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A Killer Read (An Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery #1)

3.54 of 5 stars 3.54 · rating details · 302 ratings · 83 reviews

For the first meeting of the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society, six friends gather in Molly Mathews's old Southern mansion-including Lizzie Turner, a reading specialist with a penchant for mysteries. But the mystery book club meeting becomes the scene of an actual murder when a stranger is shot--and nobody knows who the victim is, or how Molly's anti...more

Mass Market Paperback, 286 pages

Published April 3rd 2012 by Berkley Publishing Group (first published April 2012)

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Oct 06, 2012 Larraine rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read this book at the recommendation of someone in a Facebook group. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for a lightweight mystery featuring cats. However, this one, in the end, was misleading. Yes there are two cats. They have names: Edam and Brie. However, the cats are hardly ever acknowledged except for when the heroine, Lizzie, has to feed them on the way out the door. The two cats are referred to as "the cats" and are really just appendages. It's obvious that the cats were made a part of the story i...more I read this book at the recommendation of someone in a Facebook group. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for a lightweight mystery featuring cats. However, this one, in the end, was misleading. Yes there are two cats. They have names: Edam and Brie. However, the cats are hardly ever acknowledged except for when the heroine, Lizzie, has to feed them on the way out the door. The two cats are referred to as "the cats" and are really just appendages. It's obvious that the cats were made a part of the story in order to lure cat lovers.

I enjoyed the first third of the book. Lizzie is a reading specialist in a small Alabama town. She is actively involved in a literacy group as well as a choir. The book opens with Lizzie going to the inaugural meeting of a new mystery reading group. Mysteries and cheese straws - an inspired combination! I could see myself doing that. During their inaugural meeting, a man walks right into the house where they are having their meeting. Don't people in small Alabama towns lock their doors? He claims to be having car trouble. He makes a phone call that doesn't sound like a call to a tow truck, goes back to his car and is found dead. An antique pistol is the murder weapon - one that comes from the home of Molly who was hosting the meeting.

Honestly, I found this whole construct rather awkward, but was willing to give it a pass to see how the book progressed. At the same time, Lizzie is getting chapters of a mysterious manuscript plus mysterious telephone calls telling her to look into what story her journalist father was investigating when he was killed in a car accident. The problem with this book is, in the end, that the style just began to annoy me. Why do I need to be told in detail what Lizzie is wearing every time she goes out the door, down to what she is wearing to jog? We also are reading about a 30+ yr old woman who gets nervous when a man shows her around his house including the master bedroom? Finally, one of the things that really annoyed me was the math. We are told that Molly, Lizzie's wealthy, gracious and elderly friend, would have been married 60 yrs if her husband had lived. Yet she is in her "early 70's." How old was she when she got married? 12? 13? 14? Sorry, I think I'll pass on future books.
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Sep 07, 2012 Rebecca rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

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Apr 20, 2012 Jeannie and Louis Rigod rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was a charming surprise to me. Not only did I truly enjoy the story and meeting new characters, each chapter had a familiar quote by Authors I follow religiously and somehow my favorite novels were chosen also.

The story follows an Reading Specialist, Tutor, Literacy Teacher, Lizzie Turner who has returned to her childhood town to live and work in. Lizzie's Mother has special needs which need her living close by as well.
No one is quite sure what happened to Ms. Turner to cause her withd...more

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Mar 15, 2012 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, romance

"A Killer Read" is a cozy mystery that also has a good bit of romance in it. This novel is the first in a series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. The characters were interesting, engaging, and reacted in realistic ways to the various issues they faced (which was more than just "whodunit").

