Rally 'Round the Corpse

by Hy Conrad

It's been two years since her fiancé's death. Amy Abel needs to start over. What better way for a shy, risk-averse woman to start than to sink all her savings into a travel agency specializing in adventure? Her first project is a mystery road rally through the European countryside. At the starting line in Monte Carlo, Amy finds herself attracted to Marcus Alvarez, the most mysterious of her two dozen game-loving clients. But the rally gets off to a rocky start when an eccentric writer, the only person who knows the game's solution, is himself murdered back in New York. Who would kill a harmless mystery geek, and why are weird accidents beginning to happen along the way? To her horror, Amy discovers that this fictional mystery was based on a real, unsolved case, one that Marcus knows too much about. Now she has no choice but to join forces with Fanny, her domineering mother, and solve this on her own, before the killer strikes again.

Genres: Mystery

348 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2012

About the author

HY CONRAD has made a career out of murder, earning the 2022 Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (“The Fixer’s Daughter”) and 2022 NYC Big Book Awards for Best Mystery Series (“The Fixer’s Daughter,” “Sins of the Family”), a Scribe Award for Best Novel (“Mr. Monk Helps Himself”) and garnering three Edgar nominations from the Mystery Writers of America (for the “Monk” TV series). Along the way, he developed a horde of popular games and interactive films, hundreds of short stories and a dozen books of solvable mysteries, published in over 15 languages. Hy is best known for his eight seasons as writer/co-executive producer for the ground-breaking TV series, “Monk.” Other shows include “White Collar” and “The Good Cop.”

As a novelist, Hy authored the final four books in the Monk series, the Amy Travel Mysteries (“Toured to Death,” “Dearly Departed” and “Death on the Patagonian Express”) and the Callie McFee Mysteries (“The Fixer’s Daughter,” a Barnes & Noble bestseller and “Sins of the Family”).

In the world of theatre, his produced works consist of “Home Exchange” (a mystery), “Ta-Dah!” (a musical), and “Quarantine for Two” (a socially distanced dark comedy about the pandemic).

When he looks up from his keyboard, Hy sees either the hills of Vermont or the palm trees of Key West, depending on the time of year. He also sees Jeff Johnson, his partner of 43 years, now his husband, plus Nelson and Stella, the latest in a dynasty of mini-schnauzers.

www.hyconrad.com
Facebook: hyconrad
Instagram: hyconrad1

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book and highly recommend it. While I've seen some episodes of Monk and White Collar, I wasn't all that familiar with Hy Conrad but the book synopsis sounded like something right up my alley.

Spoiler alert****
The storyline follows Amy after a tragedy in her life, who starts a travel agency and she designs and pulls off a Murder Mystery Tour, literally around the world and has a murder mystery writer who does her script for her tour. Imagine the surprise when the mystery is based on a real death mystery years before. The story takes the tour through Rome and other exotic places as the participants try to solve the murder of their character and work in various teams. Add a budding romance and a murder during the tour and everyone in a tailspin as an arrest is made. There's a whole lot more to the story of course but not going to ruin it!!
*** End spoiler alert

First the story line is fun, witty and it was easy to delve into the characters. It was well written and makes you wonder in the very beginning "whodunit". Amy, the main character starts out as being a bit reluctant and a worrier, but starts to really come out of her shell midway through the book. The rest of the characters really add to the story and he plot line. Fanny, Amy's mother is hilarious.
I stayed up late several nights reading because I lost track of time reading because I was so into the book.

I had an ebook glitch about 80% into the book and it took several days for the publisher to get me the new copy. I was dying! I was so into the story, and really wanted to know who did it and couldn't!! I was so excited to get the new copy and finish the story!! Whether you are familiar with Hy Conrad or not, this book is definately worth reading! You won't be disappointed. I'm looking forward to the next installment!!!

