A Bone to Pick (Aurora Teagarden Mystery, #2)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

A Bone to Pick (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries #2)

by Charlaine Harris

3.67 of 5 stars 3.67 · rating details · 8,628 ratings · 397 reviews

Second in the #1 New York Times bestselling author's Aurora Teagarden mystery series.

...more

Hardcover, 168 pages

Published October 13th 2012 by Walker & Company (first published January 1st 1992)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Best Cozy Mystery Series

70th out of 660 books — 636 voters

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Love and the Art of War by Dinah Lee Küng

Books About Librarians

38th out of 131 books — 232 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Mar 22, 2009 Gail rated it 1 of 5 stars

Aurora Teagarden is a lousy librarian and an irritating girl-woman. The mystery was good but she's so very irritating with her dating agita and less than humor-filled life. I know the reviewers say that these are full of humor but I don't see it. There's a level of seriousness at odds with the shallowness of the heroine.

The first 50 pages were hopeful as she mourns the death of an acquaintance and as she finds out this woman leaves her house with an amazing amount of money and a mystery in the f...more

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 19, 2013 Excalibur Snape rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Sep 30, 2012 Connie Bernhardt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Roe Teagarden has gone to two weddings, one for her mother and one for a former lover and now a funeral for an acquaintance, an acquaintance, who by the way, has left her with an inheritance and a skull. A skull someone is looking for. Can Roe figure out whose skull it is and who murdered the person?

I did not think I’d like this book as I started to read it, it is very different from her Sookie Stackhouse series, but in the typical Charlaine Harris way I soon found myself enjoying the book and...more

like · see review

Sep 30, 2012 Damaskcat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Aurora Teagarden finds she has been left an unexpected legacy. Jane Engle – a fellow member of the now disbanded Real Murders Club – has died and left Aurora her house and all her money but her solicitor implies that there may be a mystery she has to solve as well. Aurora is pleased with her legacy and it cheers her up after her former boyfriend, Arthur Smith the police detective has suddenly married a colleague. She is less than pleased when she goes to her new house and finds someone has broke...more

like · see review

Sep 28, 2012 Jeff Cothern rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Death comes calling on a small-town librarian whose life is passing her by.

Aurora "Roe" Teagarden's fortunes change when a deceased acquaintance names her as heir to a rather substantial estate, including money, jewelry, and a house complete with a skull hidden in a window seat. Roe concludes that the elderly women has purposely left her a murder to solve. So she must identify the victim and figure out which one of her new, ordinary-seeming neighbors is a murderer-without putting herself in

...more

Death comes calling on a small-town librarian whose life is passing her by.

From Publishers Weekly

Aurora Teagarden, who made a strong series debut (in Real Murders ) as a southern librarian turned amateur sleuth, suddenly finds herself very rich when elderly spinster Jane Engle dies and leaves her a fortune. When Aurora goes to take possession of Miss Engle's home, she finds the place ransacked. Poking around, she turns up a ghoulish artifact the intruder missed: a bashed-in human skull hidden in a cleverly disguised window seat. Fearing that her mild benefactor was actually a vicious killer, Aurora is relieved to find a note the deceased left behind pointing her suspicions elsewhere. She delves into the lives of her new neighbors, masking her scrutiny with Southern charm, and discovers that over the years two men have disappeared from the neighborhood. Harris provides some genuinely funny scenes as Aurora breezily unravels the murderer's identity, but the plot is just too farfetched, even when supported by an appealing cast of Southern gothic characters. Harris, who struck the right note in Real Murders , here unfortunately goes beyond the humorous social satire that is her metier, striving for a wildly exaggerated parody of southern life. But with three solid novels behind her, this talented mystery writer will surely regain her focus the next time out.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Pleasant reading...heartily recommend[ed]." -PEN & DAGGER "An appealing cast of Southern gothic characters." -PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

(less)

like · see review

Sep 14, 2012 Roberta rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Aurora Teagarden, per gli amici Roe, in seguito alla morte di una dei componenti dell'ex club Real Murders ne eredita la casa e tutti i risparmi. Durante la visita alla nuova casa Roe scopre che qualcuno vi si è intrufolato illegalmente senza però portar via nulla! Ben presto Aurora, amanti di omicidi irrisolti e libri gialli, inizia a farsi mille domande su cosa potesse cercare il mancato ladro e non avendolo trovato quale potrebbe essere il nascondiglio migliore... Alla fine Roe scopre il nasc...more Aurora Teagarden, per gli amici Roe, in seguito alla morte di una dei componenti dell'ex club Real Murders ne eredita la casa e tutti i risparmi. Durante la visita alla nuova casa Roe scopre che qualcuno vi si è intrufolato illegalmente senza però portar via nulla! Ben presto Aurora, amanti di omicidi irrisolti e libri gialli, inizia a farsi mille domande su cosa potesse cercare il mancato ladro e non avendolo trovato quale potrebbe essere il nascondiglio migliore... Alla fine Roe scopre il nascondiglio segreto e con suo grande sorpresa vi trova dentro un teschio e mille domande si affollano nella sua mente...