While there were clues, it was difficult for Lizzie (and the reader) to know how they all connected--though once you knew how, it all made sense. I didn't guess whodunit, though there was enough clues it w...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Lou Allin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Who wouldn’t love to live in the quaint and charming Alabama town of Ashton Corners? Neighbours look after each other, kids drink soda and say ma’am, there’s no Mafia, and hard-working reading specialist Lizzie Turner helps reluctant teens. What’s missing other than a book club?
Widow friend Molly Mathews is thrilled to volunteer her own plush Victorian mansion to the first meeting of the Mystery Readers and Cheese Straw Society. The table is set with delectables sweet and savoury as the friend...more Who wouldn’t love to live in the quaint and charming Alabama town of Ashton Corners? Neighbours look after each other, kids drink soda and say ma’am, there’s no Mafia, and hard-working reading specialist Lizzie Turner helps reluctant teens. What’s missing other than a book club?
Widow friend Molly Mathews is thrilled to volunteer her own plush Victorian mansion to the first meeting of the Mystery Readers and Cheese Straw Society. The table is set with delectables sweet and savoury as the friends settle in. Romance may be on the menu with the handsome new male lawyer in town, a surprise guest of one of the members. Scarcely have they commenced arguing companionably about what book to choose first than a strange man is standing in the hall. Car trouble, so he says, and makes a phone call. Before the evening ends, he’s found shot outside in his vehicles, far down the long driveway. And with an old gun that had been in the house for decades. How did he get it? Is this a suicide or a murder? What would Poirot do?
Once identified, the stranger may have had distant connections with the town, but any main players are now dead. Matters turn complex in the ongoing investigation when it’s discerned that some book club members may have left the room for a few minutes each in the course of the long meeting. But they’re all such upright citizens, and they say that they’ve never seen him before. The handsome but untested chief of police has unfinished dating business from high school with Lizzie, which intrigues her, but the retired chief doesn’t trust the young pup to do any job right.
What was the dead man doing at the mansion? The car excuse seems to have been a total ruse. Everyone starts pitching in on the sleuthing, some traveling together to nearby towns where the dead man may have had a family. Everyone but the law seems to be turning up clues, but the new chief and his crabby second in command issue warnings for the amateurs to back off before they get hurt.
As things heat up, Lizzie is tasked with a new mystery. Who is dropping off successive parts of a manuscript in her mailbox in the middle of the night? Is it a shy student? A reclusive town citizen with a secret past? What do they want from her? A critique or just validation? Chapter One has a regional charm, as if it came from a talented if unschooled local. “There wasn’t much money to be had doing anything in small town Alabama in the early 1960s. But that Mr. Jenkins Parker had a good run of cotton and was raking in his own bankrolls, so the good luck spilled right over and Pops got himself a loan.” Then the storyline turns dark. And darker. In the midst of her own problems with the murder and her growing attraction to the chief, Lizzie is hooked. She wants to know what happened, but she’s afraid of the consequences of unearthing ugly secrets.
Even worse, she starts getting midnight calls hinting that her respected reporter father, who died decades ago in a car accident, was working on a newspaper story that may relate to the present murder. Lizzie’s always regarded her father as a hero. Connecting the dots will make him proud of her. Then again, perhaps he had been cheating on her mother in making mysterious trips.
Lizzie is a spunky new heroine with two aristocratic feline furballs, Edam and Brie. She’s single and choosy enough to stay that way for now. Every dedicated teacher will identify with her quest to find ways to steer modern teens into a book which suits their needs and interests, even if the path starts with a graphic novel. “I’ve got an idea, Lizzie…why don’t you just do, like, brain surgery or something on me. Slice me open, pull out my brain, squish all this Shakespeare stuff into it, put it back and sew me up like new,” one of her charges pleads. But even with her soft spot for the young and old, such as her confused mother in a nursing home or problems like teen pregnancy, Lizzie has a backbone of steel, and will rush to the side of her friends in trouble.
Not only reading classes, but mystery reading itself is the theme of this exciting new series, and rumours have it that in another life the author “Erika Chase” ran her own mystery bookstore. “The trouble with mornings is that they come when you’re not awake,” according to Rex Stout. Every chapter begins with a crafty quote from Lizzie’s mystery lore, and Dame Agatha or Janet Evanovich punctuate the conversation. This cozy with a clever edge sets a perfect stage for further adventures in this iconic little town with more “characters” than a Russian novel. And good news! The Ashton Corners Book Club will detect again with the included sample of the upcoming Read and Buried.

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Feb 20, 2013 Rane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cozies-mystery-suspense

The word refreshing came to mind after finishing 'A Killer Read' by Erika Chase.
The pace was on the slow side, but fit the small town feel as our sleuth Lizzie Turner, a reading specialist and her friends from Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society sort out clues on why a stranger unknown to everyone is murder out in one of the club members front lawn.