[Paula Ratcliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is different then your typical mystery. Amy Abel is running a mystery road tour, where the clients sign up to figure out who committed murder. What screws this one up is when the owner Otto winds up dead and only two people on the tour know that Amy Abel and Otto's assistant Marcus.

Add to that someone is messing up the road rally by adding false clues into the mix. This was a great book trying to figure who among the tour had an axe to grind with Georgina and wanted her dead.

Can't wait to read more by Hy Conrad his story telling ability was awesome and I was able to read this book minus a few interruptions in 2 days! What a fun journey!

Definitely a great author, and on a side note I am a fan of both shows he's been part of Monk, and White Collar!

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5

I've been a mystery fan for about as long as I've been reading. When I received the email about this book and tour, it sounded interesting - a mystery, a travel tour, a hint of romance - how could I pass it up?

Amy runs a travel agency along with her mother Fanny. They offer travel packages that have some risk or an adventure as part of the trip. Their first one is the Monte Carlo to Rome Mystery Road Rally. They hired a writer who specializes in writing mystery games for dinner theaters, house parties, etc. But this story, though Amy and Fanny don't realize it, is based on an unsolved real murder mystery.

Before the trip the writer, Otto, is killed. Throughout the trip, there are incidences - wrong clues, robberies, etc. - and finally one of the travelers is murdered. One of the travelers, Marcus, who is actually the assistant to the mystery writer and is there to keep an eye on things, has been flirting with Amy. However, he lies as easily as he breathes and she's never quite sure if she can trust him. He finally reveals himself as Otto's assistant when things continue to go wrong. Near the end of the tour, one of the travelers is murdered and another is arrested for it.

Back home after the end of the trip, Amy and her mother Fanny try to investigate the various mysteries - the minor incidences that occurred, the murder of one of the travel guests, the murder of Otto, and the original murder that the rally was based on.

Amy and her mother stumble a bit and make mistakes as they try to sort out who killed whom and why. But, they are both amateur detectives, so it's to be expected. Some of the other travelers help with the investigation and that doesn't always go smoothly either. There are some unlikely coincidences throughout the story but it's complex and twisty and will keep you on your toes.

Conrad gives depth to his characters, making them real, flawed, and believable though Marcus could have used more depth. Fanny was meddling, domineering, and a know it all; she meant well but I found her annoying at times. Amy was timid at times and bold at other times, judgmental, kind and reserved. The travelers on the tour were well developed and intriguing. Although the story slowed down at times, overall, it held my interest and made me want to go visit Monaco and Italy. Conrad spins a story and keeps your interest.

One thing I want to make note of is how Conrad handled the topic of food allergies. I was delighted to see that he didn't make a mess of it but actually knew what he was talking about. I get so frustrated and even angry with books, movies and TV shows that can't be bothered to get their facts right.


"Rally 'Round the Corpse" is intelligent, clever, occasionally humorous and a pleasure to read.

I received a paperback from the author as part of a blog tour.

[Rebecca Graf · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I had the chance to read Hy Conrad's book, I jumped on it. I had read another of his books and fell in love it. Well, Mr. Conrad did not disappoint me n with Rally 'Round the Corpse.

Amy and her mother, Fanny, have created a unique travel company where they plan mysteries for the travelers to solve. Think of it as a mystery dinner party you can buy at the store but on the road in Europe. The problem comes when the one who wrote the game is murdered, a participant thinks the game is based on a murder she was involved with, and suspicious activity increases. that all gets more complicated when someone is actually murdered during the game. Who did it and why?


What is really good about this mystery is that it is not too fast nor too slow when it comes to the pace of the story. It is a perfect, steady pace that has you wanting to read more and more yet where you can put it down for the night while pondering the day's read. It gives you breathing room without giving you too much where you won't pick the book back up.