Torna Aurora Teagarden, la bibliotecaria appassionata di omicidi irrisolti che si ritrova suo malgrado sempre coinvolta nelle indagini della polizia.
Il Mistero del Teschio è il secondo volume di questa saga e rispetto al primo devo ammettere che si percepisce un cambiamento radicale: se nel primo tensione, colpi di scena e suspense non mancavano e rendevano il libro veramente speciale in questo secondo volume mancano del tutto!
Dopo un inizio emozionante e che cattura da subito l'attenzione del lettore Il Mistero del Teschio va via via spegnendosi, non vi sono delitti efferati o indagini della polizia: chi legge si ritrova davanti la vita un pò sciatta e insignificante di Aurora, che all'improvviso eredita una piccola fortuna e inizia a pensare a come potrebbe cambiare la sua vita... Pensieri interrotti dal ritrovamento nella casa da poco ereditata di un teschio umano che riporta i chiari segni di una morte violenta. E se per un attimo il lettore crede che sia finalmente arrivato il momento delle indagini subito viene deluso, perchè in questo volume sembra che al centro del racconto ci sia la vita di Aurora, che si rattrista pensando che tutte le sue amiche si sono sposate o si stanno sposando mentre lei non riesce a portare avanti una storia, che pur essendo consapevole del suo aspetto insignificante non fa nulla per cambiarlo...
I vari personaggi introdotti man mano non vengono analizzati, ne viene data una descrizione sommaria, ma nulla che possa attirare l'attenzione del lettore, insospettirlo o dargli spunti per l'indagine... Indagine che tra l'altro non viene mai condotta, nemmeno quando viene ritrovato in maniera del tutto fortuita il resto dello scheletro!
Il finale, che dovrebbe colpire e lasciare a bocca aperta nel venire a scoprire chi è l'assassino, è purtroppo piatto e senza grandi colpi di scena: il colpevole confessa i suoi crimini e lo fa in un momento quasi grottesco, dove la scena viene rubata da un avvenimento secondario e per nulla inerente ad un libro giallo!
Nonostante tutto la lettura è scorrevole, pur non avendo nulla a che fare con il primo volume non risulta comunque noiosa. Come sempre la Harris riesce a tenere il lettore inchiodato al libro, in attesa di svelare il segreto del teschio...
Una lettura leggera e per nulla impegnativa, che fa conoscere meglio Aurora Teagarden e che forse, trattandosi di una saga di 8 volumi, fa da ponte ai prossimi libri...(less)

like · see review

Aug 27, 2012 Ste80 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

da www.sognipensieriparole.com

"Il mistero del teschio perduto" è il secondo romanzo del ciclo Real Murders - I misteri di Aurora Teagarden - della nuova collana, Odissea Novels, inaugurata lo scorso marzo dalla Casa Editrice Delos Books e nato dalla penna della famosissima autrice Charlaine Harris.

Questo romanzo, che mi è piaciuto davvero molto come il precedente (Il Club dei delitti irrisolti) mi da modo di spiegare cosa sia per me "una lettura che ti fa sentire a casa e a tuo agio". Ho già usa...more da www.sognipensieriparole.com

"Il mistero del teschio perduto" è il secondo romanzo del ciclo Real Murders - I misteri di Aurora Teagarden - della nuova collana, Odissea Novels, inaugurata lo scorso marzo dalla Casa Editrice Delos Books e nato dalla penna della famosissima autrice Charlaine Harris.