I really love when our sleuth doesn't go all Jane Bond with guns blazing into trouble, but uses her smarts to pick up clues...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Christine rated it 5 of 5 stars

A stranger barges into a mystery readers book club meeting in Ashton Corners, Alabama and is later found dead outside the home where the club had met. Now Lizzie Turner, Molly Mathews, and the other members of the book club are the main target of the investigation. The friends set out to do some investigation of their own to find the real culprit. Molly then starts having break-ins and small thefts from her home and Lizzie is getting strange phone calls and even chapters from a book manuscript f...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Text Addict rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not bad. The book club conceit is interesting, as was the way the information about the mystery's solution was lost in the past. Not a bad minor romance, either. I like the protagonist's profession - reading specialist - and her new boyfriend's toughness and vulnerability (he's a vet) (the war kind, not the animal kind). The unorthodox method of finding information by visiting old folks' homes was an interesting departure. A modest amount of tension was present, particularly as the official inve...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Patty rated it 4 of 5 stars

An excellent "first in a series". Lizzie is a literacy teacher in the school district of her small Alabama town. She also takes on private tutoring of mostly young adults working toward a GED. When a stranger walks into a private home, interrupting a book club meeting, and then is found dead outside Lizzie gets into full protective mode. What was this man doing? Why did he die right outside the home?

These and a lot of other questions are ones that need to be answered. It gets more complicated an...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Beverly rated it 5 of 5 stars

What I liked about the book: If you know me even just a little you know two things about my reading preferences. I love mysteries and I LOVE stories that have a tie in to books. Erika Chase's A Killer Read is a perfect fit for anyone who loves books and cozy mysteries. I enjoyed reading about Lizzie's efforts to encourage struggling readers to develop a love for reading. (In fact, I even picked up an idea or two that I can use in my elementary school library.) Chase's characters are well develo...more

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May 18, 2013 C. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: riedel-titles-2013

So much mainstream mystery is from the USA, I was excited to find Erika Chase. I am befuddled the pages of “A Killer Read” are rife with American habits like “have got” - instead of plainly using “have”. Erika even spells “colour” without “U”, which should come naturally. American ‘stuff’ is already abundant. Canadians with the chance to produce work, usually showcase our country. Instead, here’s yet another setting in the American south!

I like the protagonist, ‘Lizzy’ and cast, after taking ti...more

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Apr 27, 2012 LORI CASWELL rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

Welcome to the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straw Society hosted in Molly Mathew’s old Southern mansion.

The first meeting doesn’t go as planned when a stranger bursts through the door and demands to use the phone. He is later found dead in front of the house. Nobody knows who this man is or why he died in front of Molly home. The group is even more dumbfounded when they learn he was shot by an antique gun that belonged to Molly’s deceased husband.

Add to this confusion, a manuscript...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Gigi Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a cozy mystery, set in the small town of Ashton Corners, Alabama. It is the first book in the series, but can be enjoyed as a stand-alone book. I need to say right off, I really enjoyed this book. The only complain I have is....

The book (and this is my opinion only) is I felt there was way to much unnecessary details, such as...A list of every food item that was eaten whether it was at a meal or just a snack was described in detail, and that was often....Another was the choosing of...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Sheila Beaumont rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, books-about-books, cats, mysteries-suspense-thrillers

I find it hard to resist mysteries that involve a bookstore, a library or, as in this one, a book club, which is known as the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society. The novel has a lively cast of characters, including our heroine, a reading specialist who consults with schoolteachers, teaches literacy classes, and tutors students who need help, plus a puzzling, complex mystery and a well-portrayed Southern setting.

The references to real mystery books (including the reading lis...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Yvonne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Teacher Lizzie Turner loves her mystery books and is very excited for the first meeting of the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society. The meeting is held in her friend Molly Matthew’s mansion. Suddenly real life becomes more intriguing than the group’s fiction read when a stranger wanders into Molly’s home and winds up dead. The murder weapon turns out to be part of Molly’s antique gun collection.

When the reading group members become the prime suspects, Lizzie is determined to...more Teacher Lizzie Turner loves her mystery books and is very excited for the first meeting of the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society. The meeting is held in her friend Molly Matthew’s mansion. Suddenly real life becomes more intriguing than the group’s fiction read when a stranger wanders into Molly’s home and winds up dead. The murder weapon turns out to be part of Molly’s antique gun collection.

When the reading group members become the prime suspects, Lizzie is determined to prove they had nothing to do with the death. She mysteriously begins to receive chapters from a manuscript and wonders if they are connected to the murder.

Added to the mystery is a bit of romance. Lizzie had a high school crush on the local police chief and the feelings surface again. If she’d only stay out of his investigation, their relationship would be perfect, but Lizzie has no intentions of letting that happen.

