Customer Reviews

Posed for Murder

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The premise of this mystery novel sounded promising, but the writing was so shoddy that I could barely get through it. The characters are one-dimensional, the plot has no complexity at all, and the sentences are really banal and badly written (stuff like, "who could have done this horrible thing? Lydia decided that she would find out who could do something so horrible. She was so sad.")

I had high hopes for this novel, but it was disappointing from the very first page. It's a quick read, but not an enjoyable one if you value quality writing and plot construction. The author spends almost no time "showing," as opposed to "telling," and so the finished product reads like a bad mystery novel for kids. I don't recommend.

I really enjoyed this fast read. Lydia McKenzie is a photographer and also works for 2 private investigators (dull job to pay the bills). She is very interested in vintage clothing. She has an art show at a New York gallery depicting in black and white the posed death scenes of 5 cold case files. The premise of this novel is that someone is killing Lydia's friends who posed for the scenes in the same ways. Det. Daniel Romero is the chief homicide investigator. Good debut novel. The second one is titled: Dead in the Water.

I had a hard time putting this book down. I found myself laughing out loud and chuckling to myself on almost every page. It's also refreshing to read a murder mystery where the woman is the hero. The humor, fresh perspective, and fascinating plot all make this book enjoyable to read.

Lydia McKenzie's photography is unique. Fascinated with the unsolved murders of young women in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, she recreates these scenes posing her friends as models. But she never anticipated these photos would lead to someone's death.

When her friend, Marie, is murdered and posed exactly as she had been in one of the photos, Lydia is spooked. Someone had access to her work, and used it not only to kill her friend, but also to frame her for the murder. At times working with the homicide detectives assigned to the case, but also occasionally withholding information, Lydia tries to figure out who would want to murder Marie.

The killer is hot on her trail, and she needs to prevent the murders of any more of her friends, or herself, as she's been warned. It's a battle of wits that she's determined to win.

Posed For Murder uses a clever background for murder, setting this story in the arts community, with an unusual form of art. The characters are believable and well-developed. But the one flaw I found with this mystery was the conclusion and revelation of the killer. Without giving too much away, I was a little disappointed at who this turned out to be. But overall, this was an enjoyable and intriguing story, and I look forward to seeing more of this new author's work.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Having just finished Meredith Cole's engaging Posed for Murder, it's easy to see why it won St. Martin's Minotaur/Malice Domestic's Best First Traditional Mystery competition.

From the first page, Cole sets up an imaginative and suspenseful premise. Fledgling photographer Lydia McKenzie is about to open her first exhibit, a staged series that recreates unsolved murder scenes. But before the night is over, she'll learn that someone else is reenacting these killings, except in their case, it's for real. Even worse, the victims are her models and friends.

McKenzie is a likable and believable amateur sleuth. Cole surrounds her with a colorful cast of supporting characters, who, as the story progresses, turn out to have secrets that will keep you guessing as to which of them, if any, is the killer.

Cole excels at capturing the flavor of McKenzie's Brooklyn neighborhood, where a new wave of trendy art galleries and creative artists live alongside their more traditional neighbors. Her vivid descriptions of this exciting community were enjoyable in their own right.

The real mystery for me is how will Cole follow-up her award-winning debut? I can't wait to find out.

Scott Sherman, author, Lambda Literary Award winner for Best Gay Mystery, 2009, First You Fall

When I first heard about the concept for this book, I admit that I thought of the '70s movie "The Eyes of Laura Mars."

So, I'm happy to report that this book is nothing like the movie. It has a lot more heart.

This has been one of my favorite reads this year. I didn't guess the identity of the murderer. Usually, my guesses get close - but not this time. I had trouble putting the book down to get on with life.

I enjoyed the look into the life of an emerging New York arts photographer, along with her circle of artsy friends. It made me want to go to Williamsburg just for a gallery crawl. Lydia's life also includes elements that make her capabilities needed later in the book feasible.

I also liked watching how Lydia matured and grew in the course of the book. I hope we see her in future installments.

Meredith Cole won the St. Martin's Press "Malice Domestic" writing competition with her debut novel POSED FOR MURDER, and small wonder. Meredith knows New York City, photography, fashion, and the art world--all of which play prominent roles in this fast-paced whodunnit. When aspiring artist Lydia McKenzie's models start geting murdered (posed exactly as they were in Lydia's gallery photos) she swings into action to protect her remaining friends. With the aid of the handsome Detective Romero, her vivacious gal pal Georgia, and a host of other engaging characters, Lydia launches an investigation of her own--and hopefully a long-lasting book series. As Georgia says of Lydia's art work, "Sugar, they can't help but be intrigued."