Questo romanzo, che mi è piaciuto davvero molto come il precedente (Il Club dei delitti irrisolti) mi da modo di spiegare cosa sia per me "una lettura che ti fa sentire a casa e a tuo agio". Ho già usato questa definizione in uno dei miei commenti ai libri letti e credo che calzi a pennello per questo coinvolgente romanzo. Quando mi regalo ore da dedicare alla mia passione, la lettura, e mi accomodo sul divano del salotto, dopo essermi immersa nelle pagine della Harris, è come se ciò che leggo si svolga in posti facili da immaginare e ciò che succede avvenga a persone che realmente esistono. Lo stile dell'autrice è limpido e scorrevole, le descrizioni dei personaggi e degli ambienti sono dettagliate, ma senza cadere nella noia, e ciò è senz'altro di aiuto, ma che rende la lettura tale è soprattutto il fatto che i personaggi e tutto ciò che ruota intorno a loro siano veri, reali e alla portata di tutti. Prendiamo la villetta che Roe ha in affitto: io non ho avuto nessuna difficoltà a figurarmela ed a sentirmi a mio agio negli ambienti descritti proprio perché comuni. Roe è una ragazza semplice e ordinaria (se escludiamo la sua innata capacità a trovarsi sempre in mezzo a qualche delitto), una bibliotecaria alle prese con i suoi capelli arruffati, gli occhiali dalla montatura pesante e amori che faticano a sbocciare. Una beniamina a cui ci si affeziona facilmente.

La protagonista creata dall'autrice ha un non so che che la rende semplice ma allo stesso tempo speciale. Leggere della sua quotidianità fa si che crei un rapporto con il lettore di complicità. Inoltre il suo amore per i libri me la fa apprezzare ancora di più:

«Avevo imparato da molto tempo che era meglio restare da sola a casa con un buon libro e un sacchetto di patatine che uscire con una persona che non ti interessa».

Il motto di questo secondo capitolo può benissimo essere: a caval donato non si guarda in bocca. Infatti Roe riceve inaspettatamente una grossa eredità lasciatale dall'anziana signora Jane Engle, anche lei appartenente al club dei Real Murders ormai sciolto. Il lascito comprende la sua villa, una grossa somma in denaro e alcuni gioielli. Ma badate bene che c'è sempre il retro della medaglia da controllare... Infatti la casa nasconde nelle sua mura il teschio di un uomo assassinato.

«Pare che a Lowrenceton non si possa avere un omicidio senza che ci sia lei di mezzo».

È così che tra inviti del suo nuovo pretendente, questa volta un ministro del culto, la gatta della signora Jane che partorisce i suoi gattini nell'armadio di casa, la nascita della figlia del suo ex fidanzato, a cui Roe assisterà direttamente, si arriverà a risolvere brillantemente anche questo mistero.

Caratteristica di questi gialli è il fatto che il colpevole sia presente sempre fin dall'inizio della narrazione, così che il lettore possa a poco a poco creare le sue congetture ed arrivare insieme a Roe alla soluzione del caso.
Non è complicato perché i personaggi non sono mai troppi da ricordare.

Ho percepito un lieve salto temporale tra il primo capitolo pubblicato a marzo e questo. Il Club dei delitti irrisolti si interrompe con Roe alle prese con due pretendenti. Si può solo intuire dove penda maggiormente l'ago della bilancia della scelta e cosa aspettarsi da Roe, ma questo secondo volume si apre con Roe di nuovo single. Qualche spiegazione viene data, certo, ma è come se l'autrice sia stata comunque più interessata al caso da risolvere che alla vita privata della nostra protagonista. Comunque è solo un piccolo dettaglio che non va di certo ad intaccare il mio giudizio su questa piacevole lettura. Chissà, magari nel prossimo capitolo (Tre camere e un corpo), previsto per settembre, l'autrice soddisferà di più questa mia curiosità.

In conclusione non posso che consigliare, come fatto per il precedente, anche questo secondo volume del ciclo di Aurora Teagarden: una lettura davvero piacevole e scorrevole. Esorto chi non avesse letto il precedente a recuperarlo ed a non lasciarsi sfuggire questa nuova serie: fidatevi, merita.(less)

like · see review

Aug 26, 2012 Grace rated it 2 of 5 stars

I've never listened to an audiobook before, but my mum loves them, so thought I'd give this a go. It's a very different experience, but the major issues I had with this book were plot-related, so I don't think listening on audiobook affected my rating too much.

Aurora inherits a house and a giant bank account from her friend Jane, and then gets caught up in intrigue and suspense and whatever. Both boyfriends from Book 1 are out of the picture, and an Episcopalian contender comes in from left fiel...more I've never listened to an audiobook before, but my mum loves them, so thought I'd give this a go. It's a very different experience, but the major issues I had with this book were plot-related, so I don't think listening on audiobook affected my rating too much.

Aurora inherits a house and a giant bank account from her friend Jane, and then gets caught up in intrigue and suspense and whatever. Both boyfriends from Book 1 are out of the picture, and an Episcopalian contender comes in from left field. And the plot did not make sense to me, because it required some seriously convoluted leaps of logic that I just can't figure out.

(view spoiler)

Sigh. And then there's the pregnancy thing - I swear, I thought there was going to be some sort of reveal that the baby was conceived when Aurora and Detective Smith were still dating, but that never happened. Too much stuff. Too much!