This is the first book in a new cozy series. Of course this book has been in my review pile for a year, so I guess it’s not all that new since there is already a second book released and a new one coming out soon. I’m just sorry it took so long for me to read.

Setting a mystery to the backdrop of a reading group is perfect for me. It gives us a small group of characters – each with their own personalities and quirkiness. I know I will enjoy re-visiting with these people in future books. My only complaint was that there are two beautiful cats on the cover but they didn’t have enough to do in the book. LOL The cats have great names though – Edam and Brie.

Each chapter begins with a quote from other mystery stories. I thought that was a nice addition. The story moved at a nice pace and I tried so hard to figure out whodunit and I came to all the wrong conclusions. That’s a good thing! I like being surprised.

This series is off to a wonderful start. Looking forward to the next one.

FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.(less)

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Jun 11, 2012 Rhonda rated it 4 of 5 stars

4 STAR Really good mystery. I stayed up till 1:30 am. I won this book from Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book. I like the name of the book club they just started. Ashton Corners mystery readers and Cheese straws society. Lizzie lives in a 2 bedroom apartment. She is a reading specialist. She teaches to the teachers,students and older kids that are working on getting thier GED. Lizzie has her litercy and private tutoring at her friends Mollie big house. Lizzie starts a book club and invites a...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a pretty good book and the series has promise. Lizzie Turner is a reading and literacy teacher who has begun the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straw Society. The group meets at the home of Molly Matthews, Lizzie's mothers old friend. A strange man is found wandering through Molly's home at the beginning of a reading group meeting. He is found murdered outside of Molly's house and the police begin to look at each of the book club members. The chief of police happen to be the...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Fred rated it 4 of 5 stars

A Killer Read is the first book in the Ashton Book Club Mystery series. And a killer read it was, too.

I really enjoyed this series and like the fact that this Canadian author did such a great job of setting her book in the States.

Lizzy Turner is a reading specialist for the school system in Ashton Corners. Lizzy and Molly Mathew's are putting the final touches doe the first meeting of Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straw Society, which will meet in Molly's mansion. Just as the meeting...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Maria rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: recommended-to-me, mystery, contemporary

Lizzie Turner is a reading specialist at the local elementary school. She's also a founding member of the local mystery Book Club. But when a mysterious stranger turns into a dead body outside their first meeting as a club, Lizzie and the 6 other members are curious enough to get to the bottom of it themselves.

Why I started this book: Mom sent me the book for Valentines and said that she enjoyed it.

Why I finished it: I made it to the end because it was recommended to me and for no other reason....more

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Aug 12, 2012 CL rated it 2 of 5 stars

Good mystery, annoying misuse of language. This is an excellent mystery marred by the author's attempt to place the story in the South by using laughable "dialect." And she doesn't even do that consistently. Every chapter or so, the characters—including those with multiple academic degrees—suddenly drop some phrase into their dialogue reminiscent not so much of the South but of the television series "The Beverly Hillbillies." Clearly the author not only didn't grow up below the Mason-Dixon Line,...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Cathy Cole rated it 3 of 5 stars

First Line: "I've got an idea, Lizzie... why don't you just do, like, brain surgery or something on me."

Literacy specialist Lizzie Turner's days don't always run smoothly, especially when she has a reader as reluctant as teenager Andrea Mason. But Lizzie doesn't know the meaning of the word quit, and she's inspired to invite Andrea to the very first meeting of the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society.

What no one bargains for is the fact that the man who barges in on the meeti...more First Line: "I've got an idea, Lizzie... why don't you just do, like, brain surgery or something on me."

Literacy specialist Lizzie Turner's days don't always run smoothly, especially when she has a reader as reluctant as teenager Andrea Mason. But Lizzie doesn't know the meaning of the word quit, and she's inspired to invite Andrea to the very first meeting of the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society.

What no one bargains for is the fact that the man who barges in on the meeting is found shortly afterwards shot dead in his car at the end of the driveway. The man was murdered with an antique gun stolen from member Molly Mathews' house, and when Officer Amber Craig focuses her attention on the members of the book club, Lizzie knows that she's going to have to find some sort of information that will make the human pit bull stop wasting time and chase after the real killer.

Author Erika Chase has the perfect premise for a cozy: a mystery readers book club set in small town Alabama whose main member is a literacy specialist who works with school boards, students, and teachers as well as teaching evening literacy classes. It's fun watching Lizzie trying to find that one spark of inspiration that will encourage someone to read, to keep on reading, and eventually to read for the sheer pleasure of it.

