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72nd out of 118 books
—
32 voters
Faked To Death (Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery #2)
by
Dean James
"A delightful English village whodunit filled with some of the most eccentric characters you'll ever run across in a mystery novel." --The Denver Post on Posted to Death
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
March 1st 2004
by Kensington
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I WANT MY MONEY BACK.
*cries*
At first I was still hoping this second novel might be better than the first about this unnecessarily American and gay and vampiric "hero", since it was about a writer's weekend, but the unbearable egocentricity of the author (and his not-at-all endearing character) nearly make me throw up. Simon is pretentious and, like the book, boring, annoyingly stupid, and made all the worse so by the reader being expected to find Simon irresistible, charming and intelligent. Sin...more
*cries*
At first I was still hoping this second novel might be better than the first about this unnecessarily American and gay and vampiric "hero", since it was about a writer's weekend, but the unbearable egocentricity of the author (and his not-at-all endearing character) nearly make me throw up. Simon is pretentious and, like the book, boring, annoyingly stupid, and made all the worse so by the reader being expected to find Simon irresistible, charming and intelligent. Sin...more
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Faked To Death: A Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery (James, Dean, Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery.) (Simon Kirby-Jones Mysteries)
by Dean James
Edition: Hardcover
Bravo Author!, August 10, 2011
This review is from: Faked To Death: A Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery (James, Dean, Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery.) (Simon Kirby-Jones Mysteries) (Hardcover)
Thank-you Dean James for another wonderful Simon Kirby-Jones mystery. The continuity of the stories, the development of the characters, and the creativity of new situatio...more
Blurb from Amazon
It's Simon's esteemed reputation as an auteur that brings him to the attention of Lady Hermione Kinsale. She needs another speaker for her week-long writers' workshop. But much to Simon's surprise-and chagrin - best selling mystery author Dorinda Darlington appears on the list of attendees. Simon knows first-hand how the reclusive author values her privacy...because Simon is Dorinda. The blatant impersonation has raised his hackles - and Simon's fit to kill. But someone beats hi...more
It's Simon's esteemed reputation as an auteur that brings him to the attention of Lady Hermione Kinsale. She needs another speaker for her week-long writers' workshop. But much to Simon's surprise-and chagrin - best selling mystery author Dorinda Darlington appears on the list of attendees. Simon knows first-hand how the reclusive author values her privacy...because Simon is Dorinda. The blatant impersonation has raised his hackles - and Simon's fit to kill. But someone beats hi...more
Cozy mystery with a great premise- the main character (and amateur detective) is a vampire. Sadly, nothing at all is made of that little quirk. Due to pills that he takes, he doesn't have to drink blood, but he also can't hypnotize people with his eyes, or turn into a bat or a mist or anything cool. So what is the point? How much more interesting he would be if he had to deal with -and take advantage of- some of the traditional side effects of vampirism. Oh, and he's gay. Gay, gay, gay, gay, gay...more
As far as mysteries are concerned I expect genre-loving readers to still find this second episode at fault. The very classical rules of very classical detective stories require that the readers be given all necessary hints to solve it for themselves.
It does not happen here and the identity of the murderer is entirely unexpected.
As for the rest I was happier than with the first book: this series is apparently not meant to be more than just entertaining and -just- entertaining it is.
The writing is...more
It does not happen here and the identity of the murderer is entirely unexpected.
As for the rest I was happier than with the first book: this series is apparently not meant to be more than just entertaining and -just- entertaining it is.
The writing is...more
Posted to Death. Faked to Death. Decorated to Death. Baked to Death. Books by Dean James. I wanted a light mystery series and found this series of 4 books featuring a gay vampire detective- Simon Kirby Jones. "Gay vampire" was the ploy used to differentiate itself from other cozy mysteries but the character was taking anti-vampire pills which defeated the whole purpose. Also, there seemed to be an unbelievably high number of gay characters in each book. Certain characters, dialogue and situation...more
This series is so easy to sit back and enjoy. The main sleuth happens to be gay and a vampire, but, that is really somewhat immaterial in this well-written murder mystery.