As a sidenote, I really liked the woman reading the book, though I got mightily confused when everyone EXCEPT Aurora has a southern accent. Unfortunately, the actual plot was poorly thought out and too convoluted and as much as I wanted to read this Harris series, I find I'm wary of continuing. I really don't like putting down a book and feeling like the plot was full of holes.(less)

like · see review

Apr 04, 2012 Michelle Randall rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, southern

So after finishing Book one of the Aurora Teagarden Mystery series, it wasn't bed time and so I started on book two!

A Bone to Pick is the second book in the Aurora Teagarden Mystery and in this we find Roe attending her mother's wedding to a former Real Murders Club member, then attending the wedding of her former boyfriend and Real Murders club member, Arthur Smith, only to be shocked by the very visibly pregnant bride, then the funeral of a friend and former Real Murders club member. To add to...more

like · see review

Aug 27, 2011 Carolyn Teschler rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the second book in Charlaine Harris's "Aurora Teagarden" series named after the main character, a public librarian who goes by the nickname "Roe". Like the first, Real Murders, it a lighthearted mystery that brings humor to a grim situation. This second book is less intense than the first, which dealt with a series of grisly murders, and Roe, the stereotypical bespectacled, mousy librarian, is very entertaining in how she sees herself and her relations with various friends, acquaintance,...more

like · see review

Jun 12, 2011 Amy added it · review of another edition

I bought this at Annie's Book Stop in Freeport, Maine. It took us forever to find the dang place, so I wanted to pick up a few things to make the effort worthwhile. This series appeals to me because the main character is a librarian! I missed the first one, but I don't feel like that mattered much - I still really enjoyed this one. Aurora Teagarden, librarian, true-crime aficionado, and bachelorette, receives a huge windfall when an elderly acquaintance dies and leaves her everything - including...more

like · see review

Jan 13, 2011 Yolanda Sfetsos rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well, after reading the first book in this series and enjoying it so much, I decided to get stuck into the second one right away. Actually, I think I'll probably end up reading the whole omnibus, one story after another. I've really been hooked into Roe's world.

Over a year has passed since the murderous events of Real Murders, and after the fiasco involving two of its members, the crime group has disbanded. That doesn't mean that Roe's life is any easier, though. She's attended two weddings--her...more Well, after reading the first book in this series and enjoying it so much, I decided to get stuck into the second one right away. Actually, I think I'll probably end up reading the whole omnibus, one story after another. I've really been hooked into Roe's world.

Over a year has passed since the murderous events of Real Murders, and after the fiasco involving two of its members, the crime group has disbanded. That doesn't mean that Roe's life is any easier, though. She's attended two weddings--her mother's and her ex-boyfriend's--as well as a funeral. The funeral actually brings about a turn of events that has her going from stuggling librarian to well-off home owner.

See, the elderly Jane Engle, who was a member of the Real Murders club, passed away and left Roe almost everything she owned--which includes a fully furnished house, plenty of money in the bank, a pregnant cat, and a human skull. Uh, yep, that's right. Not only has Roe inherited enough wealth to help her live a happier life and consider quitting her job as a librarian (which is now part-time, anyway) but also throws her in the middle of a very old (secret, and unsolved) crime.

She's also seeing a new man, an Episcopalian minister by the name of Aubrey. Life is slowly coming together... well, almost. Making a decision on whether to keep/sell the house is complicated by her ex and his new pregnant wife moving in across the street. Oh, and that skull she found hidden in the window seat--who's is it? Who killed someone only to separate the skull from the rest of the body? And where is the body?

With Aurora Teagarden on the case, an answer is sure to be found sooner, rather than later.

A Bone To Pick is a great and interesting book, a very cool addition to this awesome series. I love how it expands Roe's life, the town of Lawrenceton, and also introduces a new host of personal problems. All of them putting her in the middle of another unsolved crime. She might no longer be part of a real crime group, but her love for it hasn't faded. And getting the slew of Jane's books is also a cool thing.

I get the feeling that situations of the heart are going to keep turning up in this series, to confuse and torture poor Roe. Personally, I think that's super cool and can't wait to see who else she dates. Remember how I wondered if she'd pick the blond detective or the redheaded writer at the end of the first book? Turns out she picked the wrong guy and things didn't work out, which also means the other guy actually left town. I wasn't expecting that. Which is a good thing, I like unpredictability.

