Customer Reviews

Silver Scream: A Bed-And-Breakfast Mystery

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

 

 

It took our library ages to finally get me a copy of this to read. I had picked it up in several bookstores but never bought it, as the rest of my Mary Dahiem collection is in paperback. To be sure, I'll buy this one when it comes out, but the book was a bit of a letdown. The happenings at the B & B take place around Halloween, but this holiday and all its spooky trappings are never really used effectively. The "mystery" trick or treaters is rather lame, if not next door to impossible to believe. As for all the movie folks who swoop down on Judith and her husband, there really aren't any memorable characters; this is the most normal group she has ever dealt with. Not a surprse that none of them had the ambition or forethought for mayhem. I don't mind a few red herrings in a book but it was virtually impossible to figure out who the murderer actually was. There was not as much interaction between Renie and Judith, but Bill, Renie's husband, is turning into a very welcome, likeable character. He and Joe's friendship seems every bit as genuine as Judith and Renie's. Gertrude was her usual colorful self, and always welcome at every appearance. The big push in the book is that Judith could lose her beloved B and B due to the drowning death of a famous producer. However, even though there was a lawyer involved, there was never a mention of a lawsuit by anyone except the near hysterical Judith and the nervous Joe. It just never seemed like a possibility at all, so hence no panic on the reader's part. And, sorry, I don't think anyone could buy Renie's three children, none of who had serious beaus, turning up engaged. A mediocre Mary Dahiem is better than most, but I hope her next foray is more in keeping with her previous books, most of which are pricelss and have been read at least three times. I don't know if this one will get another read.

Having read every mystery she has written I can say this fast paced book is Mary Daheim's best yet! There isn't a dull moment in the entire book as Hillside Manor is invaded by a group of Hollywood celebs who get on Judith's last nerve and even endanger the very existence of the B&B Daheim fans come to love.

While the cast of characters is large, keeping track of them is easy because Daheim has written them brilliantly giving each his own well defined personality. The reader is led on a merry chase as this well-crafted story evolves...Mary Daheim is an expert at dropping both red herrings and real clues equally subtly throughout her writing. I myself was sure I knew "who-done-it" three different times only to find a head slapping "of course!" moment just 12 pages from the end.

As always, Daheim's sense of humor, off the wall characters, and great skill with word play give the reader some laughs along with this extremely well plotted mystery.

Daheim is a true artist in creating atmosphere and settings. She'll bring you right into the scenes in a manner so well written you'll swear you feel the dampness of the fog, smell the bologna in Gertrude's sandwich, and are looking over Judith's shoulder as she confronts the true criminal.

This book even includes a complete floor plan of Hillside Manor which is fun to refer to as the action takes place. It will also come in handy when reading the other books in the series. There seems to be an error in the placement of bathroom doors on the second floor but it doesn't affect the story at all.

I first read Mary Daheim several years ago when "Snow Place to Die" was published. By the time I finished the third chapter I had purchased or ordered all of the other books in the series and began buying her other wonderful series, the Alpine mysteries. . Starting with her first of the B&B series, "Just Desserts", I read them in order and recommend you do the same as soon as you read "Silver Scream"! Judith's own story develops with each consecutive book. You will find yourself caring about the details of her life and how some very personal issues will turn out. You will also come to love the other people in her life...lovable protective Joe, Judith's outspoken cousin Renie and Renie's husband Bill, wacky neighbors and especially Judith's one of a kind mother, Gertrude, (who lives in the tool shed because she refuses to live under the same roof as Joe) will capture your imagination and become as familiar as people in your own life. Read Gertrude carefully...there's a lot beneath the blustery surface that has yet to be brought to light. I hope Gertrude lives forever!

Mary Daheim is the best of the many cozy mystery authors...and "Silver Scream" is her best. Buy it. You won't be sorry.

Judith McMonigle Flynn grew up in Hillside Manor and when her husband died, she moved back home and turned it into a bed and breakfast inn. For over a decade, she put her blood, sweat and tears into the place and in spite of the few murders that took place there, she made it a success. She now has more business than she knows what to do with.

Over the Halloween weekend, she had to turn down some guests because Hollywood producer Bruno Zepf and his entourage are staying there. He is previewing his latest movie and he always stays at a B&B because it brings him luck. Unfortunately, his good Karma runs out this time and Judith finds him drowned in her kitchen sink with the cupboard door above it open. Afraid that she will be sued for negligence because she knew the cupboard door needed to be repaired, she frantically tries to prove that Bruno was murdered.

SILVER SCREAM is a delightful and charming cozy starring a heroine and a support cast that readers will find utterly delightful. The readers really become involved in this mystery, trying to figure out along with the heroine, exactly what happened. The solution is very believable, and even though the author gives a few hints, there is no way that anyone could guess who is responsible for Bruno's death. Mary Daheim's latest mystery is fantastic.

Harriet Klausner

This once enjoyable series is starting to lose its steam.

Judith has turned into nothing more than a simpering, annoying buttinsky. All she has to do is simply smile, use a compassionate tone of voice, and tell people how much she loves people and BOOM! - they spill their guts to her. Oh, they complain and tell her to butt out and mind her own business, but they spill it all anyway, even when she's following them around town or showing up in their hospital rooms. Why, even airline employees give her passenger manifests over the phone, which everyone knows is just not done.