The story was artfully crafted and had me hooked. I love mysteries and try to figure out who did it. Well, this one kept me guessing as the plot would take a new turn every time a new clue was discovered or more secrets were revealed. Yes, I figured out the killer. Though I changed my mind half a dozen times before coming back to ........ and then was pleased as punch to know I was right all those half a dozen times. I was getting worried my track record was going to be messed up, but it wasn't until the very end when ...... was revealed that I knew for sure I was right. I was suspecting everyone as each one was crafted so well. In truth, everyone has secrets which really helps a well-written mystery story.

The characters are the highlight of the entire book. Each one is crafted to be extremely unique with personalities that have you hooked to them. They were more than believable. They were fun. I loved getting to know them. Amy and Fanny are amazing. Their relationship will one to go down in literary history.


Mr. Conrad's writing is entertaining as well as mesmerizing. The flow of the story is smooth while taking you on a journey you'll never see the likes of again aside from the sequel.


I cannot wait for the next book. I love Mr. Conrad's work with the television shows 'Monk' and "White Collar". In fact, my children and I watch them almost daily over and over. He carries his talent to the written page in a manner that only he could accomplish so well. He now as a fan that will be stalking him regularly. In fact, I'll put a guard on his door to ensure that more and more of the Abel Adventures Mysteries get written. If you can't guess, I give this book two thumbs up plus two big toes. I love it!


Note: This book was provided as part of a book tour with no expectation of a positive review.

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rally ‘Round the Corpse by Hy Con­rad is a fic­tional mys­tery and it seems to be the first of a series. I jumped on the oppor­tu­nity to read this book because Mr. Con­rad is the writer for the TV show Monk which is, in my opin­ion, one of the best writ­ten shows on TV.

Amy Able, still on the rebound, runs a travel agency with her mother, Fanny. The agency runs a Monte Carlo to Rome Mys­tery Road Rally to pam­pered guests who like mur­der mys­tery games. Soon after the game begun, the eccen­tric cre­ator, the only one who knows the answer, mys­te­ri­ously dies in his New York apartment.

The game becomes real when one of the guests die and Amy real­izes that the mys­tery is actu­ally based on a real-life unsolved crime.

Rally ‘Round the Corpse by Hy Con­rad (web­site | Face­book) is an enjoy­able novel which is easy to read, doesn't take itself too seri­ously and tells a story with humor and energy. I read the book with the author’s sense of humor in mind, as a fan of Monk I might have had an advan­tages over other read­ers since I thought that some of the lines which to oth­ers might sound over-the-top cheesy, were funny.

"“Amy thought of her dou­ble bot­tom drawer as a black hole, suck­ing in any­thing and everything….it was an infor­mal stor­age sys­tem, but it filled the gap between the for­mal­ity of her files and the abyss of the wastebasket.”

As you can see, if you read this line in a man­ner which is too seri­ous or high-brow you’ll miss the wit and humor of the book. The cast of char­ac­ters bring peo­ple from all walks of life (some rich, some are tak­ing the vaca­tion of life­time) which makes the inter­ac­tion funny and unique. A South­ern heiress com­bined with a NYPD detec­tive who doesn't curse.

The book is not fast paced, but move at a descent speed and is a nice, light book to read over the week­end or when your life gets hec­tic. The mys­tery, at first, seems sim­ple and the author writes in a few almost too obvi­ous scape­goats, but gets more fun as the true killer is revealed with a slight twist.

The novel is well writ­ten, the ban­ter is light­hearted and the nar­ra­tion and dia­log are both bal­anced. I’m look­ing for­ward to read more of Mr. Conrad’s books and the face­tious adven­tures of Amy Able.

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

[Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Making a game out of a mystery and a European road rally is the perfect combination for intrigue and suspense.

Author Hy Conrad puts an amusing spin on a traditional board game with his debut mystery, RALLY ‘ROUND THE CORPSE. His protagonist oversees a mystery road rally through the European countryside.

