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Let's Play Dead (A Museum Mystery #2)
by
Sheila Connolly (Goodreads Author)
The new exhibit at the Philadelphia children's museum, Let's Play, isn't meant to be shocking-but when one of the installers is zapped with a fatal electrical charge, it's up to Nell to put her detective skills on display.
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
July 5th 2011
by Berkley
(first published June 7th 2011)
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Let's Play Dead by Sheila Connolly
Let's Play Dead is the 2ND in Sheila Connolly's Museum Mystery series.
Nell Pratt is settling in to her new position as president of the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society when she is called by Arabella Heffernan, president of the Let's Play children's museum. Arabella was putting together a new exhibit highlighting Harriet the Hedgehog for this exhibit. That would include pacifying the author of the Harriet Hedgehog children's books Hadley Eastman and that would...more
A good book. I think I liked it more than the first book. It's not perfect of course. There are a lot of coincidences, Nell, the main character, even mentions it. James, the FBI agent, continues to make appearances as a potential love interest, and just like Nell I can't help but wonder why his love life is apparently so lack luster that his distant relation, Marty, is having to give him a push. We learn a bit about Nell's work as she deal with her promotion and trying to find replacements for t...more
"Let's Play Dead" is a cozy mystery. It's the second book in a series, but you don't need to read the first novel to understand this one. Also, I don't think this novel "spoiled" anything in the first novel if you read them out of order.
There was a nice level of setting detail and woven in information about running museums. The characters were interesting, varied, and complex. Yet there was a "warm-fuzzy" feel to the whole thing that made the situations seem not entirely realistic. The low level...more
There was a nice level of setting detail and woven in information about running museums. The characters were interesting, varied, and complex. Yet there was a "warm-fuzzy" feel to the whole thing that made the situations seem not entirely realistic. The low level...more
Let's Play Dead is Sheila Connolly's second book in the Museum Mystery series. Nell Pratt is the new president of the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society. She feels a bit overwhelmed by the demands of her new job in learning the ins and outs of it and finding new employees. She feels obligated to accept the kind invitation of Arabella, the president of the children's museum Let's Play, to come over for tea and cookies. During her visit she is invited to a sneak preview of the new exhibit of the Har...more
In the first book of this series Fundraising The Dead, we met Nell Pratt who was in charge of fundraising but the president of the museum was up to no good, and Nell helped to crack the case wide open. So as we enter this story Nell is just getting settled in to her new job as President.
As part of her new duties she is invited to the nearby Children's Museum, Let's Play, to preview a new exhibit.The exhibit is based on the characters from the Harriett The Hedgehog children's book series. In the...more
As part of her new duties she is invited to the nearby Children's Museum, Let's Play, to preview a new exhibit.The exhibit is based on the characters from the Harriett The Hedgehog children's book series. In the...more
This was a true mystery novel. Nell Pratt, is the President of Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society and also has a very good sense of sleuthing. Having just emerged, although slightly scathed, from a scandal/murder at the society, Nell finds herself witness to a possible crime at the local Children's Museum.
Was it an accident or more? Trying to aid the Director of "Let's Play", Nell finds that she can not take a back seat approach to her new friend's troubles.
We are introduced to two new members of...more
Was it an accident or more? Trying to aid the Director of "Let's Play", Nell finds that she can not take a back seat approach to her new friend's troubles.
We are introduced to two new members of...more
In Connolly's mystery novel, Nell is invited to the Philadelphia children's museum, Let's Play, for a look at the newly installed exhibit based on the Harriet the Hedgehog children's books. In the middle of her visit, one of the workers gets a jolt from working on an electronically animated weasel. He recovers, but when a second man gets fatally zapped, it sparks a homicide investigation, with Nell right in the middle of things. Determined to discover who set out to sabotage the exhibition, Nell...more
Newly promoted historical museum president Nell Pratt has plenty to do--she's barely able to hire a new development director and an assistant for herself--but she can't resist Arabella Heffernan, the motherly director of Let's Play, a nearby children's museum, who's having strange problems with a display based on a local author's book series. Nell doesn't want to involve FBI agent (and really attractive) James Morrison in Let's Play's problems, but the local police don't seem to be acting very e...more
This is the second book in the Museum Mystery series.
