Customer Reviews

September Fair (The Murder-By-Month Mysteries)

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

 

 

A beauty contestant, competing in the "Milkfed Mary" pageant, is murdered while having her likeness sculpted in butter. Who can resist a premise like that? I don't often laugh out loud when reading mysteries, but I did during this one. Lourey's humor is dry and irreverent, just the way I like it, and her writing is crisp and engaging. The mystery kept me guessing until the end.

The perfect book for a cold winter night. Jess Lourey has such a freewheeling sense of humor and sharp eye for detail that it should be HER head carved out of butter at the next Minnesota state fair.

After reading other mysteries/cozies with seemingly perfect, know-it-all main characters (which is kind of getting on my nerves!), September Fair is a breath of fresh air. Mira is flawed but lovable and is surrounded by interesting characters. Many laugh-out-loud moments, although I'm not sure I will be eating a burger anytime soon. :) I hope Ms. Lourey continues with the series!

Jess Lourey does it again, bringing the Fair to life
without the long lines, smell of overheated deep-fry
oil and elbow-bashing crowds.

I love Mira James. September Fair was my favorite of the serie, it doesn't place in Battle Lake for once, because let's face it, how many murder can there by in a small town. I love all the caraters. Writing is good and smart.

A master of the comic metaphor, Lourey once again weaves a quirky & entertaining set of murderous events for her likeable hero, Mira. Capturing the engulfing strangeness that is the Minnesota State Fair with humor, but also an engaging emotional punch at times, it's a wild ride that's as pleasurable as a deep-fried Nut Goody on a stick. Keep 'em coming!

So far I have read all printed books in the "Murder of the Month" series by Jess Lourey. I believe that this one was my favorite. I can attribute part of that to the comfortable feel of the characters after getting to know them better throughout the earlier books. An entertaining mystery with a quick moving plot and some hairpin turns made the ride enjoyable as well. I spent my early years on the west coast and moved to small town Minnesota as an adult. I personally feel that if you are from Minnesota, you will find many of the cultural references hilarious. I would think that if you have never lived here or visited briefly, you will still find it a great mystery with lots of humor. One warning, if you read one of these books you will probably read them all because they are as addicting. I can't wait for October!

I read constantly, like many reviewers. I was looking for another book and hoped that this series, at twice the price of other mystery series might be twice as enjoyable. The publisher's review suggested it was a combination of Garrison Keillor and Agatha Christie. Perhaps I took the review too seriously. I expected the book stand alone; it doesn't. Unless you intend to read further don't start this one. The main character's observations are amusing, as are many of the towns characters. Her real writing skills seem to be saved for nature; when Mira, her librarian, is gardening, the writing waxes lyrical.

If you want a single glimpse into heroine's life, this book isn't it. Apparently each book is one month of her stay in Battle Lake. Since the books are twice the price of other entertaining mysteries you might look elsewhere for a fleshed out, Agatha Christie type mystery. Also, my mother-in-law from Minnesota hates these books that imply all Minnesotans are peculiar, all life there is full of strange encounters with oddballs, but that seems to be the popular view. This book doesn't remind me of Garrison Keillor (my favorite piece of his is why Lutheran's can't be in an orchestra... he's written so much it's hard to choose) but her writing is true of many small towns in which I've lived. For those thinking about buying Knee High I'd suggest realizing you are committing to a longer series, one that is amusing in a what-could-go-wrong-next-kind of way and not expecting a single volume to satisfy your book craving.

For those who care, there is mild sexual romping, but it's fairly well modified; her clever use of language kept it from offending one who is often a prude.

This series just gets better and better. I'm always entertained, I laugh out loud, and love the characters. Please, don't stop writing this series! I'm hoping you will indeed write Octoberfest, Jess, and many more as well.