Well, since I've already read the first chapter of the third book, I guess we know what I'm reading next... ;)(less)

like · see review

Nov 13, 2010 Jeanette rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Oct 06, 2009 Debbie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-suspense

While leaving Jane Engle’s funeral, Aurora ‘Roe’ Teagarden was approached by Jane’s lawyer (Bubba Sewell) in order to inform her that Jane had left everything to her. With the inheritance of the money and the house, Roe decided to quick her job at the Library and was considering her option for what to do with the house. It may have been a lot of money, but she wondered if it would be enough to compensate her for dealing with the skull she found in the window seat while she was looking around the...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 09, 2009 Aaron rated it 5 of 5 stars

While Charlaine Harris is best known for the mysteries she has set with paranormal characters, I have found that I am enjoying a lot of her other, regular, everyday mysteries as well. Aurora "Roe" Teagardenis a librarian in small-town Georgia. This is her second "cozy" mystery.

The story starts as Roe shares with the reader that she has been really busy as she has attended three weddings and a funeal. Ironically, some of the weddings have not been any more upbeat than the funeral. That is particu...more While Charlaine Harris is best known for the mysteries she has set with paranormal characters, I have found that I am enjoying a lot of her other, regular, everyday mysteries as well. Aurora "Roe" Teagardenis a librarian in small-town Georgia. This is her second "cozy" mystery.

The story starts as Roe shares with the reader that she has been really busy as she has attended three weddings and a funeal. Ironically, some of the weddings have not been any more upbeat than the funeral. That is particualrly the case in which her former boyfriend is getting married, and the bride is very pregnant. Of course, she is not surprised that her often-divorced mother is finding her way down the aisle again.

The mystery starts with the funeral, which is for the former school librarian and elder spinster, Jane Engle. While at the funeral, Roe is told by Jane's lawyer that she is the sole heir of Jane's estate, and it it is by no means small. It includes a small home and a savings worth more than $500,000. The problem is the home comes with something more ... a human skull hidden away in a window seat.

The inheritance comes as quite a surprise. While they were both members of the Real Murders Club, a group of people who met to share their interest in historical true crimes, they were by no means close.

Roe finds herself slowly getting to know her new neighbors and is being drawn deeper into a number of disappearances that might be connected to her new found head. To make matters even worse, the neighborhood is being confronted with a series of break-ins. In each case, nothing is stolen, but the damage indicates that someone is clearly looking for something. Could it be the skull?

Roe, who has started to wonder if she will ever find love despite her buxom status, finds home when the local Episcopalian minister start to woe her. She is not sure she is ready to become a minister's wife, but she does know that she enjoys his company.

If only she knew where she stood with Robin Crusoe, the mystery writer/professor who was recently in town. She definitely felt a connection with him in the previous book, but fate seems to be keeping them apart.

I love these books. Cozies are a great type of mystery. In each, there is a small number of characters, and everyone (outside of the amateur detective) is a suspect. Roe and her stories are perfect example. Those looking for lighter mysteries will love this series.(less)

like · see review

Jan 13, 2013 Marianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

A Bone To Pick is the second novel in the Aurora Teagarden series by American author, Charlaine Harris. Roe Teagarden’s year isn’t going well: two weddings and another soon to follow have brought home to her in no uncertain terms her single status; that the second wedding was that of her recent ex-lover, Detective Arthur Smith, didn’t help matters; the funeral of her spinster friend, Jane Engle, has Roe wondering if this will be her fate. Then events take a turn: Jane has left her a house and a...more

like · see review

Mar 13, 2012 Bianca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-series

I was a little scared after reading the first book in this series that each installment would be a blood bath. I was happily surprised when only one death occurred in this book because of natural causes - but that one death had a tremendous impact on Aurora's life. Aurora is no longer a librarian - she is an heiress with a bank account full of money and she is just about to start living her life.

In this story Jane Engle dies, who is an old lady we met in the first series who loves real murder st...more

like · see review

Jul 13, 2012 Christina D. rated it 3 of 5 stars

I got pretty excited at the start of this book, because it picks up right away & gets going. It sounded promising, but this book lost steam for me fast. Aurora "Roe" Teagarden, the main character, experiences the death of an elderly friend, Jane, then inherits Jane's house & money, and attends the wedding of a former boyfriend. There is a break-in at the house Roe inherits & she finds a skull hidden in the house! Aurora is faced with a real mystery: whose skull is it, and did her pri...more

like · see review

Jul 18, 2009 Julie H. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

Let me preface this review with the fact that Charlaine Harris is one of my favorite mystery and paranormal fiction writers. Her Sookie Stackhouse (inspiration for HBO's Trueblood), Harper Connelly, and Lilly Bard series are all top-notch. However, if A Bone to Pick, the second in the Aurora Teagarden mystery series, is any indication, she has officially hit the wall.

