Customer Reviews

Vacations Can Be Murder (Charlie Parker Series Book 2)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After a taxing investigation (no pun intended) CPA and part-time investigator Charlie Parker decides to take a vacation to Kauai. She takes a scenic helicopter ride with Drake Langston, but gets more than she bargains for when they come across a dead body in a remote place. Drake's fellow pilot, Mack, is in the wrong place at the wrong time and he is accused of the murder. Drake asks Charlie to help with the investigation, since local law enforcement officers seem reluctant to look for any further suspects. Charlie obliges and, as a result, her relationship with Drake begins to blossom. She pursues the investigation with fervor (how many people would be willing to interrupt their Hawaiian vacation for a side-trip to California?) and eventually finds herself confronted by the killer. Except for a few awkward moments, this is a well-written mystery which has enough red herrings to make it interesting and it keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

I am hooked! I love the Charlie Parker Mysteries! Just downloaded the first one to my Kindle about a week and a half ago and am now on the eighth book! Love the Characters, the settings and everything about these books. I even had to make chicken enchiladas and have a margarita because the descriptions in each book of Pedro's makes you want to go there and induldge!

This was a fun, fast read. I have spent time in Hawaii/the islands, so could relate to a lot of what the author wrote. The plot certainly held my interest and I will be going on to Connie Shelton's next book...#3 in the series. And no...I didn't know 'who did it'...had to read to end to find out. The clues were there, I just didn't pick up on them. Had my sight set on...ohhh never mind, don't want to do a spoiler here. Suffice to say, author led us to believe it could of been any one of suspects...all who had the motives.

I figured the author must be around 108 years old. She uses the term "Oriental" thru the book (as another reviewer mentioned). That word went out of favor/fashion a couple of decades ago. Also the author refers to the Japanese as "Japs." Holy, moly. How old is the author? That term was never OK.

Again - as a marketing professor I applaud the strategy of making the first novel of a series's free. After the first, free Charlie Parker, Deadly Gamble, I immediately purchased Vacations Can Be Murder, and I will be reading the third book (Partnerships Can Be Murder) as soon as I finish this review.

One thing that I demand of a mystery novel is that it hold my attention and the Charlie Parker series does that. I would like to see the characters other than Charlie have more depth, but Charlie herself is warm, funny and intriguing. I find it a bit odd that a healthy 30 year old would not be a bit more preoccupied with her love life but hey, at least her dog is faithful.

In Vacations Can Be Murder Charlie does have a romantic fling while tracking down the murderer who spoils her island getaway. I do hope she takes her dog Rusty with her on her next vacation, I missed him! This is definitely 'chic lit' but is engrossing and entertaining. Gotta go - time to read #3!

Connie Shelton's Charlie Parker after solving a murder back home in Albuquerque heads off to Hawaii for a relaxing vacation. Well her plans were to have a relaxing vacation until taking a helicopter sightseeing tour while flying over a area that the helicopter do not normally fly over see what appears to be a dead body lying in the rocky cliffs and Charlie being Charlie is not satisfied to notify the local authorities and go about her merry way on the vacation. No she has to stick her nose into this dead body when she becomes romantically involved with one of the helicopter pilots who's boss and company owner is charged with the murder. I loved Charlie getting cozy with someone there were some Loving and almost sexy scenes. There are a good half dozen suspects in this tale I could not guess the murderer and i am betting you can't either. Download. Purchase or borrow this book but read it

i enjoyed the first in this series. it was a fun read. a bit long with tedious info but fun. the second is giving me issues. shelton refers to a group of people as oriental. um oriental are rugs not people! it's asian! it's a pet peeve, i know, but i don't know if i can make it through. might just skip and read the end.....

In a series certain key items are usually kept the same. However, in Vacations it felt as if the author did not like Charlie number one so she threw her out and redid the character.

In book one Charlie is a mild mannered CPA. She delves into a little accounting fraud. Lived with her neighbor from age 16-18 and sees her as a Grandmother and family. And around age 25 when she comes of age for her trust fund(no mention of catching the embezzling lawyer), goes into business with her investigator brother. She has to be dragged kicking and screaming to help Stacy. Continually denying any knowledge of investigsating and repeatedly tries to push Stavy to her brother for help.

Now book two which was dragging to read, Charlie barely indicates her neighbor as only an aquaintance. Gets trust fund at 21 and does lots of investigations. Note her quick change costume in the morge. And she has complete confidence in herself and in investigating. To me a very different person, as if Charlie had a make over. And there is not enough room to cite the many other inconsistancies and poor or lack of editing.

Additionally, I noticed that book one reads very much like the Stephanie Plum series between the large odd dog that adopts them, the massive fast food and sweets consumed and the fact that both characters kind of fall into the job. Perhaps this is why the author made over Charlie.

Opinions and spelling errors are mine alone. Thank you for your time.

I have read several of the Charlie Parker mysterys. They are very enjoyable a good easy read. I like her style of writing the books read fast and they leave you looking forward to the next one. In fact I believe I have found them all.

Probably beside the point but she mentions Ron having three children in this book. Paul has the wonderfully obnoxious Annie and Joe in "Deadly Gamble" (the worse a character is the better Shelton draws him). I started with "Partnerships Can Kill" and I don't remember Ron's children in that. Only one dog, with a walk-on part. Great scenery and Hawaii travelogue and helicopter lore. Long speeches by the murderer...are a little unconvincing.