A house party or writer's convention is held at Lady Kinsale's manor. True to the British style of cozy, the party is all but cozy. Seething emotions and oddness prevails as our Simon and his Assistant, Sir Giles, join in as new speakers. To Simon's dismay, he finds a charlatan pretending to be one of his alias.
This book is w...more
A house party or writer's convention is held at Lady Kinsale's manor. True to the British style of cozy, the party is all but cozy. Seething emotions and oddness prevails as our Simon and his Assistant, Sir Giles, join in as new speakers. To Simon's dismay, he finds a charlatan pretending to be one of his alias.
This book is w...more
A quick, light read. This cozy mystery series focuses on a gay, ex-professor turned vampire who solves murder mysteries while writing historical mysteries under his own name and writing romance under a a fake name. And a little pill allows him to live free of the hunger for human blood. Oh, and his sidekick is an aristocrat who enjoys slumming with the commoners. So, Trueblood, Murder She Wrote, a touch of Agatha Raisin, and a dash of American obsession with British culture and aristocracy. Can'...more
2nd foray into Snupperton Mumsley with mystery solver Simon Kirby-Jones. Dr. Kirby-Jones is a vampire, he is gay, he is the author of a mystery series and a romance series, and he solves murders in the little English village he now calls home. This time, Simon is at a week long mystery writers conference at a stately English home. As to be expected, a murder occurs and it is none other than the woman impersonating Simon's alter ego, Dorinda Darlington. Great names in these books.
I found this 2n...more
I found this 2n...more
i was surprised by how much i enjoyed reading this book. i saw it for 25 cents, and i thought "well if it's terrible, it only costs me a quarter." but it turned out to be really well-written, and very enjoyable. It's always fun when you find books that really surprise you like this one.
Second of these amateur sleuth cosy crime stories. The sleuth is a gay vampire but apart from his brilliant sense of hearing, not much happens in this story that means he needs to be either gay or a vampire. Just a comedy gimmick I guess. Entertaining nonetheless.
Second in James’ series. This one has Simon and Giles at a writers conference with an amusing cast of mystery writers. There is of course a murder. Fun.
Another fun romp with the charming Simon Kirby-Jones!
Not a huge amount of substance, but it's jolly good fun all the same!
Not a huge amount of substance, but it's jolly good fun all the same!
Bought book at dollar store. Looked Good.
this is a very good story in faking identity...
The 2nd book in the cozy mystery featuring a gay vampire.
..real fun
i absoultly loved this book its as good as the first i love how the books are mystery and trying to guess who had done the crime .
this is not a book i would usually look twice at...BUT, it was recomended to me by a customer...SO, i read it and LOVED it.
It's about a gay vampire author w/ a gay assistant, they get caught up in a murder at a gathering of some sort...it is a classic who-dunit story with lots of comical characters.
It's about a gay vampire author w/ a gay assistant, they get caught up in a murder at a gathering of some sort...it is a classic who-dunit story with lots of comical characters.
Very quick and easy read to pass time while waiting for something better to come along. Not sorry I read it, but won't be searching out the next in the series either.
Mar 27, 2011
Kathy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
who doesn't mind Gay vampires
Recommended to Kathy by:
cozies
Shelves:
cozy-modern
Dean Jones describes what happens at a writer conference but it could have been Left Coast Mysteries!
Finished in a day. Wish I could be as quick to wit as Simon!
Finished in a day. Wish I could be as quick to wit as Simon!
3.5 stars. Good gay mystery in which vampire and author Simon goes to a retreat for mystery writers, which is livened up a bit too much by murder.
Jun 17, 2013
Laurie Baldwin
marked it as to-read
Apr 20, 2013
Camy
marked it as to-read
Apr 04, 2013
Michelle Wilson
marked it as to-read
Apr 04, 2013
Shalawn
marked it as to-read
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Former Manager of "Murder by the Book" in Houston. Now Catalog and Metadata Librarian, Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library. Dean James, Ph.D., M.S.L.S.
also writes as Honor Hartman, Jimmie Ruth Evans, and Miranda James
More about Dean James...
also writes as Honor Hartman, Jimmie Ruth Evans, and Miranda James
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