The supporting cast is also starting to wear thin. Renie's antics used to be amusing, but it's gone beyond the point of silly when she's crawling into a kitchen cabinet because all three of her kids have suddenly decided to get married out of the clear blue sky. Even Gertrude seems to have lost her sharp edge.

The premise of this series has always been cute, but how many murders can happen at a B&B before word gets out and people stop staying there? Or the B&B Association no longer endorses the property? This series has gone on long enough. With the more enjoyable "Alpine" series still going strong, perhaps Ms. Daheim should concentrate her efforts on that and just let everyone at Hillside Manor retire in peace.

Perhaps this cozy mystery has more to offer to the long-time readers already acquainted with the numerous characters. Family dynamics might have been amusing to someone more familiar, but were simply an irritation to this reader. Replacement hips, broken shoulders, deafness, dementia and free loading 30-year old kids simply are not amusing. Too many characters, living and dead, that just kept popping up throughout the book made it almost impossible to keep up with the story, the chatter was over the top, but not delightfully so, and the mystery was so very convoluted I really didn't CARE who had done it - I was just ready for the book to end. Where Ms. Danheim REALLY lost me though, was when a character was calling the airlines to check on passenger manifests. There should be SOME reality in a cozy mystery, some clever twists, and a lot more of setting and research by my thinking. This was a senseless hodgepodge.

I have never written a review on a book I did not complete or a product I have not used. I am going to make an exception with this one. Please completely ignore the star rating I gave as it is really not applicable in this case. For all I know, this may well be a very nice book and Mary Daheim fans may quite well enjoy it. I write this review simply as a warning for those of you, like me, who have never read any of the other Bed-And-Breakfast Mysteries.

I like cozy mysteries and read quite a few of them. They are relaxing and entertaining. I read many series. Now due to my situation I seldom, if ever, read the first book in any given series nor do I read them in order. I get almost all of my books at the local library and quite often the library does not have the entire series on their shelves. I do not purchase these books as my book budget money is spent on history and biographies.

And herein lays the problem I had with this particular book. I found it absolutely impossible to read as a stand alone book. I made it through the first two chapters and I did not have a clue as to what was happening. Characters were for the most part developed (I assume) in previous novels and I, as a reader, was suppose to know of them and their background and how they fit into the plot. Whole the author is obviously amusing, her humor was lost on me as many of the little skits (for lack of a better word), were "inside" jokes and I did not have any idea what the author was talking about.

What little I read seemed quite well crafted and I suppose that had I started with the first book in the series I may have liked it. This seems to be about number 18 in the series and my chances of reading the previous 17 books in order to be able to read this one are nil.

Again, I want to be fare to the author, this book and the fans of these books so I am giving this work five stars on the assumption that it would be a good book if......

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Judith is mostly recovered from her hip surgery and looking forward to the slow season in the B&B business, when Ingrid, the head of the state Bed and Breakfast organization calls to cancel her scheduled reservations and substitute them with a group visiting for the premiere of a movie filmed in the area. The Gasman is the history of the world seen through the eyes of a lowly gasman. Judith is not looking forward to the pushy Hollywood types but can't refuse. In short, the movie bombs, the producer ends up dead, and Joe and Judith investigate with the help of Renie and Bill who seem to have their own problems.

This was an entertaining cozy, though not as good as Suture Self. The author left alot of loose ends that I hope will be tied up in the next novel. A great beach and vacation read, very quick and entertaining and not too deep.

I was starting to get a little tired of this series but this one improved a bit over the last several books; it is particularly better than the last in the series, Suture Self, whose title was the best thing about it.

Judith must play hostess to a bevy of Hollywood names & stars & starlets who are in town to celebrate the premier of a movie that had been filmed in the city. Of course, there is a murder (the producer of the film) or was it murder? There is a chance that it is the result of negligence on the part of the B&B. Of course, it is obvious that it is a murder and, for me, it was obvious from almost the beginning who had done the deed. For that reason I almost rated it 3 instead of 4 stars. But, the interaction between the cousins and their families is fun to read (although Bill, Renie's husband, was silly in his duck outfit for Halloween).

All in all, a pleasant read and I will continue reading the series if she keeps the quality at this level or higher.

what happened to the banter between the two cousins??? for years judith and renie have been solving mysteries together but since their husband's retired all of a sudden all four are involved in crime solving. Bring back the cousins and help us laugh again..

Judith Flynn's B & B is playing host to Hollywood producer Bruno Zept and before she knows it, Judith is also being invaded by Bruno's whole entourage who are in town for the premier of their latest movie. Judith has a hard time coping with the demands of this eccentric Hollywood crew and soon one of them is lying dead in her kitchen sink! She and husband Joe are afraid that they will be held liable for the murder, so they begin their own investigation. They uncover all sorts of unsavory secrets about their guests and there are plenty of motives for murder. Daheim throws in plenty of red herrings, and the revelation of the real murderer is a surprise. Her characters are delightfully drawn and the plot is sufficiently complicated to keep the reader guessing until the very end. This is a cozy reader's delight!