Murder at the PTA Luncheon [Mass Market Paperback]

Valerie Wolzien (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 28, 1990

A cyanide-laced canape -- and the death of the PTA president who devoured it -- had quite upset the spring luncheon of the affluent suburban Connecticut PTA, when a second PTA member dropped dead from a poisoned packet of artifical sweetener. Now Susan Henshaw, vice-president of the PTA, leads an investigation into an organization riddled with scandal, sex and drugs . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Two attractive but floundering detectives are pitted against a cabal of wealthy and devious suburban housewives in this uneven first novel set in affluent Hancock, Conn. State police detectives Brett Fortesque and Kathleen Somerville step in to aid the curiously inept local force in investigating the cyanide poisoning of two mainstays of the Hancock Elementary School PTA, Paula Porter and Jan Ick. Jan dies while eating the last canape on a tray at the annual PTA luncheon; Paula is poisoned while sipping iced tea at the local swim club. Under interrogation, Susan Henshaw, an eyewitness to Jan's death but a naive observer of the Hancock socio-economic scene, portrays a community composed of able, dedicated and selfless women working hard to raise money for their school. Other mothers, however, gradually reveal an unsavory aspect to life in the suburbs and a PTA dominated by byzantine political machinations. The solution to the mystery is labored and murky, lying beneath an endless lineup of parents and schoolteachers, most of them one-dimensional and unremarkable. A sputtering romance between the two detectives may or may not kindle. Despite its promising premise, the book does not rise above the ordinary. (February
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Inane chitchat, gratuitous details, and flat characters mar this bland first novel. The well-to-do community of Hancock, Connecticut, serves as the setting for two murders by poison. Both ladies worked hard for the PTA, so state policeman Brett Fortesqueblond, blue-eyed, and gorgeousconcentrates on unraveling a PTA power struggle. A friend of both women gets most of his attention, and much of the book conveys their endless conversations. In the end, the murders have nothing to do with the PTA, of course. Pass. REK
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett; First Edition edition (May 28, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449146391
• ISBN-13: 978-0449146392
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,429,302 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Meet the super-sleuths of Hancock, Connecticut:), October 19, 2000

By 

Melissa P. Cooper "kymissyin" (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder at the PTA Luncheon (Mass Market Paperback)

OK, I admit it. I read "We Wish You a Merry Murder" first. This was the third of the Susan and Kathleen books I read. Loved "Merry Murder" and pretty much hated "40th Birthday Body." This one, however, is a keeper. Both the cops and the suburban housewife who helps them solve the murders here confront their prejudices about the way the "other half" lives, be that rich vs. poor, or married vs. single. Susan is not just another frivolous dilettante wealthy stay-at-home mom. She's a good friend with great sensitivity. This one doesn't have the laugh-out-loud funny moments of "Merry Murder," but it's good nonetheless. Like the other reviewer, I was VERY disappointed in the "Menu for Murder" TV movie based on this book. They butchered it. All of Valerie Wolzien's books would make good Sunday night TV movies or Lifetime TV fare--but only if they stick to the book more faithfully. I love these characters, and what you see here is just the start of a fun series with people you don't mind visiting again. After this one, just skip "40th Birthday Body" and take the rest of the books in order, and things will unfold without missing a beat.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witty and clever, January 10, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Murder at the PTA Luncheon (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was made into a TV movie starring Julia Duffy and Cindy Williams, and the luscious Ed Marinaro, among others, but trust me--the book was better. The movie moved the family from Connecticut to California, left out the Kathleen character (a big no-no, if you ask me), and turned Susan's husband into a workaholic jerk, making her susceptible to the charms of Brett. The only real similarities between the plots of the book and the movie were that the families were for the most part, wealthy, and someone did get murdered at a PTA luncheon. The book, Wolzien's first in the "Susan" series, was more complex and the characters much more believable than the caricatures in the TV movie. In this one, you see more of the contrast between the haves and the have nots. Kathleen's character is the most complex and the most interesting here. It's neat to see what Wolzien does with her in future outings in this series

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The real skinny on the PTA, September 19, 2001

By 

Michele Hermansen "gengonushi" (Arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder at the PTA Luncheon (Mass Market Paperback)

In this, the first of the Susan Henshaw novels, Valerie Wolzien introduces the reader to a clever, quick-thinking suburban housewife. That may not sound like a winner, but IT IS! Susan is a fantastic character, with depth and real emotions, combined with a talent for detection. She isn't snooty at all, and anyone could relate to her and her family. Wolzien's book is smart, funny, easy to read and a great look into the PTA --where petty jealousies and murder lurk. A must read! Note: the books can be read out of sequence, but starting with #1 is best!