The so-called mystery part of the story was about as compelling as "Honey, where did you put the rake?" Seriously, it was that ba...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 06, 2012 Cc rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The one thing that bothers me about this website is that everyone feels the need to add a synopsis of the book; I can easily find that elsewhere. My main purpose for using this website is to find books that might appeal to me and find out what other people's perceptions are of the book, not an exaggeratory 20 paragraph synopsis.

Now that I have that off my chest I can say that Charlaine Harris is one of the best, light and fun authors out there. I seem to find myself reading her books in the su

...more

like · see review

Feb 05, 2009 Erica rated it 1 of 5 stars

This was the worst Charlaine Harris book I have read. I forced myself to read through page after page of Auroras boring life of working at the library and biggest decisions being how to braid her hair. One of my biggest irks with this books is the characters. Is it just me or is everyone in the story battling with multi-personality disorders? From real murders I found so many of the characters to have changed who they were for example Sally. I understand that she was going through problems what...more This was the worst Charlaine Harris book I have read. I forced myself to read through page after page of Auroras boring life of working at the library and biggest decisions being how to braid her hair. One of my biggest irks with this books is the characters. Is it just me or is everyone in the story battling with multi-personality disorders? From real murders I found so many of the characters to have changed who they were for example Sally. I understand that she was going through problems what with her son being mentally unstable in Real Murders but she seemed completely different, now all of a sudden her and Roe are best friends? Speaking of best friends how often has Amina Day come into the story? It said throughout both books how good of friends they are but she is hardly every brought up. If Harris spent more of the book developing the bonds between the characters instead of just stating them they wouldnt all seem so two-dimensional.

I also could not get over the large space of time that was left out between the two books. Youk know that space of time when Roe and Arthur has this "hot" relationship? It had always seemed to me that Roe and Robert had the greather chemistry and now all of a sudden he lives in the city and spends the entire book in Europe? This was very dissapointing for me.

Perhaps I am the only one seeing these things but I dont think anyone can argue with the ending of the book. It just seemed so unrealistic and there was hardly any foreshadowing to get there. Although I had a hunch that Torrance might be involved I still dissapointed with how everything unraveled. In Janes letter she talks of how it is obvious that Marcia is unstable but I didnt feel that we had enough time to realize this from the limited time Marcia and Roe even spoke.

I also still dont really understand Janes decision to leave everything thing to Roe. I know that its just a book and that was just the plot of it but I mean really I expect alittle more from an outstanding author like Charlaine Harris. If Jane didnt care what people thought of her(as she mentions in the letter) then why not leave the house to her other relatives(whos names I cant recall or care to) they surely would never find out about the skull which Roe wouldnt have either if it hadnt been for the clues left.

I could rant about this book for many more reasons but feel I am just becoming whinny. I will probably continue the series just out of devotion to Harris' other books. I would love to see the series redeem itself.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 29, 2010 Kathy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: detective-bounty-hunter, mystery, humor

Aurora has inherited the house and bank account from Jane - one of the elderly women who was part of the murder book club... and in the house, Roe finds a skull... hmmmmm

So though Roe does not actively seek clues as to whose skull it is, she does catalog the information - 2 men missing in Jane's neighborhood over the last 5 years... she meets the neighbors... someone has been breaking into the houses over the last year, though nothing was taken - including Jane's house most recently...

and Roe l...more

like · see review

Jul 28, 2012 Cheryl Landmark rated it 3 of 5 stars

Another fast, light read in this mystery series. And, I do mean light. The mystery was a lot less complex and grisly than in the first book and, once again, Aurora (Roe) did very little to actually solve it. Nevertheless, while I find this series less appealing than "The Murder, She Wrote" books, it still is fairly enjoyable.

Aurora, unfortunately, was once again rather uninteresting and boring. A lot of focus was on the mundane details of her job as a small-town librarian and on the sad lack of...more

like · see review

Dec 11, 2011 Xulieta NeveraDeLibros rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, crime, cozy-mystery

Seguimos dentro del mundo de Aurora Teagarden con esta nueva entrega llamada La paciencia de los huesos donde mi querida y carismática protagonista se ve envuelta sin querer en un asesinato que no se ha resuelto hasta el día de hoy ya que si nadie se ha encontrado con un cuerpo ¿cómo van a saber que se ha producido un asesinato?

La vida de Aurora sigue estancada, el club de los Real Murders se ha disuelto, uno de sus antiguo amores ha abandonado Lawrencenton, el otro se va a casar y su mejor amig...more Seguimos dentro del mundo de Aurora Teagarden con esta nueva entrega llamada La paciencia de los huesos donde mi querida y carismática protagonista se ve envuelta sin querer en un asesinato que no se ha resuelto hasta el día de hoy ya que si nadie se ha encontrado con un cuerpo ¿cómo van a saber que se ha producido un asesinato?