It’s been two years and Amy Abel is trying to start over after the death of her fiancé. With the help of her mother, Amy puts all her savings into a travel agency. But this is not an ordinary travel agency, Amy’s specializes in adventure. Her first project - a mystery road rally through the European countryside - may be her last.

With two dozen clients participating in the rally, Amy finds herself drawn to the mysterious Marcus Alvarez. Starting in Monte Carlo, the rally has problems right off the bat. The eccentric writer who penned the rally is murdered in New York. Then weird accidents begin to happen along the route.

What Amy soon discovers about the mystery game has her seeing Marcus in a different light. Teaming up with her mother, Amy sets out to solve the real mystery before her business (and her life) are terminated.

Conrad has created well-developed characters that are realistic with just a touch of zaniness. He takes the story on a whirlwind adventure while placing the reader in the midst of the action with his vivid descriptions. As the story unfolds, Conrad incorporates red herrings keeping readers on their toes as to who the real killer is and what could possible happen next.

RALLY ’ROUND THE CORPSE is well-written and flows smoothly. It’s a fast pace mystery featuring bits of humor and romance with suspense and intrigue always lurking nearby. This is a fun read mystery lovers will adore and eagerly await the next adventure Amy undertakes.

FTC Full Disclosure - An eBook copy of this story was sent to me by the author as part of his Premier Virtual Book Tour in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reason for Reading: When I learned that Hy Conrad was a writer for all eight seasons of one of my favourite TV shows ever, "Monk", I just had to read his book. I was intrigued by the plot also as I've always been fascinated by car rallies ever since my parents told me about participating in one in the '60s before they got married.

I just adored this book! It was perfect reading for me the month of December. A delicious cozy that kept me returning to it during the hectic holiday season when I didn't have a lot of time for reading and I found myself joyously cuddling up for quick breaks with this book. An entertaining mystery with a unique plot. I absolutely love the concept of Amy Abel's travel agency extraordinaire. The opportunity for imaginative plots for future books is bound only by the author's imagination, which he seems to have no short supply of! The short blurb at the back describing book two already has me salivating for the next one.

I loved Amy as a character. Down to earth, adjusting to single life after the death of her long-term partner (almost husband), living with her recently widowed and spunky but interfering mother, Amy is a person easy to relate to and sympathize with. Though she has a lot of baggage on her shoulders she is a quick-witted, competent woman, able to rise to any occasion, not letting anyone get the better of her. The secondary characters are a cast full of eccentric personalities as one expects in a cozy. This is the type of mystery where one of the group of participants must be the murderer and the killer within the midst must be found. As I've mentioned, this is what I call a cozy mystery; it is not fast-paced but pleasantly diverting and amusing. The mystery at first seems deceptively simple as we are given an obvious scapegoat who on and off becomes both more and less guilty in the reader's eyes; there are also a couple of other obvious suspects and when the true killer is revealed a fancy bit of 'twistery' is a delightful end to a perfectly adorable read.

[Sandra Olshaski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rally ‘Round the Corpse:An Abel Adventures Mystery by Hy Conrad
ISBN:978-0-9837350-4-5
Published by Seven Realms Publishing
Published: 2011
Trade Paperback: 337 pages

I thoroughly enjoyed this don’t-take-yourself-too-seriously murder mystery. It’s a light, witty novel with just the right amount of humor.

Amy and her mother, Fanny, run a travel agency specializing in adventures. The Monte Carlo to Rome Mystery Road Rally is a travel adventure/murder mystery game offered to well-heeled tourists, “people pampering themselves to the tune of two weeks and many thousands of dollars”. Actors provide clues to the mystery that the vacationers use to solve the puzzle (it reminded me a bit of The Amazing Race). It’s all great fun until the eccentric creator of the puzzle, the only one who knows the solution to the game, is murdered. “Murder most foul” takes place a second time – Georgina who is both a traveler and a key player in the story is found dead. Amy gradually realizes that the fictional mystery game is based on an actual unsolved murder! As in all murder mysteries, the guilty finger points to a variety of culprits. The reader is completely surprised when the real murderer is revealed. Throw in a love angle and the reader is set for an engaging read.

