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Jan 07, 2011

Kaye rated it:

Beth Kennedy, a single mom with 2 kids, owns her own children's bookstore and is perfectly happy with her orderly life in Wisconsin. When her best friend, Marina, talks her into becoming secretary of the local PTA, Beth is a little hesitant but Marina talks her into "getting out there" and being more adventurous. Who knew the local PTA would be a hotbed of dissent and conflict that would lead Beth to more adventure than she ever bargained for?

So when Marina called Beth afte More...

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Dec 22, 2010

Beverly rated it:

This book was a gift from my Secret Santa in the Holiday Book Blogger Swap. Erica from Complete and Unabridged was kind enough to include this book in my gift package. I was attracted to Murder at the PTA because Beth Kennedy owns a children’s bookstore, one of my fantasy jobs.

I really enjoyed this debut novel, though I sometimes wished Beth would stand up for herself a little more. Yet, if Beth had stood firm when her best friend Marina pushed her into becoming the PTA secretary, More...

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Oct 15, 2010

Marlyn rated it:

Beth Kennedy is a divorced mother of two who owns a children bookstore in the small town of Rynwood, Wisconsin. So when her best friend Marina suggests that Beth might want to run for the position of PTA secretary, her initial response is that she doesn't have the time. But Marina finally talks her into it, and Beth is unsurprised when she finds out she's the only candidate, since it's well-known that the PTA is a hotbed of dissension.

But at her first meeting, the unpleasant (and gener More...

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Dec 05, 2010

Lindsay rated it:

For a mystery, this one was kind of weak. The principal of the elementry school gets murdered because she wants to add onto the school. The main character, Beth, hardly even knew the lady, but as always in these kinds of books, took it upon herself to find out who the killer was. Also, because her stupid best friend was getting death threats because of her local blog. As much fun as it is to gossip, when your life is in danger, you should probably stop. Mostly I was annoyed by how nice Beth was. More...

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Jan 03, 2012

Carol rated it:

I loved 'Murder at the PTA' by Laura Alden. It is a great start for a new cozy series. I got into the story immediately, maybe because I know people who are very much like the main characters. This time the relationships starred more than the mystery.

Beth Kennedy is a recently divorced, overweight mother of two young children and owner of a children's book store. She lives in a typical small town, Rynwood, Wisconsin where gossip spreads quicker than you can tap a computer key.
More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 10, 2011

Patricia rated it:

Lots of fun with this cozy mystery. A local children's bookstore owner is enticed into becoming the secretary of the elementary school's PTA. No sooner is she taking minutes, than the school's autocratic principal is found murdered in her home. Almost everyone is a suspect because, the victim was planning on remodeling the school into a an architectural monstrosity. The book's heroine Beth Kennedy, along with her neighbor and co-hort gossip blogger Marina, sets out to find the murderer--befo More...

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Mar 17, 2011

Zoe rated it:

Well, I'm sorry to say that this book just didn't do it for me.What annoyed me most was the fact that the main protagonist, Beth, was a huge pushover and never objected to what the others, and especially her idiotic best friend, Marina, asked her to do. Moreover, the story was full of mundane details about everyday life in a single mother's life, i.e. the whole process of choosing a puppy.Even the mystery in this story was almost non-existent, as only a relatively small part of the book was dedi More...

4 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 29, 2011

Sandybear76 added it

Pretty good mystery for a cozy one.Beth, a divorced mom with 2 kids, is talked into being the new PTA secretary. The unliked prinicpal is pushing for a new addition to the school and all the parents are so against it. The money is being donated by an unknown donor and the principal feels she can do with the money what she wants and how she wants. Parents and PTA are in an uproar since they have no say in the principal's development of the new addition. Beth owns a children's bookstore with some More...

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Feb 12, 2012

Vicky rated it:

I am not quite halfway into the book at this point as I have trouble dealing with the immature attitude Beth has when speaking with just about anyone, including her children. If this is a first time novel, I am surprised it got published. I wonder too if the author has any real knowledge of a 10 year old and a 7 or 8 year .

I will try to get through this book and report later.

finished the book and was very disappointed in the heroine and her best friend's immaturity. I hav More...

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Apr 12, 2011

Susan rated it:

Divorced mother and bookstore owner Beth is persuaded to take the job as PTA secretary for her kids' elementary school. The school is in a state of permanent war, between the domineering principal Agnes Mephisto, and--well, everybody else. But when a body is found, suspicion and rumor plagues the whole little town. Beth is fearful for her children, and for her best friend Marina, who secretly runs a supposedly anonymous local blog that covers the murder extensively. No reason a bookstore own More...