La vida de Aurora sigue estancada, el club de los Real Murders se ha disuelto, uno de sus antiguo amores ha abandonado Lawrencenton, el otro se va a casar y su mejor amiga sigue viviendo demasiado lejos por lo que.. ¿qué le queda a esta bibliotecaria tan particular?¿encontrará el amor alguna vez?¿se sentirá querida?¿dejará de estar envuelta en los crímenes del pueblo?.

Pues parece que su suerte cambia ya que Jane Engle, antigua miembro del club, muere dejandole una gran herencia a Aurora lo que alegra consideramente a la protagonista hasta que encuentra en la casa heredada una calavera. ¿a quién pertenecerá?¿será la asesina Jane?.

Muchas cosas se tendrá que preguntar Aurora y para empezar ha de descubrir un poco más de la vida de los vecinos de Jane ya que cualquiera puede ser el asesino y cualquiera puede desvelar algún secreto que le indique quién es el muerto.

Me encantan las portadas de esta saga, son muy llamativas y bonitas aparte de indicar bastante bien el género de cuál se trata la novela. Al igual que el resto en su saga, pertenece al género cozy mystery el cuál destaca por ser de fácil y entretenida lectura donde los crímenes que se cometen suelen ser investigados por aficionados, usualmente mujeres que viven en pequeños pueblos y trabajan de cualquier cosa menos policía. ¿alguién recuerda a Miss Marple de Agatha Christie o se ha escrito un crímen?porque son dos ejemplos vívidos de esta temática.

El argumento, aunque es menos atractivo que en su anterior entrega, no deja de ser agradable y entretenido ya que el amor que le puedes coger a esta peculiar protagonista hace que cojas con más ganas el libro y esté deseando ver a donde van a parar los pies de Aurora y los que la rodean.

El ritmo de lo que pasa así como la acción están bastante más escondidos que en el primer tomo, ya que aquí contamos con un asesinato desde bastante pronto pero se centra en él y en los pensamientos de Aurora acerca de su herencia y su vida amorosa lo que hace que sea algo más lento.

Acerca de la traducción he de volver a darle un 10, me encanta las anotaciones que ha hecho el traductor acerca algunos aspectos para entender un poco más la novela y también dejar algunas cosas en su versión original ya que queda mejor de esta manera.

Sin dudarlo ni un momento se puede decir que Charlaine Harris tiene un talento colosal al crear personajes que llegan a ser queridos tanto en esta saga como en otras que ha escrito como es Sookie Stackhouse, camarera rubia imán de problemas. Me gusta su forma de crear escenarios y mostrarlos sin sobrecargar el libro definiendo a cada personaje con un perfil adecuado a los roles que han de jugar y no sabiendo nunca que podrá pasar con su vida a continuación.
(less)

like · see review

Sep 08, 2011 Cherie rated it 1 of 5 stars

My ratings system is as follows. One star is GOOD. The book is entertaining, easy to read and you don't want to stop reading because something about the book is compelling you not to. Two stars is GREAT! This time the story is not only entertaining, but highly creative, unique, easy to read and hard to put down. Three stars is EXCELLENT. Here the book has all aspects of one and two stars, but now the book is thought and emotionally provoking. Four is AWESOME. This is the read that is not only cr...more

like · see review

Feb 22, 2010 Dlora rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: murder-mystery

Very enjoying, satisfying cozy murder mystery. No supernatural elements, no gritty forensic details, no hard-boiled detectives, just a nice mystery with appealing characters, light humor, and good human insight. The blurb on the back page is well put: "A small-town librarian feels like life is passing her by, while, at the same time, death come calling." This Aurora Teagarden series started with a group of people who were part of a Real Murders discussion group, who enjoyed discussing murder cas...more

like · see review

Mar 16, 2013 April Kane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Bone to Pick is the 2nd book in the Aurora “Roe” Teagarden mystery series. In this book Roe’s financial instability is helped significantly by an inheritance. She actually is chosen to be a co-workers heir!!! But, at least, throughout A Bone to Pick the other townspeople do question why Roe is the recipient of this windfall.
Of course, she gets caught up in mystery. A mystery it looks like the deceased was somehow involved in.
There is also a lot of talk (whining) about Roe’s dating life and rom...more

like · see review

Mar 25, 2013 April Kane rated it 3 of 5 stars

A Bone to Pick is the 2nd book in the Aurora “Roe” Teagarden mystery series. In this book Roe’s financial instability is helped significantly by an inheritance. She actually is chosen to be a co-workers heir!!! But, at least, throughout A Bone to Pick the other townspeople do question why Roe is the recipient of this windfall.