A friend of Nell's is getting ready to open a new exhibit at the Let's Play Museum and she wants to show Nell the new set, which is based on a children's book series. Nell and Arabella are overlooking the exhibit, when Arabella asks her future son-in-law, Jason, to show Nell how it is interactive with the kids. In the process Jason is shocked and knocked unconcious. An ambulance is called and he's taking to the hospital. Arabella has two diffe...more
A friend of Nell's is getting ready to open a new exhibit at the Let's Play Museum and she wants to show Nell the new set, which is based on a children's book series. Nell and Arabella are overlooking the exhibit, when Arabella asks her future son-in-law, Jason, to show Nell how it is interactive with the kids. In the process Jason is shocked and knocked unconcious. An ambulance is called and he's taking to the hospital. Arabella has two diffe...more
This is the second museum mystery, and I have to say that I was not impressed with it. I loved Nell in the first one, and I still love her character, but in this one the mystery is surrounding by two electrical "accidents" at a nearby children's museum. There was too much about electricity, and that got annoying. Part of the reason I loved the first one was because the book was set in a museum. This one still has the Society in it, but its pretty minimal. James is hardly in this one and neither...more
This new series of Museum Mysteries is quite fun. Nell, previously the Development Director and currently the President of a Philadelphia Historical Society, is getting her feet under her as a CEO. She is also trying to help her friend at Let's Play, a children's museum where an electrical accident has taken a life and threatened an exhibit. Add in estranged husbands, FBI agents, the IRA and the local electrician's union and you have an intriguing situation with a ironic twist at the end. I'll b...more
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One of the tricky bits for an author working with an amateur sleuth, especially one that doesn't consider sleuthing a hobby, is getting--and keeping--the character involved in the mystery. The character can only stumble over so many dead bodies before the situation starts feeling rather ridiculous. Overall, I think Connolly did a decent job in creating reasonable reasons for Nell to be involved in the mystery. However, I doubt Connolly will be able to pull off another murder mystery in a museum...more
Let's Play Dead is the second book in Museum Mystery series by Sheila Connolly.
Things are beginning to settle down at the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society and Nell Pratt is adjusting to her new position as president of the society. At the top of her "to do" list to find someone to take over her old job as fundraiser and to find a personal assistant. Those are filled in short order. Nell receives a phone call from the head of a children's hands on museum Let's Play, to come and have a preview of...more
Things are beginning to settle down at the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society and Nell Pratt is adjusting to her new position as president of the society. At the top of her "to do" list to find someone to take over her old job as fundraiser and to find a personal assistant. Those are filled in short order. Nell receives a phone call from the head of a children's hands on museum Let's Play, to come and have a preview of...more
I liked the first book in the series much better...perhaps because the novelty of having a book take place locally AND in a museum (as a museum person myself this was just great) wore off. The details that enthralled me in the first book (yes - the author certainly knows how museums work) wore thin in this one. The mystery in this book was...lackluster and the descriptions of the museum scene just didn't carry the book for me this time. At times I felt like she was trying to incorporate the loca...more
To have a good cozy mystery an author needs to develop a likeable main character and my problem was I did not like Nell. Rather than run her own facilty, Nell runs around having coffee, lunch and visiting other places. She is also pretty incompetent hiring employees with out doing reference and background checks. Her love interest James, the FBI agent, is a cardboard man devoid of personality. And the mystery, well there really wasn't one. I am sorry I wasted my time on this one.
Nell Pratt is invited to the Philadelphia Children's Museum for a sneak preview of the new Harriet the Hedgehog exhibit. That turns out to be quite a shocker when an installer is shocked by one of the animated creatures. That's bad enough, but when a second man is shocked fatally, things get really interesting. I really like this series, I like Nell and her boyfriend FBI Special Agent James Morrison, and I like the descriptions of the workings of the Philadelphia Antiquarian Society.
The entire time I was reading this little mystery, I kept asking myself why all I was reading was bits about being too busy, bits about electricity, and meals. It seemed odd that the whole plot carried forward along these interludes. I was also pretty disappointed with the resolution of the mystery (I will say nothing further so as not to give too much away). I seem to recall liking the first in this series, but this sophomore endeavour left me wanting more.
I would say "Let's Play Dead" was OK. I did like how the mystery resolved very unexpected. Unfortunately the first half of the book really lagged there seemed to be a lot of unnecessary description and extra pointless stuff just there to fill the pages. The characters in the series are likeable and I like the new additions in this second entry. I expect I will read the next one but if it is as full of filler as this one I wont continue.
