Customer Reviews

Tall, Dead and Handsome

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

 

 

Just North of San Francisco in Marin County, Hill Creek is a weird combination of chic and New Age. Though everyone is wealthy, harmony does not exist. Renowned womanizer Mayor Alex Postman supports having Signatech establish facilities in the town in order to provide new jobs and money, but Hannah Malloy believes the firm will spoil the small town atmosphere.

Hannah plans to run for mayor against Alex unless he changes his position. At a fund-raiser, Hannah intends to plead with Alex, but before she can, someone kills him. Another mayoral candidate is found dead in the back of Hannah's truck. The police look at Hannah as the prime suspect in both homicides. With the help of her sister Kiki, Hannah begins her own investigation in order to clear her name before they throw the book at her.

Hill Creek is the type of place people like to visit to see if the townsfolk are as eccentric and zany as described in TALL, DEAD, AND HANDSOME. Kiki and Hannah trade quips and insults at a pace that would overwhelm Abbot and Costello, but their shared love for one another still shines through the tale. This who-done-is a fun to read amateur sleuth novel that demonstrates that Annie Griffin knows how to write an exciting, humorous puzzler.

Harriet Klausner

I had enjoyed the previous three books in this series, being the type of light mystery that makes good reading on a rainy day or on a plane. This one takes a step forward in the development of the characters as it concentrates more on Kiki & Hannah, with little emphasis on the side characters (although there is some advancement in the Lauren/Detective Morgan relationship). And while the zingers keep flying with regards to Kiki's person, the sisters prove again in this book that they care deeply about each other. As to the mystery, there are enough clues in the storyline to provide you the answer as to "whodunnit" but they are not so obvious as to make the plot boring. Looking forward to the next episode.

I bought this book for 50 cents at my library's book sale. While I enjoy light, fluffy novels, this one is too light. The main character decides to enter the mayoral race three weeks before the election. She drops off items for a rummage sale 10 minutes before the sale opens. These details are so far beyond anything that would be reasonable in real life, that I can only assume the author knows nothing about politics or rummage sales. The totally unbelieveability of the book is so grating that I cannot enjoy the humor.

It keeps you in stitches while your trying to figure out who did it. All in all another winner for Annie Griffin.