The fellow book club members are a varied lot: a retired police chief, a wealthy elderly widow, a school teacher, an unwed mother, a lawyer, and a high school student. Their varied ages, backgrounds, personalities and areas of expertise should prove to be fertile soil for future books in this new series. When you add romantic interest for Lizzie in the form of an old high school crush and her two Siamese cats named Edam and Brie, about the only other thing you could possibly need are lists of each book club member's reading recommendations-- mystery after mystery for crime fiction lovers of all types.

I found A Killer Read to be enjoyable from beginning to end in regards to both characterization and setting. Since it is set in Alabama, I was wondering how the author would handle regional speech, and I was pleased to see that Chase adds just enough to provide true Southern flavor without going over the top. Only the pickiest of readers should object to the number of times words like "y'all" appear in the book.

I did find one or two things that bothered me a bit. Each chapter begins with a quote from a mystery novel. Enough of these quotes are from books whose authors have also written blurbs for A Killer Read that it all seemed a bit like mutual admiration society overkill. Also, I've (unfortunately) gotten rather used to a bit of shoddy proofreading in the books I read, but this book has an error that shines like the brightest of beacons. The author obviously meant to refer to a Jack Russell terrier, but the dog remained a Jack Daniels terrier all the way through the editing process. I did check to see if there was a new breed of dog I wasn't aware of, but alas, no.

I also felt that the book's pacing was too slow, and I think the reason why it did seem to grind to a halt from time to time was because the author gives so much detail of Lizzie Turner's life and work. It wasn't long before I knew which nights she taught literacy classes, which night was choir practice, what days she tutored students, and so forth. I really feel as though I know Lizzie quite well-- and like her-- but all the repetitive information did slow the mystery down.

Yes, these things did bother me a bit, but I still found A Killer Read to be fun from beginning to end. Now that I know Lizzie and her friends so well, I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
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Jun 30, 2012 Alannah rated it 3 of 5 stars

The words in this novel are well placed, as if a teacher or college English major had written them. But (for me) the most important thing - characterization - is missing. The author fills us in on lots of reasons why we should feel empathy for the characters, but gives us no real motivation to really and truly feel that empathy.

On the good side, this is technically well-written and has an absorbing storyline and interesting side-plots. I would definitely read another mystery by Erika Chase again...more

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May 12, 2013 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-mystery, 2013-05-pan-reading-spring, 2013-05-ufa-may-flowers, pcpl-read, stars-4-very-good-or-really-liked, reviewed

I really liked this story. I loved Lizzie as the main protagonist: a literacy consultant with a passion for reading and encouraging others to read. The supporting characters were also great: such a varied and interesting lot. The mysteries really kept me guessing, too. I loved it!

I have just two complaints: First, whoever was responsible for the back cover description did the book a disservice, in my opinion, by saying "...Molly surfaces as the next name on the killer's list..." After the first...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-alabama

Lizzie Turner, a reading specialist in her small home town, starts a mystery book club. The first meeting is almost over when one of the members, the retired police chief, finds a dead body outside the house where they're meeting. Lizzie finds out that the new police chief is her high school crush, who has matured and changed over the years. Not all members of the force are as sympathetic as Mark, and Lizzie feels impelled to do some investigation to clear the book club members. I was sorry that...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Nancy Rogan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first in a new cozy series set in Alabama. The first couple of chapters are overrun with "y'all" and "honey" and made it obvious that this author is not from the south. "y'all" is PLURAL and the misuse of it makes my skin crawl. However, after a bad start the use of "y'all" got better and only one character ended every other sentence with "honey", so I guess the author felt she had established that the setting was southern and eased up. That is my only criticism of this book. The sto...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Andree rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I saw this book on the shelf at my friendly neighbourhood bookstore. I read the back and was vaguely intrigued, but not intrigued enough to buy. Then I happened to stumble across it at the library and picked it up. Possibly I should have stuck with my original inclination.

It wasn't terrible, but there were some significant issues with it. For one, I'm not sure why this was set in the south, excactly. There was something slightly off with the dialogue. Originally I thought it was just the dialogu...more I saw this book on the shelf at my friendly neighbourhood bookstore. I read the back and was vaguely intrigued, but not intrigued enough to buy. Then I happened to stumble across it at the library and picked it up. Possibly I should have stuck with my original inclination.