There are some funny descriptions, ie. “her lilac perfume seemed strong enough to stir the flag into a flutter”; “Amy thought of her double bottom drawer as a black hole, sucking in anything and everything….it was an informal storage system, but it filled the gap between the formality of her files and the abyss of the wastebasket.” An NYPD cop who is also a traveler says things like, “what the Hector?” instead of the usual expletive.

This quick-read novel is an excellent choice for mystery fans!

Several mild expletives.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted on Romancing the Books blog
Reviewed By JoAnn
Review Copy Provided by the Publisher

This is book one in the Abel Adventures Mystery series. The author is one of the writers of the TV series, Monk, about a former detective and solver of mysteries, which always had me laughing. This book did not disappoint and reminded me at times of Monk along with another TV show The Amazing Race where contestants travel around the world searching for clues. Rally ‘Round the Corpse struck me as death and mystery meet travel and adventure.

I felt like I was part of the tour group – searching for clues, uncovering secrets, trying to solve the mystery along with visualizing myself in some of the countries and locales that were on the itinerary even though I’ve never been to most of the places Amy took the group. There were lots of twists and turns to keep the pages turning along with laugh out loud moments.

There was great character development and I loved the way Amy’s strengths evolved throughout the book. Her relationship with her mother was typical of many mother-daughter relationships and her mother, Fanny, gave comedic relief throughout.

This was a cozy type mystery to me – lighthearted but with a mystery to solve. There was also some romance thrown in too. There was closure but I know there will be lots of adventures to keep Amy busy because there was an excerpt from book 2 at the back of this book which only whet my appetite for more.

Favorite Quote: “You should see Rome from the air. All the roof gardens. And inside those monoliths, the hidden courtyards with their Renaissance fountains and maybe in a corner some two-thousand-year-old pillar stolen from the Forum by some medieval farmer and that’s now holding up a wall. All the layers of art and history hidden from public view. Rome takes a bit of knowing to love.” He smiled. “Like me.”

[Priya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The idea of the mystery road rally is as charming as it sounds. Well, until all the murdering, of course. But that's what made me love this book so much. The characters were interesting and the dialogue had me chuckling every two seconds. You hear mysteries described as thrilling, intense, gruesome. Even words like blood curdling are thrown in. But I've never enjoyed reading a suspense novel so much before. This book was pure fun, and that is a word I would rarely pair with the word mystery.

Not to mention, the very mystery is great, the plot is brilliantly crafted. It may be because I don't read mysteries very often, but I doubt that was the reason I just couldn't guess what was coming, however hard I tried. The plot twists and red herrings just keep coming. I was on the edge of my seat till the very end, which, by the way, did NOT disappoint. Very few writers could reveal the suspense the way the author has: surprising you so utterly, while still managing to be convincing.

A classic mystery fan is sure to love this book. But I do think that people who don't usually read / enjoy reading mysteries should give this one a try - it might just change your opinion of the genre. It is a quick, engaging read, and I can't think of a reason not to read it - grab your copies right here, while I wait for the next book in the series!

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Abel Adventure Tour is a mystery rally. People who are wealthy travel as a group, trying to solve a fictional murder mystery. Only this murder mystery is real, a death occurs, all in all it becomes much more of a mystery than expected.

Amy and her mother Fanny are the owners of the Travel Agency, but it is Amy who travels with the group and Amy who becomes the most involved detective.

It is a book filled with mystery, humor and great character development. Personally, I liked the book better when Fanny is not in the picture, but that is probably just me.

The travelers are interesting people who all have ideas about the mystery. And some of them are much better at guessing than others. They become a group who support one another even at the same time competing for the eventual solution.

