Never Tease a Siamese: A Leigh Koslow Mystery [Large Print] [Paperback]

Edie Claire (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2003

When a wealthy eccentric dies, her estate is to be split among her beloved cats and an unknown heir. Her son is livid, and Leigh Koslow's veterinarian father -- caretaker to the finicky felines -- is far from thrilled himself.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Edie Claire writes with style and dash. . . . Sheer delight."
-- Carolyn Hart

About the Author

Novelist and playwright Edie Claire has published five mysteries in the Leigh Koslow series and two Romantic Times "Top Pick" mystery/romances. When not writing novels or scripts for church theatre, she can be found acquiring new pets, teaching childbirth classes, herding her three children, acting on stage, volunteering, avoiding housework, or sneaking caramels. Please visit her website at www.edieclaire.com! --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press (January 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786249803
• ISBN-13: 978-0786249800
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,848,815 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Novelist and playwright Edie Claire is a veterinarian, a childbirth educator, and a mother of three who delights in writing cozy mysteries, classic and young adult romantic suspense novels, and comedic stage plays. Pick up an Edie Claire work and you can be assured of intrigue, humor, a touch of romance (or a hefty dose of it, depending on the book!) and an ending that will leave you with a smile.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure enjoyment!, September 13, 2002

By 

"motriah" (Pittsburgh, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never Tease a Siamese (Leigh Koslow Mysteries) (Paperback)

Leigh's back...in Ms. Claire's best book yet. It's fast paced and suspenseful, with more twists and turns than a suburban Pittsburgh street. The well-developed plot will keep you guessing to the end, and even then I bet you'll be surprised.

If you've never read a Leigh Koslow mystery, you won't be lost reading this one first (this is the fifth in a series). If you've read the others, this one will delight you.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars entertaining amateur sleuth, September 14, 2002

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Never Tease a Siamese (Leigh Koslow Mysteries) (Paperback)

Lilah Murchison is not a very nice woman so when she dies in a plane crash nobody mourns her passing, not even her son Dean. He does expect to inherit her sizable estate so he's shocked when the will is read and he learns that Lilah was not his mother. She left the bulk of her estate to her true heir provided he or she comes forward in five years.

Leah Koslow is also at the reading of the will, standing in for her father who was a beneficiary as long as he provides medical care for her cats until their deaths. From the time the will is read, Leigh's father's clinic is threatened, Lilah's housekeeper dies, and somebody gets murdered who is connected to the case. Concerned about her father and his employees, Leigh investigates and almost gets killed in the process.

Edie Claire always writes an entertaining amateur sleuth novel in which NEVER TEASE A SIAMESE is her best work to date. The heroine is so earnest and logical it is impossible not to like her while the support cast lends humorous moments to a very serious story line. Fans of Lydia Adamson and Susan Wittig Albert will definitely want to read this book.

Harriet Klausner

24 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste time or money, March 3, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Never Tease a Siamese (Leigh Koslow Mysteries) (Paperback)

I was pleased to see this series improve a bit with the last installment. However, this one just spirals back down.

I could figure out no reason for Leigh to be as involved in this case as she was, and to continue her "investigation" for as long as she did. She didn't know these people, she wasn't involved in any way (other than the remote connection of her father being named to care for the cats in the will), and it made no sense that she would continue to stick her nose into other peoples' business and put herself in danger...and even less sense that they'd allow it by continuing to answer her questions and give her information.

Characterization has always been this author's low point, and she's done nothing to improve that. Earlier in the series, I was put off by how quickly Leigh went from seeing Warren as her old college buddy to being in love with him and then seeing them married by the next book. This installment did the same thing with whether or not she was pregnant (after the fourth time she got dizzy, I really didn't care anymore). I read series because I like feeling like I know the characters and watching them go through all the important things in their lives. In this series, everything happens "off-camera" -- Leigh's falling in love with Warren, their wedding, their house purchase and attempts to have a baby. By the next installment, I figure she'll have three kids already in middle school and Warren will be President of the United States.

I was also disturbed by the author's choice to have Leigh keep pestering her best friend's mother, who's confined to an assisted living facility with Alzheimer's. Was this really necessary?

Leigh is unlikeable, does stupid things, seems to have no purpose or directions in her life, and there's nothing that makes her stand out or gives her reason to be involved in the cases she is. Warren and Maura dislike her sticking her nose into other peoples' business and discourage her all the time, but neither hesitates to tag along when she interferes or continues to involve herself in things that don't concern her. Why hasn't Maura thrown her ... in jail for interference?

Ms. Claire really should work on character development and realism. Perhaps then I might consider reading another one of her books. Until then, I'm done with this series.