It wasn't terrible, but there were some significant issues with it. For one, I'm not sure why this was set in the south, excactly. There was something slightly off with the dialogue. Originally I thought it was just the dialogue, but I don't think it is. I found a lot of the writing a bit clunky, and hard to follow, particularly the mystery. The relationships between characters are done well though.

The best example of the writing issues is the fact that the protagonist at one point, during the mystery solving actually said, "So, to reiterate what we've found out today," to the person who was with her all day. And the most ridiculous thing about it, upon further consideration of this was, that the recap was probably neccessary for the audience. I just found the whole case too complicated. By the end of the book, I was having trouble connecting all the threads. For example, the random manuscript seemed kind of pointless. And mostly I found I just didn't care about the mystery all that much. The solution came out of nowhere a bit. I think at least one of the threads surrounding the mystery needed to go.

However, I also thought there were some things that were just off.
1. Some details were harped on a lot, unneccsarily (it was mentioned about a dozen times that the protagonist drove a Mazda)
2. The book club could have been more charming, I felt. There needed to be more book club scenes where they discussed books, given that it's the conceit of the novel. If the point is to have a book club solve a crime, you also need to make sure they're a convincing book club. (Although, it's debatable just how much they contributed to solving a crime as well.)
3. There was far too much complaining about eating too many sweets and getting fat. It was tiresome, particularly since the book also manages to give the impression that all the women complaining are quite thin. A couple of times it's fine, but there was just too much of it.
4. The dialogue. It was sometimes clunky, and sometimes there was a lot of 'hon' and 'y'all,' and they seemed to be used inconsistently.

That said, the book was readable. The characters are likeable, and I am kind of curious about them. The romance was kind of charming. I enjoyed some of the side characters. I wanted more scenes between the protagonist and romantic lead. Also, her relationship with the woman who became a surrogate mother/grandmother was wonderful.

I might read the sequel out of pure curiosity at this point, but I did find this book has issues.(less)

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Mar 08, 2013 Kristen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Well, the title may be "a killer read" but sadly, that wasn't how I found this book to be.

Lizzie Turner is a reading specialist living in her hometown of Ashton Corners, Arkansas. In addition to her work with the local schools, she does literacy training, sings in the choir, and participates in the local book club with a colourful list of other small-town folks at Lizzie's friend Molly's historic home. When a stranger wanders into the home where the club is meeting, asking to use the phone for a...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Turtles rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: did-not-finish, yuck

I read the first 5 or 6 chapters of this and I couldn't get into it. I'm sure it might be a good book for some people. But the way they mentioned other bestselling mystery novels was so bizarre. Some part of me just wants to get immersed in a world where a cool sleuth does their thing, in their own individual universe. Without the sleuth advising me they read Stephanie Plum #15 and it's about a woman bounty hunter, or cajoling a fellow book club member about only reading Patterson and not Agatha...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Kaye rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-challenge

A mystery bookclub? Ooh, I've died and gone to cozy lovers' heaven! Although the characters are diverse in age and social circumstances, Erika Chase makes it all work. And work well it does as she introduces her characters in an orderly manner so that the reader gets to know them well.
I really liked the fact that Lizzie is a reading specialist. It was also amusing to see the not so subtle rivalry between the former chief, Bob Miller and the new young chief along with his bad-tempered deputy, Am...more

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May 16, 2013 Denise rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: cozy-mysteries

I felt that this was a good first book in a series. I liked the book club aspect but I didn't really feel that the book club portion was developed in the storyline. I felt that the author wanted to write a bibliomystery so she had the setting as a book club but then went about the rest of the story.

I also thought the story dragged. I think it could have been wrapped up faster. I was surprised at the reveal, the murderer wasn't someone I suspected at all.

I look forward to reading more in this ser...more

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About Erika Chase

Erika writes the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries for Penguin/Berkley Prime Crime. In a parallel life Erika Chase is also known as Linda Wiken. A former mystery bookstore owner (Prime Crime Books in Ottawa, ON, Canada), Linda is also a short story writer. She is a member of those dangerous dames, The Ladies' Killing Circle.

Her short stories have appeared in the seven Ladies’ Killing Circle antho...more

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Books by Erika Chase

Cover Story (Ashton Corners Mystery, #3)

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title link	preview: A Killer Read
avg rating	preview: A Killer Read Goodreads rating: 3.54 (302 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11511542-a-killer-read?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327117755l/11511542.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11511542-a-killer-read?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]A Killer Read by Erika Chase[/url]

A Killer Read (An Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery #1)

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