The wrong person is accused of murder - three different murders in three different locations. Amy and Fanny are determined to prove the police wrong and find the true murderer. The group all wants to support Amy in solving the mystery and freeing the wrongly accused.

The mystery is not easy to solve, and the solving is a fun trip.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery., Mr Conrad has a great deal of experience writing funny and interesting mysteries, and he has done it very well in this book.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea behind this book. Amy is a young woman trying to make her travel adventure business a success after the death of her fiance. She books a European road rally murder mystery and hires a professional to plan the game. Everything goes well until he ends up murdered.

The book is divided into two parts. The first follows Amy and her clients on their European murder mystery. It's a delightful setting and I had fun trying to figure out the murder mystery along with all the characters.

The second part of the book takes place back in the United States where Amy, Marcus, and other guests try and figure out who murdered their fellow guest. I had some difficulty transitioning from the fake murder to the real murder but once I got back into the story I was able to follow along.

While they are trying to solve the murder Amy and Marcus become closer. There is romance and tension in the book along with the murder. In the end they do end up solving all 3 murders that occur in the book.

I did have some trouble believing who the murderer ended up being. Without giving it away, I thought that it was far fetched which was disappointing after a decent plot, cast of characters, and story line.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book! A great cast of characters (talk about quirky and eccentric characters - this book has them all!) and a storyline that moved along at a quick pace. Once you start reading, you won't be able to put this book down. Even the setting was amazing. I wanted to be traveling with this tour group. I always wanted to go to a mystery dinner party and that's what this book felt like.

The story kept you guessing and I loved the main character Amy. She owned the travel agency that put this tour together and she quickly becomes an amateur sleuth. I'd love to read more books with her in them. I hope this is the start of a brand new series. That would be great. I want to re-visit these characters.

This book sort of reminded me of the classic Agatha Christie type of mysteries. If you are a mystery fan, like me, this is a must read.



FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review for the book tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Kathleen Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rally Round the Corpse by Hy Conrad is a murder mystery about a Murder Mystery Rally tour of Europe. Amy Abel and her mother Fanny run the Abel Adventure travel agency and Amy travels along with the group as tour host. What is supposed to be a fun vacation for the group turns into a real murder mystery. The cast of characters are numerous and a few have their own agenda's. Once it comes to light that the 'murder' mystery that the group is trying to solve is based on a real murder that happened five years in the past puts everyone on edge as they do not know who the killer might be. They do know that it is someone in their group and Amy finds herself trying to sort everything out. The writer of the 'mystery game' has been murdered as has a member of the group, are they related to the murder of five years ago?? This is a story that is filled with enough humor, suspense and quirky characters to keep the reader occupied. From an author who knows mystery this story will have you guessing as to who the murderer is. I loved it and will definitely read more of Mr. Conrad's work.

[Linda B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would have to be my dream vacation. Travel around Europe with a guided tour and collecting clues while trying to solve a crime. In Hy Conrad’s new book a real mystery develops during one of Amy Murano’s agency tours. Before the tour is over the writer of the mystery tour is found dead

There is a little of everything in Rally ‘Round the Corpse with a real mystery, a light romance, and travel. There was a good balance of dialog and narration, which is always an important factor for me. The writing is good with plenty of lighthearted banter. The characters are a good variety of personalities and they are well defined.

I also read his previous book, Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know, so I had a feeling I would be in for a delightful mystery experience with this book.

I received a review copy of this book in return for an honest and fair review.

[Wendy Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never seen an episode of Monk but I know my mom loves it. If Rally 'Round the Corpse was anywhere near as good as one of her favorite shows, I knew I was in for a treat. The plot is pretty creative. I've read about the murder mystery parties, but I've never heard of a murder mystery tour. That's very clever and it certainly led to the appeal.

The story isn't set in just one place as the rally visits different settings, which in turn, causes some of the characters to act in different ways. Although it started a bit slow, it definitely picked up pace, as well as Amy's character began to open up. I won't tell you what happens because most of the fun is the journey in getting there. What I can say is that I look forward to another book by Hy Conrad. If you enjoy light suspense with vividly drawn characters and superb writing, pick up Rally 'Round the Corpse!