Quickie Review for Let's Play Dead....
This is a very subdued style of mystery, about a museum director in Philadelphia. Not a lot of action, no real romance to speak of, and lots of mundane details about daily operations at a museum. Even though it was pretty dry reading, I still liked it. The mystery itself is the star of the show, and Connolly does a good job with the plotline. Also, the cover is simply adorable!
Grade: B
This is a very subdued style of mystery, about a museum director in Philadelphia. Not a lot of action, no real romance to speak of, and lots of mundane details about daily operations at a museum. Even though it was pretty dry reading, I still liked it. The mystery itself is the star of the show, and Connolly does a good job with the plotline. Also, the cover is simply adorable!
Grade: B
Starts out too "sweet and rosy" for my taste. Once past that, it was similar in feel to the first book. It moves quickly. The ending just kind of snuck up on you and it's over--didn't feel that fulfillment you like when all is said and done.
Although I probably won't read any more of hers, that is not a strike against them. They just aren't working for me.
Although I probably won't read any more of hers, that is not a strike against them. They just aren't working for me.
This is a very good 2nd in a series set in Philadelphia and museum curatorship and all that it entails. Reading this series is enjoyable and educational too! Sheila Connolly is a very good writer and it is easy to read her books. . . They offer an escape as well as an interesting diversion from 'real life.' Keep up the good work!
I don't think I like Nell a lot. I really adore Sheila Connolly books, namely the Orchard series with Meg, Seth and Bree. I don't know why but Nell isn't resonating with me.
I thought at 1st it was the setting of the book - museums, those really aren't my thing but I realized it was Nell herself. She is slightly contradictory. She can be really nice in one part of the book and then sort of standoffish and impatient in another. She urges people to get to the point, to hurry up. She is 'busy' and...more
I thought at 1st it was the setting of the book - museums, those really aren't my thing but I realized it was Nell herself. She is slightly contradictory. She can be really nice in one part of the book and then sort of standoffish and impatient in another. She urges people to get to the point, to hurry up. She is 'busy' and...more
Nell, who became President of her museum after the death of her boss in the first book of the series, is now trying to get the museum running back to normal. She is hiring new people, meeting with the board, and dealing with the FBI in hopes of getting their stolen items back to the museum. So when a colleague of a children's museum calls to see if Nell can preview the new exhibit, Nell goes for a visit but witnesses an accident. When another accident, this time deadly, happens at the children's...more
When I read a cozy, I don't need every little detail about the main character's day, her meals, and her coffee breaks. This book suffers from far too much repetition. While I did like the introduction of Eric, I didn't much care for the thin plot and the unsatisfactory resolution.
I enjoyed the first book in this series more. The reasons for Nell getting involved in the mystery at the Let's Play museum were weak.
However, the story maintained my interest and since I've been to most of the towns mentioned I enjoyed reading about towns that I'm familiar with.
However, the story maintained my interest and since I've been to most of the towns mentioned I enjoyed reading about towns that I'm familiar with.
This was an odd one - not sure what to think of the plot decisions the author made - but I appreciated that it wasn't one of 5 plots some authors just recycle. I like the museum setting and the characters are getting livelier and more interesting.
An fantastically good story. Nell is a real Superwoman. Not only is she managing her own museum, but she finds time to help her friend Arabella with a serious problem at her Children's Museum. The ending will truly surprise you.
Not nearly as fun as the first. Mystery felt flat, and the reasons for Nell's involvement were a bit weak. Plus, some very annoying things that should have been caught by an editor.
But it's a mystery set in the museum world. Which does amuse me.
But it's a mystery set in the museum world. Which does amuse me.
This is the second book in Sheila Connolly's new series. I like her characters; they seem pretty real and the situations she puts them in aren't too contrived. Very readable and fun. But I did come across a mistake that editing should have caught - the story takes place in January - twice Nell mentions this fact, but in chapter 12 or 13, she leaves a restaurant and buttons up against the November cold....Other than this, though, the writing is smooth, dialog is natural and the plot makes sense.
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Sheila Connolly has taught art history, structured and marketed municipal bonds for major cities, worked as a staff member on two statewide political campaigns, and served as a fundraiser for several non-profit organizations. She also managed her own consulting company providing genealogical research services. Now a full-time writer, she thinks writing mysteries is a lot more fun than any of her p...more
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