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Nov 04, 2010

Grey853 rated it:

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

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Aug 31, 2011

Vickie rated it:

I had high hopes for this after reading a review from trusty reviewer harstan, but I didn't get a whole lot of enjoyment out of this cozy. I think mostly a lot of characters to contend with, characters I didn't care too much about, even the murder victim had it comin'. There were a lot of little bits of info thrown in that didn't seem to have too much to do with the progress of the story.

It may also have been the inane blog that has the small town abuzz and the friend that gets More...

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Jan 17, 2012

Nikki rated it:

Murder at the PTA was a good book, but the pace was kind of slow. It wasn't a book that I just couldn't put down. In fact, it didn't fully grasp my attention until the last 2 or 3 chapters. The story begins when Beth, a divorced mother of two and children's bookstore owner is persuaded by her best friend Marina to become the secretary of the Tarver Elementary PTA. Immediately, drama unfolds when the principal ends up murdered, Marina begins naming suspects on her blog and receiving death threats More...

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Mar 05, 2011

Jeannie rated it:

Laura Alden's book, "Murder at the PTA" was a fun, fast-paced, and suspenseful murder set in contemporary days.

Beth Kennedy is a single mother of two, owns the town bookstore and being unable to say 'no' to her friend, gets involved in a murder where the suspects are the local schools PTA (Parents Teachers Assn.)

If this is the debut, we as readers are in for a treat as the series continues on.

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Sep 07, 2011

Daryl rated it:

Great first in series. Beth is a bookseller with two kids whom she adores, and she's the PTA secretary. She has a full plate, but she still makes time to help solve who killed the unpopular school president. Great passion, seamless writing. Loved it.

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Feb 02, 2011

Avery rated it:

Great first in series. Beth is a bookseller with two kids whom she adores, and she's the PTA secretary. She has a full plate, but she still makes time to help solve who killed the unpopular school president. Great passion, seamless writing. Loved it.

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Jan 13, 2011

Kate rated it:

This book was really enjoyable and hard to put down- I read it in two busy days! The author has a great sense of humor and at times I was laughing out loud. The main character is a divorced mother of two who got pushed into volunteering for the PTA- it turns out to be an annoying gig, but also something that gives her purpose and distraction when her children are spending weekends, etc. with their father. I really liked the main character and how her kids were a big part of the story. My only co More...

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Mar 13, 2011

Ashley FL rated it:

Good, solid cozy mystery. First in a series, and I'll definitely look for the next ones when they come out. It does read like a first novel, but the main character has potential and the story was fun.

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Sep 27, 2011

Marge rated it:

Enjoyed this first in a new series. Fast paced, real characters. Did not fall into cozy formula for first book, - main character prime suspect in murder, handsome detective becomes love interest, that scenario in my opinion is getting old. Eagerly await the next book

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Jul 28, 2011

Sandy rated it:

Beth was a weak woman who wasn't even able to stand up for herself and say no to anyone but suddenly she's investigating the murder of an unpopular woman she barely knew. It just didn't work for me.

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Jun 26, 2011

Amy rated it:

Just "ok". The first 40 pages of the (240 pages)and the last 20 pages were interesting and exciting. Nothing happened in-between, except she got a dog. Blah.

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Sep 03, 2011

Margaret rated it:

This was a light, cozy mystery with a likable protagonistand an enjoyable if somewhat farfetched plot - an easy companion for a lazy day.

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Feb 07, 2011

Hilary rated it:

I really liked Beth Kennedy as a detective, and liked the characters. I'll definitely pick up more from the series when they are available.

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Jul 06, 2011

Karen rated it:

The book's pace was sl..o..w. And there was too much talk of the protagonist's kids and the woes of being a single mom.

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Nov 11, 2010

Eileen rated it:

I really enjoyed this book. First time I read anything by this author and would like to read more of her books.

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Nov 04, 2010

Heather rated it:

Good characters and no obvious suspects make it a winning mystery for me. I'll be anxious to read what's next by this author!

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Dec 15, 2011

Stephanie rated it:

This was mildly entertaining and, as most mom-turned-sleuth mysteries are, highly improbable, but satisfying for a quick read.

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Feb 07, 2011

Diana rated it:

An excellent start to a new cozy series..
Full review here: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=27...

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Mar 29, 2011

Peg rated it:

I enjoyed this one! Lots of chuckles hidden in a very good mystery!

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Dec 13, 2010

Colleen rated it:

I liked this book and the story. It was nice to "get to know" some new characters from a new series--including her bookstore employees. However, I did not like that her young children were involved with the violence at the end of the book though. I will try another book from this series when it is available.

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