Of course, she gets caught up in mystery. A mystery that it looks like the deceased (Roe's co-worker) was somehow involved in.

There is also a lot of talk (whining) about Ro...more

like · see review

Dec 31, 2012 Judie rated it 2 of 5 stars

The second book in the Aurora "Roe" Teagarden series, A Bone to Pick is a fast read. Its plot is very simple and would probably set the tone of the next Teagarden books. Roe inherited a rather vast fortune for a small town single woman from Jane, an elderly woman who knew Roe from their Real Murders book club. Little did she know that her new fortune will bring her trouble.

I found the slew of characters very off-point but I took it as mild introductions since this is after all a series. I like n...more

like · see review

Sep 16, 2011 Susan Schnelbach rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries

So far I've read three of the Aurora Teagarden stories: the first two and one from the middle or end of the series. I'm honestly not sure if I like this. The main character is kind of boring and whiny (at least mentally). Roe is just not all that likeable or sympathetic. The description of her internal thoughts that start off chapter 10 borders on being really annoying and unrealistic. Come one, how can someone reach the age of 28 (or so), have grown up in a small southern town, and never taken...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (20)

More editions...

Genres

Mystery

528 users

Mystery > Cozy Mystery

33 users

Mystery > Crime

26 users

Romance

26 users

Adult

20 users

Thriller > Mystery Thriller

19 users

Mystery > Murder Mystery

14 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

13 users

Suspense

12 users

Thriller

11 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Charlaine Harris

Charlaine Harris has been a published novelist for over twenty-five years. A native of the Mississippi Delta, she grew up in the middle of a cotton field. Now she lives in southern Arkansas with her husband, her three children, three dogs, and a duck. The duck stays outside.

Though her early output consisted largely of ghost stories, by the time she hit college (Rhodes, in Memphis) Charlaine was wr...more Charlaine Harris has been a published novelist for over twenty-five years. A native of the Mississippi Delta, she grew up in the middle of a cotton field. Now she lives in southern Arkansas with her husband, her three children, three dogs, and a duck. The duck stays outside.

Though her early output consisted largely of ghost stories, by the time she hit college (Rhodes, in Memphis) Charlaine was writing poetry and plays. After holding down some low-level jobs, she had the opportunity to stay home and write, and the resulting two stand-alones were published by Houghton Mifflin. After a child-producing sabbatical, Charlaine latched on to the trend of writing mystery series, and soon had her own traditional books about a Georgia librarian, Aurora Teagarden. Her first Teagarden, Real Murders, garnered an Agatha nomination.

Soon Charlaine was looking for another challenge, and the result was the much darker Lily Bard series. The books, set in Shakespeare, Arkansas, feature a heroine who has survived a terrible attack and is learning to live with its consequences.

When Charlaine began to realize that neither of those series was ever going to set the literary world on fire, she regrouped and decided to write the book she’d always wanted to write. Not a traditional mystery, nor yet pure science fiction or romance, Dead Until Dark broke genre boundaries to appeal to a wide audience of people who just enjoy a good adventure. Each subsequent book about Sookie Stackhouse, telepathic Louisiana barmaid and friend to vampires, werewolves, and various other odd creatures, has drawn more readers. The Southern Vampire books are published in Japan, Great Britain, Greece, Germany, Thailand, Spain, France, and Russia.

In addition to Sookie, Charlaine has another heroine with a strange ability. Harper Connelly, lightning-struck and strange, can find corpses… and that’s how she makes her living.

In addition to her work as a writer, Charlaine is the past senior warden of St. James Episcopal Church, a board member of Mystery Writers of America, a past board member of Sisters in Crime, a member of the American Crime Writers League, and past president of the Arkansas Mystery Writers Alliance. She spends her "spare" time reading, watching her daughter play sports, traveling, and going to the movies. (less)

More about Charlaine Harris...

Books by Charlaine Harris

Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse, #2)

Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse, #4)

Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, #5)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About A Bone to Pick

3 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from A Bone to Pick

“.. what she had was hers absolutely, not to be touched by other hands without proper permission being asked and granted.” — 4 people liked it

“No one would ever like him; he would never be accused of being unfair.” — 4 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: A Bone to Pick
avg rating	preview: A Bone to Pick Goodreads rating: 3.67 (8628 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/140093.A_Bone_to_Pick?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1307067211l/140093.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/140093.A_Bone_to_Pick?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris[/url]

A Bone to Pick (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries #2)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website