Customer Reviews

Murder in Volume (Prime Crime Mysteries)

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

 

 

Even before the second murder took place, I knew who would be killed, who would do it, and why. That didn't bother me, since with a character-driven mystery, part of the fun is seeing how the amateur sleuth will figure it out. That part of the book was fun.

A few things did bother me. First, the main female character is a bit prickly. Being short of stature myself, I know it can be hard to get people to take you seriously, but I wanted to scream at her: "Get over it!"

Second, the voice alternates between third person and first, with the first-person perspective provided by the male main character. In and of itself, that isn't bad, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if, instead of using just one character's voice and the omnipotent narrator, the author had used each of the members of the reading circle. That would have made the book more interesting, and it would have made the secondary characters more three-dimensional.

There were some really annoying editorial lapses, including changes in tense and some awkward constructions.

All in all, it's a book I would recommend for light reading.

This book has so many good things going for it, the mystery is why it doesn't leave a better impression on the reader. The author is certainly competent; the writing is fresh and clear and witty, although the jumps in viewpoint are a tad disconcerting. The setup is a new and interesting one; a bookstore-sponsored reading group devoted to mystery novels finds itself smack in the middle of a crime that happens practically at the bookstore's front door.

Megan Clark, the leader of the group, is a vertically-challenged reference librarian, and a few less references to her height would be greatly appreciated in future books. Comparing the various crime writers and their sleuths to the happenings in their own little circle provides lots of interesting moments.

The major male character, Ryan Stevens, nearly overdoes the bumbling male side-kick, but all in all, it's an enjoyable book, with a different locale - Amarillo, Texas. The bookstore ambiance is terrific, though! I'd certainly be willing to give the next book in the series a chance. I wish I could have given this book 3½ stars, rather than just 3. It's just not quite up to a four.

It's always interesting for a mystery reader to imagine what it might be like to be involved in solving a real murder (though I don't think most of us would really like such a thing to happen!). That's one reason I enjoyed this mystery; another is the (mostly) likable characters. It's easy to figure out whodunit, but it's all very entertaining nonetheless. I hope there will be more in this series. If you'd like to read another book, British in this case, about mystery readers getting involved in a murder, I highly recommend the very well-written "Bloodhounds" by Peter Lovesey.

I was most excited that a mystery would be written about a book club and a reference librarian. However, after reading this book I was most disapointed. They story lumbered along and the plot was predictable. Of course the main character would be accused of the crime by the real killer. Not a real academic 'whodunnit'.

This first in a new series is very cleverly put together. The narration switches from first person to third person. It's set in the best of places -- a bookstore! The references to other mysteries -- both classic and modern -- are fun to follow. I even found a few with which I wasn't yet familiar, so I'm going to look those up. The eccentric characters are like dessert. More!

In the 1st book in the Murder by the Yard series, we are introduced to Megan Clark, a reference librarian who starts a mystery lover's reading group called "Murder by the Yard". They meet at the "Time and Again" bookstore, a store specializing in used books, and the group enjoys heated debates regarding some of the mystery genre's most famous authors. When the group's most hated member is found murdered in front of the bookstore after a particularly nasty clash between group members, everyone is considered a suspect. And when Megan and her best friend, Ryan Stevens, stumble upon the body, their proximity to the body makes them instant suspects. However, it is soon discovered the Ryan has such an aversion to blood that he passed out upon seeing the body, and Megan was left alone with the victim for some time before the police arrived. She had the opportunity, and motive after arguing with the victim and the police take a close look at her to discover the means. While trying to find a killer, Megan works hard to clear her own name without becoming a victim herself.

I liked this book, even though Megan's hang-ups over her looks did annoy me. I have to admit that I am short...actually shorter than Megan is described to be. The thing about Megan is that she hates the fact that she is short, and that everyone calls her "cute". I have never really thought about being short...it is just something that I am and cannot change. I would think that a woman of her education and age would get over being "vertically challenged", as I call it. Who cares? And to go on and on about it, actually had me a bit annoyed. With that said, I really enjoyed the rest of the book. I liked the way the perspective shifted between a third-person narrator, and between first-person as told by Ryan. I was a little disappointed that their relationship was left completely hanging at the end (no mention was even made of it), and am looking forward to reading more books in this series to see how it develops.

The next book in the series is called "By Hook or By Book". Enjoy!

I enjoyed the overall writing in this book. However, I knew the murderer (and their motive) before I was half-way through the book. I hope more books are written in this series because I really liked the characters and I would like to see what happens in their lives. I just hope in future books "whodunit" is harder to figure out.

I have read many of DR Meredith's books and was really looking forward to her new series. However, I was extremely disappointed in this book. Not only did I not finish it, I didn't even read the last chapter to find out "who did it". I didn't care.

Reading the reviews for this new book by D.R. Meredith made me think I had stumbled upon another Carolyn Hart or Dorothy Cannell. The best written part of this book was the prologue, which wetted my interest in reading on, but I soon found myself in a dry humdrum plot. I believe Ms. Meredith's big mistake in the beginning was writing a complete 'running bio' on her main character's life, instead of letting us learn about them little by little throughout the book. The plot was poor and even a school child could guess at who the murderer was. I lost interest quickly, and sadly to say could not get through half the book. I doubt I will read any future books by Meredith.

Murder In Volume by D.R. Meredith sparkles with wickedly accurate observations about human nature. The various members of this mystery reading group morph into an unlikely collection of amateur sleuths who don't hesitate to "help" the policemen trying to solve a murder. All are convinced their literary expertise gives them an ideal vantage point for analyzing crime scenes. Lieutenant Jerry Carr has plenty to cope with, just solving what become multiple murders without trying to protect these zany helpers. Megan Clark, a most appealing heroine and her reluctant and worshipful Watson, and not so secret admirer, Ryan Stevens, leads the charge. This book is a must buy for cozy readers.