[Gigi Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author, Hy Conrad, and I was not disappointed. It was a uniquely different kind of mystery, a mystery within a mystery, so to speak. I think all mystery enthusiasts will enjoy reading this book. It had humor, suspense, and a bit of romance thrown in.

This book was send to me by the author, Hy Conrad, for me to read for this book tour, and give an honest review.

Thanks Mr. Conrad for a few days of fun, and entertaining reading. He took me on a journey to Italy which I thoroughly enjoyed. Even though I've never been to Italy, I felt at times like I was there with the tour group. Mr. Conrad peaked my interest about "The Capuchin Chapel" so I googled it to read more about it and it's history, which I found quite interesting if not a bit morbid.

[Freda Mans-Labianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than I thought.
Let me explain....
The first part of the book, I wasn't loving the story.I didn't dislike it either, it was just puzzling for me at times.I figured the story had to come together, somewhere, somehow, and then it did.
Once all the pieces starting falling into place and making sense, the story really picked up. I was then enjoying it a lot more.
There was a lot of humor, and a very clever way the story was woven together.
Okay, the mystery part I liked, a lot in fact. It was the Rally aspect that gets lost for me. Thankfully, it's in the beginning of the book in the part I didn't get, and doesn't last long. Other than that, a decent read.

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rally 'Round the Corpse was a fun mystery. It's a mystery within a mystery, if that makes sense.
I liked Amy from the start. She has a penchant for designer eye glasses but aside from that luxury she is a down to earth character. Marcus Alvarez is your tall, mysterious charmer and I wondered if he was a goodie or a baddie.
The players in the mystery game all added to the fun. I liked reading about the different places they were being sent to and the different clues they received.

The setting was fantastic. The European countryside is the perfect backdrop to this mystery and the author does a wonderful job at describing it.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw who the author was. I knew of him through his work on the tv series Monk, which is in the top 5 of my all time favorite shows. Oh how I miss you Monk … Anyway, I just knew this book had to be “LOL out loud” funny! (If you’re not a Monk fan, you won’t get that little joke) And it was! I would love to take part in a mystery road rally! How much fun would that be? LOADS!

The book is a fun read, has lots of peculiar characters, a little romance, and lots of surprises. This is a fantastic book and I’m sure I’ll be picking it up again!

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book (read the entire thing in two days), and I read a lot of mysteries. The characters and plot construction are interesting, and frequently when I thought I knew what was coming, it was completely different and often funny. The information on the author says that he wrote for Monk on TV which I loved, and no doubt how he learned to mix murder, humor, and interesting plot twists. A really fun and engaging read, and I hope more are coming.

[Doreen Magee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book.It takes an unusual idea & sets it off with an amazing variety of characters, & the chase is on ! Add a murder or two to keep things interesting, & of course romance & an ending that you won't believe.This would be a great book to take to the beach or to curl up in front of a fire.

[Terry Parrish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting concept for a book. First time I've read one like this. Would definitely do it if it were ever offered. Really liked the characters, and some were pretty quirky! Would recommend this book to everyone.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read from one of the writers of the hit show "Monk." Hy Conrad made it a nice, easy read with lots of adventure and characters involved in the book.

His love of murder mysteries and travel are shown throughout the entire book. And in the end you're wondering, "who did it?"

[Tanza · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a decent read. I really liked the concept. What I liked best was being able to figure who the killer was, but not figuring out all the details of how the deed was done. I liked feeling smart, but still getting schooled.

[Melissa T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that certainly kept me guessing. Full review to come. *I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[JoAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

To read my review on Romancing-the-Book.com click on the link below:

http://romancing-the-book.com/2013/02...

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

light read. comic mystery with some great twists