Cruciverbalists, rejoice! Pick up a pencil and get ready to solve a puzzling murder-and an actual crossword puzzle-in this sparkling debut of a uni...
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reviews
Jul 09, 2010
Tobinsfavorite
rated it: 
Herrings! Herrings!
This book definitely has flaws, but I enjoyed it anyway, so 4 stars for it.
I do not like Cora Felton, the woman whose nice-little-old-lady picture is at the top of all those crossword puzzles. I don't know if her alcoholism is supposed to be a tiny little bit funny because it's so incongruous, but I only find it very sad. In fact, I don't really like any of the characters a lot, but I like most of them a little. The mystery was interesting to follow even if not More...
This book definitely has flaws, but I enjoyed it anyway, so 4 stars for it.
I do not like Cora Felton, the woman whose nice-little-old-lady picture is at the top of all those crossword puzzles. I don't know if her alcoholism is supposed to be a tiny little bit funny because it's so incongruous, but I only find it very sad. In fact, I don't really like any of the characters a lot, but I like most of them a little. The mystery was interesting to follow even if not More...
Apr 05, 2011
Cathy
rated it: 
First Line: The first clue came with a corpse.
Police Chief Dale Harper finds himself investigating his very first homicide when the body of an unknown girl turns up in the cemetery of the small town of Bakerhaven, Connecticut. A strange clue leads him to consult Bakerhaven's celebrity, Cora Felton-- otherwise known as the Puzzle Lady for her syndicated column of crossword puzzles.
That was Harper's first mistake because Cora's meddling drives him crazy and makes her niece, She More...
Police Chief Dale Harper finds himself investigating his very first homicide when the body of an unknown girl turns up in the cemetery of the small town of Bakerhaven, Connecticut. A strange clue leads him to consult Bakerhaven's celebrity, Cora Felton-- otherwise known as the Puzzle Lady for her syndicated column of crossword puzzles.
That was Harper's first mistake because Cora's meddling drives him crazy and makes her niece, She More...
May 28, 2010
Laura
rated it: 
I like series mysteries and I'm always in search of a new one to enjoy. I like the idea of incorporating puzzles. I've read the first few chapters, and I'm not sure I'm going to love these characters. But it seems like a fun read.
Having finished the book, I'm still pretty lukewarm about it. Again, I'm not entranced by the characters. Cora is an annoying active alcoholic constantly in need of management (not all that fun to read about) and Sherry is her bristly enabler. But the s More...
Having finished the book, I'm still pretty lukewarm about it. Again, I'm not entranced by the characters. Cora is an annoying active alcoholic constantly in need of management (not all that fun to read about) and Sherry is her bristly enabler. But the s More...
Aug 16, 2011
Bonnie
rated it:
I liked this book better than I thought I would when I started it. I'd seen later books in the series on the library shelf and been curious and when I saw the first book in the series available through the library as an e-book I could read on my Nook I decided to check it out.
Partway into the book I thought it was really stretching it to imagine a murder having anything to do with crossword puzzles and rolled my eyes a bit, but it was interesting enough to keep going. The solution ma More...
Partway into the book I thought it was really stretching it to imagine a murder having anything to do with crossword puzzles and rolled my eyes a bit, but it was interesting enough to keep going. The solution ma More...
Jan 26, 2012
Erin
rated it:
This book was a refreshing change for a cozy mystery. It's one of the rare times you find an amateur sleuth who is actually working WITH the police.
I loved the characters in this book. Each character is very well written. You come away from the book with a sense of knowing more about them than what it took to solve the mystery. Aunt Cora is divine - so flawed, yet so lovable.
The mystery itself is well written. I'm a little confused as to the wrap up of it - I don't c More...
I loved the characters in this book. Each character is very well written. You come away from the book with a sense of knowing more about them than what it took to solve the mystery. Aunt Cora is divine - so flawed, yet so lovable.
The mystery itself is well written. I'm a little confused as to the wrap up of it - I don't c More...
Jul 24, 2011
Sally
rated it:
The idea of crossword clues left by a killer is cute, in fact, I thought it would make a good story. Where this one is lacking is the drawn out banter between Sherry and Aaron every time they are together; Sherry's constant fear of her ex, Dennis; and the too numerous references to Sherry's analytical mind. Then we have Cora Feldon, the Puzzle Lady - a crotchety old woman who spends most of her time in the story drunk. If that vice isn't bad enough, she smokes as well, and not just cigarettes
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Jan 02, 2012
Natalie
rated it:
The first and the best in the series. The quality goes down as the series goes on. I like the first one as it sets up the characters and provides an interesting mystery. Later books, kind of have characters at a standstill although the last two had some of the supporting characters finally moving on with their personal lives.