Rating: 4.5 stars

"She had never killed so many people in so many ways". That is exactly how "Posed for Murder" begins with Lydia McKenzie relishing in her photographic genius. Her hauntingly brilliant photographs are being displayed in her first art show and Lydia is trying to take it all in. Lydia dressed her friends up as her models and recreated scenes of real murders she had read about described in great detail. Though she is worried that people might misunderstand her intentions of recreating unsolved murders of the past, she hopes that people can recognize them for their beauty and perhaps even help in the identification of the victims, who have yet to be recognized. However, nothing could have prepared her for what happens next. When one of her models and friend is found dead in the same pose as in Lydia's photo, the police begin a close investigation that leaves Lydia paranoid and in desperate need of answers. Being the independent woman that she is, Lydia decides to conduct her own investigation and becomes personally involved in a shocking murder mystery.

From the very first sentence, I was intrigued by the book and its compelling and unique plot. Although Lydia's photographs are creepy in some ways, I think her intentions to create beauty and honor the dead are commendable. Lately I've been reading a lot more mysteries and thrillers, but I'm always a little wary that I'll solve the case too soon and spoil the surprise. I'm happy to say that "Posed for Murder" kept me guessing until the very end and concluded with a satisfying twist. It comes as no surprise that "Posed for Murder" is the winner of Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition!

I loved that the main character was a strong woman and a great role model, not relying on others to seek out answers. She has her own funky fashion sense and stays true to herself. In the face of danger, Lydia rises to the challenge. She is the ultimate heroine and I loved following her to very end of the story.

Though this is Meredith Cole's first novel, she already shows much talent with her creative and well-crafted writing. I loved how modern and fresh the story was and the way it differs from traditional mystery books. I look forward to reading more from Meredith in the future!

http://bookopolis.blogspot.com

I wasn't going to write a review until I saw all of these 4and 5 star reviews. Seriously, people didn't know who the killer was? As soon as the killer was introduced, I knew who it was. I flipped to the end, confirmed it, and promptly put the book down. I'm not particularly clever so I don't truly believe that others were stumped until the end. Any good mystery writer does not make the killer the most obvious suspect, as it was here. The concept was good but I was already turned off by the writing when I discovered the killer. Maybe the series will get better as the author gets more experience with her writing. But I would not recommend this book.

It should have been an evening of triumph for photographer Lydia McKenzie, who was debuting her collection five years in the making of photos featuring models reenacting unsolved murders. Instead, her drunken gallery manager forced her to pay for promotional items and even neglected to provide drinks for the jaded New York crowd. Those are minor complications though compared to the arrival of two NYPD detectives with the news that one of the models featured in Lydia's photos was just discovered murdered and they are very interested in learning why the woman was photographed as a corpse on the exhibit's invitations.
Lydia created her arguably morbid collection after becoming fascinated by Lost Girls, a book documenting the tragic unsolved murders of unidentified young women in Williamsburg. After also being touched by murder when a child, Lydia hopes that her photographs will bring awareness to the crimes and perhaps lead to the identification of the women and bring resolutions to their families. Now, Lydia is terrified that her friends who posed for the photos may be targets for the same murderer who inspired them, especially when another model is murdered and a third goes missing.
With amateur detectives, the major obstacle is creating a justification for them to believe that they are as capable as - if not more than - the police to investigate. Cole overcomes this by having Lydia work as the Girl Friday for a pair of very Italian private investigator brothers. However, a comedic side plot that has their restaurant-owning mother paying Lydia to spy one of her son's girlfriends seems a distraction and inserted only to add some uncomfortable humor. The ending unfortunately also feels rushed and the solution seems forced and disjointed from the rest of the novel.
The winner of St Martin's Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel, Meredith Cole is an experienced film director and screenwriter who was waylaid by pregnancy. What Cole excels at is the depiction of New York City and the artists' community. She vividly describes how the artists' former factory lofts of Williamsburg and the largely Polish ethnic Greenpoint have become high-priced condos and businesses and she documents the dilemma of artists who consider themselves so artistic that no one understands - or buys - them. Even Lydia succumbs to snobbery against artists who have "sold out" to cater to tourists and the commercial sectors. There is of course a romantic element tossed in with the swarthy attractive detective, but it's the vulnerable Lydia and the world of New York artists that make this an enjoyable read.