Murder Can Stunt Your Growth (Desiree Shapiro Mystery #3) [Paperback]

Selma Eichler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1996

Unwilling to take on the case of nine-year-old Catherine Corwin, whom everyone but her grandmother believes died of natural causes, chubby private eye Desiree Shapiro is surprised when she discovers that someone wanted the child dead.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Signet (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451185145
• ISBN-13: 978-0451185143
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,120,739 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enigmatic and wonderful, another great entry, January 6, 2010

By 

- Kasia S. (New York City) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Murder Can Stunt Your Growth (Desiree Shapiro Mystery #3) (Paperback)

I really love this series, when I first came across it in my local bookstore I wanted all the books judging from the covers alone, then I went back home and read some bad reviews and decided to trek slow and not get half of the books in one shopping trip, I might as well gotten them all because I'm totally smitten. It's cozy, funny, creative, the list of suspects is always long and all the characters have some sort of a motive, making this richer than your usual cozy mystery, many that I read pale in comparison of how intricate this series can get. Eichler has done a fantastic job of creating her main character Desiree, she doesn't have an answer to everything, no supernatural or unexplained abilities to guess the suspect and can't karate chop her enemies to pieces, and she cooks, shops and lives through the pages, I forget that she's not a real person! Her personal life and her cool relationship with her cousin Ellen is a riot, but she's especially funny when it comes to getting read for dates and dinners, I can read about her daily routine with a smile on my face, it's that cute.

The story centers on a premature death of a nine year old girl, her terminal illness has everyone fooled that she simply died because there was nothing else that could have been done, but the girl's grandmother insists that she was murdered. Desiree starts out reluctantly not believing herself until strange clues form whole new picture of a wealthy family with a lot of issues. Things go from strange to funny; at some point I was laughing my behind off, the characters that Eichler has created have such specific personalities that it's hard not take them seriously. This book was a hilarious and intense romp through friend and family members we all have, hopefully sans the murderer, and the moment I finished this one I started the next, there was no break, I wasn't satisfied and left hungry for more.

- Kasia S.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it! Desiree Did not Let me Down!, February 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Murder Can Stunt Your Growth (Desiree Shapiro Mystery #3) (Paperback)

This is my first Desiree Shapiro Mystery and I was not disappointed. I found Desiree;s character lovable and realistic- I enjoyed reading about her love of food and her nosiness into her Nieces love life! I have high expectations on the other books in the series and if they are written with as much wit and detail as this one, I will not be let down!