The Mensa Murders [Paperback]

Lee Martin (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: St Martins Pr (1990)
• ASIN: B000OT5FYI
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars So-so Run-of-the-mill Murder Mystery, March 18, 2000

By 

Top Dragon (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Mensa Murders (Hardcover)

This one was a quick read. It seemed to be trying to break out of the mold of standard "gimmiky" murder mysteries but failed to do so. The protagonist detective seemed to want to address personal home-life problems but this subplot never is developed. I'm sure it is a continuing theme throughout a series of books and I confess to not having read any others so maybe I am not being fair. Still, each book should stand on its own and I couldn't help feeling I was missing something. The identity of the killer was so obvious that I was sure I must be proven wrong in the end. Even the detective had it figured out with at least 40 pages to go. Perhaps that was the author's intent however, the result was a less-than-stunning conclusion.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, But Not Outstanding, May 1, 2009

By 

stoic (Mobile AL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Mensa Murders (Paperback)

I recently found an old copy of The Mensa Murders that the Fort Worth Public Library had discarded. In the book, Lee Martin's policewoman protagonist, Deb Ralston, examines the murders of a group of Mensa members. The novel is entertaining, but it is a few notches below the very best in mystery fiction.

One of Martin's strong points is her keen eye for human beings. Her characters are multidimensional, and most of them have both their good and bad points. The characters' interactions and dialogue and Ralston's thoughts are all believable. For example, Martin does a good job of depicting Ralston's questioning of a crotchety older woman.

There are some nice touches in The Mensa Murders. Martin includes a key plot detail that involves a Siamese cat. That twist entertains and shows Martin's imagination. Martin also takes the time to develop the story of Ralston's private life, specifically, her attempts to juggle her job and her family's many demands. Finally, Martin includes what must be a wry comment on her attempts to make a living writing mysteries; one character advises another not to try writing "...unless you want to live in a tent and eat acorns" (p. 42). I enjoyed Martin's sly joke.

The plotting in The Mensa Murders is a mixed bag. Some elements of the plot show great care and skill. For instance, Martin's descriptions of the murder scenes contain many details that the reader must understand in order to grasp what comes later. On the whole, however, with the exception of the Mensa angle, the plot is very straightforward; for a mystery, this is a problem because the predictability drains the book of suspense.

Perhaps a bit more imagination on Martin's part would have given The Mensa Murders that "extra something" that would have made the book much better. Unfortunately, I have to agree with the other reviewer, who said that the ending is predictable and anti-climactic; I kept waiting for Martin to throw me a curveball that never came. (As an aside, The Mensa Murders also contains many explicit references to bodily functions (particularly those of the murder victims); I didn't find them to be in poor taste, but I wondered if these graphic details added anything to the book).

In the end, The Mensa Murders is quick, light reading that offers simple escapism.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Mystery for Republicans Only, October 19, 2010

By 

Cory Kerens (Boston area, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mensa Murders (Paperback)

This is a reasonably good mystery with a reasonably engaging detective, but I won't be buying any more books by this author. Why?

The main character's husband "curses" by saying, "Rats, Bats, and Democrats."

Wow. Way to tell half your audience that they're unwelcome, Ms. Martin. Do you REALLY want half as many people to buy your books? Fine. This reader is walking.