both justice and pesronal closure. Lourey's strenght is her trenchant wit, cleverness, and hilarious turns of phrase. She clearly knows the small town life and can turn a witty, cynical, and at time poignant eye to the ins and outs of rural mores, local politics, and small-town gossip to paint a lurid picture of the whimsy of the midwestern burg. Readers will revel in the hard-nosed heroine's cynical take on life and delight in Lourey's way with language. If you're looking for a smarter, more capable, and funnier (on purpose) Stephanie Plum, then this is your book. Fabulous!
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A breath of fresh, youthful air, March 2, 2006
This review is from: May Day (Murder-by-Month Mysteries, No. 1) (Paperback)
What a nice find! This is a nice break from the heavy beach-read mysteries that are trying to outdo each other and CSI at the same time. This is a fresh look at the mystery, where the solution lies as much with the quirky characters that inhabit our heroine's small town as in the physical evidence. What really kept me reading was the emotional, intelligent and giggle-out-loud humorous outlook of out lead character. She's a nice conduit for our own reactions to this world of diners, seniors, and bait shop regulars. The book takes place in a well-drawn rural community that exudes a definite sense of history. I'm looking forward to the "months" to come.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Witty, fun, and well written, February 28, 2006
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This review is from: May Day (Murder-by-Month Mysteries, No. 1) (Paperback)
I found myself giggling aloud as I read this book before bed each night. I finally had to hide under the covers, so I wouldn't wake my husband. What a refreshing, fun, new voice amid lots of tired, old, formulaic mysteries. I really enjoyed the absolute authenticity of this young, single, smart, witty woman (Mira James). Candace Bushnell/Carrie Bradshaw couldn't have done it better! I also enjoyed the humanity and sexuality of those we so blandly call "the elderly." Kudos, Jess Lourey! I can't wait until _June Bug_!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
TUESDAY MARKED MY TENTH official day alone at the library, but the heady draw of being my own boss had worn off. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Battle Lake, Gary Wohnt, Jeff Wilson, Curtis Poling, Kennie Rogers, Tiger Pop, Nut Goodie, Turtle Stew, Apron Lady, Chief Wohnt, Mira James, Senior Sunset, Chief Wenonga, Manslaughter Mark, Otter Tail County, Professor Jake, Red Room, Ben's Bait, John Deere, May Day, First National Bank, Herbert Skinvold, Jeffers Petroglyphs, Karl Syverson, Kennie Jensen
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