Feb 27, 2009
Jennie
rated it:
So I picked this up at the library, and really enjoyed it. If you like a good mystery, with interesting small town characters then this is definitely worth a read. I loved it because I've been reading some heavy stuff and it was just the right kind of 'light' read that I needed
Dec 15, 2011
Megan
rated it:
Overall,it wasn't the most well-written book I've ever read, and it was terribly predictable, but the characters were fun enough that it wasn't a huge waste of time. Hall's penchant for calling the characters by their first and last names extremely often - instead of one or the other - got rather annoying, and even sometimes distracting, and some of the prose was stilted and fragmnted, but again, it could have been worse. Cora Felton is a brassy, entertaining old broad, and that was, by far, the
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Jan 10, 2009
Jennifer
rated it:
I have thoroughly enjoyed all the puzzle lady books. I love old ladies as a protagonists and I particularly enjoy ornery old ladies who do what they shouldn't. Cora Felton is great. The books are lighthearted and fun. I think the puzzles are a nice addition.
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Dec 31, 2010
Blythe
rated it: 
I like these books because they have some sort of puzzle, whether it be, a crossword or something else, involved in helping to figure out the who-dun-it murder. I love crossword puzzles and Sudoko puzzles, and these books are great if you also like solving puzzles.
Feb 20, 2010
Garris
rated it:
A cute mystery novel about a niece/Aunt team, who write crossword puzzles for a newspaper, who get involved in solving asome local murders. I liked the characters. Also liked the crossword puzzle at the beginning of the book that uses lues from the story. There is a 2nd book in this series that i will probably read.
Sep 14, 2010
Kristin
rated it:
I like crossword puzzles, so liked that aspect of this book - also liked the unapologetic old Cora Felton (quite the party-girl!), but it reminded me a little of "Murder She Wrote" (not in a good way) and ended a little too neatly and quickly.
Sep 08, 2010
Irene
rated it:
the first one in the series. doubt I'll seek them all out but still fun to go back to the beginning and first meet the characters. More "Murder she wrote" than "CSI" in terms of personalities, details, small-town feel, but still cute.
Feb 09, 2010
Lee
rated it:
A fun, fast read - I enjoyed the "puzzle lady" and her niece as the central characters, as well as the befuddled small town cop, the reporter looking for a story, the small town cast of characters. I'll have to check out the rest of the series.
Sep 21, 2011
Alyssa
rated it:
A mystery series that involves crossword puzzles and, later, ken ken puzzles? Instantly attracted me! Unfortunately some of the key revelations in the mystery were guessed by yours truly early on, so it was a matter of reading through the way too bountiful dialogue to get to the end and see if I was right. It's entertaining that the author also includes a crossword puzzle for readers to fill out on their own. I'm unsure if I'll continue the series. The interactions between the characters were at
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Mar 16, 2010
Kitty Tomlinson
rated it:
Cora Felton and her niece, Sherry Carter, help the police solve the murder of several women found inside the cemetery using crossword puzzle clue.
Aug 28, 2011
Helen
rated it: 
The mystery was OK but the Puzzle Lady is an unpleasant alcoholic. I wouldn't care to read anything else with her as a major character.
Apr 10, 2010
Kristi
rated it:
Enjoyed the characters plus I love crossword puzzles. However I solved the mystery early in the book, taking all the suspense away.
Mar 05, 2009
Mary
rated it:
This is a fun series--sort of a cozy mystery with lots of information on how crosswood puzzles are created.
Jun 14, 2008
Kevin
rated it:
This was my third foray into the genre of Geezer Lit. Finally a book I enjoyed. There are plenty of subplots and red herrings. What I enjoyed most was the dialog between the niece of the Puzzle Lady and the newspaper reporter. It was witty and sharp. The Puzzle Lady was not quite to be believed. She was a lush and had many husbands as there were references to a fourth and, I believe, even a fifth husband. But none appeared in this story. The mystery was not hard to figure out, but not everything
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Mar 13, 2010
Linda
rated it:
A fun read with amusing banter, light mystery and refreshingly non-graphic murder.
Feb 01, 2012
Ceanne
rated it:
An easy read although some silly story line parts that I wasn't fond of. Overall an okay read.
Jun 02, 2010
Sarah
rated it:
Fairly entertaining, which is why I picked it up. The ending was a bit weak (everything wrapped up so quickly..) but I think that's half the expectation in reading a mass-market mystery.
Aug 17, 2009
Janice
rated it:
This is the first book I've read of this series, it was a light, quick read. The murder mystery itself was a little disappointing, but I'll but the next book in the series on my reading list.
May 19, 2009
Jason
rated it:
This was great fun and had such an unexpected protagonist. I'd be very interested in reading more from this series.
Aug 22, 2010
Kdesoto
rated it:
I really enjoyed this book. It had a lot of characters that were fun. Kept me guessing about who the killer was.
